Category: Field Gear

Letter Re: 2nd Annual Bug-Out Drill at Tiger Valley in Texas

James, I started reading SurvivalBlog this year after a friend told me to check out the site and it has been a great resource. I had a couple of thing that might be of interest to everyone. First is the 2nd annual Bug-out drill at Tiger Valley in Texas. Tiger Valley will host its second annual Bug Out Drill, September 29, 2007. We will run the same distance as last year, 15 miles, but the physical challenges will be tougher. For those who didn’t attend the last event, the idea for this was spawned from reading the survival forum. I, …


Three Letters Re: Surplus Interceptor Body Armor (IBA)

James, I noticed the letter you posted about the man who bought his interceptor armor from eBay. Much of the Interceptor [Body] Armor on the market is stolen property. Many times it was stolen through supply [channels] and that is one of the reasons so many troops had to buy their own. On many of the tactical forums you have to be able to produce proof that you bought the interceptor armor legally. The interceptor armor itself is outdated. It is very heavy and bulky. Dragonskin is also not available to civilians. You have to have a end user certificate …


Letter Re: Surplus Interceptor Body Armor

James, Military surplus Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) is starting to show up on eBay from Iraq war veterans who had to purchase the military spec armor themselves before the military was able to issue the armor to every soldier. This week, I purchased a full set of the Interceptor body armor with the front and back small arms protective insert small arms protective insert (SAPI) rifle plates from an Army officer via eBay. This equipment is heavy (around 17 pounds) tactical armor that is bulky. It offers good protection and intimidation factors for post-TEOTWAWKI uses and is perfect for guard …


Reader Poll Results: Your TEOTWAWKI Resume — 100 Words and 100 Pounds

Some of these stretched the 100 word limit. (I skipped posting one that rambled on far beyond the limit.) The poll’s premise in a nutshell: “If someday you went to the gates of a survival community post-TEOTWAWKI and pleaded the case for why you should be let past the barricades and armed guards to become a valuable working member of the group, would you get voted in? Taken objectively, would you vote yourself in?”   I am a shoe maker (not just a repairman) can repair saddles tan leather have done ranch work mechanics weld gardening skills set a broken …


Letter Re: A Get Out of Dodge Physical Fitness Test

Jim, First of all as a reader of your SurvivalBlog and a purchaser of your “Patriots” novel, your Rawles on Retreats and Relocation book, and a copy of your “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. I wanted to offer my thanks for your information and insight. I am only a few months into the preparedness way of life but was hit hard this last week by an object lesson that I don’t feel gets the priority needed in some preparedness writings. My current physical fitness was tested as I re-shingled my roof and the realization I had at my lack …


Reader Poll: Your TEOTWAWKI Resume — 100 Words and 100 Pounds

S.F. in Hawaii suggested another poll topic: “If someday you went to the gates of a survival community post TEOTWAWKI and pleaded the case for why you should be let past the barricades and armed guards to become a valuable working member of the group, would you get voted in? Taken objectively, would you vote yourself in? I suggest the following poll. Put together your survival resume in 100 words or less. The resume is what you would present to a panel of tough as nails judges who would decide if what you offer is worth what you will consume …


Letter Re: Keeping Firearms Functioning in Extreme Cold Temperatures

Hi Jim, Greetings from Ohio. As a former NCO in Her Majesty’s Canadian Forces, and a Winter Warfare instructor to boot, I’d like to suggest some additions to your excellent post regarding extreme cold weather firearms. While having the proper lube is of high importance do allow me to suggest that some basic handling techniques are of equal importance. Most importantly never bring your weapon near a heat source while operating in the deep cold. This is the most common mistake we would repeatedly see on operations. If you seeking shelter in any heated building/tent or so forth – leave …


