Pinhole Vision: A Tip for Surviving Without Glasses

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This article originally appeared in Issue 6 of our magazine.

Warning! This article is meant to be a quick overview and not a detailed guide on improvised visual improvement methods. Whenever possible, always carry spare prescription glasses or contact lenses. Attempting to see without prescription eyewear is solely at the reader’s risk.

A bespectacled man, who only longs to read, survives a nuclear holocaust and finds himself the last man on Earth at a library full of books. He thinks he finally has all the time in the world to pursue his favorite pastime…until he breaks his only pair of glasses. This ironic tale was the plot of “Time Enough at Last,” a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone. Although this man’s misery played out in a sci-fi TV show, his predicament is something that anyone who has corrective lenses can relate to and should be aware of.

In any type of emergency, there is a risk losing, breaking, or not having enough time to don your glasses. Contact lenses require even more time to put on, can take more care to maintain, and are nearly impossible to reuse or find if lost. But what if a disaster hits unexpectedly? What do you do if you are caught without the benefit of having your optical aids?

Fortunately, there is a way you can focus your blurry vision quickly and without any tools — in fact, all you need is your hand. File this impromptu sight-restoring maneuver in your mental survival skills toolbox under “just in case.”

Pinhole Fingers

By forming a small “pinhole” with your fingers and looking through them, you’ll find your vision is significantly sharpened, even if you regularly have very blurry vision. Go ahead, take your glasses off, and try it. Neat little trick isn’t it? This simple action can help you when you’re in a pinch. But just how does it work?

How Vision Works

Vision is our brain making sense of light that is collected by our eyes. As light bounces off an object, it travels into our eye, focused by the lens, and lands onto the retina. The retina uses this light to form an image that is transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve.

If our eyes had no lenses, light would enter the eyes and land on the retina from every direction, making for a very blurry image.

The eye’s lens helps focus light and form it into a sharp image onto the retina.

The optic nerve transmits the visual information from the retina to the brain, which is what allows us to see.

Whenever you look at an object, you’ll realize that the background and foreground are blurry while the object you are looking at is in focus. This happens because the eye’s lens can only focus light coming from one distance. This is called the eye’s focal length. Objects too near or far are perceived as out of focus.

Fortunately for us, our eye’s muscles can contract or expand the lens so it can change the focal length, allowing us to see clearly at various distances.

How Pinhole Vision Works

Pinholes, by their very nature, limit the amount of light that can enter the eye. This helps block out extra light noise that would otherwise create a blur. Thanks to the small opening, light streams into the eye from a focused direction. So your hand becomes an impromptu lens. Less light bouncing around inside the eye means that looking through a pinhole inherently keeps things in focus.

By looking through the pinhole you create with your fingers, you are limiting how much light is entering your eye, thereby “filtering” the excess light that would otherwise blur your vision.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages to using pinhole vision, however, are that it does also mean less light getting through to the eye, as well as a severely limited field of view. Less light means that your vision while looking though a pinhole is darker.

But when push comes to shove, using this method for even limited focused vision is a nice tool to have in the proverbial toolbox. In a SHTF situation, it could mean having the ability to tell if that dark blob 30 yards away is an abandoned car or a band of marauders lying in wait.

Because walking around with your hand to your face can get a bit annoying, we suggest keeping backups of your eyeglasses stored away in case you get separated from your primary set. Keep an extra pair or two of your prescription glasses in your bug-out bag or an alternative location, such as at work or in your vehicle. Even older prescription glasses can be of some help versus not having glasses at all.

CoTCCC Has Expanded Its Recommended Tourniquet List for 2019

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The subject of tourniquets is one that's frequently debated, and for good reason — a tourniquet is a critical life-saving device. If a tourniquet fails to properly occlude blood flow, there's a high likelihood an injured individual may bleed to death before ever making it to a hospital. There is no shortage of evidence for the value of tourniquets, whether they're being used in a combat setting or a civilian pre-hospital setting.

However, not all tourniquets are created equal. A poorly-designed or carelessly-produced tourniquet may be difficult to apply, inconsistent in its results, or may simply break under tension — these are obviously unacceptable outcomes when seconds count and lives are at stake. The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC), a division of the Department of Defense's Joint Trauma System (JTS), conducts extensive research and testing on various tourniquets to determine their effectiveness for combat situations. The CoTCCC then publishes a list of recommended products based on this selection process.

Until recently, the CoTCCC recommended three tourniquets for combat use: the North American Rescue C-A-T, the Tactical Medical Solutions SOFTT-W, and the Delfi Medical Innovations EMT. The EMT uses a pneumatic inflation system, while the C-A-T and SOFTT-W use the more popular windlass design.

North American Rescue IFAK with C-A-T Gen 7, hemostatic gauze, and other trauma care supplies.

On May 6th, 2019, CoTCCC released a new Recommended Devices & Adjuncts document that substantially expands this list of tourniquets recommended for combat use. The CoTCCC now recommends the following TQs in the non-pneumatic limb tourniquet category:

As for the pneumatic limb tourniquet category, the Delfi EMT is still recommended as well as the Tactical Pneumatic Tourniquet 2” (TPT2). Junctional tourniquet recommendations include the Combat Ready Clamp (CRoC), SAM Junctional Tourniquet (SAM-JT), and Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool (JETT). However, these categories are typically used for more specialized applications.

Keep in mind that all CoTCCC recommendations relate to combat use by trained military personnel, so their relevance to civilians with limited training may vary. The Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (C-TECC) offers a set of TCCC-based guidelines that are geared towards the civilian market — go to C-TECC.org to learn more.

For more information and a complete list of the newly-recommended tourniquets, read the CoTCCC Recommended Devices & Adjuncts (as of 5/6/19). You can also download the list in PDF form.

Off the Grid Everyday: Survival Lessons Learned from the Homeless

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This article originally appeared in Issue 6 of our magazine.

