Video: Living Out of a Storage Unit

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In dense urban areas around the world, housing costs can be extremely high. Paying several thousand dollars each month for a one-bedroom flat isn't unheard of in many cities, and in Manhattan, the average apartment price has reached $2.19 million. Yes, you read that right. This fact has led some city-dwellers to come up with creative ways to live independently and dodge these extreme rent costs. Take, for example, the Google employee who lived in a box truck in his employer's parking lot. By doing so, he managed to avoid the area's exorbitant housing prices and save 90% of his income.

A 23-year-old Google employee named Brandon lived in this repurposed Ford box truck.

A 23-year-old Google employee named Brandon lived in this repurposed Ford box truck.

We recently came across another fascinating (and very strange) example of what some might call unconventional urban housing — others might call it illegal squatting. A YouTuber known as 007craft posted the following video of his tiny home inside a rented 10′ by 10′ storage unit. He says in the description that the unit costs him $205 per month, as opposed to the “$1,000+ a month” for a small apartment in the area.

Storage unit locker tiny home apartment urban house 3

As you might expect, it's generally a breach of the rental agreement to live inside these units under normal circumstances, so we'd advise against trying any of this unless the complex has been abandoned during some kind of SHTF scenario.

Since that's not the case for this video, 007craft has taken some steps to conceal his presence — he says “you have to be a ghost… if anybody finds out you're here, that's when you start running into trouble”. However, the taped-up extension cord running from the complex's outlet into the door frame remains laughably conspicuous. This seems like a fast way to get caught, evicted, and hit with a trespassing notice, but he doesn't seem too concerned.

Storage unit locker tiny home apartment urban house 4

He then proceeds to give a tour of his abode, like an ultra-low-budget version of MTV's Cribs. He has a full-size bed, couch, big-screen TV, stereo system, mini-fridge, microwave, hot plate, sink with clean water and grey water tanks, and even centrally-controlled lighting. You may wonder how he can afford all this but not an apartment… but that's besides the point.

“I even have a paper towel holder, I have all the amenities you'd find in an apartment.”

Using some 2x4s and angle brackets, he built compartments down from the unit's ceiling to house essential items like footwear, a snowboard, and his nunchucks (you just can't make this stuff up). Hey, you never know when he might need to defend himself against marauding ninjas.

Storage unit locker tiny home apartment urban house 5

Near the end of the video, 007craft shows how he refills his water tanks using a plastic jug, a hose, a funnel, and the nearby drinking fountain. There's no mention of a bathroom, but we imagine he uses the complex's facilities for that, too. Otherwise, it might involve more 2x4s, funnels, and plastic jugs, so we're not sure we want to know the details.

Storage unit locker tiny home apartment urban house 6

After about two months, 007craft says he moved into an actual apartment. So, even if you're dedicated to flying under the radar, living out of a storage unit in an active complex clearly isn't a long-term solution. And although many aspects of this video seem unintentionally humorous, we've got to give the guy kudos for making a 10×10′ room into a pretty efficient tiny home. Watch the full video below, and for more on unconventional off-grid housing, check out our previous articles on the DIY box truck RV and Sara Liberte's Battle Van build.

Improvised Knife Sharpening Methods

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A knife is the most quintessential of all survival tools. Whether you're stranded in a desert, inundated by floods, caught in a snowstorm, or stuck in any other potentially life-threatening situation, having a reliable cutting tool is a must.

While opinions on what constitutes a proper “survival knife” will always vary greatly, the defining quality that makes a knife a knife remains the same: it must cut. It must also continue to cut until your emergency situation is over and life as you know it returns to normal. To make sure it does that, you need to know how to sharpen your knife, if necessary, with improvised means.

Cutting-Edge Basics

A knife essentially functions as a miniature saw or a miniature ax. When properly sharpened, its cutting edge terminates at an acute V-shaped angle. Depending upon the grit size of the abrasive used to finish the edge, the size of its microscopic teeth varies from relatively coarse (great for cutting rope and other fibrous materials) to extremely fine and polished (for scalpel-like cutting, usually in softer materials).

In its saw-like mode, the edge cuts when it's drawn longitudinally through the material while constant pressure is applied. This slicing style of cutting takes full advantage of the edge's tooth pattern and typically cuts with maximum efficiency.

As an ax, a knife's cutting edge works like a pure wedge. Rather than drawing the length of the edge through the material, it meets it at a right angle. The force of that contact — either ballistic (chopping or batoning) or sustained pressure (whittling) — sinks the edge into the material to separate it.

Either way, the key to a knife edge's performance is the acute V shape at its terminus. The exact angle of the V depends upon the blade's grind (i.e. flat, hollow, saber, convex, Scandi), its thickness at the beginning of the terminal cutting edge, the steel the blade is made from, and the hardness of that steel at the edge.

When a knife gets dull, the tiny teeth at the edge become mangled and ultimately the acute point of the edge's V is worn away, broken off, or bent over. When this happens, the cross-section of the edge looks more like a U than a V and your knife's defining function — cutting — is compromised until you sharpen it again.

Staying Sharp

In simplest terms, sharpening is the process of maintaining or, when necessary, recreating the V shape of your knife's edge. Since prevention is always better than a cure, let's start with keeping your knife sharp.

First of all, let's assume that when your specific balloon went up, you started the party with a sharp knife. Sharp, unlike pregnant, is a relative term, and some knife geeks have taken its meaning to crazy extremes. Assuming you have a life and don't spend all your time literally splitting hairs with your EDC folder, let's set a simple baseline. If you can cleanly slice a piece of typing paper with your knife, it's got a sharp, utilitarian edge suitable for most survival applications.

Based on that standard, let's say you've cut a few things and you notice that your knife's not as keen as it was when the emergency started. Rather than waiting for it to get duller, it's much easier to restore the edge by stropping it.

Have you ever seen an old-school barber run a straight razor against a piece of leather? That's stropping. It's basically the action of drawing your edge across a mildly abrasive surface to realign the terminal portion of the V.

Like a barber's straight razor, knife edges can be touched up to cut more smoothly by stropping on a piece of leather — like this gun belt.

Like a barber's straight razor, knife edges can be touched up to cut more smoothly by stropping on a piece of...

To strop a knife, hold it in a normal grip and place the blade flat on the stropping medium. Ideally, do this with an overhead light source so you can clearly see the shadow under the edge. Now, raise the back of the blade until the shadow disappears and the bevel of the terminal cutting edge is flat on the strop. Maintaining that angle and moderate downward pressure, wipe the blade across the strop, leading with the spine of the blade so the edge trails behind (just like spreading butter on toast). Flip your hand over and repeat the process on the other side of the edge. Work from the “heel” of the edge (closest to the handle) to the tip so you strop its entire length.

Initially, maintaining the proper angle throughout each stroke will be tough, but with practice you'll get more consistent. That muscle memory and understanding of angles will also come in handy when learning other improvised sharpening methods.

What materials make good improvised strops? The easiest and most practical is the stout leather belt that may already be part of your EDC kit. Take the belt off, hook the buckle to something or step on one end, hold the other end taut, and strop away. Purpose-designed leather strops are usually rubbed with jeweler's rouge or polishing compound before they're used. Doing the same with the inside surface of your leather belt ensures that you've always got a way to touch up your knife edge at all times. If you want to be an overachiever, you could even consider sticking a patch of fine (about 240-grit) adhesive-backed sandpaper to the inside of your belt for more serious improvised sharpening.

In addition to belts, heavy cardboard also makes a great improvised strop. Lay a piece of dry corrugated cardboard on a flat surface and use the same technique to touch up your edge. Ideally, it should be about twice the length of your blade to make it easy to hold as you sharpen. Sprinkling a little dry dirt or fine sand on it can replicate the abrasive quality of polishing compound and give even better results.

Stropping is very easy to learn, and keeping a knife sharp is simpler than making it sharp once it's dull.

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

If you watch a good butcher or chef in action, you'll notice that he regularly touches up the edge of his knife with a long, wand-like thing called a steel. Drawing the edge along the hard, grooved surface of a butcher's steel realigns its teeth and keeps it sharper longer. Like stropping, steeling is a maintenance strategy and won't restore a very dull edge, but it's still worth adding to your bag of tricks.

To steel one knife on the spine of another, draw the edge from heel to tip while maintaining the proper angle, then alternate sides.

To steel one knife on the spine of another, draw the edge from heel to tip while maintaining the proper angle, then...

So where do you find a hard piece of steel with fine longitudinal grooves in it in the field? How about the spine of your other knife? In a survival situation, two is one and one is none. Carrying two or more knives allows you to have different tools for different jobs (i.e. one for tough jobs and one for fine work) and can allow you to use the back of one blade to steel the edge of the other. If your knives don't naturally have a longitudinal groove pattern in the spine, create that pattern before you go afield by draw-filing the blade spine with 150-grit sandpaper.

