How to Use Your Watch as a Compass

Written by

The sun is essential to survival, and not just because its presence keeps the Earth from turning into a frozen wasteland. Brief interruptions of sunlight like this week's solar eclipse remind us of how much we take it for granted in our daily lives. And in a survival scenario, the sun can be used to cook food, purify water, or even navigate to safety.

riding-bicycle-through-forest-at-sunset

If you're wearing a watch that doesn't have a built-in compass, you should take some time (no pun intended) to learn how to use it as an improvised compass.

This technique requires a clear view of the sun and an analog watch. For those who wear digital watches or rely on cell phones to tell time, you can still use this technique, but it'll require a little extra work to visualize a watch's hands. This can be done using sticks on the ground, a pen and paper, or even mentally (if you're really good at visualization).

Bertucci A4-T watch 16

For the purposes of this article, we'll assume you're in the northern hemisphere — if you're in the southern hemisphere, the technique changes (more on that later). If you're in the tropics (i.e. near the equator), this technique may not be accurate, so you'll need to find another method such as celestial navigation. Also, we'll assume you're not affected by daylight savings time. If DST is currently in effect in your region, you'll need to remember this and compensate by subtracting one hour from the hour hand's position.

The following video from AlfieAesthetics on YouTube shows how to find true north using your watch and the sun:

The basic steps can be summarized as follows:

  1. Place your watch horizontally with the hour hand pointed in the direction of the sun.
  2. Note the angle between the hour hand and the 12:00 mark. Mentally split this angle in half. (For example, if the sun is at 4, envision a line across the face from 2 through 8.)
  3. This angle is your north-south line. North is the point furthest from the sun. (In our previous example, north would be at the 8 position.)
  4. Now that you know where north and south are, it's easy to plot an azimuth based on the marks on your watch face, or using a dive watch bezel.

Wrist watch compass navigation orientation map time clock 3

If it's exactly 6:00 as seen in this graphic, and you know the sun will be setting in the west, you can use this approximation to navigate or wait a while for the hour hand to move and create a sufficient angle for the method above. If it's exactly 12:00, the sun will typically be approximately due south.

Now, if you're in the southern hemisphere, this all changes. Alfie explains: “In the southern hemisphere, point the twelve o'clock mark towards the sun. The mid point between twelve o'clock mark and the hour hand will be your north south line. North will be the direction FURTHEST away from the sun.”

5 Solar Ovens That Turn Sunshine into Mealtime

Written by

Most people associate the name Archimedes with a screw that pumps low-lying ditch water into nearby fields for irrigation, though some historians no longer credit him for this invention (it may have been Assyrian or Egyptian and from three centuries earlier). Still, his name lives on — and not just for his engineering legacy.

It seems that as soon as the Romans showed up near his Sicilian city-state of Syracuse, he switched from scientific inventor to Roman-killing machine designer. There was the Archimedes' Stonethrowers, Archimedes' Claw (which ripped full-sized boats from the water), and — relevant to our interests here — Archimedes' Death Ray. Yep, a contraption that harnessed the sun to burn invading ships.

Though debunked a couple of times by Mythbusters, and then proved a few other times by scientists and historians from MIT and other egghead factories, it's debatable whether the Death Ray actually existed. But the science is sound. Bounce light from the sun via a series of mirrors at something, and the electromagnetic radiation from the sun is redirected to that object, along with its heat. According to lore, Archimedes did just that in 214 BC when the Romans rowed into town, and his aptly named Death Ray was never heard of again.

But that's exactly what makes solar ovens so efficient. They use no electricity, gas, or external power. They make no noise and cost nothing to use. Just point one at the sun, fill it with your favorite food, “set it, and forget it.”

Why Solar Ovens?

Regardless of the environmental benefits, the economic perks, and the ease of use, is a solar oven practical for your application, lifestyle, or situation? Would you use it as a daily oven or a kitschy novelty to bake cookies while the kids play in the backyard? Or is it your omega oven, your last line of defense against starvation when faced with a wasteland where there's no more wood to burn, no propane tanks to tap, nor fuel of any kind but the blazing sun?

A solar oven is a versatile tool if used properly, but not necessarily something you'd keep in your bug-out vehicle or store in your cache of gear. Some are flimsy, some fragile, some intricate, and some are just plain bulky. But they have a purpose, however limited in application, within the scope of survival, prepping, and thriving under adverse conditions. Their initial cost is comparable to gas camp ovens, and if you'd like to save even more dough (to buy dough for your oven), have your local Cub Scout make you one out of a pizza box and some tin foil.

Dark Side of a Solar Oven

Getting the obvious out of the way first, weather plays a huge part in whether you'll eat that day. If there's rain, snow, high winds, fog, or even those puffy white clouds that look like circus animals, you won't be eating warm food that day. At higher latitudes during the winter, the sun sits lower in the sky and isn't as effective — that's why we experience winter to begin with. Some places, the sun disappears for months at a time.

Other drawbacks of solar ovens are few, but important. They're not especially convenient. You'll need to plan ahead and start cooking early if you want a decent meal. Some need constant realignment as the sun arcs across the sky, while others don't hold heat very well or contain much food at all.

There's a higher risk of burns, especially on the parabolic ovens, because there's no flame to remind us that cooking is happening, and eyesight can be affected by being around a bright reflective object for extended periods. In addition, solar ovens don't maintain steady heat, as a light breeze will cause the temperature to fluctuate on some models. It can be challenging, to say the least, to monitor the temperature and cooking times of your food.

Types of Solar Ovens

There are a few styles of solar ovens, and depending on what you want to cook or bake with it, you may favor one style over another. Some are simple with no frills, while others are complex engineering achievements. Here's a look at the main categories:

Box Oven: A box solar oven is exactly as you might imagine. It's usually a black box with reflective panels around the lid to aid in heat gathering. It's the most popular variety of solar cooker, as it can achieve high temperatures (up to 350 degrees F) and is ideal for general baking, but will also cook most foods well.

