Symtac Shotgun Class Review: Don’t Fear the Recoil

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Shotguns are based on a lineage that stretches back more than 500 years. Henry VIII, King of England, was known to possess more than 40 of what were then referred to as “haile shotte peics” (sic) which blasted chunks of lead down a smoothbore barrel. Ironically, Henry’s successor Edward VI signed an act in 1548 banning weapons that fired “hayle shot or any more pellotts than one at a time,” claiming they were too powerful to be used for hunting. (Of course, Lords of Parliament and other nobility were exempt from the law. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?) Regardless of the simplicity and potency of the shotgun, quite a few modern-day shooters still struggle with mastering it. Some believe “grin and bear it” is the only way to deal with a shotgun’s recoil, and others assume the spread of the pellets will overcome their total lack of training — both of these are myths.

Above: Rob Haught has spent decades teaching shotgun skills to many prominent agencies and units, including the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT).

Training with Symtac

To learn how to make the most of my pump shotgun, I took a two-day Shotgun Skills class from Symtac Consulting, run by father-son duo Rob and Matt Haught. I previously trained under Matt at a local shotgun event, which I wrote about in Issue 21 of Concealment magazine; Rob has worked in law enforcement for more than 34 years, and travels the country teaching shotgun skills to military units and federal agencies. The Haughts are some of the most renowned and experienced shotgun instructors in the country.

Symtac’s curriculum is founded on the push-pull technique. Rather than leaning into the recoil and pulling the gun hard into the shoulder, students were instructed to apply opposing tension to the gun, pushing forward with the support hand and pulling back with the dominant hand, much like drawing a bow. The buttstock rests lightly on the shoulder, and the push-pull tension is applied just before pressing the trigger. Cycling the action on a pump shotgun naturally sets up the next push-pull. It’s shocking how much this reduces felt recoil — students quickly went from staggering onto their heels with each shot to effortlessly firing multiple shots from a rock-solid stance.

Above: While demonstrating the push-pull technique, Matt Haught kept his Vang Comp modified Remington 870 stable during multiple rapid-fire shots.

Of course, there’s much more to running a shotgun than recoil management. Reloading is another inherent challenge, so we practiced loading from loose rounds in a pocket and from sidesaddle carriers. It’s advised to load the chamber directly first — holding the shell laterally between the index and pinky fingers, rather than pinching with thumb and index — and then top off the mag. We learned how to stage our ammo in a sidesaddle for faster reloads, placing two shells brass-up for over-the-receiver chamber loads and the rest brass-down for the mag tube. After many reps, loading became second nature, and students were replacing each spent round without hesitation.

Above: Each student patterned their shotgun and ammunition at various ranges to determine the spread pattern that should be expected. In a defensive shooting, the impact of every bullet must be justified in front of law enforcement officers and/or a jury, and pellets are no different.

On day two, we discussed “zones of employment” (i.e. engagement distances) for a shotgun, as well as ammo selection. “Bird shot is for birds, not people,” Rob explained succinctly. Buckshot shines in the 5-to-15-yard range, but some loads (e.g. Federal FliteControl) are still effective far beyond 25 yards. It’s critical to examine the shot pattern of various loads in your gun, since each performs differently, and too much spread can cause collateral damage. Slugs are situational — have a few on hand, but use them cautiously and be mindful of over-penetration. Never alternate loads inside the mag tube; consciously choose the right load for the situation.

Many drills were covered, incorporating turns, movement, multiple targets, and even shotgun-to-pistol transitions, but the “Shoot, Scoot, and Load Boogie” was especially memorable. Each student walked towards a target, fired on command, and then began walking backward. The goal was to be able to walk back and forth continuously, listen for commands, and load during down time to keep the gun from ever going empty. This challenged our dexterity and simulated the stress of reloading during a real fight.

Above: At the end of day two, students competed against each other to test our shooting, reloading, and recoil management skills under stress.