To steel your edge, use the same overhead light and shadow method described earlier to determine the sharpening angle of your knife. However, instead of wiping the edge as if spreading butter, lead with the edge — as if trying to slice a thin layer off the spine of the blade you're using as a steel. Use light pressure, work from the heel to the tip, and alternate sides with every stroke.

Back to the Grind

Sooner or later, your edge is going to get dull enough that stropping or steeling it won't be enough to keep it sharp. In simple terms, the acute V shape of your edge has been dulled to a rounded U shape. To restore its sharpness, you've got to grind away steel on both sides of the edge to turn the U back into a V. Doing that requires two things: 1) an abrasive hard enough to grind steel yet fine enough to leave an acute edge angle, and 2) a steady enough hand to maintain a consistent angle as you remove steel on both sides of the edge. Let's tackle the hard part first: skill.

Like using turn signals and saying please and thank you, knowing how to sharpen a knife on a flat stone used to be a common skill. However, as fewer people carry knives and old-school Arkansas stones are replaced by motors, angle jigs, and weird Rube Goldberg, crew-served sharpening contraptions, freehand sharpening is becoming a lost art. Well, if you have visions of yourself bringing your knife to hair-popping sharpness on a river rock, I strongly suggest you find that lost art. Invest in a good bench stone at least as long as your longest EDC blade, break out your knives, and spend some time learning how to sharpen.

If you want to have any hope of sharpening a knife on an improvised abrasive, first learn how to do it with a traditional flat stone. After determining the proper angle, start with the heel of the edge closest to the handle and draw the entire edge across the stone as if trying to slice off a thin layer. Repeat on the other side and keep going until you've achieved the desired degree of sharpness.

If you want to have any hope of sharpening a knife on an improvised abrasive, first learn how to do it with a...

The basic technique, as described previously, is to lay your blade flat on the stone. With a light source directly overhead, raise the spine of the blade until the shadow under the edge just disappears. For most knives, this happens when the blade-to-stone angle gets to about 20 degrees. Do this repeatedly until you start to get a tactile feel for the proper angle. Then, maintaining that angle and applying firm (but not hard) downward pressure, draw the edge across the stone from heel to tip. If your blade has belly (i.e. upward curvature) near the tip, you'll have to raise your hand a bit to maintain a constant edge angle.

To see if you're doing it right, get a Sharpie marker and a magnifying glass. Color both sides of the edge bevel with the marker and take a few passes on a dry stone. Then, examine your work with the magnifying glass. If your angle is correct, you should be removing steel right near the edge. If your angle is off or inconsistent, the shiny spots where the marker is scraped away will let you know and help you adjust your technique. Once you get the hang of it, follow the stone manufacturer's directions, using oil or water as necessary to keep the stone's pores clean.

When You Can't Get Stoned

Armed with the skill to sharpen on a proper stone, you can now apply that skill to less proper, field-expedient abrasives. The exact abrasives you choose will depend upon your environment, but anything that's hard enough to scratch your knife blade can work. In general, you want to look for relatively smooth materials that allow you to achieve finer teeth and a sharper edge. Light-colored materials are also preferred as they provide visible evidence that they're actually removing steel.

The rounded, frosted edge at the top of a car's side window is an excellent improvised abrasive for knife sharpening. If you learn proper technique on a traditional stone, translating it to the car window should be no problem.

The rounded, frosted edge at the top of a car's side window is an excellent improvised abrasive for knife...

In an urban environment, one of the best expedient abrasives is the top edge of a car's side window. Glass is extremely hard and, when properly textured, will readily grind steel. The rounded, somewhat frosted surface at the top edge of a car window is just about perfect for this. Just roll the window down partway and use the same technique you use with a stone.

Many old-school knife users sharpened their knives on the rims of crocks, bowls, mugs, or other ceramic vessels. The exposed rim of the bottom of a coffee cup, which isn't covered by smooth glaze, will easily sharpen knife edges. Note the darkened area, which displays steel that's been removed from the edge.

Many old-school knife users sharpened their knives on the rims of crocks, bowls, mugs, or other ceramic vessels. The...

Many modern sharpening systems use ceramic abrasives. The very first modern sharpener of this type, the Crock Stick, got its name from the traditional method of honing knives on the rim or bottom of a ceramic crock. A modern expedient for this is the slightly rough bottom rim of a coffee cup or bowl. Use the same stone technique, pay attention to your angles, and you'll be cutting stuff in no time.

When all else fails, even a smooth, reasonably flat rock can be used to sharpen a knife. Light-colored rocks allow you to easily see when you're removing steel.

When all else fails, even a smooth, reasonably flat rock can be used to sharpen a knife. Light-colored rocks allow you...

In wilderness environments, even ordinary stones can be used as improvised sharpeners. Smooth, flat, river rocks work very well, especially if they're lighter colored so you can see the steel coming off and confirm your progress. Larger stones are easier to hold or brace than smaller stones, and once your knife is reasonably sharp, you can always follow up by steeling and stropping the edge to refine it.

The only good knife is a sharp one. With the right skills and knowledge, you and your knife can stay sharp anywhere.

Knife Sharpenability Factors

One aspect of knife selection that has a tremendous impact on “sharpenability” is blade steel. In recent years, the development of steels suitable for or specifically geared toward cutlery applications has exploded. The carbon steels and relatively simple stainless steels that used to dominate the production knife world have now been superseded by exotic, powder-metallurgy steels packed with ultrahigh levels of carbon, as well as vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, niobium, and other elements. These alloys can greatly enhance the wear resistance and toughness of blade steels, allowing them to hold an edge better than ever.

Remember, though, that there are tradeoffs to everything. Blades that are resistant to dulling in use are also notoriously hard to grind and therefore more resistant to your efforts to sharpen them. Some high-performance alloys refuse to yield to anything less than diamond abrasives, so you'd be hard pressed to sharpen them with improvised means.

Simple, traditional blade shapes are also much easier to sharpen than blades with complex grinds and multiple bevels. In most cases, they cut better and offer greater versatility, too. Don't be fooled by hype or looks; focus on knives that look like knives, not something out of Star Wars.

Sharp is a relative term, but in general, an edge that's keen enough to slice typing paper is sharp enough for most chores. The challenge is how to get it that way and keep it that way without purpose-designed sharpening tools.

Sharp is a relative term, but in general, an edge that's keen enough to slice typing paper is sharp enough for...

Serrations are another controversial topic when it comes to survival knife selection. While well-designed serrations will hold an edge longer than a conventional plain edge and absolutely devour fibrous materials like rope and webbing, they are considerably more difficult to sharpen than straight edges and exceedingly difficult to sharpen with makeshift tools.

If you have to sharpen a serrated blade in the field, your best bet is to use a rock or other abrasive to work the edge on the side opposite the grind of the serration teeth (serrations are typically beveled only on one side of the blade). This method restores the sharpness of the serration points and edge without trying to reach down into the concave of every tooth. Depending upon the size of your blade's serrations, the rounded surface on the top of a car window may be able to fit the recesses, but it's still simpler and quicker to sharpen the non-bevel side.

Bushcrafters and other survivalists have always preferred simple carbon-steel blades with zero-ground “Scandi” (short for “Scandinavian”) grinds that are easy to sharpen with any available abrasive. While modern steels, serrations, and other high-tech features may offer high-performance in some circumstances, it often comes at the price of being high-maintenance — perhaps too high for SHTF-style sharpening.

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

The Psyop Way

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Thoughtless steps lead to a path of happenstance, chaos, and destruction — this is a short saying I came up with that has guided my life since I was a psychological operations (psyop) sergeant in the U.S. Army. Simply put, how you think dictates your actions, and actions that are thought through create a greater potential for success. Seems like common sense, but there are so many people who fail to think before they act. They react based on emotions, like preprogrammed robots driven by software called instinct.

It's not that instinct doesn't matter, because instinct is important to every aspect of survival. However, operating without consistently thinking through your actions is a recipe for disaster. I used to think this was the extent of this lesson, but that's not the case — it's just scratching the surface. In the U.S. Army, I learned a lot about human nature and, over time, realized that the key factor to triumphing over any threat to your safety is to stay one step ahead — both physically and, more importantly, mentally.

Whether your car breaks down in a rough neighborhood, you're in the middle of an urban riot, or you're just surviving after society has collapsed, understanding behavior psychology and mental warfare will give you an advantage when times are tough. Over the years, I've compiled a list of four strategies that will help anyone gain a mental edge in a survival situation.

