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Take Charge: USB Battery Pack Buyer’s Guide

Posted on November 15, 2018 at 6:00 am.

In This Article

The Tech Talk
The Easy Explanation
The Recharge Rundown
Digipower Re-Fuel RF-A78
ECOXGEAR EcoCharge+
Goal Zero Sherpa 100
Midland E+Ready EP100
MyCharge All Terrain
PowerTraveller PowerMonkey Explorer 2
RAVPower Ace Series 22,000 mAh
Secur Solar Power SP-3009
ZeroHour BB Battery Backup
More From Issue 16

Even if you’re a primitive survival expert who lives completely off the grid, it’s hard to deny the benefits of modern electronics. Instead of wielding a flaming torch at night, you can navigate with a pocket-sized flashlight. Rather than waiting months for the Pony Express to deliver a cross-country message, you can send a text from your smartphone in seconds. Electronics obviously provide a myriad of benefits — and we haven’t even started talking about laptops or washing machines.

The downside to these electronic devices is — you guessed it — electricity.

Whether you’re out backpacking for the day, there’s a blackout in your neighborhood, or the entire electrical grid has shut down, it’s wise to have some backup juice on hand. Without any battery power, all the electronics you have will become expensive paperweights in a few short hours.

Enter the portable battery pack, sometimes called a charger or power bank. In essence, these handheld gadgets are just lithium-based cells hooked up to some ports and surrounded in a protective shell. They’re designed to temporarily power your small USB-rechargeable devices — think flashlights, smartphones, tablets, cameras, GPS units, speakers, or even other smaller batteries.

The Tech Talk

To understand and compare battery packs, we must first understand how they’re measured. Batteries are typically evaluated by three key metrics: volts (V), amps (A), and milliamp hours (mAh). Watts (W) also come into play for more powerful electronics, but aren’t really essential to discuss for USB-based devices.

To make these terms easier to comprehend, we can use an analogy that compares a battery to a pressurized tank of water. In this analogy, volts (V) are the amount of pressure in the tank, forcing water out through a hole. Amps (A), also called current, determine the size of the hole in the tank, and tells us the amount of water that drains out in a second (or an hour). Watts (W) refer to the power of the stream, and are determined by both the pressure (V) and the hole size (A). Milliamp hours (mAh) measure the tank’s storage capacity — or how many hours it can be allowed to drain at a set rate before running out of water.

So, by stating that a USB port on a battery is rated at a maximum of 5V and 1A, we’re defining the maximum amount of electricity that can flow out of it. This determines how much power it can impart to your electronic devices at a given moment.

On the other hand, by stating that a battery has a 5,000-mAh capacity, we’re defining how many times it can refill your electronic devices. Of course, this depends on the “pressure” in our system, as a higher voltage draw will empty the battery faster. So, mAh is usually listed at a predetermined nominal voltage — in the case of lithium batteries, it’s typically measured at 3.7V. This nominal voltage ensures consistent measurements of mAh capacity from one battery to the next.

The Easy Explanation

We realize this can be extremely confusing, so we’ll recap. For the purposes of portable battery packs …

Volts (and watts) determine the type of devices the battery can power. Large electronics — like microwaves and refrigerators — require 120V, and hundreds or even thousands of watts. A standard USB port will provide 5V maximum.
Amps define how quickly a device will charge when plugged into the battery. A 1A port will generally charge much slower than a 2.1A port.
Milliamp hours determine a battery’s total charging capacity. More mAh means larger capacity. For reference, an iPhone 6 battery is 1,810 mAh, so a 5,000 mAh battery pack could theoretically recharge that iPhone around 2.7 times.

The Recharge Rundown

Now that you know the electronic inner workings, we can get into analyzing some popular battery packs on the market. We selected nine battery packs of varying sizes and capacities, comparing them based on form, function, added features, and cost.

Digipower Re-Fuel RF-A78

Dimensions
3.8 by 2.4 by 0.8 inches

Weight
6.2 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium-ion (Li-ion)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
7,800 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 2.1A USB, 5V 1A USB

Input Port
5V 1A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.1A and 1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
USB-to-micro-USB cable

Special Features
4-LED charge indicator

MSRP
$40

URL
www.re-fuel.com

The Digipower Re-Fuel is composed of a 7,800-mAh Li-ion battery pack, encased in a rubberized housing with bright green endcaps. It fits nicely into the palm of your hand or your pocket, and offers impressive capacity given its low 6.2-ounce weight. There are dual USB output ports, controlled by a single push-button on the front of the pack. Tapping the button allows the user to check charge level via four white LEDs underneath it. The Re-Fuel pack’s simple design won’t win any innovation awards. However, it serves its purpose well, delivering plenty of juice to recharge most smartphones three times.

Pros:

Compact and lightweight
High capacity given its size

Cons:

Only one 2.1A port

ECOXGEAR EcoCharge+

Dimensions
4.9 by 1.3 by 1.2 inches

Weight
4.7 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
3,200 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 1A USB

Input Port
5V 1A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
USB-to-micro-USB cable, wrist lanyard

Special Features
Waterproof (IP67 – up to 1-meter), 4-LED charge indicator, 150-lumen CREE LED light

MSRP
$40

URL
www.ecoxgear.com

Why use a battery to recharge your flashlight, when your battery already is a flashlight? That’s the philosophy behind the EcoCharge+, and it’s surprisingly effective. The 150-lumen CREE LED light offers strong intensity, an even beam pattern, and four modes: low, high, flashing, and SOS. Its exterior offers good texture and ergonomics, plus a waterproof twist-on cap that reveals a single USB output. Unfortunately, the battery didn’t wow us with its small 3,200-mAh capacity and slow 1A charging speed. We’d consider this a rechargeable flashlight that happens to have USB output, rather than a true battery pack.

Pros:

Grippy and waterproof rubberized exterior
Works well as a flashlight

Cons:

USB port mounting isn’t sturdy, wiggling noticeably with a cable inserted
Small capacity, slow 1A charging speed

Goal Zero Sherpa 100

Dimensions
5.8 by 5.3 by 1.5 inches

Weight
30.8 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (Li-NMC)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
26,400 mAh at 3.7V (or 8,800 mAh at 11V)

Output Ports
5V 2.1A USB (two), 6mm 12V 10A port, 7.4mm 19V 6A laptop port, sidecar port for daisy-chaining or use with optional 110V AC inverter (sold separately)

Input Port
15-22V up to 3A (from solar panels, car cigarette lighter port, or included charger)

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.1A and 2.1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
Wall charger, laptop cable with four adapters, 12V cigarette lighter adapter

Special Features
Battery monitor LCD screen, replaceable 20A fuse, mini LED light, compatible with Goal Zero inverter and solar panels

MSRP
$350 (or $600 with pictured Nomad 20 solar panel and inverter)

URL
www.goalzero.com

Let’s get one thing out of the way: The Sherpa 100 is expensive — to the tune of $350. However, take a look at its wealth of features, and you’ll understand the price. Its high-tech LG-brand Li-NMC cells are the same kind found in many electric cars, and they can pump out more than 110 volts and over 100 watts (enough for a 40-inch LCD TV or mini-fridge). This makes it ideal for quickly charging or powering larger devices, such as laptops, tablets, and digital SLR cameras. If you’re willing to shell out $600 for the upgraded Sherpa Solar Kit with AC inverter, this device can easily power your entire off-grid campsite almost indefinitely. And it’s still small and light enough to be loaded into your bug-out bag. It’s an investment, but this is the charger we’d grab in a long-term grid-down event if there were no generator in sight.

Shown above with optional Goal Zero add-ons: 12V inverter, solar panel, and LED lanterns. These items are sold separately.

Pros:

Incredibly versatile
Expandable with plug-and-play
Goal Zero accessories
Massive mAh capacity
Strong voltage output

Cons:

Pricey
Quite heavy at 1.9 pounds
No Apple laptop adapter available, since Apple refuses to license its MagSafe connector to third parties. Unless you have one of the new Retina MacBooks, which are powered via a USB-C port, you must recharge via the $50 inverter add-on.

Midland E+Ready EP100

Dimensions
5.7 by 2.6 by 0.9 inches

Weight
8.5 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
10,400 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 2.1A USB, 5V 1A USB

Input Port
5V 1A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.1A and 1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
USB-to-micro-USB cable

Special Features
4-LED charge indicator, 100-lumen fold-out LED light

MSRP
$50

URL
www.midlandusa.com

Midland — a company known for its portable radios — has branched out into the emergency-preparedness market with its new E+Ready line. The EP100 charger uses a 10,400-mAh Samsung-brand lithium battery, with two USB output ports. Its exterior dimensions are comparable to a large smartphone, so it fits snugly into pockets and pouches. The EP100 also features a fold-out flood light, with four LEDs that produce 100 lumens. By standing the pack on end, the light can provide hands-free illumination for a workspace — extremely useful for preparing food, working with tools, or reading maps. However, it tends to fold open unexpectedly, since it lacks a retention clip or detent. Otherwise, the EP100 is a strong contender with no substantial flaws.

Pros:

Large battery capacity
Bright LED flood light is useful for cooking or reading

Cons:

Light tends to fold open on its own during transport, which could result in accidental damage

MyCharge All Terrain

Dimensions
4.0 by 1.5 by 1.1 inches

Weight
3.8 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
3,000 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 2.1A USB

Input Port
5V 2.1A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
USB-to-micro-USB cable, wrist lanyard

Special Features
Waterproof (IP68 — over 1 meter), 4-LED charge indicator

MSRP
$40

URL
www.mycharge.com

With a nifty design reminiscent of a cigarette lighter or cigar torch, the MyCharge All Terrain uses a flip-up lid secured by a retention bar. Underneath the waterproof lid, you’ll find an orange surface that houses a single USB output port. Pressing the battery symbol on the opposite side turns on the power, and charge level is displayed on LEDs above this button. Going along with the lighter analogy, it would have made sense to position the power switch where your thumb falls on the front of the charger, instead of the back side, but that’s a minor gripe. More relevant is the small 3,000-mAh capacity — barely enough to recharge larger smartphones. Fortunately, its 2.1A output charges your devices quickly, and its 2.1A input allows for very quick refills from a wall charger.