Closing Thoughts

After two full days on the range and more than 500 shells fired — many of which were full-power buckshot and slugs — I was pleasantly surprised to find my shoulder wasn’t sore or bruised at all. The Symtac push-pull method works wonders, making my 12-gauge feel more effective and more fun. Beyond that, I learned a ton about loading methods, ammo selection, and other intricacies of shotguns. Although the underlying smoothbore formula is ancient, it’s still extremely effective in the 21st century. For more information on Symtac Consulting shotgun classes throughout the U.S., go to sym-tac.com.

Infographic: The World’s Deadliest Structural Collapses

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As young children, many of us were reminded to be thankful for health, food on the table, and a roof over our heads. It's all too easy to take these fundamental aspects of safety for granted until one of them is ripped away. Structural collapses can demolish that roof or the ground beneath our feet, often with little to no warning. However, as with other types of disaster, studying the past can help us prepare for the future. The following infographic from Forney Vault gives a quick overview of the location, death toll, and cause(s) of the 30 deadliest structural collapses in recorded history.

The oldest of these disasters occurred nearly 2,000 years ago, but four of them occurred within the last decade. They affected a variety of countries, and caused loss of life in both urban and rural areas. Some were triggered by natural disasters or terrorist attacks that weakened the structure, leading to a collapse that increased death toll exponentially. Others were simple failures of engineering that weren't noticed until it was too late.

So, what can we learn from these examples? Here are a few quick takeaways:

  • Be extremely cautious of large structures during (or immediately after) severe weather events. Heavy rainfall, flooding, and erosion played a part in many of these structural failures.
  • If you live near a large dam, study the potential flow path of its contents if the dam fails. Establish an escape plan, and take immediate action in the event of a major earthquake or storm.
  • Overcrowding due to sporting events, festivals, or even rush hour traffic can push structures to their breaking point. Try to avoid getting caught up in these crowds.
  • Make mental notes about escape routes of any large structure you enter. If a structural-failure-inducing event happens with no warning, such as an earthquake or explosion, these details can buy you precious seconds to escape before the building crumbles.

New: HitchFire Ledge Swing-Out for Tailgating and Camping

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Whether you're heading up to the mountains for a weekend of camping or tailgating with friends before a football game, clutter-free “counter” space is usually at a premium. A regular truck tailgate can get overcrowded quickly once you set up a stove, cooler, cookware, utensils, plates, a cutting board, water jug, and so on. The new HitchFire Ledge provides a flat, working-height platform that attaches directly to a standard trailer hitch and swings into position to allow access to the vehicle's hatch or tailgate. It's sized for a two-burner propane stove plus fuel canister, and also accommodates an optional cutting board side table for food prep.

Metal rails and a raised back panel ensure your stove and other gear won't go flying if you bump the platform, and there are slots for mounting hardware, bungee cords, or ratchet straps. When you're driving to your destination, the HitchFire Ledge serves as a hitch basket for storing boxes or crates, and when you arrive, it swings out to serve as a work/cooking space. The company says it also works well for holding a smoker or even a laptop.

The HitchFire Ledge platform is available at an MSRP of $325, and the Cutting Board Side Table add-on is available separately for $190. The system can also be purchased as an Adventure Bundle along with a 52-liter Roam Adventure Co. hard case and two straps for $500:

For more information on the new HitchFire Ledge, as well as the company's other grills and accessories, go to HitchFire.com.

Bag Drop: 5.11 Tactical RUSH72 Search and Rescue Pack

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You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?” — C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Every time I leave my house for a search-and-rescue mission, clutching gear which I’m about to stake my life on, I think about that quote from Lewis. Sometimes it’s a battery-operated rescue beacon to ride shotgun with me for a flight across the Gulf of Mexico, in search of high adventure on Florida’s Lost Coast. Next time, it’ll be my fancy new lightweight Team Wendy helmet, as I’m deployed by the State of Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force in the pursuit of saving lives.

5.11 Tactical RUSH72 Backpack

Make and Model
5.11 Tactical RUSH72 2.0 Backpack 55L

MSRP
$185

URL
www.511tactical.com

The 5.11 RUSH72 bag is one such piece of gear I’ve come to depend on. I’m now working with my second generation of these bags, having started out with an original RUSH72 about 10 years ago. I counted on it to hike rim-to-rim through the Grand Canyon, carrying about 30 pounds too much of cushy luxuries like a heavy air mattress and clothing. Better yet, I was foolishly navigating using a park brochure instead of the detailed topographical maps, which I had accidentally left sitting in the car at the top of the trailhead.

