Reviewing The 3-In-1 Rechargeable Torch 250 From Goal Zero

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Make & Model – Goal Zero Rechargeable Torch 250
Max. Output – 250 lumens
Max. Runtime – 48 hours
Weight – 14.4 ounces
MSRP – $80
URL – http://www.goalzero.com

There's an old saying about gear redundancy: “Two is one, and one is none.” Obviously, this philosophy is intended to remind us about redundancy. Did we mention redundancy? Seriously though, it's not always practical to follow this one-liner, since nobody wants to lug around two of everything all the time. However, on a much smaller scale, the “two is one” mindset does make sense. If a single tool can have multiple redundant functionalities, it can dramatically increase its reliability in a survival situation.

Take vehicles, for example. Rather than relying on a single fuel for your bug-out truck, you'd be better off with a rig that could run on diesel, used vegetable oil, and natural gas. If you can't find one power source, you've got two more options. The same goes for electronics — if the electrical grid is down, you can't necessarily plug into a wall socket and expect any juice. You'll need to find alternative means of recharging.

Goal Zero has developed a solution to this dilemma. The company's Torch 250 is a device with an internal battery, and three built-in methods to recharge it: manual cranking, solar panel, and traditional USB cable. Said battery power can be used to run various attached LED lights, or to charge other devices via a USB port. This sounded like an interesting premise, so we picked one up to review.

Torch 250 is a device with an internal battery, and three methods to recharge it: manual cranking, solar power, and traditional USB cable.

Torch 250 is a device with an internal battery, and three methods to recharge it: manual cranking, solar power, and...

The 411

The Torch 250 is larger than most flashlights, at 10×3.5×1.75 inches, or about the size of an adult's forearm. However, it's also relatively light, at under 1 pound (14.4 ounces). The device is constructed of hard plastic with a black rubberized finish and bright green accents. Inside the Torch is a Li-NMC 3.7V 4,400-mAh battery, which is rated to operate between temperatures of 32 and 104 degrees F (0 to 40 degrees C).

The front face of the Torch is occupied by a 2×5.5-inch solar panel, which Goal Zero says will recharge the battery fully after 24 hours of direct sun exposure. Additional Goal Zero solar panels, such as the Nomad 7 ($79.99 MSRP), can be connected for quicker charge time. At the top of the Torch is a trio of LEDs in a chrome-reflector housing. In the center is a 180-lumen Cree LED spotlight, while the outer two LEDs provide dimmer red light for signaling or map reading at night. On the back side of the device, you'll find an array of 22 LEDs under frosted clear plastic. These are configured in a wide flood light pattern, and provide an additional 70 lumens of white light.

On one side of the Torch, there's a bright green hand crank, which is held in place by a small magnet. Pivoting this handle out and turning it charges the device's battery. According to Goal Zero, 1 minute of fast cranking will provide 10 minutes of light run time. On the opposite side, there's a built-in USB cable, which can be plugged into any USB port or wall charger to fully recharge the device in seven hours.

The bottom of the Torch houses its controls: three green buttons for the flood light, spotlight, and red LEDs. Each button can be pressed once for full power, and a second time for low power (or in the case of the red LEDs, a flashing mode). The spotlight will run for seven hours on high, or 15 on low, while the flood light runs for 22 hours on high, or 48 on low. Beneath the buttons is a set of four blue LEDs, which indicate battery level when the device is in use, or flash to indicate battery level when charging. The USB port below allows charging of other electronics at 5V and up to 1.5 amps. Goal Zero claims it will recharge most cell phones approximately two full times. Finally, there's a fold-out metal hanger, which allows the Torch to be suspended to light up a room or basecamp.

The Verdict

For a device called Torch, we were hoping it would be a better flashlight. In reality, the spotlight function actually seems like an afterthought, especially since using it means holding the brick-shaped Torch 250 awkwardly in your hand. The spotlight beam pattern is not particularly even, and its light appears more yellow than the flood light. The red light function suffers from similar issues, though its dual LEDs provide a more even beam pattern. That said, the flood light is better than the other two functions, lacking the spotlight's yellow tinge and providing a near-180-degree wide spread of bright light.

However, we tested Goal Zero's claim that it would run for 48 hours on the low setting — our light shut off after 25 hours, even with a full charge.

All manner of electronic devices can be charged from the built-in USB port, including GPS units, head-lamps, cameras, and cell phones.

All manner of electronic devices can be charged from the built-in USB port, including GPS units, head-lamps, cameras,...

As a portable battery, the Torch 250 fares better. It's worth noting you'll need your own USB cable to connect your electronic devices, but that's not uncommon for portable batteries these days. The Torch charges devices at 1.5 amps, which is about the same as most smartphone wall chargers. We tested charging speed with a common smartphone, and found that after 10 minutes, the Torch increased its battery charge by 6 percent — the exact same amount as when it was plugged into the wall for 10 minutes. The internal battery's 4,400-mAh capacity isn't as much as we'd like, since it runs out of juice quickly when charging devices, and many other portable USB batteries offer double or triple that amount of mAh. However, it trades high battery capacity for light weight, an understandable compromise.

When it comes to recharging, the Torch 250 lives up to its claims for the most part. You can charge the internal battery traditionally via the built-in USB cable, but strangely, Goal Zero doesn't include a USB wall charger attachment with the Torch. A standard cell phone charger will work fine for this purpose, but we wish Goal Zero had given us a spare. Then there's the hand crank, which is tedious to use, but it's good to have as a backup. Finally, there's the solar panel, which was surprisingly sensitive to ambient light. Just walk outside, and the four blue battery LEDs turn on to indicate the panel is working. We'd say solar is the ideal way to charge this device if the power's out, although the panel seems rather fragile and prone to scratches, given its location and lack of protective cover.

On one side of the Torch, there's a bright green hand crank, which is held in place by a small magnet. Pivoting this handle out and turning it charges the device's battery.

On one side of the Torch, there's a bright green hand crank, which is held in place by a small magnet. Pivoting...

There's one additional feature we'd like to see implemented into the Torch. Goal Zero does sell a USB attachment separately to charge AA batteries (the Guide 10 Plus Recharger for $49.99 with four batteries), but we'd love to see that functionality integrated into this device, or at least offered as a discounted add-on. That way, you'd be able to easily recharge small flashlights and other electronics that don't have a USB port.

The Torch 250's lighting-related hiccups make sense when you consider that Goal Zero is known more for their portable batteries and solar panels than their lights. Overall, this device is a mediocre flashlight, a pretty good flood light, an average portable battery, and a great rechargeable backup power source for electronics. With an improved spotlight, larger battery capacity, and less bulky design, the Torch 250 could be truly outstanding. As it stands now, it still has several useful features in an all-in-one package — and it's not bad value for $80.

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The Danger of Widowmaker Trees

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What is a widowmaker? In the general sense, it's anything that has the potential to kill men, thereby making widows of their wives. In a more specific sense, widowmakers are dead branches caught precariously high in trees, ready to fall on unsuspecting individuals below. This term has been used widely in the forest service and logging communities, and is even officially recognized by OSHA.

Widowmaker tree branch 2

A deadly tree might sound like something that would only be found in a freak accident, but these natural dangers do more harm than you might think. In fact, just this week, a man in Edinburgh, Scotland, was killed by a widowmaker. He had been camping in the woods by a river, and was pronounced dead at the scene once emergency services arrived.

Widowmaker tree branch 3

Winter is especially dangerous, as the weight of snow can cause large branches to snap unexpectedly.

So, if you're camping or spending time in forested areas, you should know how to watch for potential widowmakers. This is especially important for hammock camping, since these shelters are almost always placed underneath trees.