One doesn’t have to go very far to find out how it would look to live off the utility grid. While most of the country is more or less stable (at the time of this writing), there are hundreds of thousands of people living nomadically in every city in the United States without the privileges of electricity and running water — let alone PlayStations and smartphones. They are our society’s homeless, and they live off the grid despite living among us.

We have seen time and again throughout history all sorts of events that thrust people, once living comfortably, out of their homes and onto the streets. We’re only one natural or manmade disaster away from ending up like the more than 600,000 people estimated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be living on the streets. So, in an effort to glean survival lessons from some of the most resilient people living without basic needs, OFFGRID headed into the heart of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s vagrant community.

This author packed up his notebook, a wad of $5 bills, and his concealed carry pistol and headed to skid row to conduct what would be some of the most, uh, “interesting” interviews of his career. The areas of town where the homeless congregate are already stripped of resources, far from any Barnes & Noble or gated community. Many of these displaced folks were here because of drug addiction, while others turned to drugs only after reaching what is, in essence, the end of the line. Regardless, finding a coherent participant wasn’t always easy nor was our cause aided by the drug dealers, who made it clear that we were not welcome. Undeterred, we eventually found people of all ages who were lucid and sober enough to be interviewed. Though they didn’t have many possessions, they did have a wealth of knowledge that could absolutely be applied to a survival situation after a disaster.

Who Are the Homeless?

As the sad cliché goes, homeless people are hidden in plain sight. As a society, we tend to turn a blind eye when we see drifters begging for money or living under a bridge. Yet they continue to survive off the utility grid despite living among us on the grid. Here’s a brief look at who they are, based on January 2013 statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Primary Needs: Food, Water, Shelter, and Security

There’s a lot of community support for the homeless. Most of their basic needs are met by local churches or shelters. But as you’ll read later, these handouts may not always be an option. Though every interviewee survived differently, there were definitely some common themes.

Most everyone had a water container that they would refill by using hose bibs attached to businesses closed for the day. The types of food that they carried were nonperishable and prepackaged, and therefore didn’t need to be refrigerated or cooked. When asked if they would steal food if the community could not provide it, the answer was a unanimous yes.

Thoughts on the subject of shelter varied greatly depending upon the situation and the individual’s temperament. Some street people find clean beds at community shelters, but there’s always more demand than supply. Also people entering a shelter (or a FEMA camp) will be subject to a search, so those not wanting to give up firearms, other weapons, and possibly medication will have to seek shelter elsewhere. Many of the homeless interviewed disliked the shelters because of the overcrowding and thievery — undoubtedly two problems that would be compounded in a disaster situation.

A partially disabled 63-year-old man we interviewed constructed a small encampment hidden deep in a wooded region, located far away from the densely populated homeless district. He chose this type of area to stay away from others competing for resources. But he also chose to set up his camp near train tracks because snakes, common to the area, dislike the strong vibrations created by passing railway cars. Being so far from resources required him to own and maintain a bicycle for transportation.

Meanwhile, a man in his early 20s used a drastically different approach: He solely occupied abandoned structures, constantly changed his routes, and only moved under cover of darkness to avoid detection. However, his austere nomadic existence limited his possessions to what he carried in his backpack and on his person.

A middle-aged man occupied a tent within walking distance of community resources, but remained on the outskirts of the densely populated area. One side of his “territory” was covered by a fence, while the others had a clear view of anyone approaching. In the colder months, he would move his encampment into the shelter of a nearby abandoned building. This man didn’t try to hide his location, but kept his presence known, unlike his weapon, which was a rather sizable and rusty cane knife he kept hidden. He man admitted to being a multiple felon, was an imposing figure, and had narcotics in plain view. People like this are already out surviving on the streets, so should you find yourself among them, we suggest being hyper aware of your surroundings and distributing your trust sparingly.

Above: Personal security is a constant concern for those living on the streets. This former gardening implement is now a self-defense tool. 

Regardless of the type of shelter used, we noticed certain themes reoccurring throughout our interviews. Every man had some way of getting his sleeping area up off of the ground — be it pallets, a mattress, or bedding material. Also, they all utilized some type of early warning system to alert them of approaching danger while they slept. Some placed broken glass or trash in the pathways of buildings. Others tied trip wires in the woods or simply blocked entrances with materials that would be noisy to move.

Those who chose to stay with other homeless people actually used some “challenge words” or code — much like the Allies did during War World II’s D-Day when troops would challenge anybody approaching with the word “flash” and shoot if the password “thunder” wasn’t given in return.

Lessons Learned…

About Food: Pack nonperishable food, as conventional cooking and refrigeration will be limited or nonexistent in a SHTF scenario. Consider purchasing meals-ready-to-eat (aka MREs), learning how to prepare your own canned food, or stocking up on commercially available canned food (see our “Meat Feast” feature story elsewhere in this issue).

About Water: A container of some sort is a must for any survivalist, be it a plastic milk jug or state-of-the-art stainless steel water bottle.

About Shelter: Because the location will depend on your specific situation and where you choose to set up camp, there’s no single “best” type of shelter. But a roof over your head and a bedding area elevated off the ground is essential.

About Security: In any dire scenario, be it homelessness or after a natural disaster, overcrowding is inevitable at shelters (whether set up by the government or charitable organizations), as is property theft. So, establish either a trusted network of friends (the kind your life depends on) or an early-warning system around your shelter. Self-defense tools are a no-brainer.

Secondary Needs: Medical, Hygiene, and Transportation

Once the basic needs were covered, we delved into additional needs that are not so immediate, but still quite important.

Medical attention is usually given out at clinics and hospitals, but what if there are none available? Or, as in the case with shelters, you don’t want to be forced to give up your weapons or medication? From our observations, the alternatives aren’t so pretty. Most vagrants either self-medicated or simply suffered through their ailments. Also, living on the streets without medical support appeared to get exponentially more difficult with increasing age.