The irony of a search-and-rescue professional getting lost or even dying inside the Grand Canyon wasn’t lost on me, but thankfully both me and the bag made it out to the North Rim. The RUSH72 has also accompanied me on four search-and-rescue deployments for major hurricanes, as well as the recent Champlain Towers (Surfside) building collapse.

These days, I mostly have transitioned to a Tactical Tailor Cerberus 72-hour medic pack for hiking, and I keep the 5.11 RUSH72 bag on standby exclusively for search-and-rescue missions. The RUSH72 isn’t a small bag. If it’s fully loaded, it gets overweight fast. I learned this the hard way more times than I’d like to admit — even after the Grand Canyon — after turning what should’ve been easy outings into grimace-inducing treks.

For this reason, I have a smaller 5.11 RUSH12 that I normally carry full-time. But because of the RUSH72’s cavernous size, I keep it inside a vehicle if possible, except for the rare occasion I’m out in the field and away from basecamp overnight when I wear it full-time.

Pack Contents

Here is what I normally keep inside:

Sleeping

  • ENO ProFly Rain Tarp
  • ENO DoubleNest Hammock
  • Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs
  • MZOO Sleep Mask

I think as I’ve gotten older, I’m increasingly fed up with sleeping on the ground. I have a Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe Cot — the closest thing you can get to a portable bed — for when I have a vehicle to stash my gear. Otherwise, I’m bringing this hammock and its rain fly.

The MZOO sleep mask is only $18 on Amazon. I buy them four at a time, stashing them in my house and in all of my potential travel bags. They’re the best I’ve found and really make a big difference if you’re sleeping odd hours during daylight or under fluorescent lights. Combine them with the Mack’s earplugs and you’ll stand a better chance of getting the rest you need and being able to perform when it counts.

Hygiene

  • Duke Cannon Cold Shower Field Towels
  • Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Wilderness Bath Wipes

During my deployment to the Surfside building collapse, we technically had access to showers. Sure, they were cold showers, but they were good clean water. The problem was, after leaving our 18-hour shifts we’d then have to debrief our own team and then brief the oncoming shift for what had happened during our shift. It was … a lot of unnecessary meetings. By the time I got done, I was so smoked I just didn’t have the energy to undress and dig out clean clothes from my bag.

I remember sort of stumbling into this command room next door to the rubble pile, and on the counter next to a box of Dunkin’ Donuts there sat a box of Firewipes. These are sort of like fancy baby wipes that we use to wipe contaminants like soot, smoke, and other carcinogens from our skin. That night, I took a little Firewipe shower, and it was more than enough. Since then, I bring wipes everywhere, although I prefer the Duke Cannon brand.

Safety and Well-Being

  • ResQLink View 406 MHz Emergency Beacon from ACR
  • Steve’s Paleo MRE PaleoKit

In addition to my Garmin InReach Explorer+ GPS and satellite texting device, I like to carry a 406 MHz emergency beacon from ACR as a backup. It’s stupid simple — flip the antenna up and smash that power button. I see this as a plus in a true emergency situation where you might not be thinking as clearly as you’d like.

For nutrition, I can’t say that I really care about a keto diet, but I’ve found that my body just generally runs better on gluten-free foods. These paleo kits from Steve’s are lightweight, high-quality fuel that taste a heck of a lot better than a military MRE and aren’t loaded with salt.

Besides power banks and charging cables, B-con (bleeding control) med kit, and garbage bags to store wet gear, I’ll also stash a good paperback book. Those who have served in the military will remember the hurry-up-and-wait game, and the same holds true for any search-and-rescue deployment. You may get some downtime whether you want it or not, and it’s nice to have a little escape for your brain close at hand. Normally, I try to bring a book that I’ve read before and would love to read again, which hopefully has nothing at all to do with my current mission. I’ve alternated between Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and Michael Shaara’s The Killer Angels about the Battle of Gettysburg. In a bad situation, it’s always nice to read about someone who had it worse than you do.

