Category: Clothing

Camouflaging Techniques, by Concealed Prepper – Part 1

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When times get bad, and you feel unprotected and exposed, you will want to have camouflage to keep you and your family safe. For some people that may mean just a simple set of BDUs or even just the first camo clothing you see at Walmart. However, that may not be enough. There is a lot more to camouflage and concealment than just these. Get proper camouflage: you will want some proper mil spec BDUs. These are sturdy and will come in handy for making ghillie suits, holding extra supplies, and recognizing your fellow group members. It is not necessary …


Eight Lessons Learned From the Polar Vortex Plunge

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The recent plunge of the Polar Vortex deep into the American Midwest should serve as a wake-up call for those who are preparedness-minded. Here are some recent headlines: Polar Vortex Triggers Coldest Arctic Outbreak in at Least Two Decades in Parts of the Midwest Minneapolis could break low temperature records originally set in the 1800s, and Chicago could challenge its all-time record low of minus 27 F, set on Jan. 20, 1985. (BBC): Polar vortex brings deadly cold snap to US states (BBC): Polar vortex: Ice quakes, burning railways and other quirky effects Polar vortex brings coldest air in a …


Blackhawk Terrain Mid-Training Shoes, by Pat Cascio

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A good shoe is important to survival, be it in the city or out in the boonies. Without a good shoe, you may fail in your survival efforts. We’re looking at the Blackhawk Products Terrain Mid-Training shoe. Discount Big Box Store Shoes I know. I know. We all have to watch how we spend our hard-earned money these days, and I’m no exception to this. I certainly understand the discount shoe stores and big box stores, who sell cheap shoes, and I mean this not only in price but that they’re cheaply made. Oh sure, they initially look really well …


Blackhawk Products Rigger’s Belt with Cobra Buckle, by Pat Cascio

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If you’re looking for one of the best of the best belts for concealed/duty carry, look no further than the Blackhawk Products Rigger’s belt that is under review today. Tip-offs For Someone Carrying a Weapon Having worked as a police officer in the past, as well as doing private security contractor work, I trained myself to be observant, always looking for someone carrying a weapon, and in particular, a concealed handgun. One of the first tip-offs that would catch my eye would be a poorly designed holster that didn’t really conceal a handgun very well. Secondly, the tip-off would be …


A Stitch in Time- Part 2, by a Florida Mom

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Recycle and Redesign! Fabric With the cost of fabric today, few women continue to sew clothing. Sewing has become more of a craft hobby. With this cost in mind, it pays to look for other options for fabric. Yard sales, consignment shops, and thrift stores provide an additional source, either fabric pieces or larger size clothing in good condition. If you shop at a fabric store, make sure you look for sales and use coupons. Repaired or Restyled Man’s Button Front Shirt A man’s button front shirt can be recycled by adding a new collar and cuffs from similar or …


A Stitch in Time- Part 1, by a Florida Mom

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On a practical note, are you including a basic sewing repair kit in your preparations? Whether you’re aiming towards self-sufficiency or a large scale disaster, there are some basic tools that you need to keep on hand. I’m talking about more than a few pre-threaded needles, a button, and two safety pins! I keep a basic sewing repair kit with the above items in my emergency bag, but my supplies at home provide a multi-purpose repair kit, as well as supplying what will be needed to make and repair clothing and pack items. Are you ready to repair, reuse, recycle, …


Blackhawk Clothing, by Pat Cascio

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If you are serious about surviving the End Of The World, or whatever SHFT scenario that may come you way, you might want to consider the Blackhawk Products clothing line. Bearing Burdens of the Homeless Please, bear with me for a few minutes, as I digress just a little bit. It will all make sense to you, I promise. Some years ago, when my family and I lived outside of Ontario, Oregon, we started a much needed street ministry to the homeless. At any given time, we could find 20-30 homeless people walking the streets, day and night. So, there …