On a related note, proper hygiene could have not only prevented some of the infections and medical issues we observed, but also could have served a secondary purpose of looking more presentable. And no, we’re not talking about dressing up for job interviews. There appeared to be a fine line between looking too clean and healthy (thereby making oneself a target for the have-nots) and looking totally destitute (making one a target of those who prey upon the weak while also unapproachable to those who might be willing to offer help). Depending on the type of disaster you find yourself in, money might still be worth something. If you are displaced to an area not under distress, you may be able to work for cash, so you need to be approachable. If money is not worth anything, you can still trade your labor for things you need, which many of the homeless do. A general consensus was that begging or panhandling was not very effective, so you can’t rely on handouts.

Another survival concept consistent among the homeless was the value of having cheap transportation — namely a reliable bicycle. Those homeless who owned a bicycle had a distinct advantage over those who didn’t. Every street person we interviewed eyed our bicycle with envy, and all mentioned the importance of one. Why? Fuel may not be available, and roads are easily clogged by panicked motorists — but bicycles can go almost anywhere with nothing more than a little leg muscle. Plus, they’re easy to hide or secure and allow a person to travel great distances quickly while expending little energy. These attributes allow one to obtain resources from farther away and help you get out of harm’s way swiftly. The impoverished who owned bicycles also had a lock (preferably a U-lock), a small set of basic tools, and spare parts to keep their bikes reliable. One man suggested having a small bicycle trailer for hauling additional supplies and gear. (See OFFGRID’s Spring 2014 issue for more on bug-out bikes and their accessories.)

Learning how to adapt is also strongly suggested. For example, the older man replaced a broken pedal with one fabricated out of a wooden block. If you find yourself off-grid, improvisation will be used in every aspect of your life, not just those regarding your bicycle.

Lessons Learned…

About Medical: Prepare some basic medical gear and know how to use it. Know where alternate medical facilities are (as hospitals might be overcrowded, overrun, or quarantined) and plan transportation routes to reach them. Also, if you have elderly relatives to care for, you’ll need to plan accordingly.

About Hygiene: Not only does improper hygiene cause medical issues to flare up, it can also mark you as a target. Don’t look too clean, but don’t look completely destitute either.

About Transportation: Off the grid, bicycles are king. Without the need for fossil fuels or electricity, bikes can get you out of Dodge quickly and via many different routes.

Survival Priority: Backpacks

That’s right. You read correctly — backpacks. We know how much you love them, so listen up. Topping the list of needs of the homeless is the backpack. The general consensus is that if you want to keep something, it should be kept on your person. Think vital items like your ID, cash, payment cards, and weapon(s). Depending on the situation, these items can give you access to resources, such as your bank account or government assistance should you be able to reach it. These belongings are almost impossible to replace in a disaster scenario. (Also, should there be some semblance of law and order, you’ll want your CCW permit handy if you’re carrying a weapon concealed.)

To carry all of your other needs, you should have a good quality, low-profile, medium-sized backpack. That means it should appear used and somewhat dirty. A huge pack that’s glistening new with all kinds of goodies hanging off of it will definitely make you a target. Many of the interviewees related instances in which they were robbed. Others recalled how they often sleep with an arm through one of their pack’s straps.

We asked all our interviewees, “If you could have a backpack filled with anything but cash, what items would you want in it?” Not surprisingly, the 5 C’s popped up in everyone’s answers: a container for water, a cutting implement (such as a knife), cover (e.g. a tarp, tent, or sleeping bag), cordage (to secure items and make shelter), and a form of combustion (usually a lighter, though fires were seldom used because they attract attention).

In addition to the other items previous mentioned by the interviewees, some of the vagrants expressed interest in having a flashlight, a small radio, extra warming layers, extra footwear, extra set of clothes, writing implements, baby wipes, a small stove, and cooking and eating utensils. These are typical items most survivalists would have in a 72-hour go-bag.

Lessons Learned…

About Backpacks: Few things are as essential as a good backpack, because it can carry all of your other vital kit (water, food, fire-starters, etc.). Find one that’s medium-sized and low-profile to stay discreet, load it up, and keep it close to you at all times.

Takeaways

In addition to the critical gear already mentioned, many of the drifters we talked to suggest having things you can part with. Barter items — namely cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs (legal and illegal) — would be valuable to have in limited quantities so that you can trade with others you deem safe to negotiate with. (Obviously, the severity of the disaster and the condition of the government should be taken into consideration before obtaining anything illegal.) For example, if you’re not a smoker, trading away a pack of cigarettes for creature comforts like toilet paper would be a huge morale booster.

All of the people interviewed for this story were visibly nervous. Life on the street is quite stressful — being properly prepared can reduce that stress in times of peril. These interviews gave us a small glimpse into what a future living off of the grid would be like.

We’ve certainly taken their lessons seriously, cross referenced them against our own preparations, and have adjusted our plans for TEOTWAWKI accordingly. We suggest you do the same, because it doesn’t take much for average folks to end up on the streets — whether it’s due to a sudden psychological affliction, the economic fallout of being fired, or a natural or manmade catastrophe that wipes out your community.

How to Help

Aside from getting a chance to learn how impoverished people survive on the streets, you can volunteer at a homeless shelter or a nonprofit organization for plenty of other personally rewarding reasons. Below is a brief list of agencies providing assistance and information:

Invisible People
This nonprofit’s founder used to be homeless and now dedicates his life to changing the way we think about people experiencing life on the streets.
www.invisiblepeople.tv

National Coalition for the Homeless
A national network of activists, advocates, and professionals whose goal is to prevent and end homelessness.
www.nationalhomeless.org

Project Night Night
This charitable organization donates age-appropriate care packages to 25,000 homeless kids every year.
www.projectnightnight.org

U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
The online portal for the government’s housing-related resources and assistance programs.
www.hudexchange.info

Veterans Affairs
This U.S. agency helps veterans find housing, in addition to providing healthcare, job training, and other services.
www.va.gov/homeless

About the Author

Peter Palma is a freelance writer who served overseas as an infantry machine gunner and scout sniper in the U.S. Marine Corps. After leaving the service, he competed on TV’s Top Shot during its first and fifth seasons. He currently resides in Louisiana, where he teaches basic firearms classes, is enrolled at Louisiana State University, and operates his weapons-cleaning accessory business, MS Clean.

