Economics and Investing:

D.B. sent in this link showing a continuation of the policy of confiscation: First Cyprus, Then Poland, Now These Savings Accounts To Get Confiscated Next

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In a continuing trend, the U.S. Mint Nearly Sells Out Of Its Weekly Silver Eagle Allocation In Two Days. It’s important to note that the limit is based on how many silver blanks the mint has allocated. – JBG

Items from The Economatrix:

Top Adviser To The Chinese Government Calls For A &1dquo;Global Currency” To Replace The U.S. Dollar

22 Facts About The Coming US Demographic Shock Wave

Jim Grant: “Gold Is Nature’s Bitcoin”

House Passes Clean Debt Ceiling 221-201 With Vast Majority Of Republicans Voting Against

Odds ‘n Sods:

For those who, like Tim Taylor (Home Improvement), like to “up-size” whatever they do… Farm invention of the year – J.W.

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As Israel grows increasingly nervous about Iran, Israeli army report reveals intelligence and security relations with several Arab and Muslim countries – B.R.

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RBS sent in this article about an Ontario judge ordering 13 children from a Jewish community into foster care.

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Canned Garands – What more needs to be said?

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An anonymous reader sent in this neat video: Don’t get stranded wearing a plastic coat. It seems to fall right in line with the discussion on keeping warm in an LP/OP.

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Don’t forget Seed for Security is currently including a Spring collection (A $14.99 value) in every order with a $75.00 minimum order. The Spring Security Collection includes 5 packets of Heirloom Vegetable seeds for early Spring planting and the offer is for a limited time.

Notes from HJL:

Today, February 13th, is the birthday of both Robert Charles R.C. Sproul, Jr.(born 1939), a well-respected American Calvinist theologian and General Chuck Yeager (born, 1923), the first man to break the sound barrier.

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W.A sent this video in regarding Hard Tack. It wasn’t enough to make a post out of it, but it was too good to pass up. Also, a quick search on SurvivalBlog returns quite a few results. Use the search term “Hard Tack” as well as “hardtack”. My favorite is found in the Recipe of the Week: Matt The Teacher’s Cranberry Pumpkin Pie Spice Hard Tack.

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Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  9. Autrey’s Armory — specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepperis providing a $500 gift certificate.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.

Round 51 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Prepper Primer for Your Non-prepper Loved Ones, by T.S. – Part 2

Food and Water

I recommend making a catalog of everything in our stores, if time allows. Do this for sure if you are staying at our home. Open all of our buckets; some contain non-food items! Do not forget to include items in the garage, shed, and throughout the house that may be useful. This list will be invaluable when it comes to planing what to cache and how to solve problems. You need to know what you have to work with. Obviously, hide this catalog very well.

Food

The kind of foods you want to pack in your BOB include things you can cook easily or that do not require cooking– oats, peanut butter, and all bread on hand. (Smoosh bread into balls to conserve space). After that pack as much rice as you can. Rice will require longer to cook. After that pack all the flour, sugar, and salt that you can. (You probably will not have much room for the flour, sugar, and salt if you are traveling alone. I have bought a lot of rice.) When you pack your BOB, the stuff I have ready is already in mylar bags. Double bag them in plastic grocery bags (or preferably some ziplocks) a couple times each in case they break open!

As far as packing for the car goes, after you have filled your BOB, get some kind of container for the rest of the stored food, such as a large Tupperware container. Then go to the kitchen and pack everything that has a shelf life. Take a few our your spices as well. Pack the pasta, beans, oils, crisco, and all of your baking supplies.

After you have all of the non-perishables packed, get the collapsible cooler and pack up what you can from the freezer. Meat is fine, but it will obviously go bad, and if traveling by car, you will not be able to cook it while driving. However, it will last for a few tanks of gas in the cooler. Take some yogurt, all of the veggies and fruit, milk (put it next to the frozen meat and drink a big glass as you do so), any syrups or jellies, and like-products. Most of the stuff in here will go bad quick, so this is where you eat from first!

Take the chicken feed and the chickens. Quickly read the section on butchering them from our butchering book. (It is one of the books I scanned at work, printed, and then bound myself.) Obviously, they will be a good source of fresh eggs, so only kill them if you cannot feed/cage them. You can eat their feed, but I would boil/fry it first if possible.

Any food and supplies you cannot pack in your BOB and/or the car, bury them in a cache as described in Section ?. You never know, you could make it one block from home and get all of your possessions taken from you!

Water

For water, if going by car, take as much as you can in all the bottles you can. Take the extra water in bottles we have in the closet as well. Water stored in bottles from our tap should be fine for a long time.

As far as filtering goes, you have five means to get good drinking water. (1) the water filter, (2) the iodine tables, (3) iodine tincture, (4) boiling, (5) chlorine bleach or chlorine powder for the pool.

When using the water filter, find water that looks as clean as possible. The more cloudy/dirty the water, the more you have to clean the filter and the lower the pump rate. Our Nalgene bottles will screw onto the bottom of the filter. To fill other shaped bottles, use the Nalgene to pump and then pour the water into the other bottle. For short-term storage of the filter, pump any remaining water out of filter. For long-term storage, clean (with the included scrubber pad), and dry the filter. To sterilize, take off the O-ring and boil it in water for five minutes; then let it air dry completely. (It will take a few days to dry.) Only sterilize it if you get unfiltered water on the inside of the filter or plan on not using the filter for more than a few days. You need to clean every few uses by unscrewing the top, pulling out the ceramic insert, and rubbing it clean with the scrubbing pad. Then pour clean water over the cleaned filter and you are ready to go. Pumping is slow and hard with a dirty filter. DO NOT get unfiltered water in the inside of the ceramic filter, or you will need to boil the whole thing. So be careful with it when you are scrubbing it unless you plan on boiling it after. I have a replacement parts kit for the filter that includes extra O-rings and an extra ceramic filter. Be careful with the ceramic filters; they will crack if dropped. So store this piece of equipment somewhere cushioned.

The iodine tablets come in two bottles. They’re in the bottles labeled “Potable Aqua Drinking Water Germicidal Tablets” and “Potable Aqua Plus”. The bottle labeled Plus does not purify water; it simply takes the bad taste away from using the Germicidal tablets! When using the iodine tablets, if you scoop up untreated water, put in the tablets and wait 30-60 minutes for the water to get potable. Be sure to flip the bottle upside down and let filtered water flush out the screws at the top of the bottle before drinking since unfiltered water will be up there since you used the bottle as a scoop!

