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.

Review: Kershaw Bareknuckle Folding Knife

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We've been pleased to see a resurgence in American manufacturing over the last few years, with more outdoor gear companies offering products that are made in the USA. More importantly, these companies have shown that you don't have to break the bank to afford these products. Kershaw Knives has been expanding its American-made line of folding knives with models such as the Link, Dividend, and most recently, the Bareknuckle.

Design Origin

The Kershaw Bareknuckle is one of several knife designs inspired by the Zero Tolerance 0777, an ultra-high-end production folder that was first unveiled eight years ago. Even the Bareknuckle's model number, 7777, is a nod to this origin. The ZT 0777 featured a Bohler N360 blade with herringbone-pattern Damascus steel on the spine, as well as a sculpted carbon fiber handle, KVT ball bearing pivot, and a titanium Sub-Frame Lock (more on this feature later). The 0777 generated a lot of buzz at the time, and won Blade Magazine's Overall Knife of the Year award for 2011, but its high price point made it primarily a collector's item. It was officially retired in 2013.

From top: ZT 0777, ZT 0770CF, Kershaw Natrix, and Kershaw Bareknuckle.

As a result of its design inspiration, the Bareknuckle shares lineage with the current-production Zero Tolerance 0770 and Kershaw Natrix. Both of these knives were also directly inspired by the 0777. However, before you question the need for three knives with such similar designs, consider the differences between them.

As anyone who knows the Zero Tolerance brand can guess, the 0770 is made in America and occupies the premium price point at $240. Its blade is S35VN steel, and it features a liner lock (unlike most other frame-lock ZTs). The Kershaw Natrix, on the other hand, is positioned as an affordable every-day carry tool. It's manufactured overseas with an 8Cr13MoV blade, and sold at an MSRP of $63.

The Kershaw Bareknuckle

The Bareknuckle essentially splits the difference between its two siblings. It's priced at $120, but also made in America.

Its blade is constructed from Sandvik 14C28N, a stainless steel that was created through a partnership between Kershaw and Swedish steel-maker Sandvik. The material offers excellent corrosion resistance and a good balance between edge retention and ease of sharpening. This steel is also fine-blankable, meaning that Kershaw can mass-produce partially-finished fine blanks of blades and quickly finish them by hand. The fine blanking process keeps manufacturing cost relatively low, so it's an important factor in producing a quality knife in the USA at this price point.

The Bareknuckle's handle consists of two pieces of lightweight aluminum, sculpted with the same smooth lines and large forefinger notch seen on the 0777. The pivot is a much simpler design than the decorative machined pivots of its predecessors, and the flipper seems to be rounded slightly in comparison. The deep-carry pocket clip is very similar to that of the Natrix, but now features a recessed Kershaw logo instead of the black logo used on the Natrix's clip.

Sub-Frame Lock

Like the Natrix and the original ZT 0777, the Kershaw Bareknuckle uses a Sub-Frame Lock mechanism. This patented lock looks similar to a traditional frame lock, but instead of being integrated directly into the frame, it uses a lock bar attached to a steel plate inside the frame.

Steel is heavy, so if you want a lightweight handle, you'll be better off with aluminum. However, aluminum isn't well-suited to use on frame locks because it wears quickly compared to steel. The Sub-Frame Lock combines the strength of a steel lock bar with the lightness of an aluminum handle, all while offering a sturdier feel than a liner lock.

Our Impressions

We spent a few weeks carrying the Kershaw Bareknuckle, and recorded our impressions. On the whole, the knife feels great in hand, with the curved handle and forefinger notch making it easy to control. We liked the blade shape as well — it blends elements of a drop point and sheepsfoot, and the sharp tip makes quick work of cutting through boxes and packaging. The reversible deep-carry pocket clip is a plus, and a feature we've paid extra to add to a few of our other knives by way of aftermarket replacement clips.

Flipping the blade open presents some issues. The flipper is rounded at the tip, and the situation is exacerbated by a strong lock bar detent that applies pressure to the blade as it pivots. Sometimes the blade flicked open smoothly. Sometimes it swung open halfway before stopping. Sometimes our fingers slipped off the flipper and the blade didn't budge. This problem diminished as we broke in the knife, and diminished more after generously oiling the pivot and detent, but it never went away entirely.