Pros:

Pliable rubber exterior is waterproof, dust-proof, and impact-resistant
Charges quickly via 2.1A output
Recharges quickly via 2.1A input

Cons:

Small capacity

PowerTraveller PowerMonkey Explorer 2

Dimensions
3.2 inches tall by 1.8 inches diameter

Weight
10.3 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
6,000 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 2A USB

Input Port
5V 2A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
1A (below advertised 2A spec)

Included Accessories
Custom waterproof micro USB in/out splitter cable, male and female micro USB to USB adapters

Special Features
Waterproof (IP67 — up to 1 meter), battery monitor LCD screen, compatible with optional bike mounting bracket

MSRP
$93

URL
www.powertraveller.com

The PowerMonkey Explorer 2 was developed by U.K.-based company Powertraveller, which calls it “the toughest portable charger available.” A bold claim, but we can confirm that the PowerMonkey is indeed tough. Its anodized aluminum exterior is fully waterproof, including the supplied cable. Speaking of the cable, it uses a unique “bath plug-style” end, secured to the body with a screw-on metal cap. On the other end, the cable splits into a Y-connection with micro USB ports — a female input and a male output. For connecting full-size USB devices, you’ll need to carry separate adapters, which are easy to misplace. Also, despite the advertised 2A output spec, we measured the USB output at only 1A. The PowerMonkey also charged an iPhone at speed comparable to other 1A chargers, so it seems this battery’s listed output amperage may be inaccurate or obtainable only with specific devices.

Pros:

End-to-end waterproofing, including the cable
Tough metal exterior available in four colors (black, white, red, and blue)

Cons:

Our testing showed maximum output of 1A, half the advertised 2A output
Important micro-USB-to-USB adapters are easy to misplace

RAVPower Ace Series 22,000 mAh

Dimensions
6.5 by 2.8 by 0.9 inches

Weight
14.6 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium-polymer (Li-poly)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
22,000 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 2.4A iSmart USB (three)

Input Port
5V 2.4A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.4A, 2.4A, 1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
Short and long USB-to-micro-USB cables, fabric carrying pouch

Special Features
4-LED charge indicator

MSRP
$40

URL
www.ravpower.com

RAVPower’s Ace-series battery pack offers a huge 22,000-mAh capacity, thanks to its use of malleable and energy-dense Lithium-polymer cells. We’re told they’re from the same manufacturer as iPhone batteries and undergo the same quality-control checks. Three USB ports harness this power, allowing charging speed of up to 2.4A per port — the fastest of any battery we tested. Call us shallow, but our least favorite aspect of this pack is its exterior. RAVPower says the case uses a fire-resistant thermoplastic alloy from Germany, but no matter what you call it, it’s about as visually exciting as a stick of butter with USB ports on one end. Cosmetics aside, this battery kicks butt and takes names — and does so at an affordable price.

Pros:

Enormous capacity at a low price
High 5.8A simultaneous output allows full-speed charging of multiple devices at once

Cons:

Exterior lacks visual appeal and tends to slide on smooth surfaces
Heavy

Secur Solar Power SP-3009

Dimensions
4.8 by 3.1 by 0.6 inches

Weight
6.8 ounces

Battery Type
Lithium Polymer (Li-poly)

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
3,000 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 1A USB

Input Port
5V 1A micro USB

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
1A (as advertised)

Included Accessories
USB-to-micro-USB cable, 30-pin Apple charging port adapter

Special Features
Integrated solar panel, swiveling 4-LED flood light, folding stand/hook, 4-LED charge indicator

MSRP
$50

URL
www.securproducts.com

The Secur SP-3009 is a 3,000-mAh battery pack with a single 1A USB output port. On paper, that sounds pretty average — until you see the other features. First, this device has a high-efficiency 5.5V 0.28A solar panel, which can yield a full recharge in about 12 hours of direct sunlight. Then there’s the 4-LED flood light, which swivels 90 degrees. Finally, a metal hook folds out of the back side, and can be used as a stand or to hang the device upside-down. Unfortunately, the instruction manual is full of broken English — such as “lights will turn off with the electric quantity decreasing when discharing [sic].” Also, on its own, the internal battery isn’t anything to write home about. The real value to the SP-3009 is in its solar panel, light, and stand.

Pros:

Built-in solar panel provides a sustainable power source
Lightweight

Cons:

Low capacity and slow 1A charging speed
Included old-style Apple 30-pin connector isn’t very useful these days

ZeroHour BB Battery Backup

Dimensions
7.3 inches tall by 2.3 inches diameter

Weight
11.7 ounces

Battery Type
Three removable 18650 lithium-ion cells

Milliamp Hour Capacity (mAh)
10,000 mAh at 3.7V

Output Ports
5V 1.5A USB, 5V 2.1A USB

Input Port
5V 2A 4mm round port

Actual Simultaneous USB Output
2.1A and 1A (below advertised spec on 1.5A port)

Included Accessories
USB to 4mm round charging cable, 2.1A wall charger, drawstring pouch

Special Features
Waterproof (IPX8 — over 6 meters), 4-LED charge indicator, compatible with ZeroHour flashlight head and other optional accessories

MSRP
$150

URL
www.zerohourxd.com

At first glance, you might mistake the cylindrical aluminum ZeroHour BB Battery Backup for a tactical flashlight — and to be honest, you wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Unscrew the waterproof endcap, and out slides a battery carrier with three 3,400-mAh 18650 lithium cells. These are the same type of batteries found in many rechargeable flashlights, so you can easily borrow one if your light runs out of juice. Better yet, you can get a flashlight head from ZeroHour for $65, and simply thread it onto the end of this BB unit to transform it into a 1,000-lumen light/power bank combo. That’s pretty ingenious, but even without the flashlight head, this ultra-tough charger would be our choice for harsh environments.

Pros:

Standardized removable batteries provide added reliability and versatility
Transforms into an LED flashlight by replacing the end cap with a ZeroHour flashlight head (sold separately)

Cons:

Cylindrical design tends to roll away on smooth surfaces, unless you purchase an optional anti-roll cap for $15
Rubber USB port plugs are very easy to misplace

More From Issue 16

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 17

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 15

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

Invisible Death: Acute Radiation Syndrome

Posted on November 14, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Believe it or not, we’re exposed to radiation every day. The tricky part is we won’t know how high a dose we’re exposed to in an emergency situation.

Variables such as the type of radioactive material involved, the length of exposure time, and the amount absorbed all play a part in possible radiation-related health effects. There may also be long-term risks, such as cancers that develop over time or possible DNA mutations that affect our offspring.

Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) is caused by high radiation doses that irradiate most of the entire body, were able to reach internal organs, and were received in a short period of time.

ARS may begin minutes to days after exposure. Symptoms may come and go, and last for several days. Possible signs of contamination include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, diarrhea, fever, and possibly seizures, and coma. The figure to the right outlines areas of your body affected by exposure.

Want to learn more about the reality of radiation and radioactive materials? Go to www.offgridweb.com/survival/radiation-myths/ to read our analysis of some of the most common myths and misconceptions about this topic.

More From Issue 16

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today.

Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 17

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 15

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

Review: Streamlight ProTac HPL USB

Posted on November 11, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Overview
Features
Illumination
Conclusion

Flashlights are arguably one of the most important tools to have in your bug-out toolbox. We have previously discussed the importance of keeping a working flashlight with you for survival at night. We have also tested plenty of flashlights over the years, and found that the power source is a critical point for all of them. Some offer rechargeable solutions, others need their batteries replaced, but what about a light that can use both? Dead batteries can be a major source of frustration, or even put you in danger depending on the circumstances.

We recently picked up one of Streamlight’s newest flashlights, the ProTac HPL USB. This light’s dual-fuel feature can solve the dilemma of either being unable to recharge your flashlight or unable to find disposable replacement batteries in an emergency.

Streamlight has been one of the leaders in the rechargeable flashlight industry for decades, and is responsible for a huge variety of consumer and industrial lighting products. Their Stinger line is popular with military and police forces worldwide. The ProTac series of lights was developed to maximize performance and reliability in a single package. With four modes, multiple power sources, and a tough aluminum body, the Streamlight ProTac HPL USB is worth considering if you’re looking for a new torch for everyday use or your bug out bag.

Overview

The HPL USB is a fully-loaded flashlight offering an extremely bright 1,000-lumen light in a medium sized package that is a solid choice for most situations we came across. At just over 9 ounces in weight and 7 inches long, it’s not unwieldy or overwhelmingly heavy for pocket carry. The head features a triple-sided anti-roll ring to keep the light right where you set it. The body has a crosshatched knurl that helps you hold the light even with wet hands. The backside features Streamlight’s signature multi-function Ten-Tap power button. The light comes with a lithium ion rechargeable battery, USB charging cable, removable pocket clip, and nylon pouch.

Water and drop resistance come standard with the HPL USB making this a good all-around flashlight. All of the openings are sealed with lubricated O-rings to prevent water from infiltrating. The light also features a lifetime warranty, so if it were to stop working, Streamlight will take care of you. While Streamlight flashlights are not generally at the low end of the price spectrum, the HPL USB is quite reasonably priced for the features you get. The base light package seen here retails for less than $100 at major online and local retailers nationwide. Let’s take a look at some of the features of this new flashlight.

Features

As mentioned before, the light features four modes. These are accessed via single, double, or triple taps of the end cap button. They include high, medium, low, and strobe. The light comes out of the box with modes set to high, strobe, and low — accessed in that order. However, this light also features Streamlight’s proprietary Ten-Tap Programming. This allows the user to select one of several mode/activation order presets. By lightly pressing the button nine times and holding on the 10th, the light will change to high power only. Following this procedure again, the light will change to low, medium, and high power modes in that order. Reprogramming one more time will return it to the default setting.

This programming is nice, but a few more programming sets would be beneficial. It’s worth noting that there’s no way to access medium mode and strobe in the same programming set — we wish there was a quick way to cycle through high-medium-low-strobe without going through the Ten-Tap procedure. Also, many other lights on the market offer SOS mode, timed auto-off function, or even a dimming mode to precisely set how bright the light shines. The addition of some of these options would add even more versatility to this light.

The belt clip is solid and a nice touch. In testing, the light felt secure on a belt and in our pockets. Admittedly, it’s a bit large as a pocket light, so the removable clip is a cool feature. One drawback we noticed is that removing the clip scratched the black anodized coating off the light, which was kind of a bummer.

Another useful feature of the Streamlight HPL is the ability to power the light via multiple fuel sources. The flashlight comes standard with a rechargeable Li-ion battery and USB charging cable. The charging port is located under a sliding collar on the body of the light. If for some reason you don’t have access to a USB charger, the flashlight will also function using a pair of standard CR123A batteries or a single 18650 Li-ion battery. A safety feature built in to the light prevents it from charging anything other than the included rechargeable Li-ion battery, so there’s no need to worry about causing damage by accidentally trying to recharge disposable batteries.