Widowmaker tree branch 4

Here are some general tips on how to avoid widowmakers:

  • If possible, do not camp directly underneath tall trees. This is the only sure-fire way to avoid widowmaker branches.
  • Be extra cautious around trees that look dead or damaged. They pose the greatest risk.
  • If you're in a heavily-forested area, keep an eye out for dead or broken branches in the canopy above you.
  • High winds and snowfall can increase the risks by weakening or dislodging branches. Take care in these conditions.
  • When you do notice a potential widowmaker branch, avoid it. Should you spot a widowmaker on your property, you may want to dislodge it carefully from a distance, or hire a tree-trimmer. These professionals can cut away dead wood and remove loose branches.

For more information on the hazards posed by trees, visit the OSHA Logging eTool.

Making Your Own Jerky

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Forget everything you've ever learned about food safety and the proper handling of meat. Ignore the sound advice you heard in cooking school. Disregard that appalling silly VHS training tape you watched before working in that restaurant. Throw all your ideas of sanitary food prep to the wind. The age-old process of making jerky is in direct opposition with the modern ideals of the time and temperature of safe meat storage.

We're going to take raw meat, trim off the fat, dry it out in the sun — and somehow, almost magically — it's going to be safe to eat later.

So whether you're a hunter, a protein lover, or a hard-core prepper, knowing how to handle raw meat is an important skill. But what if you've harvested a larger animal than you can eat in one sitting? Or several animals at once? How do you make sure your precious protein lasts longer? In this article, we're going to bring back a skill that's an oldie but a goodie, we're going to show you how to make your own traditional-style jerky.

All it takes is fresh raw meat and a dry day to learn some invaluable jerky-making skills. And if you haven't figured out yet that jerky production is a good skill to know, just ponder how you'd store meat in a grid-down or wilderness setting. No freezer or pressure canner is likely to be available. This leaves drying as you're only real preservation solution. Don't worry about homespun jerky being some horrible archaic food, like acorn mush. We've all slavered over the savory goodness of jerky. And with a little care and attention, you can make good jerky, too. Hungry for it yet? Let's prepare some now.

strips-of-jerky-and-raw-meat-with-salt

The Ingredients

The actual word “jerky” is believed to come from the Quechua word “ch'arki,” meaning salted, dried meat. However, jerky has had many names across the time and diverse locations it has been made. Bull cheese, biltong, jerk, meat floss, kilishi, and other colorful names have been applied to this traditional staple food item. But don't think this is just some primitive tribal snack. Beef jerky has even been approved as astronaut food! NASA has supplied hungry space shuttle crews with this tasty, compact, high-protein snack since the 1990s. Here's what you'll need to start making jerky on your own.

Firewood: Hickory, mesquite, maple, and many other classic food-smoking woods are excellent choices for your firewood and smoke producers. Stay away from woods that produce a resinous black smoke, like pine, firm, and spruce. Also do your research to find out if you have any toxic woods in your area, and don't use those for cooking or smoking.

Fire-Starter: It's your call on this one. It could be the humble Bic lighter or a bow and drill set.

Meat: What kind of meat is jerky meat? It's whatever meat you have. Deer and beef are excellent, but virtually any edible animal will work. Just pay attention to the fat. It must all be removed before drying the meat. It must also be raw to safely last through long-term storage.

The Rack: A free-standing tripod with cross bars is my favorite type of jerky rack, though many things can work. Hang the strips from a handy branch or dangle them from a string. Set them on a window screen, oven rack, or dishwasher rack that you have taken outside. You could even lay the meat on rocks, concrete, bricks, or some other absorptive surface, though dangling in the air is usually the fastest way to dry the meat.

Spices, Seasonings, and Preservatives: Salt, pepper, vinegar, garlic powder, soy sauce, a wide range of spices and many other items have been used to flavor jerky and assist in the preservation of it.

The Steps to Jerky Heaven

Once your decisions have been made and your ingredients rallied, it's time to go to work. It's the hope of all jerky makers that the weather will cooperate on jerky day, but if not — there are options. Follow these steps and you'll make your ancestors proud!

Step 1: Start off with fresh, raw meat and cut it into thin strips. As you work, remove all visible fat and throw it into a stew or find some other good use for those valuable calories. Most people prefer tender jerky, which usually comes from cuts that are perpendicular to the muscle fiber (perpendicular to the bone that was in the meat). Other jerky makers, however, prefer to cut with the grain of the muscle (in the direction that it once stretched and contracted). Try some both ways on your first batch to see which you prefer.

salted-strip-of-raw-meat

Step 2: Add salt, sugar, spices, and/or vinegar to the meat. This can be done by sprinkling dry ingredients, soaking, or wiping on wet ingredients. The meat could also be soaked in a marinade or brine at this time. Make sure there is no oil in the marinade, as it will go rancid in the finished product. Some of these items, like the pepper, are just there for taste.

Other items, however, are there to help preserve the meat. Salt, sugar, and vinegar do a great job in discouraging the growth of bacteria, the primary organism behind spoilage. Salt creates a saline environment in the meat, which keeps harmful organisms from taking over. And vinegar creates an acidic environment, which helps to keep the bacterial hordes at bay. If you don't have any flavorings or preserving agents, move on to step three.

Step 3: Hang the meat on your rack, string it up with twine, or lay it out to dry. Do this in the sun, preferably on a dry and breezy day — and a few feet downwind of a tiny smoky fire. It's best if the frame or string of drying meat is mobile. This allows you to move the meat into the smoke if the wind shifts, and chase the sun as it travels. And never leave your jerky unattended, for a variety of reasons.

checking-on-strips-of-raw-meat-drying-out

Step 4: Dry the meat until it begins to feel stiff and leathery. On a rack or flat surface, turn each piece so that any damp shady spots get exposed to sunlight. Continue drying, keeping the meat in the smoke, but not directly over the heat. Dry the meat until it becomes brittle when bent. Red meat will turn purplish-brown. White meat will turn grayish-pink.

If the weather takes a turn on jerky day or your meat hasn't dried all the way before dark, move all the meat into shelter and finish the drying process the next day. Don't leave it out overnight. The dampness is bad, but the scavengers are worse. It's probably going to be gone in the morning. In extended wet weather, you'll have to dry the meat with the heat of the fire. This will buy you a few days of storage before it spoils, as will using cooked meat for jerky in the first place. But it's not safe to store cooked, dried salted meat past one week.

strips-of-raw-meat-drying-out

Step 5: Store the finished jerky in a dry paper bag, cloth sack, wooden box, or some other breathable container. This keeps the jerky from sweating and helps it to last longer. If the weather is cool and dry, jerky like this may last for weeks or months. In humid weather, eat it as soon as you can, but stop using it if the meat becomes moldy or takes on a bad smell. Trust your eyes and nose when storing jerky under questionable damp conditions.

Conclusion

You were warned that safe food handling ideals would be thrown out the window in this article, and they certainly were — by allowing raw meat to lie about in warm weather. But consider the fact that many ancestral cultures used jerky as a valuable staple food item, trade good, pet food, and even as a currency. So if your power goes out while you have a deep chest freezer full of steaks, now you know what to do with your rapidly melting investment of meat — make a mountain of jerky!

Regardless of whether you are a bushwhacker, homesteader, or urban survivalist, the skill of jerky making has some serious benefits and there's no better time to start honing your skills than right now. Grab the rack out of your oven, hang salted meat all over it, and set it on a sunny balcony or deck to become the salty little jerky bits that they were meant to be. Enjoy!

Maggots!

