What’s Bugging You: Bug Bites and Stings

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WARNING

This article is intended to be a brief overview and not a comprehensive guide for treating bug bites and stings. If you think you might be having an allergic reaction or the bite/sting appears to be getting infected, seek medical attention.

The Great Outdoors is, well, great, but there’s always a chance you may run afoul of the creatures that live in it. Rarely, you may have an encounter with a bear, mountain lion, or rattlesnake. Much more often, however, you’ll encounter a hostile bug or a whole swarm of them. Off the grid, few people can say they’ve never had a bite or a sting from one of the wilderness’ smaller residents.

The scientific name for what we consider bugs is “arthropods.” Arthropods include insects (ants, bees, wasps, etc.) and arachnids (ticks, spiders, lice, scorpions, etc.). If a bug wakes you up at night by crawling across your face, the difference between them may not matter to you, but you should still know which is which.

The main differences between insects and arachnids are in how they’re built. Insects have three body segments (head, thorax, abdomen), while arachnids have just two (cephalothorax, abdomen). Insects have six legs, while arachnids have eight. Another difference is that insects have two antennae, and some have wings. Arachnids have neither.

Let’s discuss some of the most common offenders with regards to bites and stings.

image of a mosquito biting a human

Above: The mosquito is the world’s deadliest creature, believe it or not.

Mosquito Bites

What’s the most dangerous creature in the world? The great white shark? The Bengal Tiger? The grizzly bear? Nope. It’s the mosquito. Mosquitoes transmit various microorganisms that cause disease (pathogens) by acting as a carrier “vector.” That is, they don’t get sick themselves but pass infections to others through their bite. Mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue fever, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya. Malaria alone killed 627,000 people in 2020.

Only females bite humans. They have a long mouthpart called a “proboscis,” which pierces the skin, sucks out blood, and injects saliva into the bloodstream. This saliva can contain pathogens as well as allergy-causing substances (allergens). Although severe allergic reactions to mosquito

bites are extremely rare, individuals who are truly allergic may experience hives, swollen throat, and wheezing. The bite itself usually appears as a small, puffy lump that appears soon after you’re bitten. It will often turn red and cause itchiness for a time. Scratching is discouraged, as it can cause a skin infection. No treatment is necessary, although calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, or antihistamines can be used if needed. Signs of infection passed by mosquitoes may include fever, headache, and body aches. If these symptoms occur, further investigation is warranted.

Prevention involves removing possible mosquito breeding grounds from the area. Any area of standing water — even just an empty soda can or old tire should be removed. Mosquitoes are most active during warm weather, so repellents should be applied if spending time outside.

The most effective chemical repellents in the United States include one of these active ingredients:

  •  DEET
  •  Picaridin
  •  IR3535
  •  Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  •  2-Undecanone
  •  Oil of lemon eucalyptus

Whichever product you choose, read the label before you apply it. DEET may offer the longest-lasting protection. Other than lemon eucalyptus, plants and oils that discourage mosquitoes include rosemary, lavender, mint, lemongrass, and marigold. If you’re using a spray repellent, apply it outdoors and away from food. You may need to reapply it 6 to 8 hours later if you’re still in an area where mosquitoes are active.

There are situations where you might require both sunscreen and insect repellent. In these cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend sunscreen first, wait until it dries, then apply repellent. It should be noted that sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or so.

Other ways to prevent mosquito bites:

  • When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Tuck cuffs into your socks.
  • Clothing (but not skin) can be sprayed with the insecticide Permethrin 0.5 percent.
  • In primitive settings where air conditioning isn’t an option, use mosquito netting and door/window screens.

image of a honey bee

Above: Honeybees leave their stinger and part of their abdomen when they sting.

Bee Stings

Bees, members of the order Hymenoptera, are important pollinators that are essential for a healthy ecosystem but are territorial and defend their hives by stinging intruders. Africanized “killer” honeybees are even more so, defending a wider area and even following an offender for hundreds of yards.

When a honeybee stings, it leaves a barbed stinger in the wound. This proves fatal to the bee, as it leaves some of its organs with the stinger as well when it pulls away. Most of the time, symptoms include an instant, sharp burning pain at the site which turns into a red welt. Some swelling in the area is also noted. In most people, the swelling and pain go away within a few hours but the redness may last up to a week.