Strategy 1: Self Awareness

Lesson: Mental warfare is a two-way street. It's both internal and external. How you feel can be deduced by others based on your actions in the world. Also what's happening in the world can influence your feelings and actions.

When you feel happy, you smile. When you smile, it makes other people feel better; some may even smile with you even though they don't know what you're smiling about.

Many people make the mistake of believing they're in complete control of their actions. They refuse to believe that feeling a certain way can cause them to act a certain way. Conversely, there are people who refuse to believe that their environment can influence their thinking and actions. In psyop, we learned that there's a huge number of daily decisions made subconsciously. “No one is immune,” said one of my psyop instructors. There are social cues that our brains use as shortcuts to decide what actions to take.

One example of lacking self-awareness is the common automatic response of group approval. We look for a response that's accepted among the group, allowing our brains to bypass thinking through the scenario. If everyone runs, then we run; if most people stay, then we stay.

Real-World Example: Once, I was at a club with a friend when a fight erupted. The bouncers grabbed the combatants and threw them out the front door. Several friends of those involved started running to the front door. A few minutes later it seemed most of the club was outside. My friend suggested that we leave, and I agreed. He started to walk to the front door when I grabbed him and said we should leave out the side emergency exit. Upon exiting, we heard gunshots coming from the front, accompanied by loud frantic screams. We walked to a gas station a few blocks down the other way and called a cab.

Applications: Take an opportunity to study up on social psychology. Learn about automatic responses that are specific to you. Work consistently to attain control over them and make them more conscious actions. This will help you make calculated decisions in a high-stress environment rather than an automatic unsafe one.

Strategy 2: Experience Versus Assumption

Lesson: Know what makes you tick. Understand what brings you comfort and discomfort. Determine what boosts your morale and what lowers it. This is one of the deepest lessons of psyop survival. Not everyone reacts the same to a situation. Understand how and why you respond a certain way. This will help you form a strong game plan.

Real-World Example: A friend wanted to get a gun for self defense. She asked for my help in learning to shoot. I asked her if she had ever been around a gun before. She said no, but wouldn't have a problem being around one. At the range, I gave her a safety brief and opened my gun case to show her the pistol we would be using for the day. She immediately began shaking uncontrollably and tears ran down her face. She backed away, shaking her head side to side. “Are you OK?” I asked. She didn't respond. I quickly closed the case. “What was that … what just happened to me?” she asked, confused. I replied, “I believe you had a mini panic attack.” She was shocked by her reaction.

If all you can think about is how difficult the road ahead will be, you'll probably give up.

If all you can think about is how difficult the road ahead will be, you'll probably give up.

Application: So many people overestimate themselves. They make statements like, “I would do this, and I would do that.” But they're surprised to find they don't respond in the way they expected when presented with the situation. Take time to test yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Find a means to test it out safely, but under pressure. Use a friend who can push you and help you when you need it.

Can you really run a mile? Do you latch onto a task, or can you switch focus immediately without hesitation? If the sun is going down while you're in the wilderness and you can't start a fire, are you psychologically and physically equipped to make it through a cold night of darkness? Perhaps the safest way to answer these questions is to take various classes from reputable instructors. My instructor drilled into my brain, “No thought ever makes it past your skull when you just think about it. Knowing is what leads to action, and action is the only way to success.”

Strategy 3: Situational Awareness

Lesson: Take notes on your environment. Keep track of who is who, what is what, and where is clear. It doesn't take a genius to understand that knowing your environment is important. However, most people fail to realize that the environment is like an organism — it's a living thing that changes constantly.

Real-World Example: This was another important lesson taught in psyop training. We had to adapt our message to the changing environment. As psyop soldiers, it was our mission to gain allies in foreign lands and bring the locals over to our cause.

We attempted to influence hundreds of citizens, changing their minds and patterns daily by maintaining a connection to factors around us and adapting our message quickly. When meeting with a foreign local official, we had to understand the outside influences that would sway his or her thinking. When they came to the meeting, we paid attention to every gesture, every word, and every interactio

It's hard to adapt to your environment without situational awareness. Put your phone away. Pay attention.

It's hard to adapt to your environment without situational awareness. Put your phone away. Pay attention.

Application: Challenge yourself to always be mentally prepared for the “what if.” A Special Forces friend and I often meet at my favorite bookstore to talk about current events. We always play the “what if” game. He always carries a concealed pistol and often makes fun of me for not carrying mine at all times. His common question is, “Are you a sheep or a sheep dog?” I explain to him that to always carry can give a false sense of security. It can dull or numb one's ability to be prepared for challenges that may arise that you can't shoot your way out of. It can also render you ill-prepared when you're not able to carry a pistol in nonpermissive environments. When I don't carry, it forces me to examine my situation differently and very carefully and prepares me with options applicable to the environment.

Because your environment can change at any given time, your mental assessment should change. New people will arrive on the scene and others will leave, and the nature of those new arrivals will change the dynamics of your environment.

Imagine these scenarios and think about what you would do: You're at a bookstore when a custodian locks a door that you had as a viable means of escape, if warranted. Maybe the air conditioner stops working and you notice everyone removing articles of clothing to cool down — except the guy sitting across from you, as if he's hiding something. Or what about an older man obscuring his position behind a bookshelf, glaring at the seemingly loving couple across the room as they hug and kiss. You observe that the older man is wearing a wedding band and so is the girl — but her mate isn't. This could be a case of infidelity, and you could easily become collateral damage if the older man goes over the deep end. You should know if there are any security guards nearby and, if so, where they are in relation to you? If there's none, where's the nearest exit you can get to safely?

There's only so much preparing you can do, but the real purpose of this mental preparation is to encourage you to habitually think on the fly.

Strategy 4: I Think, Therefore I am

Lesson: Creativity first, prepping second. Preparation breeds confidence, but when the game changes and the preparations are no longer valid, then you're left with anxiety, lost morale, and hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars of supplies you can't use. Creativity is king. Be flexible and open to change; acknowledge that you can't control everything. See everything as an opportunity for you to succeed.

Real-Life Example: I have so many security-minded friends. If you open their trunk or look in their closet, it looks like they're prepared for a limitless amount of scenarios, but the truth is that can never be. As a psyop warrior, I learned that you're limited only by your ability to think over, around, under, or through any given situation. “Don't put yourself in a box,” my Army instructors used to say. “Change the rules of the game constantly. Redefine winning when it's needed.”

Always think ahead so you can anticipate danger before it happens, and

Always think ahead so you can anticipate danger before it happens, and “change the rules of the game” by...

I explained this lesson to a friend, and he couldn't understand it. In the midst of the conversation he began to use chess as a means to help him explain this quote. He gave some examples of board configurations and strategies. “So how would you win this game if these are the rules?” I said I would bet $100 against my winning. This way when my friend won, he would win his pride and I would walk away with $200, which is more important to me than the game.

Application: Survival is a chaotic game. It's unpredictable and in many ways uncontrollable. As things change you must redefine what success is. This will always steady your morale and give you a strong foundation for achieving new levels of success — “small victories” is what we called them in the military. This is where the aforementioned scenario playing is paramount. Keep your mind sharp by forcing yourself to train worst-case scenarios. This will develop the enhanced thinking power needed to stay one step ahead.

brownshells-esg-essentials-hygiene-kit

power-sources-batteries-chargers-and-solar-panel

Conclusion

How you react to your physical world is a direct reflection of your mental and emotional state. Therefore, survival on all levels is first and foremost about your mental capacity to understand how you operate, manage stress, adapt to change, and apply what you know on the fly. These are the focuses of a psyop warrior and a strategy that will allow you to succeed in the face of adversity on multiple levels.

“Persuade, change, and influence the hearts and minds of a foreign target audience,” is the creed of psyop. The true lesson is understanding that our first foreign target audience is oneself — master your mind and survival becomes that much easier.

Social Programming

“Social engineering” is a science based on using common social programing to alter people's behavior and, in some cases, take advantage of people. Con artists use these tactics constantly. Another example: most of us may have given money to a hobo who used some social engineering on us.

Hard vs. Soft

The skills you acquire can normally be categorized into two groups: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are usually manual skills that you learn, like tying your shoelaces, starting a fire, or reloading a handgun. Soft skills are normally mental and psychologically related skills, such as solving a math problem, navigating a conversation about history, and the use of marketing strategies and ideas.

Everything Matters

In the U.S. Army's psychological operations units, we were taught “everything matters.” Every color, every sound, every word, every gesture means something. It all influences and solicits a response. No action is taken without a thought made consciously or subconsciously based on the factors surrounding the reason for the action.

Some physical survival traits born out of the “everything matters” motto are:

Know the people: Know who's surrounding you. Know as much about the people around you as you can gather.