Maggots! These little devils really add the “yuck” factor to the jerky-making process, but don't throw your precious food source away just because it's started moving again. Flies and their larvae are nuisances during the early stages of the jerky process, but they are easily repelled by using smoke or increasing your smoke output. Just remember to keep the meat bathed in smoke, yet away from the heat. Cooked meat spoils much faster than raw meat. And if some tenacious flies do make it past the smoke screen, simply wipe off the egg clusters (or moving maggots) and return the meat to the drying rack. You may not spot them at first, as the egg masses tend to get deposited underneath the jerky strips, but you'll usually find them when you turn the jerky over for the first time while drying. Then, once the meat gets a crusty skin on it, the flies tend to leave it alone anyway.

Best Meats

Don't feel like cattle and deer are the only creatures that can transform into jerky. Any raw meat from any edible animal species can be dried and preserved using the techniques listed here. But not all jerky is equal. The red meat and white meat mammals are certainly prime candidates for jerky, but edible birds, reptiles, and fish can turn into jerky as well. They may not be as appetizing as dried red meat, but they do work.

Fish jerky, wild turkey jerky, snapping turtle jerky, gator jerky, whatever jerky — all can provide nourishment, but perhaps not the dining experience you were hoping to receive. Freshwater fish jerky is probably the worst, being fairly awful under ideal conditions. While deer, beef, elk, moose, buffalo, and similar animals are global favorites and should be your top choice — if choice is an option. If not, then turn whatever beast you have into a salty spicy jerky. If you dial up the seasonings, it really dials down the gag reflex.

A Final Step for the Faint of Heart

When eating jerk, you're eating raw meat. This can bother some people. Around my camp, there is one bonus step before jerky consumption — this is some form of cooking. An easy and tasty way is to impale the dried meat strip on a pointy stick and toast it briefly over the campfire. This changes the color and the flavor (in a good way), and it kills any live organisms that are lingering on the jerky's surface or inside it. This extra step could be considered paranoid, but in many ways, it just feels right. Another common use for jerky is in soups, broth, and stew. The jerky can be pounded with a clean dry rock, until it is pulverized. Add this powder to hot water and simmer for half an hour. The resulting broth is full of somewhat tender slivers of meat and very welcomed on a cold day.

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Boost Your Sprint Performance and Save Your Life

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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.

Some say speed kills. In this case, it's going to save your ass. Quickly evading imminent danger is an absolute necessity, and we're not going to let a lack of knowledge be the reason why you're slow. Sprint training is often overlooked in a physical preparation program, usually in favor of bench presses and asinine machine exercises.

Based on your surroundings or what you have available, traveling on foot might be your only option, which is why it's such a key component to a solid physical preparation plan. Quick bursts of speed may be the difference between life and death. After you absorb the information in this article, you'll be well on your way to developing a plan to increase speed and to have the tools to potentially get yourself or others out of a real bind in the future.

Phases of Sprinting

What do escaping a wildfire, running from a pack of wild dogs, and evading roaming bandits have in common? You'll sure as hell have a better chance if you're fast! Don't worry — even if you have no idea what to do, we'll outline what you need to know.

Sprint training might seem complicated, with many little nuances only an experienced coach might understand. Fortunately, this doesn't have to be the case. Let's break things down into digestible steps that will be very easy to not only understand, but also to implement.

Before we go into the training, let's briefly look at technique. Good sprint training is broken up into two main parts, the acceleration phase and the top-end phase.

Acceleration Phase

sprinting-acceleration-phase

The acceleration phase is characterized by more of an angled, head-down body position, relying more on the strength and power of your lower body. This is the first phase, as you transition from being still to running. The initial quickness of the acceleration phase really comes into play in those situations that call for short bursts of speed, such as sprinting for cover between houses, parked cars, or other obstacles.

Top-End Phase

sprinting-top-end-phase

The top-end phase is a bit different — you're in a more upright posture due to the fact that you're primarily maintaining a speed for as long as you need to. You transition into this phase after the acceleration phase, as you begin running at full speed. This phase relies more on the up-and-down action of both your arms and legs. The top-end phase is extremely important in circumstances where you may have to outrun another person, animal, or anything else that requires you to run at distances longer than 30 yards (about 100 feet).

Speed Drills

Knowing what good technique looks like is great, but let's put together some drills to make that process easier. These drills are just simplified versions of specific movements used in actual running. When put into practice, they can dramatically improve your sprinting technique. Better technique equals a much better chance of making it to safety.

Acceleration Drill #1 Wall March

acceleration-drill-1-wall-march

Begin with your hands on a wall and your feet further back, creating an angled position. Bring one knee up with the ankle also pulled up toward your shin. From here on out, nothing above the hip moves.

Now bring that same raised leg down. Once it makes contact with the ground, drive the opposite leg up to the same position.

Repeat, alternating which leg is raised. Don't allow your total body lean to be lost. Repeat on each side for the recommended number of repetitions.

Acceleration Drill #2 Push-Up Start

acceleration-drill-2-push-up-start

Begin face-down with your hands under your shoulders and your toes in contact with the ground. Explosively push your body off the ground as you bring one leg upward.

Drive your foot into the floor and take off. Sprint for an additional 10 to 20 yards. Repeat for the recommended repetitions.

Top-End Drill #1 Wall Top-End Posture

top-end-drill-1-wall-top-end-posture

Start standing completely upright with one hand on a wall. Place the foot closest to the wall about 6 inches in front of the other leg, with pressure on your forefoot.

Drive your foot back behind you. Then keep the leg tight, and drive the knee up. Return to the starting position. Pause briefly, and repeat slowly for the recommended repetitions.

Top-End Drill #2 High-Knee Marching

top-end-drill-2-high-knee-marching

Allow for about 15 yards of movement. While maintaining an upright posture, simultaneously drive one knee and the opposite arm upward. Bring the leg down, and repeat on the other side while moving forward. Complete for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Putting it All Together

Next, let's discuss what your actual sprint training will look like. In order to make speed training successful, there has to be progressive loading from week to week. We can't just jump in the deep end right from the start, or else you might get hurt. This way, you'll be able to adapt and improve without much risk of injury.

The four tables show a sample training program in a 12-week period with optimal recovery time between each repetition and set. Complete each of these programs at least twice per week. Start with phase 1 for three weeks, then move on to phase 2, and so on.

Phase 1 – 3 Weeks
ExerciseSetsRepsDistanceRest (sec)
Wall March310/SideN/A30
Wall Top-End Posture310/SideN/A30
High Knee March3N/A15 Yards30
Push-Up Start Sprint5N/A10 Yards60
Short Sprint4N/A30 Yards90
Long Sprint2N/A80 Yards150
Phase 2 – 3 Weeks
ExerciseSetsRepsDistanceRest (sec)
Wall March310/SideN/A30
Wall Top-End Posture310/SideN/A30
High Knee March3N/A15 Yards30
Push-Up Start Sprint4N/A20 Yards90
Short Sprint4N/A40 Yards120
Long Sprint2N/A100 Yards180
Phase 3 – 3 Weeks
ExerciseSetsRepsDistanceRest (sec)
Wall March310/SideN/A30
Wall Top-End Posture310/SideN/A30
High Knee March3N/A15 Yards30
Push-Up Start Sprint5N/A20 Yards90
Short Sprint4N/A50 Yards120
Long Sprint3N/A100 Yards180
Phase 4 – 3 Weeks
ExerciseSetsRepsDistanceRest (sec)
Wall March310/SideN/A30
Wall Top-End Posture310/SideN/A30
High Knee March3N/A15 Yards30
Push-Up Start Sprint4N/A30 Yards90
Short Sprint4N/A50 Yards120
Long Sprint4N/A100 Yards210

Conclusion

Adding in some of this sprint training will be a tremendous aid to you in the future. With uncertainty around every corner, you can't be dependent upon cars, bikes, or other means of transportation. There's a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing that you can handle yourself no matter what is thrown your way. Being quick on your feet is a key aspect of your overall physical preparation plan, and, therefore, cannot be overlooked.

