As the saying goes, man cannot live on bread alone — or any one food source, for that matter. You may be able to sustain yourself on stockpiled dry beans and rice for quite a while, but eventually you're likely to develop a nutrient deficiency that will affect your health. Also, it's simply demoralizing to eat an extremely restrictive diet. This is why ideal nutrition guidelines always recommend a variety of meats, eggs, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Fresh-grown produce from the farmer's market is delicious and healthy, but it may not always be available.
In a survival situation, you may be confined to your home with limited access to outside resources, but that doesn't mean your diet has to be limited or unhealthy. We're big proponents of home gardening, either in the backyard or using an indoor hydroponic setup. Hydroponic gardening is water-based, and requires no soil or natural sunlight. So, with the right equipment, it's easy to set up a productive garden inside a garage, basement, or shed.
One especially simple type of hydroponics is known as the Kratky method. Unlike some other types of hydroponics, the Kratky method requires no pumps or electronic aids. If you grow outdoors or in a greenhouse, you won't even need grow lights, so this system can be entirely passive for grid-down situations. It's ideal for leafy greens, like lettuce, spinach, and herbs, though beans and tomatoes can be grown with some adjustments.
Rick Hinderer has what most people would consider a dream job. In a way, this veteran bladesmith could be considered the Willy Wonka of the knife-making world. Granted, his laid-back and approachable demeanor doesn't match the wacky exuberance of the fictional chocolatier, but the products that leave his manufacturing facility often transcend the norm.
Many of the blades and pens produced by Rick Hinderer Knives are practical for every-day carry, and while priced at a premium, all that we've handled are built to a high standard of quality. The XM-18 is a mainstay of the knife collection and customization scene, and we were impressed by our recent evaluation of the MP-1. But the limited-run machined items from the company are often more unusual, excessive, and sometimes borderline absurd. Such is the case for the Double Knuckle Shot cup.
Hinderer's “Battlefield Pickup” Copper
We recently reached out to Hinderer for a sample of the Extreme Duty Pen for our Tactical Pen Buyer's Guide — coming soon in RECOIL OFFGRID Issue 22, on sale October 6th. Rick sent us a few samples of the pen, including one in a very special finish:
This Extreme Duty pen is machined from a solid piece of copper, then splashed and splattered with acid to create a one-of-a-kind etched finish. Hinderer calls this finish Battlefield Pickup because it looks like something dug out of a trench, as opposed to the glossy machined or smooth stonewashed finishes on his other products. Combined with the earth tones of the copper and the vibrant color of the burnt titanium pocket clip, it's a very striking look.
As you may know, copper also has a tendency to oxidize over time, so this patina will continue to develop as the pen is used. The material is also surprisingly heavy, making this tactical pen a formidable tool for self-defense.
The special-edition pen is finished with laser-engraved R.H.K. lettering and a cartouche symbol on the cap. These markings are intended to mimic the stamps and inspection marks found on vintage firearms, and they further the steampunk vibe this copper writing instrument gives off. For our full review of this pen, check out the Pocket Preps buyer's guide in Issue 22 of our print magazine.
As you can see in the photo above, Hinderer also included two other items which we didn't expect. These both share the same solid copper construction and Battlefield Pickup finish. The smaller Investigator tactical pen was previously reviewed here on OFFGRIDweb, but we must say that the new finish looks good on it. The metal cup beneath is something much more unusual.
The Hinderer Double Knuckle Shot
This solid copper cup is one of the most bizarre and extravagant limited-edition items we've seen from Hinderer to date. Yes, it's weirder than the Hinderer Wicked Divot golf tool and the double-edged Maximus folding dagger. We haven't been aware of anyone who has made a solid metal shot cup with a functional and detachable knuckle duster… until now.
The Double Knuckle is an evolution of the DoubleShot, which we reviewed alongside the Investigator pens.
The Hinderer Double Knuckle Shot is appropriately-named — it's ready to carry a shot of your favorite liquor, or to deliver a shot to someone else's jaw. Like the DoubleShot that preceded it, this cup is machined out of a solid piece of metal, with a raised diamond-pattern texture around the exterior and a weighted base.
While the patina inside the cup may lead you to believe the copper will imbue bitter or metallic flavor into your alcohol, we didn't notice any smell or aftertaste. However, don't fill it with any acidic or carbonated liquids, because there's a chance this could lead to food poisoning as a result of toxic levels of copper leaching into your shot. Best to stick with high-proof booze instead.
Note the standard filler tab opposite the pocket clip on this Hinderer MP-1 folding knife.
Unlike the DoubleShot, this cup has four flat sections around its circumference where Hinderer filler tabs can be installed and displayed. For those who aren't familiar with Hinderer knives, these filler tabs are oblong pieces of metal which attach to the company's folding knives in place of the reversible pocket clip. Each Hinderer XM-series knife includes one, so the user can switch its position with the pocket clip for tip-up or tip-down carry.