When charging the flashlight, a small LED next to the USB port lights up red, then green once the light is fully charged. This takes approximately 7 hours from a totally dead battery. According to Streamlight’s website, the HPL USB will run for 1.5 hours on high, 3 hours on medium, and 20 hours on low. One thing to note is there is no end of run time notification with this light, it will simply turn off. It would be nice to have the charging light next to the USB port glow green, yellow, and red or at least flash to indicate the charge level of the light.

Illumination

Streamlight HPL USB flashlight review LED light edc tool survival 18

High output (1,000 lumens)

Like other popular Streamlights, the beam on the HPL USB is powerful. In fact, it is 1,000 lumens with a 1,200-foot beam distance in its highest setting. In medium it is roughly half that, with 400 lumens and a 770-foot beam distance. And in its lowest setting, it is 65 lumens with a 300-foot beam distance. So while it’s versatile with multiple fuel options, you can also provide as much light as needed for your current situation.

Streamlight HPL USB flashlight review LED light edc tool survival 19

Low output (65 lumens)

As with most high-output flashlights, on the head of the light will get very warm if used for a long period of time at full blast. This is a common issue with most compact high-output flashlights, and until someone creates an LED that doesn’t produce heat, this will continue to be an issue.

Conclusion

The Streamlight ProTac HPL USB is a solid flashlight with several useful features, durable construction, and a lifetime warranty. It’s also moderately-priced, making it a good value. If you are looking for a new well-rounded flashlight for day-to-day use, bug out situations, or just to put in your camper drawer for weekend excursions, the HPL USB is a good choice with useful features. Check out Streamlight.com for more info on this and all the other lighting products they offer.

Pros:

Bright light with long-distance beam
Ability to use multiple power sources
Multi-function modes with Ten Tap programming
Sub-$100 price won't break the bank

Cons:

Long 7-hour recharge time
No end of life indicator
A bit on the heavy side for its size
Head gets hot with prolonged use

Infographic: Your Chances of Dying from Common Activities

Posted on November 10, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

The human mind is well-suited for many tasks, but weighing risk objectively isn't always one of them. We often fear threats that are statistically unlikely — shark attacks or murderous clowns, for example — while blissfully assuming we're safe during far more dangerous situations. It's therefore wise to periodically reconsider the actual dangers of activities you participate in, and prepare for them accordingly.

bug-out-canoes-hornbeck-boats-new-tricks-010

Who would've thought this peaceful pastime has a higher fatality rate than skydiving? (Photo by Kevin Estela)

The following infographic from Best Health Degrees compares the mortality rates of various common activities. These are broken down into categories including Sports and Recreation, Mountain Sports, Transportation, and Parties and Games. Unsurprisingly, the risk of dropping dead due to the shock of losing a board game is extremely low, and the risk of dying while climbing Mt. Everest is extremely high. But there are some other activities that might surprise you — we wouldn't have thought that mountain hiking is 6 times more dangerous than skydiving, or that bungee jumping is 50 times safer than canoeing.

Check out the infographic below or click here to download a full-size version.

Video: Pan Frying Rattlesnake

Posted on November 9, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Hunting for survival is all about knowing your environment and maximizing your food resources based on that knowledge. Of course the ideal scenario would be to take a full-size deer or elk that can sustain your whole family, but in reality, the availability of bigger game meat may be sporadic. You'll need to be prepared to supplement it with fish and smaller game — birds, squirrels, and even reptiles. In the deserts of the southwest, snakes can be an excellent source of calories, and when cooked properly, they can taste great too.

In the following video, survival instructor Bob Hansler shows how he cooks a rattlesnake in a cast iron pan over a campfire. As he notes at the start of the video, this isn't a pure survival recipe since it uses a few perishable ingredients, but it requires minimal prep and is still simple enough to be accomplished with only basic kitchen staples. All you'll need to pan fry a snake is oil, some eggs, a splash of milk, cornmeal, and salt and pepper.

Check out the full video below. If you watch to the end, Bob also shares some interesting facts about the size of a rattlesnake's rattle — some believe that the rattle size indicates a snake's age in years, but it actually has to do with the number of times it has molted, which can occur more than once a year based on weather conditions and other factors.

If you want to learn how to kill and skin a rattlesnake, check out Bob's older video here.

Reach New Heights with Climbing Strength Training

Posted on November 7, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Climbing Prerequisites
Climbing Requisites
Climbing Conditioning
Conclusion
About the Author
More From Issue 16

Most people underestimate the importance of being able to overcome obstacles — and we’re not talking about the Tony Robbins kind. We mean real-life barriers that could separate life from death. Could you pull yourself up onto a plateau to avoid falling into a canyon? Can you even do a single pull-up?

No matter what’s thrown your way, we’ll help make sure you can get out alive.

Climbing Prerequisites

While it’s not necessary to be as good as a pro, climbing proficiency is extremely important. It’s not just hopping a fence before a rabid dog gets a taste of prepper meat — broken-down buildings or even smaller rock formations may stand between you and safety. Your confidence in not only getting yourself (plus gear) up and over, but also your ability to get the rest of your group to safety is crucial.

We’ll delve into the training it takes to become a well-rounded climber, but let’s first discuss what type of physical attributes you’ll need.

General Strength: Making your entire body stronger will make a tremendous difference in growing your Spider-Man-like abilities. Climbing certainly requires a good amount of technical prowess, but technique isn’t a substitute for endurance. And the road to endurance is fitness; the foundation upon which your training efforts should be built.

Conditioning: It may not seem obvious, but climbing requires a great amount of endurance. If you’ve ever gone wall- or rock-climbing, you’ve certainly felt what this is like. Now, we’re not training you to be a professional climber by any means, but building a solid aerobic base will also allow you to recover better from training, reduce stress, and give you some cross-training options.
We’ll tackle endurance training a little differently than most. When people think of cardio, they think about running. This can be an option, but there are other effective ways of training the aerobic system for climbing, which we’ll cover in more detail later.

Grip & Finger Strength: This is possibly the most critical factor in climbing performance, especially when climbing for extended periods of time. There have been a few articles on the topic of grip strength in our sister publication, RECOIL, but we’ll include a refresher to make sure you’re doing the right things to get stronger.

Core Stability & Strength: The core, which, for our purposes, will include the musculature from your shoulders to your butt and everything in between, not only stabilizes your spine, but also allows force to transfer between your upper and lower body. This is an absolute necessity in any sport or physical endeavor.

Bouldering & Climbing: To be better at climbing, you need to do more climbing. In exercise science, there’s the SAID principle, which stands for “specific adaptations to imposed demands.” This means whenever you place any type of stress on your body, such as climbing, you’ll adapt to that demand. We need climbing to be in your program somewhere so you’re better able to climb, for longer periods of time without prematurely fatiguing. Bouldering is a form of highly technical, low-risk free climbing that’s an excellent skill, strength builder, and an excellent adaptation of the SAID principle.

Climbing Requisites

Next, we put together a program of seven key strength exercises that really push you to that next level of climbing.

Dumbbell Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat

Begin with a dumbbell in each hand, with one leg supported behind you on a bench or similar-height object.
Slowly descend to the bottom position with about 70 percent of your weight on your front foot. You should feel your whole foot in contact with the ground.
Drive your front foot through the floor to return to the starting position.
Complete for the listed amount of sets and reps on each leg. (More on this later in the article.)

Tactical Pull-Up

Begin in a dead-hang under a bar, tree branch, or anything else you can get your hands on. This exercise differs from a traditional pull-up by placing your thumb right next to your hand. (Fat Gripz is optional.)
Firmly grip the bar, slightly round your torso, and feel your abs brace you in the front.
Drive your elbows down to your sides, and bring your chest to the bar.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Complete for the listed amount of sets and reps.

One-Arm Low Cable Row

1. Start by sliding the pulley of a cable machine down to the lowest setting.
2. Firmly grip the handle (thick handle or Fat Gripz) in one hand.
3. Bring your opposite foot forward and your other leg back behind you with a slight bend. Your chest should face the pulley.
4. Holding this split-stance position, drive your elbow back and down until your elbow is about in-line with your torso.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Complete the prescribed sets and reps on each side.

Push-Up to Downward Dog

Begin in a push-up position.
Slowly lower your body, keeping your elbows at about 45 degrees to your body, chin back, and hips in-line with your shoulders and ankles.
Once you reach the bottom, drive your hips to the ceiling into a downward dog position and reach as far as you can. Take one breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Return to the starting position.
Complete for the prescribed sets and reps.

Plank With Plate Stack

Begin in a plank position with your feet wider than hip width, with a stack of four 5-pound weight plates to your left.
Reach your right hand across, grab a plate, and place it to the right side. Repeat this until you have a pile on the right side.
Repeat this again with your other arm until you have a stack back on the left side.
Do this one more time on each side.
Repeat for the prescribed amount of sets.

Standing Anti-Rotation Cable Chop

Begin in a standing position with your feet just outside shoulder width and a double overhand grip on a rope attachment.
eeping the rope at shoulder-height and your elbows straight, bring the attachment across your body. Only your arms, shoulders, and upper back should move.
Slowly return back to the starting position.
Repeat for the prescribed sets and reps.

Kettlebell Cross Carry

Stand with a heavy kettlebell in one hand at your side. Place a lighter kettlebell in the opposite hand then hold overhead.
Firmly grip both kettlebells, and walk for the sets and duration prescribed.

Climbing Conditioning

Our conditioning training centers on only two exercises: the hill sprint and the medicine ball circuit. Hill sprints are concentrically dominant, meaning you’re only under load during the pushing part of the motion and not the lowering, or eccentric. This has good carryover into climbing, which is also primarily concentric, as you’re usually pushing yourself upward. The medicine ball circuit is a great way to build endurance in the muscles of your upper body, which will definitely be required to climb for any length of time.

Hill Sprint

Find a hill that will allow roughly 10 seconds of sprint time.
Sprint up as fast as you can.
Rest for 30 to 45 seconds. This may just be the time it takes to walk back down slowly.
Repeat for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Medicine Ball Circuit

Hold a medicine ball at your chest, bring it over your head, and slam it down to the ground.
Repeat 10 times.
Next, bring it to your chest, squat down, and explosively push it overhead.
Repeat 10 times.
Standing next to a wall, hold the ball by the hip opposite the wall, put your weight into your back foot, pivot, and throw the ball into the wall.
Repeat 10 times on each side.
Rest for 45 to 60 seconds and repeat for the recommended amount of sets.

Conclusion

There’s tremendous peace of mind in knowing you can handle anything that you might encounter. Proficiency in climbing is yet another physical skill that you need to master for the road ahead. Follow the prescribed plan, and you’ll be well on your way to scaling anything that gets thrown in your way.