They're more stable, better constructed, less susceptible to wind, and have more insulation around the box than other types of ovens. They retain heat better and cook food more evenly.

Panel Oven: This is the simplest and lightest variety of solar oven. It usually consists of a pot inside a plastic enclosure, surrounded on most sides with a reflective surface, either hard panels or soft reflective material. These don't achieve very high temperatures (usually 250 degrees F max) because of the lack of insulation, so baking is a challenge.

A panel oven is the least expensive to buy and the easiest to make, and it's nearly impossible to overcook food in this type of oven. Foods with a lot of moisture do best in a panel oven. Because of its size and material, it can be stored in smaller spaces than the others.

Parabolic Oven: If there were a Cadillac of solar ovens it would be a parabolic oven. This type has an array of highly polished mirrors that concentrate the energy of the sun on a very small spot, similar to a magnifying glass. It can achieve scorching temperatures in a very short time, and it's great for grilling or frying. It's the most expensive, most complicated, largest, and most difficult to use.

For maximum cooking efficiency, the parabolic panels need to be adjusted frequently. However, because of its speed, food can be cooked and cycled through quicker, thus feeding more people.

Our Recipe

The five solar ovens we reviewed represent the aforementioned varieties: two parabolic, two box, and one panel. With such widely differing types of designs, we focused on testing the ovens with some basic cooking tasks — boiling water and cooking some tasty sausage. We waited out an unusual spring cloud cover in normally sunny Los Angeles for a perfect solar oven kind of day. When the ambient temperature spiked at just above 90 degrees F, it was time to get cooking.

solar-ovens-thermometer

Exposing each oven to direct sunlight, we added exactly one pint of water in the included vessels and waited to see what would happen. How hot would the water get? How effective would the oven be at maintaining that temperature? Could we cook some sausages? Sure, we could, and we did with great success!

solar-ovens-sausage
Although not all of the solar devices could boil water, that really isn't entirely important when cooking or baking. The fact that each oven reached over 250 degrees means that, given enough time, the water too will reach that temperature. And just exceeding 160 degrees will kill bacteria and protozoa via water pasteurization, so a full boil isn't necessary for that.

solar-ovens-sausages

In fact, each oven cooked the small bite of sausage we placed in the ovens thoroughly and nicely. Side by side on the plate, you probably can't tell which piece of sausage came from which oven, as they all performed exceedingly well in this regard.

solar-ovens-food

Conclusion

These ovens and other solar cookers like them — with the exception of the Haines Solar Cooker — aren't portable enough to take on the trail, pack in your bug-out bag, or leave tucked away in your vehicle. They're big and bulky, and some of them are fragile.

That said, there's nothing wrong with adding one of these to your cache of gear in the event that you can't have an open fire, don't want to give away your position, or have run out of fuel for a fire. This is another cooking option worth taking seriously. The energy from the sun is powerful, and it's there every day for you to use.

So, if you have the time and the inclination, don't feel ashamed to egghead out a bit and channel your inner Archimedes. And if you get one working as a death ray, our brothers at RECOIL will definitely want to hear about it.

Solar Ovens

  • GoSun Stove GoSun Sport

    Make & Model - GoSun Stove GoSun Sport
    Dimensions - 26 by 5.25 by 9.25 inches
    Weight - 7 pounds
    MSRP - $279
    URL - http://www.gosunstove.com

    Just unboxing these unusual solar ovens was an odd experience. And the GoSun Sport was definitely the most unusual, with two long parabolic reflectors running down the length of a heat-proof tube made from borosilicate glass, which contains a 2-inch-wide cylinder cook "pan."

  • Haines Solar Cooker

    Make & Model - Haines Solar Cooker
    Dimensions - 28 by 16 by 16 inches
    Weight - 18 ounces
    MSRP - $45
    URL - http://www.hainessolarcookers.com

    Made with a metallized polyethylene terephthalate foam rather than metal, the Haines can roll up into a small size and stow in the small, included storage bag.

  • One Earth Designs SolSource Bundle

    Make & Model - One Earth Designs SolSource Bundle
    Dimensions - 4 feet, 11 inches by 3 feet, 11 inches
    Weight - 39.6 pounds
    MSRP - $569
    URL - http://www.oneearthdesigns.com

    In no way, shape, or form will this solar oven go with you when your neighborhood crumbles into ruins — it's too bad, because it's the one you want if you like to grill, fry, or otherwise sear slabs of meat like you were standing in front of a charcoal barbecue.

  • Solavore Sport Solar Oven

    Make & Model - Solavore Sport Solar Oven
    Dimensions - 21 by 30 by 20 inches
    Weight - 9 pounds
    MSRP - $244 (plus $29 for the case)
    URL - http://www.solavore.com

    Made from thick insulated (R-value of 6.5) fiberglass with a black aluminum liner on the inside, the Solavore Sport box oven is big enough to put the two included 9-inch, 3-quart pots side by side with room left over for a small thermometer.

  • Sun Oven International All American Sun Oven

    Make & Model - Sun Oven International All American Sun Oven
    Dimensions - 31 by 33 by 30 inches
    Weight - 23 pounds
    MSRP - $349 (plus $34 for two pots)
    URL - http://www.sunoven.com

    One thing we liked about this solar box oven is that the reflector panels are attached to the oven so they won't get misplaced or damaged.

More From Issue 21

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

Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 22

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 20

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.

Infographic: How to Make Objective Decisions

Written by

The human mind is often its own worst enemy. In stressful situations, your brain can be actively working against your best interests, pushing you to make a choice that seems comfortable in the short term but may be harmful or even fatal in the long term. During survival situations, we may not even know we're being irrational until it's too late — individuals who are freezing to death have a tendency to tear off their warm clothes, for example.