Fortunately, once the knife is opened, the Sub-Frame Lock keeps it in place securely and is simple to disengage. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, we aren't fans of the “Pat 9,120,234” prominently laser-etched on the lock. We assume it has to be there for legal reasons — then again, none of the other knives in the family have patent number etchings.

In terms of materials, the Sandvik 14C28N steel is a good choice for EDC. While it's not as durable as premium steels like S35VN, it's a big step up from the 8Cr13MoV used on the imported Natrix. We've also tested the aforementioned Kershaw Link and Dividend from the company's Made in USA series, and the Link would be our first choice of the three designs. That said, the Link uses 420HC blade steel, so we'd consider the Bareknuckle's Sandvik steel to be superior.

The Bareknuckle is an appealing mid-range EDC knife, especially for fans of the 0777 design. The materials are solid, and we appreciate that it's made in the USA. Our opinion of it is somewhat mixed, however, due to the unavoidable issues we experienced with flipping it open.

For more information on the Kershaw Bareknuckle, go to KershawKnives.com.

Pros:

  • Handle design provides a comfortable and secure grip
  • Tip shape makes this knife excellent for everyday slicing and piercing tasks
  • Deep-carry pocket clip tucks the knife neatly into pockets
  • Made in the USA

Cons:

  • Flipper's shape and placement make opening the knife tricky
  • The grind on our test sample's blade was slightly uneven at the tip
  • Prominent patent label on the Sub-Frame Lock detracts from the knife's appearance

New at NRA 2019: Marlin Dark Series Lever-Action Rifles

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Many of us grew up watching old western movies with cowboys riding around on horseback with lever-action rifles at the ready. While we'll always appreciate these classic weapons, we also recognize that times have changed. That old-school lever gun is still an effective tool, but its popularity has waned in comparison to newer black rifles and their myriad of accessories. Marlin has also recognized this trend, and unveiled a new series of rifles at the 2019 NRA Annual Meeting that blend the timeless lever gun with modern elements.

Grandpa might not like it very much, but we do.

The new Marlin Dark series includes Model 336 in .30-30 Winchester, and Model 1895 in the formidable .45-70 Government. These rifles feature black hardwood furniture and a black parkerized finish on the receiver, 16.25-inch barrel, and 5-round magazine tube. The barrel is threaded to accept a suppressor or a muzzle brake — we strongly recommend the latter if you choose the shoulder-pummeling .45-70.

Several upgrades have already been installed on these Marlin Dark series guns at the factory. Each comes with an XS lever rail and ghost ring sight, so you'll easily be able to install a red dot right or magnified optic of your choosing. A paracord sling is included, and you'll find more paracord wrapped around the big-loop lever. MSRP is $949 for either Model 336 or Model 1895.

We're hoping to get our hands on one of these Dark lever guns in the near future for a write-up, so stay tuned for more details.

Disaster, Survival Situation, or Bug-Out Scenario – What’s the Difference?

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This article originally appeared in Issue 4 of our magazine.

In our modern world, we’re constantly presented with new concepts and theories for survival, gear, and gadgets, as well as new terminology that seems to pair nicely with all your cool new stuff. From “rolling gear” and “BOBs” (bug-out bags) to “caching” at rendezvous points, all this survival lingo can get a bit convoluted. As you have undoubtedly heard and read from likeminded people, both online and even in this very magazine, there are many labels for particular situations as well.

But what are the differences among a “survival situation,” a “disaster situation,” and a “bug-out situation?” Potentially horrific events flood the airwaves, the Web, newspapers, and lunchtime conversations. But what does it all mean? Are all these situations the same?

It all sounds a bit confusing. So to help decipher these now commonly used terms, we’ll boil them down to a few major categories. Let’s take a look at the major topics in this world of survival and all things disastrous/apocalyptic/zombie/end-of-the-world.

First, there is the known. What has happened on our planet thus far in history? Of what we know that has occurred, what incidents would be considered a threat? Big storms, earthquakes, acts of war, pandemics, forest fires, droughts, famine … sadly, the list can go on and on. Not to mention all the potential unknowns.

In the modern practice of prepping — we like to say, “being prepared is being responsible” — we have to define some basic scenarios and clarify the differences between them. There are three key scenarios that we need to understand and prepare for:

  1. Disaster Situation
  2. Survival Situation
  3. Bug-Out/In Situation

We must understand that these three can overlap one another — or one can turn into another at a moment’s notice. Depending on the particular scenario, and whether or not you have been a proactive planner, your position in a disaster situation may quickly turn into a bug-out situation. Then depending on your survival skills and available resources, it might remain at a manageable level or devolve into a survival situation.