Special Hinderer filler tabs can be surprisingly rare, expensive, and sought-after in knife collector circles.
The customization scene has led to the release of filler tabs in special colors, materials, and intricate designs including koi fish, crusader's crosses, and skulls. If you're a Hinderer knife aficionado, the eight positions on the Double Knuckle Shot's exterior provide a place to store and show off your spare tabs.
Like the copper Battlefield Pickup pens, this special-edition cup includes an R.H.K. stamp and a cartouche symbol. Double Knuckle cups are available in other finishes, but those will not include these details. Flipping the cup upside-down, you'll see that the base has been engraved with the Rick Hinderer Knives logo.
This Double Knuckle Shot came to us as a box set, with two threaded bases. These bases are also made of solid copper; one is the same diameter as the cup, the other is taller and wider with a flared-out bottom. Each of the bases includes an O-ring-sealed cavity that Hinderer calls a stash compartment.
All we can say is that it's up to you what you keep inside — it probably wouldn't be wise to walk around with any illegal contraband stashed, considering the proximity to the aggressive-looking spiked knuckles, which are also illegal to carry in many jurisdictions (check your local laws).
The Removable Knuckles
Speaking of knuckles, we'll go into some more detail about the cup's defining feature. Like the rest of the body, the connected rings are machined out of solid copper, with a series of small holes drilled around the perimeter to reduce weight. At the front, four hardened spikes have been pressed in, and they're sharp enough that we certainly wouldn't want to take a hit from them.
The knuckles are attached to the cup by four small Torx screws, which match up to the holes in two of the eight filler tab openings. So, if you'd like to keep the knuckles at home for a less-weaponized appearance, or they're illegal to carry in your area, just remove these screws and set the knuckles aside. Extra copper filler tabs and screws were included to make the swap seamless.
Although we had no desire to get into bar-room brawls with the Double Knuckle, the spiked rings will do a reasonably good job of protecting your knuckles against impacts. More importantly, they feel comfortable to grip while drinking. They also make the cup look like a miniature beer stein, which is pretty cool for display purposes.
Conclusions
The Hinderer Double Knuckle Shot cup is ludicrous, unnecessary, and it retails for $400. Yes, that's right, $400 — assuming you can find one for sale at one of Hinderer's third-party dealers. Once those dealers run out of stock, the price might even go up, if private-party sales of special-edition Hinderer knives are any indication.
It's definitely the coolest-looking shot cup we own, and materials and craftsmanship are top-notch. But we can't see many people purchasing these unless they're hardcore Hinderer knife collectors, or they're rolling in Scrooge McDuck piles of f–k you money.
There are also the potential implications of carrying an object that combines alcohol consumption, spiked knuckle dusters, and a stash compartment that's just the right size for various uh… substances. It's the perfect accessory for a night of debauchery, but it'd take some explaining if said debauchery leads to law enforcement contact. And you definitely don't want your rare $400 shot cup confiscated.
That said, the ridiculous nature of the Double Knuckle Shot still constantly puts a goofy grin on our faces. We'd much rather spend our money on a practical folding knife or other EDC tools, but we love that this cup exists and that Rick Hinderer was crazy enough to bring it into (limited) production. It's up there with a pair of gold-plated nunchucks or a jewel-encrusted cane sword in terms of practical usability, but it's beautifully-crafted and one heck of a conversation piece.
For more information on the Hinderer Double Knuckle Shot, check RickHindererKnives.com or search the company's authorized dealers. Two of these cups are currently available through DLT Trading.
There are a few constants that define a good knife — it must be sharp, durable, large enough to accomplish its intended tasks, and small enough to remain controllable. But beyond these points, much of knife design is up to personal preference. What works for you may not work for others, and that's why we see so much variation in the knife-making industry.
During his seven and a half years in the service, U.S. Army veteran Kelly McCulley developed his own opinion on what a good combat knife looks like. In 2010, he began putting these designs on paper, and eventually started producing them for fellow servicemen and women. Kelly's latest design has reached an even wider audience through a new partnership with TOPS Knives.
The TOPS Knives Missile Strike blends the piercing power of a combat knife and the practical slicing ability of a camp knife. Its most distinctive feature is its large forefinger guard, which allows the user to lock in a firm grip without concerns about slipping a finger forward onto the blade.
The 6-inch spear point blade is clearly designed for thrusts and piercing, but the top edge is actually a swedge. This means it lacks a sharp secondary grind by default. However, TOPS offers an optional sharpened top edge at no extra charge. The spine of the 1/4-inch-thick 1095 carbon steel blade features jimping grooves for added control, and the entire 11.3-inch full-tang knife is finished in durable coyote tan Cerakote.
