Category: Field Gear


Situational Awareness Starts in the Home, by J.G.

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Most everyone tends to start life with very low levels of what is called situational or tactical awareness. These words are often mentioned in the same conversations along with the term OPSEC (Operational Security). These same men are wearing MOLLE covered gear talking about fields of fire. They might also include fatal funnels, eyeballs on targets, heads on swivels, and other tactical lingo. However, in case you didn’t know, situational awareness is for everyone. So where do we begin with this discussion? I’m glad you asked. I believe that tactical awareness, just like kindness, should start in the home. Mom …


Letter Re: Getting Ready For The Long Walk

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Good Day Sir, I writing to you to make amends for an error that was included in a recently published article entitled “Getting Ready For The Long Walk, by Lone Wolf and Cub” on the blog. In the article we discussed a scenario, in which persons may have to walk at least partway to their retreat. In the article, it was incorrectly stated that a tourniquet can be placed on for two days. The correct answer is tourniquet removal should be considered in two hours. My COC recently has informed me the upper limit should be of eight hours. I …


Maxxeon’s 2nd Gen WorkStar 620 Headlamp, by Pat Cascio

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Today we’re taking a close look at the Maxxeon 2nd Gen WorkStar 620 Technician’s Rechargeable Headlamp. We have tested several other lighting products from Maxxeon for SurvivialBlog readers over the years. One still sits on my desk, and I use it all the time when I need extra illumination for a project or looking for a lost gun part. Maxxeon Varied Intensity Levels Not all headlamps are the same. With that said, the Maxxeon 620 is quite the light. It has several intensity levels, with the highest being 700 lumens, medium 400 lumens, and low is still a bright 150 …


Getting Ready For the Long Walk- Part 3, by Lone Wolf and Cub

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Today, we are wrapping up this series. We’ve already discussed the importance of prayer and are looking at what we need to take with us, most recently discussing first aid and medical supplies. We’ll continue with a few health care notes and move on with other items that need to be prepared and ready to go when it’s time to head to your retreat. Preventive Measures Against The Triad of Death The “triad of death” is the condition were your patient has hypothermia, excessive blood loss, and acidosis, which is a condition where the body is unable to clot. This …


Letter Re: Walking to the Retreat

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Gentlemen: In recent days SurvivalBlog has published two articles that heavily feature the “Shank’s Mare” option– walking to Get Out of Dodge. I consider walking to a bugout location a last resort but one that must be included in the planning process. To that end, I’ve been looking for a device that could provide assistance in such a trek. In the movie “The Road,” made from the Cormac McCarthy book of the same name, the father eventually comes into possession of what looks like a Strongway Yard Cart (available through Amazon and others) or similar cart, which is a 4 …


Getting Ready For the Long Walk-Part 2, by Lone Wolf and Cub

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Yesterday, I introduced my public service announcement directed especially for city dwellers and provided details for Stage 1, which is “facing your fears”. You must recognize God and your Christian duty to provide first for your family. You should also focus every resource toward purchasing farmable land in your name so that you and your family don’t become part of the Golden Horde, trying to get out of a city that resembles one filled with zombies in the Walking Dead. Stage 2 The Preparation. Begin With Prayer Begin with a routine of morning and nightly prayers. Only by the Providence …


Getting Ready For the Long Walk-Part 1, by Lone Wolf and Cub

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As a preface to this article, I will say that my family consists of my son and me. He is the light of my life. He is my inspiration for survival. I have few good friends that I consider loyal and trustworthy. They take preparation seriously, although I know many people who do not. The following is based on a hypothetical situation in which society breaks down very quickly and violently. To me, it is a real possibility, and I draw upon my experience of living among different societies, which galvanizes this belief. I am not a doom and gloomer; …


International Travel Preparation- Part 1, by O.D.

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When the mushroom cloud goes up or the grid goes down, those of us preparing will be fortunate if we are home or at our pre-planned bug out location and with our family. But many of us work away from home, with a sizeable minority of us travelling out-of-country. What then? Are you prepared for international travel? Getting All The Way Back Home I’ve been flying to and from work for about three decades, usually not to places high on the “must-see for the party scene” list. On my second-ever expatriate assignment, I got a quick and extremely pointed wake-up …


The Novice And The Expert- Part 2, by Old Bobbert

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Today, we are continuing to learn, whether we are a novice or an expert in preparedness. If experts, we can learn how to guide a novice in their preparation planning. Confidence Key Words We left off yesterday with a group in a pandemic situation going grocery store shopping in teams with lists and cash. We had a reference to use confidence key words at checkout to help avoid being a victim. What are these confidence key words? I know that you know them. Read the following out loud: “Please and thank you. Yes, sir. Yes, ma’am. We appreciate your help.” …


Guest Article: The MVT Lite Fight Concept- Part 2, by Max Alexander

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We’ve covered the first two components of the MVT Lite Fight Concept —Lite Hydration Pack (LHP) and plate carrier. However, I haven’t wrapped up my comments relating to plates. Here are my notes: Ballistic Plates: There is a persistent tomfoolery about steel plates. These are heavy, suffer badly from spalling (ever shot a steel target; you are wearing one). You cannot navigate while wearing them (magnetic compass). In the winter it would be like wearing a refrigerator. Ceramic/hybrid plates are criticized for needing a little more care, like not throwing them off the back of your truck lest they crack (which …


Guest Article: The MVT Lite Fight Concept- Part 1, by Max Alexander

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This is a follow-up contribution to the two gear posts: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load, and Weight Considerations and Gear System: Philosophy, Set Up, Use, Fitness & Mindset. And as such, it should be read in combination with those posts. Notice that I have updated the gear photo from the one that I used in those posts. There is not a huge difference between the gear displayed. There’s merely a different rifle and Lite Hydration Pack, plus I have added the helmet to the mix for purposes to be explained below. This illustrates the point that this post …


Bowfishing For Survival, by J.W.

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Just as there are many ways of skinning a cat, there are different methods you can employ to catch the fish. And yes, you guessed it right: Bowfishing is one such method. It allows you to hunt all species of fish imaginable without necessarily using the typical fishing rod, reel, and worm baits. Instead, you only require a good bowfishing bow. As much as bowfishing may sound entirely new to most people, it dates back to centuries ago, when it was one of the most reliable techniques of gathering food. Now, fast forward. The technique has evolved into what I’d …


A Backpacker’s Perspective on Bugging Out, by Z.M.

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I like to backpack and want to share my perspective on bugging out. I’ve done hundreds of miles out on the Appalachian Trail and have spent a good number of nights out on the trail in the woods as a result. Having the wrong gear while trekking out for any length of time makes life pretty miserable. Bugging In or Bugging Out, With a Comprehensive List With prepping there is a lot of debate on whether one should bug-in or bug-out post-disaster. The answer to that obviously depends upon not only the situation but how well prepared you are with …


Gear System: Philosophy, Set Up, Use, Fitness & Mindset- Part 2, by Max

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Today, we are concluding this article, which is a follow-up to the recent “The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load, and Weight Considerations”. Part 1 disclosed the basics of the gear system and began detailing them. We are continuing with the details, and then covering the practical use of our gear and the importance of physical conditioning. THE DETAIL (continued) Chest Rig / Plate Carrier: You must avoid the temptation to “go large” with this item. With the available huge admin pouches and the like, this is particularly something you want to avoid below your armpits or right on the …