With known electrical grid issues and the possibility of being in a remote area without electricity, the sun seems to be logical solution when the outlet is no longer available.  Although we never like to rely on survival gear that requires electricity, it often times can prove to be very useful.

By Josh (The Survival Kid), a contributing author of SurvivalCache.com

Intro

We receive requests for portable solar panel recommendations on an almost daily basis. Today we are taking a look at one of the top competitors in the solar energy market.  Goal Zero’s Guide 10 Adventure Kit, and its individual components including the Nomad 7 Solar Panel.

Specs

What’s in the box?
1 x Guide 10 Battery Pack
1 x Nomad 7 Solar Panel
1 x Ultra Charge Solar Cord
1 x 12V cigarette adapter
1 x AA rechargeable batteries (4 pack

If nothing else, Goal Zero has mastered the art of the product page which includes all of the technical facts for both the battery pack and the Nomad 7 Solar Panel (Click Here).

Performance

I took my setup out on the trail for a total of ~50 days and nights over the course of a year.  I was provided the chance to test the Nomad 7 panel out in wide variety of temperatures and weather conditions.  While doing the research for this article we surveyed our awesome fans over on the SurvivalCache Facebook Page (Click Here) to find out exactly what it is that they wanted to know about the Guide 10 Adventure Kit.

One of the most frequently asked questions we received was “Why do you have to have the battery pack?  Can’t you just charge your phone right off of the panel?”  Going through the battery pack regulates the charge for your device.  Without it, you would have a variable current, depending on the intensity of the sun at that particular moment.  All devices being charged need a regulated current.  Some phones can be seriously damage by a fluctuating current, my iPhone actually wouldn’t recognize the panel as a power source without routing it through the battery pack.  You can also charge your device straight off of the battery pack without trickle charging it through the panel.  I was able to charge my iPhone from dead to 100% and then top it off again from 50% before the batteries died.  Also, for us photographers, you will get a way to charge your camera batteries out of the deal too- you aren’t just limited to using a USB charger.  At this time I should note that I used the included batteries interchangeably with my Rechargeable Duracell batteries to keep my camera running 24/7.  No problems here.

Charge Times?

This is the clincher. I found Goal Zero’s projected charge times to be spot on with my testing.  I was able to charge the battery pack in 2-4 hours depending on the available sunlight.  I was able to juice up my iPhone 4s from dead to 100% in 2-4 hours as well.  This was also true for a borrowed Galaxy S, iPods, and comparable MP3 players took about 1 hour to charge.  I have heard that there can be issues with charging the iPhone 5, but I was unable to verify that through my own testing.

Applications

When I say optimum sunlight, I mean that the panel is lying flat in direct sunlight with no cloud cover or shadows to reduce your potential power.  If you are in a base camp situation you will likely be able to set your panel up in the perfect position and get those awesome 2 hour charge times that we were able to obtain.  In the real world, however, you can not always stop what you’re doing to recharge your batteries.  The panel has little loops sewn into it at convenient points so that you can easily lash it to your pack and charge on the go.  Due to the fact that while hiking you will sometimes move into the shadows, or your angle to the sun may change, our charge times were increased by an hour or more while on the move.

Conclusion

So, to recap: You can use the panel to store up energy in the battery pack for later use (ie. Night time or in poor sunlight).  You can charge your phone directly off the panel (beware of variable power, must have constant power coming from sun).  You can also charge your battery bank and through that charge your phone.  So, the solar panel is trickle charging the battery pack while the battery pack is charging your phone.  You can also link multiple panels together for increased amperage.  The Nomad 7 panel and the Guide 10 battery pack work just as advertised.  The Guide 10 adventure kit is available directly from Goal Zero for $119.99, and is also available on Amazon for $99.99 with 67 “5 star” reviews at the time of this writing.  The individual components can also be purchased separately so you can build the rig that best suits your needs.  One more big thank you for all of the help from our readers!  Two thumbs up!

All Photos by Josh from SurvivalCache.com

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As it turns out in the face of reality, action really does speak louder than words.  I read several of the Blog sites posted on prepping, survival issues, arming for Armageddon and much of the impractical advice that is dished out as though hordes of experts have contributed their wisdom.

By Dr. John J. Woods, a contributing author to SurvivalCache.com

Personally or professionally I am nowhere near any kind of a prepper expert, but I know horse hockey when I smell it.  Ironically you never read any of that overly inflated junk here on this web site.  There are other reliable prepping websites that I read as well, but this home place is the most well-rounded.

Mark Q

So, it is quite refreshing to find someone locally who albeit slowly but surely is getting his act together toward prepping for a Bug-In scenario.  For the sake of privacy, I am going to call my prepping friend, Mark Q.  He is very private to his fault (OpSec), but as with all of us I suspect it is aided by a good honest dose of paranoia.  These days that is not considered abnormal behavior.

Prep Justification

Around the fire ring at my own remote potential Bug-Out hunting camp, Mark Q discusses the reasons he wants to be a measure ahead of most should something catastrophic happen in this country.  His reasons for prepping go even beyond the virtual everyday bad news we get about the poor economy, short gun supplies, ammo stocks diverted by government agencies purchasing and hording, rapidly inflating food prices, shortages of goods, and the scare over banking stability (see Cyprus) not to mention the fear of an over all government collapse.  “Geez that ought to be enough to make anyone put back a case or two of beans and rice…..”

“I recently retired from my full time job as an instructor at a local school teaching metal trades, machine shop, and computerized machine operation.  That was after a stint in the Navy as a readiness and supply seaman for Naval Special Warfare Unit,” profiles Mark Q.  “I wanted to get settled in back at my home place, do some machine work on the side, put away some cash and really complete my prepping work just in case.”