Cognitive bias mental decision psychology brain 4

Your brain is constantly interpreting signals from your nervous system and trying to use that data to keep you alive.

Fortunately, there's still hope. With the right preparation, you can learn to override some of these impulses, suppress your conflicting emotions, and make objective decisions. It just takes study, effort, and practice. The following infographic from NetCredit shows nine ways to make more objective decisions about any critical subject — finances, your career, medical issues, or what to do during an emergency situation. Click here to download a full-size version of this infographic.

Infographic objective decisions psychology mindset logic think 1Infographic objective decisions psychology mindset logic think 2Infographic objective decisions psychology mindset logic think 3Infographic objective decisions psychology mindset logic think 4

In case you're wondering how these steps can be related to survival, here are some practical examples:

  1. Ask yourself, “If a survival expert was faced with this situation, what would that person do?”
  2. Instead of saying “Should I stay here and wait for rescue or go look for an escape route?” ask “Is staying here a good decision?”
  3. If it's possible and safe to do so, wait 10 minutes and consider the ramifications before you abandon your shelter and bug out.
  4. View challenges as opportunities for growth. For example, climbing a mountain will be tough, but it'll give you an observation point and access to new resources.

    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.

  5. If you're especially negative or frustrated, be cautious so this doesn't cause you to give up on opportunities solely because you think they'll fail.
  6. Don't think “I had plenty of water last time I went hiking” or “I haven't gotten lost before” — that may not be the case this time.
  7. Repeatedly ask yourself why you're determined to survive to find and focus on the root of your motivation.
  8. Set a goal to cover 10 miles. Consider whether you should walk, bike, or drive. Research the road and weather conditions. Consider the outcome if you get stuck in a traffic jam, or become injured while walking. Plan how you will cover those 10 miles on your selected mode of transportation.
  9. This one is pretty complicated to explain in the context of survival. Let's say you need to decide between burning all your firewood at once to create a large but brief smoke signal, burning a medium amount of firewood to create a medium-sized and moderate duration signal, or burning a tiny amount of firewood over a very long period of time to make a small but long-lasting signal. The attributes here are wood consumption, fire duration, and smoke signal size. Multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) can help you decide the best choice considering all these attributes — but it's essentially reducing the choice to an advanced math problem.

Knife Informer’s Essential Guide to Lock Types

Written by

Many of us never leave home without a folding knife. This simple tool is incredibly useful for both daily life and survival in the wilderness, so unless you're in a non-permissive environment that explicitly prevents you from carrying one, it's advisable to have one at your disposal.

However, how do you choose a specific knife to carry? That's a complex question that involves quite a few variables. Blade steel is an important consideration, since it'll determine the corrosion resistance and wear characteristics of your knife. Heat treat, edge geometry, and blade profile also affect cutting performance and durability. But for folding knives, the lock mechanism is an especially important consideration. It keeps your blade firmly in place, reducing the risk of damage to the knife's structural integrity — and your hand.

saber-grip-on-knife

Folding knife manufacturers have engineered a variety of lock types, each with its upsides and downsides. Read on for some helpful excerpts from the Essential Guide to Lock Types by Knife Informer, published here with permission:

Back Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 1

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

The back lock (or lockback) uses a lock bar pinned to the scales of the blade, pivoting in the middle, and a bent spring which presses the front of the lock bar downward. The classic Buck 110 folding knife is a good example of this mechanism.

Pros: Ambidextrous, very strong
Cons: Repeated use can lead to play in the lockup, one-handed closing is often difficult

Liner Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 2

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

The liner lock is simple and extremely common. It uses a section of one of the handle liners, cut out and bent to create a spring effect. This lock engages the back of the blade tang when the blade is opened. Modern versions of the design use a stop pin for added strength, and a detent ball for smoothness.

Pros: Simple, inexpensive, allows for fast opening
Cons: Not suited for heavy chopping, not ambidextrous, places user's finger in front of the blade's path when closing

Frame Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 3

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

The frame lock is common on higher-end knives, such as the titanium frame lock on the Zero Tolerance 0630. This mechanism is stronger than a liner lock, using a thick piece of the handle frame as the lock bar instead of a thin liner. Most frame locks include a stop pin and detent ball, but designers have made many other incremental improvements — read about them here.

Pros: Extremely strong, simple construction
Cons: Titanium-on-steel galling can cause sticky lockup if not fitted with a lockbar insert, pivot tension must be fine-tuned, not ambidextrous, places user's finger in front of the blade's path when closing

Compression Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 4

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

The compression lock is patented by Spyderco, and it can be thought of as an improved, inverted liner lock. It's located along the spine of the blade, and engages between the stop pin and the tang of the blade.

Pros: Stronger than a liner lock, doesn't require the user to put a finger in the blade's path, can be flipped open and shut one-handed
Cons: Requires precise tension and machining tolerances

Axis Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 5

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

The Axis Lock is patented by Benchmade and found on most of the company's knives, though similar mechanisms have been developed by other manufacturers. This mechanism uses a sliding steel lock bar under tension provided by two omega springs.

Pros: Ambidextrous, strong, doesn't require the user to put a finger in the blade's path, can be flipped open and shut one-handed
Cons: Complex, may be susceptible to spring breakage, requires tight tolerances

Button Lock

Knife Informer blade lock types folding pocket knives 6

Illustration courtesy of KnifeInformer.com

Button locks (or plunge locks) are often found on automatic knives, but they're also present on some manual folders (like the Spartan Pallas) and assisted-openers (like the Gerber US-Assist). The button lock uses a spring-loaded plunger to hold the knife open; pressing the button lines up a notch in the plunger and allows the blade to pivot.

Pros: Strong, doesn't require the user to put a finger in the blade's path, fast and easy to use
Cons: Difficult and expensive to manufacture, not ambidextrous, some jurisdictions may have laws which designate button-lock knives as switchblades

More Lock Types & Non-Locking Mechanisms

For more details on variations within these categories, tips on how to find the right knife for your needs, and information on non-locking slipjoint and friction-folding knives, check out the complete Essential Guide to Lock Types from Knife Informer.

