Category: Field Gear

Guest Article: To Build a Fire, by Bob A.

Okay, I admit it, I’m a Prepper.  The first time I read the Boy Scout Motto “Be Prepared”, I was hooked.  “Be prepared for what?” someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, “Why, for any old thing.” said Baden-Powell.  My real awakening with the Boy Scout Handbook was my first introduction to fire.  Learning to make a basic campfire, a cook fire, bonfire and camp-fire television were the first tastes of what would prepare me for the future. I camped, earned merit badges and worked my way to First Class and Patrol leader all the while putting an end …


A Survival Battery and Gear For a Prepper Family of Four, by Irish-7

I am writing our family’s security preparations, specifically the weapon selection and breakdown per family member. I will also describe our “Battle Rattle” (web gear) and survival kits.    First, a little background and base information. I am a retired US Army First Sergeant with over 30 years of military service. I have performed multiple jobs of my lengthy career, mainly in the Combat Arms. I was a Mortarman and Automatic Rifleman in the Airborne Infantry. I was a Unit Armorer, Supply Sergeant and Rifle Platoon Sergeant in the Mechanized Infantry and a Scout Platoon Sergeant and Cavalry First Sergeant …


Letter Re: Everyday Carry Items

Dear Mr. Rawles, In reference to J.C.R.’s article on Everyday Carry Items, I have a rather nondescript looking purse that I found at a thrift store that I use for Everyday Carry (EDC). I keep using that purse to carry because it is so handy with it’s numerous compartments inside. I have found nothing like it! In one of those compartments, I keep a “Mini Survival Kit”. I saw this at the SurvivaLogic web site. It fits in an Altoids breath mints tin. It’s the handiest thing ever. SurvivaLogic recommended matches, fishing hooks and line, flash light, compass, knife (high quality …


Two Letters Re: Everyday Carry Items

Dear Mr. Rawles, I was very glad to see J.C.R.’s article on Everyday Carry Items and wholeheartedly agree with him that Everyday Carry (EDC) is of critical importance when preparing for events that happen at speeds that do not allow time to fetch go-bags or other equipment. While he makes excellent suggestions on items to carry and notes the importance of keeping these items compact and lightweight for ease and consistency of carry, there are some additional notes that I thought your readers may find helpful. Firstly, rather than limiting the EDC of whistles to women’s handbags, I recommend that …


Everyday Carry Items, by J.C.R.

As I watched this past weekend several different television shows chronicling the events of September 11, 2001, a thought crossed my mind.  Sometimes events happen so fast in our lives that we don’t have any time at all to prepare and all you are left with is what you have on you and what you know.  Most often that “event” is not life-threatening but more of an inconvenience than anything else.  There have been lots of times when having something as simple as a safety pin would have made all the difference in the world. As I watched people not …


Four Letters Re: Para Ord Pistols and Serpa Holsters

SurvivalBloggers: I normally don’t respond to criticisms of my articles, we are all entitled to our opinions on guns. However, I would like to point out that the letter G.N. sent to SurvivalBlog about my Para USA P-14 articles needs some clarification.   First of all, I can only report on the guns that I have personally tested – period! I’m sure some folks might have had problems with their Para Power Extractor – then again, regular extractors break as well. I have owned several Para 1911s over the years, some with the Power Extractor, and some without – and …


Next Steps: Prepping for the Middle Expertise, Middle Life, Middle Philosophy Preppers, by A.L.G.

Salutations! And for those of spiritual and religious bent, Blessings, from my wife and I in these troubled time. A few weeks back, after my assistant’s grandson returned to his school year, he brought home a “bug” as the kiddies often do. My assistant naturally fell ill, and a week later, sure enough I found myself on my couch with my wife good-naturedly giving me some grief (and chicken soup…) With some time on my hands, and not much energy to actually do anything, my mind started turning as I laid there and watched an earthquake hit D.C. and a …


Letter Re: An Early Baby Boomer’s Bug Out Bag

Mr. Rawles,  I am a long time reader and prepper, first time letter writer, Army Nurse Corps veteran.  Your ministry has personally blessed my family of six in numerous way. I thank you, your sons and daughters, your late wife (The Memsahib) and you new wife Avalanche Lily for mentoring all of us.  As a registered nurse, I read this latest article with great interest and wanted to add some information regarding the bandages and dressings that were recommended in this letter.  Jen L. wrote “Whenever you go to physical therapy or to donate blood, they give you those bright …


An Early Baby Boomer’s Bug Out Bag, by Jen L.

