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 | The Bug Out BagWhat if you had only three minutes to grab whatever you could take from your home, and the... |
 | Survivalist Wish ListA roundup of the best and most innovative survival gear ever introduced. |
 | Water Filtration TestAron Snyder hiked into the backcountry to test water filtration systems. |
 | Big Ass KnivesSnow's favorite big blades, modeled by the hottest hunters on OL's staff. |
 | Game FacesEight watches that do much more than just give you the time of day |
 | Knife TestSurvival knives have advanced with new steel recipes and synthetic materials. |
When you start a campfire, how do you do it? Do you use a log cabin fire lay? A teepee fire lay? Or is there a pile of wet logs and a can of diesel involved? I hope it’s not that last one.
For years, I have been a big fan of the teepee fire lay. It just seemed like the natural shape to allow the fire to climb at a steady pace. But I wanted to see if there was any solid evidence that one fire lay did something that another style did not, so I set out with equal amounts of the same fire building materials to determine if there were any major differences between a log cabin fire and a teepee fire. Using two pounds of sticks and a quarter-pound of twigs for each fire lay, I built a cone-shaped teepee and a square log cabin with a small cone core. With a handful of dry oak leaf tinder in the center of the fire lays, I lit each one with a quick kiss from a Bic lighter. [ Read Full Post ]
Lighting sources may not be at the top of your list of survival necessities, but they shouldn’t be ignored as much as they are. Having seen more and more Exotac gear being used by my friends and survival students lately, I couldn’t pass up the little Exotac candleTIN when I saw it at a recent gun show. Especially since it boasts a 30-hour burn time. But would it measure up?
There are actually four versions of the Exotac candleTIN: small and large sizes with either slow-burn or hot-burn wick choices. The slow burn will provide long candle life, while the hot burn will generate enough heat to boil water. I bought the large, slow-burn option. The weight of the large-size candle turned out to be a little heavier than the manufacturer’s info stated. I measured the candle with lid at 6.5 ounces (versus an advertised weight of 4.2 ounces). [ Read Full Post ]
After purchasing several pairs of allegedly waterproof boots (yeah, they all leaked), and teaching survival classes in wet, swampy environments, I was thrilled to have a chance to test out Rocky’s new S2V Substratum boots.
Touted as the survival boot that won’t quit, and bred from the boots that many of our armed forces rely upon, my expectations were high. I’m pleased to say that I now own a pair of waterproof boots, which are fully tricked out for the survivalist. Yes, the boots may look a little space-age at first glance, and they're a touch heavy. But, that weight comes from all the protection built into the boot. The upper is waterproof Nubuck leather and ripstop nylon. The fully gusseted tongue and high top helps to keep rocks, dirt, snow, and water from getting down into your boot as well. [ Read Full Post ]
If I had a specialty, it would be fire building. I absolutely love it. Not in the creepy way a pyromaniac loves it. But in the way you appreciate something that can sustain your life.
So my knee-jerk reaction when someone on television starts a fire with dubious materials or in less-than-hospitable conditions is usually skepticism or flat-out disbelief. When I saw Dual Survival’s new military survival expert, Joe Teti, light a fire with apparent ease using a gum wrapper and a single battery, I had to try it out for myself. [ Read Full Post ]
Salt is one of those common, everyday items that doesn’t draw much attention … until you run out of it. Unless you live near a salt mine or a salt flat, you probably won’t have much of a way to replenish any salt stores in your household food storage or bug out bag.
That’s a shame too, because a simple container of salt does so many different things.
I’m not suggesting that everyone hoard a mountain full of salt. But since it’s so cheap and so useful, salt shouldn’t be overlooked when preparing for survival situations.
What’s so great about salt? [ Read Full Post ]
Water is one of the most critical necessities of life, whether you’re in an emergency or not. If you’re backpacking or bugging out, you’ll always need to have the ability to turn raw, contaminated water into clean, safe water.
Owning a lightweight, dependable device for water filtration is a key part to any respectable survival strategy; and one of the best filters to hit the market lately is the Aquamira Frontier Pro. This tough little water filter is a serious upgrade over those cheaper survival straws that people have been stuffing into survival kits for years. [ Read Full Post ]
One of smallest and most portable hunting tools that we still have from ancient times is the sling. A bit of string, a patch of cloth or leather, and some round stones are all the equipment required for slaying rabbits or the odd Goliath. The sling is easy to make, and ammo is literally everywhere.
But note that I said didn’t say using a sling is easy. If you grew up with this weapon as a plaything, you probably have thrown thousands of stones and have an instinctive feel for targeting with this weapon. If you are new to throwing a sling stone, you ought to consider wearing goggles and a helmet until you get the hang of it. [ Read Full Post ]
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