Category: Field Gear

Letter Re: A Test Load-Up Shows a G.O.O.D. Inadequacy

Hello Mr. Rawles; First and foremost, thanks for the site, the info is invaluable and a must read every morning I am writing to add a few simple thoughts (perhaps state the obvious) on the subject of survival vehicle – really just some comments on G.O.O.D. I recently sold my house and am in the process of trying to get into a better situation, and during the move decided to attempt a “live” exercise. I took the opportunity to see how quickly I could load up my truck and bug out. I wanted to time the load of my truck …


Life’s Lessons and the Foundations of Preparedness, by A.B.

We may soon depend on all of what we have learned over the years. Putting all of the threads of knowledge together into a tapestry of self-sufficiency, and survival capabilities, is part of the lifelong quest for our family’s security. We learn from many sources and experiences such as: family, church, friends, teachers, teammates, co-workers, reading books and SurvivalBlog, and hopefully from our mistakes. Preparedness Skills from our Grandmas and Grandpas The foundation for preparedness begins with my childhood in Michigan. We lived in Lansing where my great-grandmother was next door and my grandmother lived next door to her. My …


Cold and Dark–An Account of an Ice Storm, by Steve S.

Preparations In January, 2008, the outlook for people in the United States appeared bleak. I told my wife that we needed to stock-up on food because I felt that the supply lines were thin and vulnerable. I began my preparations by Internet search. I found JWR’s SurvivalBlog and I bought a copy of his novel. In the meantime, I started buying cases of canned goods. I bought food that we generally ate. I looked at the expiration dates of every purchase. I tried to buy what would last through 2011. Not much would, so I bought with the idea of …


Letter Re: Beeswax Candles as an Emergency Heat and Light Source

Hi Jim, Here are a few links for Beeswax survival “cooking” candles. They burn cleaner and longer than paraffin and are also considered safer. (Though they may not be the best choice for burning outdoors in bear country!) Pheylonian Survival Candles Pheylonian eShop Zen Stoves – All Grace, No Slack, Really-Reformed Kris


Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot

I recently had the opportunity to read JWR’s novel “Patriots” . As a former professional automobile mechanic with 25+ years of experience and having a similar history building, restoring and racing British sports cars (MGBs), I became intrigued with a certain aspect of his book: the preparation of a “survival vehicle.” This is intended to be a vehicle rugged enough, durable enough, and simple enough to be an important part of anyone’s survival program. My first consideration was to define this vehicle. Next, I set out to list a number of modifications to this vehicle that would increase it’s simplicity, …


Aids to Mapping Your G.O.O.D. Routes

Mr. Rawles, I appreciate everything you do to keep everyone working toward preparing. To that end I would like to supplement your notes with a product I have been using for a few weeks now that have greatly improved my Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) plans. Along with US Geological maps I have used the excellent Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer to plan my back road escape routes. Recently I found that they now offer ($29.95 plus the cost of the software) an “all you can use” annual subscription to their entire map collection in digital format. Unfortunately you do need …


Letter Re: Advice on Contact Lenses

Mr. Rawles I’ve worn contact lenses for all of my adult life. On your published advice, I’ve also bought two pair of inexpensive glasses, from LBEeyeware–a company mentioned in SurvivalBlog That was great advice. ($23 per pair, complete? You can’t beat that!) The glasses are the correct prescription, but after so many years of wearing contacts, glasses feel downright “clunky” to me. I worry about breaking them, much more than I ever worried about losing or tearing a contact. My question is: What should I do about spare contact lenses and solutions? Should I skip them–and just plan to wear …


Did the American Indians Have it Right?, by MMJ

In these trying times when civilizations are at the brink of disaster and many people are already in personal collapse, we should look back through history to find out how to salvage what we have and how to survive what is to come. [Minor rant snipped.] It seems that economic collapse is imminent and that at some point in the near future it is going to be every man for himself. As we watch countries collapse, global economies fail and people across the world starve and die, I ask myself has any culture or civilization in history gotten it right? …