Rapid action will speed recovery. If the stinger is still in the wound, remove it immediately with a fingernail or even by scraping with a credit card. The faster it is removed, the faster symptoms will resolve.

Then, follow this procedure:

  • Clean the bite with soap and water or an antiseptic.
  • Use ice packs to reduce pain and swelling.
  • Use topical hydrocortisone cream or an antihistamine to reduce swelling.
  • Use calamine lotion or an antihistamine to relieve itching.
  • Oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine are also an option for symptom relief.

Severe allergic reactions from bee stings occur more often than with mosquito bites but are still uncommon. Also known as “anaphylaxis,” you’ll see:

  • Prominent skin reactions, including pronounced swelling, hives, and itching
  • Flushed or pale skin
  • Rashes that develop away from the site of the sting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Swelling of the throat or tongue
  • A weak, rapid pulse
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Loss of consciousness

Treatment for anaphylaxis in adults involves the use of epinephrine 0.3 mg (adrenaline) injections (the pediatric dose is 0.15 mg). Auto-injectors such as the EpiPen are pre-dosed and simple to use. More than one injection may be required in some cases. Oral antihistamines, as used for minor sting symptoms, are generally too slow to effectively stop an anaphylactic reaction.

To avoid bee stings in areas where they are plentiful, consider these tips:

  • Clear garbage and fallen fruit from the area.
  •  Avoid leaving open cans or cups of sweet beverages outside.
  • Tightly cover food containers and trash cans.
  •  Avoid brightly colored clothing.
  •  Wear long pants and shirts.
  •  Avoid using scented soaps or anything with a strong scent.
  •  Use gloves when trimming vegetation near a hive.

If bees are swarming near you, stay calm, cover your mouth and nose, and quickly exit the area. Swatting bees may provoke them to sting.

image of a yellow jacket wasp

Above: Unlike bees, wasps are predators.

Wasp and Hornet Stings

Wasps and hornets, also Hymenoptera members, are similar to bees in many ways, but there are differences. One is that, unlike bees, these insects have smooth stingers that aren’t left at the site of the sting. A wasp or hornet can sting multiple times without sacrificing its life. Another is diet wasps and hornets take nectar from flowers, but also prey on spiders, flies, aphids, caterpillars, ants, bees, and insect larvae.

How are wasps and hornets different? Hornets are a type of wasp but tend to be larger and have wider heads. Wasps like yellowjackets have very slender waists as opposed to hornets, which are built thicker and rounder in the mid-section. In addition, most wasps have only one set of wings, while hornets have two. From a behavior standpoint, hornets are more aggressive and inflict more painful stings. In rare cases, the toxin in hornet venom can be deadly, especially if there have been multiple stings.

A wasp or hornet sting appears as a red, raised welt with a puncture hole in the middle. You can expect instant sharp, burning pain at the site of the sting. Hives or welts may develop peak signs at about 48 hours and last for up to a week. As time passes, the area may swell and look darker red or bruised. In severe cases, anaphylaxis as seen in bee stings may occur. The treatment for both minor and major reactions is the same.

Prevention strategies are also the same as for bees, with the added suggestion of clearing animal feces or roadkill from the area. They attract flies, which are on the menu for wasps and hornets.

image of a swarm of fire ants

Above: Fire ants will swarm and attack if their nest mound is disturbed.

Fire Ants Bites and Stings

Invasive species of insects are widespread in many areas of North America. One of the most concerning in terms of injuries to humans and pets is the fire ant. Originally from South America, the fire ant — another stinging member of the order Hymenoptera — is now widespread throughout the Southern U.S. and has even been identified in California. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that costs related to fire ant control, damage caused to crops, and medical treatment approaches several billion dollars annually.

Fire ants are more aggressive than native ants, pushing out local native species. They produce visible mounds in open areas. When the mound is stepped upon, hundreds swarm in response to the threat and bite exposed feet, ankles, and legs of both humans and animals.
The fire ant is unusual in that it both bites and stings.