Disaster Situation

“Disaster” or “natural disaster” are two of the most commonly used terms. But what should really be classified as a disaster? To generalize a bit, most of the time it is related to a localized disruption due to any number of reasons. Let’s examine natural disasters first.

Natural disasters occur regularly all over the planet, and have besieged the human race throughout the ages — hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, and now super storms, blizzards, ice storms, heat waves, and droughts. These types of disasters can happen swiftly with very little warning, like a tornado. Earthquakes are a prime example of a natural disaster that can completely disrupt, destroy, and kill in an instant and without any warning at all. On the other hand, your local weather anchor might be warning you all week that a pending storm is on the way and that you should expect serious amounts of damage.

It is in this type of pending potential disaster that we can actually choose to “bug in” or “bug out.” The reality is that if you have an opportunity to leave in advance, choose not to, and then suddenly it turns out worse than anyone had expected, are you really equipped to deal with it? Or are you just placing yourself in harm’s way no matter how proactively you’ve prepared? Are you risking your life or other lives by choosing to stay? Before something like an approaching storm, you have the ability to leave the area. After the fact, it may be impossible to go anywhere due to massive damage and losses to the infrastructure in your area. This in turn affects the ability of emergency agencies to help you.

All this can happen if you choose to stay when you should have simply left — Super Storm Sandy, for example. We had plenty of warning, yet folks ended up dying in that storm. There was no reason for that to happen. So when it comes to storms and other forms of localized disasters, please use your best judgment — be rational and pragmatic.

Another type of disaster is, sadly, the man-made kind. These really piss me off. Think of all the oil spills, chemical leaks, preventable forest fires, nuclear catastrophes — the list seems endless. Though they may not always put your life in immediate danger, they are disastrous to all the animals in the region, to the waters we depend on, and to the world in general.

Survival Situation

In certain cases, a disaster situation can develop into a full-fledged survival situation. Think loss of the power grid due to a solar flare (see “Blackout Preparations” in the Summer 2013 issue of our magazine). How about the sinking of a cruise ship? A crashed plane?

Or picture this: A huge storm hits your area, and you become trapped by raging flood waters. You are cut off from any outside help. What are your resources? What do you have with you? Who is with you? Do they have skills? What time of year is it? Is it safe to stay where you are or do you have to move? Many more questions should be asked. Survival situations can develop instantly or over a period of time.

In a major storm, for example, you may prep your home with extra food, water, pharmaceuticals, and any other personal provisions that your family may need. You’ve done your due diligence and have everything organized. You’re ready. Then the storm hits, and it’s a big one. Nervous, you sit and wait it out. It can go several ways — if you’re just dealing with the inconvenience of temporary power loss, hopefully you have what you need to last you until it returns.

But it might become so bad that your area is declared a disaster area. You might become completely stranded from any outside help whatsoever. Your house and all your carefully prepared supplies are now floating away in the huge flood that followed the storm. You now have to rely on your wits, skills, and available material resources.

Now, you need to follow the order of survival:

Step 1: Secure shelter
Step 2: Find water (or utilize appropriate filtration/purification)
Step 3: Build a fire
Step 4: Procure food

All the while, you need to keep in mind your safety and security. Perhaps you’re on a road trip in the middle of nowhere. Your car suddenly breaks down. Perhaps you simply forgot to stash supplies and gear in your own car, or you’re on a business trip in a rental car. You have just entered a potentially dangerous situation. The difference is whether or not you have skills that will mitigate your lack of gear.

Survival situations can also be so raw that you may only have what’s literally on your person at the time of the event or what you can find in the environment around you. This might not fit into your overall master plan of preparedness. But guess what? Tough! You have to make do with the situation and adapt.

Bug-Out Situation

What if the situation dictates that you must leave the area immediately? Bugging out is a method of action that can potentially save yourself and others. Understand that most Americans live in and around major cities — according to the last census, more than 70 percent of the U.S. population lives in areas with 50,000 people or more.

For example, you may need to bug out if your area has become too dangerous to be in or has been simply cut off from any and all support. Making a decision on whether or not you should leave is something that you alone will need to determine. Sometimes you may have to make that determination within moments of a particular event.