Mark Q is not a conspiracy theorist, but a realist.  “Where I worked I saw my student population ever more dependent on grants and loans to live on with no intention of ever repaying them.  They would cover their required tuition, but then receive the balance of the funds to spend as they wished.  It went for everything from rent, food, clothes, spinner wheels, pit bull pups, or whatever.  I viewed this whole system as another form of welfare and I wonder just how long it can be sustained,” noted Mark Q.  This is not unique to where Mark worked but is happening at every school in the country.

“I don’t wake up every morning to go out to collect my chicken’s eggs for the day glancing up in the sky looking for black helicopters or drones.  But one day they might well be there or someone in a uniform at my front door with a federal list of my 4473s to pick up my legally purchased and owned firearms.”

“More importantly I am concerned about walking into the local grocery store and finding little or nothing to buy.  I want to raise as much of my own food on site as I can.  We cook a lot of Korean dishes, so we can grow our own vegetables and other products we like to eat,” says Mark Q.

So, Mark Q is practical in his discussions of prepping.  There is no panic in his deliberations, but there are no hesitations either, like most of us, me included.  If something bad happens here then he is way ahead of the prep curve, but if nothing happens, then he can still enjoy the fruits of his labors and planning.

Food Reliance

“First and foremost I plant a huge garden every spring and repeat with some additional plantings into the warm summer months.  We grow a host of fresh vegetables including peas, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, okra, squash, corn, watermelons and cantaloupe and a number of specialty plantings we include in our Korean dishes,” says Q.  “As different vegetables mature, we pick them and do our own canning.  We maintain a good stock of canned food supplies that can last several months.”

Mark owns and maintains a medium sized utility tractor and the appropriate implements to disk and plant a large garden.  It’s more like a mini-farm on open property right next to his house.  His only problem is keeping the wild deer that come out of the adjoining woods from eating up everything.  Of course, he has a strategy for that as well.

“I generate my own garden fertilizer from the droppings underneath my rabbit hutches.  I raise domestic rabbits for food, not pets.  At any given time I will have one or two buck rabbits and 2-3 female breeders.   At the proper maturity, weight and size I process the rabbit meat, bag and freeze it or we are likely to eat some fresh.”

Mark Q also raises chickens in a coop built behind his work shop.  During my last visit he had two roosters and several hens.  He let my special needs 14 year old daughter gather the eggs, a first for her.  We found a dozen or more brown eggs in the nest stalls.  For the time being Mark does purchase commercial bagged chicken and rabbit feed from the local farm Co-Op store.  He has alternative plans for food stuffs to feed his “livestock” from garden plants and residuals.

Mark Q is also an accomplished hunter.  At any given time he will have 2-3 processed deer in the freezer.  They mostly do venison burger and smoked sausage from a local meat processor.  He also hunts and consumes wild rabbits and squirrels.

Additionally, Mark is heavy into local freshwater fishing and also coastal saltwater fishing.  In fair weather months he will hit the local lakes and ponds for catfish, bass, crappie, and bream.  On the coast he fishes for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and other saltwater species.  When I was at his prep site recently we had a lunch of fried cobia in the work shop.

He also keeps stocks of regular food stuffs as well like flour, cornmeal, lots of big sacks of rice and some freeze dried food and canned goods.  They use a lot of Korean sauces, spices, and condiments.  He maintains a supply of 50 cases of bottled water at all times.  If you nose around enough, one might also notice several cases of 12-gallon bottles of table wine.  I can only guess that is for the cooking or the cook.

Utility Prep Work

Mark maintains enough gas generators on site to supply essential electrical power in the event of an outage.  He started this during Hurricane Katrina which knocked out rural power for several days.  Occasional ice storms can also be counted on to disrupt local utility power supplies.  There is sufficient fuel kept on hand to power these units for many days if used wisely and sparingly.

A recent project that Mark completed was installing a water well and hand pump on his property entirely by himself.  He researched the process for “drilling” pipe into the ground with a metal tipped drill pipe section.  He bought all the materials locally and hand drilled the well.

He researched local water supply depths to get an idea of how deep he might have to sink the pipe to hit fresh water.  He has completed the project and upon priming the pump has fresh, clean, cold water.  With this he can supply the family water needs, animal needs including three dogs, and irrigate the garden as well.  Pretty smart prep planning I’d say.

Bug-In Security

Mark’s primary accomplishment in terms of security is the same as mine.  He maintains an extremely low profile.  His circle of friends is small and tight.  He is very closed mouth on any details of his prep work often disguising it as other generic household projects.  As his friend, I know better, but most do not.

“Being an active hunter both for recreational interests as well as supplying meat for the family, I am used to handling a wide variety of firearms.  I have a more than adequate supply of weapons and ammo to keep my family safe.  My son can also use firearms with good proficiency.  My wife has her own handgun and knows how to use it,” remarked Q.  He also secures all this firearms and ammo in a burglar proof steel safe.

“Our security system consists of a black Labrador retriever roaming freely on the outside of the house, and two small ankle chewers on the inside.  The old lab will bark at any strange vehicle coming up the driveway, but is likely to roll over for a belly rub for anybody.  The two inside dogs are another story.  They will literally tear down the blinds off the window at anyone approaching the house.  By then we are made well aware of anything coming up to the door.  If it’s a stranger, then we have the Berettas ready.”