Once on your skin, it bites in order to hold its body in place. This bite is minimally uncomfortable, but then the ant uses a stinger on its abdomen to inject venom called “solenopsin” into the intruder. The pain from the sting feels like a burn (hence, “fire ant”) and can be excruciating. Unless removed, the ant will sting multiple times. Dozens of ants may be involved, causing a significant amount of venom to be injected.

The site of the sting swells into a red bump within hours. It may develop a pustule similar to a whitehead pimple in the first 24 to 36 hours, which, if scratched, can become infected and cause scarring. If left alone, the bumps disappear after three days or so. If infected, antibiotics are often necessary. Some people become allergic to the venom and, in rare cases, may develop anaphylaxis that requires the use of epinephrine to treat.

Treatment involves topical medicines like hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. Oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) are also helpful. Home remedies include a paste made from baking soda and water, aloe vera, or a 50-percent bleach solution.

image of a tick in human skin

Above: An adult tick feeding.

Tick Bites

Ticks, members of the order Ixodida, are well-known carriers (also known as “vectors”) of disease-causing organisms that affect humans, pets, and wildlife. In the United States, they’re responsible for even more vector-borne diseases than the mosquito. In extreme cases, they can be a severe threat to long-term health.

You might think of ticks as insects, but they are actually tiny eight-legged arachnids related to scorpions and spiders. The range for ticks seems to be increasing, ranging all the way from the East coast to the South to the Upper Midwest. The Western blacklegged tick covers the entire Pacific coast. Others are more regional, such as the Lone Star Tick, mostly found in (you guessed it) Texas.

Ticks survive by biting the skin of a host and extracting a meal of blood. Unfortunately, they also transmit various disease-causing microbes to humans and animals through their infected saliva.

The CDC recognizes more than 15, including:

  • Lyme disease
  •  Anaplasmosis
  • Tularemia
  • Babesiosis
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Relapsing Fever

Ticks don’t jump like fleas do. Usually, ticks spend their time in grasses and bushes, holding on with their back pairs of legs and latching onto passersby with their front pair(s). The larvae, which also bite, like to live in leaf litter. In inhabited areas, they can be found in shaded woodpiles, leaf piles, or tall grass.

To pass along a disease to animals or humans, ticks must first find their hosts by detecting smells, sensing body heat, or feeling vibrations from movement. When the tick latches onto its victim, its mouth parts pierce the skin and start extracting blood. Blood meals are required for a larva to continue its progress to adulthood.

Bites may be difficult to identify, but as the tick remains attached to the skin for a relatively long time, redness and swelling may exist. Some note a burning sensation. If the tick is passing the organism that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia), more than half will develop a tell-tale “bull’s-eye” rash known as “erythema migrans” that spreads as time goes by. Treated early, antibiotics like doxycycline and amoxicillin can eliminate the infection. If ignored, long-term consequences can occur.

Once found, it’s important to remove the tick as soon as possible. It may be possible to just brush or wash it off if it hasn’t bitten you yet. If it’s deep in the skin, the simplest method is to use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the bug as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pull straight up in an even manner. Twisting as you pull or pulling at an angle may cause the mouth parts to remain in the skin.

After removal, thoroughly clean the wound area with soap and water or isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and apply antibiotic ointment. Wash your hands afterward. As an added precaution, launder clothing in hot water and dry in high heat. If all this is done within the first day after the bite occurs, infection is highly unlikely.

image of tick removal

Above: Pets and children should be inspected for ticks after a day outdoors. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible during removal.

For prevention, thorough exams after a day outdoors, paying special attention to children and dogs (especially their ears) In addition, consider:

  • Long pants and sleeves in tick-rich environments
  • Thick socks and high-top boots (tuck your pants into them)
  •  Walking in the center of trails to avoid brushing up against vegetation
  • Using insect repellants like DEET (20 percent or greater) on skin (oil of lemon eucalyptus is one natural alternatives), as with mosquitoes
  • Applying Permethrin 0.5-percent insecticide to clothing, hats, shoes, and camping gear 24 to 48 hours before using (proper application will even withstand laundering). Avoid use on skin, however.

Spider Bites

In temperate North America, two spiders are to be especially feared: The black widow and the brown recluse.