Video: Fishing for Snakes

Written by

In any survival scenario, it's an uphill battle to provide enough calories to stay alive. When you're out in the wilderness and don't have access to stockpiled food reserves, you'll need to be clever to find substantial sources of food and avoid starvation.

Snake fishing fish trap hunt water survival 1

The easiest place to start is by searching for small and slow-moving prey, like grubs, grasshoppers, shellfish, crabs, and other invertebrates. Cooking up a few handfuls of these creatures can keep you going, but for long-term survival you'll need larger meals. The next logical step is to use these invertebrates to bait a hook, and step up to fishing.

Snake fishing fish trap hunt water survival 2

Once you've caught a fish, you could simply eat it, or you could use part of it to move up one more level in the food chain. In certain areas, a small fish can be used as bait to catch larger predatory species, further accelerating your calorie intake. In the following video, YouTube survivalist Bob Hansler shows how a fish can be used to catch snakes.

Keep in mind that this technique is most likely illegal in most jurisdictions (check your local laws), and is also inherently dangerous.

Catching snakes could provide you with a large amount of meat, or it could result in a snakebite if handled improperly. When you're in the backwoods without access to medical treatment, a venomous snakebite could easily be fatal. Even a non-venomous snakebite could lead to a dangerous infection, so if you're not comfortable with these risks, you may be better off looking for easier sources of food.

Insect Repellent 101

Written by

Chikungunya. Ever heard of it? Although you might not be familiar with it (much less able to pronounce it), trust us — you don't want it. How about Dengue? Ring any bells? What about Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Yellow fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, malaria, and one that's a pretty recent addition to this list of lovely afflictions — Zika. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015 there were 61 symptomatic Zika virus cases reported in the USA and nine cases in U.S. territories. In 2016 those numbers jumped to 5,102 in the States and 36,079 in the territories. What does that tell you?

And here's some more alarming information: You don't even have to be bitten by a mosquito carrying Zika to contract it. It can be passed through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and from infected pregnant mothers to their unborn babies, resulting in birth defects. Also, presently there aren't any specific medicines or vaccines available for Zika, and infected individuals may not even become symptomatic.

Frightening, yes, but you're not completely without countermeasures for preventing Zika and other vector-borne illnesses. In this article, we examine the ins and outs of insect repellents to help you combat disease-carrying pests — which may be in your own backyard right now.

The reason these particular vectors are of great concern is that they're generally parasitic. In other words, they need blood from other animals to survive, so they're constantly looking for hosts to feed off of — this is how their contagions are spread. Humans give off various odors and other attractants that entice these types of vectors. Repellents temporarily block a vector's ability to detect these bodily emissions, reducing their ability to find you.

Insect repellents won't protect against all vectors, many of which aren't insects. Rats fall into this category. On the other hand, rats aren't parasitic, and some insect repellents can be effective against certain insects that bite, but aren't considered vectors, such as ants.

However, don't assume that repellents are automatically effective against anything with more than four legs. Bites and stings from spiders, ants, or wasps are generally a defense mechanism against their habitat being disturbed. If you stumble into a nest of black widows, the chances that they'll be discouraged by your insect repellent are slim to none.

Thankfully, bugs like ants, wasps, bees, spiders, and bed bugs aren't known vectors and don't spread the kinds of illnesses that insect repellents aim to prevent. However, allergic reactions to toxins they carry or bacterial infections can still occur through contact.

Spray repellents provide better coverage than lotions and should be applied whenever in an area where vectors are present.

Spray repellents provide better coverage than lotions and should be applied whenever in an area where vectors are...

What You Should Use

The litany of insect repellent choices on the shelves and online may be mind-boggling. Nowadays there are even products that claim to be natural alternatives with essential oils, electrostatic repellent properties, or spatial repellents that come in the form of clip-on fans/foggers. Where does one start? Are they all equal?

The CDC recommends using topical insect repellents that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which regulates insect repellents in the United States. The CDC lists five active ingredients with repellency properties that have been studied extensively and shown to be effective:

  • DEET
  • Picaridin
  • IR3535
  • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  • 2-undecanone

“We deal a lot with our members traveling globally to places where they want to protect themselves from vector-borne diseases,” says Dr. William Hauptman of International SOS, a company that provides medical assistance, international healthcare, and security service consulting. “We would only recommend, at International SOS, in addition to whatever vaccines or medical prophylaxis may be available, that you use an insect repellent registered by the EPA.”

Topical repellents typically only contain one active ingredient from the above list, and as a general rule, the higher the concentration of the ingredient, the longer your period of protection. There's also typically a ceiling for the effectiveness of each active ingredient.

“With DEET you're going to get greater efficacy with increased percentage, but once you get beyond 50 percent it tends to plateau,” Hauptman says.

An EPA-registered repellent will have a registration number on the container. In 2014, the EPA introduced a Repellency Awareness Graphic (below), similar to the SPF levels you see on sunblock. This label provides information about the duration of the repellent's efficacy. To qualify for an EPA registration and Repellency Awareness Graphic, companies must provide the EPA with data that meets accepted scientific protocol showing the safety and efficacy of the submitted product.

Keep three criteria in mind when selecting an insect repellent: the active ingredient, its level of concentration, and verification that the repellent is EPA registered. Read and follow the directions.

insect-repellent-101-repellency-awareness-graphic

What You Shouldn't Use

In recent years you may have heard information suggesting that products containing DEET may be toxic, and that alternatives advertised as natural are just as effective at repelling insects without subjecting you to potential negative side effects that synthetic chemicals are assumed to have. While the idea of using natural products may sound good, their effectiveness compared to conventional insect repellents is questionable at best.