Utility Shop

Mark is a highly trained craftsman when it comes to running the lathe and milling machine in his shop.  He is equally proficient with his plethora of hand tools, wrenches, hammers, and gauges.  He can weld, cut and shape metal and other materials.  He can build about anything with wood, nails, a saw and a hammer.  He is a decent mechanic with anything nuts and bolts.  He possesses skills beyond the basic elements needed by most preppers.  Some of these skills we all need to learn especially basic mechanical tool use and building skills.

His outdoor metal building shop with a concrete floor also serves as a garage for his fishing boat and his ATV.  It securely stores all of his equipment, tools, supplies, animal feeds, fuel, lubricants, hunting and fishing stuff along with other essential gear.  All preppers should consider such a building when the budget can afford it.  Secure storage is critical.

There are a lot more details about Q’s prepping plans and its execution.  The point here is that Mark has created the foundation for his ability to sustain his family for a reasonable time in the event of a SHTF event.  He has developed provisions for food, water, security, self-reliance, and skills he can sell or trade to others.  He has all of the most critical elements of the Bug-In prep pie filled.  Let’s just pray he doesn’t have to use it.  If he does, I’m moving to his house.

All Photos by Dr. Woods

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Based on what happened at the Boston Marathon and Texas Fertilizer Plant, you never know when you may be called upon to administer first aid.  Both are rare occurrences but illustrate the need to know urgent emergency care and how it saves lives.

By Dan C. – a reader of SurvivalCache.com

This article intends to educate you on the value to taking first aid classes.  To do that I will be reviewing the fundamentals of first aid, review a couple first aid treatment modalities you will learn, and direct you toward resources to take first classes and review the levels of training available to you.

Experience

I personally have been at automobile accidents, disaster areas, and in remote locations around the world where emergency medical care needed to be implemented immediately and transportation to a medical facility was going to be challenging or require some time.  Thus, having a good knowledge of what you can do in those environments is essential to treating an injured or wounded person.

One of the first hallmarks of rendering first aid is: “To Do No Harm”.  This is one of the essential components of medicine and in particular first aid.  A simple concern of moving the patient can result in serious negative consequences.  Thus, it is so important that you do not do anything you are not trained to do and that you completely evaluate the situation before intervening.  To reduce the likelihood of you doing harm while administering care, it is imperative that you take a first aid class so you can determine the extent of the injury and the required intervention.

There are multiple scenarios where one might be in a position to use their first aids skills. They include home, automobile accidents, in the wilderness, or in a combat or disaster environment.  In each of these environments, it is important to understand the scope of actions you are taking and make informed decisions on your treatment approaches.

The four objectives of administering first aid are consistent across the spectrum of causality environments.  So whether you are at home or in a remote environment the objectives are the same.

The four key objectives of first aid are; 1.) Preserve Life,  2.) Prevent further injury, 3.) Activate EMS ASAP, and 4) Facilitate transport to a medical facility.

Let’s address each one of these then move on to some of the treatment modalities you will learn when taking first aid courses.

Preserve Life

This is clearly the most important first step in process of administering first aid. Since this aspect of the process includes not just the patient, but also you and any others in the surrounding area. So surveying the scene is exceedingly important as you approach an injured person. Here are a couple examples. First, I have been at automobile accidents where those trying to help were running across major four lane highways, almost getting hit themselves and causing additional accidents.  Not only increasing the risk if injury to themselves but people driving the cars and the other rescuers.  I have also been at accident scene where there was leakage of gasoline in large quantities.  Thus, it as vital to get by standers away from the area and insure no one was smoking.  Finally, I have seen scenes where rescuers with good intentions were pulling people from cars who may have had serious spinal injuries when there was not need to do so.  All of these examples are automobile accidents which are one of the most common traumatic scenes and easy to relate too.

With these examples in mind, it is so important to survey the scene to determine any threats to safety before progressing to help the injured parties.  It is of no value to injury or kill yourself or others by prematurely rushing to help an injured person.  In particular, because until you reach that injured person you do not know if their injuries are even life threatening.

Prevent Further Injury

This aspect of first aid is of the utmost importance.  There are many ways to exacerbate an injury by unnecessary intervention.  So the very first step in all first aid processes is: Evaluation of the patient.  This is an extensive process in general. I published an article in 1988 that established the foundation for an algorithmic approach to initial assessment of the trauma patient that was used by many organizations such as the Basic Trauma Life Support Training Program and the Initial Pediatric Assessment Tool used by the Illinois EMS for Children and several other trauma training organizations.  I later expanded that publication to cover the differences between the initial evaluation of the trauma patient and the medical patient.  Each has its own unique set of evaluations that are specific to whether it is a traumatic injury or a medical problem.

Using a systematic approach to examining and injured patient by starting at the head and working toward the lower body and extremities is essential to totally understanding the extent of the patient’s injuries and insuring that you do not miss an injury. Not all first aid classes teach this skill but it is a good one to read about and learn.

One of the best means to prevent further injury is to not move the patient until all treatments have been applied.  Naturally, these are not always possible, but if you do not need to move the patient, then do not.

Activate the EMS System

The next priority in the sequence of events is to activate the EMS system as quickly as possible (if available).  There are multiple benefits of this action. First and foremost, it reduces the time between injury and the application of advanced treatment modalities. Secondly and most importantly, it begins the process of getting the patient to medical facility.  Once EMT’s and or paramedics arrive on the scene the ability to treat the injury party with more advanced tools can significantly contribute to the survival of the patient.  There should never be hesitation in activating the EMS system.