The black widow spider (genus Lactrodectus) is about ½-inch long and is active mostly at night. Southern black widows have a red hourglass pattern on the underside of their abdomens, but other sub-species may not. They rarely invade your home but can be found in outbuildings like barns and garages. Although its bite has very potent venom damaging to the nervous system, the effects on each individual are variable.

image of a black widow spider

Above: Female black widow spider

A black widow bite will appear red and raised and you may see two small puncture marks at the site of the wound. Severe pain at the site is usually the first symptom soon after the bite.

Depending on the individual bitten and the amount of venom, you might see:

  • Muscle cramps
  • Abdominal pain
  •  Weakness
  •  Shakiness
  •  Nausea and vomiting
  •  Fainting
  •  Chest pain
  •  Difficulty breathing
  •  Rapid heart rate
  •  Disorientation

Each person will present with a variable combination and degree of the above symptoms. The very young and the elderly are more seriously affected than most. Symptoms usually last for 3 to 7 days but may persist for several weeks.

image of a brown recluse spider

Above: Brown recluse spider

The brown recluse spider (genus Loxosceles) has a tiny body and legs about an inch long. Unlike most spiders, it only has six eyes instead of eight, but they’re so small it is difficult to identify them from this characteristic.

Victims of brown recluse bites report them to be painless at first, but may experience these symptoms:

  • Itching
  • Pain, sometimes severe, after several hours
  • Fever
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Blisters
  • Skin breakdown

The venom of the brown recluse is thought to be more potent than that of a rattlesnake, although much less is injected in its bite. Substances in the venom disrupt soft tissue, which leads to local damage to blood vessels, skin, and fat. This process, seen in severe cases, leads to death of tissue (called “necrosis”) immediately surrounding the bite. Areas affected may be extensive and take months to heal.

image of a brown recluse spider bite

Above: Appearance of a brown recluse bite

Once bitten, the human body activates its immune response as a result, and can go haywire, destroying red blood cells and kidney tissue, and hampering the ability of blood to clot appropriately. These effects can lead to coma and eventually death. Almost all deaths from brown recluse bites have been recorded in children.

The general treatment for spider bites includes:

  • Washing the area of the bite thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Applying cool compresses to painful and swollen areas.
  • Apply antibiotic ointment three times a day to prevent infection.
  • Pain medications such as acetaminophen/Tylenol.
  • Antihistamines for itching and swelling.
  •  Monitor on bed rest for severe symptoms.
  • Raise an affected extremity.
  • Warm baths for those with muscle cramps (black widow bites only; stay away from applying heat to the area with brown recluse bites).
  • Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Spider antivenom is sometimes given for black widow bites, much as snake antivenom is given for venomous snake bites. No antivenom is currently approved for brown recluse bites.

image of a scorpion

Above: The bark scorpion is common throughout the southwestern United States

Scorpion Stings

Most stinging bugs are insects, but an arachnid that can sting is the scorpion. Most scorpions are harmless; in the United States, only the bark scorpion of the Southwest desert (Centruroides sculpturatus) has toxins that can cause severe symptoms. Children are most at risk for major complications.

Although the bark scorpion is only 2 to 3 inches long, some scorpions may be much larger. They’re usually yellow to brown, have eight legs, eight eyes, and pincers, and inject venom through their “tail.” They’re most commonly active at night. Interestingly, scorpion exoskeletons are fluorescent under ultraviolet light, so you can find them most easily at night by using a “black light.”

Physical effects from scorpion stings often develop rapidly and affect the nervous system. Symptoms you may see include:

  • Immediate pain in the area of the sting
  • Swelling at the site
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Sweating
  • Weakness
  • Increased saliva output
  • Vomiting
  • Restlessness, twitching, or other unusual movements
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Rapid breathing and heart rate

It’s important to act rapidly to treat a scorpion sting:

  • Wash the area with soap and water.
  • Remove jewelry from affected limb (swelling may occur).
  • Apply cool compresses to decrease pain. A thin cloth between the skin and cold pack will decrease the chance of cold-related damage.
  • Give an antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
  • Keep your patient calm and at rest; faster pulse rates speed the spread of venom.
  • Limit food intake if the throat is swollen.
  • Give pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen but avoid narcotics — they may suppress breathing.
  • Don’t cut into the wound or use suction to attempt to remove. It doesn’t help!