I’d like to address the requirements for a Early Baby Boomer’s bug out bag.  The word “emergency” has a completely different meaning for those of us who are over 60 and can’t move fast, can’t climb stairs and can’t get up once we get down on the ground!  Needless to say, we can’t pack 100 pounds on our back, nor can we lift 50 pounds from the rear of the car.  But survival is still important.   My three sisters and I were born during the Korean War era, were raised on what I call a post-WWII and Great Depression farm …


Letter Re: American-Made Field Gear

Hola Mr. Rawles, ¿Qué tal? I enjoy your blog, and I appreciate what you are doing. In the latest daily edition I noticed the mention of SpecOps Brand gear as being high quality and American made. It is, and I have been very satisfied with all of the Spec-Ops brand gear I have had over the years. It is good stuff.  Their clearance section is just the icing on the cake. Are you also aware of the Tactical Tailor brand gear?  They are just outside of Fort Lewis, Washington.  It is designed and made in the USA, and it’s extremely …


Letter Re: Ireland Shipwreck Illustrates Some Preparedness Principles

Letter Re: Ireland Shipwreck Illustrates Some Preparedness Principles JWR: This news article: American crew members tell the story of their rescue off West Cork coast illustrates some preparedness principles. There are a lot of lessons in this story: (1) What will you be wearing [or “everyday carrying”] you when you’re tossed into a survival situation? (2) Experienced sailors caught short. Preparedness mindset? [Preparedness oversights] could be fatal. (3) In a group willing to help, but can’t be seen. Flare pens [should be] in an always-worn survival vest. (4) Rescued by Gooferment forces standing by. Who pays for that, and all the other, rescues? …


The Other BOB: The Bugout Bank, by Ron A.

There’s another Bug Out Bag (BOB) in the prepper family that you need to meet. It’s the Bug Out Bank, something that should be an addition to everyone’s G.O.O.D. plan. With the chaos going on in the financial world, and the uncertainty that goes hand-in-hand, the importance of this element of your plan can’t be overlooked. We all realize there’s a bad moon rising. Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. It’s worse that it appears from up close. The official, underreported unemployment rate is hovering around 10%. The debt ceiling “fix” was done with masking …


Letter Re: Deal Hunting for Preparedness Items on eBay

Jim: The eBay online auction company has been around for many years and up until recently I had not been using it to get the incredible deals I should have been getting for years.  Much of the survival gear that a prepper needs is often highly durable and will last a life time, so buying them second hand on eBay is a wise choice. The first thing to consider is your List of Lists.  Consider what you need from reloading supplies, body armor, tactical gear, weapon accessories, clothing, or surplus goods.  Now make a list of key words that are …


Review of the Grover Rocket Stove, by F.J.B.

If you are a “prepper” in the same vein as I am, you look for equipment that is built to last. When a new product becomes available that looks to be substantially better than the one you have, you closet the old gear and purchase the new. This makes for a lot of closeted gear, but time is short and having gear that will last you a lifetime is a must. I have been using rocket stoves on and off over the last 30 years. On, when I’d have a new stove, and off, when the stove either rusted or …


Jim’s Product Review: Taylor Freelance Pistol Magazine Extensions

One of the drawbacks of owning an HK USP Compact .45 ACP is that the largest standard magazine for it holds just 10 rounds, and to date, none of the magazine makers produce anything larger. This puts the HK at a disadvantage to guns like the Glock Model 30. (Which can of course accept the longer Glock M21 magazines that hold 13 rounds.) Sadly, since they use substantially different frame form factors, the HK USP Compact .45s cannot accept the fatter HK full-size USP .45 ACP magazines, which are made up to 12 round capacity. But now, after a bit …