About The Author:

Ryne Gioviano is the owner of Achieve Personal Training & Lifestyle Design. He holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and is a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

For more information, visit www.achieve-personaltraining.com. You can find Ryne on Twitter and Instagram at @RGioviano

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Hydrapak Full-Force Hydration Reservoir

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Hydration systems haven't changed very much in the last few decades—they usually consist of a set formula: a soft bag or pouch-style reservoir, a flexible rubber tube, and a bite valve to drink from. Sure, there are plenty of subtle variations on this formula, such as internal baffles, anti-microbial coatings, mounting hooks, and screw-on or sliding reservoir seals.

A simple plastic water bottle works well, even if you find it in a recycling bin.

Even the most basic hydration pack beats carrying a pack of disposable plastic water bottles.

However, these ordinary hydration systems all have one thing in common: sucking. No, not like that. They literally require the user to bite the valve and drink from the tube like a straw. If you're the sole user of the hydration pack, that's not a problem. However, if you want to use the water for cooking, cleaning, sharing with others, or filling other containers, the trickle of water produced by gravity is not ideal.

Hydrapak Full Force water hydration system

The Hydrapak Full-Force system changes all this with the addition of a squeeze bulb and pressure-activated valve. Rather than biting the valve and sucking, the user can uncap the end of the tube, and give the rubber bulb a quick squeeze. The valve automatically opens, spraying a stream of water wherever you need it—your mouth, someone else's mouth, a water bottle, a pan full of freeze-dried food, or a dirty dish.

HydraPak Logo

This one-handed dispenser, known as the Hydrant Tube Kit, opens up a new range of possibilities. The Full-Force kit also includes a quick-detach HydraFusion tube, which is fabric-coated for insulation and abrasion-resistance. You also get your choice of a 2L or 3L reservoir, each fitted with a slide-seal top that allows the reservoir to be opened wide and inverted for cleaning. As with other Hydrapak systems, the reservoir is also rated for freezing, filling with hot water, and is even dishwasher-safe.

Hydrapak SpeedCups collapse or crush into small spaces, and snap back into shape easily.

Hydrapak SpeedCups collapse or crush into small spaces, and snap back into shape easily.

The Full-Force system will be available soon for an MSRP of $48 (2L) or $52 (3L). If you're looking to supply family or friends with water from your reservoir, also check out the updated Hydrapak SpeedCup collapsible cups. They're available in a 4-pack for $20, and can crush down to only a few millimeters thick. For updates on Hydrapak's new products for 2017, check out Hydrapak.com.

Jerky Taste Test: Which Dried Meat is Prepper Approved?

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I was probably 3 years old when I got my first taste of this gloriously tasty, dried meat we call jerky. When you're that young, all you cared about is that food tasted good, never stopping to think about what the stuff you were eating was made of. I put jerky down like there was no tomorrow with a silly grin and overworked jaw.

It wasn't until a few years later that I put two and two together and figured, Hey, jerky is pretty much “raw” meat?! It was between playing a round of The Oregon Trail (buying supplies at the general store, including dried meat) and watching a Ronco Food Dehydrator infomercial (in which they made beef jerky) when I realized the meat I enjoyed so much is not cooked. Well, not cooked in the traditional sense that steak is. I was eating old, tough, raw meat … why didn't I get sick? What is this stuff?

Dried Meat 101

Jerky production has a long history and can be traced back to almost all ancient civilizations, from the Incans who made llama jerky to South Africans who made biltong (a type of dried, cured meat). Hundreds of years ago, Native Americans taught Europeans the art of drying meat, which in turn, helped spread jerky clear across the globe.

In general, meat jerkies are not cooked, but dried instead. Drying food is a technique of food preservation that far outdates canning. So what's the science involved? In layman's terms, when meat has no more moisture, enzymes can no longer react with it. (These enzymes can come from bacteria or fungi, or even naturally occurring autolytic enzymes from within the meat itself.) In other words, dried meat can last a long time before it goes bad.

Because jerky is essentially meat minus the moisture, it is dense in nutrients and light in weight. In fact, a pound of meat weighs about 4 ounces after being turned into jerky. Aside from significant weight savings, this shelf-stable, high-protein food can be stored without refrigeration. Undoubtedly, this allowed our real-life Oregon-bound wagon train friends the luxury and nutrition of meat, even on a long arduous trip. The benefits of this wonder food are not lost on people today.

Modern Meat

Enter the modern-day survivalist. When choosing what types of food to pack away for when all hell breaks loose, we certainly do have plenty of choices at our disposal. Canned, bottled, freeze-dried, airtight bagged — you name it, someone's probably created it. We might have our 3,600-calorie food bars in our go-bags and years' worth of MREs stowed away in our underground bunkers, but those kinds of food can taste downright nasty and may not be as portable to boot.

Let everyone's (read “my”) favorite childhood junk food come to the rescue! As mentioned before, jerky is lightweight and easily stowed. It is mostly impervious to the elements, provides plenty of energy to burn, and can last a long time (mileage may vary, but usually up to a year or more). Best of all, it's tasty stuff. Jerky can be used to supplement a well-rounded survival meal plan, enjoyed as a treat to uplift your spirits, or consumed as an easy-to-reach energy source in a lightweight bug-out bag. One might argue that jerkies are heavy on sodium and can induce thirst, so that's a factor to keep in mind.

In this issue of OG, we take a look, smell, and taste of jerkies of a variety of types and flavors. We go from gourmet to gas station, and rate them as we taste them. Riding along the flavor train with yours truly are Network Manager John Schwartze and Editor Patrick Vuong to provide second and third unabashed opinions of this great jerky taste test.

Jerky Taste Test: Which Dried Meat is Prepper Approved?

  • Epic Bites Chicken Meat With Currant & Sesame BBQ Seasoning

    Make & Model - Epic Epic Bites Chicken Meat With Currant & Sesame BBQ Seasoning
    Calories Per Serving - 90
    Protein Per Serving - 9 grams
    Package Size - 2.5 ounces
    MSRP - $7
    URL - http://www.epicbar.com

    If you're concerned with how your food is raised, the EPIC brand of meat products would most likely interest you. These EPIC Chicken Bites are sourced from only 100-percent non-GMO-raised chickens.

  • Fusion Jerky Chipotle Lime Artisian Beef Jerky

    Make & Model - Fusion Jerky Chipotle Lime Artisian Beef Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 90
    Protein Per Serving - 10 grams
    Package Size - 3 ounces
    MSRP - $7
    URL - http://www.fusionjerky.com

    Fusion Jerky was founded by a globe-trotting outdoor adventurer who brought her family's Asian recipes to the American mainstream, and this flavor promises to be the company's spiciest.

  • Fusion Jerky Island Teriyaki Artisian Pork Jerky

    Make & Model - Fusion Jerky Island Teriyaki Artisian Pork Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 70
    Protein Per Serving - 9 grams
    Package Size - 3 ounces
    MSRP - $7
    URL - http://www.fusionjerky.com

    If an escape from a crumbling city isn't what you signed up for and a tropical escape is what you seek, this Island Teriyaki Artisan Pork Jerky can help you do that — in your mouth at least.

  • Lawless Jerky Phó Beef Jerky

    Make & Model - Lawless Jerky Phó Beef Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 80
    Protein Per Serving - 11 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $6
    URL - http://www.lawlessjerky.com

    Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup that is commonly made with beef stock…and is now a flavor of beef jerky.

  • Lawless Jerky Sweet Sriracha Beef Jerky

    Make & Model - Lawless Jerky Sweet Sriracha Beef Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 80
    Protein Per Serving - 11 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $6
    URL - http://www.lawlessjerky.com

    Inspired by the recent hot sauce fad, the Sweet Sriracha Beef Jerky promises to bring some heat to your snack time.