About the Author

Ryne Gioviano is the owner of Achieve Personal Training & Lifestyle Design located in Aurora, Illinois. He earned his master’s degree in exercise physiology and is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. You can find more information at www.achieve-personaltraining.com or reach him on Twitter at @RGioviano.

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

Insulated Gloves & Mittens Guide – [N]ICE And Warm

Posted on November 6, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Offgrid Staff

In This Article

The Best Defense
Gloves vs. Mitts
Fit
Seams
Waterproofing
Shells
Insulation
Material Mapping
Simple Metrics
Final Thoughts
A Guide To Keeping Cold at Arm's Length
More From Issue 12

In normal situations, cold hands mean it's time to head in and warm up. But, when creature comfort isn't available, cold hands can signal the beginning of dire circumstances.

Why do our hands get cold so easily? Like ear tips and feet, there's much less fatty tissue in hands than the rest of the body. The blood vessels in our hands are also very close to the surface. So, blood circulating through the vessels in the back of the hand conducts heat away from the body instead of warming a layer of insulating, fatty tissue.

Combine easy heat loss with the high density of nerves in our hands, and it becomes clear why cold hands are painful; and painful hands lead to problems.

Lead guide for EXUM Mountain Guides, Brenton Reagan leads multiday technical winter mountaineering trips in the Teton mountain range. He's been guiding since 2001 and has seen how a simple thing, such as cold hands, can initiate a series of cascading events that could lead to disaster.

“Cold hands reduce the safety margin in everything we do in the mountains,” he says. “Closing locking carabineers, tying knots, properly securing gear … these are all easy things that become difficult with numb hands.”

Aside from hindering dexterity, Reagan warns cold hands lead to distracted performance, frustration, and, ultimately, they can compromise one's ability to make smart and safe decisions.

The Best Defense

The best defense against cold hands is handwear that never has to come off, says Reagan. “Every time you have to take a glove off to do something in the snow,” says Reagan, “you're making it harder to rewarm your hands.”

Finding handwear that can keep your hands warm isn't so hard. But, finding gloves or mittens that provide just enough warmth while offering the dexterity needed to manipulate the tools or objects you'll encounter in the cold is the trick. We spoke with Ben Martin, the handwear product developer at Black Diamond Equipment to find out how an expert looks at all the choices and trade-offs when it comes to handwear.

Gloves vs. Mitts

Your first decision is glove or mitten. There's no controversy when it comes to warmth. Mittens win. Hands down. Martin says combining your fingers into one mass of mutually warming blood vessels instead of separating them in the fingers of a glove is the most efficient way to retain heat.

But, gloves are the only way to go if you're working with tools. There are a couple of alternatives if you want more warmth, but still need to use your fingers. Glove liners inside a pair of mittens are a viable option if pulling your lightly insulated hands out of mittens for brief periods is practical. Finger mitts are another option. These are mittens with a separate trigger finger allowing you to use the thumb and index finger, but retreat to a balled-up fist when things get tingly.

Some mitts have inner gloves that separate your fingers. This might reduce thermal efficiency a bit, but it adds dexterity. The fingerways help the glove move with your fingers, so when you're making a fist in one of these mitts the finger end moves more easily; whereas, in a regular mitt, you can ball up your fingers (or give someone the bird) and the shell will remain unmoved.

Whether gloves or mitts, long gauntlet handwear provides more warmth and easier donning on doffing. On the other hand (can you believe we waited this long to use that pun?) big gauntlets takes up more room in a pack, add a little weight and act as water funnels, catching the runoff from your arms during any hands-down activity.

Fit

Goldilocks is the rule, here. Too big and you've got no dexterity, not to mention your handwear could fall off. Go too tight and you're restricting your hand's range of motion while crushing the insulation, which compromises its ability to loft and contain warm air.

Martin says panels sewn to fit the shape of an anticipated posture, also called articulation, contributes to the fit of handwear. “With prebent fingers there's less material to move when using your hands,” says Martin, “and articulation also helps a glove last longer by taking the stress off of areas that are naturally, and constantly, articulated during normal wear and use.” Gloves with straight fingers will always have material bunched up under the front side of the knuckle and palm. That material creases and wears while getting in the way of efficient movement.

Seams

Martin says to check out the seams in the fingertips of gloves. The way they're sewn plays a role in the comfort and dexterity a glove affords. Big seams that extend all the way to the fingertip leave a bunch of material clogging up the tip of the finger, inhibiting touch and compressing insulation. It's similar to a big, nasty, annoying seam at the end of a sock, except instead of one, you've got five in a glove, one in a mitten and two in a finger mitt.

Waterproofing

Dry hands are warm hands. And, sweat counts as much as snow and rain in this consideration. Martin reminds us that handwear that's too warm for a given environment will eventually wet out from sweat and cause cold hands. The same goes for handwear that doesn't breathe. Trash bags on your hands might keep them dry from rain, but they'll be soaked on the inside from sweat and freezing in no time.

Technical fabrics, such as Gore-Tex, OutDry, and eVent are effective for moving humid air and sweat away from the body where they will chill you, but these branded fabrics add to the price of handwear. Other ways to keep your hands dry include silicone impregnation and waxed finishes on leather and natural fabrics.

Shells

The outer or shell of a glove has to be durable, pliable, and provide a good gripping surface. Nothing will feel better than a broken-in leather glove or mitt. Leather is also more durable than nearly any fabric because it's not made of yarns that can pull or break. It also kicks ass when it comes to gripping things. It falls down when it comes to water resistance, though. Waterlogged leather is about as bad as it gets. Leather can be treated for waterproofness, though. The downside is that nearly all leather treatments have to be reapplied.

Martin explains that all leather is not equal. He says cowhide is the least supple of leathers. It also gets crunchy and shrinks when it dries after it's wetted out. Goat leather has naturally occurring lanolin, making it more supple, stronger, and better at dealing with moisture than cow leather. It's also thinner. Kangaroo hide is very thin and very strong, but it's very expensive and usually only used in gloves where feel is paramount, say in a purpose-built driving, golfing, or shooting glove.

Nylon shells are lighter than leather, take up less room in a pack, and don't absorb nearly as much water. But without the addition of grippy material on the palm and finger pads, you're never going to hold anything securely.

Insulation

We can divide insulations into high-loft and low-loft varieties. Down and Primaloft, respectively, are examples of natural and synthetic high-loft insulations. Wool and Polartec fleece are examples of low-loft natural and synthetic insulations.

High-loft insulation is great on the back of the hand, but it doesn't work in the palm. It doesn't insulate when it's compressed, and it adds bulk between your hand and whatever you're gripping. Low-loft insulation in the palm and fingers retains less warmth, but has less of an effect on dexterity. Look for handwear with insulation in places that make sense for your use.

Natural down is the gold standard when it comes to high-loft insulation. Nothing is warmer for its weight, but it's expensive, ineffective when wet, and its slippery and superfine nature make it difficult to retain in fabric shells. Down treated with silicone and other modifiers help it maintain its loft when wet, but the coatings reduce down's thermal effectiveness, and they wear off over time.

High-loft synthetics create air spaces that trap air using a wild matrix of polyester fibers to create a lofty structure. They insulate nearly as well as down, cost less, and aren't compromised by moisture.

Low-loft insulations use finer fibers to create tighter air-trapping structures than high-lofting materials. Low loft doesn't provide as much warmth as high loft, but its density offers warmth with less bulk.

Material Mapping

None of the materials on their own are a silver bullet solution for keeping your hands warm and dry. Good handwear combines materials to provide the best compromise between protection and dexterity for the area of the hand it's on. Things to look for: Leather palms or textured panels for good grip; reinforcement panels in high wear areas; high-loft insulation on the back of the hand; thin, non-shearing insulation in the palm; gauntlets that seal the handwear effectively, retain heat, and repel water without getting in the way.

Simple Metrics

We did some informal heat retention testing of all the handwear in this guide to get a baseline for comparison. We put a solid hunk of oven-hardened, room-temperature clay, roughly the size of a baby's fist in each piece of handwear and put them all in a 0 degree F freezer, taking temperature readings at 20 and 60 minutes. This gave us an idea how much heat each piece gave up and how quickly. Keep in mind this is only one highly artificial metric, and it doesn't reflect the handwear's ability to handle snow, rain, or wind. But it does help us sort the gloves in terms of pure insulating value.

We did find something interesting in the freezer test. When evaluating the insulating abilities of the Mammut Cover Mitten, an uninsulated fabric cover meant to bless any handwear with wind and water-resistant properties, we were surprised to find it added 30 degrees of warmth on its own. This tells us that wrapping your hands in dead leaves or sandwich bags may help stave off frostbite in a dire situation.

Final Thoughts

All of the considerations mentioned above affect the cost of a glove, and glove prices are all over the place. Time spent cutting, sewing, and sealing seams is a primary driver in the cost of a glove. Highly articulated forms mean more fabric panels, and more panels mean more seams to stitch and seal. Also, consider insulating ability as the primary, but not the only factor that determines how well a given set of handwear will work for you.

Whether an emergency forces you into a great white expanse, you're working or playing out in the cold, or you're just looking for something to keep your hands warm while scraping the ice off your windshield, there are a ton of great options. We've gathered an array of gloves and mittens that we'd consider getting a hold of.