Permethrin is an effective insect repellent when applied on clothing or gear, but shouldn't be applied directly on skin.

Permethrin is an effective insect repellent when applied on clothing or gear, but shouldn't be applied directly...

Repellents containing DEET are very safe and effective in repelling vector insects.

Repellents containing DEET are very safe and effective in repelling vector insects.

“DEET has been extensively studied, and I even looked at it again recently,” Hauptman says. “An occasional person may have an allergic reaction to one of the five recommended active ingredients, but you can have an allergic reaction to anything. DEET is confidently felt by the CDC and EPA to be safe.”

Alternative active ingredients recommended by the CDC and EPA, such as picaridin, are available in various concentrations.

Alternative active ingredients recommended by the CDC and EPA, such as picaridin, are available in various...

Because products advertised as natural generally contain chemicals that are considered harmless, they aren't held to the same testing standards; many companies have exploited this exception. A recent article by Consumer Reports found natural repellents to be comparatively inferior to EPA-evaluated-and-registered products.

Research has shown that so-called natural repellents don't offer the same protection as EPA-registered products. Always look for an EPA registration number on the container.

Research has shown that so-called natural repellents don't offer the same protection as EPA-registered products....

“It's tempting to use something natural, but we always actively discourage our members of that notion because the products that are EPA registered have been shown to be safe at the concentrations sold,” says Hauptman.

He also adds, “None of the electrostatic or sprayer products you can wear that disperse repellent in the ambient area are going to have a degree of efficacy such that you don't also need a topical spray with active ingredient shown to be effective.”

General Guidelines

Reapplying throughout the day is advised, particularly if circumstances would diminish the efficacy of the repellent. People often make the mistake of believing that if they apply their repellent once, their coverage will last all day, regardless of their activity. If there's a lot of sweating, heat, and abrasion, the duration will be reduced.

Be mindful of your activity level and activity type — the advertised duration levels aren't guaranteed under strenuous circumstances. In addition to that, you must also examine situations that would put you in contact with vectors.

Will you be outside a lot? Will you be sweating profusely or swimming? If so, you may want to reapply at the halfway point of the product's advertised duration time. If you notice you're getting bitten even before that, it's time to reapply as well.

People may also be concerned about using repellents in conjunction with sunscreen.

“We advise against using combination products and recommend using two separate products,” says Hauptman. “Apply the sunscreen first, and the repellent second. If you use a product with DEET, it may reduce the efficacy of the sunscreen, so you can use a sunscreen with a higher SPF or reapply the sunscreen more frequently.”

Situational Awareness

While concentrations of certain vector insects and the contagions they carry may vary from region to region, the bottom line is that they can be found everywhere. For example, even if you live in Montana and don't plan on vacationing in any regions rocked by Zika, the Rocky Mountain wood tick is endemic to that state and a known carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.

Get proactive and use the CDC's website. It's a great resource to learn about vector alerts in your area (www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/) and abroad (wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel). Registering with the U.S. Department of State website is another way to stay aware of health bulletins pertaining to vector-related illnesses of concern in a country you intend to visit.

Signing up for memberships with companies like International SOS is an additional measure of coverage, particularly if you fall ill and local health care providers are unavailable or lacking in their resources. See our article “Condition Red” in the Winter 2015 Issue of RECOIL OFFGRID about health considerations while traveling.
As for clothing, if you know you'll be in an infested area, do the following:

  • Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants (not shorts)
  • Tuck pants into socks, and tuck in shirts
  • Wear close-toed shoes, preferably boots
  • Wear hats

Also, be cognizant of the other outdoor conditions that are conducive to the presence of vector insects. Do you own pets? Is there a great deal of vegetation around your home, or places where standing water can accumulate?

Standing water is a common breeding ground for mosquitos. Empty accumulated water and ditch accidental water vessels to reduce insect populations near your home.

Standing water is a common breeding ground for mosquitos. Empty accumulated water and ditch accidental water vessels to...

One can mitigate exposure by trimming tall grass and shrubs, spraying insecticide around one's property, and emptying vessels such as tires or flowerpots that collect stagnant water. If you have ponds on your property, adding fish — which are natural predators — can also help control insect populations. If you have pets, whether they're outdoor or not, check them frequently for signs of ticks or fleas and speak to your veterinarian about effective flea and tick products.

Although many argue that using diatomaceous earth around your property or having plants like lemongrass and lavender may discourage the presence of certain insects, don't assume that whatever measure of protection they provide is substantial enough to obviate the need for topical repellents. Much like citronella candles, their level of repellency is too diluted to have a worthwhile effect.

Additional Countermeasures

Speak with your doctor about additional preventive measures. Although there isn't a vaccine for malaria, your health care provider can recommend certain drugs that can reduce the chances of infection. Vaccines for illnesses such as Japanese Encephalitis or Yellow fever (which can both be transmitted through mosquitos) are also available.

Insect-repellent clothing is another method of prevention. Companies such as Insect Shield treat their clothing with permethrin, which has been proven to be effective against vectors and is an EPA-registered repellent. Insect Shield claims that their technology is effective up to 70 washes.

insect-repellent-101-spray-insecticides

“Other repellents like DEET aren't effective on textiles,” says Janine Robertson, marketing and PR manager for Insect Shield. “They don't adhere and can ruin the fabrics. After 70 washes the fibers tend to diminish, wear away, and there's less available permethrin on the garment, so the clothing can't be retreated after that many washes, but we do have a program where people can send their own clothing and we can treat them before we send it back. Products with a DWR finish can't be treated though.”

Bed netting and window screens should also be a part of your protection efforts. Speak to different manufacturers about the threshold of thread counts per square inch to keep vectors of concern from penetrating the barrier. These can also be used to cover strollers and cribs. Many bed nets come treated with permethrin as well.