About the Author

Andrew Schrader is a commercial pilot and Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Structures Specialist attached to the State of Florida’s US&R Task Force. Reach out on Instagram or Facebook via @reconresponse or andy@reconresponse.com.

Lessons Learned from Tiga Tactics’ Knife Defense Seminar

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When most people think of knife fighting, their first thought likely goes to a Hollywood action movie. Sweaty, muscular men lunging and slashing at each other with large blades may be the cinematic depiction, but knife attacks are rarely so overt in nature. A blade often isn’t noticed in a fight until it has been used repeatedly — many victims of stabbings report that they believed they were being punched until they saw blood. Patrick Vuong and Dr. Conrad Bui have worked hard to teach students how to defend against attacks like these in their Tiga Tactics Knife Defense2 seminar (read as Knife Defense Squared). The instructor duo boasts over 60 combined years of martial arts experience, and formed their company to provide real-world self-defense training.

Knife Defense2 is a two-day seminar covering self-defense bare-handed against an attacker, as well as self-defense using a blade. The course brought in students with diverse ages, backgrounds, and martial arts experience levels. Despite these differences, the curriculum was simple enough for beginners and an excellent skills refresher for those with extensive martial arts backgrounds. But before any hands-on skills were taught, the first lesson provided was on defensive mindset.

Above: The co-founders of Tiga Tactics, Patrick Vuong (pictured here) and Conrad Bui, are both active contributors to Offgrid magazine and our sister publications Recoil and Concealment. Vuong and Bui have decades of experience with a variety of martial arts and edged weapons.

Tiga Tactics teaches defensive mindset in 3 parts: stay alert, stay humble, and stay kind. This involves avoiding fights rather than being drawn into them. When it comes to actual fighting, Tiga Tactics’ motto is simple: “Run if you can, destroy if you must.” Fights should be avoided at all costs but may be difficult to avoid at times. Students were shown footage of real-life knife attacks to reinforce how quick and deadly an attack with a knife can be. Basic empty-hand attacks of palm-strikes and eye-gouges, as well as elbow and knee strikes, were taught as simple combative techniques appropriate for all levels.

Above: A palm strike is a simple technique that can be devastating and disorienting when used effectively against an attacker.

Next, the lesson moved into knife defense. Tiga Tactics knife defense relies on concepts summarized by the acronym PRO: Protect, Reposition, and Offense. The purpose of this defense is to close the distance while blocking the attack, gain control of the knife, and deal damage in an appropriate manner. The Tiga Tactics team taught students how to defend against what they deemed to be the two most common knife attack movements. These are the overhand, downward angled “Psycho” stab (named after the classic 1960s horror film), and the upward thrust. When attempting to stab, attackers often repeatedly thrust at their victims in a sewing machine manner. After the initial block, the idea is to close distance as the attacker retracts the knife to stab again. This allows the would-be victim to gain more control over the encounter.

Above: The upward thrust is one of the most common knife attack techniques used by criminals. Tiga Tactics teaches a crossed-arm block to intercept this type of attack, as demonstrated here by Vuong.

On the second day, the lesson went into carrying knives and using them for self-defense. As with handguns, the location the blade is carried on the body matters. For the sake of speed and ambidextrous drawing, carrying a knife in the appendix position is an excellent option.

Although the Tiga Tactics team made it clear that fixed-blade knives were ideal for fighting, local laws and convenience leads many people to choose a folding knife as their daily carry. The downside of folders is the slower draw and less secure mechanism for fighting. With knife fighting, the tactics are nearly the opposite of an empty-handed defense. Space from the attacker is needed to allow for the knife to be deployed. Acquiring solid purchase on the knife while pushing the adversary’s face away provides for a better draw, and reduces the risk of the attacker snatching the blade during the draw stroke.

Above: Tiga Tactics' Protect, Reposition, and Offense (PRO) sequence teaches students how to spot and guard against an initial attack, reposition to gain control of a weapon, and finally deal damage to end the threat.