  • Slim Jim Original Giant Slim

    Make & Model - Slim Jim Original Giant Slim
    Calories Per Serving - 140
    Protein Per Serving - 6 grams
    Package Size - 0.97 ounces
    MSRP - $4
    URL - http://www.slimjim.com

    Technically not a jerky, the Slim Jim "smoked snack stick" had to make it in this guide purely due to its ubiquity.

  • Sweetwood Cattle Co. Beef Jerky Hot

    Make & Model - Sweetwood Cattle Co. Beef Jerky Hot
    Calories Per Serving - 90
    Protein Per Serving - 11 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $8
    URL - http://www.sweetwood.com

    Featuring whole muscle cuts of beef and natural herbs and spices, this spicy hot version of Sweetwood Cattle Company's handcrafted beef jerky is made in small batches. It has no added MSG and is nitrate free.

  • Sweetwood Cattle Co. Beef Jerky Teriyaki

    Make & Model - Sweetwood Cattle Co. Beef Jerky Teriyaki
    Calories Per Serving - 90
    Protein Per Serving - 11 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $8
    URL - http://www.sweetwood.com

    This handcrafted, sweet teriyaki-flavored Sweetwood Cattle Company beef jerky is made in small batches of all natural ingredients. It is free of nitrates and has no added MSG.

  • The New Primal Spicy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky

    Make & Model - The New Primal Spicy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 90
    Protein Per Serving - 12 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $7.59
    URL - http://www.thenewprimal.com

    Let's start with free roaming grass-fed beef, treat it with pineapple juice and honey, then infuse it with cayenne pepper and jalapeños along with hints of onion, pepper, and ginger. That's what you're getting with this soy-free, paleo-friendly jerky.

  • The New Primal Turkey Jerky

    Make & Model - The New Primal Turkey Jerky
    Calories Per Serving - 70
    Protein Per Serving - 12 grams
    Package Size - 2 ounces
    MSRP - $7.59
    URL - http://www.thenewprimal.com

    If you like the taste of social responsibility along with your salted-up meats, look no further than The New Primal.

  • Wild Zora Lamb & Veggie Bars (Rosmary Spinach)

    Make & Model - Wild Zora Lamb & Veggie Bars (Rosmary Spinach)
    Calories Per Serving - 120
    Protein Per Serving - 6 grams
    Package Size - 1 ounce
    MSRP - $3
    URL - http://www.wildzora.com

    If you're fond of vegetables and want some mixed in your jerky, you'll want to take a look at Wild Zora's lineup. While not technically jerky, these bars will still help you get the energy you need in an emergency situation.

  • Wild Zora Turkey & Veggie Bars (Masala Spinach)

    Make & Model - Wild Zora Turkey & Veggie Bars (Masala Spinach)
    Calories Per Serving - 100
    Protein Per Serving - 7 grams
    Package Size - 1 ounce
    MSRP - $3
    URL - http://www.wildzora.com

    These bars are made of both meat and vegetables and are gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, milk-free, nightshade-free, no nuts/peanuts/tree-nuts, and have no MSG or chemical additives. This bar qualifies for the Whole30 Program and is paleo-friendly.

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DIY Blade Smithing

Written by

Disaster has struck. Maybe you're on your way to work. You find yourself having to bug out — realizing you forgot your faithful EDC knife on your dresser drawer at home. Or perhaps you've just survived a plane crash or an off-road ATV accident far from civilization, and you've lost your gear. Whatever the calamity, you're now up SHTF creek without a paddle and, worst of all, without a knife. You need to find one, quickly. Most of us cannot fathom going down the street without a pocket knife of some sort, yet here you are. Miles from the closest sporting goods store or hardware store, what will you do when the time comes to use the art of blade smithing to help you survive until you make it home? Build your own, of course.

But first a clarification: We're not talking about an improvised weapon. This was deftly covered in OG's 2014 winter issue. Most of us who have even the smallest inkling about self-defense can be resourceful when it comes to finding a stick, club, rock, broken bottle, or any number of available weapons to fend off an attack. Nor do we mean a custom knife adorned with ergonomic scales and using modern super steels in the blade that was developed by NASA for use in the space shuttle program.

What we're talking about here is a tool meant for cutting, chopping, whittling, skinning, and various other chores that we may be confronted with in a survival situation.

The knife is arguably humankind's oldest tool and can often mean the difference between life and death. Because of its age, however, a resourceful human can fashion a blade from most materials that can be found almost anywhere. Our ancestors crafted knives before they invented a written language, and we have learned along the way through centuries of blade making how to only get better at it.

Two Roads Diverged

A knife is made by two basic methods: forging or stock removal. The forged blade is made by taking a piece of metal and shaping it into a knife by means of heat and pressure. Stock removal, on the other hand, means taking a piece of material and removing everything that does not look like a knife. Each method has its pros and cons, but for our purposes we're only looking at which is easier to make based on the average reader's skill set and on the materials one might find in an emergency or a grid-down scenario.

To grind a blade from a piece of metal, you will need the steel with which to work and an abrasive surface, such as a rock, brick, or even another piece of metal to shape the blade and expose the carbides in the steel. In other words, you need a piece of metal and something to sharpen it with. A lid from a can of tuna fish, an old metal shelving bracket, a metal file, or anything reasonably flat can be pressed into service with the help of an abrasive surface to form the edge.

For example, we tried the can lid method by assembling a blade from:

  • Lid from a can of smoked salmon
  • Cardboard
  • Duct tape

These materials weren't optimal by any means, but represented what could be scavenged from a trash can. The lid needed sharpening and, after working it for nearly 45 minutes on a slab of concrete, we obtained something resembling an edge.

We decided to fashion it as an ulu-style blade. For a small piece of metal with no method to pin the handle, it made the most sense. The inferiority of the metal made it usable on softer materials, like fruits, vegetables, and cooked meat. Our ulu even worked well enough to cut cardboard, but this would not work well as a general-use knife.

When it comes to making a blade out of scrap like this, your only limitation — besides what you can scrounge — is your imagination.

An ulu knife from Alaska Cutlery next to the author's improvised knife, which was crafted out of cardboard, duct tape, and the lid of a salmon can.

An ulu knife from Alaska Cutlery next to the author's improvised knife, which was crafted out of cardboard, duct...

Forge Ahead

Maybe your situation doesn't lend itself to grinding out a knife. Fortunately when the author surveyed a dozen professional knife-makers (most of whom were the stock-removal types) the overwhelming response came back as, “I would forge one.”

We consulted with two bladesmiths from the American Bladesmith Society: Michael Quesenberry and Peter Pruyn. These makers specialize in the art of the forged blade, and considering we've never forged a piece of steel before, their input gave the author a better appreciation of forged knives.

What is important here is finding an appropriate piece of metal to start with. In addition to the steel, the forger in the wild needs a source of heat, an anvil, and a hammer. The heated metal is placed on the anvil and the hammer provides the opposing force to beat the metal into the desired shape (this was the pressure we mentioned previously). Anvils and hammers can be improvised: We are merely looking for a hard, flat surface on which to work and a hardened tool with a flat head to force the metal into shape. The anvil could be an old tree stump, while the hammer could be a large rock.