Video: 7-Day Test with a $100 Walmart Survival Kit

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When considering a survival scenario, it's human nature to fantasize about the ideal case — facing the apocalypse from a multi-million-dollar impenetrable fortress on a perfect plot of land with decades worth of top-shelf supplies. However, these unrealistic fantasies do us a disservice. It's much more productive to ponder the worst-case scenario and prepare accordingly. If you can handle a disaster with nothing but your wits and the contents of your pockets, you can easily do the same with a pack full of quality gear.

Chris Thorn of Drop Forged Survival put together this survival kit for roughly $100.

This is why we always enjoy seeing different perspectives on the “$X survival challenge” theme (“X” might be $20, $50, $100, or more). This budgetary constraint forces creativity, prioritization of gear, and careful cost-benefit analysis. When you absolutely have to make every dollar count, you become a lot more discerning, and you realize that the knowledge and skills you possess are far more important than any gear you own.

We recently came across YouTube channel Drop Forged Survival, where creator Chris Thorn posted a 9-part video series called the “7 Day $100 Walmart Survival Challenge.” These include a short introductory video on the gear he selected, one video for each day of the challenge, and a 1-hour live-streamed recap from three months after the challenge. Check out the intro video below:

Although we don't agree with all of his gear choices, that's sort of the point. There are many different approaches to this type of challenge, and they depend heavily on your skills, environment, and resources. Watching how Chris approached it can help you consider your own gear priorities.

In our experience, “12-in-1” kits like this one from Ozark Trail sacrifice quality for quantity.

For starters, we'd skip some of the redundant cutting tools in favor of one higher-quality blade, and swap the costly (albeit convenient) Mountain House meals for high-value staples like dry beans or bulk beef jerky. Someone in the desert would want more water; someone in a cold environment would want a better shelter — you get the idea.

If you're interested in watching the remainder of the videos to see how Chris fared with his Walmart survival kit, check out the playlist here. For another perspective on this theme, read our previous article, The One-Stop Emergency Shopping Challenge.

Survival Scenarios: Airport Unrest

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Civil unrest is a topic that has been front and center lately as a result of the attempted coup d'état in Venezuela, and the unnerving footage that has spread across the internet. Although the incident in Venezuela could be viewed as an inevitable byproduct of a situation that has been worsening for years, it's certainly not an isolated case. Dozens of other countries have experienced violent rebellions and uprisings in the last decade. Some would even argue that increasing polarization within the United States is a sign that conflict may be in our not-so-distant future.

This photo from 2007 shows Venezuelan demonstrators marching in the streets.

Regardless of the current stability of your home country, civil turmoil is an important variable to consider for those of us who travel internationally. During our own recent travels, we've spent a substantial amount of time in airports. While sitting in various waiting areas, coffee shops, and restaurants, we pondered the unique challenges that would be posed by attempting to ride out a disaster in these crowded and confined spaces.

More specifically, what would you do if civil unrest broke out while you were stuck in a foreign airport?

There are many variables to consider under these circumstances — if flights are grounded and there's chaos in the streets, you'll have to choose between staying put inside the terminal and immediately leaving to find a safer location. Both choices offer potential advantages and risks.

This hypothetical scenario will serve as the subject of today's entry in our ongoing Survival Scenarios series. As usual, we'll explain background information on the circumstances of the event, offer some of the factors to consider for each choice, and end with a poll where you can vote for your choice and see how other readers responded.

Background Info

Photo: Flickr.com/14652587@N05

Six months ago, your boss called you into his office for an announcement — you've been promoted. This promotion came with a healthy bump in pay, but also meant you'd be taking on more responsibility to travel. Your company recently acquired a facility in the Philippines, and visiting it is part of your new job duties. You're not much of a globetrotter, but you figure this will be a fun experience — and you really couldn't say no to that salary increase.

Your stay in the Philippines will be only four days, but the flight is a long one. Over the course of a day and a half, you fly from your home in Texas to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles to Hong Kong, and finally Hong Kong to your destination in Cebu City. You don't speak any Tagalog, but you know that English is an official language in the Philippines and most Filipinos speak it.

Photo: Flickr.com/dbgg1979

Although your boss assured you the area is perfectly safe, you've also heard rumors to the contrary. In one article you read, Cebu's own mayor called the city “not so safe” due to ongoing conflicts between police and armed criminals. The U.S. State Department's web site advises travelers to “exercise increased caution in the Philippines” due to risks of crime, terrorism, and civil unrest, but most of these concerns seem to relate to the southern island of Mindanao (especially the infamous city of Marawi).  Regardless, you're committed at this point, so you try not to dwell on these nagging concerns.

Photo: Magalhães / Wikimedia Commons

Fortunately, your four-day trip goes by without a hitch. Before you know it you're ready to head home to give the good news to your boss. However, during your cab ride to Mactan-Cebu International Airport — about 40 minutes from your company's facility — you notice heightened police activity in the city. Security personnel at the airport also seem to be on edge, but you make it through to your gate on schedule. Then you look up at one of the TV monitors.

News footage shows protesters burning cars and clashing with riot police in the streets. The broadcast is narrated in a mixture of Tagalog and English, so you're not entirely sure what's happening, but the body language of bystanders in the terminal tells you something is very wrong. Some are anxiously making phone calls; others are standing in front of monitors looking worried. Suddenly, you hear the thud of an explosion — it couldn't have been far away.

Photo: Flickr.com/gleam_df

An automated message echoes through the intercom, repeating in various languages on a continuous loop. It states that all flights have been temporarily grounded, and instructs everyone to stay calm and remain inside the terminal. Unsurprisingly, most people do the opposite, rushing through the airport towards exits.