The Missile Strike's handle is slender, with tan canvas micarta scales and a tapered pommel that's useful for overhand strikes and prying. The holes on the pommel and forefinger guard allow the user to weave a D-guard from paracord for an even more secure grip. This knife includes a tan Kydex sheath and molded nlyon belt clip.
The TOPS Missile Strike is listed at an MSRP of $210, though the current price is $170 through the company's web store. For more information, go to TOPSknives.com.
Warning! The exercises and content expressed in this column are for illustrative purposes only. Consult a medical professional before trying any physical activity or nutritional plan.
At this point, America is heavier than ever, and it doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. The holidays, especially wintertime, seem to be synonymous with weight gain and poor health choices. As a prepper, this is directly at odds with your physical preparation plan. Extra weight gain will surely slow you down and make survival in a crisis even more difficult.
Shedding weight means minding your plates, both in the kitchen and in the gym. There are many different popular diet programs out there right now, but they all operate on the basic premise of a calorie deficit. Whether you're on a paleo plan, doing intermittent fasting, trying a ketogenic diet, or out in the wilderness eating anything you can scavenge, eating fewer calories than you use typically results in weight loss.
So, follow along as we review some strategies to avoid the winter bulge and keep you fit and healthy for what may lie ahead.
Protein
Protein is a critical component of anyone's diet, especially when it comes to losing weight. Higher protein diets tend to result in more weight loss. Protein contains 4 calories per gram, but more energy is required to break them down than carbohydrates or fats. This concept is called the Thermic Effect of Feeding. You actually use more calories when eating proteins. This is part of the reason why many higher-protein diets result in weight loss, assuming the rest of the diet is composed of healthy foods. Moreover, higher protein diets — when combined with a resistance training program — boost muscle mass. This can increase your resting energy expenditure, ensuring you'll burn more calories at rest.
Recommendation: Consuming up to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight can help you feel satisfied longer after meals and improve body composition. Game animals can be a great source of protein, as can protein powders, eggs, or fish.
Carbohydrates
Carbs aren't the enemy they're made out to be. There's some truth to the idea that certain people handle carbohydrates better than others, but carbs don't necessarily make you gain weight. Much like proteins, carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. But it's not the number of calories that's important, it's the type of carbohydrate that really matters.
When you eat highly refined carbs or simple sugars, you may end up getting higher cholesterol, higher triglycerides, insulin resistance, and more body fat. Foods like sugar, white bread, and pasta are good examples. On the other hand, carbohydrates from better sources can do nearly the opposite. Lower cholesterol, less body fat, lower triglycerides, and better blood sugar control are all characteristics of slower digesting, higher fiber carbohydrates. These types of carbs include quinoa, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables. If times are tough and you're out foraging for food, you should grab anything you can. When given the option, though, keep an eye out for foods with higher fiber content.
Recommendation: When focusing on weight loss, you should include roughly one to two cupped handfuls of healthy carbohydrates per meal. Because carbs are handled slightly differently depending on the person, if you notice that you've gained weight or you're not losing any weight, consider reducing the amount you're eating before changing anything else.
Fats
Just like carbohydrates, there are good and bad fats. The thing to understand is that eating fat doesn't make you fat. That's important to grasp. Unlike carbohydrates and proteins, fats are more calorie-dense with 9 calories per gram of fat. So, be careful of eating too much fat, as it's easy to consume too much when they're readily available in shelled or nut butter form. This is why eating nuts in the shell typically results in consuming fewer calories.
Good fats from sources like nuts, avocados, fish, eggs, and coconut oil are great in moderate amounts. You should avoid trans fats like the plague, which are found in margarine, baked goods, fast foods, microwave popcorn, and frozen pizza — yes, all the foods you already know aren't good for you.
Recommendation: Because fats are so highly calorie dense, shoot for one to two thumb-sized portions of healthy fat per meal.
Sample Meal
Given the recommendations so far, a sample meal for weight loss might look like this:
One to two small chicken breasts (each one roughly palm-sized)
1/4 cup of quinoa (roughly one cupped handful)
Two to three fist-sized portions of spinach salad topped with two tablespoons (about two thumbs) of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Fitness for Fat Loss
At the heart of the matter, obesity or weight gain can be partially related to inactivity. Beginning a workout program comes with many positive effects such as increased testosterone, reduced body fat, increased bone density, increased muscle mass, among others.
Resistance training should be an element of any weight loss program because it creates a substantial metabolic demand. To reduce body fat, we should focus on lifting moderate weight, roughly in the 8- to 12-repetition range with rest periods anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds between sets. For beginners, slightly higher repetition ranges can also work well.