Conclusion

While these recommendations may help create an integrated approach to insect repellency, no single method is 100 percent effective in preventing a potential bite from occurring. Topical repellents can be used in conjunction with insect-repellent clothing on exposed skin, although the CDC discourages using repellent under your clothing.

And even if you take malaria pills and are vaccinated against Yellow fever, that doesn't mean you have guaranteed protection against those contagions or can't contract another illness altogether. “While these measures are critical, they are not 100-percent effective, and that the best protective protocol, even for diseases for which vaccination or prophylactic pills are available, still requires a multi-pronged approach, including insect repellent,” says Hauptman. Inoculations should never be relied upon in lieu of topical repellents. Many vectors carry more than one contagion, so even though you think you're protected against one that's endemic to your area, there are still others to watch out for.

Deploy all effective methods to stay as protected as possible, particularly in the hot and humid seasons when bugs tend to be at their greatest population. Putting repellent on your arms won't protect your legs if you don't apply any there. If you're at risk, get in the habit of using repellent. Think of it like applying deodorant, a normal part of your routine. If you don't use it, you'll call attention to yourself in all the wrong ways.

Who are the Culprits?

When we talk about insect repellents, and the critters they're effective against, we're referring to “vectors” — living organisms that can transmit infectious diseases between humans or from animals to humans. The best-known examples are:

insect-repellent-101-most-common-vectors

Did You Know?

  • Using your air conditioner can discourage mosquitos from entering your home.
  • Replacing your outdoor lights with yellow “bug” lights will attract fewer bugs.
  • Wearing light-colored clothing can enable you to see bugs easier.
  • The aedes aegypti mosquito is a known carrier of at least five diseases.
  • Even certain aquatic snails are considered vectors and carry worms that cause Schistosomiasis.

Insect Repellent FAQs

People often have questions about proper application of insect repellent to themselves and their children. This link can help answer some common questions.
www.cdc.gov/westnile/faq/repellent.html

Tick Removal

Yes, there's a right and wrong way to do this. Removing a tick incorrectly may result in mouthparts remaining lodged in your skin or squeezing toxins into your bloodstream. See this link for proper tick removal.
www.cdc.gov/lyme/removal/index.html

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov

Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov

International SOS
www.internationalsos.com

National Center for Biotechnology Information
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

World Health Organization
www.who.int

More From Issue 21

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

Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 22

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 20

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.

New: Kid Patriot Backpacks

Written by

When we consider emergency scenarios, many of us think, how would I survive? However, for most of us, a better question is, how would we survive? It's important to include all members of your family in your survival plans, and prepare each individual to help the group in any way possible. This also includes your kids — in case something happens to you, they shouldn't be completely reliant on your knowledge and gear.

Kid Patriot backpack bug out bag children family survival 7

Kid Patriot is a new company that offers custom backpacks made specifically for kids. These packs could work well for everyday use at school, or could be filled with bug-out gear and stashed in your kids' rooms in case of emergency. They're hand-made to order in Tennessee, and can be ordered in your choice of six fabric choices and a selection of handle, zipper pull, and shoulder strap colors.

Each Kid Patriot backpack is built from a tough 500-denier Cordura fabric exterior and a black ripstop nylon lining. The carry handle and straps are made from durable seatbelt material, and large YKK zippers ensure long-lasting operation. The pack has a capacity of 14 liters and an MSRP of $89.

Kid Patriot backpack bug out bag children family survival 1

When ordering a Kid Patriot pack, you can choose from the following options:

  • Exterior fabric: black, grey, coyote brown, MultiCam, MultiCam black, or Kryptek Typhon
  • Handle color: black, red, blue, orange, coyote, yellow, teal, fuchsia, or lime green
  • Zipper pull color: black, red, blue, orange, coyote, yellow, teal, fuchsia, or lime green
  • Shoulder strap color: black, red, blue, orange, yellow, teal, fuchsia, or lime green
  • Optional velcro strip for morale patches

Since these packs are custom-made to order, there is a lead time for all orders — at the time of this article, it's 7-10 days. For more info on the Kid Patriot backpacks and other products, go to KidPatriot.com.

Language Lesson: Lumens

Written by

The term lumens is often mentioned in reference to flashlights, and most of us know by now that more lumens means more light output. But we've often wondered how this is this quantified, and how effective it is at determining real-world effectiveness of a flashlight. The article below from Breach Bang Clear explains some of the details behind this measurement, and also how it differs from other common lighting terms.

Flashlight lumens light LED tool EDC gear 1

Editor's Note: The following article was originally published by our friends at Breach Bang Clear. It appears here in its entirety with their permission. For more from the Mad Duo and crew, go to BreachBangClear.com or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

Flashlight lumens light LED tool EDC gear 2

Term: Lumens

Relates to: Light intensity

Application(s) of Use: flashlights, weapon lights, light bulbs — anything that emits light

Definition: a measure of the total quantity of visible light emitted by a source

Why it Matters: There are several different ways to measure light intensity, but lumens (symbol: “lm”) are the current gold standard.

Into the Weeds: We used to roll with candlepower, which is an old and obsolete measurement which assesses the amount of light falling onto a target rather than the total amount of light emitted. The lumen equivalent of candlepower is called lux, which is used to measure luminous flux (i.e. perceived light power) per unit area.

Pre-fluorescent and LED bulbs often stated brightness levels in watts. Though this is an extremely dated method, many LED and CFL bulbs will list watt equivalency numbers on the box — likely so your grandparents won’t be confused.

What’s particularly noteworthy about lumens is that it’s a measurement mostly used only for frequencies the human eye can detect, rather than the entire spectrum emitted by a given light source. There are several methods to measuring lumens, but the current industry standard is to use a integration sphere which completely diffuses any light source.

Flashlight lumens light LED tool EDC gear 3

To really dive deep into the subject of lumens and flashlights you’ll want to read this post and this one.

The TL;DR version is this: Higher lumens just means more light from the source, not necessarily a better flashlight or light bulb.