A Guide To Keeping Cold at Arm's Length

Arc'teryx Lithic Glove

GLOVE - Arc'teryx Lithic Glove
COLORS - Black, Crimson Flame
PALM MATERIAL - Gore-Tex with TPU Grip Panels
BASE MATERIAL - Gore-Tex Waterproof/Breathable 3-Layer Laminate
INSULATION - Primaloft (Synthetic)
MSRP - $249
URL - http://www.arcteryx.com
NOTES - This glove was designed by madmen bent on performance at any cost. It uses three different kinds of synthetic Primaloft insulation, maximizing the benefits of each kind of insulation in the fingers, back and palm of the hand. Two different weights of lofty Primaloft Silver insulation are layered on the back of the hand while the palm and fingers get PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco with Grip Control. This is a denser insulation that helps the inner and outer faces of the glove stay in line when you're grabbing things.
Something present in the Lithic we didn't see in any other glove is an insulated draft tube that stops heat from wafting out at the wrist. The glove also features Arc'teryx's Tri-Dex finger patterning, which means there are no seams at the fingertips for maximum dexterity. Heavy articulation gets rid of all the excess material that would otherwise bunch up under every joint of the hand when gripping anything. Burly Gore-Tex fabric with laminated thermoplastic polyurethane grip panels on the palm and a highly breathable Gore-Tex fabric on the back of the hand keep weather out while promising many seasons of use. Unfortunately, all this means a steep price.
PERFORMANCE - Few gloves, if any, combine the qualities of warmth, weather protection, and dexterity so well as the Lithic. It's a rare glove that lets you open up and dig through a pack for a set of batteries without having to take them off. Not a great value if you only use them for static activities, but when it comes to keeping your hands warm and dry during active pursuits, the Lithic glove is unequaled.
The Arc'teryx Lithic Glove uses three different kinds of synthetic Primaloft insulation, maximizing the benefits of each kind of insulation in the fingers, back and palm of the hand to keep you toasty and warm.
Astis Naddodd Mitten

MITTS - Astis Naddodd Mitten
COLORS - Tan
PALM MATERIAL - Suede Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Silicone-Injected Suede Leather
INSULATION - Polartec Thermal Pro
MSRP - $195
URL - http://www.astis.com
NOTES - It's cool if you don't like the way the Naddodd Mitten's look as much as we do. That red shield with a white deer skull? We dig it. The name? Naddodd was a Viking who discovered Iceland. It seems like a good name for glove made for getting out and exploring frosty lands. On the flip side, this pair is pricey.
PERFORMANCE - We were shocked at how functional these mitts were. We used them skiing on a nasty, wet snowmaking day that approximates activities ranging from snowmobiling to sled dog racing, and we couldn't believe how much grip the silicon-injected, waterproof suede leather provided on ski poles. The Kevlar stitching holding the thick leather mitts together might mean the Naddodds are going to withstand heavy use. Being leather, the more use they see, the more comfortable they become. Astis handwear was born a few years ago, and its products are handmade in the states, and that wouldn't matter a lick if the mitts weren't well made. The craftsmanship in these mitts is on par with the warmth, dexterity, and protection they provide.
Naddodd was a Viking who discovered Iceland. It seems like a good name for glove made for getting out and exploring frosty lands, and we were shocked at how functional these mitts were.
Black Diamond Guide Finger

MITTS - Black Diamond Guide Finger
COLORS - Natural, Black
PALM MATERIAL - Goat Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Nylon/Gore-Tex Waterproof/Breathable Liner
INSULATION - Primaloft Gold/Polartec Fleece/Boiled Wool
MSRP - $170
URL - http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com
NOTES - The most practical approach to massively warm and useful handwear, the BD Guide Finger combines all the durability and comfort of leather with the insulating properties of carefully mapped out array of Primaloft Gold hi-loft, Polartec Fleece and Boiled wool insulation. Aside from the dexterous benefits of a claw mitten, there's even some foam padding on the knuckles, and a Cyberian cord lock for one-handed open and closing of the gauntlet.
PERFORMANCE - Out in the open these mitts are warm. They are equally warm in a driving wind and can sluff off snow and rain for hours. Like any leather, though the innards will remain dry, extended use in rain will lead to the leather wetting out and weighing a ton. Still, with dry warm hands on the inside, you've got options. Probably the second warmest feeling handwear we donned for this test, it's without a doubt the best combination of warmth, comfort, and dexterity in any handwear presented here.
The most practical approach to massively warm and useful handwear, the BD Guide Finger combines all the durability and comfort of leather with the insulating properties of carefully mapped out array of Primaloft Gold hi-loft, Polartec Fleece and Boiled wool insulation.
Camelbak Cold Weather Gloves

GLOVE - Camelbak Cold Weather Gloves
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Nylon
INSULATION - Thinsulate (Synthetic)
MSRP - $56
URL - http://www.camelbak.com
NOTES - Camelbak's cold weather entry is purpose-built for the military market. Thinsulate insulation does an adequate job staving off the freeze while leaving enough feel to work on vehicles or fire a rifle. The index finger is uninsulated beyond the last knuckle for better trigger feel. Padding offers protection for the lower knuckles while adding a little insulation. A gutted 550-cord loop sewn at the wrist helps keep track of the gloves and helps putting them on.
PERFORMANCE - The gloves fit true to size and wear well. A Velcro strap keeps things in place, and the whole back of the thumb is a neoprene snot pad. The alligator pattern on the leather palm supplies excellent grip. But, all four seams of the box sewn fingers meet up at the fingertip and don't help the glove's feel at all. They aren't the most thermally efficient gloves in the bunch, but they're going to keep your hands from freezing while chopping wood or hooking up a trailer. They definitely won't cut it for a long patrol unless Odin is really smiling on you.
Camelbak's cold weather entry is purpose-built for the military market. Thinsulate insulation does an adequate job staving off the freeze while leaving enough feel to work on vehicles or fire a rifle.
Carhartt Fleece Duck Glove

GLOVE - Carhartt Fleece Duck Glove
COLORS - Black, Brown, Gravel
PALM MATERIAL - Polyester Fleece w/Polyurethane Grip Panels
BASE MATERIAL - Polyester Fleece
INSULATION - None
MSRP - $23
URL - http://www.carhartt.com
NOTES - These polyester fleece gloves feel a little bit lighter than a college sweatshirt. But, the tiny voids trap a lot more air than the knitted fabric of your favorite leaf raking uniform. We pulled these synthetic fleece Carhartts off a discount rack and used them for an afternoon of early winter fence mending in northern New England. Rubberish grip panels across the palms helped give some grip to the otherwise frictionless fleece.
PERFORMANCE - The fleece snagged on every splinter in the fence boards and every swing of the hammer brought visions of Thor loosing Mjölnir upon the horses in the adjacent pasture. The gloves hold more heat than they should by looking at them, but it's still not that much. Fine dog walkers, and a step above "better than nothing."
We pulled these synthetic fleece Carhartts off a discount rack and used them for an afternoon of early winter fence mending in northern New England. Rubberish grip panels across the palms helped give some grip to the otherwise frictionless fleece.
Faded Glory Ski Gloves

GLOVE - Faded Glory Ski Gloves
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - Silicon-Coated Nylon Strip
BASE MATERIAL - Polyester
INSULATION - Polyester (Synthetic)
MSRP - $10
URL - http://www.walmart.com
NOTES - Walmart. It's where we go when buying new socks is cheaper than doing laundry in the hotel. It's also home to the Faded Glory brand of clothing. We aren't sure what glory this brand once attained, but it's tough to imagine anything more faded than a crinkly, $10 polyester hand marked with the words "Hecho en China" laying on the floor of a Walmart men's department. Polyester inside and out, with more polyester loft insulation in the middle. A strap across the back holds them in place and a cordloc on a shock cord attempts to seal the wrist.
PERFORMANCE - In the freezer, the Faded Glory Ski Glove looked like it could outshine it's price tag and hang with the big gloves. In the real world, though, the glove's lack of articulation means the insulation and fabric bunch up in the palm. Waterproofing isn't a bright spot, either. Loose seams and wandering stitches could be forgiven on a bargain basement glove, but when you add poor dexterity, water ingress at the seams, and the idea the gloves could unravel at any time, you can do much better for a few bucks more elsewhere.
Walmart. It's where we go when buying new socks is cheaper than doing laundry in the hotel. It's also home to the Faded Glory brand of clothing. We aren't sure what glory this brand once attained, but it's tough to imagine anything more faded than a crinkly, $10 polyester hand marked with the words "Hecho en China" laying on the floor of a Walmart men's department. Polyester inside and out, with more polyester loft insulation in the middle. A strap across the back holds them in place and a cordloc on a shock cord attempts to seal the wrist.
FlyLow Gear Tough Guy Glove

GLOVE - FlyLow Gear Tough Guy Glove
COLORS - Blue/Tan
PALM MATERIAL - Pig Leather w/Wax Treatment
BASE MATERIAL - Cotton Canvas
INSULATION - Space Loft (Polyester Synthetic)
MSRP - $32
URL - http://www.flylowgear.com
NOTES - Pig skin and cotton canvas doesn't seem like a formula for a warm glove, and it's not really that warm. But warmth alone may not be the only criterion you're considering. If you work outside in the winter, you'll find the natural grippiness of the pig skin a plus. Blessed with hot hands? The breathable cotton on the back of these gloves will be a further blessing. The light layer of polyester insulation throughout the glove keeps things warm enough without destroying the ability to complete gross motor skill tasks. The triple baked-in application of Sno-Seal natural wax provides a waterproof finish for the leather areas.
PERFORMANCE - The Tough Guy Glove is what hardware store work gloves aspire to. Ten days of use and you've broken in your favorite winter truck gloves. Putting chains on a tire or pulling an injured person to safety in a toboggan won't leave you with bloody, raw hands. On the contrary, the more you beat up on these gloves, the more you'll miss them when it comes time to buy a new pair … or when a buddy recognizes their awesomeness and "borrows" them indefinitely.
Pig skin and cotton canvas doesn't seem like a formula for a warm glove, and it's not really that warm, but if you work outside in the winter, you'll find the natural grippiness of the pig skin a plus.
Mammut Climb Glove

GLOVE - Mammut Clomb Glove
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - Goat Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Elastane
INSULATION - None
MSRP - $79
URL - http://www.mammut.com
NOTES - The glove isn't meant for bivouacking on a frigid mountainside, but for the sweat-soaked ascent that demands maximum tactility and control of the tools of ascension. If you can feel the warmth of sun on your back and hear the dripping of icicles around you, chances are the Climb Glove will be enough to keep your fingers from resembling a 10-pack of pink Popsicles as long as you're focused on the up.
PERFORMANCE - Winter in icy New England and the mountains of western Wyoming aren't anything like the temperate-ish conditions found across most of the Southern U.S. So, if you don't need a cold weather hero glove for your climate, or you live in the cold but you're all about touch and control, check out the Climb Glove.
The glove isn't meant for bivouacking on a frigid mountainside, but for the sweat-soaked ascent that demands maximum tactility and control of the tools of ascension. If you can feel the warmth of sun on your back and hear the dripping of icicles around you, chances are the Climb Glove will be enough to keep your fingers from resembling a 10-pack of pink Popsicles as long as you're focused on the up.
Mammut Cover Mitten

MITTS - Mammut Cover Mitten
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - DRYtech Waterproof/Breathable 2.5 Layer Laminate
BASE MATERIAL - DRYtech Waterproof/Breathable 2.5 Layer Laminate
INSULATION - None
MSRP - $69
URL - http://www.mammut.com
NOTES - Take just about any glove or mitten and add the Cover Mitten to give it handwear superpowers. It's a windproof and waterproof hard shell for your hands that extends the host handwear's usable range downward by trapping more air, too.
PERFORMANCE - We used the Cover mitts with a pair of already warm Hestra ski mittens. The covers added warmth to them by keeping the cold mist and wet man-made snow from sticking to the original mittens. The beauty is how small and light these are compared to the utility they provide. Ball them up and shove them in a pocket, and you'll forget about them. The best part is how stoked you'll be in your hour of need when you realize you've got them.
Take just about any glove or mitten and add the Cover Mitten to give it handwear superpowers. It's a windproof and waterproof hard shell for your hands that extends the host handwear's usable range downward by trapping more air, too.
Mechanix Wear Winter Impact Pro Glove