We'll pair exercises that don't affect each other, such as a dumbbell chest press and a cable row. This way, when you train your chest, the back is able to rest, and vice versa. This is where the large demand on your body takes place: The muscles are able to rest, but the overall systemic effect still occurs. It's not uncommon to see weight loss purely from adopting this style of training and making little to no changes with diet. The effect is more pronounced when we include combination lifts, which are usually a mixture of one upper body and a lower body lift together in the same exercise. You'll see some examples of this in the sample workout provided.
To give you an idea of what this looks like, here's a sample of a workout you might use if you're looking to shed body fat.
Squat Jump: 4 Sets of 10 Reps
1. Begin in a standing position with or without a weight.
2. Quickly sit into a squat position, imagining you're sitting between your knees.
3. Explode off the floor.
4. Land softly, and repeat for 10 total repetitions.
Dumbbell Chest Press: 3 Sets of 12 Reps
1. Lie flat on a bench with dumbbells straight above your shoulders and your shoulder blades tucked back and down under you.
2. Slowly lower the dumbbells until your elbows are roughly in-line with your body. Your upper arms should be about 45 degrees relative to your body.
3. Press the weights back up just shy of locking out your elbows.
4. Repeat for 12 repetitions.
Kettlebell Goblet Squat to Overhead Press: 3 Sets of 10 Reps
1. Start by holding a kettlebell at your chest.
2. Sit your hips back until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
3. Drive your heels through the floor, fast, and press the kettlebell over your head once your legs straighten.
4. Slowly bring the kettlebell back to your chest.
5. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Barbell Bent-Over Row: 3 Sets of 10 Reps
1. Hold a bar at arm's-length with your hands just outside your thighs.
2. Keeping your back flat and knees soft, sit your hips back and slide the bar down just below your knees.
3. From that bottom position, drive your elbows back and shoulder blades together. Don't let your elbows pass your body.
4. Complete 10 repetitions, and drive your feet through the floor to stand back up.
Straight-Leg Sit-Up: 3 Sets of 8 Reps
1. Lie on your back with your arms straight towards the ceiling. You can do this with bodyweight or with a medicine ball or kettlebell.
2. Keeping your arms and legs straight, sit up and reach your arms towards the ceiling.
3. Slowly return back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Conclusion
This physical preparation plan yields weight loss. Everyone can make changes to both their diet and exercise routine, so make sure to get at least a couple of good takeaways from this material. The best results come with consistency, so try making small changes and progressively add more as you master the previous steps. ‘We all know winter is coming, but extra holiday pounds don't have to come with it.
About the Author
Ryne Gioviano is the owner of Achieve Personal Training & Lifestyle Design in Aurora, Illinois. He holds a master's degree in exercise physiology, a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer, and Precision Nutrition Certified Nutritional Coach. Gioviano is also an avid firearms enthusiast. For more information, please visit www.Achieve-PersonalTraining.com.
In the past, we've discussed the potential merits and drawbacks of RVs in bug-out scenarios. On one hand, they're comfortable and convenient — it's like rolling around in your own personal hotel room, with plenty of storage for all the gear, food, and water you need for a long journey. On the other hand, they're often very expensive to own and maintain. Also, traditional RVs have one especially substantial drawback: they're conspicuous.
While you might feel right at home in a cushy $250,000 RV, in an emergency situation, there will undoubtedly be those who want to take it from you. Since huge motorhomes don't exactly blend in with traffic, it wouldn't be hard for someone malicious to follow you to your destination and jack your home on wheels at gunpoint. In these situations, it's worthwhile to consider the “gray man” philosophy and choose a vehicle that's less ostentatious.
This old box truck doesn't scream “survival shelter” but offers plenty of room in a discreet package.
One enterprising DIYer from Minnesota decided to build his own stealth RV from a vehicle that's easy to overlook: a plain white box truck. The platform he used is a 1994 International 4900, with a turbo diesel motor and automatic transmission. It's reportedly small enough to be driven legally without a special commercial driver's license (CDL), and the side door and rear power liftgate make it easy to load up the interior.
The inside of the truck isn't as polished as a professionally-built RV, but it includes the comforts of home. There's a stowable bed, shower, chemical toilet, a table that converts into a couch or desk, and even a projector for watching movies. The full kitchen includes a sink, stovetop, oven, fridge/freezer, and lots of counter and storage space.
The box truck's water and air heating systems run on propane, and it also has digital air conditioning and 4-inch wall insulation to maintain a comfortable living space year-round. Its electrical system is powered by six golf cart batteries that are charged by the engine, and connected to a 1000-watt inverter. The haphazard wiring under the hood isn't the most confidence-inspiring, but it appears to get the job done.
We could see the merit of sticking a weathered logo on the side to make it less appealing to thieves — even the most desperate criminals will probably ignore a truck that says “waste disposal” on the side. But even in its current form, this International box truck looks nowhere near as conspicuous as a shiny and expensive motorhome.
