Remember FIRST BLOOD? That was our introduction to one of Sylvester Stallone’s signature characters, John Rambo. In addition to convincing an entire generation of budding survivalists that we all needed to buy giant “survival” knives, it was probably a result of seeing that movie that I became fascinated with traps.
Category: SW Blog
Semi-random musings on current events, politics, and whatever else comes to mind.
What Bugging Out Means to Me
One of the challenges in discussing preparedness with other folks is the lack of commonly accepted definitions for many terms. I mean, when you are talking to a mechanic and you say that the brakes seem soft, you can be fairly certain you both know what you mean, right? When you talk to another survivalist […]
New class announcement – Realistic Bug Out Planning
Date: January 20, 2018 Time: 9:00AM-12:00PM Cost: $15 per person Discounts available for multiple people attending together, see below. Location: AmericInn 210 East Commerce Court Elkhorn, WI 53121 Map One of the most common topics in the prepper and survival world is bugging out. Unfortunately, the subject is also filled with myths and half-truths, […]
#TeamNewt Charity Raffle
If you don’t know this guy already, please meet Newt Martin. He’s a world class knife maker, a military veteran, and for over a year now, a leukemia patient. Last year, we raised some dough for Newt and his family through an online auction. This year, we’re going to do a raffle for the same […]
My Holiday Wish List
Every blogger worth their salt will be coming out with holiday shopping lists in the next week or so. I’m taking a slightly different approach. Here are things I’m hoping will be under MY tree come Christmas morning. I figure if they are on my list, odds are the prepper or survivalist in your life […]
100 Hikes and Counting!
I’ve mentioned this a time or two before on social media, even did a blog post about it some time back, but we hit a milestone so I wanted to revisit the topic. Back in late 2015, my wife and I decided, kind of on a lark to be honest, that we would commit to […]
CRKT Moxie
Let me say up front that I’m a big fan of Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT). I own several of their products and have been using them for years without failure or complaint. As a general rule, I find CRKT products have great value for the dollar. Recently, I was brought on to be […]
UST Outdoor Skill Card Set
UST Outdoor Skill Card Set UST is a company specializing in survival and outdoor gear. They’ve been around for a while but have recently really been making a name for themselves with providing great gear for the budget-conscious user. Make no mistake, this isn’t junk masquerading as survival gear. In my experience, they are offering […]
UltraTac K18 Flashlight
Regular readers know of my love for the Streamlight ProTac 1AAA flashlight. I’ve carried it daily for about two years now and absolutely love it. I use it just about every single day and the battery lasts me about 4-5 months. On a whim, I picked up this UltraTac K18 light after seeing it among […]
Sustain Supply Emergency Kits
Store-bought emergency kits can have a place in disaster planning. I look at it like this – the best kits are the ones you assemble yourself, taking into account your individual circumstances, including your experience level, skill sets, and such. However, a good quality store-bought kit can give you a jump start and get you […]
Board Games as Boredom Relievers
Any time the subject of boredom relievers comes up in a prepper context, board games usually appear near the top of the list. The basic idea is to have at least a few games or other activities stashed away for a rainy day. If the power goes out and stays out for a considerable length […]
Sustain Supply Emergency Kits
Recently, I was asked to team up with Cyalume Technologies on a project involving the creation of some emergency kits. Cyalume has long been at the forefront of the emergency lighting field and are known the world over for their SnapLights. They are now expanding into the emergency equipment field with these kits from their […]
Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide 2
In this follow-up to the best-selling Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide, we delve further into the issues that will face the survivors enduring life after doomsday. The book is divided into two sections. In the first several chapters, we talk about how to meet basic needs, such as food, water, and security. Throughout these chapters, the […]
Score! A situational awareness exercise
Situational awareness is a popular topic in the prepper and survival community. Basically, situational awareness refers to keeping your head up, your eyes open, and paying attention to the world around you. I like to think of situational awareness as being present in your life. Rather than just going through the motions, you’re actively engaged, […]
Self-Storage Facilities – The Ultimate Cache?
The idea of setting up one or more caches is a popular one among preppers and survivalists. A cache is a collection of gear and supplies that is positioned for later use when you are away from home or perhaps on your way to your bug out location (BOL). Basically, a cache is a resupply […]
Build a BOB: Useful Odds and Ends
On top of the mistakes listed above, there are a few things that I notice are missing from many if not most bug out bag content lists. While these items may not be utterly crucial to survival, they can sure make life a bit easier in an already stressful situation. Knife sharpener Knives and other […]
Build a BOB: Common Mistakes
If you ask twenty different preppers what to have in a bug out bag, you’ll get twenty slightly different answers. That’s as it should be, because bug out bags need to be customized to suit individual needs. That said, in reviewing hundreds, if not thousands, of bug out bag lists and such, I see several […]
Build a BOB: Choosing the Pack or Container
Okay, so you’ve invested countless hours researching and carefully selecting the contents of your BOB. Now what? Well, you need something to carry all of it, right? There are a few different solutions to consider. Before we get into them, though, you need to take a real good look at your BOB contents. Take all […]
Build a BOB: Tools
The ability to make and use tools is sometimes seen as an indicator of the intelligence of a species. While humans aren’t the only animals on the planet that makes tools, we are the only ones that will go into debt to buy new shiny stuff. I mean, when was the last time you saw […]
Build a BOB: Signaling and Communication
At first, you might wonder why you’d want signaling gear in your BOB. After all, isn’t the point of bugging out to get away from most other people? Well, sure, but consider that we have no idea what the future holds. First of all, many people take their BOB with them everywhere they go. After […]