Symptoms tend to peak in the first few hours and resolve within a day. An antivenin is available that effectively treats children, the group most severely affected.

Final Thought

Off the grid, it’s important to watch out for the large predators, but it’s the smallest ones that can sometimes cause the most trouble. Know how to recognize them and treat their bites and stings.

About The Author

Joe Alton, MD, FACOG, FACS, is an actively licensed physician, medical preparedness advocate, and The New York Times bestselling author of several award-winning books, including The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide For When Help Is NOT On The Way, now in its fourth edition. His website at www.doomand
bloom.net has over 1,500 articles, videos, and podcasts on medical and disaster preparedness, as well as an entire line of quality medical kits packed in the United States.

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

 

Hands On: Clean Water To Go with the Grayl Geopress

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Dehydration kills. In 2004, a study of the National Hospital Discharge Survey discovered that, in the U.S. over 500,000 hospitalizations were a direct result of dehydration. Sadly, about 10,000 of those resulted in death. In third world countries, this statistic is far greater, with millions of people dying each year. Dig into these numbers a little bit, and you’ll find that often times, these injuries and deaths are not due to water being completely inaccessible. They’re correlated with waterborne diseases and other contaminants from lack of access to clean water.

Even if you don’t live in sub-Saharan Africa, clean drinking water may not always be readily available, especially if you find yourself in the backwoods far away from regulated municipal water sources. The water in that nearby creek might look and smell perfectly fine, but it could contain microscopic pathogens that will make your life absolutely miserable — and severely dehydrate you — if you drink it.

This is where Grayl, and their recently released GeoPress Ti comes in. This 24-ounce water bottle contains a powerful, easy-to-use water purifier, and has a few other tricks up its sleeve.

image of a titanium grayl geopress

Above: Multicolored topo map patterns have been laser-etched onto the titanium, adding a little visual flair to the exterior.

Grayl Geopress Ti: Design and Build Quality

When it comes to portable water purifiers, durability is paramount. As the name suggests, the GeoPress Ti is crafted from CP4 Grade 1 titanium, known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.

This material is not only incredibly durable but also lightweight, making the GeoPress Ti easy to carry, whether you’re hiking through rugged terrain or packing light for international travel. The laser-engraved finish adds a nice touch of aesthetic appeal, and the toughness of the material ensures it’ll hold up to serious use.

image of a grayl with outer cup removed showing the filter

Above: The two main components of the Grayl GeoPress, the outer cup and inner purifier bottle.

The GeoPress consists of two components: an outer cup and an inner Purifier Press bottle that nests inside it. The bottle portion is equipped with a replaceable, American-made filter cartridge at its base, and a SimpleVent cap with a pour spout and carry handle. Wide, butterfly-style handles on the outer titanium cup fold away when not in use.

This cup can be used in a stand-alone manner for collecting and boiling water or cooking food. However, if you run across a suspect water source, you can purify it in less than 10 seconds with the following steps:

  • Fill cup with dirty water.
  • Position purifier bottle on top of cup on a flat surface and twist the SimpleVent cap ½ turn to allow air to pass through.
  • Using your body weight, press down steadily with both hands until the bottle reaches the bottom of the cup.

Image of gryal georpress among outdoor gear with stove

Above: Since the GeoPress Ti cup is metal, it can be placed onto a stove to boil water or cook food. 

Grayl GeoPress Ti: Performance in the Field

No review would be complete without real-world testing, and I put the GeoPress Ti to the ultimate challenge. For 10 days, I relied solely on water from a cattle watering hole in Texas, a source so contaminated with feces and other pollutants that it was undrinkable by any conventional means.

The GeoPress Ti not only purified the water, but it did so with remarkable efficiency. I was able to use the purified water for everything from drinking and cooking to hygiene and cleaning. Since then, it’s been a critical piece of gear that accompanies me on every wilderness outing.