In Summary, a lumen is just a way to measure total light output of a given source. In and of itself it offers no other performance information.

A Buyer’s Guide to UPF Shirts

Written by

When it comes to seeking shelter, we've been conditioned over the past 200 years to focus on having a roof over our heads. What's less obvious is that “shelter” in some cases may consist of a broad-brimmed hat or, less conspicuously, the pants and shirts we wear. Especially in dry, arid climates, simply covering your skin will instantly drop your temperature to something approaching tolerable.

And even when it's hot and humid, protecting your skin from the sun's rays will help you stay outside longer and maintain your endurance.

Clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor rating is specifically designed to shield your skin from the sun's rays. It may incorporate a dense weave, thicker fabric, and/or special color dyes that help prevent transmission of ultraviolet rays through the fabric. UPF ratings range from 1 to 50, although the numbers don't correspond to protection in a straight-line manner, as you might think they would. The higher the number, the greater the protection:

  • UPF 1: All UV light is transmitted to the skin
  • UPF 25: About 4 percent of UV light transmitted
  • UPF 50: About 2 percent of UV light transmitted

Keep in mind, all clothing provides some level of UV protection. A white cotton T-shirt may provide a UPF rating between 5 and 8, while dark jeans provide protection much greater than 50. However, a denim jacket might not be the most breathable or comfortable garment when you're on a daylong hike or getting out of Dodge as the sky falls. For this reason, when shopping for UPF-rated shirts, you want to focus on products that provide a UPF rating of 30 or more while remaining breathable, quick-drying, and providing good range of motion and flexibility.

Rated S for Scientific

The UPF system was first standardized in Australia in 1996 and is now used worldwide. It was developed in part because the Australian government saw consumers purchasing swimwear and outdoor active wear under the assumption certain garments provided maximum solar protection, when in fact they didn't. They sought to provide a uniform, easy-to-understand labeling system so consumers could easily identify which garments would provide suitable skin protection from the sun.

In the United States, three primary guidelines are used to specify laboratory testing and labeling standards. The guidelines are produced by ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). These groups are non-government associations and have no role in enforcement, although governments and manufacturers rely on them to produce referenced standards.

1. First, ASTM D6544 specifies the process where textiles are washed and dried repeatedly 40 times to simulate repeated home launderings. The fabric is then exposed to 100 hours of UV light to simulate long-term use.

2. After this wear-and-tear simulation is performed on the textile , AATCC Test Method 183 spells out how to place it between an artificial light source and a light measurement device. At this point, the amount of light passing through the fabric can be measured and recorded.

3. Finally, ASTM D6603 describes labeling requirements, basically what manufacturers can (and can't) put on the tag. You should be aware that clothing companies are not routinely audited to check on their testing results. Unlike an FDA-regulated product, the standard only requires companies to self-report their results, therefore a little bit of trust and knowledge of the manufacturer is helpful.

Doctor's Orders

To learn more about the state of the art in protective clothing technology we spoke with Dr. Neil Fenske, professor and endowed chair of the Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery at the University of South Florida. This skincare expert recommends UPF-rated clothing instead of sunscreen wherever possible.

“I actually prefer UPF-rated clothing over sunscreens,” he said, “because you don't have to apply chemicals to your skin. Also, the clothing's protection won't wash off when it gets wet like sunscreen can.”

Dr. Fenske added that the older technology sun protective clothing from the '90s and early 2000s lost some of its protective value when it got too wet or sweaty. Also, it had a bad habit of taking forever to dry. By contrast, the use of new textile technologies, including perforated fabric, is providing us with gear that usually does a better job of getting dry and staying that way.

With this in mind we set out to perform our own field evaluations of five of the latest offerings. We tested these UPF shirts on long road-trip drives, while working outside, and while exploring some blazing-hot swamps and prairies in South Florida. We're happy to report that our skin did not get so much as red or even pink under the areas covered by these fabrics.

By contrast, we repeatedly slathered sunscreen on exposed areas (like our hands and neck) throughout the day, but they still got burned. Apparently the sunscreen just couldn't keep up with the rigors of hiking, slapping bugs, and sweating all day.

So right off the bat, all of our shirts were winners in the department of protecting our skin. As we mentioned with the denim jacket, however, modern textile technology has come so far that we now expect more than just sun protection &mash; a lot more. We hope this guide helps to inform your purchasing decisions when shopping for your own skin-shelter. That way, when you really need your clothing to perform, your shirt will have your back in more ways than one.

UPF Shirts

  • Clothing Arts Pick-Pocket Proof Travel Shirt

    Make & Model - Clothing Arts Pick-Pocket Proof Travel Shirt
    UPF Rating - 30+
    Materials - 12-ounce 100-percent nylon
    Colors - Dark gray, light blue, tan (shown), white
    MSRP - $70
    URL - http://www.clothingarts.com

    This shirt is designed to blend into an urban setting, yet be perfectly at home in the outdoors &mash; and the execution absolutely nailed it.

  • KÜHL Airspeed Long Sleeve Shirt

    Make & Model - KÜHL Airspeed Long Sleeve Shirt
    UPF Rating - 30
    Materials - 2.5-ounce to 4.7-ounce cotton/nylon/polyester blends
    Colors - Agave green, carbon (shown), khaki, natural, pirate blue, sky blue
    MSRP - $85
    URL - http://www.kuhl.com

    This KÜHL shirt was the most expensive of the garments we tested, but every detail of its design and performance testified to money well spent.

  • Mountain Khakis Men's Trail Creek Short Sleeve Shirt

    Make & Model - Mountain Khakis Men's Trail Creek Short Sleeve Shirt
    UPF Rating - 40+
    Materials - 2.9-ounce polyester
    Colors - Blue ridge, cornflower plaid (shown), firma, freestone plaid
    MSRP - $65
    URL - http://www.mountainkhakis.com

    This generously cut, lightweight polyester shirt looks plain vanilla on the surface, but has some hidden features.