When it comes to actually bugging out, your preplanning comes into play. How far and how fast do you need to travel? How well are you practiced? How heavy is your BOB? What is inside your bag? Have you ever tried to walk for more than 5 miles with it fully loaded on your back? Did you even have the time to grab it? If not, we hope that you and your loved ones, friends, and coworkers know how to survive without your go-bags. Remember, a BOB is something that essentially represents what we know and what we don’t know. In other words, are you so dependent on the bag and its contents to save yourself? If you can’t survive without it, then what are you missing?

When discussing bugging out, many folks often focus on their bags. But there are so many factors that can influence your response and that you should consider in advance.

A bug-out response should be part of your overall emergency action plan. (See “Bug Out 101” in the Summer 2013 issue of our magazine.) It should be preplanned with rendezvous points, communication options, and predetermined paths of travel, as well as safety and security. There is much to consider in creating a bug-out plan. And all of these skills can be learned.

The More You Know

We have heard many folks in our programs talk about these various factors and how they impact their survival plans. When addressing these three different types of situations, it becomes clear how easily one can overlap or transition into another.

The first step is to build your foundation. So, start with the basic explanations in this article and understand the fundamental differences between these types of situations. As we have mentioned in past articles, honestly assess your own skills and abilities and start applying those skill sets to your overall plan. We can plan until the cows come home, but none of it matters unless you practice.

Then take it upon yourself to learn more and further your knowledge and experience base. Take notes from world disasters throughout history, from local disasters, and from individuals recounting their own personal survival stories.

As we have learned in the past, no matter the scenario — whether a disaster, survival, or bug-out situation — it’s a matter of clearly recognizing what truly lies before you and acting accordingly. The more skills you possess, the more risk factors that you can mitigate. Think about the skill sets that require no gear and make sure you have them covered. For instance, learn basic first-aid and CPR — these skills are invaluable and give you the ability to help not just yourself, but others as well. Find a school near you that offers primitive and urban survival skills. Skills always remain with you, even if all you have is the shirt on your back.

As you move forward in becoming more self-sufficient, you will develop a greater appreciation of your own potential. And you will begin to realize that you are more and more equipped to handle any of these types of scenarios.

Stay in the now, be present. This will help you recognize the subtle changes that occur during times like these. Train hard and share with others.

About the Author

Shane Hobel, also known as “White Feather,” is the founder and head instructor of Mountain Scout Survival School, based in New York. He’s been featured on numerous TV networks, including FOX News, History, National Geographic, and NBC. Specializing in wilderness primitive skills and urban emergency preparedness (among other programs), his company is the only one allowed to teach in the middle of Manhattan’s Central Park and was named one of the top 12 survival schools in the country by USA Today. Also, Hobel is one of five elite members of the Tracker Search and Forensic Investigation Team, which is called upon to track and find fugitives, lost children, hunters, and hikers. www.mtnscoutsurvival.com

New: TOPS Dicer Kitchen Knives

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It's always a good idea to have a general-purpose camp knife handy, but these tools often fall into the Jack of all trades, master of none category. They're equally effective for shaving feather sticks, skinning game, and batoning firewood, but not overly specialized for any single task. However, there are times where a specialized knife can make work much easier — preparing food is one such instance. A good set of kitchen knives will help you slice, dice, and chop with increased speed and precision.

TOPS Knives recently released its new Dicer series of kitchen knives, including the Dicer 8 Chef's Knife and Dicer 3 Paring Knife. These blades are intended to be sturdy and capable of outdoor use, so they'd be well-suited to camp cooking or grilling in addition to typical use at home. They're constructed from premium CPM S35VN stainless steel with contoured handle scales made from durable blue-and-black layered G10. Each knife comes with a black Kydex sheath.

The Dicer 8 features a flat belly that curves upward into the tip, allowing for both chopping and slicing. The heel of the 7.75-inch blade features a subtle cutaway in the forefinger area for a secure grip. MSRP is $250.

The Dicer 3 is intended as a paring knife, although it looks like it could serve as an EDC knife as well. It features a 3.5-inch blade with a smoothly-curved belly and sharp tip. A prominent forefinger guard protects the user's index finger from slipping onto the edge. MSRP is $200.

TOPS Knives is also currently offering the Dicer knives as a pair for $320, so you can save some money by purchasing them simultaneously. For more information on the TOPS Dicer series, go to TOPSknives.com.

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Safe Haven: How to Buy Your Ideal Bug-Out Property

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This article originally appeared in Issue 5 of our magazine.

