Trick Your Truck: 5 Easy Survival Vehicle Mods

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Photos by Niccole Elizabeth

It’s no secret that we love an awesomely appointed bug-out vehicle. Our sister publication, RECOIL, covers one in every issue. While these trucks, trailers, and overlanders are lots of fun to look at and drool over, most of us would have to win the lottery to be able to afford one. With price tags that routinely blast past six figures, ground-up custom vehicles for survival and preparedness are a bridge too far for most budgets.

According to AAA, the average American spends nearly 3,000 hours behind the wheel each year. With this in mind, it’d behoove us all to treat our vehicle as not just a mode of transportation, but a valuable tool that can provide all kinds of support in case of a crisis. Simply pulling out of your driveway in the morning gives you a rolling fallback point that includes climate-controlled shelter, signaling, power, navigation, fire-starting ability, and storage capacity for emergency equipment. So how do we optimize this incredible resource without spending the cost of a second home? The short answer is that it’s not nearly as difficult as one might think. We were able to get our hands on some simple, cost-effective equipment that enables any vehicle to become a rolling caddy of potentially lifesaving tools.

Vehicle Mod Considerations

This is by no means a comprehensive guide. With a little smart searching on the internet, you can find dozens of gadgets and gizmos that’ll help you prep your vehicle for in-extremis scenarios. The pieces you’ll see here were selected with a couple of key factors in mind:

Universality: None of these products are vehicle specific. Whether you’re daily driver is a super-duty pickup truck or a two-door hatchback hybrid, you can use them.

Portability: All of the items you see here can be easily removed from the vehicle. This is particularly important if you’re forced to leave your vehicle in case of an emergency, or if you must switch vehicles for any reason without losing capability. This could be as benign as renting a car for a business trip or as desperate as commandeering a vehicle on the fly in a high-threat scenario, requiring immediate transportation. Or if you must ditch wheels altogether and go on foot, all of this stuff can be hand-carried with a minimum of weight and bulk.

Cost: All of the products here, put together, amount to less than $650 at full retail price. If you shop thrifty and wait for holiday sales, you might be able to get that cost closer to $500. All but the tightest of budgets allow for purchase of these individual components over time, in most cases for less than three figures apiece.

Option #1: Super Visor

Zulu Nylon Gear MOLLE Visor Panel

Price: $40-$44

URL: www.zulunylongear.com

The first vehicle enhancement we’ll look at is the MOLLE visor panel. There are several companies that make these. This one is from Zulu Nylon Gear. We like the Zulu offering, because it’s small enough to fit sedan-sized visors. It features a combination of loop tape, MOLLE webbing, and elastic loops to fit a variety of survival odds-and-ends, and attaches by way of hook-and-loop straps that you can cinch down around the visor. It’s important to note that any car’s sun visor doesn’t permit the carriage of heavy or high-density gear. We configured ours with the following:

  • 3 x mini chem lights
  • 1 x Benchmade rescue knife
  • 1 x Benchmade “7-hook” seatbelt cutter
  • 1 x Tuff Writer click pen
  • 1 x PK Design Labs Flashlight

A visor panel is one of the better places to store a seatbelt cutter, as it can be easily accessed by the driver from a variety of positions. This permits effective self-rescue, even if you find yourself upside down or in rising water in your vehicle. The rescue knife seen here includes a glass punch in the pommel to smash windows. As long as you have free (or mostly free) use of one arm, you should be able to reach anything strapped to your visor. Even if the standard size is too large for your vehicle, or you choose to run a minimum of essentials in this position, Zulu makes a Micro Visor that’s narrower and more compact.

Option #2: Battle (Seat)Belt

Mayhem Syndicate VE3 Pouch

Price: $55-$120

URL: www.mayhem-syndicate.com

Moving from visor to seatbelt, we found the Mayhem Syndicate Vehicle Emergency Egress Essentials (VE3) pouch. This pouch is designed to be attached directly to your seatbelt. It can be worn on the shoulder strap or lap belt, and is a down-and-dirty kit of supplies to get you out of your vehicle and/or treat immediate traumatic injuries. In situations where even your visor is out of reach, the VE3 keeps supplies tight against your body for easy access even when partially immobilized. Since we set the MOLLE visor panel over the driver seat, we attached our VE3 to the passenger-side seatbelt to allow both driver and passenger quick access to emergency supplies. The VE3 can be had as a standalone pouch or pre-stocked kit. The pre-stocked kit comes with the following:

  • 1 x Gen 7 CAT from North American Rescue
  • 1 x Ontario Knife strap cutter
  • 1 x ARS decompression needle (LE/Mil)
  • 1 x Sharpie
  • 1 x chem light

The top flap is specifically notched to accommodate medical shears if you choose to pack these in lieu of a belt cutter. Our only note about this product is that the stocked kit does add a little weight to the seatbelt. This isn’t noticeable when you’re buckled up, but inhibits the belt’s ability to retract fully on its own. We could also see potential interference if you’re wearing body armor or a chest rig. Although, we suspect if you’re wearing that kind of gear, you’ve already got some or most of these supplies on you. For the rest of us, the VE3 offers a convenient way to keep some emergency essentials close at hand.

Option #3: Use Your Head(Rest)

RE Factor Tactical Drive-By Kit

Price: $110

URL: www.refactortactical.com

The Drive-By Kit was purpose built by folks who drive through some of the meanest streets on the planet. Security contractors and special operators often find themselves using a variety of local and imported vehicles for low-profile urban and suburban missions. This kit was designed with input from people who do these jobs on a daily basis, and it shows. The Drive-By includes storage for ammo and medical gear. It features two magazine pouches meant for AR-style magazines, but include a generous amount of extra room to accommodate other weapons. We stowed two AK-74 mags in it and had no issues with fit or accessibility. In front of the mag pouches is a large dual-zipper pouch lined with MOLLE and elastic loops meant for medical gear. It should be noted there’s no pre-loaded option for the Drive-By Kit. So decide ahead of time what you want to fill it with and purchase accordingly. We fit all of the following with room left over:

  • 1 x rolled gauze
  • 1 x Quick Clot Combat Gauze
  • 2 x HALO chest seals
  • 1 x Israeli Bandage
  • 1 x decompression needle
  • 2 x mini chem lights
  • 1 x Sharpie marker

If you already have a first-aid or medical kit in your vehicle, this pouch could also accommodate combat sundries like smoke grenades, flash-bangs, emergency strobes, even more ammo, satellite phone, stripped-down MREs or power bars, or some small hand tools. The kit mounts to the back of almost any headrest by a Velcro-strapped MOLLE back panel. The kit itself then attaches to this back panel. In case you have to get out of your vehicle in a hurry, you simply pull the release strap and the bag falls off the mounting panel. The bag itself also has a small carabiner-style hook that can be used to attach the Drive-By Kit to a larger pack, belt loop or chest rig for use on foot.

Option #4: Reach Back and Relax

Greyman Tactical Rigid Vehicle MOLLE Panel (Heavy Duty) & Rifle Mount Clamp

Price: $235 (Panel); $70 (Rifle Mount Clamp)

URL: www.greyman-tactical.com

Greyman Tactical has carved out a niche for themselves with their Rigid MOLLE Panels and Rigid Insert Panels. These slap-your-forehead-simple panels are made from 3/16-inch High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and have a system of holes cut into them to accept … well … anything you can get to stay on them. While the design is meant to accept MOLLE/PALS-style pouches, zip ties, hair ties, rubber bands, ALICE clips, and “dummy cording” can all be made to work with these panels. Greyman also sells some in-house mounting options for rifles and other gear. The panel you see is their vehicle-specific model, but they offer a wide array of smaller panels — many of which are sized for specific packs/bags popular in the EDC market. The vehicle panel attaches to the seat back by way of two nylon webbing straps with Fastex buckles. While the configuration options for these panels is essentially infinite, we dug a bunch of old pouches out of the garage and cobbled together the following setup:

  • 1 x AR pistol
  • 1 x AR mag
  • 2 x Glock mags
  • 1 x Military signal strobe
  • 1 x road flare
  • 2 x IWA civilian-legal flash bang canister
  • 5 x mini chem lights
  • 1 x flashlight

Again, the thing we love most about these Rigid MOLLE Panels is that they can be set up however you want with whatever attachment methods you can engineer in your driveway. We’ve even seen examples of these panels being hard mounted (screwed in) on the exterior of trucks to store recovery tools. If the large seatback panel is out of your price range, some of their smaller panels are priced as low as $50 and can be rigged to consoles, dashboards, or door panels.