Know your position: Know how you're perceived in the eyes of those people or, if that's not an option, know how you can move to a safe place if needed.

Know your options: Know what options you have to sway things in your favor. Is there a piece of equipment you need? Do you know how to speak to the people in your vicinity who can help you if needed?

Know your paths: Know multiple ways for you to reach your point in a conversation, or multiple routes to a safe place.

About the Author

hakim-isler

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.

http://www.TheSoilFoundation.org
http://www.BlackMacGyver.com
http://www.ElevoDynamics.com

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

Review: Microtech SOCOM Alpha Knife

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When someone hears the name Microtech, it’s very likely that the first things they will think of are the expertly-crafted automatic knives that have become a staple of the brand. It may be surprising for some to learn that Microtech also has some awesome fixed-blade pig-stickers in its product line. One such blade is the SOCOM Alpha.

Microtech SOCOM Alpha knife review Summit in the Sand RECOIL 16

The SOCOM Alpha is the newest addition to the SOCOM series offered by Microtech. It is essentially a fixed-blade, full-tang version of the SOCOM Elite, a folder belonging to the same family of Microtech knives. Originally offered exclusively as a Microtech Custom, the Alpha is now available as a production knife in Microtech’s standard lineup.

Microtech SOCOM Alpha knife review Summit in the Sand RECOIL 21

Hands-On at Summit in the Sand

I personally encountered the Alpha during RECOIL’s inaugural live event, Summit In The Sand, a training-focused event held at CowTown Range in Phoenix, Arizona, where I was teaching Defensive Blade Tactics as a guest instructor. Microtech sponsored this portion of the event, and the SOCOM Alpha was the company’s featured piece of steel.

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Just for this event, Microtech ground the edges and points off several Alphas and converted them into trainers. This afforded attendees the opportunity to train with a blade that provided the actual weight and feel of the live blade they would end up walking away with at the end of the day (a not-so-little surprise from the sponsor). Having never seen or handled the SOCOM Alpha myself prior to the event, I left with a newfound admiration of this well-designed knife.

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The Alpha has some impressive “credentials” in materials alone. The blade is made out of Bohler-Uddenholm ELMAX steel. If you're not familiar with ELMAX, we think pretty highly of it. Considered by knifemakers to be a “super-steel,” ELMAX is a high chromium-vanadium-molybdenum-alloyed steel, consisting of 1.7% carbon, 18% chromium, 1% molybdenum, .8% silicon, .3% manganese, and 3% vanadium. The end result of this alloy composition is high wear and corrosion resistance, a high compressive strength, and excellent edge retention qualities – all while remaining easy to sharpen.

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The powdered metallurgy process used to produce ELMAX has some distinct advantages over traditional ingot steel. With this type of metallurgy, fine-powdered materials are blended and pressed into a desired shape and then bonded through heating. This process results in a more consistent, homogenous steel with a superb microstructure. In layman’s terms, its good stuff.

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The Alpha boasts a large 10.47” overall length with a 5.42” hollow-ground blade. The knives provided for the class were of the tanto blade variety, though the Alpha is also available in a clip-point version. This large knife – a relative term for blade aficionados – tips the scale at 8.25 ounces, enough weight to feel solid in the hand without being outright heavy. It’s also nicely balanced right at the center of the handle’s forefinger notch.

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Speaking of the handle, it features nicely-indexed G10 handle scales that are affixed with 17-4 PH stainless, 3-hole screws. This is some of the most beautiful handle hardware we’ve seen on a production knife in a while.

What stands out more than any other feature on this knife, though, is the jimping that runs down the entire spine of the handle. Aside from being beautifully-paired with the accompanying jimping on the G10 handle scales, this added texture provides aggressive grip that ensures this knife won’t slip in your hand. Combined with the thumb ramp and forefinger grove, it pretty much negates the absence of a guard on this knife. Oh, and for those of you who like to accessorize, there is a lanyard hole on the butt of the knife as well.

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The Alpha ensemble is completed with a well-designed, carbon-fiber-lined Kydex sheath. It’s fully-equipped with 550 cord for lashing or a lanyard, and Blade-Tech MOLLE-Lok attachments for MOLLE compatibility. Again, the 17-4 PH stainless hardware used to affix the MOLLE-Lok to the sheath adds a touch of class, like elegant cufflinks on a dress shirt.

Training with the SOCOM Alpha

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So, what about function? The Summit participants and I spent a lot of time working the Alpha trainers on the Rubber Dummies 3D Silhouette Targets. This allowed the students to deliver full-power strikes against a solid, anatomically-shaped surface.

This type of training is invaluable, as it gives the user feedback against the blade. It will definitely expose any weaknesses in the user’s grip, as well as the grip design of the knife. Surprisingly, I didn’t see anyone’s grip slip forward of the handle, something I fully expected given the narrow profile of the handle and the edged-weapon inexperience of most of the attendees. I would have to say that this serves as a testament to the Alpha’s grip design.

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The Alphas supplied for the event had Microtech’s tan Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) finish. This finish proved to be virtually bulletproof after all the hard use the knives went through. The white enamel paint used to coat and refresh the 3D Silhouette Targets took a liking to the blades and bonded firmly onto the surface. To remove the paint from the blades, I had to use an abrasive Scotch-Brite pad, hot water, and a lot of elbow grease. I expected when I was done I would have a bunch of bare-metal blades staring at me, but the finish on the knives looked almost as good as it did when we took them out of the boxes.

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Prior to this event, my experience with Microtech knives was very minimal. Even though I was familiar with Microtech’s reputation for quality and innovation, I am always skeptical of anything I haven’t had personal experience with. That skepticism quickly left once I got the knife in my hand. To say that I was impressed with the design, craftsmanship, and performance of the SOCOM Alpha would be a bit of an understatement.

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If you are looking for a solid, fixed-blade tactical knife that is as beautiful as it is functional, you might consider Microtech’s SOCOM Alpha. You won’t be disappointed with the money spent.

Specifications

Weight: 8.25 ounces
Blade Length: 5.42”
Type: Fixed, Full-Tang
Steel: ELMAX
Blade Coating: Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
Blade Thickness: .160”
Handle Material: G10
Overall Length: 10.47″
Sheath: Kydex w/ MOLLE-Loc
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $303.20

About the Author

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Chad McBroom is the owner of Comprehensive Fighting Systems, a company that offers practical training in armed and unarmed combatives. He has over 30 years of martial arts experience and specializes in edged weapons. He also does a bit of knifemaking himself, a hobby he took up to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of blade craft. Follow him on Instagram @cfs_combat.

Rope Rescue 101

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Safety Disclaimer
Climbing or descending with ropes is an inherently dangerous activity, and a magazine article is not a substitute for hands-on instruction. Never participate beyond the level of your training.

During a mass-shooting scenario, it may not be tactically feasible to try and evacuate the wounded (or yourself) by dragging them down a set of stairs and out the main entrance. If you're safely barricaded inside a room, wouldn't it make more sense to evacuate a victim through a window before they bleed to death? Or, for example, you're doing a canyon hike with your family and someone falls 20 feet down a sheer cliff. How would you get down to attend to them?

Basic knowledge of rope rescue including raising, rappelling, and lowering allows us to defy gravity in whichever direction we choose. In this article we'll give you the basics of what you need to know and what gear can aid your mobility. If you choose to build and maintain this perishable skill, you'll unlock a rescue “cheat code” and be able to save lives in ways you'd never previously imagined.

Why Ropes?

Rope skills are always useful. Perhaps you routinely work and play in places where you can't dial 911, or maybe you're interested in learning to be an active bystander or “first care provider” who is willing to make a difference before the professionals arrive. Alternately, think about an escape-and-evasion scenario. Need to get out of a building quickly, and have a sinking feeling that the stairs and main entrance are being watched? Ropes can get you there.

To provide a proper introduction to rope rescue we sat down with firefighter Dominick Briganti. Dominick is a 27-year veteran of the fire service. He was deployed to the World Trade Center during Sept. 11 and now works as a lead instructor for SWAT teams, firefighters, and special operations warfighters on the subject of technical rescue.

Rope rescue, specifically, is a vast subject and there's a ton of conceptual theory and background behind it. Experienced climbers could have a field day nitpicking all the things we “should have” noted or warned you about in this article. But thanks to Dominick's instruction we're able to give you all the ground-level knowledge you need to start down the path — without making you reach for a glass of whiskey and two Ibuprofen.

rope-rescue-101-pulley

The Basics

Rope rescue techniques consist primarily of three different actions:

  • Rappelling down to a lower level by yourself
  • Lowering (or being lowered) with someone else's help
  • Raising (or being raised) with someone else's help

Rappelling is the most simple of these three to rig. It's also the only one of those actions you can accomplish by yourself, although it'll require both hands to do so. This means that you won't be able to carry tools down in your hands or brandish a weapon. It also won't be as easy to circumvent tight spaces, snags, or obstructions as it is with some other rope access methods. On the plus side, you'll be able to personally control your rate of descent as well as set up and get down quickly. That's the big advantage — it's simple and very fast. Rappelling allows you to access an incapacitated victim very quickly, and can also be used for escape/evasion should you be having a seriously bad day.