GLOVE - Mechanix Wear Winter Impact Pro Glove
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Nylon w/Hipora Membrane
INSULATION - Thinsulate
MSRP - $39
URL - http://www.mechanix.com
NOTES - We'll forgive you if you look down on Mechanix gloves because they are everywhere. We can't walk through a Home Depot without seeing some Wilford Brimley type massaging his be-knuckled meat beaters through a pair of over-branded gloves. That mass-market appeal has funded a fine line of gloves on the other end of the spectrum, though. The hard-charging end, we mean. There are more features, useful features, crammed into this glove than there is Botox in Donatella Versace's forehead. Thinsulate insulation, Hipora waterproof/breathable membrane, dual layered leather palm, a touchscreen compatible finger … we're running outta room here.
PERFORMANCE - This glove comes close to the freezer performance of a ski glove. That's pretty impressive for a low-loft–insulated glove. It's waterproof, though the leather wet out after 40 minutes of stacking wet brush during a light rain. No moisture got through the membrane, but the water did seep in at the wrist. Nothing anyone can do about that. But when you're outside doing yard work in wet weather cold enough to see your breath, and your hands aren't screaming, it's time to thank Mr. Brimley. As much as we like the warmth, the glove is stiff across the back and the non-articulated fingers gather a lot of leather when clenching a fist.
The Mechanix Wear Winter Impact Pro Glove comes close to the freezer performance of a ski glove. That's pretty impressive for a low-loft–insulated glove.
Montane Super Prism Mitt

MITTS - Montane Super Prism Mitt
COLORS - Black
PALM MATERIAL - Hypalon (Synthetic Rubber)
BASE MATERIAL - Pertex Waterproof/Breathable
INSULATION - Primaloft Gold
MSRP - $64
URL - http://www.montane.co.uk
NOTES - The Super Prism is a super packable mitten suitable for any medium output endeavor. The mitts are filled with a light load of Primaloft Gold high-loft insulation. As small as they pack up, they're well suited for emergency use. They are thin enough to wear inside a larger mitt in a pinch. But, on their own they have all the features you'd need for a cross-country trip around or down a mountain.
PERFORMANCE - The shells are a little on the delicate side, a by-product of their packability, so climbing over rocks isn't on their resume. But, keeping a pair stashed in glove compartment or pack pocket could save your bacon stuffers. The light insulation will keep you warm below freezing with just a little activity.
The Super Prism is a super packable mitten suitable for any medium output endeavor. The mitts are filled with a light load of Primaloft Gold high-loft insulation. As small as they pack up, they're well suited for emergency use.
Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Mitt

MITTS - Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Mitt
COLORS - Black, State Orange
PALM MATERIAL - Polyester w/Grip Dots
BASE MATERIAL - Ripstop Polyester w/OutDry Waterproof/Breathable Membrane
INSULATION - Q. Shield-Treated 800-Fill Down w/Polyester Fleece Liner
MSRP - $180
URL - http://www.mountainhardwear.com
NOTES - When it's time to attack the mountain, or brave what could be the worst conditions you'll ever face, it's the Absolute Zero you'll want on your hands. The treated 800-fill power down surrounds the hand, so there's no fine finger work happening with these. But, they're roomy enough for a glove liner so you can pull your hands out and in to get things done. There's a synthetic suede nose wipe, a wicking fleece liner and loops so you can clip them for safe keeping. However, you get what you pay for, so for these top-quality gloves, you're gonna have to shell out a bit.
PERFORMANCE - Warm, dry, and absolutely impervious to the weather, your hands will sweat in anything but well below freezing temps. We'll say the Absolute Zero is as close as we'll get in this universe to shoving our hands in a dying Tauntaun … without the smell.
The treated 800-fill power down surrounds the hand, so there's no fine finger work happening with these. But, they're roomy enough for a glove liner so you can pull your hands out and in to get things done. There's a synthetic suede nose wipe, a wicking fleece liner and loops so you can clip them for safe keeping.
Mountain Hardwear Typhoon Outdry Glove

GLOVE - Mountian Hardwear Typhoon Outdry Glove
COLORS - Black, Brown
PALM MATERIAL - Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Polyester w/OutDry Membrane
INSULATION - Polartec Power Stretch
MSRP - $135
URL - http://www.mountainhardwear.com
NOTES - The Outdry Typhoon is a serious wet weather glove. It can keep hands dry in ways that would interest Moses. It's two gloves in one. Instead of a slippery liner sliding around inside a slippery outer glove, though, Outdry technology allows the outer glove to be lined with a waterproof membrane and a nonslip, protective backer. In turn, a regular fleece liner provides decent warmth, and no slippage between glove and liner.
PERFORMANCE - The leather palm is durable, but we found the smooth leather very slippery. So much that we'd hit it with a few light passes of 120-grit sandpaper to keep from dropping carried items. While the glove shrugged off ice and snow from an all day adventure, it didn't retain as much warmth as we'd hoped. This is an ideal spring skiing or overland travel glove. The glove and liner system offers more options to extend wear.
The Outdry Typhoon is a serious wet weather glove. It can keep hands dry in ways that would interest Moses. It's two gloves in one. Outdry technology allows the outer glove to be lined with a waterproof membrane and a nonslip, protective backer.
Smartwool Ridgeway Glove

GLOVE - Smartwool Ridgeway Glove
COLORS - Black, Buck
PALM MATERIAL - Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Leather/Wool
INSULATION - Wool lining
MSRP - $80
URL - http://www.smartwool.com
NOTES - Wool is one of our favorite performance fabrics. But, when we think of wool handwear, they're the big, hairy, ivory-colored beasts popular in the '70s. Since we weren't eager to teleport back to the time of bell-bottoms and the Brady Bunch, the Ridgeway didn't get much wear time. At first.
PERFORMANCE - It turns out, like most things in life, a strong negative reaction can lead to a stronger bond than one that begins with a "meh." Once we gave it a chance, the Ridgeway became a favorite yard glove. The soft leather grabbed everything like caterpillar feet. The lining never hinted at the itch we remembered from our childhood. And warm? Yes. Even when they were wetted out with slushy snow, the wool kept the frost at bay. As a SHTF glove, the boxy fingers aren't great for pulling triggers, but they are naturally fire resistant.
Wool is one of our favorite performance fabrics. The Smartwool Ridgeway Glove's soft leather grabbed everything like caterpillar feet. The lining never hinted at the itch we remembered from our childhood.
Stormy Kromer Tough Mitts

MITTS - Stormy Kromer Tough Mitts
COLORS - Black, Charcoal
PALM MATERIAL - Goat Leather
BASE MATERIAL - Wool
INSULATION - Polyester Pile Lining
MSRP - $60
URL - http://www.stormykromer.com
NOTES - Stormy Kromer is a 115-year-old brand that started on the American railroad. Their Tough Mitts combine wool and leather to make a functional, but good looking mitt that'll serve admirably as hand warmers for your daily winter commute. But, when things go sideways, the Tough Mitts can prove their metal beyond what flimsy Isotoner driving gloves can provide.
PERFORMANCE - Slipping the Tough Mitts on provides instant access to the warmth of a pile lining, unlike knitted or woven liners that take a minute or two to warm up. The leather provides great grip and warmth when wet. These are durable enough for years of regular use and their mild-mannered appearance won't betray your inner prepper.
Stormy Kromer's Tough Mitts combine wool and leather to make a functional, but good looking mitt that'll serve admirably as hand warmers for your daily winter commute. But, when things go sideways, the Tough Mitts can prove their metal beyond what flimsy Isotoner driving gloves can provide.

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Review: RAVPower 25,000mAh Solar Power Bank

Posted on November 4, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

The Solar Advantage
RAVPower 25,000mAh Solar Power Bank
Our Impressions
Conclusion

We've often heard back-and-forth discussion in the survivalist community about the true meaning of going off-the-grid. Many will say that the term means immediately abandoning all electronic devices. We can understand this sentiment, since a worst-case off-grid situation would leave you completely and permanently disconnected from modern infrastructure. That means no internet, no cell signal, no GPS, no radio or TV reception, and no access to electricity at all.

Although this is possible and certainly something you should be ready for, bear in mind that this definition is a worst-case scenario. It's much more likely that your off-grid situation will only affect some of these modern conveniences, and will only result in a temporary lapse in service. Maybe you're hiking in a remote location and find that you're out of range from cell towers, or maybe a severe storm leads to a city-wide blackout. In any of these intermediate cases, you won't want to ditch your cell phone, GPS unit, or LED headlamp — instead, you'll need to keep them going for the hours, days, or weeks until your situation improves and their functionality returns.

Without a flashlight, your ability to navigate or work at night will be severely limited.

A USB power bank is one of the most valuable assets for the task of keeping your small electronics running without direct grid access. Much like a stockpile of food to maintain your physical strength or a reserve fuel tank to keep your vehicle running, a power bank provides an instant backup electricity source. This is especially helpful given the prevalence of USB-rechargeable devices. These days, it's easy to run all the electronics in your get-home bag on this universal system with the aid of a few different cables.

The Solar Advantage

Flickr.com/sworldguy

A good power bank provides a short-term source of juice, but like any other battery it's bound to run out eventually. When charging from a wall outlet or a vehicle's 12V socket isn't an option, supplementing your power bank with a solar panel is a wise choice. With a solar panel, you can recharge your devices from the battery, and recharge the battery from the sun. Now your temporary backup just became a long-term solution.

Admittedly, the most effective solar panels are huge, expensive, and sensitive to weather conditions, and even these are unlikely to recharge your power bank as fast as a wall outlet or car charger. Smaller portable panels offer lighter weight and more durability, but they'll require several days of full sun to recharge a power bank. Solar isn't always the most convenient power source, but if it's the only one you've got, you'll definitely be glad to have it. This is why we always make a point to have some type of lightweight solar panel in our bug-out and camping gear loadouts.