Option #5: In the Bag

Suarez International Terrorist Interdiction Bag

Price: $65

URL: www.suarezinternational.com

Perhaps the easiest way to keep supplies ready in your vehicle is to simply pack a bag. As long as said bag fits inside your vehicle, you can use any type of bag filled with all manner of supplies that you see fit. Of course, we should all strive to do better than a trash bag full of paracord and loose bullets rolling around in the trunk. This is where the Terrorist Interdiction Bag comes in. Made by Suarez International, the TIB was designed as a compact grab-and-go solution for use during active shooter-type events. There are a number of excellent features including removable magazine pouches, loop-side tape lining the main compartment, elastic loop retainers in the front face pocket, and a waist strap that allows you to “fight from the bag” even while running, jumping, or shooting. Its flat, rectangular shape allows it to fit perfectly under the front seat of almost any vehicle. The actual TIB you see here traveled with the author on multiple deployments to Afghanistan where he did, in fact, stash it under his driver’s seat during convoys and mobile operations. It won’t fit the kitchen sink, or even 72 hours’ worth of food. But it’ll hold enough to get you out of an immediate jam. From Afghanistan to Arizona, our Terrorist Interdiction Bag has remained stocked with the following:

  • 3 x rifle mags
  • 1 x pistol mag
  • 1 x folding knife
  • 1 x flashlight
  • 1 x OC spray
  • 3 x flex cuffs
  • 1 x multi-tool
  • 5 x mini chem lights
  • 1 x Zippo lighter
  • 1 x spare bottle of lighter fluid
  • 1 x flash bang or smoke grenade
  • 1 x trauma medical kit (chest seals, tourniquet, Israeli bandage, etc.)

Again, you’re free to find whatever make and model of pack or bag best fits your need. But we really like the TIB as a vehicle-specific solution for packing some gear that’ll help get us the hell out of dodge. While MSRP is listed at $65, it is, at time of writing, on sale for $50, making it one of the most cost-effective EDC/bail-out bags we’ve ever come across.

Honorable Mention: Nice Rack …

DSG Inc.Ranger Rack and Mini Ranger Rack

Price: $95-$135

URL: www.dsgarms.com

Defense Solutions Group (DSG) carries a wide variety of tactical and survival gear. One of their more unique products fit right in with the theme of this article — the Ranger Rack, and its smaller sibling the Mini Ranger Rack. The photos you see here are of the Mini Ranger Rack, which fit our door better. The concept is to have a method to carry ammo pre-staged in your vehicle’s door pockets. Each Ranger Rack comes as a kit, with a mounting bracket and some combination of rifle and pistol magazine pouches. (The full-sized Rack holds two of each, while the Mini holds one rifle and two pistols.) These appear to be standard mag pouches with 1.5-inch belt clips that could just as easily be worn on your waist. The rack itself appears to be just a U-shaped Kydex bracket with a bunch of screw holes in it. Just clip the pouches to the bracket and then use the included screws to secure the pouches in place so they don’t slide around. The bracket then clips to the door pocket of your vehicle, also with 1.5-inch belt clips.

While we configured ours with the included pouches, in the suggested arrangement, there’s definitely the potential to run this in a custom setup that could be all pistol, all rifle, or possibly even utilize belt-mounted ammo carriers from other manufacturers. In terms of prepping your vehicle, this is one of the more specific products featured, with ammunition being the only thing it can carry. But some semblance of firepower should be a pillar of every good emergency preparedness plan. For that purpose, the Ranger Rack system is a quick and convenient way to keep reloads at the ready.

Driving it Home

Retrofitted military surplus trucks, armored personnel carriers, and turbo-diesel 6x6s are super cool. But the crux of being prepared is accounting for the fact that disaster doesn’t wait for us to run and grab the keys to our monster-rover, and requires the integration of self-sufficiency into the folds of our daily routine. The products showcased here offer flexible, low-cost solutions for just about anything out there with wheels and an engine. Regardless of whether you drive once or twice a week, or if your car is your mobile office and part-time home, don’t let behind-the-wheel be the place you get caught off guard.

RECOILtv: Bowhunting & Fishing in Hawaii

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There's something meaningful about learning to do things by hand, whether it's making a blade, hunting game, or reeling in a fish. These manual tasks often correlate to valuable survival skills, but they're also enjoyable hobbies. Even though we tend to think of survival training as testing your mettle against miserable circumstances, there's still much that can be learned while you're having a good time with family and friends.

For the latest RECOILtv Carnivore short film, Iain Harrison headed to Hawaii to meet up with a few friends, including well-known bladesmith Neil Kamimura (@rpm_neil) and his wife, Chef Flora Kamimura (@florakamimura). Iain set out on the water to catch a blue marlin, which was then turned into sashimi — no cooking required. Back on dry land, he hunted a feral lamb with a bow, and Neil forged a stand that would be used to roast it over an open fire.

Flora was in charge of preparing the lamb al asador, a traditional Argentinian roasting style. In this technique, the lamb is bound to crossed beams near the fire, and periodically dabbed with a brine using sage branches. Normally, the stick would be embedded in the ground, but Neil's movable stand allowed for more precise control of the roast.

Bowhunting, fishing, sashimi preparation, and roasting meat over an open campfire are all skills applicable to survival. However, they can be learned in an enjoyable way, as seen on this trip. The end result is a delicious all-natural meal. For more from Carnivore, check out the RECOILtv channel or pick up a copy of Issue 3, on sale 9/3/19.

Review: Shorts from 5.11 Tactical, Kitanica, and Vertx

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It's summertime, and for most of us that means increased outdoor activity. Whether it's a baseball game, barbecue, range day, camping trip, or all of the above, you've probably got plenty of activities planned to take advantage of the warm and sunny weather. However, that weather can also be a double-edged sword if you're not dressed accordingly. Moisture-wicking fabrics and ventilated gussets can go a long way to prevent sweaty discomfort, but sometimes letting your skin breathe fully is the best way to stay cool.

Here in Arizona, where the temperatures frequently exceed 110°F (43°C) from June through September, shorts offer a substantial breathability advantage over long pants. They also provide increased comfort and mobility in many cases, and if you're near the water, they won't get soaked if you have to wade in. Obviously there are also some trade-offs — you'll need to be cautious about protecting your skin from the sun, scratches and scrapes, and insect pests — but the decision really comes down to personal preference. And when the mercury rises well into the triple-digits, we tend to favor wearing shorts.

Left to right: Vertx Hyde LT (Alligator), Kitanica Range Shorts (MultiCam), 5.11 Tactical Ion (Stone)

In an effort to expand our wardrobe choices and replace some old pairs, we contacted three major outdoor apparel manufacturers to request some samples of their latest shorts. Today, we'll share some of our feedback on each, including what we liked and what we didn't. Read on for our reviews of the latest styles from 5.11 Tactical, Kitanica, and Vertx.

5.11 Tactical Ion Shorts

Colors: Black, Lunar, Stone (pictured), Mystic Heather

Sizes: 28 – 44

Inseam: 9 inches

MSRP: $40

URL: 511Tactical.com

These shorts feature an athletic 9-inch inseam that rides above the knee, and they're made from an ultra-lightweight 88% polyester and 12% Elastane fabric blend. The material is thin, stretchy, and breathable, so it's ideal for high activity in hotter climates.

This design offers eight pockets — two regular front pockets with two smaller pockets on top, two back pockets with hook-and-loop closures, and two hidden back yoke pockets at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions. These shorts can easily carry four AR mags without occupying the main front and back pockets — a handy feature for range days. Even if you're not using the yoke pockets for that purpose, they're ideal for inconspicuously stashing EDC items.

5.11 Tactical built a covert flex cuff pocket inside the front of the waistband. You can also stash a long strand of Kevlar cord, paracord, or Fire Cord here as part of a SERE kit. The primary pockets are deep and offer reinforced hems for attaching knives and other EDC gear. However, like the Vertx shorts, their high-cut wraparound design can cause larger items to print or fit uncomfortably at the edges of those pockets.

Pros:

  • By far the most breathable and flexible design of the shorts we tested — like a hybrid between gym shorts and tactical pants.
  • Yoke pockets were a great idea on the Defender Flex Jeans, and they're still a great idea now. They're perfect for AR mags, maps, knives, or other slim items.
  • Affordable price

Cons:

Strangely, the back pockets are wide enough to fit a 30-round AR mag sideways.

  • Back pockets are wider than they are deep, letting items slide from one side to the other. The small hook-and-loop closures also seems inadequate for the large pocket size.
  • Lightweight material won't last as long in hard-use settings as other types of fabric.

Kitanica Range Shorts

Colors: Black, Khaki, Ranger Green, or Wolf Grey; MultiCam original (pictured), Black, Arid, or Tropic; A-TACS iX; Kryptek Raid; Tiger Stripe

Sizes: 30 – 46

Inseam: 11 inches* (see notes)

MSRP: $159 ($149 for solid colors)

URL: Kitanica.net

There are many quick-access pockets for EDC items such as this Scorpion Six Knives Pingvin impact tool.

Comparing these to the other shorts in this article — or just about any other options on the market — feels sort of like comparing a Desert Eagle to a Glock 19. They're two very different approaches to a similar segment, and are likely to have two very different buyers as well. That said, we can't help but enjoy the sheer excess and in-your-face design employed here. It's sort of Kitanica's signature, after all.

The right cargo area offers storage for a large spiral notebook and writing instruments.