Your Gear

As usual, you prepared thoroughly for this trip. Your suitcase contains the usual spare clothes and toiletries, but nothing that would be irreplaceable if it were left behind. The backpack you're wearing contains your essential items:

  • Paper maps of the Cebu City area
  • Your cell phone, which you already know is functional in-country
  • An EDC electronics kit with wall chargers, cables, and a backup USB power bank
  • Granola bars and a water bottle from an airport store
  • An individual first-aid kit
  • A soft-shell jacket and ball cap
  • Your wallet with some cash, and your passport
  • An 18650 flashlight and an aluminum tactical pen

Obviously, carrying weapons here was never an option, but you could try to defend yourself with the latter two items in a pinch. A better plan is to do everything you can to avoid conflict.

You look around for someone who might know what's going on, but everyone seems just as confused as you are. A Google search on your phone reveals news articles about widespread civil unrest in the city, but nothing mentions the explosion near the airport — it's too soon to gather exactly what happened. You need to decide whether you're going to heed the intercom message and stay put, or try to get out of the airport and reach a safer location.

Staying at the Airport

Photo: Flickr.com/ichstyle

Remaining at Mactan-Cebu International Airport has some clear advantages. It's naturally a high-security position, assuming that airport personnel can keep the entry and exit points under control. You know there are some armed law enforcement officers on-site. Flights have been grounded, but there's no way to know how long that will last.

There's also no shortage of supplies at the various shops and restaurants in the airport, as long as they don't go into lockdown. You can continue watching the news broadcasts to gather more information; your cell phone has signal, and the free WiFi is still working as well.

Photo: Guan Yihe

By staying put, you won't have to get caught up in the crowd that's rushing towards the exits. If necessary, you can move to an out-of-the-way location and wait for news.

However, the downsides to staying put are twofold. First is the internal chaos — you may be stuck in this airport with hundreds of panicked and angry strangers for hours or even days. If violence spreads or supplies run low, you could be trapped here. Second is the external threat — whoever caused that explosion could be targeting the airport, and the handful of police officers may not be equipped to stop them from gaining entry.

Photo: Flickr.com/traveloriented

Thoughts of terrorism and hostage scenarios run through your head. You don't speak the language, and despite your efforts to dress discreetly, you don't look like a local. The last thing you want is to be cornered here, identified as an American, and taken captive by either side of a conflict you know nothing about.

Leaving the Airport

Photo: CW Tan

If you choose to disregard the intercom message and head for the exit, you'll need to move quickly to beat the crowd that's intent on doing the same. You may face resistance from security personnel at the exits if the airport is already locked down, or you may be able to walk right out. Once you're outside, finding a taxi or rideshare will probably be a challenge given current events and the sudden surge in demand for transportation.

Photo: Flickr.com/ronaldocomaling

Assuming you do manage to get outside and catch a ride to your company's facility, you're fairly certain it will be a safe location. You may be able to call ahead to confirm this. However, road conditions are an unknown variable. There might be increased traffic, or the civil unrest may cause total gridlock due to roadblocks. You'll need to trust the driver and keep your fingers crossed that you don't end up in the middle of a riot.

In the event that you can't get a taxi or rideshare, you may be in trouble. Re-entering the airport probably won't be an option due to the heightened security, and walking through the city alone with your luggage is a recipe for getting robbed (or worse). Attempting to use public transportation during this chaos would be your last resort.

As with most survival situations, leaving your position comes with higher risk and a greater reward. Avoiding a terrorist attack, hostage scenario, or miserable multi-day lockdown comes at the price of traveling through a tumultuous city that may pose even greater dangers.

Photo: Flickr.com/brownpau

The Decision

Based on the information above and the pros/cons of each choice, it’s time to decide which course of action you’d take. Would you stay in the airport and hope you can get on a flight home before things get worse? Or would you try to quickly make it back to your company's office where you can ride out the chaos in relative safety?

Enter your decision into the poll below, and feel free to justify that choice in the comments section.

Infographic: Dehydration Facts & Symptoms

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This article originally appeared in Issue 5 of our magazine.

Warning! This information is for reference only. For more detailed information regarding symptoms and prevention, seek professional medical advice.

There’s a saying flowing around that states, “If you’re not peeing a lot, you’re not drinking enough water.” While this statement might not be completely accurate, it does act as a good reminder to drink more water.

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than is replenished. This can happen in many ways, such as sweating during exercise or simply being in hot climates. Other causes include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and urination.

To prevent dehydration, monitor your fluid intake. Avoid alcohol or drinks with caffeine, like colas, tea, and coffee. Drink clear liquids (water, broth, or sports drinks). A prevailing tip is to drink eight cups of H20 daily, but that amount varies depending on your body type, where you live, and how active you are. The rule of thumb is that you should drink enough fluid so that you seldom feel thirsty and produce at least 1.5 liters of colorless or light yellow urine a day.

Sources

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention > www.cdc.gov
  • State of Idaho Panhandle Health District > www.phd1.idaho.gov
  • Mayo Clinic > www.mayoclinic.org

New: Vertx Contingency Duffel Bag

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We're always on the lookout for new products at the NRA Annual Meeting — unsurprisingly, many are guns or gun parts. However, we also spotted a few new accessories at the show that piqued our interest. Specifically, Vertx revealed a new duffel bag that looks like a great asset for range days, travel, and emergency preparedness. In fact, our sister magazine RECOIL gave this bag its “Best Accessory of NRAAM 2019” award.

The Vertx Contingency duffel is available in two sizes: 45 liters and 85 liters. Both are composed primarily of Heather Navy or Galaxy Black 600D polyester; 1,200D polyester with a “wipe-clean finish” is used on the bottom and sides. The interior is lined with 420D nylon and Velcro panels for attaching Vertx Tactigami pouches, holsters, and other modular accessories.

Left: the Contingency 45L. Right: the Contingency 85L. (Scale is not exact.)