As children, many of us enjoyed playing in the dirt, mud, and sand. We dug holes, piled up barriers, made mud pies, and built rudimentary structures such as sandcastles, battlefields for our action figures, or racetracks for our toy trucks. Those skills may seem useless now that we've reached adulthood, but in the context of primitive survival, knowing how to work with mud can actually be a valuable skill. So, if you want to survive without modern supplies, get ready to get dirty.
Some of the earliest human civilizations used structures made of simple mud, and even today, it's a viable building material for long-term emergency shelters. Mud bricks can also be used to construct fireplaces, chimneys, or pottery kilns — as seen in the Primitive Technology video below.
These bricks are simple to create from dirt, water, and some form of reinforcing fiber such as hay or dry grass. In this video, the Primitive Technology host uses dry and shredded palm fibers to fortify his mud, and adds it to a four-piece wood mold. This provides uniform size and shape, which makes building structures much easier. Some of the mud bricks are also cut in half to form squares.
Once the mud bricks are removed from the mold and dried in the sun, they're stacked into a kiln furnace and sealed with an extra layer of mud. The host of Primitive Technology then expertly forms some curved roof tiles from clay, and inserts them into the kiln to harden. If you're interested in more of his pottery projects, check out our recap of his Pottery Kiln Improvements video.
The resulting mud bricks are turned into a kiln, which is then used to create pottery.
Even if you're not planning to make a kiln and roof tiles, these reinforced mud bricks could make a sturdy long-term shelter for almost any wilderness survival situation.
Following the widespread coverage of the Glock Gen5 pistol reveal — click here to read a full recap on RECOILweb — there has been another noteworthy development from the Austrian firearm manufacturer. A new pistol known as the Glock 46 has been developed, and it has some features that mark a major departure from the rest of the company's products.
A cutaway drawing illustrating the rotary barrel design.
The Glock 46 was reportedly designed to meet the specifications of German law enforcement. It features many of the Gen5 changes, including an ambidextrous slide stop and lack of finger grooves on the grip. However, there's also a much larger beavertail that isn't present on other Gen5 models.
Most interestingly, the Glock 46 uses a rotating barrel design that differs from the tilting barrel seen on other Glock models. This feature correlates with patent applications filed by Glock, and also means that the gun can be taken down without having to pull the trigger.
It should be common knowledge not to eat wild plants unless you can determine that they're safe, but starvation can lead to taking risks, especially when it comes to potentially edible berries. When your body is racked by hunger pains, you may be tempted to eat foods that might otherwise seem questionable in order to stay alive. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous proposition, since those same foods can contain toxins that will only worsen your condition through vomiting, diarrhea, or even death.
Left: edible grapes. Right: poisonous Pokeberries. (Photo via Poison.org)
Worst of all, Mother Nature seems to have a sick sense of humor — many edible plants have extremely poisonous dopplegangers which share a similar appearance. If you're unfortunate enough to misidentify these toxic plants as their edible cousins, it could end up being the last mistake you ever make. If you're feeling confident in your foraging skills, try your hand at our poisonous mushroom identification quiz, and see just how difficult it can be to correctly pick out the dangerous species.
Delicious grape tomatoes, seen here, can easily be confused with dangerous wild Horsenettle.
Berries may seem like a great source of survival food, but like mushrooms and other plants, it's essential to identify them correctly before you chow down. The following infographic from Alan's Factory Outlet shows 15 edible berries, and 15 poisonous berries which they closely resemble. Click here to download a full-size version of this infographic.
Studying this graphic can help you remember the risks, but if you're not positive a plant is safe, don't eat it! Or, at the very least, use the Universal Edibility Test to check if it will make you sick before consuming large quantities.
Food security is a big deal. If you disagree, try going for a week without eating and see what happens. After just 72 hours, you'll begin to see a dramatic decline in your ability to function physically, mentally, and emotionally. Talk with anyone who has experienced the desperation of true hunger, and you'll begin to appreciate why underestimating food will never be a good idea.
But even with top-notch planning and preparations, feeding yourself during an extended crisis can be challenging. Initially you may be able to get by with whatever is readily available — a can of tuna, peanut butter sandwiches, or maybe some freeze-dried, camping-style meals. While these foods will keep you alive, when the days start turning into weeks, you'll want more substantial meals.
However, in the aftermath of a disaster your options for cooking, or even heating up food, may be severely limited. Without electricity, for example, the majority of our modern kitchens go cold. In a crisis scenario, if you want to continue eating hot meals, you'll need other options.