The class spent over an hour learning and practicing the knife draw from a pocket. Many students found the draw to be inconsistent at best with a folding knife. As they progressed, a shot timer was introduced to challenge and encourage students to draw faster. To build on blade combatives, a variation of Filipino Martial Arts angled cuts was introduced and practiced. The final exercise had students defend and counterattack against each other in rapid succession. Afterwards, there was an open discussion on use of force and the legality of using a weapon in a fight.

Although edged weapon combatives is a subject that can take years or even decades of constant practice to truly master, this class provided a great introduction to the basics of this complex skill set. We certainly hope we never find ourselves facing a knife attack, but if we do, we’ll feel a little more confident after learning a few of Tiga Tactics’ methods to escape, block, or even counter the attacker. For more information on future Tiga Tactics classes and seminars, go to TigaTactics.com.

USDA Encourages Registration of “People’s Gardens” to Advance Equity

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As we've said countless times in the past, gardening is a great way to build self-sufficiency and ensure a healthy food supply for times of crisis. This might range from a few small planters on an apartment balcony to a backyard garden with several large plots — either way, the goal is to have a renewable source of calories in case a disaster impacts the supply chain. In a recent press release, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an expanding initiative for registration of “People's Gardens” which meet criteria that include “benefitting the community, working collaboratively, incorporating conservation practices, and educating the public.” Although joining the program is voluntary, some members of the preparedness community have expressed concern that this national garden database might lead to redistribution of privately-grown food resources in the future.

Above: A map showing the current locations of registered People's Gardens in the United States.

What are People's Gardens?

The USDA press release, published September 9th, 2022, summarizes as follows:

“We welcome gardens nationwide to join us in the People’s Garden effort and all it represents,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, “Local gardens across the country share USDA’s goals of building more diversified and resilient local food systems, empowering communities to come together around expanding access to healthy food, addressing climate change and advancing equity.” Vilsack continued, “We encourage existing gardens and new gardens to join the movement. Growing local food benefits local communities in so many ways, and we offer technical resources to help. Also, it’s a great way to connect with your local USDA team members.”

Above: Registered People's Gardens will be required to submit information regarding the type of growing methods used.

Launched in 2009, the People's Garden initiative is named after President Lincoln's nickname for the USDA, “the People's Department.” Currently, 18 flagship “urban hub” People's Gardens have been established by the department, with the first being located at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The initiative is now being expanded to include gardens on private property, such as “school gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects in rural, suburban and urban areas.”

To participate in the program, garden owners must go to usda.gov/peoples-garden to fill out a form that requests details such as the garden's address, type of organization managing the garden, purpose of the garden, estimated size, and type of growing medium (e.g. raised beds, hydroponics, and/or greenhouses). The form also requires photos of the garden, and a certification that no federally-prohibited plants will be grown by garden administrators:

What's the Incentive?

USDA's press release states that those who register for the People's Garden initiative will receive the following:

  • Location and information displayed on USDA's interactive map (as seen at the beginning of this article)
  • A free People's Garden sign with the logo above
  • “Continued engagement through photos and information sharing”

Purpose and Implications

There's no clear explanation of the purpose of this voluntary garden database, beyond a blanket statement about “efforts to advance equity, support local and regional food systems and access to food, and encourage use of conservation and climate-smart practices.”

The press release points out that gardens on federal land will be required to donate produce: “Gardens on federal property, such as USDA offices, are required to donate produce. We invite these gardens to report how much is being donated.” There appears to be no such requirement for privately-owned gardens at this time.

Again, enrollment in this program is voluntary, but we can see the reasons why many in our community are concerned about its future implications.

Historically, federal registration of a resource has often been one of the first steps toward increased restriction, increased taxation, or all-out confiscation of that resource (see also: the National Firearms Act of 1934). The federal government also has a long track record of seizing privately-owned assets (see also: eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture), especially during times of crisis or declared states of emergency. And we view government data collection programs (such as the NSA's use of PRISM to spy on internet traffic and various agencies' use of Stingray devices to spy on cell phone conversations — both frequently without warrants) with a similar level of suspicion to emails from Nigerian princes looking to divest their fortunes. Of course, you should always read up on these subjects and draw your own conclusions.