Facilitate Transport to a Medical Facility

This is first accomplished by activating the EMS system.  For seriously injured trauma patients reaching a medical facility is paramount to their survival.  During the Korean and Vietnam Wars it was learned that if  a seriously wounded soldier arrived at a MASH unit or hospital within one hour their survival rate was significantly higher than those who did not.  This was later termed the “Golden Hour”, the time in which a patient was injured until they received definitive care.  It is of extreme essence to get severely injured patients to a trauma facility as soon as possible to increase their chances of survival.  Thus, activation of the EMS system is paramount of first aid assistance.

Three Most Important Treatments

There are three vital treatment modalities that one must be prepared to evaluate and treat in an emergency situation.  Those are Airway, Breathing and Circulation, known as the ABC’s of first aid. Correctly identifying a crisis and properly treating any of these three problems can and will save a person’s life.  Let’s review some techniques you will learn in first aid classes to treat these problems.

Airway:

An open patent airway is essential for one to breathe.  There are two primary airway obstructions: soft tissue and foreign object. In either case, intervention will most likely be needed in order for the patient to properly and easily breathe.

The first step is to determine if the patient is breathing.  If so then the best next step may be to do nothing and allow the patient to breathe on their own.  However, if the patient is not breathing then it is essential to open the airway.  The best means of doing this is by using the jaw thrust technique. It allows the rescuer to open the airway without moving the head and spine. This is particularity important when the patient is a victim of trauma and there may be a spinal injury.  If there is a foreign object in the patient’s mouth it must be removed and if the vomit the patient must be rolled onto their side to allow the vomit to drain.

This technique alone can save a person’s life.  It is one of the vital shills you will learn in a first aid class.

Breathing:

The second step is to verify the patient is breathing.  Even though you open the airway does not necessary mean the patient will start breathing.  There are several methods to determine if the patient is breathing and they include: observing the patients color, watching for the rise and fall of the chest and placing your ear close to the patient’s mouth and listening for air movement.  The treatment for a non breathing patient is mouth to mouth or mouth to mask if you have one.  To deliver a breath you must place your mouth over the patient’s mouth and or to the mask, and then blow slowly and with good volume. Blowing fast and hard will increase the likelihood that the air will go into the patient’s stomach rather than their lungs.  You continue to do this until help arrives with more advanced means of ventilating the patient or the patient starts breathing on their own.

Circulation:

The third step in assessing the patient is to determine their circulatory status.  There are three primary methods for evaluating a patient circulatory status.  First color, if their skin and mucus membranes are pink that is good. Blue or purple is bad.  Second pulse, if the pulse is between 80 and 100 that is good.  Above 100 is of concern.  However, it must be taken into consideration that the person may be very scared and that will affect heart rate too.  Finally is capillary refill. This is measured by squeezing the tip of the patient’s finger and watching the underside go from white to pink.  If this takes less than 3 seconds then the patient is fine.  The longer this takes the worst the patient’s circulatory condition is and this is a sign of impending shock or shock.

Trauma is the number one cause of death between the ages of 1 and 44.  Bleeding is one of the top causes of death in trauma.  So in most cases, the treatment of choice in a trauma situation is to stop the bleeding.  Some of the treatment modalities are direct pressure on the affected area, followed by a pressure bandage and then if needed a tourniquet.  Venous bleeding is easily controlled by direct pressure.  Some arterial bleeding can be control with direct pressure as well.  Direct pressure can the applied using pressure dressings and in more severe cases such as amputations, a tourniquet is needed to control the bleeding.

Clearly there are other emergency situations such as fractures, medical illnesses and bites and stings that require some form of first aid.  The treatment modalities for these types of emergency are covered in the classes listed below.

Basic first aid classes are excellent and will help you understand the very basic skills needed.  But if you are planning on hiking or camping, then I recommend a wilderness first aid course.  If you are preparing to be more isolated for an extended period of time, then I strongly recommend an emergency medical responder (EMR) or emergency medical technician (EMT) course. These courses offer more in depth training and the ability to understand medical problems as well as trauma.  They can usually be taken one to two nights per week over a three month period.  Finally, depending on your plan, I feel taking a paramedic course is the very best program to learn emergency skills and advanced techniques that can be invaluable in remote areas or very isolated areas or in the time of disaster.  This course is about 14 months long, two to three nights per week.

There are a number of resources where you can take these classes.  The American Red Cross and the American heart Association are both nationwide organizations that provide first aid classes.  In addition, in many locations the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America teach first aid classes.  For the EMT and paramedic programs you can contact your local vocational tech school or Jr. College.

In summary, first aid is an essential skill you should know and can be valuable in a broad spectrum of environments.  The classes are usually only several hours long and you learn so much.  I highly recommend you take classes based on your expected need.  You can play a vital role in saving a life when properly trained.

1.) Cavallaro, D. et al., (February 1988). An algorithm for trauma victim assessment. JEMS, 28-33.

About Dan C: Dan has lectured in over 250 American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider Courses (ACLS) and over 40 ACLS Instructor Courses, over 50 American College of Emergency Physician Basic Trauma Life Support Provider (BTLS) Courses and 20 BTLS Instructor courses and in over 30 American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support Provider (ATLS) Courses, 5 ATLS Instructor courses, 40 American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider and Instructor Courses and 30 American College of Emergency Physicians Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APALS) Provider and Instructor Courses.  He has also lectured nationally at several national medical meetings on Trauma verses Medical Patient Assessment, Emergency Airway Management, Pediatric Resuscitation, Emergency Trauma Patient Assessment and Management, Emergency Cardiac Care, and Critical Care Aeromedical Transport.

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Photos by:
Aletheakirra
IFRC

The Parry Hunter really can only be described as a little brother to the The Parry Blade.  Both are signature blades of Mel Perry, Warrant Officer QGM, and a veteran of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment.