Being lowered allows you to descend with both hands free. Now you can use a weapon while descending (think sweeping a gun into each window on your way down, instead of just peering inside and waiting for what may be an unpleasant surprise). Mobility and flexibility of your descent path is improved as well. Lowering doesn't require any additional gear, but it does require a second person at the top of the drop who'll control your descent.

Raising (hauling) someone is like the final exam for Rope Rescue 101. It requires more complicated rigging and more gear. Since an average person can only haul roughly 50 to 80 pounds vertically (much less than what a person weighs), you'll have to use the principles of mechanical advantage and multiple pulleys.

In this article we'll focus on rappelling. This will give the uninitiated a bite-size introduction to the subject, and hopefully whet an appetite to level up to the next two tiers of capability.

Ingredients for Rappelling

These are some of the basic components for rope rescue rappelling:

Wilderness rope rescue performed by prepared survivalists, using a tree as an anchor for their rope rescue system.

Wilderness rope rescue performed by prepared survivalists, using a tree as an anchor for their rope rescue system.

Anchor: This will hold you and your rope system in place. It should be stable and fixed in position. In the woods, we might use a tree trunk — in a canyon, a large rock. In an urban environment such as a hotel room or high-rise we could use large heavy furniture or substantial railings. Alternatively, if we wanted to go full Jason Bourne we could even attach a carabiner to the end of our rope, feed it through the hinged side of the open door into the hallway and then close the door. Once the rope is loaded, the carabiner will prevent the rope from being pulled through.

100% Aramid Rope (75 to 100 feet): Ropes made from 100-percent aramids like Technora or Kevlar are relatively new. These materials offer superb abrasion resistance and brush off the effects of high heat and fire. They also don't lose strength in wet conditions and can shed water quickly, unlike nylon rope. Last, they're stupid-strong — a 9mm-thick piece of rope can take roughly 7,000 pounds.

Auto-Locking Carabiners (2 to 3 total): A carabiner is a specialized shackle used to temporarily connect your ropes to your harness. Because they're very easy to manipulate with gloved hands, we prefer magnetic-locking carabiners like the Rocklock Magnetron from Black Diamond Equipment.

Rappel Device: During the early days of climbing, rope was simply wrapped around your body to increase friction and slow your decent. Although convenient, using your flesh as a brake pad is obviously uncomfortable. As an alternative, rappelling devices (aka descenders or descending devices) were developed, providing a hand-holdable forged metal loop through which the rope is passed. As the rope rubs on the metal the friction is increased, allowing a controllable rate of descent. There are tons of options too numerous to mention, but usually we prefer a metal-descending device such as a Rock Exotica Totem — or we make our own by using a simple Munter hitch knot (see photo in sidebar).

Climbing Harness: For minimalist experts, it's possible to make a climbing harness from webbing material. But for this introduction we're going to err on the side of safety and comfort, and suggest purchasing a commercially available version, such as the value-priced Patriot Harness from Metolius.

10 Steps to Your First Descent

Once you've assembled the ingredients, you're ready for your first rappel. The steps shown below illustrate a simplified method, which doesn't include a contingency to lower you down if you get stuck. For this reason it's appropriate only in dire emergencies, or in training when you have a partner watching, and at heights which you feel comfortable jumping down from.

Tie a Figure 8 Stopper Knot to the end of your rope. This ensures you don't rappel off the end of the rope and into the history books under the chapter titled “Dumb Ways to Die.”

Check your drop distance by lowering the rope to the ground. If your rope can't touch the ground from your position, relocate. You should have enough rope to touch the ground below you plus at least 5 feet extra.

Tie the rope around your anchor. The most simple and effective way to do this is by using a bowline knot with a Yosemite finish (see photo in sidebar), which strengthens the knot and prevents the knot from coming loose.

Keep the anchor point as low as possible. Don't tie it at eye-level just because it's convenient. This will help minimize shock-loading or jarring of the anchor.

Attach your anchored rope to your descending device using a vertaco-mode configuration. This means that the rope comes back to the carabiner, and if you're right-handed it will go from the left side of the carabiner, through the right side, then back up (see sidebar photos for reference). Then attach the descending device to a carabiner on your climbing harness.

Hauling someone using rope should not be attempted by novices as it usually requires complicated gear and mechanics. Photo by Brenton Birr.

Hauling someone using rope should not be attempted by novices as it usually requires complicated gear and mechanics....

Double-check your system. Most rappelling deaths aren't due to failures of the equipment. Instead, they're caused by preventable mistakes that could have been detected if the climber had bothered to double-check their anchor, knots, and climbing harness.

Stay low, go slow. Instead of standing up and walking backward over the edge, keep your center of gravity close to the ground and roll over. This will help prevent your anchor from dislodging and also maintains a lower profile in a tactical situation.

Once you're over the edge, face the wall and plant your feet shoulder-width apart. Maintain a sitting position in the harness and proceed step by step down the wall while slow-feeding line through the descending device. The bounding, large downward jumps you see the SWAT teams doing in the movies are pure fantasy (and poor practice). The correct pace and posture is kind of like walking down, but you maintain an “L” position instead of straightening up.

Use friction to control your speed and keep both hands out in front of your face. Because we're using the vertaco configuration, we can keep our hands out in front instead of having one hand down by our hips as is traditionally seen. This allows us to assume a lower-profile position on the wall and more easily lock off the rope to stop our descent.

Once you're on the ground, unhook your carabiner from the rappel device. Then, go to work.

We hope this article gives you the head start you need to add rope work to your bug-out and rescue skillset. As you learn more, you'll find that you can enhance your capabilities by using different knots and gear configurations, instead of simply buying more components. You'll be able to do more with less gear. Unlike many of our other interests, this makes rope rescue a unique pursuit that rewards the craftiest and most knowledgeable — not just the guys who can drop top dollar on the most expensive offerings.

About the Author

Andrew Schrader is a licensed professional engineer and is certified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Structural Specialist. His company, Recon Response Engineering LLC, advises state and federal government organizations on the subject of urban search and rescue and structural collapse. He recently assisted the U.S. Department of State's Italian Consulate in the development of their post-earthquake response and rescue protocol.
www.reconresponse.com

Knots and Rigging

Because many of the techniques described here are more easily seen in a video than by reading check out www.elementrescue.com and www.netknots.com to learn more.

Based on what we're showing you in this article, these are the four knots you should care about:

rope-rescue-101-bowline-with-yosemite-finish

Bowline with Yosemite Finish: This quick knot is used to secure your rope around a suitable anchor.

rope-rescue-101-figure-8-stopper

Figure 8 Stopper: This is used as an end knot to prevent the rope from passing through the end of your rappelling device, in which case you'd fall the rest of the way down.

rope-rescue-101-munter-hitch

Munter Hitch: Can be used as a friction or descending device for controlling the rate of descent.

rope-rescue-101-double-bight-bowline

Double Bight Bowline: Not strictly necessary for rappelling, but will be critical if you intend to learn anything else about rope rescue.

Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

Not bothering to tie a stopper knot at the end of your line. To prevent this, make sure the knot is on the end of your rope before you even stuff it in the bag for storage. This way there's never a question.

Rappelling “Hollywood Style” by bounding and bouncing. The faster you go, the greater the chance of getting your hands or clothing sucked into the descending device. This will stop you cold, and unless you built in a lowering contingency to your anchorage you'll be stuck there. To avoid being the rescuer who had to be rescued, keep your descent speed to a minimum.

Keeping hands too close to the rappel device. Maintain a minimum 12-inch distance between your hands and the descender to prevent a finger from getting sucked in. Also, avoid loose clothing and long hair. We've seen long hair get sucked into a descender before, and it literally pulls the skin out with the hair. Not pretty. Don't do that.

Not having enough rope. Check to make sure your rope can reach the ground, and then some. Not just sometimes but every time. Otherwise you'll find yourself jumping down from a height that may or may not be survivable.

Best Gear for Rope Rescue

Could a skilled rescuer do this work with just a rope? Of course. But having some modern equipment can make you much faster and more effective in the process.