Grayl’s OnePress global filtration and purification system is the heart of the GeoPress Ti, allowing you to transform the world’s most dubious freshwater sources into clean, drinkable water in just 8 seconds. Independent lab testing shows that the system removes 99.99 percent of viruses, 99.9999 percent of bacteria, and 99.9 percent of protozoan cysts, including the likes of Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus.

It also filters out particulates, such as silt and microplastics, while activated carbon adsorbs chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, and odors. In my case, the purifier effectively neutralized the filthiest water I’ve ever encountered, providing me with safe hydration despite the austere conditions.

One of the most impressive aspects of the GeoPress Ti is its flow rate. The ability to purify 24 ounces of water in just 8 seconds is a game-changer, especially when you’re in a situation where time is of the essence.

image of grayl geopress with optional stove

Grayl’s micro stove is incredibly small and lightweight, but provides a fast way to boil water in the cup. Fuel is sold separately but easily found at Walmart or any camping store.

Multi-Functional Capabilities

While the GeoPress Ti excels at water purification, capabilities extend far beyond that. The titanium construction allows the outer cup to be used as a cooking vessel for heating water over hot coals or cooking a simple meal. Butterfly handles provide a stable grip, ensuring that you can safely pick up the cup even when it’s hot.

Built into the purifier cartridge is a one-way silicone valve, another clever feature that adds to the versatility of this device. It allows you to add electrolytes or a sports drink mix to your water without compromising the integrity of the filter cartridge. This is particularly useful for those long days in the field when you need more than just water to keep going. The valve also enables the use of any other potable beverage.

During my 10-day test, I also appreciated the SimpleVent cap, which protects the spout from cross-contamination and provides a fast flow of water. Whether you’re chugging water on the go or filling a hydration reservoir, the wide contoured spout pours with ease.

Durability and Longevity

One of the key selling points of the GeoPress Ti is its durability. This purifier is built to withstand the harshest conditions, including a 10-foot drop at full capacity onto concrete. I’m not always gentle with my gear, so I appreciate this sturdy design.

The purifier cartridge is rated for 350 cycles, or about 65 gallons (250 liters) of water, before it needs to be replaced. Even after prolonged use, I found that the cartridge maintained its effectiveness, with press times only gradually increasing as the cartridge reached the end of its lifespan. With a shelf life of up to a decade for an unopened cartridge, it’ll remain ready for years to come.

image of the grayl geopress ready to use

Above: The Gryal GeoPress is easy to use, just fill the outer cup and press the internal filter cup down for fresh clean water. 

Ease of Use

In a survival situation, simplicity is key. The GeoPress Ti’s design ensures that it’s easy to use, even under stressful conditions. The Fill-Press-Drink system is intuitive, allowing you to quickly purify water without the need for complicated setup, cleaning, or maintenance. Whether you’re filtering water from a stream, a stagnant pond, or a contaminated source like the cattle watering hole I encountered, the GeoPress Ti makes the process straightforward and efficient.

The ergonomic SoftPress Pads provide a comfortable, non-slip surface for pressing, while the SimpleVent Drink Cap allows for easy venting during the filtration process. The result is a purification system that’s not only effective but also user-friendly.

Our only concern relates to stand-alone use of the outer cup. If it’s filled with dirty water for the purifier, it should be considered contaminated, but it would be easy to pack it away and use it later for a meal. If the cup isn’t thoroughly sanitized between these uses, it might introduce the exact pathogens you’re trying to avoid drinking into your food.

Grayl offers suggestions for how to avoid cross-contamination, such as washing the cup with soap and water or using it to bring water to a rolling boil. Regardless of the method you use, don’t forget to clean the cup before drinking or eating from it directly, otherwise you might regret it.

Practical Applications

The GeoPress Ti is designed for a wide range of users, from outdoor enthusiasts and survivalists to international travelers and overlanders. If you’re someone who frequently finds yourself in environments where clean water is not guaranteed, the GeoPress Ti is an invaluable tool.

Its ability to purify water from virtually any freshwater source makes it ideal for backcountry adventures, international travel in regions with questionable water quality, and emergency preparedness. Some people will even find it handy on vacations to towns in the U.S. where the local drinking water may be less than ideal.