Hank Williams Jr. wrote and sang a song called “A Country Boy Can Survive.” The song spotlights the skills and abilities of people who can survive on their own, with a little backwoods knowhow common in rural America. You can improve your survivability by having backcountry property that’s able to sustain life when given the opportunity and a little preparation.

The problem for many of us, though, is that we’re city dwellers living in a concrete jungle of skyscrapers, surrounded by a sea of suburban sprawl. And even if you don’t live in a large metropolis like New York or Los Angeles, all it would take is one solid catastrophe to have your town go to pot. Owning land in the middle of nowhere — or at least isolated enough — will ensure you have a relatively safer destination to evacuate to in an emergency. A bug-out property can serve as a rally point for your family to reunite, a resupply depot (if you’ve dug a hidden cache) before moving to a safer region, or a place to set up your underground bunker (see below for more).

Selection of a great rural bug-out location begins by determining the distance you think you can travel when SHTF. Draw an arc on a map with that distance, and your search for a bug-out location can begin.

Determining Land Ownership

All real estate is owned by someone. It may be privately held or owned by some governmental agency, but rest assured it has an owner. Property in private ownership will tend to be urbanized in some form, even if it is a fishing cabin 10 miles from a paved road. Property owned by a government entity will most likely be rural. That governmental agency may be a utility district or a city, county, or state government. In fact, the federal government owns approximately 27 million rural acres. But just because property is owned by a governmental agency doesn’t mean it cannot be purchased or leased. For instance, you can obtain a leasehold interest in state and federal property, even in a national or state forest. (Visit www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/disposal.shtml to learn more.)

Most truly rural properties are located in unincorporated areas, meaning they are outside of a city’s jurisdiction and therefore only subject to development rules of the county or the state. County building and rural development rules tend to be much less restrictive than those of an urbanized city and far less scrutinized by governmental officials. Once an ideal bug-out location is found, ownership of the land, no matter how rural, can be determined relatively easily. Using a common smartphone app or a geodetic map, determine the exact longitude and latitude of the property in question. If the property actually has an address, present either the longitude/latitude or address to your local title insurance company.

Title insurance companies have access to the historical ownership data of every piece of property in the United States, according to Rick Fortunato, senior vice president for Chicago Title Company. You can even check on properties in other states from your local title insurance company; they all have nationwide data search capabilities. Historical property data may date back hundreds of years and may include photographs. For a very small fee, the title insurance company can give you the name and contact information for any property owner as well as provide important data such as existing taxes, recorded easements, guaranteed access rights, and, most importantly, water rights. You will want to make sure you have the right to access the property and build on it if you so desire. It’s also important to know if anyone else has any rights on your property before you acquire it. Those rights of others might include underground pipe easements and rights to access other adjacent properties.

Easements/Building Regulations

The ability to build on a property is controlled by the zoning of the governmental jurisdiction. Rural properties will most likely be governed by a county or parish, depending on the location. Once a property location is known, zoning and development standards for the property can be found online, in most cases, by contacting the governmental jurisdiction. The development standards may include a required minimum parcel size, maximum building height, selection of building materials, grading maximums, and other important regulations. Those other regulations might include permits needed for tree removal, stream alteration, habitat modification, and endangered species locations that may impact your ability to build. It’s important to know all of the regulations — even if you later choose to ignore them.

Most properties don’t have mineral or hydrocarbon rights. Those rights may have been acquired from previous property owners by large oil or mining companies many decades ago. It’s uncommon to have mining or oil-drilling rights, so don’t be surprised if your bug-out site doesn’t have them. Having easements on your property, for items such as underground piping, means that the easement holder usually has the right to come onto your property and repair the buried facilities at their discretion, not yours. The same would be true for mineral or hydrocarbon extraction. Theoretically, oil drilling and mining could occur at any time on your property although numerous governmental permits are required that often take years to obtain so it shouldn’t be a surprise. Large oil and mining companies, for public relations purposes, typically negotiate with nearby landowners to eliminate confrontation prior to initiating construction activities. Additionally, mining companies may not even need to set foot on your property, accessing those precious underground goodies from afar.

Water is a primary need for a long-term stay at any location. If permanent running water or a lake is not available, then a well can supply your water needs, assuming a well doesn’t already exist. Many properties don’t have the right to drill a new well, so a careful review of title insurance company data can determine water rights of any property. The cost of drilling a well varies greatly due to soils and geographical conditions. A call to a local drilling company near the intended property can give you a reasonable estimate of the cost of a new well. Electricity may be required to run a pump.