As an adaptation of the original Range Pants, the Range Shorts share many similarities. As always, they're made in small batches in America using domestically-produced materials. They're constructed from sturdy 50/50 nylon-cotton ripstop fabric with an incredible amount of stitching and bar tacks for reinforcement. Thick black nylon webbing forms the belt loops, pull tabs, and reinforcement for the front pocket hems (as if they needed more reinforcement).

It's worth noting that these shorts feature an 11-inch inseam, but a higher waist than the other pairs. They'll feel longer if you wear them where you're used to wearing other shorts.

The front pockets and back pockets are pretty typical, with the latter featuring hefty hook-and-loop closures with nylon pull tabs. A pair of contrasting black side pockets are asymmetrical — the right one (with the Kitanica bug logo) fits an AR mag, and the left is slightly smaller to fit a pistol mag or tourniquet. The right-side cargo pocket is zippered, with three pen holders on its exterior. The left-side cargo pocket is a full-blown admin pouch, with sub-pockets, elastic bands, and a retention loop for a carabiner or other items. Cinch straps on the waistband allow fit to be tightened, so you'll want to get one size up if you're in between sizes.

Adjustment straps allow slack to be taken out of the waistband without the need for a belt.

Pros:

  • Made in the USA and just as durable as previous Kitanica gear we've tested. If you're picking one pair of shorts for the end of the world as we know it, these are a strong contender.
  • Cinch straps allow precise fit adjustment without relying on a belt.
  • Tons of color and pattern options, including limited runs such as old-school Tiger Stripe camo.

Cons:

  • Love them or hate them, they're anything but subtle. Even in the most discreet colors, these are bound to be an immediate attention-getter in public.
  • Thick material has its benefits as mentioned above, but isn't the most breathable or flexible.
  • High price comes with the territory of complex design, overbuilt materials, and American manufacturing.

Vertx Hyde LT Shorts

Colors: Griffin, Desert Tan, Alligator (pictured)

Sizes: 30 – 44

Inseam: 11 inches

MSRP: $66

URL: Vertx.com

 

The Hyde LT shorts from Vertx offers a gray-man-appropriate design, with a sleek profile and several concealed features. They're made from stretch fabric with VaporCore — a material by 37.5 Technology that's composed of “active particles made from volcanic sand that have billions of micropores.” The manufacturer's explanation for how this material works sounds rather outlandish, but based on real-world use, we can confirm that it does a good job of keeping your skin cool and dry.

Although they may not look like it, the Hyde LT shorts offer a whopping nine exterior pockets — two front pockets plus a enlarged coin pocket, two yoke pockets at 4:00 and 8:00, two back pockets, and two lower-leg pockets. That last pair is asymmetrical, with the right being a larger, angle-cut dump pocket and the left being a slim rectangular utility pocket. The right front pocket also offers a retention loop at the bottom for tying down a concealed pocket holster or knife sheath.

A retention loop allows for concealed carry of a fixed blade. (Pictured: Thick Bastard by Greg Moffatt / Direction of...

There are a total of three miniature hidden pockets inside the shorts — one at the rear of the waistband, one at the front, and one inside the fly. These can contain E&E items like cuff keys, shims, or lockpicks, and at least one of them will be accessible if your hands are cuffed in front or behind your back. There's also a hidden comms wire passthrough in the right-side coin pocket, allowing the wearer to route a headphone or mic wire underneath a shirt and directly to a small radio or cell phone.

Stashing an emergency cuff key behind the zipper makes it easy to miss with a metal detector.

Pros:

  • Discreet design is far more capable than it looks to a casual observer.
  • Pockets offer lots of versatility, with various sizes and degrees of concealment.
  • Holster/sheath tie-down loop is a simple feature that goes a long way, and one we wish more pants offered.

Cons:

  • Vertx describes this as a “relaxed fit with contour waistband” — in other words, a tighter fit near the waist and looser fit around the leg. We'd prefer a more tapered leg.
  • Front pocket design and placement causes larger clipped-on EDC items like flashlights to press against the hip and print through the fabric.

50 Shades of Gray Man: Blending In Versus Standing Out

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The concept of being a “gray man” is often referenced in survivalist circles, but after seeing the term misused countless times, we’ve come to realize that it may need some clarification. The author of this article, and several RECOIL staffers, spent their previous lives skulking around third-world cesspools serving God and country in a capacity that required them to blend in or become “gray” — nondescript passersby who garner little to no attention and are quickly dismissed by those they come into contact with.

The ability to become transparent in a hostile environment is important not just to accomplish a mission, but also to protect oneself and one’s family after the job is over. This is all well and good in theory and in conflict zones, but how can those lessons help you on a practical everyday basis? Or, more specifically, what threats exist during your daily routine that a gray man lifestyle could protect you from?

Information Security

Unless your name is followed by “007,” it’s unlikely that foreign agents are actively tailing you, looking for ways to make you talk. However, identity theft is a crime epidemic that’s only getting easier for criminals in the digital age. Details about your past and many of the things that make you who you are can be found in various computer databases around the world. Just like a puzzle, thieves don’t need every single piece to see the whole picture. Your political affiliation, military service, alma mater, and marital status are all slivers of information that can be used to track down your digital footprint and commandeer it.

There’s also the risk of setting yourself up as a target for theft. If you keep a trunk gun in your car, and your trunk is littered with pro-2A bumper stickers, you just made your vehicle a target for any criminal or ne’er-do-well looking to score a firearm that can’t be traced back to them. This also applies for mountain climbers and marathon runners who may keep high-end outdoor gear stowed in their vehicles for that spontaneous excursion. If your daily wardrobe is composed entirely of high-dollar tactical or outdoor apparel, you’re basically advertising you’d make a great mark to anybody looking to fence these popular retail items. The worst part about this is that broadcasting information about yourself may put you at risk for somebody to try and steal something you may not even own! Let’s say, for example, you have military service decals on your car. Not all veterans own guns. But that aforementioned crook looking to steal a gun might target your vehicle or home anyway, based solely on their own misguided perception that all vets are gun gurus.

The Value of Stereotypes

Indulge us in a quick trip down memory lane. Imagine your high school cafeteria at the peak of the lunch rush. Chances are that most of the tables were grouped by clique: the jocks in their letter jackets, jeans, and athletic shoes. Skaters or surfers, depending on where you grew up, with shaggy hair and baggy shorts. The goths huddled together in matching pale makeup and dark nail polish. We’re willing to bet even if you never saw any of these groups in your high school, you could picture them clear as day. That’s because this mental exercise is more about stereotyping and observation than actual past life experience. The point is that with little more than a brief description of physical appearance, you were likely able to generate passable facsimiles of whole groups of people and surmise certain expectations about how they live their lives.

Now think about certain gangs. What’s the point of being a criminal? To get away with committing crimes and making sure no one can figure out your true intentions. What’s the point of being a gangster? To identify yourself with certain type of clothing, tattoos, and demeanor so everyone knows who you are. It’s sort of a parody of itself. How does a criminal manage to go unnoticed and conduct criminal activity if they’re advertising their criminal affiliation to everyone purely to satisfy their own egos? This also applies to you as an American if you’re traveling in a region potentially hostile to Americans. Swallow your pride and don’t stand out. Acknowledge and practice local customs, research the typical attire worn in the area you’re venturing into before you go, and do your best to look and act like a native who’s confident and knows their way around, not a tourist who’s a fish out of water and easily manipulated because they look lost or confused.

The ability to make rapid and reasonable inferences about others based solely on outward appearance isn’t limited to the lunchroom or the streets. Many of these same indicators run rampant across the so-called tactical and prepper communities. Patches, stickers, and clothing are instant, automatic signs of what groups or ideologies you overtly identify with. Surely many of us have driven down the road and spotted another vehicle with firearms-related stickers on it. We understand wanting to show your support for the firearms industry and the second amendment, but those same decals convey other information that you may not wish to disclose. The same goes for your clothes, shoes, jewelry, tattoos, hairstyle, and even the way you carry yourself.

Un-Pimp Your Ride

Let’s address the simple topic of vehicle decoration. Here are some more specific examples of seemingly harmless adornments and what a person with ill-intention might be able to learn from them:

Vehicle stickers, license plates, or ball caps depicting military service, former rank, or medals/ribbons awarded: These instantly identify you as having military training and, in some cases, what unit you were in. Further information could be gathered about you through DoD or VA records, or private websites dedicated to locating veterans and military members. If you belong to veterans’ associations like the American Legion or VFW, somebody looking for more information could be tipped off to try looking for you in local halls.

Political party affiliation stickers: These allow others to know where you stand and how you think about politics in this country — and we all know how divided that’s become. Somebody following you could “bump into you” in any crowded place with news on the big screens and strike up a conversation with a politically charged comment that they’ve slanted in favor of your advertised party. Having built instant rapport, they might be able to elicit more detailed personal information about you in deeper conversation.