To use the iodine tincture, place five drops in one liter of water and wait 30-60 minutes. If the water has a bunch of floaties in it, you can double the dose and wait longer, if possible. Try to filter the water with a cloth (or something similar) to avoid this problem.

According to the U.S. Army[1], to boil water safely, boil it for one minute at sea level plus one additional minute for every 300 meters above sea level– just boil it for 10 minutes unless you are really constrained for fuel or time.

For chlorine-based disinfection, your options are (1) using standard household bleach or (2) using pool shock. To use household bleach (make sure it has no additives that make it smell like “mountain air” or “fresh grass”, those labels mean the bleach will harm you), add four drops per quart or liter, eight drops per half gallon, 16 drops per gallon (or four liters). Then stir the water, and let it stand for 30 minutes. You must be able to smell the chlorine after 30 minutes; if you cannot, repeat the steps above and let stand for 15 more minutes. If you still cannot smell chlorine, then the bleach lost its strength and you cannot use it. Double the dose for cloudy water.[2] The problem with household liquid bleach is that it looses strength really fast, within months. Therefore, we have two pounds of calcium hypochlorite powder (Pool Shock) in the garage. To use this, add 0.23 oz (half a tablespoon) of the powder to two gallons of water and stir. (Follow the safety precautions on the box and wear gloves and eye protection.) Then add one pint of this “stock solution” to each 12.5 gallons of water to be purified. The water should smell like chlorine; if it does not, then the “stock solution” lost its “power”. If the water smells too strong, you can pour it from one container to another a bunch of times to drive off the excess chlorine. These instructions are assuming there is “45% available chlorine”. Modify them accordingly. (Multiply by the ratio of 0.45/0.XX where 0.xx is the new “% available chlorine”) for different strength pool shocks. If you find some other pool shock, make sure it does not have any additives to control fungus or algae and that the chemical name is EXACTLY calcium hypochlorite.[3]

Water Sources

If you find yourself out of water and you cannot find any streams try:

  1. Collect morning dew from vegetation or anywhere you can find it. Then filter/purify it somehow. (I have done this; you can gather a lot of water quite fast using this method. Look for long grassy areas.)
  2. Dig for it. Try the bottom of dried up ponds/lakes/ditches. Try the deepest spots in such places. If you find soil that is really wet, but cannot find standing water, put the wet soil into a shirt and ‘wring’ any water you can out into something. Then filter/purify it. Believe me, this is quite tiring so do not attempt if you are already exhausted.
  3. Do not drink alcohol (not that you will have any) or urine[1] if you are running low on water.
  4. If you are in a forest, look for trees with multiple trunks coming from the ground. There may be a place in the center of the trunks with standing water. Scoop/siphon it out and then filter/purify it.
  5. Hot water heaters will still have water in them after the water/power/gas are all turned off. There is a valve at the bottom you can empty the take from. Toilets will have a gallon or more of clean water in their flushing tanks; many people may overlook this!

To not be tempted to drink un-purified water. Water borne illness and/or parasites can kill you when you are in an already stressed and weakened state away from all medical help.

Cooking

For cooking, I mean anything that will require heat to eat. You can eat oats, flour, and rice raw. For the rice, some sources say you increase your risk of getting a food borne illness, but it can be done. Obviously the meat will have to be cooked thoroughly (since it was probably not kept fully frozen). For heat you have three options: (1) the camp stove, (2) the pocket rocket, (3) a fire. The large green propane tanks for the camp stove will not fit the pocket rocket, and the small red tanks for the pocket rocket will not fit the camp stove. You do not need to actually apply heat to cook rice or oats for the entire cook time. You can simply get up to boiling and then let it sit with a cover on for 10 minutes or so. This will conserve your fuel.

Using the Camp Stove or Pocket Rocket

To use the camp stove: you simply screw in a green propane tank, light a match (or use a lighter), turn the propane on, and bring the flame close to the burners until you see it ignite. You can adjust the output using the dial.

To use the pocket rocket: screw the pocket rocket into a small red tank, extend the ‘feet’ on the pocket rocket, light a match or lighter, turn on the gas and bring the flame close to the burner. You can adjust the output using the dial.

When you set up the camp stove or the pocket rocket (especially the pocket rocket), set them up shielded from the wind so the burners do not blow out. For the pocket rocket, be careful about not knocking the cook pot off the burner, you may have to hold the pot over the burner if you cannot find a solid enough surface to place the pocket rocket on. Use the aluminum pot holder for holding pots over a heat source and for moving around hot pots.

If you are backpacking and run out of the small red fuel cells, throw away the pocket rocket as well; it is now useless. Keep the pot holder!

The fuel cells will get cold during/after use. This is normal.

Disconnect the fuel cells when not in use in case there is a leak in the valve of the stove.

Fire-making

Making a good fire requires three things: (1) a way to start the fire, (2) fuel, and (3) air.

To start a fire:

  1. Use a lighter.
  2. Use matches.
  3. Use the flint and steel fire starter. While the methods above directly create a flame, this method only creates a spark. To get a flame, you will need something dry, combustible, and with a lot of surface area like dryer lint (which is in the bag with the flint and steel). You can use the little balls of cotton/wool that form on socks in a pinch. This method could frustrate you (not an easy method to start a fire), so use it only if you really need to cook something to survive, or if you have no other means to purify water than to boil it.
  4. Friction methods like the “bow method” or the “hand drill method” or the “plow method” all involves using friction to create heat to start a fire. Believe me, if you have not practiced this, do not attempt unless you are desperate.

Before you begin attempting to start a fire, you need to be certain you have enough fuel. Gather the dryest wood available. Look for low branches on trees in a forest that may have been dead for years and are shielded somewhat from rain; being off the ground they dry much faster relative to wood you find on the ground. Gather dried grasses or birch bark to light first. The basic idea to to light things that are going to burn for longer and longer until you get up to log size. For cooking, you really do not need to get logs. In fact, collect no wood larger than one inch or so if you can since you will want to the fire to go out quickly after you are done cooking. For fire starter, use least important pages from the Bible or the first-aid book if you cannot find dry grasses or bark.

