Category: Review

Pat’s Product Review: 750 & 550 Parachute Cord From 5 Col Survival Supply

I get contacted by SurvivalBlog readers daily, and I take the time to answer each e-mail, and I have to keep my replies short, because my time is limited. I’m often asked, “what should I carry in my BOB?” and I can’t really give a definitive answer to that. It depends on where you live, you age, your own personal requirements, when do you plan to bug out to, and other factors. Many readers send me a list of all the things they have packed in their BOB, and most are pretty well equipped for many different emergencies. One item …


Pat’s Product Review – Cold Steel’s Counter Point

There are many stupid knife (and gun) laws on the books, all over this country. Many are archaic in nature and aren’t enforced; however, they are still on the books just the same. There are some states, like Texas, that prohibit “daggers” or double edge knives. Believe it or not, some areas forbid the ownership of anything called a “Bowie” knife. Insane! My late friend and mentor, Col. Rex Applegate, co-designed the Applegate/Fairbairn (A/F) double-edge fighting knife during WWII. It was a vastly improved Fairbairn/Sykes double edge knife. However, WWII came to a close before the A/F came into production. …


Pat’s Product Review: Altai MF Tactical Boots

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it doesn’t pay to purchase cheap shoes or boots. You only have one pair of feet, so treat them nicely by buying the best you can get! In 1969, when we were on our first day of Basic Training in the U.S. Army, there was one thing the drill sergeants told us (and I’ve never forgotten it) was to “not wear your boots into the shower, get them wet, and wear them until they dry on your feet.” We were told we’d get an Article 15, which is a military reprimand/punishment. …


Pat’s Product Review: Deployable Compact Armorers Tool

I love working on guns, and I’ve tinkered with them since I was a teenager. Later on, I was trained by a military armorer to work on M1s, M14s, and M1911s, and I took several gunsmithing courses over the years. I’ve repaired many guns; however, the two firearms I enjoy working on the most are the grand old 1911 and the AR-15 family of rifles. More than anything, I usually can’t leave a 1911 alone, especially as it comes from the factory. So, I keep a decent supply of spare parts on-hand. The AR-15 doesn’t usually require a lot of …


Pat’s Product Review: CRKT K.I.S.S. Folder

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes up with one of those “oh-so-simple” ideas, and it is an immediate hit or success. I don’t begrudge anyone success in their lives, but how come it’s always someone else who invents a better application of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle? I’ve been around long enough to know that keeping things simple is usually the right and smart way to go. I recently heard from one of my former martial arts students, who I hadn’t heard from in 25 years. He now holds Black Belt rank himself in several different …


Pat’s Product Review: Silver Fire Rocket Stove

I’ve stressed, in previous articles, the importance of having safe drinking water for your survival. Also, you have to have some type of food to feed your calorie-burning body. We can go a long time without food, but let’s be honest, we’d rather have a good hot meal to eat. I’ve reviewed several different types of small, compact camp stoves that easily fold up and fit inside your bug out bag (BOB). I reviewed a rocket stove, and was impressed with how easy it was to cook on. I’ve made a few “hobo” stoves in the past; this is a …


Pat’s Product Review: The Ultimate Knife – Karmabit

When we were all children and Christmas rolled around or our birthday, we would normally reach for the biggest present with our name on it. Of course, everyone just knew that the bigger the package, the better the present. Right? Well, not so fast Did you ever hear that good things come in small packages? Well, quite often, the smaller the package, the better the item inside. I’m a big knife fan, and I don’t mean that I’m a big “knife” fan (although I am rather big). Instead, I like knives that are big. More often than not, a bigger …


Pat’s Product Review – LED LENSER M7RX Flashlight

It seems the older I get the more I think about being young and all the things I did in my life. Now, if you were to ask my daughters how old I am, they’d probably tell you that when I was younger I hunted dinosaurs with spears. Well, I’m not quite that old, but I am getting there. I spent a great deal of time in law enforcement and private security and I still remember old fashioned flashlights. You know the ones I’m talking about. They held two large “D” sized batteries that didn’t last long, and the light …


Pat’s Product Review: Titan Straps

In another life, I worked as a truck driver. I drove different types of trucks– dump trucks, “straight jobs”, and even pick-up trucks– delivering all manner of cargo. Today, my deliveries are made using an SUV. If I have to haul something, it’s usually on the luggage rack on top or inside. If I have anything bigger to haul, I’ll call a friend with a pick-up truck. There’s one thread common in hauling anything, and that is that you have to secure it to keep it from moving around. For hauling anything on top of my SUV, I keep some …


Pat’s Product Review – SurvivAMINO Protein Tablets

When I’m out hunting, and a lot of hunting in my neck of the woods is via logging roads that you drive on, or out for a hike, I like to have a little something to munch on. Quite often, I’ll take some beef jerky or granola bars, as well as high-protein bars. It’s just a good pick-me-up to have something to eat – instead of running home, when I’m a little hungry. Only problem I have with beef jerky is that, while it is quite tasty, it promotes thirst – a lot of thirst. Granola bars and high-protein bars …


Pat’s Product Review: Glock 27 .40 S&W Pistol

Many years ago, when I worked for the late Col. Rex Applegate. We worked with Paladin Press, on the very first video they produced, titled “Manstoppers.” In this video a large selection of semiauto handguns were tested and fired by Tom Campbell, who at one time was Smith and Wesson’s top shooter. I acted as range officer and a consultant on the video, that was shot at the old Applegate pioneer homestead outside of Yoncolla, Oregon. For this video, Col. Applegate obtained a prototype Glock 23 handgun, and we were all impressed with it, albeit there were many malfunctions, due …


Pat’s Product Review: Maxxeon 330 Pocket Floodlights

I still recall the days when most folks owned and used some type of D-cell flashlights, that held 2 of the big D sized batteries. And, while they were better than walking around in the dark, they didn’t throw a very bright light, nor was the light bright white – at best, they were yellow in color. And, to be sure, those old flashlight – that are still sold today – really used up the battery power in short order. I remember working as a cop, and using the Mag-Lite “police” flashlight, and the model I used (and I still own …


Pat’s Product Review: Signal Armor

These days, many people are concerned about their privacy, and I admit to being somewhat concerned myself. I recently took down my Facebook page – after it was hacked three times this year. So, if anyone sees a Facebook page with my name on it – it’s not my Facebook page – someone hacked my original page, and made one false Facebook page that looks similar to the real one, and the second one doesn’t even come close to being like my original. Additionally, I found that it was too time-consuming keeping up with everyone’s newest Facebook page posts. Also, …


Pat’s Product Review: Benchmade’s 810BK Contego Folder

I love pocket knives! I carry one or two on my person every single day. A pocket knife gets used almost daily, whereas, my handgun on my right hip, is there for when really bad things happen. I couldn’t get along with some kind of folding knife in my pocket – UPS, FedEx and USPS bring packages to me almost daily, and a good sharp knife does the job of opening the boxes in short order. I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t carry some kind of pocket knife – even as a kid back in Chicago, as …


Pat’s Product Review: Leatherman Surge – Improved

If you don’t know about Leatherman multi-tools, you must have had your head in the sand for a lot of years. Today, we’re taking a look at the improved Surge  multi-tool. To be sure, if you are serious about Prepping, Survival, hunting or working around your homestead – you absolutely, should have a multi-tool on-hand. My “Blast” Leatherman (sadly, now discontinued) is on my belt every single day, right there, next to my spare magazine, for whatever handgun I’m packing. And, it goes without saying, the multi-tool is used a lot more than my handgun is. The Leatherman “Surge” is …