The main compartment opens via a large U-shaped flap, which can also be used as a mat for organizing or cleaning gear. This compartment is lined with the aforementioned Velcro, as well as three large zippered mesh pouches. A Rapid Access Pull handle on the end pocket allows quick access to the padded weapon sleeve where you can stash a SBR, PDW, or handgun. An organization pocket on the side of the Contingency duffel has pockets for magazines, medical gear, pens, and other small items.

A pair of padded straps function as a single carry strap or an over-the-shoulder sling, and also allow the duffel to be worn as a backpack. There are two more padded handles at each end of the bag.

The Vertx Contingency duffel is expected to be available this summer, although the company is currently taking pre-orders at $160 for the 45L and $206 for the 85L. Visit Vertx.com or check out the RECOILtv video below for more details.

Shut-In Strength Solution: Workouts You Can Do at Home

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This article originally appeared in Issue 5 of our magazine.

A large-scale disaster has struck nearby. While it hasn’t devastated your community directly, it has forced your entire neighborhood into a long-term survival situation. You followed the best course of action in your case: to “bug in.” This can mean days or even weeks of staying put in your home or bunkering down until the aftermath subsides. Kudos to you on staying safe (hopefully) and having the wherewithal to store food, water, and supplies. But what’s your next course of action?

You’ll have plenty of time on your hands, and depending on your environment, the objects around you can go a long way to keep you physically prepared for whatever may come your way — whether that means a brawl, a firefight, or an all-out sprint. Being in a culture of obvious physical decline (two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese), few will argue what prolonged inactivity can do one’s body.

Don’t have a $10,000 home gym? Don’t worry. Read on to find out how you can stay fit while bugging in.

So, how do you stay fit when it’s just too risky to venture to your gym? (If there’s still a gym at all.) To keep in shape, make your home your fitness center.

The Body As One Piece

Strength training in a bug-in scenario should be handled differently than training at your local meat market. Exhaustive sets to failure or 10-minute rest periods to check Facebook aren’t an option. In this situation, building beach muscles would do nothing for your preparedness. We’re looking for a minimal effective dose of exercise that’s going to both improve your chances of long-term survival and leave some gas in your tank for when you need to save your ass (should a fight-or-flight condition arise). So, to that end, save the “no pain, no gain” attitude for a different time. Preferably never.

As legendary strength coach Dan John put it, “Groundwork and loaded carries are the things that are going to save your life.” That being said, we’re going to hone in on three core exercises while incorporating those concepts. Each of the exercises in this program will teach you that the body works as one piece, not as individual muscles or isolated movements. Together, they will build a solid foundation of optimal movement and total body strength, which is exactly what you need in a well-rounded strength program. You’ll be surprised how well an abbreviated strength program can work given the right structure.

The Program

Don’t own a set of kettlebells? No Bowflex home gym collecting dust in the corner? No worries. Your abode is probably filled with various objects that can double as weights. Those 5-gallon water bottles you’ve been storing even come with handles. If you don’t have any or if they’re a bit too heavy, consider using a 1-gallon paint can or water jug.

If you don’t have any paint cans lying around or your water containers don’t have suitable handles, consider grabbing a backpack or duffle bag. You can fill them with almost anything until they weigh as much as you need them to be, and they all come with straps that can work like improvised dumbbell handles.

Some common weighted objects you may have at your disposal include:

  • 1-gallon jug of water — 8 pounds
  • Paint can full of paint — 10 to 12 pounds
  • Sandbag full of sand — 20 to 50 pounds
  • 5-gallon jug of water — 40 pounds
  • Backpack — Various

The following exercises have a set of recommended implements based on the above list. Start out with the lighter objects until you feel confident that you can complete the movement as described.
Complete this program three times per week and in the order listed in the chart below. Do all four sets of the half Turkish get-up before moving on. You will then complete one set of bear-hug squats followed by one set of the farmer’s carry (or suitcase carry), alternating until three sets of each have been completed.

ExerciseSetsRepetitions / DurationRest Period Between SetsSuggested Improvised Dumbbell
Half Turkish Get-Up41 per armFull restPaint can, gallon jug, large jug, backpack
Bear-Hug Squat11060 secondsLarge jug, sandbag, backpack
Farmer's Carry
(or Suitcase Carry)		130 seconds60 secondsLarge jug, backpack
Bear-Hug Squat11060 secondsLarge jug, sandbag, backpack
Farmer's Carry
(or Suitcase Carry)		130 seconds60 secondsLarge jug, backpack
Bear-Hug Squat11060 secondsLarge jug, sandbag, backpack
Farmer's Carry
(or Suitcase Carry)		130 seconds60 secondsLarge jug, backpack

Half Turkish Get-Up

Suggested Improvised Weights: Paint can, 1-gallon jug, large jug, backpack

Repetitions: 1 per arm

Sets: 4 consecutive

While this may be an old-fashioned strongman exercise, it can work wonders for your core, shoulders, and, well, everything else. In simplified terms, the get-up involves moving from a lying position to a standing position with a weight over your head the entire time. It is quite technical, though, so we’re going to limit this to half of the exercise, only going to what’s called the high bridge.

1) Lie on your back with your arms and legs 45 degrees out in relation to your body.

2) Hold your improvised weight in one hand and straight above your shoulder. On the same side, bend your knee and bring your heel toward your butt with your foot facing out at roughly 45 degrees. From this point forward, keep both of your shoulder blades pulled back and down, termed “shoulder packing.”

3) Push off your planted foot, driving your chest toward the opposite side, while simultaneously pulling your elbow into the ground to prop yourself up. Keep the other arm vertical the entire time with a straight elbow.

4) As you move from your elbow to your hand, screw your palm into the ground away from your body. Lastly, push your knee outward as you drive your planted foot into the floor and push your hips to the sky.

5) Slowly bring your hips back to the ground and reverse this process until you are lying flat on the ground. Repeat on the other side.

Bear-Hug Squat

Suggested Improvised Weights: Large jug, sandbag, backpack

Repetitions: 10

Sets: 3

The squat is a fantastic exercise for your entire body, especially the bear-hug variation. Most people squat incorrectly — this is a great exercise for teaching people how to squat properly, with the added benefit of incorporating core and upper-body stability as well.