Stick figure family decals: If your stick family is an accurate head count of your household, you just told the world how many precious loved ones are home, and if you have pets (depending on the sticker). Someone intending to enter your house undetected now knows how many people need to leave the house before it’ll be unoccupied so they can break in. And a person with more sinister intentions just found out how many potential hostages or points of blackmail are available to leverage against you.

School stickers saying things like “My child is an honor student at XYZ High School” or “Proud U of M Dad”: Stickers like this give bad guys an exact location where they can gain access to your children away from your protection.

We’ve all seen license plates in our states like “GlockGuy” or “SigMan” or “Double Alpha.” Being proud is always a good mindset, but overt things like this let a criminal know that your car may be worth breaking into at some point.

Clothes Make the Man

Above: All three of these individuals are regular products of their environment. For better or worse, none of them will likely get a second glance. This normalcy can be used to your advantage.

Let’s move beyond bumper stickers. What other mundane facets of your daily life are potential “information leaks?” One of the biggest ones is wardrobe. Your T-shirt, shoes, belt, or ball cap tell plenty about your background or, at least, the image you choose to project.

Suppose you’re on vacation or a business trip, and you’re walking through the airport with a little more time than usual to make your connection. Hanging around the gate next to yours are four guys. They appear to be in their late 20s, physically fit with shaggy hair, beards, sleeve tattoos, and farmer’s tans. All four are wearing khaki or OD green cargo shorts, Salomon trail shoes, Oakley sunglasses, and Suunto watches. Based on that description alone, what do you think these guys do for a living? Where do you think they’re going?

The truth is that even while off-duty, most first responders wear a uniform of sorts. If you take your survival or personal security readiness seriously, you’re probably prone to the same phenomenon. An unbuttoned flannel shirt over a tucked-in T-shirt and a webbed nylon belt is a pretty big indicator that you might be concealing a firearm. What can the cashier at your local grocer tell just by looking at your cargo pants and trail shoes, the knife clipped to your pocket, or the fire starter on your keychain?

We all want to be prepared to survive any potential calamity, but your outfit may tip off malicious individuals about your earnestly collected stocks of food, fuel, and quality tools. This subset of the population may see your car or your home as a ready-made cache of sellable goods they can make easy money off of or even appropriate for themselves, and they may not care which one of your stick figure family members they hurt in the process. Read any mainstream news article about emergency preparedness, and you’ll see at least one person comment about how they don’t bother stockpiling supplies because they have guns and can simply take what they need by force. Don’t let your home become the first stop for some scumbag’s post-SHTF shopping spree.

Above all, remember that these tips are situational. Strolling down the street in a rough neighborhood while wearing pressed slacks and a dress shirt will stand out, much like wearing baggy shorts and a hoodie in the middle of a white-collar office-building complex. Study your surroundings, and you’ll soon realize what you need to do to blend in.

One Day at a Time

Like any other survival skill, “going gray” takes dedication and practice. For additional information on specific techniques, refer to books such as Gray Man: Camouflage for Crowds, Cities, and Civil Crisis by Matthew Dermody (see the review from Issue 29). Internet searches, when taken with a shaker of salt, can turn up helpful hints. Don’t be afraid to train and experiment. Go to your local big-box store and try to find off-brand alternatives to your favorite outfits. Stay away from memorable bright colors or bold patterns. Keep your accessories inexpensive and low-key. Put your knife all the way in your pocket instead of clipping it to the outside — yes, we know this may not be legal in some places but, as Ed Calderon often says, “What you can do and what you’re allowed to do are two different things.” If you’re traveling, wear business attire even if you don’t have to. People will look past the middle manager faster than anybody dressed in the latest in tactical chic.

We all want to be proud of our lifestyle and our accomplishments, as well as those of our loved ones. But also be aware of the amount of valuable personal information you surrender in the process — information that could be used to harm you severely were anybody so inclined. Methodically removing these outward indicators from your daily routine is the crux of the gray man philosophy.

We also want to be realists and don’t expect you to simply erase your personality or unique sense of style. It may be best to start integrating gray-man concepts during long-distance travel. International travel is the most important because being immediately recognizable as an outsider or tourist puts you at substantial risk. In addition to that, your self-defense options will be much more limited. Firearms will almost certainly be unavailable, and you’ll have to pack your knife in your checked bag — if the host country even allows pocket knives. Depending on the agent, TSA may or may not let you have a tactical pen. Domestic travel allows some discretion. Your mode of travel and destination will dictate what kind of gear you can bring. If you’re going to an area with high crime rates or even a sociopolitical culture that’s not your own, being forgettable might save you some hassle. But we admit that going gray to go for groceries probably isn’t critical to your personal safety.

Home Sweet Home

Your home is another place to be proud of. So you make sure to hoist that Marine Corps flag high in that front yard or a Special Forces flag letting people know your background. College football flags are also everywhere, which may be used to identify where you hail from or where you went to school. For example, imagine a person flying a Marine Corps flag in their yard with a MARSOC sticker on their Ford F-150 lifted on 35s with a Glock sticker on the back window in North Carolina. Just from driving around that neighborhood, a criminal now knows where he lives, where he works, and what he drives. Now all they need is a few days of surveillance and internet access, and everything else can be found online from his license plate and address.

Talk the Talk and Adapt

One of the most unique identifiers that can thwart even the best gray man is speech and body language. For instance, if I’m speaking to someone and they assume I have zero military background (which happens often), but I accidentally answer their question with “roger” or “copy that” — if they’re quick enough to catch that phrase they’d immediately suspect I’m lying about my service background. “Affirmative” or “negative” as answers stand out like a metal gong. Accents from Boston to Minnesota, or Georgia and Texas, can easily be distinguished from one another and can provide people with one more piece of information about you. A large and bearded Caucasian man in Dubai wearing a Harley-Davidson sweatshirt, Salomon shoes, and Kühl pants probably isn’t there to see the Burj Khalifa. His two friends with Multicam backpacks and patches that say “Bagram Infidel Club” or something similar won’t help them attain gray-man status either. Their accents also can help narrow down which state they’re from while they talk to one another. All these indicators would allow an individual with nefarious intentions to easily strike up conversation and extract even more information about them and their overall intent or mission in that area.

Situational changes occur often. I’ve found myself blending into a very liberal mountain town of lovely mountain climbers and white water canoers and kayakers, only to be in a double-breasted suit and tie three hours later at an embassy-level dinner. Imagine the transition from dropping children off at school to going onto a military or government installation, but not being in the same clothing for either activity? It can be done. Is it necessary? For a very small percentage of people, it is, but for the majority of us, the answer honestly is no. However, just like practicing with firearms, medical training, or fieldcraft, the time you take to practice and train will always help you when the real time comes.

When you first start practicing gray-man principles, it might feel like playing a game. Putting on different clothes and trying different styles is not unlike wearing a costume. If it feels awkward, then you’re off to a good start, because that means you’re out of character from how you normally present yourself. As you do it more and more, you’ll simply slip in and out of various wardrobe styles as the situation dictates. Then, later on, a day will come where blending in is natural, subconscious, and even extends to your behavior and mannerisms. That day will be the day you’re truly a gray man.

New: HK Knives Fray Fixed Blade from Hogue

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When it comes to knives, we tend to prefer simple and durable designs. If you plan to use a knife for cutting rather than as a prop for Instagram photos, you probably feel the same way. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a knife that looks good at the same time, but that's more of an added bonus to its primary purpose.

Hogue Knives recently released the new Fray fixed blade as part of its HK Knives line. The company calls the HK Knives Fray a “no-nonsense cutting tool,” and its design clearly matches that goal. It's constructed from a single piece of 154CM stainless steel, hardened to 57-59 HRC and available in two blade shapes.

Fray Tanto (top) and Clip Point (bottom)

One is called a Clip Point, but looks closer to a drop point with a prominent swedge, since it lacks the concave shape and upswept tip we've come to associate with typical clip-point blades. The other is a Tanto, which also has a swedge for improved piercing. Overall length is 9.1 inches; blade length is 4.2 inches.

Each version of the HK Knives Fray is finished in your choice of black, OD green, or FDE Cerakote. The handle is wrapped in black paracord; a large forefinger notch and jimping on the thumb ramp and butt provide added grip. Each knife comes with a black polymer Auto-Retention Sheath that can be carried horizontally or vertically. It's also compatible with TEK-LOK mounts.

The HK Knives Fray is made in the USA by Hogue, and priced at $150 MSRP. For more information, go to HogueInc.com.

Pounding Pavement: Man-Tracking Skills for Urban Environments

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“There is nothing that sharpens a man’s senses so acutely as to know that bitter and determined enemies are in pursuit of him night and day.” — Frederick Russell Burnham, Scouting on Two Continents

Tracking is more than an outdated science seen in movies or documentaries about Native Americans. Its applications span centuries; tracking was employed in the tactical arena from the American Indian Wars to Vietnam, Rhodesia, and Afghanistan, to name a few. It continues to prove its value on the battlefield and in search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, even compared to more sophisticated methods involving high-cost assets, such as helicopters, drones, and working dogs.