We'll leave you with the USDA's own summary of its goals for the future:

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.

The Knowledge Pantry: A DIY Survival Encyclopedia

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The internet is a wonderful resource. It allows us to instantly retrieve free information on almost any subject, from medical procedures to knot-tying to horticulture. But in the grand scheme of human history, the internet is also a new development, and we'd be foolish to become over-reliant on its conveniences. If a major disaster — whether natural or manmade — wipes out communications infrastructure and/or the electrical grid, we'll have to revert to information recorded offline. After considering this situation, an Offgrid reader named Zack came up with a DIY solution which he calls The Knowledge Pantry. Much like the food stockpiled in a traditional pantry, The Knowledge Pantry is an offline digital stockpile of a huge variety of useful information for emergencies and survival situations.

What is The Knowledge Pantry?

On his web site, TheKnowledgePantry.com, Zack explains the premise: “My family preps. We have pantries for food, stored jugs of water, and power generators on standby, but we never planned for what we'd do if we needed to learn something critical (such as how to treat a wound) in the case we couldn't get online or contact a doctor. A few months ago, I thought it would be a good idea to start pantry-ing up on videos and articles that I might need to have handy in a crisis and put them somewhere portable that I can always access, even without an internet connection. That's where the idea of the knowledge pantry came from.”

In order to cover a wide range of topics and store as much knowledge as possible — including articles, books, maps, video guides, and much more — it made sense to keep everything in digital form. Zack writes, “At first, I stored all my information on a thumb drive. I thought that would be good because it works on most devices, is easy to copy, and it's portable. However, a thumb drive would always need another device to read it, so I thought I'd be better off with some kind of “all in one” solution so things couldn't get lost or separated. What I ultimately did instead was put all my info on a 256-gigabyte SD card and loaded the card into a cheap tablet.”

The tablet he used was an Android device that cost about $150, and he paired it with a protective case and a small USB battery bank with an integrated solar panel. This ensures that even if the power is off indefinitely and his generators fail, Zack will be able to keep using the tablet as long as the sun is shining.

Contents

Here's a quick list of what Zack's tablet contains:

  • Nearly a thousand videos of common DIY topics (including First Aid, Gardening, Livestock, Cooking, Communication, Handiness, and Survival Skills)
  • A full Atlas of the United States, including detailed roadmaps and hospitals in every state
  • All of FEMA's emergency guides for what to do during a national disaster (flooding, tornado, forest fire)
  • A library of detailed eBooks that include recipes, medicinal guides, and training books on an array of specific knowledge
  • Every Wikipedia article in existence (6.5 million articles)
  • Every WikiHow article in existence (over 230,000 articles)
  • Every WikiBook article in existence (3,458 books)

How to Make Your Own Knowledge Pantry

Zack could have easily kept this information to himself, but he decided to publish a free guide on how to make your own Knowledge Pantry. He writes, “This site is my own way of fighting back against our times of supply and utility disruptions that have continued to make me worry about my family's well-being. It's brought me some peace of mind to have this, so I wanted to share with others feeling the same.”

On TheKnowledgePantry.com, you'll find a list of the following, all completely free of charge:

  • Recommended categories of information to archive
  • How to choose a device and keep it charged
  • How to tailor the information to your learning style (e.g. biased towards plain text, pictorial guides, or videos)
  • ZIP file download with 250 useful eBooks
  • Instructions on how to download and save videos, plus a custom Python script to do it automatically
  • ZIP file downloads of high-res road maps and hospital directories
  • Organization and formatting tips

Pre-Built Options

Zack recognizes that not everyone will want to go the DIY route, so he also offers pre-built Knowledge Pantry devices. These come in the form of an Android tablet with 512GB SD card ($399) or a portable 500GB solid-state drive to use with your PC or laptop ($99). There's even a custom option if you're looking for information on specific topics.