Exfil SAR Tactical Helmet by Team Wendy

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Anytime there's a falling hazard, as there always is in rappelling and rope rescue, protect yourself from traumatic brain injuries or death by wearing a helmet. The Exfil SAR Tactical Helmet from Team Wendy provides lightweight, long-term comfort by using an updated four-point retention system that instantly adjusts to the shape of your entire head instead of just cinching down front-to-back like a cheap hardhat. We liked the heavy-duty front shroud that's purpose-built to accommodate night-vision goggles or your GoPro, as well as the Magpul picatinny side rails to mount lights and other accessories.

We also appreciated the array of useful accessories that allowed us to customize the helmet for our needs. These included a positive-locking clear visor as well as quick-release Peltor headset adapters, which provided hands-free communications with no need for an uncomfortable headband.
www.teamwendy.com

Transition Gloves by Black Diamond Equipment

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Use all-leather gloves for rappelling. If you cheap out and try to use a random pair of gloves, the heat from the rope generated during rappelling can cause the glove material to melt on your hand. Instead, we'd recommend the Transition Gloves by Black Diamond Equipment. These full-fingered goat leather gloves feature Kevlar stitching and reinforced patches on the knuckles and palm.

The fit at first felt much too small, and took several hours of wearing before we had anything approaching dexterity. However, once the gloves had broken in we had a form-fitting second skin that allowed us to thread ropes into our gear while enjoying protection from the rescue environment, be it rocky crags or broken glass and metal.
www.blackdiamondequipment.com

Phantom AVS Kit from Rescue Craft by Tactical Medical Solutions

rope-rescue-101-phantom-avs-kit

The amount of different gear options can be staggering for laypersons just starting out. For this reason, a ready-made kit may make a lot of sense. The Phantom Adaptive Vertical System (AVS) kit from Rescue Craft by Tactical Medical Solutions includes everything you'll need from the start for rappelling, hauling, and lowering.

The kit weighs less than 7 pounds and is small enough to attach to your bug-out bag, so that you'll never be without an egress or rescue option. Start off like we did by using the kit's most basic components. As you gain additional skills you'll be able to use more and more of the kit — its usefulness will grow along with your capabilities.

Note: When storing your gear, you usually want to keep your rope in a separate rope bag and all your other gear in its own bag or pack. Storing the rope in a bag will help prevent it from getting kinks during storage and transport.
www.tacmedsolutions.com

More From Issue 23

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 24

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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 version for the web.

OMNA Tourniquet: Amphibious Bleeding-Control Device

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When dealing with any traumatic injury, uncontrolled bleeding is the enemy. If the injury is severe, there's a substantial chance that rapid blood loss will cause death before first-responders even make it to the scene. This is why we've previously advocated including tourniquets in your emergency kits, and seeking basic trauma care training through programs such as Stop the Bleed. A properly-applied tourniquet has been repeatedly proven to stop blood loss and save lives.

Oru Kayak folding boat 02

Under normal circumstances, carrying a tourniquet is often as easy as placing it in a pocket or inside a backpack, but certain activities may make carrying TQs a challenge. Aquatic sports such as surfing, kayaking, diving, and jet-skiing all pose a risk of injury from various sources — shark attacks, coral reefs, broken bones, or a misplaced cut with a sharp dive knife can lead to sudden blood loss.

However, these activities can also make carrying a tourniquet difficult. Water — especially salt water — can degrade a standard tourniquet over time. Additionally, tourniquets in pockets can easily be lost while swimming. These concerns led Carson Henderson, a U.S. military veteran and avid surfer, to develop the OMNA amphibious tourniquet.

OMNA tourniquet water boating surfing diving first aid bleeding control 6

The OMNA tourniquet is made for salt water, corrosion-resistant, and wearable in the form of a bracelet/anklet. It also offers an optional leash for surfboards or body boards, effectively replacing the ubiquitous leash with a dual-purpose life-saving device. MSRP for these devices starts at $30.

OMNA tourniquet water boating surfing diving first aid bleeding control 4

Henderson realized that some surfers might wonder about the effectiveness of improvised tourniquets compared to the OMNA, so he had the device independently tested under a Doppler Ultrasound. The results (click here for a PDF) were compared to fashioning an improvised TQ with a 7mm surf leash, and it became clear that the standard leash could not fully occlude blood flow. While an improvised TQ is better than nothing, its results cannot compare to a purpose-built medical device like the OMNA.

If you often find yourself on, in, or around the water, it's definitely worth considering what you'd do if you (or someone else in your group) experienced a serious injury. The OMNA wearable TQ provides an amphibious option for water sport enthusiasts, maritime professionals, and members of the military. For more information on OMNA products, go to OMNAinc.com.

Surviving on a Potato-Only Diet

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Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew… Samwise Gamgee was on to something when he emphasized the value of spuds. In a survival situation, these tubers can be incredibly valuable for several reasons. In fact — while a varied diet is obviously ideal — there's evidence to suggest that you could survive for long periods by solely eating potatoes.

Potato survival food diet nutrition prep garden 2

Despite the common association of potatoes with junk food in western cultures, they're extremely rich in a diverse array of dietary nutrients, more so than most other vegetables. The United Nations designated 2008 the Year of the Potato, and wrote:

“Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, making them a good source of energy. They have the highest protein content (around 2.1 percent on a fresh weight basis) in the family of root and tuber crops, and protein of a fairly high quality, with an amino-acid pattern that is well matched to human requirements. They are also very rich in vitamin C – a single medium-sized potato contains about half the recommended daily intake – and contain a fifth of the recommended daily value of potassium.”

Potato survival food diet nutrition prep garden 3

This sounds good in theory, but what would happen if your survival diet consisted entirely of potatoes?

In 2010, Chris Voigt ate nothing but 20 potatoes a day for 60 days straight. Aside from some weight loss, he reportedly experienced no substantial ill effects. In 2016, another man named Andrew Taylor ate nothing but white and sweet potatoes for a full year, with a few condiments and vitamin pills. He, too, lost a little weight but was reportedly healthy otherwise — he even went on to start an eating plan called Spud Fit.

Potato survival food diet nutrition prep garden 1

Left: Chris Voigt / Right: Andrew Taylor

Of course, there are some nutrients potatoes lack. Calcium is one big concern, so adding some dairy to your diet could compensate. Protein, while relatively high for a vegetable, still isn't enough to meet the FDA's recommendations for a healthy diet. Also, eating nothing but potatoes means eating a lot of carbs, which may lead to sudden hunger fluctuations and eventually promote diabetes.

Potato survival food diet nutrition prep garden 4

Again, we certainly wouldn't recommend a potato-only diet outside of an emergency situation. However, it's likely you could subsist on nothing but spuds for several weeks, if not more. Their value to survivalists shouldn't be overlooked, and they'll make an excellent addition to your stockpiles. If you're interested in growing a small crop of potatoes to supplement your other food reserves, check out our past articles on Growing No-Dig Potatoes and The Home Gardening Cheat Sheet.

How to Assemble Tools to Fish, Trap, and Hunt

Written by

Disclaimer
This article is meant to be a brief overview and not a detailed guide on improvised fishing, hunting, and trapping in survival situation. Check local regulations before attempting to use any tools or techniques discussed in this story.

Sport fishing and hunting isn't the same as survival fishing and hunting. “Sport” implies there is an element of chance and fair play. To a survivor, the concept of rules and regulations should seem ridiculous. After all, why would a survivor or someone in an emergency consider the confines of sport fishing and hunting if they're starving? In a real disaster, there is no such thing as a bag limit, minimum length, or poaching.

As majestic as they are, in the absence of wildlife protection, even the bald eagle might be on the dinner table if you're hungry enough. We've been field tested and we know the frustration of watching supper run, swim, or fly away. We've also learned that with the right tools and a few no-nonsense ways of fishing and trapping, it's easy to make sure your dinner plate isn't empty at the end of the day.

The differentiator between frustrated and fed is preparing like a predator and casting aside socially acceptable methods of food procurement. We're not going to apologize for telling you how to kill prey and feed yourself with the gear and methods that follow. It's been said Chuck Norris doesn't hunt or fish because there's a chance for failure in those sports — he just kills sh*t. Follow our lead and you too can be like Chuck.

Fishing

Sport fishing rules and regulation books may define fishing as a single baited hook attached to a pole held by an angler. This is meant to protect a species from overfishing. A lone survivor should not be limited. Some basic equipment provides an advantage over a single hook, line, and sinker setup.

A gill net can be set above water or below water. When used with two poles, it can be moved through the water by two survivors. It's a versatile survival tool worth its weight in fish fillets. Just make sure to use the right size net for the fish you intend to catch.

A gill net can be set above water or below water. When used with two poles, it can be moved through the water by two...