Homesteading

Under Abraham Lincoln in 1862, the federal government passed legislation to promote westward expansion and agricultural development, basically known as the Homesteading Act. This act provided 160 acres of free federal government land to persons wishing to start farming. Virgil Earp, Wyatt’s older brother, was a noted homesteader and, although decades ago homesteading was once a popular style of acquiring free ownership of rural property, it’s not a viable alternative in today’s world due to changes in the laws. During the peak of free land homesteading the federal government gave out over 270 million free acres of land. In 1986, congress amended the old federal law and eliminated that free land alternative. Only Alaska still offers a form of homesteading to promote recreational cabin development.

Financial Incentives

The federal government and all states have dozens of agricultural and farming assistance programs that offer both tax breaks and financial incentives for new farmers. You must substantially farm the land to achieve any meaningful tax break or development grant. A quick check of your state’s farmer assistance program will demonstrate ways of obtaining farmland. See the sidebar for additional resources that provide info on various other financial benefits you can qualify for.

Location, Location, Location

A quick search of the Internet using search terms like “bug-out properties” and “off-grid land” will produce hundreds of available, but certainly publicly known, properties. While searching, you might find excess state or federal property for sale, lease, or even trade. The federal government often auctions off excess land that even includes former military missile silos and hardened bunkers. Acquiring excess federal government land is as easy as checking their website at www.govsales.gov and looking in your geographical area of interest. Excess-land sales occur all the time.
A proper bug-out property can often be acquired with a minimum amount of money utilizing a variety of financing mechanisms and depending on how much you want to spend. Some government land leases are free. A lease of private or government land is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest way of obtaining use of a safe haven property, but it is subject to their rules. Such land — acquired under the radar, away from the Internet, and not financed — is the logical choice if you wish to maintain maximum security.

A title insurance company, along with a licensed real estate broker/agent, can provide you with important property data with a minimal cost. The title company agents can assist you in interpreting all of the necessary information on any property no matter its location.

A country boy can certainly survive on a cheap lease.

Bomb Shelter Tax Breaks

In the early 1960s, a number of states, not the federal government, passed legislation that gave homeowners a tax break for money spent building a bomb shelter. In a few states and some cities, those tax break rules from the ’60s have been overlooked and forgotten, but are still on the books. Your tax expert should check the regulations before taking the exemption on your returns for a preexisting bomb shelter on your property or building one that qualifies for exemption.

Drop-In Bunker

Now that you have acquired your bug-out land, you may choose to build your shelter yourself or hire someone else to do it for you. Another alternative is to buy a prefabricated bunker. Many of these premade bunkers can be customized to your specifications. They are constructed in a factory then brought your to your location, assembled, and professionally installed. There are many choices available; here are a few to check out.

Atlas Survival Shelters: This company makes underground cabins with patented “undetectable escape hatches” and plenty of amenities.
www.atlassurvivalshelters.com

Ultimate Bunker: This family-owned business builds underground bunkers, gun vaults, and storm shelters for various disasters.
www.ultimatebunker.com

Additional Resources

There are a variety of grants, subsidies, tax breaks, and other financial incentives your bug-out location may qualify for. Here is a brief list of the many resources available that can provide more information — but, as always, be sure to do your research first before soliciting any service for help.

Benefits.gov: A federal online guide to loans and grants for very low-income homeowners to repair and improve rural dwellings.
www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/402

Federal Grants Wire: This is a directory for various federal grants and loans available from several hundred governmental departments and agencies.
www.federalgrantswire.com

Land Trust Alliance: This organization assists in establishing land trusts for maintaining open land and conserving resources.
www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/public-funding/state-funding

Public Lands Title: A private company that will assist anyone over 18, for a small fee, in acquiring rural land in 18 states.
www.governmentland.com

The Center for Rural Affairs: This nonprofit corporation focuses on rural community development and family farm and ranch policy, among other issues.
www.cfra.org/renewrural/freeland

The Houston Chronicle: Provides data on ways of utilizing loans and grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration to buy farms, start businesses, and even start beekeeping.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/grants-buying-farm-land-13924.html

USA.gov: The U.S. government’s official web portal contains a directory for federal and state government surplus and seized properties, as well as surplus land sales.
www.usa.gov/shopping/shopping.shtml

USDA Rural Development: A program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish eligibility for obtaining rural housing.
http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do