To forge steel, we will need a heat source of around 2,100 degrees. Ideally, the forge will need to burn hotter and more consistent than wood, such as with charcoal or propane. Forcing air into the forge will keep the temperature high and consistent.

rusted-steel-rods

Select Your Steel: Keeping with the concept of scavenging, we chose rebar. Both of our bladesmiths felt that it was an unsuitable steel type, but we reminded them that this would not be a “knife-show beauty,” but rather a DIY survival blade. Eventually, the experts agreed that rebar would give us the bare minimum in cutting ability and strength, plus it can be found in almost any urban setting. The same concept could be applied to old files, horseshoes, saw blades, railroad spikes, or just about anything composed of steel — with the caveat that the harder the steel, the more heat (and arm strength) will be needed to hammer it into shape.

making-diy-knife-heating-steel-rod

Build a Fire: The process begins with heat, and we used a simple forge. In an emergency situation a bonfire could generate the same heat. If you have access to a stove of some sort or can improvise an oven using bricks or rocks to keep the heat trapped, you are halfway there. We've seen some people use metal barrels to achieve the same heat.

making-diy-knife-hammering-molten-metal

Hammer Away: Your selected blade metal must be heated until it glows reddish orange, at which point you can remove it from the forge and hammer flat. The metal cools relatively quickly and when it turns gray or black, it goes back into the fire.

Once the area of the blade is reasonably flat, hit it at an angle to form bevels. The hammer strikes must be hard, consistent, and need to overlap. The process will make the tip curl upward into a natural point. When we worked the blade, we wanted to form more of a drop point, which took a bit of shaping using the hammer. We wanted a thinner edge, which caused the blade to stretch a bit more.

making-diy-knife-reheating-metal

When finished, we put the rebar back in the forge in reverse. Another advantage of using rebar is its length, which provides plenty of materials to make an integrated handle and guard. No need to search for screws and wood scales to fashion a comfortable grip.

The very end was formed into a rectangle by hitting it from six angles. After another trip into the forge, we hit the handle off the side of the anvil to form a perpendicular finger guard and hit the apex around the anvil's horn into a loop and underneath the spine of the handle. With our creation looking a little bit more knifelike, we allowed it to cool. Then we had to normalize the metal and bring it back to a state where it could be used. This resulted in three more quick trips to the forge for less than two minutes each time with a cool-down period.

making-diy-knife-formed-handle

Grind It Out: Finally the edge has to be ground. We chose a metal file in lieu of a belt sander or grinder. The hardest part was breaking through the scale. This is the gray-looking material that “ugly ups” the two knives. A real smith would clean this up on the belt, through quenching or blasting, but we chose to forgo those luxuries to simulate a grid-down scenario. We finished the edge using an old piece of sandpaper.

Field Test It: When all was done, we tested the knives on rope, cardboard, and a piece of leather. While it lacked the fine edge of a custom blade, the end result was close enough for government work. And the texture of the rebar made for a surprisingly good grip.

Total time was five hours using a forge, anvil, and hammer. As of this writing, the author has been using the knife on a daily basis for four weeks and, while it's not the best knife in the world or a suitable candidate for use as a razor for shaving, it gets the job done and would probably last as long as a professionally made knife of similar or even better materials.

Take a Knap

Before humans learned how to extract ore from the earth or how to work it, the majority of our edged tools were made from stone. These types of tools were used as late as the 19th century in the Americas. In an extreme survival situation, this may be the only recourse available if no usable metal can be found.

Flint knapping originally referred to the process by which a hunter or gun-maker would craft usable flints for his flintlock rifle and comes from a German word meaning “to strike.” These old-time gunsmiths would use a tool to chip away small pieces of flint from a larger one in order to make a piece small enough to fit their rifles.

diy-knife-made-from-steel-tube

For our purposes the craft is the same and is similar to the stock-removal method mentioned previous. Find a piece of flint, quartzite, agate, chert, or obsidian and start chipping away with small tools like our ancestors did. Hard wood, antlers, denser rocks, or pieces of copper or brass produce the best results. Harder metals such as steel, iron, or titanium are too destructive for the process, as they tend to shatter the stone. We used a variety of old pieces of cartridge brass, a rounded rock, and a piece of elk horn attached to a fire starter as our tools.

Knapping a blade is tougher than it seems. Our first effort was decent for producing a sharp cutting edge, but the point kept eluding us and would round. The more we worked on the point, the more flint would break off. We stopped at a somewhat rounded point as we were losing valuable blade length.

We had a usable blade in about three hours. Finding handle material and a means to secure the knife to the handle took a bit less.

Get a Grip

One of the challenges to making a knife is making a handle and keeping it somewhat permanently fixed. In our stock-removal experiment, we were limited to duct tape and cardboard. The forged blade allowed us to make an integral handle, and the rebar gave us a good gripping surface. The flint blade was perhaps the easiest in that we could knock out notches on either side to wrap the blade to a piece of wood. Our primitive ancestors used rawhide, but hollowed paracord proved to be an acceptable substitute.

diy-knife-made-from-arrowhead-and-a-wooden-handle

In terms of performance, the flint knife cuts food, rope with some effort, and is surprisingly durable for what it is. This was probably our second best attempt. We realize it might not be practical depending on your region of the world, as the best stones to perform this type of work are not simply lying on the ground to be picked up. Our master smith tutor, Michael Quesenberry, shared that he has seen evidence of Native American knife-making factories on various bluffs overlooking rivers in his travels through the western United States, evidenced by tiny chips of obsidian found well outside the “Ring of Fire.” The hypothesis is that Native Americans traded amongst one another for obsidian and would sit on these bluffs crafting knives, arrowheads, spearheads, etc.

Another survival expert and knife-maker, Abe Elias, mentioned that the same effort could be made by using glass as a medium. True, glass can be sharp and make effective cuts. If we simply wanted an improvised weapon, it would suit that role. Yet it is not durable enough to be carried, and there is the risk of glass particles contaminating food if such a blade is used in food prep of any sort. That could pose a bigger risk than having no knife at all.

Which One Was Best?

By far, the best knife we made was the forged blade; it also took the longest amount of time. Grinding the can lid on concrete was the quickest, but definitely the flimsiest piece we made. And the flint knapping was completely dependent on the part of the country where the author lives. Every scenario is different, and your calamity may put you in a place where raw materials are virtually nonexistent or in place where resources are abundant, but you have little means to work with them.

couple-of-diy-knifes-made-from-steel-tubing

If you want more information on how to make your own knives under ideal circumstances to prepare you for when those circumstances are less than ideal, contact your local custom knife-maker for a shop tour or contact larger organizations, such as the American Bladesmith Society or the Knifemakers' Guild.

Hopefully this will make you remember that your knife may be your most important piece of equipment and to never leave home without it. If you should find yourself having to make one to get by, please keep these guidelines in mind and realize your only limitation is your own creativity and ingenuity.

Making Charcoal

charcoal-burning-fire for blade smithing

The drawback of the forged blade is producing enough heat to make it. Campfires, bonfires, and wood-burning stoves can be used, but the problem is that the campfire method or stove method requires more time in the fire whereas the bonfire may be too hot to get close enough to heat the metal without tongs. A charcoal fire will burn hotter than wood, but if a disaster breaks out, and you don't already have a knife, there's a good chance you won't have a bag of Kingsford Briquettes handy, either.

Charcoal is made from wood. The easiest way to make it is to cram as much wood that will fit into a metal or masonry container and heat it in a bonfire or burn barrel. The receptacle (known as a retort) needs vent holes in the bottom that will vent the gases back into the fire to make it hotter and cook of the oxygen inside. The wood needs to cook for several hours depending upon the size of the retort.

Typically two-thirds to three-quarters of the size of the wood will be lost in the process. So 50 pounds of wood should yield 12 to 18 pounds of briquettes. Obviously, in a grid-down scenario, firewood won't come cheap or easy unless you're Grizzly Adams, so you could create charcoal as a byproduct of making good use of fire, such as to keep your basecamp warm in the winter or to grill a steak after you've dressed out a prime piece of game.