The Background
Solar, propane, and wood/coal grills are some of the go-to cooking methods when the fancy push-button kitchen appliances go dark. But this is also where the difficulties often begin. If you're lucky enough to have outdoor space, you might be able to fire-up a grill, or an LP gas camping-style stove. You may even be inspired to set up an old-school fire pit. In a pinch, all of these options can crank up some serious heat, but these cooking methods can also be dangerous and will attract lots of unwanted attention. Plus there's the issue of storing hazardous fuels, and the risk of exposure to dangerous fumes and emissions, especially if you operate your makeshift kitchen too close to your dwelling. And let's not forget the weather, and potential security threats.
If you have sufficient sun exposure you might also be inclined to cook with a solar oven. This method uses the sun's energy as fuel. But, you'll need long, sunny days, and someone to stand watch over the solar oven and the food it contains. Solar cooking will not only take you and your food outside, but it'll advertise that you have food.
Finally, people who live in densely populated urban areas will have even fewer options, since discreet outdoor space may be at a premium, or completely unavailable. Considering all the challenges, is there really a safe and reliable off-grid cooking option? There is, enter the HERC XXL Oven.
The 411
Titan Ready USA is an American company that made a name for itself by creating practical water storage and cooking solutions for emergency situations. One of these innovative designs is the HERC (Home Emergency Radiant Cooking) XXL Oven. It cooks, bakes, and dehydrates by harnessing the thermal energy from affordable, and easy-to-store, tea light candles — pretty amazing stuff. It produces sufficient heat to prepare hot meals without the need for electricity, gas, or other dangerous fuels.
This is especially significant when you consider that the oven can be used safely indoors, day or night, away from prying eyes, the weather and potential threats.
It harnesses the thermal energy from tea light candles, storing it in the quarry stones that line the underside of the oven's inner surface and releasing the radiant energy back into the food. The HERC XXL uses two methods of thermal energy transfer: like a conventional oven, it uses convection and electromagnetic radiation (radiant).
In addition, exterior walls are made from 18-gauge stainless steel that reflects the thermal energy produced by the candles, and stored in the quarry stones, back onto the food being cooked. Stainless steel was specifically chosen due to its strength, durability, and because it's a poor conductor of thermal energy, thus keeping the heat inside. Twenty common tea light candles provide a run-time of approximately four to five hours. When compared to other fuel sources, tea candles are inexpensive, readily available, and easy to use and store. (Note: You should never leave an open flame unattended, indoors or out.)
The entire oven weighs only 28 pounds. Sure, it won't find its way into your bug-out bag, but it does break down for transport in your truck or RV. It packs flat when disassembled and stows neatly into the heavy-duty, reinforced carrying bag that's included.
The Verdict
The HERC XXL is awesome. Assembly took about 25 minutes; no tools needed. Figure another 30 minutes to preheat the oven to cooking temperature (about 350 degrees F), and you're ready to cook. Plus, the oven provides ample cooking space, accommodating a large 15×11-inch pan or baking dish with ease.
Two things really impressed us: the simplicity and effectiveness of the oven's design and the uncomplicated fuel source.
Beyond that, it's just incredible how many different foods you can prepare, from roasting meats and simmering stews to cooking rice and making pasta — and just about anything else you could cook up in a typical kitchen.
At $389 the HERC XXL isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. It's a well-made, quality product that'll provide years of service. More importantly, it's an essential piece of gear that'll seamlessly complement and enhance your food security plan and preparations. Thumbs up on this one.
Make & Model
Titan Ready USA HERC XXL Oven
Weight
28 pounds
Dimensions
19 by 12 by 12
Materials
18-gauge 304 stainless steel with brushed finished
Richard Duarte is a practicing attorney, urban survival consultant, writer, and firearms enthusiast. He's the author of Surviving Doomsday: A Guide for Surviving an Urban Disaster and The Quick Start Guide for Urban Preparedness. www.quickstartsurvival.com
Learning to survive is no easy feat. It requires continuous study, careful selection of gear, and hands-on practice. Fortunately, you don't have to learn on your own — an experienced instructor can help you take your skills to the next level, and be better prepared to deal with adverse conditions. Better yet, a group of like-minded individuals can assist you on your journey towards preparedness, and make the learning experience more fun and rewarding.
This logic formed the basis for the Modern Mountain Man Rendezvous, or 3MR. This non-profit event is a three-day gathering designed to share outdoor skills with students of all ages and experience levels. 3MR was devised by survival instructors Jonathan Heffron and Brady Pesola, and takes place each year at the Broken Oak Ranch in southern California.
Broken Oak Ranch provides an excellent setting for learning survival skills.
Luckily for us, this location is only two hours from RECOIL OFFGRID headquarters. So, we're planning to attend the upcoming 3MR event on October 13th through 15th. If you're interested in joining us at the event, you can sign up at 3MR.vet.