By Mr. Smashy, a SurvivalCache.com contributing author

The Hunter

The Parry Hunter has a 7.5” blade length compared to the 8.75” blade on The Parry Blade.  Some other features are gone from The Parry Blade that you may miss, but like every trade off, there are gains as well.  The first feature you will probably notice deleted from the Parry Hunter is the blocky hammer pommel.  Overall length of The Parry Blade is 13.75” versus 12.5” on the Parry Hunter.  The Parry Hunter comes to a tapered pommel.  Both have micarta scales, but the Parry Hunter has brass rivets instead of screws, and a lanyard hole.  Use of a lanyard would be greatly encouraged.

The Blade

The blade is that signature Mel Perry design, but with a somewhat tamed profile.  The large belly is still there, just not as deep.  The clipped spear point has a wide, thick spine for batoning the knife through wood or game.  The lower edge of the spine is serrated for cutting rope and webbing, and there are the aggressively jimped fore finger grooves for fine control of the blade for tasks like whittling for making tinder.

The Steel

The blade is 1/4” thick, just like The Parry Blade, and made out of the same X46 Cr13 420 stainless steel.  The steel is not powder coated.  This knife came razor sharp from the factory and kept an edge rather well, and was very easy to touch up with something like a Kershaw Ultra-Tek blade sharpener, which is a great way to touch up the edge on a knife on the go.  420 stainless steel is not one of the high tech powdered super steels available today, but I feel that it’s more than adequate, and in some cases preferable than harder alloys.  I have had a knife with a S30V blade chip on me when I was doing a relative minor chopping task, and that is the risk you take with very hard, brittle stainless steels; the edge can chip.  If you are splitting a log and hit a knot or cut through into the dirt and hit a rock, I would rather dull out a knife then chip it.  Then it is a simple matter of rehoning the edge rather than dealing with a destroyed edge.

The Knife

The weight and shape of the Parry Hunter still makes it a world class survival knife.  It will strip a branch and split a log with ease.  It is not as capable as a dedicated survival knife like The Parry Blade, but you have some wins and they are significant.  It is smaller and it is easier to pack and carry.  You will be more inclined to carry this knife all day because it is smaller and it is lighter.  This knife crosses over from the survival to the survival/combat knife.  The blade shape, while very adequate for survival tasks, is also conducive for self defense.  The blade’s belly and point is more in line with a slash and stab motion than the Khukri-shaped Parry Blade which has a more natural chopping action.  The Parry Hunter has lines that to me are similar to the USMC fighting knife, but the Parry Hunter is packed with premium survival features and premium construction.

Affordable

One of the large dislikes of The Parry Blade is it’s cost, which not a small amount, but for a hardcore survivalist, The Parry Blade is well worth it. The Parry Hunter can be had for about one hundred less the price of The Parry Blade.  The Parry Hunter makes a premium survival knife a little bit more in reach of the prepper, and if you understand what you give up and what you gain, it may even be a more attractive knife.

Pro’s

My “Pros” for the Parry Hunter would be the reduced cost, reduced size and weight, survival/combat blade profile, and extremely ergonomic grip.  The grip and aggressively jimped choil allows for some very solid grasps and very unique holds permissive for both survival and fighting use.

Con’s

My “Cons” for the Parry Hunter would be the lack of powder coat on the blade and lack of a steel guard.  I don’t totally dislike the lack of the steel guard, because it allows you to choke up on the knife, but I think for some practical tasks it would be very nice.

My example was furnished with both a leather and nylon sheath (made by BLACKHAWK!), and I far prefer using the nylon sheath with this knife.  The Parry Hunter comes from Sheffield, England and is produced by Samuel Staniforth, just like The Parry Blade.

Specs

• Blade Length: 7.5″ (19.1 cm)
• Blade Steel: x46Cr13 – 420 Stainless Steel, 57-58HRC
• Blade Thickness: 1/4″ (6.4 mm)
• Overall Length: 12.5″ (31.8 cm)
• Handle Material: Linen Micarta
• Sheath Material: Cordura
• Weight: 13.1 oz. (370 g)
• Made in Sheffield, England

All Photos by: Who else… Mr. Smashy

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I do a lot of hiking in the back-country of Colorado and come across a lot of small streams and lakes.  I always thought it would be great to have a small, lightweight rod and reel to fish for trout while I’m exploring.  My wait is over.

By Murphy, a contributing author of SurvivalCache.com

Forge Survival Supply recently decided to pick up the line of Emmrod Compact Fishing Poles on the advice of a reader of Survival Cache, who is a big fan of the Emmrod poles.  I decided to try the Emmrod compact fishing system for myself, specifically the Spinning Packrod.  The rod comes in two pieces; the handle and reel seat, and the rod tip section.  Disassembled it is 14″ in length and assembled it is 23″ long.  The rod has an aluminum tubing skeleton with a cork grip and reel seat.  The tip is made of stainless steel with a 6 coil spring rated for fish up to 10 lbs.  Interchangeable tip sections are available, so you can match the action of the tip to the size of fish you are fishing for!

Putting It Together

Tip sections range from 2 lb fish up to 150 lb fish.  To assemble the rod you “Simply” slide the tip section into the end of the handle section and push in until the rod stops.  Then rotate it 90 degrees and release.  The rod is now locked in place.  I say “Simply”, because it is not that easy to do.  It actually takes a bit of strength to push in and rotate.  To disassemble, just reverse the process.  After doing it a few times you get the hang of it and it becomes less awkward.  You can put the tip section in two different positions depending on the reel you plan on using.  With the tip-top facing down you can use a spin casting reel and with the tip-top facing up you can use a bait casting reel.