Sources

Abe Elias > www.facebook.com/aelias2
American Bladesmith Society > www.americanbladesmith.com
Knifemakers' Guild > www.knifemakersguild.com
Michael Quesenberry > www.quesenberryknives.com
Peter Pruyn > www.facebook.com/peter.pruyn.3

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

How to Eat Raw Fish in a Survival Scenario

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Cooking food in the wilderness is a time-consuming process. You have to catch or trap your meal, gut and debone it, prepare a fire, and wait for your food to be ready. However, we all know nobody has time for that, so why not just eat it raw? Animals do it, so it must be fine, right? The raw and natural diet is all the rage these days, anyway.

Here's a video that shows how a real hardcore survivalist enjoys eating a fish for dinner:

Looks delicious!

In case you couldn't tell, this video was satire, meant to poke fun at celebrity survivalists who eat raw fish in “extreme scenarios”. Unlike sushi or other forms of carefully prepared and inspected raw fish, biting into a whole fish can get you seriously ill, or just make you puke your guts out. Unless you want to contract some nasty parasitic worms and/or look like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, there are more civilized ways to process fish in a survival situation.

To reiterate: never eat raw unprepared fish in the wild. One way or another, you will probably end up regretting it. It's not worth the risk of illness—just make a fire and cook your catch like a civilized human. Speaking of which, here's one way to correctly process and cook a fish over a campfire:

The host uses a small metal grill, but you can also cook your fish on a flat rock if no grill is available. It's really not that hard, and this small amount of added effort up front can save you days or weeks of pain and suffering in the long run. Don't eat raw fish or believe everything you see on TV—food should be cooked whenever possible.

OKC Cerberus Fixed Blade

Written by

We'll admit we occasionally enjoy flashy knives with exotic materials, eye-catching finishes, and sometimes even impractical blade designs. We saw plenty of that sort of thing at Blade Show, and they're undeniably cool to look at. However, once you get out in the field, and actually start using the blade to baton firewood, gut fish, and slice through cordage, you'll realize that looks are unimportant. What really matters is that a survival knife's blade is simple, sharp, and built to last.

OKC Cerberus knife 2

Ontario Knife Company, or OKC, has released a new fixed-blade knife that fits this purposeful ideology to a T. It's called the OKC Cerberus, named after the mythical three-headed beast that guarded the gates of Hades. Ontario Knife Company says the blade can get you through hell and back, but we're not the type to take marketing taglines at face value. So, let's see what it has to offer.

The OKC Cerberus offers a clean design, with 10.2 inches of overall length and 4.8 inches of blade edge. The full-tang drop-point blade is constructed of D2, a durable tool steel with a hardness of 57-59 HRC. This steel has also been coated with a black zinc phosphate finish for corrosion resistance and reduced visibility.

OKC Cerberus knife 3

BladeHQ snapped this photo of a prototype Cerberus at this year's Shot Show.

Handle scales are formed from black G10, and have been sculpted to the contours of the hand, including a strong quillion to protect the user's index finger. The knife includes a brown Kydex sheath with paracord rigging to attach the blade to a variety of belts and packs.

The Cerberus is made in the USA, something we can certainly appreciate. It's not available just yet, but will be offered at an MSRP of $265. For more information on the Cerberus and other Ontario Knife Company blades, visit OntarioKnife.com.

Ground-Fighting Realities and How Not to Get Stomped into a Stain

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Warning!
The concepts shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Seek a reputable instructor before attempting any techniques discussed or shown in this story.

When people fight, it's not unusual for at least one of them to end up on the ground. While it's probably not the 90 percent probability touted by the people who teach grappling for a living, the odds are still pretty high so it makes sense to add some ground-fighting to your combative skillset. But before you run down to the local jiu-jitsu school and sign up, you might want to think about what you're really trying to achieve.

Since you happen to be reading a magazine about survival, let's take a leap of logic and assume that your major concern is defending yourself against a real-life violent attack. If that's the case, skip the latest UFC pay-per-view and head to the Internet — specifically YouTube, Live Leak, and similar video sites. Type in “street attack” and take a look at a few videos. Chances are good that in those videos you'll see some of the victims get knocked to the ground. Chances are also good that instead of following their target to the ground to finish the job, most of the attackers will take the logical, easy, and brutal route of kicking and stomping their victim. They sure as hell won't get him in a cross arm-bar or triangle choke to take his wallet.

No doubt criminals enjoy watching MMA fights just as much as the rest of us, but when they've spotted a target, they'll stick to what works. Kicks use the largest, strongest limbs to generate force, and stomps use body weight to add to that power. Since both are typically delivered with shoes or boots to a target supported by a solid surface (the ground), the damage they can cause is devastating.

A medical study published in 2004 focusing on the pathological effects of kicking deaths determined that kicks are 35 to 45 percent more powerful than hand strikes and that powerful kicks on the ground generated forces equivalent to a 30-mph head-on car crash. Learning how to keep that from happening to you should therefore be a priority in your training and preparations.

Why? It's not rocket science to conclude that desperate people will do desperate things during desperate times. A group of marauders could ambush you after law and order have ceased to exist. You could be surrounded by an angry mob during some intense civil unrest. Or, tomorrow you could simply be walking out of a store to your car and get jumped by a thug. Therefore, it's never too late to learn how to survive an unexpected invitation to a boot party.

Have a Nice Trip

The best defense against getting kicked and stomped is not ending up on the ground in the first place. You should obviously make that a priority in all your training, but don't pretend you're immune to getting knocked down. Once you accept that, your next step should be to learn how to fall without getting hurt. This is actually one of the most useful skills you can learn and a good reason to train in a martial art like judo or jiu-jitsu that incorporates lots of throws.

Unfortunately, traditional ukemi (break-falls) that involve slapping the mat to disperse the force of your fall don't translate well to concrete and asphalt. The basic concepts of rounding your body (like the rockers on a rocking chair), tucking your chin to protect your head, and using your feet and butt to absorb the shock of a fall are more adaptable to hard surfaces than slap-style falls. The safest method I've found is to first learn the traditional falls on a mat, and then deemphasize the slappy part to focus on the other mechanics. Once you can fall on a mat without slapping, gradually progress to thinner mats and harder surfaces.how-to-fall-safely

how-to-fall-safely

how-to-fall-safely

how-to-fall-safely

Falling safely is a vital skill in ground-fighting. The slap-happy break-falls that work on a mat don't translate well to concrete and asphalt, where a hands-free

Falling safely is a vital skill in ground-fighting. The slap-happy break-falls that work on a mat don't translate...

Get Up

Another key tactic that will keep you from becoming the guest of honor at a boot party is to not stay on the ground if you end up there. Getting up quickly gets you back in the fight on much better terms, but, again, you need to do it in a way that fits the reality of your situation.

MMA rules prohibit kicking a downed opponent, so many competition methods of getting up involve “posting” with the hands to get your feet under you more quickly. Yes, this is fast, but it leaves your head an unguarded foot magnet. If your physical attributes allow it, you should learn how to get up without having to use your hands so you can use them to guard your head throughout the process.

Basic Ground Defense

If you can't get up before your attacker closes the distance, you need to assume a good defensive posture. This position must allow you to protect your vital areas and to disable anyone who comes within range. The best weapon for this is your strong-side leg, so you also want to make sure you can pivot your body effectively to aim that leg and keep it between you and your attacker. Assuming the worst-case scenario — that your attacker has friends — your defensive position must also allow you to achieve as close to a 360-degree defense as possible.

Many martial arts advocate laying on your side and side-kicking your attacker. That may work well with a single attacker, but if he has friends, that position leaves your spine and head vulnerable.

Many martial arts advocate laying on your side and side-kicking your attacker. That may work well with a single...