Man-tracking can be used to great effect in preventing criminal and terrorist actions in an urban environment. We tend to think of tracking in the context of spotting broken twigs and muddy footprints in the woods, but tracking isn’t only useful in rural areas or off-grid scenarios. Taking advantage of in-depth observation and collection of clues, a tracker will prevail in the most difficult terrain: the concrete jungle.

My personal “dirt time,” for example, requires nothing more than a handful of minutes spent in the city where I currently live, constantly looking for tracks and focusing myself on their interpretation. With a population of more than 2 million, I get plenty of practice daily.

The essential starting point for both rural and urban tracking is Locard’s exchange principle: “Every contact leaves a trace.” In other words, any person who moves through an environment will leave behind some evidence — however small and easily overlooked — of those movements. The primary differences lie in the nature of the scenario.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, human trafficking affects between 7,000 and 9,000 victims annually, with 49,000 cases reported in the last 10 years in the United States alone. Widen the scope to kidnapping and the numbers skyrocket to thousands reported daily. Roughly 800,000 children go missing each year in the U.S. Then, there’s bounty hunting and locating fugitives, another enterprise where tracking skills are invaluable. All of these situations are prime examples of scenarios where skilled urban trackers can save lives.

What is Urban Man-Tracking?

According to Fernando Moreira’s Visual Mantracking for Law Enforcement and Search & Rescue, urban tracking is a “fast-paced man-tracking effort in urban environments for military, law enforcement, and SAR teams.”

Even if observing and following clues in this kind of context represents a real challenge, the experienced tracker knows many of the tracking techniques used in rural environments can also be used in urban environments. Still, infrastructure differences — such as concrete and asphalt roads as opposed to dirt trails — “provide an entirely new medium upon which signs must be identified,” according to John Hurth. In his book, Combat Tracking Guide, Hurth classifies urban areas in four main categories: villages (population of 3,000 or fewer), large cities (what we can easily identify as “megalopolis”), towns (not part of a bigger urban complex), and strip areas (areas of connection between major urban locales).

Considering the peculiarities of each category, it soon becomes obvious it’s essential for a tracker to do a careful follow-up on all leads in urban settings. This means taking advantage of every detail they can collect through intelligence as well as through an accurate observation of the entire scenario, even if these details are continuously changing due to the characteristics of the heavily populated environment they’re operating in.

Even partial tracks or footprints are enough to keep a skilled tracker hot on the trail.

How Does it Work?

Tracking in an urban setting has more in common with rural tracking than most people might think. It’s all based on the proper observation not only of footprints, but also of every kind of sign left by the quarry. Locard’s principle is perfectly relevant in an urban context. A tracker can run across footprints as well as tire tread evidence, or any number of other indicators of people who “engage in other activities that leave multiple residues to capture footprints,” writes Moreira. This can include leaving behind trash from food or drinks, but also spitting, bleeding, or losing or deliberately jettisoning personal items.

All of these elements indicate the passage of a person and provide valuable clues, as do the flagging of leaves on a playground, the partial tracks left on the sand inside a building site, the geometry of a shoe pattern captured by the sap of a green leaf, the scratches on the moss that partially cover an abandoned structure, the transfer of water/mud/snow, and so on. While signs left by feet are often the most plentiful, don’t forget all the disturbances made by hands and the upper body. Last but not least are tire treads, which can actually reveal more detail than most imagine.

For instance, tire tread evidence played a key role in solving the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing case. FBI Special Agent William J. Bodziak gathered and studied evidence left by the truck McVeigh and Nichols used to transport the bomb “to determine the axle belonged to a specific truck that had been rented to an individual who listed his name on the rental agreement as Robert Kling,” as described in the book Tire Tread And Tire Track Evidence. Kling was the same name used by McVeigh to register in a nearby motel. Later, Bodziak made track-width measurements of the vehicle, adding additional evidence to the case.

Recognizing, following, and interpreting all these clues is imperative in an urban scenario. The tracker should facilitate his own research by looking for so-called “track traps,” areas where tracks/signs are most likely to be found.

Hurth compiled a good list of urban “track traps,” which include the following:

  • Edges of roads
  • Patches of dust and dirt
  • Alleyways
  • River beds/streams
  • In and around gardens
  • Areas where you can still find dew
  • Inclines and declines
  • Oil spots in parking areas
  • Soft tar
  • Drainage ditches
  • Muddy zones
  • Bicycle routes
  • Entrances to doorways and gates
  • Generally, any area able to retain a complete or partial sign of passage

 

My tracking mentor, David Michael Hull, wrote in his book Man Tracking in Law Enforcement, “Vision is the most important sense used in the art of tracking. Although most of us can see, we differ in our perception of what we’re looking at. This is because of the acuteness of our physical eye, our ability to focus on the task at hand, and the perceptions we have from previous experiences and training.”

Being able to locate the right tracks to follow is one of the biggest challenges of a tracker in an urban scenario, due to constant changes of medium — asphalt, concrete, mud, metal, puddles, grass in a garden, and so on. The more obvious thing to do, and a good starting point, is to proceed by “elimination tracking” — identifying areas where people have not passed. As Hull explains, “The lack of evidence is evidence in itself.”

This convenient method, mostly used in search and rescue, can be successfully applied in certain areas of an urban environment.

Once the correct tracks are identified, the tracker should pass all the information gained to the rest of the team in order to compare the evidence found with any data already archived, like measurements, photos (if available), length of stride and straddle, and so on.

Tracks contain data that must be properly measured and analyzed in order to properly extrapolate all possible...

Counter-Tracking During Urban Movement

A skilled tracker is perfectly aware that following a quarry into the often nonexistent boundaries of an urban scenario includes knowledge of the principles of stalking as well as counter-tracking. A known case of this is the manhunt of former SAS trainee turned murderer Barry Prudom (aka “The Phantom of the Forest”) in England in the summer of 1982. Prudom was able to evade the police for 17 days despite a widespread manhunt. Eventually, he was successfully tracked down by Eddie McGee, a former paratrooper and SAS operator.

The first, and most obvious, approach to an escape and evasion situation inside a city is to move rapidly without being seen or detected. This is much more relevant in an urban context than a rural one. Counter-tracking procedures can be applied as well, if the quarry is conscious of being followed. However, the application of countering methods consumes precious time in all cases and with most types of trackable evidence.

Understanding the details a tracker must follow — especially if deception is practiced — and also interpreting them properly to predict subsequent actions and movements can become exceedingly difficult. For this reason, the tracker should follow the golden rules of stalking — “take risks early” (per Bob Carss in The Complete Guide to Tracking) and, perhaps more importantly, “put himself into the mind of the quarry” (per David Scott Donelan in Tactical Tracking Operations: The Essential Guide For Military And Police Trackers). The latter requires effective post-analysis of a found track not just to figure out the quarry's immediate movement pattern, but also to estimate their possible long-term intentions.

Above: “track” doesn't have to be a footprint or impression. Everything from fluid spills to discarded trash and fibers can inform a tracker about their quarry's movement or intentions.

Basically, counter-tracking techniques are used “primarily to slow down, confuse, lose, or eliminate a tracker. Culture, religious affiliation, and the amount and quality of training the quarry received will determine how he reacts to the pressure of being hunted,” according to Hurth. If he’s aware of being followed, the quarry may adopt extreme measures to increase the distance between him and the tracker. In an urban context, this generally means walking in packed streets to avoid possible “track traps” — favoring dry asphalt or concrete, changing direction very often, and paying extreme caution not to lose anything, even hair, mucus, or blood that could be easily traced to the quarry.

Separate from counter-tracking, anti-tracking methods (minimizing the signs of passage) can be very effective in a metropolitan area due to the nature of big cities and the chaos generated by an unending mob of residents and tourists. In a rural environment, the “speed and distance” technique would immediately produce more noise and more signs on the ground, due to the kinetics of movement. However, in a populated area, these disadvantages are greatly mitigated, making urban tracking extremely strenuous for any team following an experienced quarry.

Even the urban environment can trap readable tracks that will help keep the pursuit alive.

Beat Feet

Just as in rural areas, once the trackers have observed a footprint pattern and wear that clearly leads to the quarry, they focus on preserving further tracks, avoiding contamination from the rest of the team. Wear is the gradual erosion of the shoe’s outsole material as it contacts the ground.

According to agent Bodziak’s writing in the Journal of Forensic Identification, “Erosion of the shoe’s outsole is influenced by many factors, including but not limited to the way a person stands and walks, the amount of time the shoe has been worn, the surfaces over which the shoe passed, the type of soling material, the weight and flexibility of the wearer, and whether the footwear is used for jogging, walking, tennis, or just everyday usage.

In other words, the particular wear makes any shoe unique and represents sort of an identification of the quarry. This is what happened in the O.J. Simpson case. The New York Times reported “an expert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified today at O.J. Simpson’s trial that the person who left a trail of bloody shoe prints along the walkway in front of Nicole Brown Simpson’s home last June wore size 12 shoes, the same size worn by Mr. Simpson.” The witness, Bodziak, traced down the model of the shoes that left the prints to two factories in eastern Italy, the NYT reported.