RAVPower 25,000mAh Solar Power Bank

We recently had the opportunity to test a power bank from RAVPower, namely the Exclusives 25,000mAh Solar Power Bank. This outdoor-oriented unit features a reasonable $50 retail price, and a huge capacity of 25,000 milliamp-hours (mAh). That's enough to fully recharge these devices the following number of times:

iPhone 8 – 9.3 times
Samsung Galaxy S8 – 5.6 times
iPad Mini 4- 3.3 times
Nitecore HC65 headlamp – 7.4 times
Garmin InReach Explorer+ GPS unit – 8 times

So, if you head out into the woods with this power bank, you should be able to maintain your portable devices for a week or more of normal use.

The RAVPower 25,000mAh power bank also features an integrated 5-volt / 300 milliamp solar panel. It features a green LED indicator in the top left corner that lets you know when the panel is receiving sufficient sunlight. Under ideal conditions, RAVPower says the panel will replenish the 25,000mAh battery in 85 hours.

The solar panel is recessed and protected by the power bank's rubberized case, which is impact-resistant and IP66 waterproof and dustproof. It also features indentations on the sides and ridged corners for added grip and impact protection. At the bottom of the case, there's also a folding metal loop where an included carabiner can be used to attach the power bank to your backpack or other gear while the solar panel does its thing.

A total of four USB ports are located on the power bank:

Micro USB — input only
USB-C — input/output
2x USB-A (full-size) — output only

The first two smaller USB ports are on the side of the case, while the other two full-size USB ports are on top. Both pairs are protected from the elements by rubber flaps, maintaining the waterproof/dustproof rating when they're not in use. RAVPower designed the power bank with Quick Charge and iSmart compatibility, which deliver up to 3 amps to maximize the charging speed for compatible Android and Apple devices. It can also provide up to 5V/6.4A through the three output ports to charge three devices at full speed at the same time.

There's another trick feature on this power bank's input system that allows it to be charged through either the Micro USB port or the USB-C port, or through both simultaneously. This means you can push up to 4 amps of juice into the device by using two wall sockets and two 2A chargers (or one outlet with multiple 2A ports). The graphic below from RAVPower compares the recharging speed for all three of these options:

On the back side of the power bank, you'll see the clearly-labeled on-off button as well as four blue LEDs. These LEDs indicate the battery level while the unit is being recharged, charging other devices, or if the user taps the power button.

Here's a chart that shows how to interpret these readings as a precise battery level:

The last noteworthy feature of the power bank is its integrated LED flashlight. Pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds activates the light, and additional short presses cycle between constant, slow flashing, and SOS modes. RAVPower doesn't advertise an output rating for the light, but we'd estimate it's around 100 lumens. The relatively-wide beam pattern makes it useful for map-reading and other up-close tasks.

Our Impressions

We carried the RAVPower 25,000mAh Solar Power Bank around in a pack with the rest of our EDC electronics kit. Our standard kit includes various USB cables as well as a 2.4A wall charger, a 12V cigarette lighter adapter, and a few other small items. Until we received the 25,000mAh power bank, we had been using a RAVPower 16,750mAh unit that served us well for several years.

Compared to the previous setup, our new power bank upgrades our battery capacity by 33%, and also adds valuable solar capabilities. The integrated flashlight is also much more useful with its larger lens and brighter output. Weight is a drawback, since its 19.4-ounce weight is nearly double that of our previous power bank.

We appreciate the clear LED charge indicators, both for the solar panel and the battery level. Finding full sunlight for the solar panel is easy, since the green LED dims smoothly depending on the quality of ambient light. If it's shining brightly, you're good to go. However, even in full sunlight, it recharges the battery slowly. In the bright Arizona desert with a cloudless sky, bringing the battery level from about 50% to 100% took more than 48 hours. But as we said earlier, when there's no other power source, this solar panel could be a life-saver.

Charging small devices such as an iPhone is quick and easy, and the iSmart system produces optimal 2.4A current for replenishing these Apple products at full speed. Resurrecting a phone from a nearly-dead battery will barely put a dent in the 25,000mAh capacity. Android devices can receive as much as 3A, which is also ideal. We don't currently have any devices with Qualcomm Quick Charge functionality, but it's a nice option for those who do.

Although the power bank comes with two short Micro USB cables and a carabiner, a wall charger is not included. RAVPower sells these separately, but we were still disappointed by this omission, especially since other power banks we've ordered typically include this accessory. It would've been helpful if RAVPower threw in a compact high-speed wall charger with two USB ports so we could max out the 4A input — we'd be willing to pay a bit more for this complete package. For now, we'll have to rely on the Apple 2.4A charger that's already in our EDC kit.

Conclusion

The RAVPower Exclusives 25,000mAh power bank is a solid choice for EDC, backpacking, or survival. Its tough water- and dustproof case held up to outdoor use aside from a few cosmetic scuffs, and its solar panel provides a tremendous advantage for long-term use while you're away from the grid. The flashlight and carabiner hanging system are also nice touches. Most importantly, the 25,000mAh capacity is massive, and had no trouble maintaining multiple devices during longer excursions.

Value is quite good at the $50 MSRP, but we've got some good news. RAVPower provided us with a 35% off discount code for RECOIL OFFGRID readers, and this brings the price down to $32.50. For the record, there's absolutely nothing in it for us if you buy this product or use this code. We're just passing it along so anyone who wants one can save some money. That said, if you're interested in one of these power banks, you can enter code PB35OW on RAVPower's web site to get the discounted price — this offer is only valid through 11/24/2018. [Update: A RAVPower company representative has informed us that its web site's “code system met some problems, so all codes don't work these days”. We're told their staff is working on the problem but they don't know when it will be resolved, and they apologize for the inconvenience. If we receive another working discount code from RAVPower, we will update this article accordingly.]

To summarize, here are some pros and cons based on our experience with this power bank:

Pros

Rugged, waterproof, dustproof, impact-resistant exterior
Solar panel adds off-the-grid versatility
Multiple outputs allow charging up to 3 devices at full speed
Dual-input design can dramatically speed up recharging
Good bang for the buck ~~especially at the discounted price~~

Cons

Lacks a wall charger, so you'll need to buy one separately
Quite heavy at 1.2 pounds
Even with clear and sunny skies, the solar panel takes several days to recharge the battery
LED flashlight could be brighter

Zubin Axe Review: You Can’t Axe for More

Posted on November 3, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Six Heads Are Better Than One
Get to the Point
The Action
Specifications
More From Issue 16

Just about every prepper and survivalist worth their salt owns at least one multi-tool. It might be small enough to fit on a keychain or large enough to bludgeon a bear, but most are somewhere in between. A multitool is one of those pieces of gear that, once you have it, you wonder how you managed to live so long without one.

The Zubin Axe is a multitool on Creatine. And steroids. And human growth hormone.

Now, we’ll admit it looks a little gimmicky, but we found it does hold up and has real-world use. Make no mistake, this is a pretty cool piece of kit. With the Zubin Axe you can kill your dinner, skin and debone it, bury the carcass, and then fire rocks at tin cans until the wee hours of the morning. Come daylight, head to the shore to gig for breakfast. Seriously, this isn’t your granddaddy’s hiking stick.

Six Heads Are Better Than One

It starts with a two-piece hickory shaft that screws together like a pool cue. The joint is protected by a rubber sleeve that keeps out water and debris. The staff has a rubber handgrip, too, which is great when hiking.

The Zubin Axe has inter-changeable tools for maximum versatility.

Now, here’s where the multitool part comes into play. Zubin Axe’s Complete Kit comes with six different heads — axe, spear, saw, shovel, frog gig, and slingshot. Each of the heads is manufactured from 440C stainless steel and is powdercoated. When not in use, the heads are carried in a nylon pouch and sharp edges are covered by plastic or rubber protectors. (The company also offers models with just one head, and additional head attachments can be purchased separately.)

The heads are changed out by means of two hex screws, which are removed and tightened with the included T-wrench.

When assembled, the staff runs 56 inches. Each head adds about 4 inches, topping it out at 5 feet. All told, the assembled staff clocks in at about 2.5 pounds. The whole kit — all of the heads and the wrench — weighs about 6 pounds.

The heads are a snug fit on the staff. Very snug, in fact. You’ll appreciate those plastic and rubber covers on the sharp edges as they allow you to get the leverage you need to get the heads to fit onto the staff. This also means, though, that there’s absolutely no wiggle room in the slightest once the head is attached.

Get to the Point

If you’re using it for hunting, you need to understand this isn’t a spear you’ll want to throw around. While the balance is OK, at almost 3 pounds it would be a hefty toss. Throwing it isn’t recommended anyway, as you could hit a rock and damage the spear point. You’re much better off keeping the spear in your hands and thrusting it at your target. The spearhead arrives extremely sharp right out of the box, too.

Due to tight editorial deadlines, we didn’t get a chance to venture into the woods to bag dinner with either the spear or the frog gig, but there’s a hay bale in our backyard that won’t be giving us any more trouble.

Naturally, it could be used as a self-defense weapon if you’re caught unaware by four- or two-legged predators while in the backcountry. At home, the spearhead on half the staff could be a viable option for those who, for whatever reason, don’t have access to more common options like a firearm, knife, or good ol’ baseball bat. Note we said just half of the staff — full length would be cumbersome for those without staff-fighting skills and could get caught up in hallways and on furniture.

The Action

The slingshot attachment is almost identical to the surgical-tube wrist rockets most of us have used. Attaching it to the staff gives you a great monopod for keeping your aim steady. Quite useful, we think.

The shovel works well and has a sharpened edge that works great on chopping through smaller roots and such. Given the small size, you aren’t going to dig a foundation for a new house, of course, but if you need a quick cat hole or something similar, this tool head will get it done.

Cutting down standing dry wood and chopping it to size for the evening fire can be done without packing extra tools. Having the saw head on the end of a 5-foot staff offers tremendous reach and the saw blade is sharp enough to get through the hardest wood with ease. The axe was a bit awkward to operate, even when using just half of the staff. The axe head is fairly light, so you need to use a bit more force than you might be accustomed to when chopping firewood. Not an insurmountable problem, though. If desired, there’s a 12-inch handle that can be purchased separately.

When all you’re doing is hiking, there’s a handle attachment that has a compass built in to the top. This works well for keeping you on the right path as you travel. It’s easily removed when you need to tackle camp chores and such. The other tool heads can be stored in your pack until they’re needed.

All in all, the Zubin Axe is a gimmick, yes, but one that actually works — and works well.