Letter Re: Holster Recommendations

Hi Jim: I plan to open carry in my new county here in Colorado, and I’m looking for a vendor that sells attractive leather shooter’s belts and nice leather holsters for M1911s and Glocks. Do you have any preferred vendors/manufacturers you can recommend? I’ve only ever carried [pistols] on [military] Load Bearing Equipment (LBE) so this semi-casual leather belt open carry thing is very new to me, as is the civilian gun culture 🙂 – Eric JWR Replies: We mainly carry Kydex Blade-Tech brand holsters and mag pouches here at the Rawles Ranch. And for the most part we use …


Letter Re: Advice on Where to Learn Practical, Tactical Skills

Sir: USRSOG conducts a civilian S.E.R.E. (Search Evasion Rescue & Escape) class once a year. They teach primitive fire-building, Evasion techniques, field camouflage techniques, some plant identification, hand-to-hand [fighting] techniques, natural cordage making, [flint] knapping and a bunch of other things like primitive shelter making. These guys are hardcore and I’m blessed to have known them and took their class last year. This year’s class is April 27-28-29 and I think there is still time for any last minute sign-ups but your readers will need to contact them right away. Students also need proof that they are right with the …


Letter Re: Question on LEDs and EMP

Hi Jim: Your blog is the best I’ve come across on the Internet. Very useful information. Regarding the subject of [Electromagnetic Pulse] EMP, are the new Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashlights more, or less immune to EMP than those using conventional incandescent bulbs? Modern solid-state circuitry is in grave danger of terminal damage in the event of an EMP occurrence. LEDs are composed of a semiconductor junction, similar to transistors and integrated circuits. Do modern LED flashlights have enough of the right characteristics to pick up sufficient EMP burst energy and become permanently useless? Your comments please, and thank you. …


Letter Re: Expedient Footware

Jim, I was doing my nightly research on the web and discovered a great resource for making Expedient Footware. This seemed a slick and quick answer. Check out this link for the directions on fabricating sandals out of tires. I printed a copy of the instructions and they will become part of my library for that rainy day event we all hope never happens. The children and I will make our practice run set here shortly. – Matt B.


Letter Re: Build-It-Yourself Pocketknife Kits

James: I just wanted to pass along my experience with KnifeKits.com. I purchased their FLX-25 frame lock folder kit. As a beginner, I found this kit to be an excellent little project. It took me only about 20 minutes to put it together and I had a nice rugged (and repairable) pocket knife. (I wish it took longer to build as I was having so much fun!) The blade sharpened up very nicely and it has been a great pocket tool ever since. I ended up buying another five-pack of this kit which came out to be $16.25 per knife …


Letter Re: Advice on Stocking up on Clothing For Families With Children

Mr. Rawles, I’ve read your book and perused your web site extensively, yet there is one issue which I cannot find a plan or answer for: growing children. I have three and five year old boys. Kids grow of course, and fast. Stocking up on clothing, shoes, et cetera while planning for future growth is like stocking up for five or six separate people. I’m sure there are many of us who would appreciate some advice on this issue, and maybe some time in the future you could address it. As a comment, I highly recommend an anti-diarrheal such as …


Seven Letters Re: Advice on Magazine Duplexing Systems

Dear Jim, Some other things to consider with multiple magazines attached together: The AR-15 was designed with a 20 round magazine, which was increased to 30. The magazine catch can chip, break, wear or jam with too much weight. If one magazine is inverted (“jungle clipped”), the bottom, then one is going to get the feed lips dinged up or full of dirt, as well as preventing one from taking a good prone position. Having a spare magazine in hand or readily accessible on the gear is just as fast a change as those overpriced and clunky gadgets. As to …


Letter Re: Survival Kits and Salt Storage

Sir: I came to the survivalist mindset by the strangest of all possible paths – a literary one. I would probably be considered more of a “self-reliantist” than a survivalist, but I see that as a fine point. I’ve always been the sort of guy who has wanted to know how to make things from scratch, and I’ve learned a lot in my planning efforts. I’ve been slowly compiling an encyclopedia of important skills and knowledge that is now in excess of 1000 pages and includes things from the most primitive tasks to the light-industrial. I thought I might offer …