1) Bear-hug something you can get your arms around, such as a large water jug or sand bag.

2) Keeping your weight on your heels, sit your butt back and down while remaining tall in the torso. We’re looking for maximum depth of your thighs being parallel to the ground. If you can’t go that far, adjust the depth to your ability.

3) Drive your heels into the floor on the way up to the starting position.

Farmer’s Carry and Suitcase Carry

Suggested Improvised Weights: large jug, backpack

Duration: 30 seconds

Sets: 3

Also called the suitcase carry, this is probably the most basic exercise you could do. It’s also one of the most beneficial. It’s great for your shoulders, hips, core, and posture. Just make sure the weight is heavy. Really heavy.

For the farmer’s carry, grab two heavy objects and go for a walk. The suitcase carry is exactly the same, but with only one heavy object.

Benefits of a Bug-In Workout

Why strength train in a long-term survival scenario? Considering you’re not sure how long you might be holed up in your house or bunker, staying fit is obvious. Aside from maintaining your health, an exercise regime can increase your strength and speed — vital if your long-term survival situation suddenly turns into a fight-or-flight scenario. Plus, strength training will also give you something to do when you’re bored out of your mind, especially if utilities and electronics have been knocked offline.

Here’s a brief list of some other benefits of a shut-in workout routine:

  • Improves and maintains joint mobility and stability
  • Decreases risk of injuries
  • Increases work capacity
  • Increases energy levels
  • Heightens perception
  • Improves sleep
  • Relieves stress
  • Sharpens the mind

About the Author

Ryne Gioviano, M.S.Ed., NSCA-CPT is the owner of Achieve Personal Training & Lifestyle Design. He holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and is a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. For more information, visit www.achieve-personaltraining.com. You can find Ryne on Twitter and Instagram at @RGioviano.

New: Midwest Industries Ruger PC Carbine Upgrades

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If you're not already familiar with the Ruger Pistol Caliber Carbine, you should be — go read our review from Issue 25 to see why. In short, it's a versatile and highly-portable takedown carbine that's chambered in 9mm and accepts a variety of pistol magazines (including the ubiquitous Glock mags). Its little brother, the 10/22 Takedown, is a gun that's already wildly popular in the survivalist community and backed by a huge array of aftermarket parts. So, it's no surprise that parts availability for the PC Carbine is growing fast.

The standard Ruger PC Carbine, as reviewed in RECOIL OFFGRID Issue 25

At the NRA Annual Meeting last week, we spotted something that caught our interest: the Midwest Industries PC Carbine upgrade package. This three-piece kit includes an aluminum handguard with M-LOK slots, an extended charging handle, and an aluminum buttpad spacer with QD sockets. These items are now available for pre-order at an MSRP of $199 and are expected to start shipping on April 25th. They're also available individually — see below.

The Midwest Industries handguard (MI-CRPC9, $159 MSRP) is 12 inches long, constructed from 6061 hard-anodized aluminum, and weighs 10.9 ounces. It features an 8-sided design with 5 M-LOK slots on each side, and includes a 5-slot polymer M-LOK rail for your small optic of choice. There are also three built-in anti-rotation quick-disconnect (QD) sockets for attaching a sling to the bottom or sides of the handguard.

The charging handle (MI-PC9BH, $17.50 MSRP) is constructed from mag-phosphate-coated 4140 steel. It's longer than the factory handle, knurled for improved grip, and installs onto the factory bolt. Finally, the buttpad spacer (MI-PC9QDSP, $32.50 MSRP) is a 3.2-ounce machined aluminum piece that replaces the factory plastic buttpad spacer. It includes another trio of QD sling swivel sockets. With the handguard and spacer, you'll be able to easily install a QD sling along the bottom of the rifle or on either side.

Check out the video below, taken by RECOILtv at the NRA Annual Meeting:

Interestingly, Ruger also recently began offering several PC Carbine models with their own free-float handguard ($729 MSRP):

Ruger's PC Carbine with Ruger free-float handguard

However, it's worth noting that the Ruger handguard lacks the 45-degree M-LOK slots (useful for flashlight mounting) and QD sockets found on the Midwest Industries handguard. It's always good to have options, so we're looking forward to seeing how Midwest Industries and other companies continue to expand the PC Carbine aftermarket.

Early Warning System: Campsite Perimeter Security

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Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep. He waits. But for the regular Joe, being awakened from a deep sleep by a bump in the night can be a brown-pants-inducing experience. At least if you’re in your home, you’re familiar with your surroundings and should be able to navigate through it in complete darkness. You know the floor plan. You know all the avenues of approach. And, with a little prior planning and practice, you have an advantageous position where you can defend yourself and your loved ones from any attempted assault.

It’s one thing to be safe and secure in our homes. It’s quite another to maintain that same level of protection when we’re sleeping under the stars, far from civilization. Whether we’re enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer on a relaxing camping trip or searching for sanctuary in the midst of a crisis evacuation, dusk brings on a whole new set of challenges when there are no walls and roof around you. How do we guard against those ominous sounds of creatures roaming the wilderness, looking for easy prey? How can we know the difference between man and animal?

Several factors should be considered when selecting an appropriate location to set up an overnight campsite, but that’s the topic for another article. For our purposes, we will assume we’ve selected a good location to make camp and have now progressed to the point of trying to establish some level of security.

One of the most challenging aspects of setting up perimeter defenses is restricting access to your base camp. The feeling of freedom and open air that campers love also works against us when it comes to protecting our campsite from unwanted wanderers or outright intruders. While selecting a good location for the campsite is a critical first step, it’s only one step in the larger defense-in-depth strategy.