Thanks to the FBI Footprints Database, a tracker can send photos of a single track taken from different perspectives to the federal law enforcement agency and find out if the pattern of the found track can be matched to a suspect based upon the wear patterns of the footwear.

According to Dave Brewer’s and Wes Hoekwater’s writing in the FLETC Journal, “Footprints are much like latent fingerprints in that no two wear patterns are the same. Additionally, footprints can show many things to include the speed of the individual leaving the scene.”

Tracking has always been, and will likely always be, at the intersection of science and art. It’s an indispensable skill for both professional teams and prepared individuals alike who want the ability to locate and identify potential signs of human predators in their vicinity. The urban and suburban environment adds additional challenges for the tracker and need to be considered carefully, especially when involved in a real-time pursuit of determined adversaries. But the task is far from impossible and, with proper education and the right resources, urban tracking allows citizens to be more aware of the human terrain around their homes. For military, law enforcement, or rescue teams, these same skills can take much of the guesswork out of finding those who can’t or don’t want to be found.

About the Author

Kyt Walken is a European-based instructor for the U.S.-based Hull’s Tracking School. She has been an outdoor enthusiast and tracking worshipper since childhood.

She attended her first Man Tracking class with the Scott Donelan Tracking School’s European Division in 2015. In June 2017, she took part in the Tactical Acuity C-IED Class held by Hull’s Tracking School. She now teaches her own basic and advanced tracking classes all over her home country of Italy.

She leads classes around Europe, collaborates with a forensic lab located in Rome, is practiced in the South African tracking method of spooring, and an author and podcast host, spreading awareness about the benefits of tracking and the importance of wildlife and environmental conservation.

Pocket Preps: Neck Knives

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In the last issue we focused on the micro folding knife — a blade that’s 2 inches or shorter — as a backup to your larger edged tool. In this edition of “Pocket Preps,” we’re gonna take a look at its cousin: the neck knife.

During an outdoor adventure or in a survival situation, your primary edged tool should be a large bushcraft blade that can perform a wide range of tasks. But a neck knife can be a reliable backup if you lose or damage your main knife.

This small tool is quicker to deploy than a micro pocket knife, because it’s ready to go once yanked from around your neck. Most have no opening mechanism to fumble with. Also, with a simple design and few moving parts, it’s less likely to break. And because it’s hanging from your neck, it’s accessible with both hands. Added bonus: Some of these models can be setup as boot knives, too.

Read on to see if there’s a lethal necklace that’s right for your survival needs.

Bastinelli Knives BB Drago Cutter V2

OAL: 4.4 inches
Blade Material: N690Co stainless steel
Weight: 1.4 ounces
MSRP: $135
URL: bastinelliknives.com

What the BB Drago lacks in length it makes up for in girth. It has a broad modified Wharncliffe blade that’s great for piercing, draw cuts, and widowing. This beautiful and lightweight model comes with a Kydex sheath with a ball chain. Manufactured in Italy by Fox Knives.

Pros:

  • Profile and jimping is ideal for a thumb-supported grip.
  • G10 is our favorite handle material
  • The N690Co blade is sharp, tough, and corrosion resistant.

Cons:

  • The tiny handle has room for only two fingers.

Winkler Knives Zipper/Arrow

OAL: 5 inches
Blade Material: 80CrV2 high-carbon steel
Weight: 1.2 ounces
MSRP: $95
URL: winklerknives.com

Iconic knife-maker Daniel Winkler designed this as an everyday-carry tool that could be carried even in areas with restrictive size limits. Not a neck knife per se, this high-quality fixed blade comes with a double-gated carabiner attached to its sheath, allowing it to accept a cord or chain necklace. Made in the USA.

Pros:

  • The 80CrV2 blade cuts, stabs, and slices like a mini lightsaber.
  • Slim Kydex sheath has a simple-but-genius integrated lock.
  • The included Nite Ize carabiner increases the carry options.

Cons:

  • 80CrV2 is awesome steel, but isn’t stainless; the blade will need regular care to prevent rusting.

Tangram Brevis DropPoint

OAL: 5.06 inches
Blade Material: Acuto 440 stainless steel
Weight: 0.8 ounce
MSRP: $26
URL: amazon.com

This was designed by U.S.-based knife-maker Dirk Pinkerton for Tangram, a Chinese firm that makes entry-level knives and markets them to the West. If we didn’t know better, we would never have guessed it was made in China. Solid craftsmanship for an affordable price.

Pros:

  • Versatile blade profile works great for a variety of tasks.
  • Finger groove increases “grippyness”
  • Made from a Japanese version of 440C stainless steel
  • Comes with cord to do your own custom handle wrap

Cons:

  • No cord or chain to fashion a lanyard

Columbia River Knife & Tool Minimalist

OAL: 5.22 inches
Blade Material: 5Cr15Mov stainless steel
Weight: 1.7 ounces
MSRP: $40
URL: crkt.com

This popular model is comfy in the hand and versatile for both the great outdoors and urban environments. The Minimalist comes with a glass-reinforced nylon sheath and is also available with a Bowie, tanto, or Wharncliffe blade profile. Form, function, and affordability earns it this column’s Best Value Neck Knife Award.

Pros:

  • G10 scales and deep finger grooves provide an assured grip.
  • Cord fob attached to handle provides a grip for your pinky and extra cordage.
  • Neck cord has a push-button stopper to customize fit.
  • Drop-point profile is adaptable for different cutting tasks.

Cons:

  • Sheath doesn’t have the best blade retention.

Boker Plus Slyde-R

OAL: 5.5 inches
Blade Material: 440C stainless steel
Weight: 1.1 ounces
MSRP: $45
URL: bokerusa.com

The sole oddity in this buyer’s guide, the Slyde-R isn’t a fixed blade, but rather features a push-button opening mechanism that lets you slide the blade in and out of the handle, similar to a boxcutter. While not a bushcraft-worthy blade, it certainly is the most fun neck knife to fidget with. Comes with a ball chain.

Pros:

  • 440C might be old, but it’s still dependable stainless steel.
  • Fun opening mechanism that’s easy to use with one hand
  • G10 is our favorite handle material.

Cons:

  • Slower to deploy than fixed blades
  • Blade can wiggle during hard use.

Terrain 365 Element Bravo-HD

OAL: 6 inches
Blade Material: Terravantium Dendritic Cobalt
Weight: 4.2 ounces
MSRP: $195
URL: terrain365.com

Notes
The $195 price tag is not a typo. But considering it’s guaranteed by Terrain 365 to never corrode “in all of earth’s natural environments,” it’s worth considering. Made of proprietary Terravantium alloy, the Element is rustproof, durable, and made in the USA. It easily earns this column’s Top Pick Award.

Pros:

  • Terrain 365 guarantees this field neck knife won’t corrode.
  • Stout blade can pierce, slice, or shave.
  • Has the Goldilocks touch; good balance of length, weight, and portability
  • Slim Kydex sheath included

Cons:

  • At $195, we expected a better lanyard than the 3mm-thin (re: uncomfortable) cord to wear around our neck.

Gerber Gear Ghostrike Fixed Blade

OAL: 6.9 inches
Blade Material: 420HC stainless steel
Weight: 1.7 ounces
MSRP: $50
URL: gerbergear.com

Designed as a belt-carry knife that can also be worn on a pack, in a boot, or as a neck knife, the Ghostrike is a skinny blade that’s meant to be carried discreetly for self-defense purposes. It comes with a textured rubber grip on the handle and an equally slim polymer sheath. Made in the USA.

Pros:

  • Low-vis appearance
  • Skeletonized full-tang handle to lighten the load
  • Sheath has both vertical and horizontal belt carry options.

Cons:

  • No cord or ball chain included
  • 420HC isn’t the best steel.

Kershaw Knives Dune

OAL: 7.7 inches
Blade Material: 3Cr13 stainless steel
Weight: 2.2 ounces
MSRP: $40
URL: kershawknives.com

Part sci-fi, part ancient ninja, the Dune is what Kershaw calls a “neck sword.” At 7.7 inches in length, it’s longer than most neck knives and features an angular tanto blade profile. It has textured, glass-filled nylon scales and comes with a molded polymer sheath and a cord. Made in China.

Pros:

  • Longer length means more handle and cutting edge.
  • Aesthetically unique
  • Despite its birthplace, the Dune features quality workmanship.
  • The tanto tip is excellent for stabbing.

Cons:

  • Tanto profile limits versatility.
  • Handle is a little too skinny.

Read More for Pocket Preps

Perishable Pills: Is it Safe to Consume Expired Medications?

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Warning! This article is meant to be a quick overview and not a detailed guide on medication expiration or use. To learn more about medication shelf life and long-term effectiveness, consult with your licensed physician or accredited healthcare agency.

Here’s the scenario: It’s 5:30 a.m. and you go to the fridge to grab some milk, only to notice it expired a day ago. You hear a disturbance from the other room and, soon, in rushes your wife in a panic, “Don’t drink that! It’s gone bad!” Without even stopping to breathe, she grabs the milk and pours it down the drain.