This Packrod comes with the reel of your choice.  I prefer a spin casting reel.  The reel is made by Shakespere.  It has an on/off anti-reverse switch, a multi-disc drag system and a right or left hand retrieve, allowing you to position the handle on either side of the reel.  It also comes with line already attached to the spool.  Although, I am not sure what (lbs) test the line is that it comes with the packrod, it seemed sufficient for the fishing I was doing.

Does It Work?

When casting with a lure, it casts nicely and everything seemed to work just fine.  I tried setting it up two ways; one with the fishing line going through the coils, and the other with the fishing line NOT going through the coils and only through the tip-top.  Both ways had the same results.  Sometimes the fishing line would wrap around a couple of the coils in the rod tip section when casting.  Not enough to affect the function of the rod, but something to be aware of.

I did not catch any fish on the two back country fishing trips in which I tried this rod.  So, I’m not sure how the action is, YET, but that’s how it goes sometimes.  Like my father-n-law always says “The fishing was great, but the catching wasn’t so hot!”  I will continue my search for trout and the Emmrod will be there when I do.  This item can doubt find its way into your Bug Out Bag.

More information is available at Emmrod’s Website (Click Here)

All Photos by the SurvivalCache.com Team

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“The longer it takes for an attacker to get through your defensive measures, the more time you have to detect them and implement additional security protocols.”  With this sentence, Jim Cobb sets a serious survival tone for the book “Prepper’s Home Defense“.

By Mike, a contributing author of SurvivalCache.com

Overview

Jim Cobb’s book, Prepper’s Home Defense, shows you step by step how to implement a complete security plan to defend your home or property in any disaster, from super storms with major power outages to a complete societal collapse.  This book not only covers the physical security issues that you must resolve but also operational security including “Mutual Aid Agreements” that you agree to with your neighbors to defend your neighborhood or property against undesirables.  This well thought out book starts with basic security concepts and then moves to your outer most security concerns, perimeter defense.  From there, the book peels back each layer of your security until you are face to face with the Mutant Zombie Bikers invading your innermost sanctuary.  When all is lost, Jim also covers “Bugging Out” with advice on advanced planning and travel routes from your primary location to your bug out location.  I love how he starts this chapter off, “In spite of all your best efforts, advance planning, and extensive prepping, you may find yourself in a situation that you and your family are unable to deal with.”  This is something that every survivalist should consider, often we get so wrapped up in our extensive plans that we forget to be flexible and won’t consider changing our plans until it is too late.  This is something that I had to remind myself of often during my time in the Marine Corps, the best laid plans rarely survive the initial shot, be flexible.

About the Author

(From the book): Jim Cobb has worked in the investigation and security fields for twenty years and has been a survivalist most of his life.  His articles on preparedness have been published in national magazines such as Boy’s Life.  You can find him online at www.survivalweekly.com as well as blogging for www.survival-gear.com.  Jim lives in the upper Midwest with his beautiful wife and their three adolescent weapons of mass destruction.

Favorite Part

I enjoyed this book, Jim spent just the right amount of time on firearms without making this another book on firearms.  I have to say my favorite part of the book was the section on “Mutual Aid Agreements”.  This is something that has always been on my mind but I have never been able to put it into words.  Jim lays out how to start off the conversation with your friends, which maybe uncomfortable at first, and then how to put it into writing with your trusted friends or neighbors.  If your home or property is attacked by an unknown enemy force, nothing can change the outcome of the fight faster than another friendly force attacking the enemy from a direction that completely surprises them.  Mutual Aid Agreements can be a powerful tool in your prepping plans and should not be overlooked.

Dislikes

I did not really have any major dislikes on this book.  The title says it all “Prepper’s Home Defense“, this book did not go in depth on food storage, water purification, alternative energy, etc.  It stayed true to it’s title of home defense in a SHTF situation, which I appreciated.  I would have been disappointed if Jim had tried to make this an all in compassing survival manual but he did not.  He stuck to the title and made this book a baseline for home or retreat defense during TEOTWAWKI.

Conclusion

If you feel that your home defenses are inadequate or you want another take on home defense then “Prepper’s Home Defense” is for you.  This is not your run of the mill, “Keep Burglars Away from Your Home”, this is home defense for SHTF events or even the worst case scenario, TEOTWAWKI.  Jim proves his knowledge on retreat defense with a layered approach to physical security as well as how to operate an around the clock security team with patrolling and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).  You and your family will be better prepared with the knowledge you gain from this book.

Photos by:
Fear the Ferret
Ulysses Press
Cwwycoff1

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Eye protection. It‘s essential. There is no getting around it, if you find yourself working with firearms, power tools, heavy machinery, ATVs, etc. You know how important it is to have good eye pro.

By Josh (The Survival Kid), a contributing author of SurvivalCache.com

Today, we take a good hard look at the grandfather of ballistic eye pro- the Oakley M-Frames.

Specs (From Oakley):

The Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame 2.0 surpasses ANSI Z87.1 Industrial Standards for high-mass and high-velocity impact protection. Additionally the M Frame 2.0 meets MIL SPEC, MIL-PRF-31013.  All lenses are made of pure Plutonite®, a proprietary material that offers the highest level of optical clarity available in eye-wear.   You get razor-sharp clarity at all angles of view, which maximizes peripheral vision and protection against sun, wind and side impact.  It also features a clip that holds the lens and frame together providing more secure support.