We recently had the opportunity to chat with 3MR co-founder Brady Pesola, a USMC veteran who is also the founder of the San Diego School of Survival. We interviewed Brady about his survival philosophy, gear preferences, and the history of 3MR. Even if you can't make it to the event, keep reading — you may learn something from our Q&A below.
How did you first become interested in survivalism?
I grew up in the outdoors in northern Minnesota, and my dad had taught me how to hunt and be smart. Survival skills were just a byproduct. The older I got, the more I realized that it's common sense to know this kind of information if you are spending time in the backcountry. I am now slowly teaching my daughter these skills.
Brady along with some of his students during a recent 3MR event. Photo: @sandiegosos
As you continued to develop your survival and emergency preparedness skills, what sources did you learn from or take inspiration from? Which books, movies, TV shows, instructors, or mentors motivated you to grow your skillset?
The way I see it, TV shows and books are all great, and teach both what to do and not to do. But experience beats all. You have to develop muscle memory and practice these skills!
They teach us in the military to train like you fight, and survival is a fight for your life against Mother Nature. TV shows definitely motivate you to get out and try it, but what motivates me to be in nature is the movie Jeremiah Johnson. [Editor's note: this 1972 film stars Robert Redford as a mountain man who overcomes the challenges of survival on the American frontier. You can check out the trailer below.]
I believe that by having just read the title of this film, hair grew on my chest. Also, Mykel Hawke ain't a bad guy to learn from. He's a solid dude and loves answering questions!
Every survivalist has different gear preferences and priorities, so we often ask this question: what are the top 5 items you'd never go into the wilderness without?
Every time I head out into the woods, go on road trips, or just go overnight camping, I never leave home without:
Glock 19. I don't mind the weight and most hunters know 3 shots in the air signals distress. Great for concealing and over-all defense. Fits in a pack well or my holster for appendix IWB carry.
Ham radio with a J-pole antenna, a list of local repeaters, extra batteries. I was a radio operator in the Marines and shit didn't happen until comm was up. Get ham a license and start talking — you can get more reliable intel during disasters than your average DJ on the radio, who doesn't know his head from his ass when reporting on anything going on. And when you get lost you can radio your location to some redneck who is more likely to know your location. He may give you a little shit for having to pick you up, but it's nothing a 12-pack can't handle to get him to shut up.
Navigation. I always have my Garmin eTrex 30 GPS unit with topographic maps loaded, as well as a physical TOPO map. I prefer shaded relief with UTM grid lines and 1:24,000 scale to help plot my location and know where I am. Having a UTM reader is handy with a TOPO map. I always have my Suunto M9 compass to help me keep my azimuth when traversing heavy terrain.
Brady carries TOPO maps, a lensatic compass, and a UTM reader tool for navigation. Photo: @sandiegosos
My ferro rod. It's waterproof, lightweight, and lasts a while. I carry one on my neck as a toggle above a piece of leather stamped with Thor's hammer everywhere I go. I can even go on planes and through security with it. Always have a way to make a fire!
Water. I always carry a 3-liter bladder with me in the woods, and plenty of water in the car on the go. I don't like being far from water, especially here in San Diego.
Conversely, are there any items you would NOT recommend carrying in a bug-out bag or survival kit?
Your bug-out bag needs to be light and easy to carry. Spend 5 minutes on any Facebook survival/prepper/bushcraft group and you will see people with the typical Alice pack filled with bullshit they don't need that weighs more than the 3-day patrol kit of the average Marine grunt. I've seen BS like cast iron pans, and out-of-date sleeping bags grunts carried in the '90s because it's “mil-spec”.
An example of 1970s-era ALICE, or All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment. Photo: U.S. Army / Wikipedia
Look, your bug out kit is only good as long as your fat ass can carry it. Spend time on weekends and actually try to survive on it overnight on a long trip. I guarantee you will figure out what you need by mile 5.
Don't be afraid to pick the mind of ultra-light-weight hikers and the hippie crowd. People hike the Pacific Coast Trail for 4 months with less and survive well. They know a thing or two! There is a reason why the SF guys that civilian commandos worship go to REI for their combat gear. Might be a hint. If it says mil-spec, it means it's shit.
What EDC gear do you always have on your person in case of emergencies during your daily routine?
I have a pack I take everywhere that doesn't look military. Part of having an EDC is blending in.
Brady's “gray man” EDC pack of choice is an OGIO Renegade.
My EDC pack is an OGIO Renegade. Inside, I have a first aid kit with shears and a tourniquet. My ham radio with two types of antennas, local repeater freqs, OC [pepper] spray, a handheld flashlight, 5.11 Tactical gloves for any work like changing a tire, a strap cutter, headlamp, extra batteries, my GPS and SPOT device, Glock 19, multi-tool, Gerber LMF II fixed-blade knife, a spool tool with 550 paracord, ferro rod, a water bottle, Enola Gaye signaling smoke device, and my hiking boots with Smartwool socks in my car in case I have to go on foot for long distances.