You do not want to set up the fire in a very windy area, or it will blow out. You do, however, want some air to get into the fire. You need to leave spaces between sticks so air can get in. A good design is to lay down a layer of stick all parallel to each other (like a step pyramid), and then lay down slighter larger diameter sticks on top of those perpendicular to the first layer. Leave a little space between each layer for air to flow. Once the fire gets going, add more wood (more layers) as needed in the same manner. As sticks burn out in the center, ‘flip’ the un-burned ends into the fire as well using a stick.

To keep a fire going:

  1. Make sure the heart of your fire does not go out. A lot of times the small stuff you light first will not cause the bigger sticks to start and then the larger sticks are left un-lit and your fire goes out. This is why I recommend the pyramid style fire. It is much easier for the heart to go out of a tee-pee type fire than for the other types.
  2. If it is winter and all your wood has frost on it, keep your wood ‘huddled’ around the fire so it can melt off the outer layer of frost. This method will not work for drying wood for your purposes. For the amount of time you will have the cooking fire going, you will not be able to take wet wood, dry it, and then use it.
  3. In general, if your fire is very smoky after the initial lighting phase, something is wrong. Try fanning (or blowing on it) to give the fire more air. Try moving some wood around to open up the fire to any breeze that may be present. Make sure the heart of the fire is not going out, leaving the outer larger sticks to smolder.

I know you can do it! Just do not give up, Smaug!

Shelter

General tips:

  1. Do not go to sleep wet, if you can help it. Get out of your wet clothes or wet under/outer garments. It will feel colder at first, but you will warm up much faster this way and hopefully they will dry some as you rest.
  2. Do not breath into your sleeping bag since it will put a lot of water vapor inside it, and it may start to condense.
  3. Avoid direct contact with the ground. Pile leaves, grass, pine needles, newspaper, anything to separate you from the ground.
  4. Assume anything left outside at night will get a nice coating of dew on it in the morning. Bag your boots and clothes if you think it is going to dew.
  5. Do not underestimate primitive natural shelters. Anything you use to get your body off the ground and to break the wind and perhaps even shelter you from a little rain will go a long way in keeping your body temperature up.

Shelter in the Car

Sheltering in the car is the best place to stay dry and, therefore, warm. Use what clothes and sleeping bags/blankets you brought with you to stay warm.

If you are traveling without a sleeping bag or blankets (or come upon an abandoned car) use the seat coverings and seat insulation to make a sleeping bag/blanket. Cut the seat coverings such that you have a tube or a bag shape of fabric left over. Put yourself inside that with as much insulation/crumpled paper/dry leaves/other seat fabric you can for insulation. Use your imagination. Good insulators have many pockets of isolated air.

Shelter in the Tent

Try not set up your tent in a low spot. Cool air pools up in low spots and these spots are much more likely to have copious amounts of dew than spots on top of small ridges or on slopes. If you find some dry leaf matter– pine needles or dry grass– pile them under where you plan to sleep to insulate yourself from the ground. This will help keep you a lot warmer than if you are in ‘direct’ contact with the ground.

Shelter Without Car or Tent!

The biggest mistake you can make is to try and construct some kind of elaborate shelter out of sticks and leaves. Most likely, it will take you hours to build, waste a lot of energy, and probably leave you colder than what could take minutes to build.

Try to use any type of plastic you can find or have with you. Plastic will keep you dry and will help keep you insulated for warmth. If you have two sheets of plastic (garbage bags, ponchos, tarps) use one for a makeshift sleeping bag and the other as a tent to keep out the rain. If you have only one plastic sheet and are already wet and have no dry clothes, use the sheet as a sleeping bag and wrap yourself in it. If you only have one plastic sheet and you have some dry clothes to wear, or think you can stay warm enough without using the plastic sheet for warmth, use it as a tent. If you have a plastic garbage bag, open a small hole for your face in one of the corners. If done properly only your eyes and mouth will be peeking out. This will keep you warmer by trapping a lot of your body heat inside the plastic. Be careful about falling asleep though, you could suffocate. And try not to exhale into the bag or you will cause condensation to build up inside the bag.

If you have nothing synthetic, you must rely only on the natural materials around you to stay warm and dry. Evergreen trees do a pretty good job of shielding the ground beneath them from rain. Look for any big tree and check under it. The taller and more densely foliated the tree, the better the chance it is dry underneath. To stay warm, cut as many foliated branches (evergreen or deciduous) as it takes to make a mound large (the U.S. Army suggests 1 meter of material thick) enough to cover your body. Then pile it up with some leaves or grasses. Then crawl into this pile (leaving some matter underneath you to separate you from the ground). People waste too much energy here. For a life and death situation, you do not need to make a fancy hut; you need a pile of brush that will hopefully trap some body heat, get you off the ground, and perhaps shield you from some rain and wind.

If you find any kind of rock formations that have natural shelters, be sure to sufficiently insulate yourself from the rock if you sleep there; the rock will be much more efficient at sapping your body heat than would soil.

Shelter Without Car or Tent in Snow

If there is snow on the ground you may be able to use it for your advantage. If the snow is less than a few inches, simply build your shelter as described above. If the snow is deeper, use it to cover your shelter. If the snow is deep enough in places to completely cover you, or almost that deep, you can dig out a little cave, line the floor with plant matter for insulation and crawl inside. You may have to gather some coverings for the top of your cave if the snow is not deep enough. In addition, some plant matter should also serve as a “mattress’ as you do not want to be in direct contact with the snow.

Clothing

If you have any clothes on and you are getting them sweaty or they are wet from rain, take them off and replace them with dry ones if you can. Try to under dress a little in the morning so you will not have to waste time later pulling off layers of clothes that got sweaty. You waste energy this way and you waste water. You want to maintain a comfortable temperature in which you can avoid having to sweat. This may be difficult if not impossible in summer with a loaded backpack. This is why I like to backpack in the summer with my “short shorts”.

For winter:

  1. Dress in layers. The outer layers should be something that snow will not stick too. If you can avoid it, keep cotton away from your skin as it will keep you warm only until you sweat in it. Save the cotton for the night when you should not be sweating, but if possible, do not bring any cotton.
  2. Take off any layers of clothing that have snow on them when cooking if you can. Clothes with snow on them get hot near fires, the snow will melt and then when you are done cooking, your outer garment will become hard like a board and loose its insulating capacity. Obviously keep your outer layer on if it is actually snowing while you are cooking.
  3. You need to protect your eyes in winter when there is snow on the ground and it is sunny. You can get sunburn on your eyes and go temporarily blind. The onset of this affliction is a feeling of dirt scratching at your eyes. Make sunglasses out of a cloth you cut small holes in (to restrict the amount of light reaching your eyes).
  4. Keep some water bottles inside your layers so the water does not freeze.