Performance:

The Oakley M-Frames come with two different lenses, a clear and a tinted shade.  During testing I logged more than 200 hours outdoors with the dark shade, and some 250 hours working around a busy welding and fabrication shop with the clear shade.  The M-Frames are rated to ANSI Z87.1 Industrial Standards for high-mass and high-velocity impact protection, which is the standard for industrial eye pro.  The M-Frames held up just fine to the impact of sticks and small rocks being tossed up by the lawnmower and weed-eater while doing yard work.  They performed just as well in the shop- wire wheels shredding off, cutting and grinding discs fracturing, slag, and metal shards were no problem.  At one point of time a wheel on an angle grinder fractured and some of it came spinning back at my face, it impacted my M-Frames across the right eye and a left a pretty deep scratch.  After more than a year of that treatment they were essentially fine, they were just too scratched up to really see out of.

Applications:

I wore my M-Frames during a wide variety of activities.  They are pretty cool looking shades and I enjoyed wearing them while hiking, biking, running, doing typical yard work, tree cutting, metal cutting, grinding, welding, and shooting.  I discovered that the earpiece is pretty low profile and wore well under a variety of other protective gear.  I wore them under my welding hood with no discomfort.  I also wore them while shooting and wearing a variety of popular helmets.  No problems running them under your run of the mill Gentex ACH, no problems with the Ops-Core series of helmets, and no problems with the Team Wendy Exfil helmet either. They are low profile enough that there aren’t any huge discomfort issues with running them under over the ear hearing protection like my Peltor 6s. It is definitely better though when you are running your headset integrated into the helmet (ie. TCI Liberator II.) Overall pretty good.

Torture Testing:

Through general usage we proved that the M-Frames will stand up to far more than your average shades will, but you can’t stop there. We really wanted to test the limit of the ballistic protection capabilities, so we took them along for yet another trip to the range. Thus far we have demonstrated that the M-Frames will stand up to everything up to actually being shot. The plan was to use our friendly neighborhood “tacti-cool snowman” model and to run it through its paces with a couple of different rounds. We doctored up our snowman and let him have it. Perhaps it would have been wise to take our first shot from a greater distance than we did. At 6 feet, it only took one dose of 12 guage 2 ¾” #8 shot to turn our victi- I mean volunteer into carrot salad on ice. The M-Frames, sadly, did not survive our first shot.

Conclusion:

If you are familiar with Oakley products, you know that they like to take a proven lense and build a million different frames to fit so you can get the look you are going for. This review covers the lense used in the Military issue SI Ballistic M Frame 2.0, M Frame Strike, M Frame Array and many others. The whole lineup receives my highest recommendation.

All Photos By: Josh

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The current furor over the threat of a new round of restrictive firearms laws in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook killings has gotten me to think further about what kinds of weapons we might choose to protect ourselves.

By Dr. John J. Woods, a contributing author to SurvivalCache.com

Here we are talking about defensive modes of protecting ourselves against any uninvited menace that might befall us.  However, and intended only as a sidebar, consider also if we were to find ourselves without traditional defensive firearms, then some of these same weapons choices could also be as easily applied effectively in an offensive mode.  How does the government intend to protect us against these tools?

Which of these “weapons” could be used for self-protection, an AR-15, 1911 in 45ACP, a wheel gun revolver in .357 Magnum, a swing blade, combat knife, screwdriver, ball peen hammer, a pipe wrench, sledge hammer, machete, 12-gauge shotgun, an ax, a 30-06 deer rifle, a ball bat, length of log chain, or a Kaiser blade?

The Prepper Scenario

A common thread among the planning tactics for both Bug Out and Bug In preppers is the concept that we might eventually be confronted by rogue groups or a solo assault of “zombies”, common criminals, starving crowds of non-preppers, aggressive neighbors, or others just wishing to take from you what you have.

We tend to rely on a first front of defense using firearms.  There is no need for an in depth discussion of that here.  Our arsenal would likely include rifles, shotguns, and handguns.  Any types and all types in a wide range of suitable (or not) cartridges chambered for self-defense or property protection can expected to be found in stock.

A gross generalization of a tactical stance would be to use rifles for long(er) range defense or deterrent, shotguns with buckshot (not slugs) could be used for closer ranges, but perhaps not point blank, but maybe.  Handguns would most likely be relegated to close quarters work.

Hopefully what you choose to use works for you best because you are confident and skilled in the use of the weapons choices you have made.  If not, then get there as soon as it is feasible.

But in all of this keep in mind that despite the fact that you may have an ample supply of firearms and ammo available to defend or protect yourself, family, and escape hide out partners there are other alternative tools to consider.  Plus there may be times when a firearm is not the closest defensive tool within reach.

On the Cutting Edge

I am not a knife fighter or blade expert.  My plan is to be the one that brings a loaded 1911 Kimber to the knife fight, but being a realist I know that might not always happen.  Still I have a wide selection of blades, long and short, fixed blades, folders, meat cleaver types, pocketknives, fish filleting knives, and nearly everything else in between.  While most of my blades are not designed for defense, at some level any one of them could be pressed into service likely with varying results.

I do not harbor a desire for that kind of hands on self defense work.  But what if we get faced with a situation in which that is the first or only option?  Then some training is called for as well as keeping such tools within reasonable reach just in case.  Knives may not draw attention like a firearm, so it is reasonable to add these to your kit.

One of the characters on the program Doomsday Preppers believes one of the critical weapons to his theoretical “circle of seven” tools of self defense needs to include a samurai type sword or other similar long blade with a long handle or hand grip.  There are many such tools on the market made by outfits like Cold Steel, Gerber, and others.  Even hardware stores and farm supply outlets will have a variety of tools that are for brush cutting and other heavy duty cutting/hacking tasks.  Add these to the mix.