Gill Net: Anyone who has seen the History Channel show Alone knows the concept of a gill net. Designed to capture fish by the gills, these nets work wonders if they're constructed to match the fish in your area. A gill net can be used in a stationary location, or it can be anchored on one side and walked through the water in an arc by holding the other side. A gill net can be set discretely underwater as well, if traveling unnoticed is a concern. It can also be fashioned into a scoop net or a net supported by a frame, and raised in and out of the water by a central point.

Frog Spear: Made from steel and used for nighttime frog hunting, a good 3- to 5-prong frog spear will outperform any wooden spear crafted in the bush. Frog spears can be used on reptiles, amphibians, and small fish. They work exceptionally well when paired with a flashlight to temporarily blind your prey. Inexpensive Eagle Claw brand gigs are widely available and custom spears made from higher-quality steel ensure you have the right point for your spear.

Hawaiian Sling: A Hawaiian sling is a long thin-shafted spear with an elastic band attached to one end and a pointed barbed end on the other. The elastic band is looped around the hand, stretched, and the spear is held holding the energy back until the hand is relaxed and the spear is launched forward. These are highly effective as they don't require easily telegraphed body motions to thrust. The Mako 3-in-1 Take Down Pole Spear is an excellent choice if space allows. Otherwise, the survivor can pack surgical tubing, spear head, and lashing twine to make his own.

Hacking: This method of fishing involves using the back of a machete in a chopping motion against a fish spine in order to break it, making easy retrieval of your fish. The back of the blade is used to avoid accidentally cutting your leg. While blood works great as chum, using your own blood isn't advised. Attract fish with a lantern, LED headlamp, or a torch made from folded birch bark.

Long Line: Imagine a length of paracord with pieces of fishing line hanging off of it at different intervals and depths. These lines are just short enough to avoid tangling with one another, and since they're attached to a single long line, multiple fish can be caught with a single retrieve. The long line works well — so well that it's on the radar of the humane society. That's good for you if you need to indiscriminately catch to put on your plate.

Automatic Fisherman Reels: Operated by a spring, these lightweight fishing reels automatically retrieve your fish after they swim away and trigger the mechanism. These reels do your work while you tend to other survival needs. They can work above water or underwater in iced-over conditions. The constant spring tension “plays” the fish and your prey will be tired when it's time to retrieve the unit from the water.

A well-stocked small fishing kit will take up very little space. A combination of dry fly poppers for bass, nymphs for trout, and jigs for panfish are all contained within the author's fishing kit.

A well-stocked small fishing kit will take up very little space. A combination of dry fly poppers for bass, nymphs for...

Collapsible Fishing Rod: Sometimes, you still need a good fishing rod to reach out to the fish biting just outside your reach. Three-piece (or more) fishing rods break down to less than 24 inches and are easily packable on the outside of a small ruck. From the inexpensive and durable Ugly Stick brand to higher-priced St. Croix Rods, there's an option for everyone. If space allows, it can't hurt to pack a small, ultra-light fishing rod and reel with some basic tackle. This combination this author used while in Alaska to feed himself for two weeks in the bush.

Trapping

A survivor should consider trapping before he considers hunting. It's easier to fashion traps than it is to make projectiles. A properly constructed trap can be just as effective as (or even more effective than) a hunter seeking out prey while burning calories and launching a projectile with questionable accuracy at a target, which may be situated in an awkward position.

Rat Traps: Inexpensive, lightweight, and crazy effective against small rodents — do you need more reason to pack these? Oh that's right, if you have special skills, they work well to close circuits and make other traps for bigger threats. They can be baited with camp scraps or wild edibles gathered on the move.

Braided Picture Wire: The same wire you used to hang that painting of dogs playing cards is the kind you can use for creating snares. Braided wire is much tougher to break than solid copper or stainless wire of equal strength. The braid also grabs onto animal hair as your prey fights for its life. Depending where you are, the braided wire can also serve as fishing leader for fish with sharp teeth that would otherwise cut through your line.

Commercial Rabbit Snares: If space allows, carry real snares. They are often equipped with locking cams that prevent the snare from loosening after the animal realizes it's caught. These snares also have hardware designed to swivel to prevent the wire from kinking and breaking. If space allows, you can't beat a half dozen or more real snares. Just learn where and how to place them.

Flashlight: A high-intensity flashlight can help you confuse animals like … well, a deer in headlights. There's a reason why hunting some game with a flashlight is often illegal — it's simply effective. A good flashlight can help the survivor catch animals by hiding behind the wall of light. Paired with a spear, club, firearm, or other hunting tool, a flashlight is a game-changer.

With a few scavenged materials, a survivor can create a highly effective rodent trap. Rodents are numerous, nutritious, and easily caught with a roller-bottle bucket trap.

With a few scavenged materials, a survivor can create a highly effective rodent trap. Rodents are numerous, nutritious,...

Build a Better Mousetrap: Litter is found in the most remote places around the globe and some of the best traps are repurposed garbage. An easy but highly effective mousetrap requires a bucket, a piece of wire, and a bottle. The wire is inserted through the bottle and poked through the bottom. The wire is extended over the top of the bucket and you're left with a roller like those found on American Ninja Warrior. The bottle is baited with seeds, nuts, or scraps of leftover food. When the mouse stands on the bottle, it rolls off into the bucket. If you fill the bucket with water, the mouse drowns. These traps have been used in farmhouses and barns for years and for good reason.

Hunting

We've all known that one guy in our camp who takes the nearest piece of wood and sharpens it to a point for “bear protection.” An equally comical explanation may be given about how he'll use that spear to get dinner. Aside from scratching his ass, that “spear” won't work nearly as well as some of the hunting implements that'll put meat in the pot with a little practice. As previously mentioned, hunting does require energy and it burns calories, but this doesn't mean you should leave the hunting tools at home. Sometimes, shots present themselves, and you'll kick yourself if you could have taken it with any of the following.

Slingshots are not just kids' toys. When powered with modern bands, they're capable of dropping small game quietly with lead rounds, steel shot, or small pebbles.

Slingshots are not just kids' toys. When powered with modern bands, they're capable of dropping small game...

Slingshot: Unless you grew up in a sheltered household with overbearing parents, you probably had a slingshot as a kid. At some point, you probably noticed how well it worked on soda cans, or managed to scare off the neighborhood cat or the birds that cat was chasing. Since your childhood, slingshots have come a long way and are now equipped with more powerful bands cut from Theraband Gold. As long as you practice, you can become extremely proficient with one, and it's possible to kill squirrels, rabbits, snakes, ducks, and other small game. Keep a spare set of bands in an airtight bag and use marbles, steel or lead shot, or small pebbles as ammo.

Broadheads, field points, and bludgeon points can all be used from the same bow and arrow. If you have the room, a takedown bow and arrow makes a great addition to the predator pack.

Broadheads, field points, and bludgeon points can all be used from the same bow and arrow. If you have the room, a...

Bow and Arrow: While the slingshot works well and operates quietly enough for discreet hunting and undisturbed follow-up shots, the bow and arrow is the right tool for larger game and greater impact. The survivor can select field points, broadheads, or bludgeon points, depending on what animal is hunted. A good takedown bow that needs little maintenance along with a few arrows is easily packed opposite of the takedown fishing rod to balance out your pack.

.22 Pistol: If you're legally able to pack a quality .22 pistol, do it. In our experience, the .22 pistol is the king of compact survival firearms. Not quite rifle accurate, but accurate enough, the .22 is capable (with the right shot placement, of course) of putting food in your belly. A 4-inch barrel cuts velocity down, but not to a point it becomes impotent. Of course, if you can carry a longer barrel, do it. The increased sight radius will help you if you aren't running a micro red-dot.

Conclusion

There's no such thing as fair in the animal kingdom. Lions don't discriminate and will eat any easy meal they can sink their claws into. Wolves gang up and seek out the weaker animals, and sharks will hunt out the source of blood in the water even if it comes from one of their own. When a survivor takes on a predator mindset, he or she must be willing to accept the psychological conflict of killing immature or undersized game, destroying a nest for eggs, or maiming a cute and fuzzy animal and hearing it sound off in pain.

One must be willing to break sport hunting and fishing rules and regs if they want real results. From our experience, hunger is a great remedy for the guilt associated with cheating, and hunger can motivate the average person to unlock their primal self. Primal man existed long before sporting fair play. Next time you venture out, be prepared with your predator pack when you need to fill your belly at any cost.