For summer:

  1. To stay cool tie wet cloth around your head and neck.
  2. When walking through thick foliage: some plants are toxic to humans and open cuts can also become infected. These problems can be avoided if you are protected with long pants and sleeves. So it is kind of a catch 22 when it comes to staying off the beaten path, staying cool, and staying free of cuts and scrapes.

Use your best judgment when it comes to shelter; be proud of yourself if you can find a nice dry place to lay low and rest!

Socks and Shoes

Socks are probably the most important piece of clothing to keep dry; underwear is second. It is important to keep socks dry because they are at the interface of a lot of pressure between your feet and your boots. Their job is to cushion and ‘lubricate’ your feet as you walk. If your socks become wet your feet may start to become irritated as your feet rub against your shoes.

Socks and Shoe tips:

  1. To keep your socks dry, change them often and hang them from your pack, if the weather cooperates, so they dry as you walk.
  2. In the rain, without rain pants, you feet will become soaked, and you may have to stay put for a day to dry your shoes and socks.
  3. Socks can be dried by ‘cooking’ them over a fire stretched out on sticks but extreme care must be taken to avoid them getting burned. Once singed up they will loose their water wicking ability.
  4. Avoid leaving boots outside at night. Dew can form inside them. If they are somewhat dry, bag them in plastic. If they are soaked then leaving them out to dry a little is probably fine since a little dew will not make much difference.
  5. Wash your boots if they get dirty. Muddy boots will not breath and your feet will get sweaty inside. In addition, mud on your boots will break them down faster. Mud and dirt on any piece of gear will break it down faster. Keep your gear and clothes CLEAN!
  6. Pack some kind of sandals or croc-like shoe to wear to give your feet a rest from socks and boots. Wear these secondary shoes while setting up/taking down camp.
  7. The “butt” cream used for baby butt rash is perfect for your feet! Use it if you start to have difficulties with your feet.

1P. Underwood,US Army Survival Manual (Skyhorse Pub Co Inc, 2011).
2S. Skipton, B. I. Dvorak, and J. A. Albrecht, Drinking Water: Storing an Emergency Supply (Cooperative Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2004).
3N. P. Cheremisinoff, Handbook of water and wastewater treatment technologies (Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001).

Three Letters Re: Heating Concern in LP/OP

Hugh,

In response to the letter on Wednesday Feb. 5th regarding “Heating Concern in LP/OP“, I submit my thoughts.

Indeed, those of us in Northern climates should be very concerned with keeping warm in a LP/OP during the winter months. When in the LP/OP, we typically have to stay put. Wandering off or doing laps around the property could allow those who would do your group harm to enter your property unannounced. The other important point is that an effective person in a LP/OP is also quiet. Having the upper hand in a tactical situation could very well hinge on the LP/OP giving his/her group advanced warning and/or striking against attackers who are not aware of the LP/OP. Even simple activities such as jogging in place or doing some jumping-jacks can create noise that can be heard from afar.

So we have established that an effective individual in a LP/OP assignment will for the most part be sitting or standing with minimal movement for an extended period of time. As was mentioned in HJL’s response, sitting still in a cold spot is something that hunters have done for many years and you could likely learn some great ideas from hunters in your region. Plains hunters may be fighting windchill while mountainous areas may be hampered by annual snowfall that’s measured in feet, not inches. Whatever your surroundings are, take some time to find out what is going to work best for you in your local area.

Wind makes a massive difference in the “am I warm enough” calculation. Any exposed skin is going to get cold right away in subzero temps. Frostbite can set in within a matter of minutes. Look at your current LP/OP or where you are planning to build it. Does it offer a natural barrier against the cold? I’m a big fan of dugout LP/OP positions. Not only do they block wind, they provide natural protection from small arms and tend to blend in better with surroundings than an outbuilding will. Trees, bushes and other natural materials can also block the wind. Just be sure to design the layout in a way that vision won’t be blocked while in the LP/OP. In extreme situations, ski goggles will keep blowing snow out of your eyes and help keep your face warm. You should opt for clear lenses and not the heavily tinted versions that only work well in daylight. A natural roof of sod, pine boughs or logs over the LP/OP will not only keep out snow and wind, it will also hide your position better.