About the Author

Phil Schwartze is president of The PRS Group, a Southern California land-planning and entitlement-to-use company that specializes in obtaining governmental approvals for unique projects. He has a master’s degree from Cal State Los Angeles and is the former mayor of San Juan Capistrano, California. www.prsgrp.biz

New: Grey Ghost Gear RRS Transport Bag

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For many years, we've made a point to stash an emergency go-bag in each of our vehicles. These bags are less comprehensive than a full-fledged bug-out bag — the sort of pack we'd choose to meet all foreseeable needs in a long-term survival scenario — and are instead focused on short-term necessities. This means clothing and basic toiletries for an unexpected overnighter, food and water in case we end up stuck in the vehicle, a trauma kit for medical emergencies, batteries and chargers for our important electronics, basic tools, and a weapon in case things really go downhill. This way, we're never unprepared, even if we're running a quick errand on a moment's notice.

The team at Grey Ghost Gear have released their own take on the go-bag theme, known as the RRS Transport Bag. They say this duffel-style bag was “developed at the behest of several LEOs and First Responders from a cross-section of agencies in a large metropolitan area.” Now that the design has been tested in the field by these agencies, it's being made available to the general public as a go-bag or range bag.

The RRS Transport Bag has a large main compartment that will fit a folded SBR or PDW. This compartment also has a pair of zippered mesh pockets, six elastic loops for pistol mags or other tools, and a hook-and-loop surface to attach pouches or a holster. Each end of the bag has large pouches with buckle closures for stowing medical gear or other items you need to access quickly. The side of the bag offers five rifle mag pouches as well.

This bag is constructed from 500D Cordura, and includes dual carry handles plus a removable shoulder strap. MSRP is $86, and it's available in black, coyote brown, or ranger green. For more information on the RRS Transport, go to GreyGhostGear.com.

Food for Thought: How Long Can You Survive on Multi-Vitamins?

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This article originally appeared in Issue 4 of our magazine.

Here’s a cold hard fact: Overwhelmingly, urban dwellers are unprepared to face crises, their hope placed on FEMA or other disaster relief agencies to meet their post-crisis needs. Not having groceries is just one of those concerns.

Few would contest the notion that a well-nourished individual would thrive better than one merely trying to survive in the aftermath of a catastrophe. But, do you always need a sandwich to survive?

You may have incurred injuries. In addition to all your other gear, can you carry a 10-day supply of calories for yourself or your family? If not, who’s going to carry the 10-day water supply for each of them? Plus, you all may be on foot … and you may have to carry a child as well.

This intentionally provocative article examines the extreme situation of involuntary, near-total starvation, post-crisis in urban North America. Humans are actually more adaptable to starvation than generally appreciated. Healthy adults can benefit from an alternative strategy by understanding the adaptation process and how it might be optimized by simple oral supplements — versus having to carry a conventional calorie sub-load in your kit.

Are there precedents for urban starvation that we can study to develop a crisis calorie management plan? The truth is that there haven’t been any modern U.S. urban disasters where starvation-related mortality was a major concern, mostly because otherwise healthy adults can easily withstand fasting for three to five days, by which time disaster relief resources have usually managed to provide food and supplies to those directly affected by the crisis.

So for our purposes in this article, we’re looking beyond simply being hungry for three to five days, instead focusing on two distinct conditions of involuntary starvation beyond five days.
Individuals may be subjected to total or near-total starvation. With the former, no hydration and no caloric intake occurs — in this case, you will perish due to dehydration stress alone, generally surviving several days to a week or two depending on the individual. In the latter case of near-total starvation, you’re presumed to have access to at least nominal hydration levels, but otherwise no other essential micro-nutrients (vitamins) and caloric intake.

Get Informed

We can actually find relevant information on near-total starvation, both voluntary and involuntary. There are many examples that we can examine: professional entertainers in the late 1800s, who deliberately starved themselves in public at great length for fame and notoriety; starvation during polar desert expeditions; emaciated POWs in concentration camps; severe mental health disorders such as anorexia; prisoner hunger strikes; and even some specific medical studies, including the Minnesota Starvation Experiment (1944-’45) and the Iowa prison studies (1969).