Letter Re: eXRS Radios and Texting in the Field

James:| A current discussion forum thread {at AR15.com] on eXRS two-way radios is worthy of mention. Also see this description. In searching the SurvivalBlog archives, I only found one post mentioning eXRS Radios. Here is a description of test by a paintball team. What are your thoughts for secure short range comm? Text messaging could have some uses for silent comm. – Craig W. JWR Replies: The eXRS radios are fine in the voice mode, but I am very dubious of the tactical practicality of text messaging, at least once the lead starts flying. Who in their right mind is …


A Know-Nothing Gun Buyer Illustrates a Fatally-Flawed Approach to Preparedness

Introductory Note from JWR: The following was posted at the Mike’s Madhouse forum, one of the Baen’s Bar Forums. (This is the forum moderated by SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson.) It illustrates how incredibly naive some newbie gun owners can be. It also underscores a couple of my oft-repeated mantras: Survival is not about gadgets. It is about skills. And, tools without training are almost useless. Owning a gun doesn’t make someone a “shooter” any more than owning a surfboard makes someone a surfer. Reading this letter made me laugh hysterically, but it also made me sad to …


Letter Re: Gaining Situational Awareness and Old-Time Knowledge

Jim, Situational Awareness has a number of definitions, from the rather complex to the “simple”. They include: The process of recognizing a threat at an early stage and taking measures to avoid it. (Being observant of one’s surroundings and dangerous situations is more an attitude or mindset than it is a hard skill.) The ability to maintain a constant, clear mental picture of relevant information and the tactical situation including friendly and threat situations as well as terrain. Knowing what is going on so you can figure out what to do. What you need to know not to be surprised. …


Two Letters Re: Denominating in Time Versus Dollars

Sir: I bought a cross cut saw on eBay and was wondering how one might sharpen and care for it. I was directed to a USDA Forest Service web site that has a 30 page downloadable document all about cross-cut saws, their use and care. And it is free! Supposedly it is one of the best resources around on this particular topic. Kind Regards, – Jay Jim, The note from SF in Hawaii about the cost of barley versus the work to produce it made me think of one of my favorite tales from Laura Ingalls-Wilder’s book, “Farmer Boy“, about …


Letter Re: Denominating in Time Versus Dollars

James, Today I picked up 200 pounds of pearled barley from my local health food store that had ordered it for me. As I loaded it into my living room so I could mylar seal it, I flashed on what it would have represented in terms of time (man hours) in an earlier age. To get that 200 pounds of barley, I would have had to: 1) Have land 2) Have seed 3) Till, irrigate and plant the land 4) Protect the crop from birds and thieves 5) Harvest, thresh and transport the grain The number of man hours required …


Letter Re: Handy Uses for Thermite

James: I followed a link from your site and ended up at the DBC Pyrotechnics site, looking at a lot of 10 Thermite “all weather fire starters”. It seems like a very handy tool to have – cold weather fire starters like that. I wonder if any other readers of your novel might find them useful. A lot of 100 of those might be just a very useful thing to add into someone’s retreat supplies. Now if I can just find a place that offers pre-mixed bulk thermite, I might build some nice #2 can-size thermite devices, in case I …


Handcuffed and Stuffed in a Car Trunk — My Review of OnPoint Tactical’s Urban Escape and Evasion Class, by Mr. Lima

Last Monday night I was seized by eight guys, handcuffed and locked in the trunk of a car. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever been locked in the trunk of a car, but it’s not exactly how most folks want to spend an hour! Luckily this was part of OnPoint Tactical’s Urban Escape and Evasion class and I wasn’t actually getting “rolled up.” Earlier in the day we had spent a considerable amount of time learning how to free ourselves from handcuffs, flexicuff [plastic cable tie cuff]s, duct tape, rope and various other implements that impede personal freedom. We …