Overview:
?Ideally, you should have a base layer that wicks away moisture, an insulating layer on top of the base layer and an outer layer that is water and wind proof. I’ll be diving into each one of these in greater detail.
Base layer:
?We have a saying up here – “cotton is rotten”. Cotton may be comfortable but it’s terrible when it comes to keeping you warm and dry. To be the absolute warmest, you should be covered from head to toe in some sort of a performance fabric that keeps you warm and wicks away moisture. Thinking you can build your layers by starting with cotton undies and socks, denim jeans and a cotton t-shirt is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. Everyone in your group should have a base layer set. Many of these fabrics have particular wash and dry requirements in order to maintain their performance so be sure to read the labels and instruct whomever does the laundry at your home to follow directions. Thinsulate is a name brand from 3M that you’re likely familiar with that’s great to have in your outdoor items but pay close attention to the amount and type of Thinsulate.
Insulating layer:
?Ditch the jeans, sweatshirts and cotton-based flannels in favor of fleece and wool. Take the time to tuck in undershirts and other items so that you can retain the most heat. You want items that give you flexibility and movement. You will also want items that will be comfortable if you need to start removing items. For example, a loose-knit wool sweater will likely let in too much wind to be comfortable if you remove your jacket.
Outer layer:
?You’re going to want either a full snowsuit or a quality jacket and snow pants combo. Snowsuits keep out more air but are often harder to move about in and make it difficult to remove layers. There have been many times where I have removed my jacket but kept everything else on. This allows me to cool down when I get too warm but keep the heat in my extremities. Try sitting in a snowbank with your outer layer for 30 minutes. Do your outer layers remain dry or are they starting to take on water? If your outer layer is taking on a bunch of water after a short period, imagine what will happen when you have to be outside for hours on end or hike for miles in knee-deep snow.
Boots:
?There’s going to be some debate here but my favorite so far are my Sorel Glacier boots which are no longer made. Sorel does however make similar boots of the same caliber. I’ve found boots to be like sleeping bags. If the manufacturer says they are good down to “X degrees”, add 30 to that number. So if the manufacturer says their boots are good to 0 degrees, it means they are good to 30 degrees. I say this because we are planning on being sedentary in the LP/OP. You may be able to tolerate cooler temps if you were active but not in the situation we are discussing here. Wool socks are a must have to keep your feet dry and warm.
Hats:
?I’m a big fan of a balaclava which will keep your head warm and also cover your neck. Add a stocking cap or mask on top of that and you’ll stay warm, especially if it contains Thinsulate or a similar material. Note that this arrangement is going to limit your hearing. You can look at ways to cut holes for your ears, use listening devices or other methods to improve hearing but keep in mind that any attackers are likely facing the same challenges. This is where having quality visual tools such as spotting scopes, nightvision, etc will pay off in spades. When temps permit, a stocking cap with exposed ears will keep you the warmest while still allowing you to hear.
Gloves:
?Thinsulate or a similar material is a must as a base layer. Whether you choose, mittens or gloves, be sure you can operate all of your tools such as communication devices, spotting scopes, firearms, etc. I have seen some military surplus gloves out there that offered quick access to a shooter’s fingers. While I liked their design, I felt they need more insulation. Perhaps you could use layering to make them work for you. Mittens will always keep you warmer because they keep your fingers together to share the heat. Northerners already know this but transplants from the South might not be thinking of this point. One of my favorite setups for hands is Thinsulate gloves inside of wool gloves that are placed inside leather mittens that have a cuff which reaches my forearm. We called them “choppers” where I grew up. Treat the leather choppers with some mink oil to waterproof them and your hands will never feel the wind.
Other items:
?Hand warmer packets are popular with hunters and can be found for very little money. Just be sure to follow directions to avoid burns or irritation. A quick way to warm yourself when cold is to drink warm liquids. If it’s meal time, have some warm soup. If you are drinking water, warm it up. Stock up on tea bags if you need flavored water. Alcohol may give a temporary reprieve from the cold but it actually works against you when you’re trying to keep warm so avoid it. Just like sleeping on the ground makes you colder, so too will laying in the snow. Use foam, straw bales, pine boughs, old couch cushions, etc to insulate yourself from the cold ground. If you have a chair in your LP/OP, a pillow will do wonders when compared to a cold seat (not to mention the comfort aspect). Don’t overlook having a few military surplus wool blankets to put over yourself. A pair of waterproof gaiters will keep the snow out of your boots when going through the deep stuff. Have a plan for drying wet gear between assignments. Hang a drying line near a heat source and use it regularly. Wet gear is uncomfortable and only makes you colder.
Get creative:
?Can you have a small woodstove, kerosene or electric heater next to you? Would your barn make a good LP/OP? The livestock will help keep you warm. Place some hot rocks in your gloves or pockets (be careful not to burn yourself). Rice bag heating pads can be made in about 5 minutes using instructions found online and will retain their heat for a very long time. If you can get electricity out to your LP/OP, an electric heating pad or electric blanket will add to your warmth.

A few closing points. Buy quality gear. I know many of us are on a budget but the cheap stuff just doesn’t keep you warm or last through several seasons – “buy nice or buy it twice”. Many deals can be found on Craigslist, eBay, etc. We found winter gear for our daughter a couple years ago that I know cost the seller over $200 when new. We paid $20 for the set when the seller’s daughter outgrew the items. Also worth mentioning; right now, many retailers have their winter items on clearance. Just today, I purchased two Thinsulate stocking caps for $2 each. Lastly, be sure to test out your gear. Put it all on and go sit outside in the dark for a few hours in cold temps. It’ll be boring but I’d rather see someone be bored for a few hours now than suffer endlessly through a cold winter (or a few winters!) in a grid-down situation because they failed to test their gear.

When it gets dangerously cold outside, group members should be checking in on one another regularly to ensure everyone is safe and warm. Keeping warm isn’t just a comfort item; hypothermia and frostbite have real consequences and become grave when no doctors or hospitals are available. Stay safe and keep warm my friends. – E.B.

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HJL

I’ve spent my fair share of time in a fox hole and on nasty weather operations. You must adapt to the climate and accept that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. A good attitude makes a big difference when the chips are down. Make the investment in quality clothing, especially for your feet. If you have a well made LP/OP, you might get away with some nice to have items to keep one warm without compromising your presence. It depends on your individual setup. Not all LP/OP’s have to be totally concealed and without comforts to be useful. You can have an LP/OP that is also meant to be abandoned as soon as possible, when trouble arrives. You then fall back to your secondary and better concealed location that doesn’t have the comforts. The greater the weather challenge the more often you change out your sentry. If an LP/OP is exposed to the elements, I found in that you have to rely on military grade cold weather gear and always have the thick poncho available which keeps just about everything out. Wool is excellent because it’ll keep you warm even if you get wet. A good German Shepherd Dog will save the day regardless of the weather. Two would be better. Save one from the shelter and give him some basic training and they’ll reward you countless times. Get him a dog jacket too. I got several on sale for my rescues. While you might be distracted because you are messing around with your clothing or dozing off a little in unfriendly weather, he won’t. Army or Ranger Surplus stores have the kind of clothing I mentioned. – F.

o o o

HJL,

My plan for this has four parts.

  1. have a chair that swivels or rotates. A used QUIET office chair would be great. I use a padded swivel boat seat mounted on a small bench made from a short width of 2″ x12″ lumber that is only 16″ wide. The height is set so your seat sit flat on the ground. This allows rotating 360″ degrees and tilting backwards a bit. This greatly aides movement of the feet and legs and keeps the blood flowing. I have successfully sat on one of these for 5 hours at a time deer hunting.
  2. Have a good supply of your favorite hot beverage in a QUALITY vacuum (“Thermos”) bottle that will keep it steaming hot during your watch. A good high-protein snack every hour also helps to keep your energy flowing. I prefer a smoked sausage sandwich. I keep it warm by carrying it inside my inner shirt so it is warm.
  3. Along with Hugh’s multilayer clothing I also keep at least one thick wool or polyester blanket to cover my legs and boots as I cool down. A neck gaiter is a must to prevent losing heat through the major arteries in your neck. This will lower your resistance to cold by another 20 degrees. Ski instructors say that if you are cold, cover your neck and head. If you are too warm, uncover it.
  4. The last item is an amazing “technology” discovered in previous centuries– the hot water bottle. One of these inside your coat is an amazing thing. They come in different sizes, from “extra large” clear down to the “baby” hot water bottles. Take a coupling in a small “ice chest”. It works for heat also. Take a few to last through your watch. Or have some one bring you some during your watch.