About the Author

Kevin Estela is the owner/head instructor of Estela Wilderness Education, a bushcraft and survival school in New England. He's a Sayoc Kali Associate Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and an avid marksman. When not teaching outdoor skills, he's a full-time High School History Teacher and the Founder of the Estela Wilderness Education Fund.
www.kevinestela.com

10 Essentials of the Predator Pack

1. Mosquito Head Net: For use as a dip net
2. Kevlar Thread: Combined with gaff hooks for turtles
3. Rat Traps: Two to four for small game
4. Gil Net: Helps in catching larger fish
5. Automatic Fisherman: Great triggers for fishing or for small game
6. Rabbit Snares: Commercial grade (eight weigh approximately 1 pound)
7. Sling Shot with Spare Bands: For use as-is, or to rig up a Hawaiian sling
8. Treble Hooks: For predators or weight with split shot for snagging
9. Flashlight: Use with firearm for jacking or for frogging
10. Frog Gigs: for spearing frogs, fish, lizards, etc.

Luxury Items if Space Allows:

1. Extra fire-starter
2. Salt, pepper, oil, balsamic vinegar, and various spices to offset food boredom
3. Edible plant reference cards — no, one can't live on meat alone
4. Game processing blades, such as a small fillet and skinning blade
5. 110 Conibear: This trap is king, but each is heavy and bulky
6. .22 Pistol: Minimum 4-inch barrel. Browning Buck Mark shown here.

5 Ways of Stacking the Odds in Your Favor

Hunt at morning/night: Animals are most active during the early morning and late hours of the day. They tend to hunker down during the brightest hours of the day. To be more effective, avoid hunting and fishing when the sun is high. Spend your time building your kit and planning your predation during these hours.

Camouflage: Animals aren't foolish and unless it is injured or ill, you probably won't be able to walk right up to it. Camouflage yourself to the environment. Use natural concealment to hide your presence. Minimize your footprint and blend in.

Bait/chum: Baiting or chumming animals is often illegal in many jurisdictions. Don't discard, burn, or bury the entrails of an animal. Use the unwanted bits for scavenger bait. Racoons and catfish are fond of scraps and both are edible.

Overset (quantity of traps): There's no such thing as too many traps. If you're capable of setting 10, set 10. If you can set 15, set 15. Set as many as possible and learn to set them correctly. Assume some of your traps will be triggered, but won't harvest game. Even a 20-percent chance of success out of 10 traps is better than 100-percent success on one.

Ambush (driving game): Many survival scenarios involve a single person. With a team of two or more stuck in an emergency, a team can be coordinated to drive animals into nets or toward an ambushing member with a club or spear. Utilize natural choke points and create a strategy. Work like a pack of wolves and be lethally efficient.

When Manuals Get it Wrong, Get it Right

Too many survival manuals are butchered and doctored from their original source. Once information leaves the author's control, editors and art layout folks have the potential to tweak a factually correct point into something foreign that's more pleasing to the eye than it's effective in the field. Here are a couple common mistakes leading to misconceptions we've found in the survival manuals in many bookstores today.

Spearing a fish: Have you ever tried hooking a minnow through the body with a steel hook? It isn't easy, and this is when you have one hand on the fish and one on the hook. How many survival manuals show a single “pencil-point” type wooden spear going through a fish floating in the water? The best type of fish spear is a forked spear that pins the fish to the underwater bottom.

Complicated trap triggers: Some of the best trap triggers can be learned from classic poorly drawn survival manuals from true outdoorsmen. Many survival manuals today feature traps we've never seen a single person construct and set on their own (though it may be possible with a steady-handed team of two or more). Intimate knowledge of a handful of triggers is better than limited knowledge of many. Don't try constructing anything that looks like the boulder Wile E. Coyote balanced upon a sharp point in the cartoon world to kill the Road Runner.

“M”-shaped fish trap: We've all seen that sketch in manuals. A set of sticks is driven into the ground to create a trap that resembles the letter “M.” Sometimes the back of the trap is also cordoned off with a “C” shape to create a pen. This trap works as long as the conditions are right. It sucks in rocky creeks, it sucks when the fish sought are able to wiggle through the gates (weave some horizontal branches between the vertical), and it sucks when fish won't swim into it. In rocky conditions, build a trap out of rocks and to get the fish to swim into the trap, beat the water with evergreen boughs walking from upstream down.

Odinson Archery Takedown Bow and Arrows

Just like the samurai sword was the embodiment of the samurai, an Odinson Archery bow is the embodiment of bowyer and master archer, Alan Odinson. Both are tough as nails and highly capable. Odinson has taken his passion for archery and turned it into his company that provides PVC bows at a fraction of the cost of wooden counterparts without sacrificing performance. A quick YouTube search of Odinson Archery will reveal trick shots and performance tests all done with one of the PVC bows offered.

We tested out the Take Down Assassin bow along with some of his broadheads. The bow takes down into three pieces and draws approximately 40 pounds at 28 inches. The average velocity of arrows fired is 150 feet per second. When used with the optional broadheads, the penetration on foam targets is impressive. According to Alan Odinson, “Two-blade designs offer a few benefits over the classic four-blade broadhead.” This includes penetration comparable to that of four-blade designs shot from more powerful bows. In a weakened survival state, a lower draw weight will be easier to use for obvious reasons.

After testing, it's apparent Odinson Archery has perfected the process and execution of blending nontraditional materials to make traditional bows. Lightweight, water-resistant, inexpensive, and ambidextrous, Odinson's bows are perfect for survival. His bows do what they are designed to do and with enough practice, instinctive shooting is preferred over complex sights. For less than $100, the survivor can add another game-getting tool to their kit.
www.odinsonarchery.com

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

Curated Offers: These 100% Wireless Earbuds Offer Ultimate Listening Freedom

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Cellphone, keys, and wallet are the standard three items we all take with us everywhere, but it seems like earbuds have just about made their way onto that list. Whether exercising or working at the office, when are we not listening to some kind of new music, podcast, or audiobook? When you're in the zone, having an earbud yanked of your ear is incredibly irritating. Luckily, there's an easy solution: wireless earbuds, like the HomeSpot AirBeans X True Wireless Earbuds.

With a swell of manufacturers producing wireless earbuds, what sets these buds apart is quality. Featuring Bluetooth 4.2 technology and an LDS Antenna, these earbuds deliver a consistently powerful stream, allowing you to listen to your music uninterrupted and in the manner it was meant to be heard. And with 3 sizes of ear tips included, they'll be sure to fit comfortably in any ear. Plus, an included charging case allows you to magnetically recharge your buds for more than 8 hours of playback time. Not to mention, you can even take and make phone calls with increased clarity, thanks to noise reduction and echo cancellation technology.

You can pick up a pair of HomeSpot AirBeans X True Wireless Earbuds for 28% off at just $69.99. These earbuds are a perfectly portable companion for your active lifestyle.

Bush Winch: A Simple Vehicle Recovery Tool

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Building a bug-out vehicle means preparing for a wide range of road conditions, from everyday commutes on wide-open highway to slippery ascents up muddy trails. If you find yourself in a true emergency situation, it should go without saying that you don't want to be stuck in a ditch spinning your wheels. In all likelihood, no one will be around to pull you out, and time will be of the essence. So, you should prepare multiple methods of vehicle recovery in case you get stuck in the mud, sand, gravel, ice or snow.

Bush winch truck SUV offroad vehicle recovery mud sand snow 3

The most obvious tool for vehicular rescue is a winch. These bumper-mounted electric devices can easily hoist your vehicle out of that rut. Just unspool the cable, loop it around a nearby tree or rock, and hit the remote to start pulling with thousands of pounds of force. However, like any mechanical device, winches can fail. You'd better not put all your bug-out eggs in that basket.

Bush winch truck SUV offroad vehicle recovery mud sand snow 4

One clever alternative to a traditional winch was developed by Australian off-roaders, and it's incredibly simple. The Bush Winch doesn't use electric motors of any kind — instead, it's powered by one of your truck's drive wheels. As the wheel spins, it spools up the excess slack in the winch line, and pulls your truck slowly out of its rut.

Bush winch truck SUV offroad vehicle recovery mud sand snow 1

The Bush Winch is attached by a set of special wheel bolts and nuts, which must be installed ahead of time. Then when your vehicle becomes stuck, you can step outside, twist the winch drum into place on the nuts, and attach the winch rope to a nearby object. This can be done on any of the four wheels, assuming you have a 4×4 or all-wheel-drive car or truck. Each kit includes two cast alloy winch drums and two 66-foot high-strength winch ropes, as well as a wheel nuts and a carrying bag. Optional rope guides and ground anchors are also available.

While we can see some drawbacks to this system, such as stress on suspension components and wear on the rope as it contacts the ground. There also needs to be enough space between the wheel face and terrain to fit the winch drum, so you might need to do some shoveling. But it's still a clever backup system to add to your vehicle rescue kit.

MSRP for the Bush Winch kit is $568 Australian dollars, which equates to roughly $432 U.S. dollars at the time of this article. For more info, go to BushWinch.com.au.