  • Royal Robbins Painted Canyon Plaid Long Sleeve Shirt

    Make & Model - Royal Robbins Painted Canyon Plaid Long Sleeve Shirt
    UPF Rating - 25+
    Materials - 2.8-ounce 100-percent cotton
    Colors - Marmalade, Oceania, olivine (shown)
    MSRP - $58
    URL - http://www.royalrobbins.com

    Though this Royal Robbins long-sleeve has the lowest UPF rating among the tops we tested, we didn't so much as get a suntan in the areas it covered

  • Under Armour UA Sunblock Short Sleeve Shirt

    Make & Model - Under Armour UA Sunblock Short Sleeve Shirt
    UPF Rating - 50+
    Materials - Polyester
    Colors - Absinthe green, black, blackout navy, blue marker, smash yellow, white
    MSRP - $45
    URL - http://www.underarmour.com

    This is a function-forward T-shirt, focused squarely on doing a single job really well: helping your performance during athletic pursuits no matter how sunny it is outside.

Don't Shrink It and Pink It

Whether you're looking to buy a gift for the adventurous lady in your life or you're a female survivalist yourself, trying to find a shirt that's both functional and cut to fit a woman's frame can be as daunting as finding fresh water in a drought. Far too often male-centric manufacturers simply “shrink it and pink it” &mash; make a smaller version of a man's shirt and offering it in bright colors. This patronizing practice usually results in a low sales, which leads to less R&D in female-dedicated garments and gear, which leads to low sales &mash; can you say vicious cycle?

Fortunately, some companies are changing that standard by crafting apparel specifically for women's requirements. The following are just a few of the brands offering UPF-rated shirts for outdoorswomen. Maybe there's one that'll fit your or your loved one's summer needs.

upf-shirts-buyers-guide-kuhl-kiley

Make & Model:KÜHL Kiley
UPF Rating:50
Materials:Three fabric blends, including cotton, spandex, Tencel, and polyester.
Colors:Ash, charcoal, denim blue
MSRP:$75
URL:www.kuhl.com

upf-shirts-buyers-guide-mountain-khakis-women-equatorial-long-sleeve-shirt

Make & Model:Mountain Khakis Women's Equatorial Long Sleeve Shirt
UPF Rating:45+
Materials:Polyester
Colors:Cirrus, lilac (shown)
MSRP:$90
URL:www.mountainkhakis.com

upf-shirts-buyers-guide-royal-robbins-expedition-chill-stretch-tunic

Make & Model:Royal Robbins Expedition Chill Stretch Tunic
UPF Rating:50+
Materials:Polyester
Colors:Aster (shown), nasturtium, navy, white
MSRP:$72
URL:www.royalrobbins.com

When Shirts Aren't Enough

Protective clothing like UPF-rated long-sleeve shirts will help against the sun's harmful rays, but your hands, face, and neck may still be exposed and in need of protection. Besides the suggestion to wear a broad-brimmed canvas hat, Dr. Neil Fenske gave us these tips for selecting a sunscreen to use in combination with our UPF-rated shirts:

  • The most important thing when buying sunscreen is to look for “Broad Spectrum” protection on the label. This means it shields you from both UVA and UVB rays, thus providing much better coverage. (UVA causes melanoma and wrinkling and UVB causes other types of skin cancer.)
  • Don't bother buying higher than SPF 30. An SPF 30 sunscreen blocks 97% of the sun's rays. Spending additional money (and adding more chemicals to the mix) for an SPF rating of 50 or higher is not usually justifiable, unless you have pale sensitive skin or are working in an extreme environment, like the White Sands Missile Range.
  • For even greater sun protection than sunscreen alone, consider using an antioxidant serum applied first under the sunscreen. Apparently the antioxidants help quench free radicals and block infrared rays, which might seem like a marketing gimmick but is, in fact, science.

About the Author

Andrew Schrader is a licensed professional engineer and an urban search and rescue (USAR) consultant. He deployed to Steinhatchee, Florida, last year in support of SAR operations following Hurricane Hermine, and recently assisted the U.S. Department of State in developing post-earthquake rescue and response protocol for their Italian Consulate. His company, Recon Response Engineering, teaches technical rescue teams, state and federal government agencies on the subject of structural collapse.
Instagram: @reconresponse
www.reconresponse.com

More From Issue 21

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

Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 22

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 20

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.

Sara Liberte: Exclusive 2017 GMC Bug-Out Van Tour

Written by

If you've been following us here on OFFGRIDweb or our social media channels, you'll probably recognize Sara Liberte. She's the traveling photographer and videographer who has been working on a custom 2017 GMC Savana home-on-wheels/bug-out vehicle known to this point as the Battle Van. For those who haven't seen our previous articles yet, we'd suggest you check them out: Part 1 and Part 2.

Sara Liberte Battle Van GMC vehicle bugout truck RV build 5v2

Sara Liberte's van build has been progressing nicely in the past few months, and we were glad to hear she has received lots of useful feedback from RECOIL OFFGRID readers. So, as a thank you to all of you who have been following her build, she created an exclusive tour video that shows off her van's interior and exterior upgrades.

Sara Liberte Battle Van GMC vehicle bugout truck RV build 1

There's a custom mattress, computer desk, refrigerator, sound system, auxiliary electrical system with solar panels, tons of storage compartments, and much more. Watch the full video tour below:

Since the Battle Van name was just a working title, Sara also ran a naming contest with our friends at Breach Bang Clear, and has officially chosen a new name. She reveals the new official name in the following video:

It may not be able to outrun an Imperial starship and complete the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, but we certainly wouldn't call Van Solo scruffy-lookin'.

Han Solo never tell me the odds

Seriously though, we'll keep you posted with new updates from Sara as she continues the van build, but in the mean time you can check out Sara’s blog or follow her page on Facebook.