Blunt Force Instruments

As we work around the house or at a bug out escape location, we are highly likely to have a variety of impromptu weapons around.  We might think we’ll always have a firearm within reach, but maybe not.  If someone comes up on you in the workshop, garage, or storage shed, what might you grab to defend yourself?

Viewing another movie recently of the fictitious zombie genre’ I was taken by the choice of a sledgehammer as a tool of offensive and defensive self defense by one of the actors.  Understanding that depiction was “Hollywood” nevertheless it spirited my consideration of such heavy tools as a possible weapon of choice.  A ten pound hammer may not be a first choice, but it could an effective one at any rate.  A forward thrust to the throat or knee cap is likely to change the course of an aggressor.

Now I own a mega sledge and I would be the first to admit I would not want to tote that thing around all day.  At camp I strap it in the carry rack of the ATV.  At my age swinging a sledge about ten times is the equivalent of trying to do twenty pushups.  Good luck with that.  My point is to consider the defensive strategies with any tool you might buy for bug in home or bug out camp use.

Look in your garage on your pegboard wall or in your tool boxes.  See what items in there could be used as a last resort grab.  Perhaps all this sounds too elementary, but when is the last time you thought about taking a shovel off the wall to defend yourself?

Consider other tools as well.  What about a pipe wrench, a rake, heavy long shaft screwdriver, pry bar, broom, claw hammer, or any number of dozens of other implements found around the house.  At the very least consider thinking through the process.

Again, I don’t personally promote close quarters essentially hand-to-hand confrontations.  It’s only that whatever we are prepping for or planning for will likely not work out exactly as we had imagined.

Choosing and selecting weapons for our prepping strategies does not automatically imply the sole source of self-defense tools have to be firearms.  In reality and practice, I think we all intend to include that component, but there are many other options to have at the hand if needed.

Photos by:
Mr. Smashy
Dr. John J. Woods

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Despite the millions of faxes, emails, petitions and phone calls pouring onto Capitol Hill right now, my sources are telling me Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell could be cooking up a back-room deal with Reid. Continue reading →

In part because I know how to fight smart and be effective.

But far more because of the hard work and sacrifice of everyday, pro-gun Americans like you.

Building an army of grassroots activists makes it possible.

In fact, I’ve created this video to show just how important our National Association for Gun Rights members have been in the fight for the Second Amendment. Continue reading →

Every once in a while I come across a product that down right surprises me.  It has been a while since that has happened but the wait is over.  I was recently introduced to a Lula Magazine Loader much to my delight. 

By the SurvivalCache.com Team

A few months back we were on a live fire exercise that involved a mix of AR-15′s, M1A’s, 12 Gauge Shotguns, AK-47′s, and enough tannerite to blow up a small house.  A friend of SurvivalCache, Andy Bell who owns OD Green Supply in Arvada, Colorado provided us with lots of ammo and an assortment of fun stuff to shoot including Tactical Bleeding Zombie Targets.  While getting ready to shoot, Andy introduced us to the Lula Magazine Loader.  My first thought was “Where has this been all of my life?” of course my next thought was “Why didn’t I think of this?”  After using the Lula to load several magazines, I was hooked.  Then I decided that I had to test it to make sure that it was worth the $25.00 Andy was trying to pull out of my pocket to buy one.

A Great Tool

I loaded a Magpul PMAG with the Lula and fumbled with it the first time while learning the muscle memory on how it worked.  I then turn the magazine over and used the Lula to unload the whole magazine which took all of about 5 seconds.  Then I reloaded the magazine again with the Lula, now I was really hooked.

Once I figured out how to position my hands on the Lula and the Magazine I became proficient very quickly.  The Lula would load the magazine as fast as my hands could operate it.  I was quite impressed with this tool.  I then took a Tapco 7.62 x 39mm mag and used the Lula designed for AK-47 and Galil mags.  I had the same experience, it worked great and I was impressed with the speed loading ability.

Field Test

I then ran a quick test with the PMAG (5.56mm) to be sure this magazine loader was worth the money.  First, I loaded the PMAG by hand with speed on my mind.  It took about 50 seconds and my thumb was feeling it.  I then loaded the same magazine using the Lula.  It took only 32 seconds and I think I could do it even faster with more practice.

Constructed of glass-reinforced polymer, the Lula feels sturdy yet very lightweight.  The lever on the Lula presses down into the body of the magazine loader for easy carry in your pocket.  The ability to load magazines very quickly is an advantage both at the shooting range under normal conditions or in SHTF conditions.  We strongly recommend that you pick up this accessory up for your kit.

MagLula currently makes the Lula loader for AK47/Galil, AR15, Colt SMG, UZI, M1A, MP5, and FN FAL.  Coming soon the Lula’s will also be available in .308 AR15/DPMS, .308 AR-10, .308 FN SCAR, and .308 HK G3

Features

• Both Loads AND Unloads
• 35sec loading 30 rd.
• 5sec unloading 30 rd.
• Safe on fingers and magazine
• Absolutely no sore thumb!
• Pocket size
• Durable best quality glass-reinforced polymer
• Weights approx. 38grams (1.3ounce)
• Chemicals resistant
• Great comfort when several magazines need to be cleaned (unloaded and reloaded)
• Needs no dexterity or training to use
• Needs no maintenance
• Usable also in zero light environment
• Usable with gloves in freezing weather

All Photos by: SurvivalCache Team
Video by: Maglula

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The list of new schemes goes on seemingly forever, but the most outrageous are exactly what I’ve been fearing . . . Continue reading →