Specifications

Make & Model
Zubin Axe Complete Kit

Length
54 inches (not including head)

Weight
6 pounds (complete kit)

MSRP
$255

URL
www.zubinaxe.com

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

METT-TC: Survival Plan of Action

Posted on November 1, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Understand the Mission
Understand the Enemy
Understand the Terrain
Understand the Troops
Understand the Time Available
Understand the Civilians
Conclusion
About the Author
More From Issue 16

Beyond the bombs, rifles, and discipline, a basic tenet of the U.S. Army is survival. From the survival of a nation all the way down to the life of an individual soldier, the military is built on giving its members the skills to endure any mission, anywhere at anytime. That’s why civilian survivalists should take a page (or six) from the military’s METT-TC concept.

METT-TC is a mnemonic that stands for six factors: mission, enemy, terrain, troops, time, and civilians. It’s used primarily by the U.S. Army as a framework to aid its warriors in analyzing a situation, prioritizing key aspects, and then planning accordingly to achieve success. As a former sergeant, I quickly found that, while meant for military operations, it was applicable to my success as a survivalist in the wilderness or as a civilian in the concrete jungles back home.

Photo by Shoot to Thrill Photography

In any environment, you have to know your goals, obstacles, field of play, possible allies and resources, window for success, and potential for dynamic cause and effect based on the local populace. Failure (which can mean death in SHTF scenarios) is overcome by one’s ability to understand these six factors and use them to plan an effective survival strategy. So, read on carefully.

Understand the Mission

Army Application: The M in METT-TC is mission. During this phase the warrior looks to understand the purpose of the operation and the specific intent of his superiors.

Survival Application: In a SHTF scenario, you have to clearly understand the specific goals and parameters of your situation. Will you have to hunker down for a short time or a long period? Or will you have to move to safety? There are also physical factors to consider — how much food do you have, are you hydrated, etc. Each has a specific set of circumstances that need to be understood in order to be successful.

For example, I once ended up on a training exercise in the mountains with no food and very little water. To make matters worse, night was quickly descending. The long-term mission was to survive for weeks in one location. The short-term mission was to survive the night. With only three hours before nightfall in a cold mountainous area, I had a stark choice to make: start a fire or build a shelter. I had no gear except a blade, and I was completely unsure of the weather. Most armchair survivalists would suggest grabbing as much firewood as possible, but that seemed to be a little unsettling because it could rain and gathering enough firewood to last the night would be hard.

Know the mission: Should you build a shelter first or a fire?

My goal for that moment was simply to maintain my body heat to last the night. Nearby there was plenty of debris and some young saplings, so I went with making a shelter. That night it rained, and the temp dropped down to 44 degrees F. I was cocooned, partially dry, and warm enough to survive the night in a debris hut. The next day I worked on building a better shelter and collecting firewood to last the night.

Clearly defining your long-term mission is important, but don’t neglect the smaller missions that will culminate in your overall success.

Understand the Enemy

Army Application: The E in METT-TC stands for enemy. In this phase the soldier focuses on whom they could be up against. What are the enemy’s numbers, weapons, capabilities, etc.?

Survival Application: When I mention this principle in terms of survivalism, people often look at me weird. They start wondering if they chose the zombie apocalypse class instead of the wilderness survival class. It’s important to think of an enemy not just as a person, but anything that could hurt you or hinder your survival. The list is long — it could be the weather, water, predators, landscape, bugs, etc. Think about two categories — passive (spiders, plants, dangerous terrain, etc.) and intentional (predatory animals, parasitic bugs, and, yes, aggressive humans).

Know thy enemy. Sometimes that’s your poor choice in footwear for tough terrain.

Even your personal limitations can heighten certain challenges and can also be seen as an enemy. If you’re afraid of snakes, seeing one could paralyze you. Can’t swim? Falling into a fast-moving river could be fatal. The enemy aspect of METT-TC is truly one of the most important. Know the potential dangers you’ll face based on your area of operation. Understand how to combat and succeed against these obstacles based on your own limitations.

Understand the Terrain

Army Application: The first T in METT-TC means terrain. In this phase a soldier analyzes the environment to determine advantageous areas for overwhelming any adversaries, as well as identify key weaknesses in his/her position, possible obstacles, and points of cover and concealment, etc.

Survival Application: The military approach to terrain is pretty easy for students to understand on a theoretical level, but difficult to implement in terms of practical survival needs. Of course, it’s not normally the need — or intent— of someone surviving to understand advantages of an area that provide for overwhelming an enemy. It’s also not the common prepper’s need to be aware of how to identify weaknesses in their position as it relates to being ambushed in a firefight. However, let’s simplify things and think about an unexpected survival situation.

Lack of environmental awareness can lead to dire consequences.

Area advantages for ambush: Knowing where to stalk a deer or set a rabbit trap could mean the difference between starving and having a calorie-rich, morale-boosting meal.
Strengths and weaknesses of location: Observe the pros and cons of a site as it relates to long-term sustainability. Are there things to eat? Is there fresh water? Is there good firewood nearby?
Vital terrain: What is a key terrain for you to survive on? Do you want to be close to the beach for a water rescue? Are you in a flash flood area?
Obstacles: What are the barriers to your success? Is there a lake to cross? Is there a steep cliff to climb? Is there a lack of resources along your trek from point A to B?
Cover and concealment: Do you have protection from the elements? Can you hide from potential prey and predators?

As you can see, understanding terrain is much more than just knowing if it’s hilly, rainy, icy, etc. Assessing your terrain is like assessing a teammate. There are qualities that will work for you or against you based on your needs.

Understand the Troops

Army Application: The second T in METT-TC stands for troops. In this phase the soldier analyzes the people and assets available for a mission and their capabilities. In addition to personnel, the soldier also assesses equipment, skillsets, sleep needs, physical abilities, etc.

Survival Application: If you’re in a disaster with a group of people, it’s vital you know their capabilities, personalities, and skillsets. If someone has a mind for medical knowledge, mechanical know-how, or navigational aptitude, this could change your situation drastically. If a person needs insulin or heart medication, you should know. If you have people who are paralyzed with fear of height, snakes, water, etc., that could affect how you maneuver. If someone has a satellite phone that they forgot about, don’t know how to use it, or can’t get it to work, that’s vital information.

In the civilian world, it’s a lot more difficult to understand whom you’re dealing with. In the military you can normally start from a base understanding. Everyone had to pass a physical fitness test, so you know they can at least run 2 miles. Everyone had to pass a basic marksmanship exam, so you know they can shoot. The list goes on. Unfortunately, if you find yourself in a survival situation with a bunch of strangers, well, this could pose a true challenge.

Whether among friends or thrust into a survival group of strangers, you have to learn everyone’s strengths and...

Let’s take this one step deeper. Do you truly know yourself and your assets? I meet people all the time at my gym who overestimate their fitness level or martial arts skills. They come in speaking very highly of themselves — “I was a wide receiver in high school” or “I’m super strong.” However, when I put them in a cardio class or tell them to shoot a target, the glory days turn into the “poor me days.”

The saying, “You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to the lowest level of your training,” is mostly true. I say mostly because it’s always possible to find that person who overcomes an obstacle through sheer will. The point of this is to always assess yourself, and when you think you’re slacking, have others assess you so you don’t fool yourself.

You should ask questions and gather intel on those around you as much as you would on yourself. You should also know at least the basics about the equipment and items at your disposal.

Understand the Time Available

Army Application: The third T in METT-TC is time. In this phase a soldier seeks to understand the time available for a mission. The soldier also wants to understand all other related aspects, such as planning time, meal times, rest times, travel times, and more.

Survival Application: In dire circumstances, you could be time rich or time deficient; the line between the two is always in flux. I’ve been lucky enough to survive through both situations, and I’m not happy to say that they both suck!

In a survival situation, time isn’t always on your side, especially if a storm’s brewing.

A time-rich scenario might be a situation in which you know rescue is on the way and you’re in an environment where it doesn’t take much to regulate your body temperature, or find food or water. Because of this you wouldn’t have to build a shelter, go hunting, find lots of firewood, and thus you would have a lot of time.

A time-deficient scenario might be a situation in which it’s very stormy and the temperature changes drastically. Add to this a lack of food and clean water, and you’ll be scrambling to find solutions. You’ll forever feel like you’re fighting with time as Mother Nature backyard-wrestles you into submission.

Since nature is an outside force with a life of its own, it often plays a factor in your scheduling, so it’s important to acknowledge this early on and plan your use of time wisely.

Understand the Civilians

Army Application: The C in METT-TC means civilians. In this phase, the soldier assesses how to interact and handle situations involving local inhabitants.

Survival Application: This aspect takes on several forms. One form is to know the mindset and habits of the people who may be looking for you. Another aspect is to know the mindset and habits of the people you may come across.

Knowing the mindset of those looking for you and their habits is important because that allows you to deduce how they’re searching for you and, thus, tells you where you should go and what you should do to get rescued. A more innocuous 21st-century example of this is trying to Facebook message or text someone who doesn’t do either of those things. Once, I tried to give directions to someone on foot at a crowded stadium. When I finally found him, he said, “I didn’t get your message because I don’t Facebook or text.” If I had known that about the person, I would have set up a different way to communicate.

Knowing the mindset of people you might encounter (or those searching for you) can be a lifesaver.

The mindset of the people you may come across is also important. You might say, “If I were in a survival situation, I would want to be found by anyone.” However, that may not always be prudent.
Some scenarios that highlight this may be if you’re lost in a wooded area where there may be illegal drug labs sporadically popping up. Or you could stumble on the land of an unfriendly family who would be more likely to shoot a “trespasser” than let you get a word out; you could stumble into the territory of a hostile tribe or an extreme religious faction. Understanding the hearts and minds of the locals is an important aspect of survival that should not be underestimated.

Conclusion

If you want to know what it’s like to be a survivalist, ask someone who survives for a living — and outside of the military, there are very few who keep people and values alive like the U.S. Army. Our amazing nation is shielded and protected by this force and the skills it possesses and teaches. With METT-TC, the Army has successfully created a multi-level formula that anyone — from a covert Delta operator to a recreational hiker — can use to plan a successful mission, be it a nighttime raid or an expected overnight stay in Mother Nature’s backyard.

About the Author

Photo by Jeff Neira / FOX Broadcasting Co.

A former psychological-operations sergeant with the U.S. Army, Hakim Isler is the designer of several wilderness survival products and the owner of Elevo Dynamics, the first “Dojym” (a 24-hour gym and martial-arts facility) in the United States. He is also the founder of the SOIL Foundation, a nonprofit that offers off-grid training and excursions to help veterans, law enforcement, and civilians recover from anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Moreover, Isler is a fourth-degree black belt in To-Shin Do under Stephen K. Hayes, an instructor in the Filipino combat system of FCS Kali, and the author of Modern Hand to Hand Combat. www.TheSoilFoundation.org | www.BlackMacGyver.com | www.ElevoDynamics.com

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.