Stay warm/Stay awake. – MER

Economics and Investing:

C.M. sent in this video link on Prince Rupert’s Drops. It’s an amazing science phenomena that I think you will enjoy seeing. C.M., however, uses it as an object lesson on our economy. When the Federal Reserve has built enough stress into the US society (and the global economy) with market manipulation, all that will be needed to finish the job is a scratch.

Items from The Economatrix:

US Wholesale Stockpiles Rise 0.3 Percent December

Competition For A Job Lowest Since The Financial Crisis

Jim Rogers: \

Odds ‘n Sods:

Ninth Circuit Holds California’s Carry License Laws Unconstitutional

o o o

Don’t forget Ready Made Resources with their first 25-42% off Mountain House Food Sale going on right now. They are also offering free shipping and will be giving away a case of Mountain House Pouched Yogurts on orders where more than 10 cases are sold. (A $300 value.)

o o o

J.W. sends us this video showing how to check the state of the battery without a VOM. I’ve tried it with Ray-o-Vac, Energizer and Duracell’s in AA, AAA and C sizes. It does seem to work. It did not work on NiMH though. (Though the video does specifically say Alkaline.)

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RBS sent this article: Cops Break Special Needs Teen’s Arm On School Bus.

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Rick sent in these links to two videos on making homemade bulletproof armor: Part 1, Part 2. Need I remind anyone that there is no such thing as “bullet proof” (only bullet resistant) and that this is serious business?

o o o

This article, found in the Liberty Crier, has Wisconsin school kids snitching on their parents. I have seen this game played in many venues (from school to church) and on many subjects. It is reprehensible in all situations. Authorities taking advantage of a child’s trust has to be one of the worst betrayals they can experience.

Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  9. Autrey’s Armory — specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepperis providing a $500 gift certificate.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.

Round 51 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Prepper Primer for Your Non-prepper Loved Ones, by T.S. – Part 1

Purpose: To quote my spouse, “I didn’t know when I married you that you were a bucket of crazy.” So essentially, this article is intended to help the spouse whom you love but whom is not a prepper. There are many hundred-plus page books written on this subject, but this primer can be read in less than an hour and is tailored to my personal situation. It is the hope of the author that others will create their own such document for family and friends using this as a starting point. Whether I am dead, geographically separated from her, injured, or present, this article serves to convey what I consider to be critical for survival, either to reinforce what instruction I can give in person or bring to memory what we have discussed in the past. Methods: The document is broken up into nine different sections: mindset, bug out bag (BOB), food and water, shelter, traveling, first aid, communication, staying put, and defense. Within each section, a set of tasks is given. For each task, guidelines are presented for successful completion. Only the bare essentials are included to efficiently accomplish each task. Alternate methods do exist for everything in this document but are not present to save space and to focus the reader’s attention on (1) methods I have tried and tested (the majority of this article) or (2) methods I have researched and deemed possible. Conclusions: Throughout the article, the importance of keeping a positive mental attitude is reinforced. Without such an attitude, even the most simple task may prove impossible.

Introduction

This document is meant to be a quick reading guide for maximizing the probability of survival in a lawless end-time scenario. What is meant by this phrase lawless end time scenario? I will define it here as a condition in which the police no longer answer, the utility services may or may not be functioning, and all the news you hear is bad. You will know when. It will be better to err on the side of buying that extra tank of gas and bag of rice sooner than later.

The document is broken into nine sections: mindset, bug out bag (BOB), food and water, shelter, traveling, first aid, communication, staying put, and defense. In each section, a number of tasks related to the section theme are described in enough detail to hopefully execute the task. In some cases, only a single method for accomplishing a task is presented. This document is meant to be a quick read and something you can use to reassure yourself in a time of crisis.

No guide can serve in place of the numerous books in our “prepper” library. Focus on reading the books relating to agriculture, first aid, shooting, farming, and outdoor skills. The first aid kit has a first aid guide in it, but I recommend swapping it out with the text written by Weiss “Wilderness and Travel Medicine”) is the only reference book I would recommend if you have to get away on foot.

Methods

Mindset

Some people with little or no survival training have managed to survive life-threatening circumstances. Some people with survival training have not used their skills and died.[A]

It means always having with you an item that can’t be carried in pack or pocket– a positive mental attitude?[B]

Survival in the wild, living off only what you can carry and/or find is very difficult for long periods of time. For short periods of time, if the proper preparations are made, it can be fun and enjoyable (i.e. backpacking)! Survival with the added element of lawlessness will be much more difficult. However, it should not be impossible. As the quotes above state, the most important asset one acquires in a survival situation is a positive mindset.

Be realistic about things. If you are reading this, things are not going to go back to normal any time soon. You need to rely on yourself. If you need to break down and gather yourself, note the time and do so for five minutes. Pray, cry, talk to yourself, read Scripture, or do what you need to do to get your wits back. You are your own best chance at survival, and you cannot help yourself if you pretend nothing is wrong.

Bug Out Bag (BOB)

Obviously, we do not live in the best of places in a lawless scenario for two reasons: (1) we live about three hours from Chicago and within our own city’s limits. We are simply too close to too many people. (2) We live in a relatively high-density neighborhood. There are too many people in a very small place. We need to move. Where to move is covered in the traveling section. What to bring when we move is covered here. Section “Staying Put” (a link to the relevant section will be here when it is published) details a plan for staying put, which may be a necessity due to injury, the age of our children, or dangerous traveling conditions (nuclear fallout, blizzard conditions, police state, etceta). There are two scenarios for moving– by car or by foot. Table 1? lists all the items I consider worth taking when traveling on foot. Items present on Tables 2? and 3? are to be taken if traveling by car. If you take everything else on your back and still have room, take whatever items from Table 2? you think may help you (but food takes priority over Table 2? items). Spouse, without me, you will not be able to carry all the food and all the essential items on this list. The list of essentials is very small so after them carry as much food as you can.

If traveling by foot or by car, it is essential to still have as much food as you can pack in your BOB. You never know if you will have time to repack food for your BOB once traveling by car. In other words, you may be forced to flee from the car and must have your BOB ready to go at that time.

