Category: Field Gear

Letter Re: Getting Home When TSHTF

Hi James, I had to send a note regarding this article. As a former outdoor professional I can’t take the chance that someone reading the article would walk away from it with the idea that it’s okay to tie your pack or bundle to you when crossing a body of water.  No! Never!  That is potentially deadly.  I don’t care if you have practiced it a hundred times without a problem.  The 101st crossing could be the one that gets you.  I have lost 8 friends over the last 20 years that were world class mountaineers, elite back country skiers, professional river guides, …


Getting Home When TSHTF, by Flasher

I’d like to start off by expressing my appreciation for this blog – I’ve learned a lot from everyone here. I’m fairly new to prepping and I am by no means an expert. In this article, I will be putting together some of the things that my group and I are doing to raise the odds that we will get home when the Schumer Hits the Fan (TSHTF) and referencing other articles that I found helpful. Like most people, I commute a long distance to work. I do this because there are few to no jobs in my field that …


Get Home Bag Lessons Learned, by Traveling Salesman David

I’ve been seriously prepping for a decade and consider myself a prepared and competent guy.   Y2K got me started, but the events of the past few years have kicked my preps into higher gear.   I’m confidant with my guns and food storage.  I have alternate power and heat sources established at both our home and retreat location.  I have a co-worker who includes me in his prepper group’s  meetings.  My family (immediate and some extended) is on board with our plans for TEOTWAWKI.   Although I’m not where I want to be, I’m know I’m better off than 98% of the …


Pat’s Product Review: Buck Knives Hood Hoodlum

It’s nice when a real survivalist designs something, instead of an arm chair commando or wannabe survivalist. The late Ron Hood was well respected in the survival field, as a true expert in wilderness survival techniques. Hood collaborated with Buck Knives (www.bucknives.com) , to come out with the Hood Hoodlum fixed blade survival knife. Unfortunately, about a week after the knife came out, Ron Hood passed away – a loss to us all, and he will be missed.   Ron Hood also spent 20 years teaching accredited college courses on survival skills. Not too many survival instructors I’ve heard of that …


Five Things Every American Should Do But Won’t by Dennis E.

We’ve all seen him on the news: The guy who is buying sheets of plywood, beer, potato chips and other survival essentials as the approaching hurricane can be seen over his shoulder in the distance. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans aren’t much better when it comes to being prepared for emergencies. However, recent disasters have proven that the sheer magnitude of an event can overwhelm relief efforts, coupled with cutbacks in personnel, budgets and equipment, place the onus squarely on our shoulders. Many citizens don’t see the need for preparedness, and that’s their prerogative, however a relatively small investment now …


Knowledge of Survival, by Heather F.

Everyone writes about what you need to survive the end; but no one writes about what you need to know before the end happens. Protection, Water purification, hunting, trapping, cleaning an animal, sewing, soap making, and herbal knowledge are just a few examples of what I consider to be incredibly important to know. Now, I know what you all are thinking, males got this down for the most part, right? Well what about your women. What happens to them if god forbid they get separated? Can they take care of themselves. A lot of women couldn’t. Protection is pretty straightforward, …


Letter Re: Thefts of Bug Out Bags From Vehicles

Mr. Rawles; I have had several customers coming into my store, lately, that have had their windows smashed and their bug out bags taken. I encourage all to have something in their vehicle to survive in place or to get them home, but DON’T ADVERTISE IT by leaving it in plain sight in your vehicle, especially if there is a firearm or ammo inside. Put it in your trunk, floorboard with a dark colored cover or vehicle interior color cover over it, or in an area with tinted windows. Thieves are starting to get a clue that BOBs or G.O.O.D. …


Letter Re: Advice on Sleeping Bags

CPT Rawles: I have read with interest all the good advice on sleeping bags and how to stay warm in very cold weather.  Most of the writers speak about a specific area they lived in, or traveled in, as a basis for the post.  There is a lot of good, sound advice out there by these writers.  I thought I might contribute my own personal opinion as well, since my own experience ranges pretty much across all weather extremes, and was under conditions far harsher than hiking, camping or hunting – at least for the most part.  I spent 29+ …


