Category: Field Gear

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Leatherman Tread Multi-Tool

I’m not exactly sure when I bought my first Leatherman multi-tool, but it was a couple decades ago, and since then I’ve probably owned just about every model they have manufactured over the years. There have been many imitators, but Tim Leatherman invented the original multi-tool. Leatherman is located here in Oregon– my adopted home state– and I keep getting invited to go to the Leatherman factory for a tour, but I just don’t get up into the Portland, OR area very much these days. I prefer living and staying out in the boonies. I cherish my privacy! Tim Leather …


My Experiences And Lessons Learned As A Suburban Prepper- Part 1, by CGman

As I sit here typing I wonder again what has taken me so long to write down these thoughts. I think this website is one of the most important places on the Internet for people who are actually concerned for the future of their family and this country. I cannot begin to write down all of the things I have learned and used from reading the articles on SurvivalBlog. My reason for typing this article is not to win a prize but to try to pass some important information along to others who are in similar circumstances. As an upper-middle …


Digital Communications Capabilities for Prepared Families, by Prairie Dweller

As most preppers know, regardless of where you are on your prepping journey, the ability to communicate is a vital need. We need to communicate with our families, and we need to get information about what’s going on around us. The need for communications, as well as the traditional methods for establishing them, has been well addressed in preparedness circles. What has not been addressed much is what digital communications capabilities have to offer you as a prepper. I have been an amateur and commercial radio operator for many years, and the capabilities of digital communications as compared to voice …


Survival Electronics- Part 2, by K.A.

Fire Fire for heat and cooking can also be very important to survival. Enter the USB-rechargeable cigarette lighter. Note there are two versions of an electronic lighter: one which is an “arc” lighter that generates a small electric current and requires the material to be lit be passed through the beam and is loud like a tazer (definitely try these first before buying) and another which is a resistance-coil version that requires the item to be lit to be pressed into the hot coil. While the author feels a good old-fashioned firesteel is more reliable in the wilderness, sometimes you …


Survival Electronics- Part 1, by K.A.

Many preppers seem to think that a catastrophe would automatically cause society to revert to the 1800’s and that no electronics will survive. This unspoken assumption is not necessarily accurate, since there are a number of ways in which electronics can survive a crisis and play an important role in a survival or SHTF situation, particularly for short- and medium-term or local situations, such as storms, fires, or when forced to evacuate or go mobile. This article explores the advantages of some devices in various categories: physical needs, information, communications, and morale. Understanding Modern Lithium-ion Batteries Before we delve into …


Firearm Noise Suppressor Overview, by S.M.

It seems that ownership and use of firearm noise suppressors, also referred to as “silencers” or “cans”, are increasingly popular in the United States. Manufacturers have responded to the increased interest and demand with new, innovative products. For those considering acquiring suppressors, I thought it might be useful if I shared my recent experiences. While there are many legal hurdles to suppressor ownership, they can be addressed fairly easily at a reasonable cost and effort. Since I am not a lawyer, I can only provide a layman’s perspective. Therefore I suggest that you research the applicable legal requirements of the …


Letter Re: What We Lack In Training Can Be An Advantage- Part 2

HJL, There was a comment in the article by R.W., “What We Lack in Training Can Be An Advantage“. It is tough to put pen to paper and generate something of value, and I would like to complement their efforts; for the most part I have no issues. However, sometimes what may seem reasonable and practical can in fact be more dangerous. Regarding the use of gas masks for respiratory protection, it stirred some memories from back in the days when I went to NBC School in the Army, from 30+ years ago. One of the things I remember was …


Energy, Efficiency, and Frugality, by Redoubting Thomas

There are many considerations when worrying about a “grid down” situation. Here are some thoughts worth considering: Frugality “Black Friday” is coming shortly, so you might want to make a wish list and maybe even store it in the “saved for later” section of your Amazon shopping cart; you will get a notification for price changes. Sometimes an item will drop 30% for a sale or no known reason. Do the same with your “prepper wish list” but also have a budget and price point in mind. If things fall apart soon, this might be a last chance to stock …


What We Lack In Training Can Be An Advantage- Part 2, by R.W.

Unfortunately, when we talk about FM and defense, we are probably going to wind up taking it up a notch to talk about guns and, of course, which guns are best for a WROL situation. Tons of articles abound about this topic, but suffice it to say I believe it is our duty to have a weapon or weapons and be people who are trained and proficient at using them effectively. Though the adage says “He who runs away will live to play another day,” that may not always be an option; if confrontation can be avoided and if use …


What We Lack In Training Can Be An Advantage- Part 1, by R.W.

As the title states, when it comes to having military, practical, or tactical training, many of us may feel at a loss when realizing we have not had any military, LE, or tactical training. For a fair amount of the population this is true. We are basically “every man” average Joes, who may or may not have done some thinking and purchasing as well as planning for home self-defense. Maybe you are fortunate enough to have some formal training in weapons and self defense, but even so I want us to begin thinking both in an out-of-the-box way about how …


Letter Re: Rawles Voyager Knife

Mr. Rawles, I thought I would write a quick thank you to all of you over at SurvivalBlog.com. After reading the reviews and letters concerning the knife, I decided to purchase it. So I went over to the coldsteel.com website and had it in my basket ready to check out and pay for it, but a little nagging thought wouldn’t leave. “I didn’t see if there was another reputable place I could get it.” So, I went back to the review and noticed a link to LTSpecPro, so I clicked and low and behold the knife was $30 less. I …


Structured Thinking for Practical Prepping for Suburban Life, by S.I.R.

I am writing this article based on my experience as Army Infantry officer, a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and intelligence professional, but most of all as someone who uses structured thinking to plan against and mitigate threats. It is important to plan for events that are less of a threat yet highly probable that in turn provide the foundation to plan for extremely dangerous threats that are less likely to happen. Structured thinking and scenario development will assist the average reader with how to move beyond theory and talk to practical planning. The Americans I interact with live in …


How to Use Paddle Wire for Survival by Prepper Ray

A couple of weeks ago one of my prepper friends stopped by and said: “Check this out” he hands me a small spool of green wire. I was intrigued, what is it? Trip wire? Snare wire? “It’s both and much more,” he said. After he told me a few of the ways it could be used, it became clear to me that Paddle Wire was the one missing component in my survival gear. If you don’t have a good supply of Paddle wire or never even heard of it, you wouldn’t be alone. Paddle wire is a low-cost 22 to …


Internet Auction Sites for Preppers, by B.F.

I suspect most of us who are interested in self-reliance are preparing on a budget. While it would be great to order a year’s worth of food at a time, and rotate them by donating them to the local food bank, that is just not practical for most of us. Likewise with equipment, tools and other survival needs. It would be easy to just go to Amazon and order whatever we want, but I for one will need to wait until I win the lottery first. The Internet is full of places you can buy supplies, tools, food and anything …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Cold Steel’s Survival Edge

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For many years, I’ve looked that the Cold Steel web site as well as their printed catalogs, and saw among their fixed blade knifes a survival-type knife, with a hollow handle – called the “Survival Edge” and I just didn’t understand why it was in the line-up. To my mind, it just looked like a “cheap” hollow handle survival knife – one that doesn’t really belong in the Cold Steel line of fantastic knives. Lynn Thompson (Cold Steel’s owner) and I have been friends since the early 1900s and if there is one thing we have learned about each is …