The position that best meets all these criteria is lying on your back with your chin tucked to your chest, your arms guarding your head and neck, and your legs drawn in. The foot of your non-dominant leg should be planted flat, close to your butt so it can turn your body and direct your other leg, which is chambered to thrust out at your attacker's shins and knees.

Your basic plan goes like this: When an attacker tries to close in, pivot to keep him at your feet. When he gets close enough, stomp straight into his shin or knee with your power leg. Your kick should be a thrusting motion with your heel or the bottom of your foot, and your toes should be turned out so your foot hits perpendicular to his vertical leg.

Kicking low and targeting the attacker's legs keeps him as far away as possible and makes it hard for him to block. The higher you kick, the closer he can get to you and the easier it is for him to block or grab your foot. If you land a solid kick and lock out his leg, his head may pitch forward. If this happens, take the shot and go for it, but otherwise keep your kicks low.

This same tactic can also be used to defend against kicks, if you can get your feet between you and the incoming kick in time. If he's kicking hard and fast, kick the shin of his kicking leg as it approaches. Don't just block it — kick it. Then immediately follow with a full-power kick to his supporting leg, ideally at the knee or the inside of the ankle. If he's slower or draws his leg back very far before kicking, don't wait for it. Attack his support leg directly, aiming for the knee or ankle, which suffer more damage when they're supporting the body's entire weight.

The author's preferred guard position protects your spine by lying flat, protects your head with both arms, and protects your groin with your raised knees. His left leg allows him to pivot while his right leg — his primary weapon — stays aimed at the attacker. This position allows effective defenses against attacks coming from almost any direction.

The author's preferred guard position protects your spine by lying flat, protects your head with both arms, and...

Kicks from the Sides

If you can't pivot quickly enough or if you're facing multiple assailants, you may find yourself getting attacked from the side. To defend against soccer-style kicks to the ribs or head, raise your knee on that side of your body until it contacts your same-side elbow while still protecting your head. As the kick approaches, roll toward it and use the frame you created with your arm and leg to stop it short. This will jam it before full extension and kill its power.

Once you've stopped the kick, immediately lower the elbow of the blocking arm to your ribs so your hand hooks the attacker's kicking foot and pins it to the ground. As you do this, spin your legs toward your attacker and press the shin of your blocking leg against the shin of his kicking leg. Done properly, you'll pin his kicking foot to the ground and lock out his knee, throwing him off balance. With him momentarily tied up and fighting to keep his balance, take the opportunity to drive the heel of your other foot into his groin. Besides creating impact and pain, your objective is to drive his hips backward and put him on the ground. If you're lucky, he'll fall flat on his tailbone and fracture it. If you have a different kind of luck, the groin shot will bring his head forward as another target.

As soon as you have the opportunity to get up, seize it. As you do, pin his feet to the ground so he doesn't try to kick you again and keep him down by targeting his ankle with stomps of your own.

Practice this tactic on both sides, learning to quickly create the frame, roll into the kick, and trap the kicking foot. Also have your training partner kick with both his left and right legs so you learn how to adapt based on what you get. If his choice of kicking leg makes it difficult to kick him in the groin, practice kicking his support-leg knee instead. If he's too close to achieve shin-to-shin pressure, hook your thigh behind his foot to lock it down and stick with the plan.blocking-kick-to-your-side-while-on-the-ground

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When the assailant attempts to kick him from the side, the defender creates a knee-to-elbow

When the assailant attempts to kick him from the side, the defender creates a knee-to-elbow “frame” and...

Not Getting Stomped

Stomps are incredibly dangerous because they're powerful and put you between a boot and a hard place. According to the aforementioned 2004 study, the head and neck are the targets of choice. Sixty-four percent of the cases studied had skull fractures and 29 percent had fractures of the throat skeleton. On the positive side, these statistics strongly indicate that an attacker who tries to stomp you will seek a target that's close to your hands. That actually helps your defense.

As before, if you can't get up or get your feet between you and your assailant, protect yourself by assuming the flat-back guard described earlier. When the attacker raises his foot to stomp, quickly reach up and grab it with both hands. While it's still at its highest point, forcefully move the foot to one side of your body or the other. Redirecting his foot in the middle of the stomp will throw him off balance and may put him on the ground. If not, it'll at least open up targets for you to attack. If you moved his foot across your body, his groin will be staring at you waiting for a knee or a kick. Planting his kicking foot on the same side will probably turn him and expose his back. Kick the back of his knees to drop him or literally kick his ass to drive him away and create a chance to get up.

“Kicking a man when he's down” is a go-to tactic for street criminals. If you want to be a survivor instead of a stain, make preventing it and defending against it a priority in your training.

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8 While distracted by one assailant, our defender gets cold-cocked by a second. He manages his fall and assumes a good ground guard just in time. When one assailant attempts to stomp him, the defender reaches up and grabs the foot at its highest point. He then moves it across his body, off-balancing the assailant and throwing him to the ground. Pinning the assailant's legs as he gets up, the defender bounces his head off the asphalt with a few palm strikes as he turns to face the second attacker and prepares to continue his defense.

8 While distracted by one assailant, our defender gets cold-cocked by a second. He manages his fall and assumes a good...

Geometry of Kicking High

One widely taught ground-defense tactic is the “bicycle kick.” Basically, you lie on your back and throw repeated left and right kicks at your attacker's groin or midsection. Done aggressively, the motion of your feet looks like you're riding a bicycle — hence the name.

In my opinion, there are several disadvantages to this technique. Because of the motion it requires, your feet must be vertical as you kick, giving you a fairly narrow “swath” as you kick. Since both feet are kicking, you must also rely on your hands and arms to pivot your body to change direction. Lowering your hands to the ground to pivot leaves your head and neck dangerously exposed, and turning while trying to maintain a continuous barrage of kicks is harder than you think.

Perhaps the greatest shortcoming of this tactic is that it assumes that your attacker will willingly wade into a blender of flailing feet. If he's smart enough to go around, turning to keep up with him will be tough. If he's even slightly smarter, he'll swat your feet aside and walk right over you.

Kicking low, specifically to the shin and the knee, keeps your attacker at maximum range and is likely to break things that he needs to hold himself up. If he can't stand; he can't fight.

Kicking low, specifically to the shin and the knee, keeps your attacker at maximum range and is likely to break things...

If you think about it, your kicking leg is what creates distance between you and your assailant. The higher you raise it, the closer your attacker can get to you and the easier it is for him to parry or grab that leg. Conversely, kicking low keeps him farther away, makes your kicking leg difficult to block, and allows you to attack his knees, ankles, and shins — targets that can destroy his mobility and pave the way for you to get up and get away. For these reasons, it makes more sense to wait for your attacker to get close and present a target before you kick. Then, pick your shot and kick a target that has a high probability of taking him out of the fight while keeping you as far away from his weapons as possible.

One claim you'll sometimes hear from advocates of the bicycle kick is that it has been proven in force-on-force training. While I'm sure it has fared well in that context, it's important to remember that scenario-based training has to be limited to ensure safety. If participants could actually kick role players in the knees, that tactic would also prove effective, but you'd break a lot of role players and your training sessions would be painfully short. Similarly, punching with a boxing glove can be very effective and can be practiced regularly in training, but that doesn't mean it's more effective than ramming your fingers into someone's eyes. Some tactics are just difficult to practice without causing real injury.

The higher you kick, the closer your attacker — and his weapons — can get to you. He also easily swat your feet aside.

The higher you kick, the closer your attacker — and his weapons — can get to you. He also easily swat your feet...

About The Author:

Michael Janich is a noted personal-defense instructor, a member of the prestigious Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame, and the founder of the Martial Blade Concepts system of knife tactics. He also worked closely with the late Col. Rex Applegate and is one of the foremost modern experts on handgun point shooting.

http://www.martialbladeconcepts.com