Table 1?A list of items required for survival: BOB Itemsa

Item Used for Comments
Army issue camo backpack BOB
Blue Kelty backpack BOB Second backpack is only required if more than two people will be traveling on foot. Still pack this one in the car even if you are alone.
Camel Backs water/equipment storage Be sure you also pack the water bladders. They are stored separate from the backpacks. The Camel Backs can be attached to either BOB for extra storage.
Blue water proof ruck sack water proof storage
Black fanny pack easy to reach storage For things like binoculars, maps, pistol, magazines…
Small mummy bag sleeping/hypothermia treatment Stow in smallest size stuff sack, it should be quite difficult to get it to fit.
Large mummy bag sleeping/hypothermia treatment Bring this one only if it is really really cold outside and/or there is more than one person coming along. The larger bag is much much larger to carry than the smaller mummy bag.
Tent water collection in rain, shelter Only bring the entire thing (poles, stakes… if you can carry all the food on hand, if not, only bring the piece of plastic sheeting and the rain fly that are wrapped up in the tent.
Tarp water collection in rain, shelter Blue colored.
1-liter water bottles water storage / waterproof storage If you have both Camel Backs, bring two 1-liter bottles for extra water or waterproof storage. If you do not have the Camel Backs water supplies, bring as many of the 1-liter water bottles as you think you can manage. (They do not all have to be filled all the time.)
Iodine tablets water purifying
Iodine tincture wound treatment, water purifying
Space blanket water collection in rain, shelter Shiny silver side faces you.
Hiking boots foot protection/support
Crocs/sandals foot relief from boots Where these when you are in “camp” if the weather permits to comfort your feet
Head lamp light Takes AAA batteries.
Mag light light Takes AA batteries.
Batteries energy Take as many AAA and AA as you can for the flashlights and the radio.
Road atlas direction and location finding/fire starter If by foot, only take the states you think you will or may be traveling through, rip out the rest of the atlas.
Toilet paper num. 2 clean up /fire starter/emergency blood soaker upper Store in separate water proof containers/packages!
Zip lock bags water proof storage Keep your maps and tinder in these.
large garbage bags shelter, rain cover for back/clothes/firewood, water collection in rain Put one over your pack every night, if it rains and your pack gets soaked it will be heavier! Bag up everything at least double with these you want to keep dry.
Bible spiritual growth/ fire starter Take the small NKJV from the Gideons (NT plus proverbs and psalms).
Wilderness first aid book first aid knowledge/reading material/fire starter Read this when you have down time. Burn the useless pages.
Crank radio information/flash light Store this in a dry place.
Aluminum cook pot (w/ lid) food cooking, water boiling
Aluminum pot holder hold pot over heat source, manipulate hot pot
Measuring cup/eating bowl eating, rationing, scooping water Manila colored with a few lines denoting the volume of the cup.
Spork Orange plastic.
Pocket knife Do not use the tip of blade to pry something, it will break.
Mini leatherman If you cannot find this, make sure you bring a screwdriver.
Rain gear Bring both the jacket and pants! Use this in colder weather as well as an outer layer.
Underwear Use lowest % cotton (socks, underwear, bra, undershirts). Only bring three pairs, you can clean them. Bring synthetic running shirts.
Gloves Bring work gloves to protect your hands while getting firewood, walking through brush. If it is cold, bring two pairs of winter gloves.
Hat Bring a sleeping cap and something to block the sun from your face.
Pants Bring three pairs- one for insulating (fleece/polyester type), one for outer layer, and one pair of spandex.
Jacket/shirts Bring three– one long sleeve running shirt, and two fall/spring jackets. If winter, bring an additional winter coat.
Vitamins Bring all the multi-vitamins you think you can manage.
Tooth brush teeth cleaning, wound cleaning
Toothpaste Use sparingly and brush well!
Floss teeth cleaning, rope, repairing gear
First aid kit Should include: Iodine tincture, pain killers/fever reducer, antihistamine, band aids, athletic tape, waterproof medical tape, neosporin, soap, alcohol wipes, gauze(pads and rolls), mirror, tweezers, scalpel, burn ointment, eye drops, and laxative. (Leave out the hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, if traveling by foot; they weigh too much.)
Feminine napkins
Fire starting materials Bring matches in waterproof containers, steel and flint, dryer lint, fire starting sticks, magnesium block (with flint and steel attached), and lighters. (Throw away lighters after they run out of butane; if going by car bring the bottle of butane!)
Food Keep it dry. See section on Food and water.
Rabbit and pet supplies emotional anchor Bring an extra Tupperware for him to drink from so he does not get you sick. *****Keep Sticky Bun close since he will never die. j.k., may S.B. rest in peace********
Guns protection, robbery deterrent, hunting Bring both handguns and the 22; you will find a holster for the 45 in the BOB already. Put the little one (9 mm) in the fanny pack or hide it on your back or on your leg.
Ammo protection, robbery deterrent, hunting This stuff is heavy. Bring as much as you can. Bring a lot of 22 caliber (the lightest), followed by 45 and then 12 gauge slugs, 9mm (bring the least of this, only 50 rounds or so) and then some bird shot.
Gun cleaning supplies There is a fresh bottle of gun oil in the BOB; get the other from the gun cleaning kit in the closet.
Cash You may find someone stupid enough to sell you something for it.
Camp towel bathing, soaking up water, stopping blood Sham wow towel for cleaning the car.
Binoculars Use them often to keep from being surprised.

aItems on this list are essential for survival (shelter, water, food, protection). If you are alone, you will already find it hard to manage the weight of the pack even with the BOB bare essentials; you must load as much food as you think you can manage! Use one of the strollers to push extra items!

Table 2?A list of items required for survival: comfort B.O.B. Itemsa

Item Used for Comments
MRS water purifier water purifier Bring also the spare filter and spare parts kit.
“Pocket rocket stove” cooking/fire starter I have used this as a fire starter when small tinder was not available by directing the flame directly at the kindling. This is probably really dangerous but it works really well…
Red fuel cells fuel for “pocket rocket” These will make noise if stored together as they lank around, store them separately wrapped up.
Edible wild plant book survival food/fire starter/ reading material See the calendar in the book to see what plants are in season. Stick to things that require little or no preparations and are easy to forage. Remember our burdock and parsnip adventure!
Folding saw cutting wood (shelter making, firewood) Use the gloves with this saw; it will rip open your hand in a single stroke.
Seeds and a copy of “Seed to Seed” All of our seeds are heirloom, this could greatly increase your chance of being allowed to stay on a farm.
Silver Take as much as you can, especially if using the baby strollers.
Shovel Orange shovel or “army issue” one.

aItems on this list would be really really nice to have for survival. If you are alone, you will already find it hard to manage the weight of the pack even with the BOB bare essentials; you must load as much food as you think you can manage!