For outdoor recreationalists, the GeoPress Ti offers the added benefit of being able to cook and boil water in the field, reducing the need to carry multiple pieces of gear. Grayl also offers a GeoPress Ti cook lid ($25) which fits the outer cup, and a Titanium Dining Set ($53) with a plate, bowl, and spork that match the GeoPress.

Lastly, there’s a Titanium Camp Stove ($23), which attaches to isobutane fuel canisters from any camping store and can be used for cooking or boiling water. This micro-stove folds up into a tiny bag and weighs only 28 grams (not including fuel).

Image of a Geopress in carry bag with Offgrid patch

Above: Grayl also offers this BottleLock Hip Pack ($160) which is made in the USA in your choice of MultiCam pattern (Black, Arid, Tropic, or Alpine). Its 4.5-liter capacity is perfect for small tools, snacks, maps, and other items.

Final Thoughts

My experience using the GeoPress Ti while living off stagnant cattle bath water for 10 days has left me thoroughly impressed with its capabilities. From its titanium construction and rapid purification system to its versatility as a cooking vessel and its user-friendly design, the GeoPress is a great piece of kit and an efficient water purification solution. With the ability to purify the world’s most challenging freshwater sources, this purifier is ready to take on any adventure.

Grayl GeoPress Ti: Specs and Availability

Volume: 24oz
Weight: 20.1 ounces
Cartridge Lifespan: 350 cycles (65 gallons / 250 liters)
MSRP: $220
URL: grayl.com

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The Waffle House Index: Measuring Storm Intensity with Waffles?

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On the internet, it's wise to take everything you read with a healthy dose of skepticism. There are plenty of half-truths and outright lies online, so when you hear something outlandish, there's a good chance it's a falsehood spread through social media posts and unscrupulous blogs. However, there are a handful of cases where these outlandish claims are legitimate, the Waffle House Index is one such example.

Image of a Waffle House Waffle

Above: Waffle House as a disaster measurement tool? Sounds crazy, but it actually works.

Waffles Predicting Weather Severity?

It may be hard to believe, but the Waffle House Index is a real metric used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to measure the scale and severity of a storm. It's based on the casual restaurant chain with more than 2,000 locations throughout the southern United States. Every Waffle House location is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and the chain has become famous for staying open during severe weather.

Image of a Waffle House Restaurant sign

Above: The Iconic Waffle House Sign. Photo by: Flickr / Steve Snodgrass

It's not unheard of for a restaurant to stay open rain or shine, but you may be thinking that a city-wide power outage would surely cause Waffle House to close its doors. Not so — the company actually has an impressive disaster response plan in place. Popular Science reports, “Waffle House is a leader in disaster preparedness. It maintains its own fleet of portable generators, operates a mobile command center to assist in disaster recovery, and trains employees in crisis management to ensure that it can resume operations as quickly as possible, often within hours. And since 2012, it reports all this information directly to FEMA via email.”

The “Special” Menu

There's a special limited menu for when generators are in use or food supplies are running low, but Waffle House won't close unless it's absolutely necessary. Locations in Joplin, Missouri stayed open even as a multiple-vortex EF5 tornado struck the city.

Image of a Waffle House Restaurant torn apart by Hurricane Katrina on the Biloxi, Mississippi coast.

Above: This Waffle House on the Biloxi, Mississippi coast was torn to shreds by Hurricane Katrina. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress

The Waffle House Index

When Waffle House closes due to a storm, there's serious cause for concern. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate coined the term, and told the Wall Street Journal, “If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad. That's when you go to work.” This led to the development of the Waffle House Index as an informal metric for measuring the effects of storms, hurricanes, and even tornadoes. The index has three levels:

  • Green – The situation is relatively normal, and the restaurant is still serving its full menu. Power outages and structural damage are unlikely.
  • Yellow – The restaurant is serving a limited menu, and may be operating with a generator and/or limited food reserves.
  • Red – The restaurant is closed. This typically happens only if structural damage is severe or food reserves have run out.

While the Waffle House Index isn't a formal measurement of disasters, it's still a real metric tracked by FEMA — believe it or not. So, if you're ever in a Waffle House and employees start closing up shop during a storm, you'd better get out of Dodge ASAP.