Letter Re: Using Cloth Diapers in TEOTWAWKI

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Hugh, This will not apply to most of your readers, but my wife and I are using cloth diapers for our newborn son. At $5 a piece they pay for themselves quickly and will be useful when items are hard to obtain during uncertain times. Thanks for the blog, and attached is a link for the diapers. – R.T. HJL’s Comment: There are many advantages to cloth diapers. There are also many disadvantages. On our first child, we used cloth diapers (the standard white cotton with a separate plastic overpant). The point was to “go natural”, I think. However, I …


IndestructiBELT, by Pat Cascio

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IndestructiBELT- Thin, Stiff, and Comfortable The folks at IndestructiBELT recently contacted SurvivalBlog and wanted me to test one of their belts. In short order, one was in my hands. Needless to say, when a company calls their belts “indestructible”, I just assume to take it with a grain of salt. Everyone hypes their products. We all know this. So, I put this belt to the test. As this is written, I’ve been wearing this belt daily for a month now, and I’m more than a little impressed with it. First off, the belt is thin, but it is stiff. However, …


Letter Re: Camo Patterns

Hello HJL and JWR, Regarding spray painting cloth, this article shows that spray painting cloth with [ultra-flat] camouflage Krylon paint actually reduces its near infrared reflectivity. Can your readers comment? I have spray painted surplus UCP camo with a light, even coat of brown camo paint, making it look very dirty, similar to an ATACS pattern. This would seem to be a cheap option for those of us on a budget. – EP


Letter Re: Camo Pattern Clothing

Gentlemen: An inexpensive and non-standard substitute can be made from off-the-shelf khaki and light gray trousers and oversize long sleeve shirts and some clothing dye. I’d suggest one size larger than one normally wears, to hide body outline, permit freedom of movement, and allow for an insulating layer. Thrift stores are good sources, and faded colors are a plus. If one is a purist, it’s advisable to take along a UV light source when shopping; once clothing is washed in detergent with brighteners, it’s UV reflective pretty much for the life of the garment. (Editor’s Addition: Ditto if they have …


Five Things Women Need, by J.W.

My wife has a love-hate relationship with all this personal defense stuff.  She hates the idea of needing to be prepared and can’t stand that her day-to-day life is affected by potential or perceived and often unseen threats of violence, bUT she loves me.  So that means she agrees to all my training, prepping, security protocols, and most of my gear purchases.  Most? Okay, many of them. Many? Okay, fine. I just buy what I want. She gets mad for awhile and then eventually forgives me! The point of this article is to give you five things that we think …


The Fallacy of the Bugout Bag, by J.C.

I began my quest to become self-sufficient in a bug out situation sometime around the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005.  My first purchase, if I recall was a gravity fed water filter and a small solar battery charger.  The old saying that one can live three weeks without food but only three days without water, in hindsight is what drove me to that purchase.  I don’t regret buying it to this day, but the chances that it will be with me in a true bug out situation, are slim to none. Before I go any further I …


Prepare to Be Prepped – Sometimes You Have to Survive Daily Life, by Just-Do-It Jane

Most of us in the U.S. have been touched by winter storms. If you live in the South like I do, then you’ve probably tossed your hands in the air and said to yourself, “Wait a minute! What happened to mild winters?!” Fortunately for me, my friend “Survival Messenger” has had the foresight to help me (and many others) understand why we should prepare for come-what-may scenarios. She has shared everything from her favorite high-tech gadgets to trusted and ingenious homemade solutions for everyday problems. I’ve been the thrilled recipient of handy buckets and bags filled with so many helpful …


A Life Submerged: The Gray Man Existence, by A. Smith

This article explores concealment and the Gray Man mindset and lifestyle in The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) and survival in contemporary society. The tactics, techniques, and procedures I’ll describe are taken from a military point of view.  It is not intended as an end all. It is merely a perspective on some experiences of deployments in 30 years of service to many backwater countries.  Hopefully my shared experiences will help better understand and prepare you in case something really goes wrong with our economy, natural or man-made disaster, etc.