The determinants of how long you can endure starvation include:

  • Availability of hydration
  • Initial body fat and protein stores
  • Calorie demand based on environment (e.g. cold, strenuous, etc.)
  • Initial health status (e.g. significant trauma accelerates the pace of starvation demise)
  • Gender (women have a slight survival advantage)
  • Age extremes (very young and old have limited fat and protein reserves)

In the past 50 years, the only well-documented involuntary near-total starvation in a North American survival situation is the story of Carla Corbus and her mother. After a small plane crash in California’s Trinity Mountain range during the winter of 1967, they survived starvation for at least 54 days before dying. Carla’s daily diary entries were published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1968. Incidentally, their tragic story was the impetus for legislation mandating transponder beacons for aircraft.

A normally proportioned 160-pound person requires approximately 1,200 calories per day to avoid adapting to fasting and starvation metabolism. Our metabolic sensors monitor our bodies and ensure that our brain tissues continuously receive a steady supply of their preferred energy source, glucose (carbohydrates). Upon sensing a caloric restriction, body stores of glucose, particularly muscle and liver glycogen, are consumed within 72 hours to nourish the brain and other critical tissues. And after only 12 hours of fasting, the next day’s carbohydrate calorie needs are already being sourced by metabolically cannibalizing body stores of fat and protein.

In fact, practically all of your body fat is expendable without serious adverse effects. The human body has a mechanism for us to sustain long periods of starvation — by allowing brain tissue to readily utilize the byproducts of fat and protein metabolism, transformed into glucose and ketones. The brain can derive two-thirds of its energy from ketones, synthesized mostly from fat, allowing humans to survive near-total starvation for 60 to 90 days.

Proteins, however, play a more critical role in maintaining normal body function. Their uncontrolled depletion during starvation results in loss of tissue architecture, blood elements, enzymes, and muscle mass, as well as impairment of our immune system. Unlike fat, precious body water is required to eliminate toxic byproducts of protein metabolism. So, if our bodies were only able to utilize our protein stores to maintain brain tissue, we would only survive for 20 to 30 days. In short, if you lose more than one-third to half of your total body protein, that’s all she wrote.

Starvation also depletes non-calorie essential micro-nutrients, particularly vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin B-1 (thiamine). Unlike most other animals, humans cannot synthesize vitamin C, nor store thiamine in large quantities. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; thiamine deficiency causes beriberi. Without these vitamins, calorie energy utilization and critical tissue repair mechanisms fail within weeks. Despite having non-citrus food and water, more than 2 million sailors died of scurvy from the years 1500 to 1800, more than were ever claimed by naval warfare itself.

Above: If there’s an emergency evacuation and you have to flee the city on foot, at least be sure to grab a 10- to 21-day supply of glucose and multi-vitamin tablets. That’s a lot easier than toting three week’s worth of groceries.

Have a Plan

Providing even nominal amounts of glucose calories favors the metabolizing of body fat stores, rather than precious protein. As little as ¼ ounce of carbohydrates during starvation reduces protein waste by about 50 percent. This tiny bit of intervention generates roughly 8.5 ounces of metabolic water, sufficient to sustain daily requirements under limited conditions. It also conserves body water otherwise required to excrete protein waste products. In great part, this is how black bears survive their months of winter hibernation — humans just cannot do it to the same extent as bears.

What does this mean practically? Simply take two 4-gram glucose tablets per day, and you will conserve precious protein calories and body water. Take a daily multi-vitamin containing C and thiamine, and you will support your critical metabolism mechanisms.

So realistically, the prospect of long-term near-total starvation in North America is a most unlikely scenario.

And by understanding human adaptation to starvation, we can devise unconventional strategies to limit wasted protein and sustain micro-nutrients when faced with limited access to nourishment.

While attempting to escape the city on foot, a 10- to 21-day supply of glucose and multi-vitamin tablets is a lot easier to tote and maintain than the same amount of groceries. Plan on hearing your stomach complain, but answer it with the higher priority of hydration, and take your pills. Relying on stockpiled food is obviously ideal, but it's not the only way to make it through a short-term crisis without starving.

So there’s your food for thought — you don’t always need a sandwich to survive.

Tip: Storing Vitamins and Supplements

To keep vitamins and other dietary supplements at their peak potency for longer, it’s best to store them in a cool, dry place. Avoid places like the refrigerator and bathroom medicine cabinet where humidity and temperature differences can reduce their effective shelf life. Certain vitamins and supplements could require specific storage methods such as being kept out of light, so do keep them in their original packaging. Vitamins lose their strength with time, so be mindful of their expiration dates and swap them out when needed.