If you have questions or need advice, Zack says he'd be happy to help. You can reach him directly at zack@theknowledgepantry.com.

New: 5.11 Tactical LV 2.0 Low Vis Pack Updates

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Although the term “gray man” has fallen out of favor somewhat in recent years due to its frequent misuse, the underlying principle is a valid one: it's usually best to blend in rather than stand out in a crowd. In most urban settings, military-style packs with MOLLE webbing are few and far between, so it may be preferable to carry something a bit more discreet. This was the impetus behind the 5.11 Tactical LV (a.k.a. low vis) line of bags and packs, which debuted a few years ago. This week, the company announced several updates to the line, dubbed the 5.11 Tactical LV 2.0 series.

5.11 Tactical LV18 2.0 Backpack

Version 2.0 of the LV18 backpack received new Duraflex buckles on the exterior, which are said to be easier to operate than the previous buckles, especially while wearing gloves. It also has several updates to the internal organization. The ambidextrous side-entry CCW pocket now features more loop fabric as well as a removable holster retention band, providing more versatility for positioning a carry pistol inside the pack. There's also a taller padded laptop sleeve with a retention strap to keep your computer from shifting around. Additional webbing straps allow this backpack to integrate with the LV6 Waist Pack discussed below, essentially turning it into a waist belt with extra pockets. MSRP for the LV18 2.0 is $145, and it's available in blue-grey Turbulence, Black, and Python green.

5.11 Tactical LV10 2.0 Sling Bag

The updated LV10 also comes with new Duraflex buckles, much like the LV18. Other new features include a removable holster retention strap, a tablet retention strap in the tablet sleeve, and a quick-detach CAM buckle on the sling bag's main strap. MSRP is $115, and this bag is currently available only in Python green.

5.11 Tactical LV6 2.0 Waist Pack

For version 2.0 of the LV6, 5.11 Tactical added Duraflex buckles as well as a quick-release S/R buckle on the waist strap. The rest of this pack remains unchanged, with various interior organizer pockets, a concealed slip compartment behind the main compartment, and side compression straps. As we mentioned before, it's designed to pair up seamlessly with the LV18 2.0 backpack. MSRP for the new LV6 is $42, and it's available in blue-grey Turbulence, Black, and Python green.

Book Review: “Survival Tips, Tricks, and Traps”

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The Premise: Are you prepared? Are you, really, though? If you’re out in the woods and you’ve consumed all of the water you brought with you, would you know how to purify water that you find along your path? If you lose GPS, would you know how to navigate without modern technology? Don’t have a lighter or matches? Do you know several other ways to start a fire? What about if you’re stuck in the woods with no toilet paper, would you know what was safe to use instead? The premise of Survival Tips, Tricks, and Traps isn’t just to prepare you, but to give you the tools and knowledge you need to continue to thrive in any situation, even if you have nothing but your wits.

Our Review of “Survival Tips, Tricks, and Traps”

This book offers a variety of useful tips. It talks about having the right tools for the job and how to keep them in good condition, but it also offers alternatives and improvised options. It challenges you to look at your world in a whole new light. In the very beginning, it spoke about stripping your car to help you in an emergency situation. Recommendations included using your mirrors for signaling, turning the floor mat into a sled to carry things, pulling out wires for cordage, and using the seats for insulation. At the very least, these suggestions will get people to look at objects a bit differently. A lot of the book mentioned carrying a knife, but never examined how to create one or other primitive tools in the field. I was a bit disappointed in that, but it did talk about some very interesting ways to use a shotgun shell that I had never thought of before. And I never really considered carrying an umbrella until reading this book. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a towel.

Above: One of these plants is edible (wild grapes on the left) but the other (Virginia Creeper on the right) could kill you. Without a clear color photo, it's almost impossible to tell the difference between edible plants and their dangerous doppelgangers.

One of my biggest issues with many survival books is when they try to show plants in black and white. Plants cannot be successfully identified in black-and-white pictures (except maybe a cattail). This book was obviously not meant to be a full-on guide to wild edibles, though it does talk about the necessary precautions. This book focused on several basic wild edible tips that’d definitely be helpful to a newbie. The trap section was very detailed, and I especially liked the pictures. Black-and-white trap pictures still get the point across.

