Category: Field Gear

Two Letters Re: Velcro on Tactical Gear

Hugh, My experience with the hook-and-loop closure system is, that it works fine while it is new and clean, but deteriorates quickly. Lint is one of the biggest enemies, along with cheat grass and other vegetable contamination. We have velcro on a camera case closure, and one time it came in handy when a moose was headed toward us with its hackles up. Zip, and the moose made a 90-degree turn to the left and trotted away. But in situations where the noise could draw fire, a snap is usually less loud. Better yet, unsnap your retainer early on, before …


Letter Re: Velcro on Tactical Gear

Dear Hugh, Regarding the use of Velcro on tactical gear, I have something which might be of importance that I would like to share. Due to an old athletic injury, I wear an ankle brace for both stability and compression on a daily basis. I have been wearing a brace of one kind or another for more than 40 years. I currently use a brace employing an elastic wrap around with a Velcro closure. It is both convenient and holds tight. Until, that is, the Velcro begins to wear out. With daily use it does wear out rather quickly. I …


Letter Re: Velcro on Tactical Gear

Hi Hugh! Concerning your Velcro usage information request, it is possible to snow/ice load Velcro in transitional weather until it functions poorly. Specially, if the loops are a bit “used”, the stuff can end up nearly dead. We end up replacing Velcro on snowmobile suits and other winter gear if it gets like this. Personally, I have a hypothesis that sometimes the stuff gets beat up by the cold/wind/wet combination, as covered areas of Velcro on the same suits/gear seem to hold up longer. Another issue, and why years ago my unit didn’t allow any Velcro in our deployment gear, …


Letter Re: Velcro on Tactical Gear

Hugh, I have had the opportunity to serve as an 03 with the Marine Corps, an officer with a small police department and in private contracting. During that time, I have been able to use all sorts of nice kits, and my experience stems from that. I would say Velcro is not a good idea in my opinion, unless you include silencers (additional pieces of Velcro) which can be used to silence the hook and loop tearing noise. We often would sew extra Velcro into magazine pouch closures of similar on radio pouches, et cetera. So if you are headed …


Two Letters Re: Velcro On Tactical Gear

HJL, You asked about the use of velcro. This is more in the way of everyday carry, but my cover vest has a large velcro panel that the holster for my BUG hangs from. The pocket that this panel is inside of has a velcro closure. I don’t care for the noise of the velcro for tactical reasons, so I have placed a strip of loop on about half of the velcro (hook & loop) to reduce the sound and yet maintain the closure. The gun is a Kahr PM9 so it is light weight. A number of velcro covered …


A Holistic Approach to Packing a 72-Hour Bug Out Bag- Part 2, by C.T.

Water. Though you may die after three days without water, that is most likely in ideal conditions with low exertion. If you have ever gone hiking before, you know that after an hour or so you are pretty parched already, and by the end of a single day you will be pretty much functionally depleted of water and in desperate need of rehydration. Especially if your bug out happens to be in the summer or a very hot time of year, water is going to be the most important element you need to keep going effectively. This is where knowing …


Letter Re: Velcro on Tactical Gear

Hugh, Concerning your request for information, I have never had issues with Velcro on my dive gear. (It’s found on Buoyancy Compensator pockets mostly.) However, on tactical gear, snaps or magnetic clasps are the most silent and easiest to use without issue. With Velcro there is always the possibility that a second, third, or fourth “tear” will be needed if all the hooks haven’t disengaged. With snaps or magnets, it’s far easier and undeniably quieter. If I’m changing mags in a hot zone, the last thing I want to telegraph is my current position by a “riippp” of the Velcro …


A Holistic Approach to Packing a 72-Hour Bug Out Bag- Part 1, by C.T.

A 72-hour Bug Out Bag (a.k.a. Get Out Of Dodge bag) is a pack filled with the necessary items to sustain you while you walk from an unsafe location to a safe location. Usually the scenario is that “home” is no longer safe and you need to go to some predetermined “bug out” spot. This could be either a friend’s or relative’s house, a family cabin, or a government shelter. Basically, you are going on a hiking trip with an expected start and end point on a pre-planned route during what will most likely be a time of great personal …


An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure- Part 2, by L.W.

Clean Clothes The first line of defense in protecting the skin is your clothing. Protect the hands by always using gloves appropriate to the task at hand—medical gloves for caring for the sick and injured; heavy duty rubber gloves for washing dishes and a completely different set for bathroom cleaning; garden gloves; and leather work gloves. Beyond the gloves, we also need to use clothing to protect the rest of the body. The better covered the body, the better the defense. Understand that sunscreen will eventually run out or lose its efficacy, so protecting the skin from sunburn (and the …


Letter Re: Velcro in Tactical Gear

SurvivalBlog reader R.B. wrote in to ask about Velcro on Tactical Gear. As a life-long SCUBA diver, on wrecks, rescues, and searches, he states that Velcro can fail to stay attached when wet. Aside from the obvious issue of sound (the exceedingly loud rrrrriiiip when it is removed, either intentionally or accidentally), we’d like to hear from you. Do you use Velcro on your equipment? If not why? If so, what issues do you have? – HJL


Letter: Self-Maintaining Mosquito Trap

With all the excitement about the Zika virus lately I thought I’d share my discovery of an effective low-maintenance mosquito trap. Take a 1/2 oak barrel. Line it with plastic to keep the leakage down. (Most gardening stores sell a plastic tub-like liner for this purpose.) You could just saw a plastic barrel in half I guess, but that’s not very pretty. Put it in a sunny spot and fill it with water. Add two goldfish. Put a bit of shade over part of the barrel for the “fishies” to shelter under. Top off with water as needed through the …


Letter Re: Bug Out Bags for Dogs

SurvivalBlog reader K.D. wrote in to question the need for a BOB for a dog in TEOTWAWKI, believing that most dogs will be more of an OPSEC liability than anything else and envisions large packs of roaming dogs fending for themselves as they are abandoned by their owners. HJL’s Comment: While I might agree with your sentiment if it were to apply to the family pet (easily the vast majority of dogs today), it most certainly does not apply to what I would term “working” dogs. Working dogs are readily used by both police and military to handle dangerous situations. …


The Side of the Road Is Not Just for Emergencies, by B.A.

I see many people on the side of the road. Many times it is as simple as a flat. Other times it is something that the driver cannot fix. What many people do not know is that your car is designed to shut down automatically should certain things go out of tolerance. This is to prevent damage to your engine or vehicle. Many of us are pre-programmed, too, to think that the car is a special device for which only a select few of us can open the hood and work our magic. That is not the truth. Sure, if …


Letter Re: An Odd Piece of Equipment for Your Preps

Hugh, I saw the “Odds and Sods” post about tens units. The writer was disappointed that his unit was 9 volt and did not use AA. There are a few ways to convert 9 volt systems to run on AA, but I thought I would share this way, as it is the easiest. Obviously there are other versions out there, so it doesn’t hurt to shop around. I hope this helps. – R.M.


Crises Preparation- Part 2, by B1

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Home Security Your home should appear shabby, as if you are poor or struggling. (Think of a “redneck trailer park”; no offense is intended.) People living in urban areas will be at a much higher risk for criminal activity. If you look organized and secure, you will be a target for theft, looting, et cetera. You don’t want to directly or indirectly advertise your stockpile or your plan to anyone outside your trusted circle. When you’re doing your shopping for supplies, do it at night. Neighbors see more than you think. When you store (hide) your stockpile, do it in …