The next step is to create an early warning system for when someone or something approaches our location. For those who don’t have a lot of wilderness time under their belt, you’ll be shocked to find how noisy it is at night, as all manner of creatures venture out under the cover of darkness for their evening meal. Depending on the location and time of year, the noise can really be quite loud. Anything moving around at night can potentially have plenty of background noise to mask its movement. Additionally, if one is bedded down in a wooded area, one will notice that noise tends to ricochet off the trees, making it difficult to localize and pinpoint the source. Do not fall into the false mindset that any intruder wandering into the campsite will make enough noise to wake you and give you time to determine their intentions. Creating an early warning system will ensure you have some measure of advanced notice to an intruder, be they two- or four-legged.

Early warning systems can be quite simple or very complex, but since most outdoorsmen take a minimalistic approach to travelling in nature, a simple security solution seems the best choice. Let’s look at three simple options for securing your campsite location.

The Old Tin-Can Trick

If you’re a fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead TV show, then you’ve seen this zombie security system quite often. It doesn’t get any simpler than a length of string, a few empty soup cans, and some small rocks.

Cut an entrance and an exit hole in the can just small enough to lace through the string. Partially cut the lid just wide enough to add a few rocks inside the can, then press the lid shut. Lace the string through several cans, leaving enough string on either end to tie off the ends to make a string barrier. Make the barrier long enough to cover the width of the access path you want to secure. Tie off the ends of the barrier with enough tension to pull the system relatively tight and level across the ground.

A height of two to three feet off the ground is a good all-around height to protect against moderately sized animals and low enough that under the cover of darkness a person wandering around may not notice the alarm and set it off.

Tip: If this type of setup appeals to you, consider getting a bag of marbles to use in the cans. They roll around much easier and seem to make a more audible alarm when banging around inside the cans. Additionally, a good length of strong fishing line will work better as a string than 550 paracord, and it weighs next to nothing.

The Modified Window/Door Alarm

While the marble-in-a-can method might work for you minimalists, the MacGyver fans are going to want something a little more “techie” for their campsite. Fortunately, your favorite local hardware store or online shop should have just the thing: small window/door security alarms. Modifying their use for campsite security is only limited by your imagination.

One simple option is to purchase a doorstop alarm. These alarms function by placing them directly behind a door. They are shaped similar to a doorstop with a ramped area that allows the door to slide over the ramp, effectively pressing the ramp down into the unit. When the ramp is depressed enough, a loud audible alarm is triggered.

A simple method for employing their use is to create a tripwire across an access path. Tie off one end of the fishing line to a tree or other secure object. String the wire across the path and tie the other end of the string off to a short length of stick. Find any object with some mass such as a small log or rock. Prop the object up with the stick, ensuring the line is taut across the path. Place the doorstop alarm under the object positioned in such a way that when the trip line is pulled, the stick is pulled out from under the object, allowing the object to fall on the doorstop, setting off the audible alarm.

Tip: Having four or five units in your pack gives you another simple but effective way to secure multiple access paths to your campsite. Piercing alarms going off simultaneously will be loud enough to scare away all but the most determined predators.

The CAPSS3 Option

For those who take their campsite security a little more seriously, look no further than Brite-Strike Technologies, which offers a host of handheld and weapon-mounted lights for combative applications. Brite-Strike has also introduced several products for the perimeter alarm market.

The All Purpose Adhesive Light Strips (APALS) are basically solar-powered light sticks that provide about 40 lumens of green or red light for more than 12 hours on a single charge. Smaller than your standard smartphone, these units are lightweight alternatives to chemical light sticks and last twice as long. To provide the same amount of illumination as the APALS for one year, a user would need to purchase 730 chem light sticks at an average cost of $1,200. One APALS retails for about $20. This is quite a no-brainer for those looking for some late-night campsite illumination options that don’t include packing around 15 or 20 chem lights or battery-powered lanterns.

Another innovative Brite-Strike product is the Camp Alert Perimeter Security System and Survival Signaling System (CAPSS3). The CAPSS3 is a lightweight and compact multifunction unit that offers both security and signaling capabilities for the outdoor enthusiast. The CAPSS3 unit comprises of a 135-decibel audible alarm unit that is triggered by a built-in metallic trip rod. Pulling the rod out of the recess in the unit triggers the alarm.

A small LED red dot is built into the side of the unit that acts as both a visual alarm and provides enough red light at night to read maps or other documents. A larger blue LED light is built into the unit along the length of the CAPSS3. It has the dual function of acting as a visual alarm and offering enough blue light to signal rescuers or to help mark one’s location for airborne search-and-rescue operations. A slide button is located on the face of the unit to allow the lights to be used for reading or signaling. Plus there’s a strobe function that can go off in conjunction with the audible alarm.

A small key ring is attached to the triggering rod to provide several tripwire attachment options, and each CAPSS3 unit includes two 10-meter-long clear monofilament lines for use as a nearly invisible tripwire. Additionally, the unit comes with a small section of heavy-duty 3M double-sided adhesive tape for attaching the CAPSS3 unit to any surface, such as a tree or a rock. A few small nylon zip ties can also be used to stick the unit onto odd-shaped surfaces. The CAPSS3 survival signaling system has an MSRP of $40 — but wait, there’s more! Each CAPSS3 system also includes two blue APALS at no extra cost.

Tip: The unit is slightly smaller than a deck of cards and weighs only a few ounces, so pack several units in your day pack or bug-out bag. They certainly won’t hurt your back after a long day of hiking yet provide multiple points of security.

Layered Defense

As you can see, each type of early warning system has pros and cons, but there are certainly more benefits than negatives. Plus, they’re all relatively affordable and easy to set up. If you’re a minimalistic prepper who needs to stay light and mobile, picking any one of these options can give you peace of mind if you’re forced away from your neighborhood and into unknown territory. For those who like to spend a lot of time with Mother Nature but take their personal security seriously (or perhaps their zombie defenses a little too seriously), you can always opt to layer your defenses by using a combination of these systems.

Because not all of us have Chuck Norris-like instincts, having some sort of reliable perimeter security system is the secret to getting a good night’s rest when sleeping under the stars. With the knowledge that you’ll be alerted if a predator — man or beast — enters your campsite, you’ll be ready for anything that goes bump in the night.