Letter Re: Advice on Sleeping Bags

JWR: Okay, I hesitated to write, but here it is. I want the gal with the questions to get some good solid advice. First, I do not always agree with James Wesley Rawles, I read his site every day, I agree with lots, but not all of what he says. As for the sleeping bags, I do agree. I’m a 5’2” female at 140 pounds. I’ve lived in Alaska for as long as my memory goes back. I camp, hunt, trap, all winter long. I’ve tried a lot of things, two sleeping bags, liners, bivvy sacks. I’ve slept out in …


Mike’s Product Review: Pro Ears Gold Predator Earmuffs

I love these muffs. I’ve had a pair of Pro Ears Gold Predator earmuffs for 18 months, and I haven’t found a flaw. So let me tell you what I’ve found that’s good: The first thing one needs from muffs is noise suppression, obviously. The Gold series have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 26. There are several factors that contribute to an NRR, one of which is frequency dependent. Pro Ears seems to have picked frequencies that are specific to shooting. The muffs have proven adequate for large bore rifles, .44 magnum revolvers and even make standing in the …


Six Letters Re: Advice on Sleeping Bags

JWR: As a long time camper, backpacker, outdoorsman, and now K-9 SAR Tech, I understand that temperature regulation at night can be a problem.  Here are some of the tricks I’ve used: I almost always use a silk bag liner.  This has multiple advantages: 1) silk feels warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot (2) silk protects the sleeping bag from dirt, minimizing the amount of needed washings and prolonging its life (3) in the winter, silk will make you bag about 5-10 degrees warmer (technically speaking, this “drops” you temp rating number- a 35 degree bag becomes …


Bug-Out Bag (BOB) Levels, by Bob M.

I’ve been a prepper for over 40 years, starting back when we were called survivalists. I still have the .22 rimfire AR-7 rifle and Ruger Mk. II pistol bought in the 1970s, as well as other gear. I’ve also always had a bug-out-bag (BOB) in my vehicles, and still do today, even though I’m retired to my retreat. Over the years, the contents of the BOB changed as new items came out or old ones were discontinued (or discredited — remember the Aqua Timer?). My BOB got larger, as I was now packing for two and my bug-out location got …


Letter Re: Advice on Sleeping Bags

Dear Mr. Rawles, Would you please address outdoor sleeping gear for women?   I feel like I am very prepared. However, the one glaring problem I have had my whole life is sleeping comfortably outside in about any season.  When I was 20, I just didn’t care but now that I am 40 and have five kids, not getting enough sleep is not an option.   I would love to hear how others, especially women, stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  The biggest problem I have is that I either sweat too much and freeze (doesn’t …


Emergency Preparedness for the Frugal Beginner, by Paratrooper John

The incredibly large volume of information available regarding emergency preparedness and survival is both wonderful and terrible at the same time.  There’s enough information to keep an enthusiast occupied for years and enough information to keep beginners away for the rest of their lives. It can be a very daunting task for a new or inexperienced person to try and decide where and how to begin.  Should a beginner attend survival training, have a year’s supply of food, have their home hooked up with backup generators, move to the country, live off the grid and have stockpiles of firearms with …


Mike’s Product Review: Brunton Restore USB Solar Charger and Portable Power Pack

USB power is rapidly becoming standard for portable electronic devices, and makes it easy to charge them from either computers, 12 volt DC automobile sockets or 120 volt AC electrical outlets.  However, what do you do when traveling away from such conveniences? The Brunton Restore photovoltaic charger and its relatives provide a variety of recharging options for the traveler or outdoorsman. Fully charged, the unit can dispense at least two full recharges to phones, cameras, GPS or similar devices, from its 2,200 mAh battery. This was doing full recharges of a drained device from a fully charged Restore. I wasn’t …