Throughout most of the book, the authors were very clear to advise people against doing certain things. In one part, however, they spoke about making a fire in a cave, but didn’t caution that this could be extremely dangerous depending on the depth of the cave and where the fire is located. They cautioned that it could be dangerous due to rock spalling (i.e. breaking off due to heat), but didn’t mention suffocation due to smoke. However, the majority of the book was generally very good about warnings and cautions and provided useful details beyond the bare minimum.

Above: If you need to take shelter in a cave, an improperly-positioned campfire could be disastrous due to rock spalling or carbon monoxide accumulation.

The Verdict

As the book states at the end, “The most important skill to have is knowledge. It weighs nothing.” This book aims to give you such knowledge. There are definitely some rehashed “hacks” that I could do without, but for the most part, I learned some new tricks and tips. Whether a newbie or more experienced survivalist, you’ll find at least a few interesting lessons in this book. It covered a lot of ground despite its short page count. It’s lightweight enough that it could be thrown in a bugout or hiking bag and taken along on your adventures for a refresher in the field. Several pages at the very back of the book are even designated as fire starters, which I found clever.

The authors are obviously knowledgeable, passionate, and have a combined 30-plus years of experience that shines through in this book. I most appreciated that this book is straight to the point. It didn’t dance around issues or tell a bunch of unnecessary stories just to prove why certain things were important to learn. If you have this book, chances are you already know why it’s important to develop a foundation of knowledge. Take this book, study up, practice what’s taught, and you’ll be able to not only survive, but thrive in just about any situation.

About the Book

a blank book cover shot at an angle

Book & Author
Survival Tips, Tricks, and Traps by Wanda Priday and William Priday

Publisher
Saltheart Publishers LLC

MSRP
$13

URL
Amazon.com

Pages
144

Rating

>Thrive
Survive
Die

Video: RECOIL Staff at Finnish Brutality 2022

Written by

As Americans, it's easy to assume that our interest in firearms training for emergency preparedness isn't shared by people “across the pond.” Although it's true that many countries in Europe place heavy restrictions or outright bans on practical firearm training, there are certainly exceptions. Finland is one such country — we're pleased to see it has a thriving practical shooting sports community, and even encourages the use of carbines, camouflage, and military-style gear within SRA (sovellettu reserviläisammunta; applied reservists' shooting) competitions. Varusteleka, a Finnish company that manufactures and sells military and outdoor gear, created its own twist on the SRA competition formula called Finnish Brutality. Iain Harrison, the Editor of our sister publication RECOIL, flew to Helsinki to participate in Finnish Brutality 2022.

After landing in Finland, Iain traveled to Varusteleka's headquarters to pick up a full set of gear for the event. Some competition shooters might think this would only consist of a belt and some mag pouches, but the Finnish Brutality rules place much higher requirements on competitors. A member of Varusteleka staff explained, “We are putting you in the Armored division, and one of the requirements is that you have to have the equipment you would have during one day of combat.” This includes first-line gear such as a full loadout of ammunition, water, and medical gear such as an IFAK. It also includes a battle belt with a pistol, holster, gloves, and a Finnish puukko knife.

Above: A traditional fixed-blade knife, such as this one from Varusteleka, is one of the required tools for every competitor.

The minimum Armored division weight requirement is 12 kilograms, or about 26.5 pounds. Iain ended up loading his equipment onto a Särmä TST plate carrier and Rifle Mag Pouches in Finnish M05 camo, as well as a Särmä TST shooter's belt.

The Finnish Brutality 2022 event consisted of stages that tested shooting precision, movement speed, physical strength, and coordination. In true Finnish form, there was even a stage that involved climbing out of a sauna tent before donning gear and shooting targets.

Carbine and pistol shooting skills were tested in a variety of positions, and the stages were challenging enough to justify the “Brutality” name. Check out Part 1 of our video series on Finish Brutality 2022 below, and keep an eye on RECOILtv for the following parts of this series.