In the same household, if you go to the medicine cabinet, you’ll find medications that expired years ago. Why is it that food is immediately thrown out the minute it goes beyond the expiration date, but we keep expired medications “just in case?” Perhaps the easy answer is that we can always go to the store and get another gallon of milk before the sun comes up. The more challenging answer is that you kept your wife up all night hacking up a lung, and she told you three days ago to go to the doctor (and you didn’t). She will of course give the ultimatum that you go to the doctor today and get some medication, or else! Oh wait, she remembers that she has some cough medicine left over from when Johnny was sick … “Here, try this.” And all is better in the world. Thank goodness we kept that cough medicine for two years.

While this scenario could happen in any household in the world, it never happens in my household — because I have the best wife ever. However, I’ll discuss some of the issues to consider when taking medications that have been salvaged from their imminent demise beyond the expiration date.

What Do These Dates Mean?

When talking about medicine in general, we always consider the risk-to-benefit ratio. In other words, if we consider options of a particular scenario, are the risks associated with our decision greater than the benefits? If so, we might elect not to pursue that particular option. Sometimes, we may accept the risk and proceed anyway. It’s this scenario that comes to play when we take medication that has survived beyond its expiration date.

So what goes into determining the expiration date of a medication? According to the Food and Drug Administration, the expiration date of a medication is vetted by the manufacturer for the drug’s ability to maintain its strength, purity, stability, and quality during its shelf life. The manufacturer of the drug must provide research data in this regard. Included in this process is the proper storage information for the drug in question. As long as the medication is stored properly, it should perform as expected up to the expiration date.

Once the drug has gone beyond its expiration date, several things can occur. The most likely outcome is that the medication is no longer stable or potent to do what it was intended to do. In essence, it may not work as well. Due to lack of stability, it’s possible that the medication can break down into various components that may actually be harmful to the body. Although no pharmaceutical company that I have found has come forth with exactly what’ll happen due to the instability, every single document on the FDA’s website, and manufacturer’s website, says that it can occur.

To evaluate this conundrum, the FDA has created the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy as part of the FDA’s Amendments Act of 2007 to manage known or potential risks associated with a drug product. Part of that Strategy is to evaluate what happens beyond the expiration dates of medications. Back in 1986, the Department of Defense teamed with the FDA to enact the Shelf Life Extension Program. This was brought about to try to save the DoD money in replacing medications that had expired. It also increased the number of stockpile medications available in the event of necessity. Twenty years later, the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 created the Strategic National Stockpile, which built facilities to harbor medications targeting chemical, biological, radiation, or nuclear threats (CBRN). These medications also covered potential or emerging infectious disease threats. During President George W. Bush’s terms, the legislation centered on increasing the ease of availability of medications during CBRN threats.

Post-Disaster Situations

So, thanks to the government, we have an understanding that medications, as related to the CBRN discussion, can be utilized beyond the expiration date. But how long? I’d always tell patients to discard any medications once they were a year old (some, like sublingual nitroglycerine, every three months). That really is nothing more than an arbitrary recommendation. It means that if you need that drug again and it has been a year since it has been prescribed, then I probably should see you anyway.

It also assumes that the medication has probably not been properly stored and will not be as effective as intended. As usual, it was probably stored in the bathroom, where humidity and temperature changes vary considerably. If it’s an antibiotic we’re talking about, it may be that the reduced efficacy may not entirely rid the body of the bacteria and may increase the chance that resistance will occur when the bacteria re-emerges. Then, the antibiotic likely won’t work at all. Perhaps you have infected other members in your household now with your crud and they too are resistant to the antibiotic.

If you’re trying to avoid going to the doctor by storing your medications, please don’t do it. Seek medical advice and expertise. However, if this is a true survival situation where chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats have become a reality, then keep reading.

For chemical threats, we’re talking about sarin and tabun in modern-day warfare. Historically, it also included mustard gas and chlorine gas. To counteract the effects of these chemicals we use atropine, pralidoxime, or a combination of the two. Atropine can be extended by four years beyond the expiration date, while pralidoxime has been extended up to five years. Further testing by the manufacturers could extend those dates further.

For biologic threats, agents like anthrax and botulinum toxin are frequently discussed. Two common antibiotics to treat anthrax are ciprofloxacin and doxycycline. The latter can be used six to eight years after the expiration date, while I have found no concrete recommendations for ciprofloxacin. For botulism, penicillin and metronidazole are the recommended medications. Penicillin, like ciprofloxacin, may maintain its stability long after the expiration date if stored properly. The same could be the case for metronidazole. In a survival situation, this may be a case where the accepted risk is worth the potential benefit if no help is otherwise coming.

Radiological and nuclear threats have their treatments based on symptoms. Potassium iodide is typically part of the stockpiled medications to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in an individual exposed to radiation. The body absorbs iodine and doesn’t care if it’s irradiated or not. The potassium iodide competes for binding sites in the thyroid with the irradiated iodine. With less of the irradiated iodine being taken up by the body, the adverse outcome may be lessened. Potassium iodide has been shown to be stable for several years after the expiration date.

Other Threats

How about emerging infectious disease threats? These would be diseases like influenza where oseltamivir could be utilized in stockpiles. This is reported to have a shelf life up to 10 years beyond its expiration date. Other diseases like Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya, and Dengue fever may not have specific treatments, but supportive care is important and could utilize a lot of resources in a major outbreak.

When those resources are scant in a catastrophe, there’ll be more risk taken when it comes to medications. The risk of taking an expired medication might be worth it, but should be considered with caution. Nitroglycerine is a medication used by heart patients and usually comes in a small brown bottle with tiny white pills. These pills degrade relatively quickly when exposed to light, air, and humidity. Of course, use it if you have to; however, these really only remain viable for three to six months.

Another common drug is insulin, which can be kept at room temperature for about 30 days before it starts to lose efficacy. When refrigerated, it can be kept longer, but beyond a year, the potency is weakened and doses will need to be adjusted upward. This, of course, creates more variables in an otherwise difficult disease to manage. (For more on surviving in austere conditions as a diabetic, see “The Diabetic Survivalist” in Issue 24.) Other drugs that are in suspension, such as antibiotics, eye drops, and cough medicines may lose their potency faster due to lack of stability once they’re placed in the suspension. It’s generally not recommended to take these types of medications beyond their expiration dates.

Conclusion

 

Understand the risks and benefits of every decision you make, especially when it comes to taking expired medications. Periodically go through the medicine cabinet or closet to catalog what you have available, then work to procure more updated medication. Planning for these types of situations in a controlled setting doesn’t take much time and can save a lot of angst when the stakes are high. Lastly, and most importantly, tell your wife how much you appreciate her looking out for you.

About the Author

David L. Miller, DO FACOI, is an internist in private practice for 20 years. His experiences away from the office have included time as a fight doctor in regional MMA events and as a team physician for 10 years at a mid-major university in the Midwest. Currently, he serves as the lead medical instructor for the Civilian Crisis Response team based out of Indianapolis.

New: SunToWater Atmospheric Water Generator in Field Trials

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Anyone who has spent time outside on a muggy summer day knows firsthand that humid air can contain a lot of moisture. Humidity mostly serves to make us feel sticky and uncomfortable in its natural form, but what if it could be captured and repurposed as a survival resource? This is the concept behind devices known as atmospheric water generators (AWGs).

At their core, most AWGs use temperature control to harness condensation. If you've ever seen the water dripping out from under an air-conditioned car or running out from the drain on a home A/C unit, you've seen this effect at work. A significant temperature differential leads to condensation, drawing moisture out of the air and eventually forming tiny droplets of dew. Gather enough dew, and you'll have a usable water source. This sounds great, but there's a reason we don't get all our water this way — it's not an easy process.

Challenges to Overcome

Flickr.com/sworldguy

Take a look at your electricity bill after running an air conditioner all month, and it becomes obvious that controlling air temperature is a very energy-intensive process. Inefficiency can be minimized, but thanks to the laws of thermodynamics, there's no eliminating it completely. Therefore, capturing moisture from air through temperature control takes quite a bit of energy as well.

In the past, some atmospheric water generator companies have made bold claims about how much water they could generate. The Fontus comes to mind — we wrote a brief article about the announcement of that water bottle concept back in early 2016. We also mentioned our doubts about how quickly and efficiently it claimed to collect water, especially given its tiny size and lack of substantial power source. Unfortunately, that project fizzled quickly, with retrospective analysis suggesting it may have been a scam from the beginning.

Fontus self filling water bottle 2

Ironically, the Fontus bottle turned out to be vaporware, unable to fulfill the lofty promises made by its crowdfunding...

However, those bad experiences don't mean that AWGs are doomed. With sufficient energy input, humidity, and time, an AWG can produce substantial quantities of clean water. Researchers and engineers are working to refine this technology and overcome its inherent challenges.