The 10-inch Gerber LMF II fixed blade includes a 420HC stainless blade with partial serrations.
On my body is a Spyderco Endura 4 with Emerson wave, a Gerber Crucial multi tool, a small tac light with a defensive bezel, and my ferro toggle around my neck. Inside my phone case is my lock pick kit behind my phone. On my wrist is a Suunto Core which is getting replaced by the Traverse Alpha.
My belt is a 5.11 Apex gunner's belt. I started wearing 5.11 again now that they are going away from the 2005 contractor tux everyone strived to imitate at SHOT Show. I also carry a Sharpie marker with the cap taped shut — it's great as an impact device. In fact, the three things you can always carry with you no matter where you go are a belt, a flashlight, and a Sharpie as a weapon. These items won't land you in a third-world country jail.
Tell us a little about the history of the Modern Mountain Man Rendezvous (3MR) event. How did it begin?
3MR is partially my brain child, and partially that of Jon Heffron of the Wingman115 YouTube channel. [Editor's note: check out the 3MR recap video from Jon's channel about the upcoming 3MR event.]
We thought it would be cool to have an event where outdoor vendors can show off their gear, and campers get thousands of dollars of survival classes for the cost of a tank of gas. All the instructors are veterans and enthusiasts in the outdoor community!
This is our third event and it's shaping up to be a fun one, with a three-gun run-and-shoot course where the guns are replaced by a tomahawk, recurve bow, and a spear.
“This was our group this weekend trying to prep the property for the 3MR event.” – Brady
What's your definition of a “Modern Mountain Man”? How does this course address that lifestyle?
Modern mountain man to me is anyone who enjoys and knows how to survive outdoors. They can be climbers, hikers, off-roaders, hunters, and the list goes on and on. Each one must be a master in their skill, as mountain men were masters in theirs.
Hugh Glass, the man whose story formed the basis for “The Revenant”, is a classic example of a mountain man.
We all have the same passion for the outdoors, and know Mother Nature can be a nasty bitch who likes to throw chaos in our direction, but we all smile at the challenge.
How has the 3MR event evolved since its inception?
We are constantly evolving new classes and new types of people — in fact, women outnumbered men at our last event. Children took part in rabbit cleaning and cooking, and there were people of all political spectrums enjoying the classes together. This year, we are adding the three-gun-style competition, which is fun.
The Triple B Adventures crew doing some trail-clearing on Palomar Mountain. Photo: @triplebadventures
The first 3MR was just for fun, but the last two were designed as fundraisers for our veteran non-profit called Triple B Adventures, where we take veterans outdoors, hunting hiking camping and fishing. Our mission is to combat the common issues that plague the veteran community. All proceeds go back to Triple B Adventures.
Kit Fox Outfitters has also been instrumental in the development of the 3MR event.
How would you approach surviving an urban disaster, as opposed to surviving in the wilderness?
You know, to be honest, it's not much different. We still need fire, water, food and shelter. It just so happens that warmth and shelter are a little easier to accomplish in an urban disaster.
The only difference now is that there will be more people, and at times they can become more of a threat than the conditions that caused the urban disaster. In an end-of-the-world situation, my approach would be to hunker down, and raid my neighbors resources while they are stuck on the roads, at the gas station, or at the grocery store. My first option (if I can help it) is to pop smoke and get out of town with my family before it happens.
Photo: @sandiegosos
In your experience, what's the biggest mistake rookie survivalists make?
I don't come down on people for making mistakes, we all still make them, it's how we learn and become better at increasing our chances of survival. That said, the biggest mistake I see is using TV personalities as the authority on survival.
In my opinion there is no such thing as a survival expert. It's a fancy term that producers tell personalities to say for ratings. To me an expert implies that you know everything there is to know about survival, and I don't think anyone really has a handle on all of it. We are all still students to Mother Nature and the art of staying alive.
There's nothing wrong with making a mistake — what's wrong is never learning from it. You can't be a good instructor if you have never made a mistake.
Is there any other key survival tip you'd like to share with our readers?
Check your mind and your heart during times of crisis. All the skills and tools in the world don't mean shit if you can't survive your own mind first. That's the harshest environment to survive in my opinion. Once you figure that out and get control of yourself, everything else is a piece of cake.
If our readers would like to learn more about 3MR, San Diego School of Survival, and your other projects, what are the best ways to do so?
Give me a call or text on my cell phone. No, seriously, I tell all veterans I come across to call me for anything. When you call you will hear a human. 760-815-7673. Besides, all the numbers on the site are my cell anyway. You can also check out our websites:
Modern Mountain Man Rendezvous (3MR) – www.3mr.vet