Table 3?A list of items required for survival: Car itemsa

Item Used for Comments
Surplus items from Tables 1? and 2?
GPS digital USA highway map/location finder The GPS comes loaded with a map of the entire country. It will also tell you the direction (NSEW) you’re heading, your elevation, and of course your position. It could take 10 minutes or so for it to fix on a satellite.
Chickens Barter, eggs, something to keep you busy Bring all of their food and fashion them a crate out of cardboard. Take some chicken wire to make them a house if need be later.
Spices/seasoning
Clothes Bring all the exercise and quality clothes you can fit, especially cold weather things and things that wear out fast like socks and underwear.
Pots and pans Bring the cast iron dutch oven, a few big soup pots, and some frying pans.
Kitchen utensils You know what you use!
Tools Bring: the hammer, all the hand saws, the tape measure, the builders square, the clamps and vices, the boxes of screws and/or nails on hand, the box of liquids (oils, paints, lubricants…), all the screwdrivers, the black box of sockets, all wire and rope, do not bother with power tools, bring the shovels, the pitch fork, the steel rake, wire cutters, and the hoe
Large containers water storage, gas storage Bring the plastic carboy we use to make wine, bring the red gas cans, use the coolers to store food in from the fridge and pantry
1- and 5- gallon buckets food storage, gas storage, water storage You will have a few empty after you fill up the BOB; be sure to bring the ones full of food as well, and do not forget about the ones with the ammo!
Books and games Bring all the edible plant, survival books, country living, wine making, butchering, and gardening books for sure. After that use your judgment. Make sure to bring an entire Bible as well as the one in the BOB is not complete. See Table ? for a listing and reading priority of our book collection.
Extra shoes/boots Your boots will break down with constant wear quite fast if you are using them daily in the woods.
Blankets
Ham radio equipment Bring anything you think is related to ham radio. Also grab the multi-meter from the tool box.
Fishing stuff Take the fishing pole and the fly rod. Take also the tackle box and the fly fishing vest which is full of fishing gear.
Personal hygiene items Pretty much everything from the bathroom.
Breathing mask Be sure to bring the extra filters. There are two different types of filters, the circular pink ones for small particles in the air and the larger thick ones for chemicals.
Acrylic tubing Siphon for gas Be careful where you siphon gas; do not become a looter.
Silver coins Barter
Canning jars food preservation
Seeds food Try to keep them cool and DRY!
50-lb salt blocks meat preserving/ flavoring Keep them dry
Flour mill and extra parts Keep this hidden when not in use
Pool shock purifying water Keep DRY or it can explode/catch fire!
Meat grinder
Anything you think will help!

aItems on this list are not required for survival but will make life much easier. Only take things on this list after all the items from Tables 1? and 2? have been taken (and more importantly you are carrying as much food as possible! Nothing on this list should be taken if there is still food to be packed if traveling by car is not an option).
You know best what special items would be needed for the kids. I leave that up to you! Obviously, take as many cloth diapers as possible and as many tubes of baby “butt” cream as we have. The jogging stroller can pack up to 110 pounds, so consider really piling a lot of food on it along with the kids.

[A] US army survival manual, Underwood, P.T., Skyhorse Pub Co Inc, 2011
[B] Wilderness Survival, Olsen, L.D., Boy Scouts of America, North Brunswick, NJ, 1974

Letter: Community Assistance Required – Design for Off-Grid 10 Man Field Camp

Hi James,

I need assistance in design ideas from the community for a 10-man, off-grid, truck-portable, field camp. Researching the Internet has yielded many solutions for solar power– some for camps, including military field hospitals and command posts. With this overwhelming array of options, I decided to ask the community for design ideas. The camp needs to be portable by Toyota Hilux (or equivalent vehicles), provide housing for 10 men, solar- and generator- powered for office/computerization, and requiring only food and fuel deliveries. All aspects of day-to-day living must be accounted for. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. – O.J.

Letter Re: Physical Possession of IRA Gold and Silver

Hugh,

I found the article from Will to be very accurate, creative, and informative. His information was spot-on, although I would add a few comments:

  • Disclosure: I have an employer-matching 401k plan and a Roth IRA that I rolled over from a previous job (paid the tax on the conversion).
  • If you think the government will seize the assets, then it really does not matter what type of plan you have; they will follow the paper trail.
  • A more realistic scenario would be a hefty tax on retirement plan, since the funds are pretax contributions (excluding Roth).
  • The threat of confiscation would destroy the markets, so any plan to do so would be slow. If things keep changing then take out your cash and pay the fine.

A wise man said, “You will not go broke taking a gain.” Holding out forever to avoid paying taxes on a gain can be a bad idea. I converted a 401k to a Roth because I can take the initial investment back out without a penalty. You might be able to do more on your own with the cash. – O.M.

Three Letters Re: Heating Concern in LP/OPs

HJL,

Regarding the letter about the heating concern in your LP/OP, don’t forget that any heat source will cause the position to show up on IR or thermal scopes. For that reason, insulation (PAC boots and layers of coats, sweaters, and long johns) is better than heat sources. If you must use a heat source, string a thermally-reflective tarp over your position and camouflage it with snow. In essence you create a snow cave with the front open. While it will still show on IR, it won’t be human-shaped. Snow is extremely good as an insulator and as such masks heat sources. Don’t forget a scrap of closed-cell foam to sit on, if you don’t have a stool and carpet scraps to stand on. – H.D.

Economics and Investing:

D.B. sent in this article on the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF.

Amidst all of the bad economic news, it’s always good to hear some good news. The motley fool writes: 50 Reasons We’re Living Through the Greatest Period in World History

Items from The Economatrix:

Richard Russell – This Terrible Collapse Is Going To Accelerate

Retail Apocalypse? Major Chains Closing Hundreds Of Stores

22 Facts About The Coming Demographic Tsunami That Could Destroy Our Economy All By Itself

Lots Of Negatives Hidden In Recent Jobs Data