Even in ideal conditions, an atmospheric water generator is never going to fill 55-gallon drums with water every few hours, or replace more traditional water sources (e.g. a well or system for purifying an existing natural water source). What it can do is produce small quantities of water in areas where clean natural water is very hard to obtain. Pairing an AWG with a solar panel array and batteries also enables it to be used entirely off-grid — requiring no reliance on the power grid or municipal water supply.

SunToWater's Approach

We recently received an email from Jay Lopez, the CMO of SunToWater Technologies. Jay had read our recent article on water distillation in the wild, and said he'd like to show us what SunToWater is working on in this field. The company is currently running field trials of its own approach to an atmospheric water generator, with proof-of-concept units set up in California, Arizona, and Texas. These field trial units are set up with laptops that collect data from their sensors, and send that data to a remote server for analysis.

This is one of three SunToWater field-trial units, which is running continuously in Texas.

Once enough data has been collected and analyzed, SunToWater's ultimate goal is to release a fully-operational, independently-certified, solar-powered AWG that can generate up to 2.8 gallons of clean water per day. Naturally, atmospheric conditions and humidity will vary this output (more about that later). We're told that projected pricing for the finalized unit will be approximately $5,000.

This all sounds interesting, but as we mentioned earlier, we've learned to approach AWGs with a heightened degree of skepticism. But we wanted to understand how it works, so we got on a video conference call with Jay to see how the Texas field-trial unit works — it currently resides in his backyard.

The Technology

The key to each SunToWater unit is a desiccant compound that captures water. The little disposable silica gel packets in dehydrated food and other product packages are one example of a desiccant — a substance that absorbs moisture from the air. Each SunToWater AWG uses a patented array of tightly-packed panels, which are made of a salt compound contained in fabric. The company says this desiccant is reusable, so it can be soaked and dried out repeatedly without a need for replacement.

Desiccant panels are stacked behind metal shutters inside the generator. The shutters open in Absorption Mode.

The operational cycle of the SunToWater unit begins at night, when a series of louvers open electronically to expose the desiccant panels. At the same time, fans activate to pull humid air through the system, allowing the desiccant material to draw out the moisture the air contains. This process, which is referred to as Absorption Mode, continues in the dark for several hours.

This diagram from SunToWater shows the steps it takes to gather water from humid air.

When the sun comes up, the SunToWater unit goes into its second phase: Extraction Mode. The louvers close, and heated air is circulated through the sealed desiccant container. This change in temperature bakes the water out of the desiccant media and condenses it as a liquid, effectively creating distilled water. An attached storage tank captures the water.

This small storage tank currently sits next to the field-trial unit, but will eventually be integrated into the housing.

At this stage, the water is ready to use for purposes such as washing or crop irrigation. However, if you want to drink the water, there's another step in the process to ensure its potability.

Above: This wood box beside the unit contains the filters, UV purifier, pump, and tap. These parts are separate for the field trial process, but will be integrated into the production version of the generator. The blue water drum serves as an overflow tank for clean water.

A pump in the unit pressurizes the water and passes it through two cleaning filters, plus a third re-mineralization filter to replace beneficial minerals that would normally be present in non-distilled water sources. This is intended to improve the taste and alleviate health concerns that may occur from exclusively drinking de-mineralized water for extended periods. Finally, the water is treated by a UV light purifier to kill any bacteria or other microorganisms that might be present. The faucet then delivers purified, re-mineralized, potable water.

Field Trials vs. Production

When we compare the current field-trial units (such as the one in these photos) to the plan for the finalized SunToWater system, there are some key differences that must be mentioned.

First, as indicated by the SunToWater name, the goal is to get these units functioning entirely off solar power. Currently, the Texas unit we saw is running on the power grid to evaluate the other parts of the system. This means the heat for the bake cycle is provided by an electric heater, and the rest of the unit's electronics are also running off an outlet.

We're told that the final version will use two large solar panels for power, similar to what you'd find on the roof of a home (exact specs haven't been determined yet). Second, two external heat exchangers will generate heat for the bake cycle that enables water condensation. These parts will be separate from the SunToWater unit, so you can mount them in an optimal location to soak up the sun's rays.

The production SunToWater unit will not require the separate components seen in these photos. The clean water reservoir will be internal, as will the faucet and re-mineralization system. So, aside from an optional oversized water storage tank like the pictured blue drum, you'd just need the unit plus two solar panels and two heat exchangers.

Now, if you're thinking that the transition from municipal power to solar will result in a loss of efficiency, you're absolutely right. That's unavoidable. However, the claimed output still sounds quite respectable. Currently, Jay tells us that the plugged-in SunToWater field trial unit in his yard produces between 4-7 gallons of water per day. The projection for the solar-powered unit is 2.8 gallons per day in ideal conditions.

These numbers don't appear to be outside the realm of possibility. A much smaller solar-powered prototype AWG created by researchers at U.C. Berkeley and MIT in 2017 was able to collect 2.8 liters of water over a 12-hour period. That's 1.48 gallons per 24-hour day. It accomplished this feat in a regulated test chamber at 20% humidity — a relatively dry atmosphere.

Variability & Atmospheric Conditions

This brings us to the other major consideration for atmospheric water generation: Mother Nature. The SunToWater system is reliant on water vapor in the air, so it works best in humid conditions. Jay tells us that the field-trial units are functional as low as 18% humidity — a higher percentage will allow it to get closer to the maximum 2.8gal-per-day projection.

Fortunately, every state in the U.S. has more than 25% average hourly relative humidity throughout the year. Most of the country sits between 60% and 80%. The driest state in the nation, according to a 2018 study by climatologist Brian Brettschneider, is Nevada at a 38.3% average. SunToWater is also conducting its trials with this in mind — CA, AZ, and TX are all in the top ten states with the lowest average hourly relative humidity.

AWGs are able to function in drier climates, but output will be greatly reduced. Photo: Flickr.com/habibkaki

Temperature is another factor that affects AWG functionality. Obviously, sub-zero temperatures will cause water to freeze and make it impossible to collect dew. SunToWater says they haven't yet found a high temperature limit that causes the unit to stop working. Lastly, as with any solar-powered device, you'd need clear and sunny conditions to keep the system charged. So, the optimal conditions for the SunToWater AWG would be a warm and muggy summer day.

Jay told us that SunToWater plans to add an estimated output calculator to its web site before the production version of its AWG goes on sale. This will allow prospective customers to enter in the atmospheric conditions of their home or bug-out location to gauge roughly how much water they'll be able to collect there.

Closing Thoughts

For anyone who wants to live sustainably in an off-grid location, the idea of continuously gathering water from the air is an appealing one, especially when it's powered entirely by solar energy. As we said before, depending on your location, there may be several easier and more efficient methods of collecting clean water — rainwater collection, a well, or filtration of river/lake water, for example. But even in those cases, an AWG could serve as a backup in case the other water sources dry up. It would also be an option if groundwater sources were inaccessible, or if those sources became contaminated.

However, AWGs are still a developing technology, and one that has some substantial hurdles to overcome before it reaches mainstream acceptance. Based on the limited glimpses we've seen so far, we're interested to watch as the SunToWater generator trials continue. We still approach atmospheric water generation with a healthy degree of skepticism, but hope that SunToWater and other companies in this field can make AWGs into a viable option for off-grid water collection in the future.

No matter what system — or better yet, systems — you rely on for water, it's wise to be prepared for a day when tap water shuts off and bottled water runs out.

Short Film: “The Last Lawless Land in America: Slab City”

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What would society be like without laws? This is a complex question, and one that will inevitably produce a wide range of answers depending on who you ask. Some will claim a lawless society would be a paradise, while others will say it'd fall into unsustainable chaos. No matter your stance, it's an interesting question to consider, and one that's applicable to the survivalist mindset. After all, a post-apocalyptic world has often been referred to as WROL — without rule of law.

We recently came across a 20-minute short documentary that takes a look at a community that exists without organized and enforced laws. “The Last Lawless Land in America” was created by the indie filmmaking duo known as the Flutter Brothers for their YouTube channel Off the Cuf. It examines Slab City, an informal settlement in a remote patch of the California Badlands.

Slab City grew from the remains of Camp Dunlap, a U.S. Marine Corps training installation that was decommissioned and torn down in 1956, leaving behind an assortment of concrete slabs. Squatters took up residence on the abandoned land, and improvised buildings and art installations there over the decades. The land is officially owned by the state of California, so state and federal laws still apply, but officials seem to have no interest in dedicating resources to enforce them. It's therefore considered effectively lawless by its residents — or at least close enough.

The resulting community is difficult to describe, including solitary hermits, peaceful hippies, heavy drug users, and all sorts of misfits. According to a woman known as Cornelius, the self-appointed librarian of Slab City, “Everybody's always talking about how it's an anarchist utopia, they'll say everything's perfect and wonderful. And then on the other side, you get people who are like, ‘it's a tweaker dystopia, and it sucks.' It's kinda both of those things at the same time.”

Watch the short film below for a glimpse of the “lawless land” of Slab City.