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The Full Spectrum Warrior

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Shoot, move, communicate — these three skills are critical to your success in any gunfight. Unfortunately, many modern firearms training programs only address shooting, encouraging students to build technical proficiency by standing on a flat range and punching holes in paper targets, month after month and year after year. Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Rich Graham set out to build a more well-rounded and realistic curriculum through his training company Full Spectrum Warrior.

Rather than only three skills, the FSW program is based on 12 pillars, which include health (diet, physical, and mental), movement and strength, communication and teamwork, situational awareness, work ethic and attitude, integrity, and, of course, being dangerous enough to “be a victor, not a victim.” Recently, Safariland invited me to attend an intense two-day training event at the FSW ranch in central Florida. Read on for some lessons learned from this experience.

After flying into Orlando and driving about an hour north, I arrived at Deep Woods Ranch, a piece of private land owned and operated by Full Spectrum Warrior. The name is certainly fitting, since it’s surrounded by the Ocala National Forest and features a mixture of sandy terrain, dense forest, and open swampland.

Graham has put in years of work to transform it into his ideal training playground, complete with dozens of steel targets, an obstacle course, various decommissioned military and police vehicles, a driving course, multiple climbing walls, conex boxes, elevated shooting platforms, and a CQB shoot house. Naturally, when Safariland wanted to gather some media personnel to try its latest holsters and gear, this was the perfect place to do it.

Image of a Walther PDP handgun

Above: During the course, attendees used Walther PDPs outfitted with C&H Direct Mount optics, Modlite PL350C lights, Safariland holsters, and ammo from Remington and Federal.

 

Full Spectrum Warrior: Equipment

Each attendee loaded up with a loaner Walther PDP handgun, which was equipped with a direct-mount red dot from C&H Precision and a prototype of the new PL350C weaponlight from Modlite. For close-range drills, we used frangible 9mm from Federal; the rest of the time we shot Remington Range ammo.

We were also outfitted with Safariland Liberator HP 2.0 ear protection, a Bianchi nylon web belt, a Bianchi double mag pouch, and a light-bearing Safariland 6000-series holster with Level I retention. Speaking of which …

imaage of a man with a safariland holster

Above: Safariland Kydex Holster used with the Walther PDP during the course.

A Note About Retention Levels

Safariland says that one of the most common questions they receive from new holster buyers is: What’s the difference between retention Levels I, II, and III? Let’s take a moment to clear that up.

A standard molded Kydex holster, such as those often used for competition and concealed carry, is not considered an active retention holster friction is the only thing holding the gun in place. To enhance security, levels of active retention are added so that the weapon requires more deliberate actions before it detaches from the holster. Per Safariland’s definition, each level of active retention requires an additional hand movement before the user can remove the weapon.

  • Level I is the Safariland ALS system, a thumb lever that must be pressed forward as the gun is drawn. The 6354RDSO holsters we used at this event were set up with ALS only (Level I).
  • Level II adds a secondary guard that must be disabled with two movements. For Safariland, this will be either the SLS strap alone or an ALS system with the optional ALS Guard add-on.
  • Level III requires three manual hand movements to release the weapon. Safariland’s popular ALS/SLS duty holsters are a good example of this level.

Obviously, each of these levels is a compromise between speed and security. A Level I holster makes it easier for the user to draw the weapon quickly, but also creates less barriers for a bad guy who might want to fight you for that weapon. Whether you’re a prepared citizen, competition shooter, cop, or member of the military, you should keep this delicate balance in mind as you choose a holster.
Hand-to-Hand Skills

image of men practicing hand to hand combat at the fill spectrum warrior course

Above: During a hands-on fight, disrupting an attacker’s vision by turning his head can create an opening to break free or counterattack.

Full Spectrum Warrior: Hand-to-Hand Skills

Our first training exercise involved learning to defend against something anyone who open-carries a firearm should prepare for: a “bad guy” attempting to take your gun. Thankfully, working with an active retention holster makes this task much less daunting. I was paired up face-to-face with a partner who was tasked with deactivating the Safariland ALS Level I retention on my holster.

This is not an easy task, especially with the included ALS Hood Guard blocking access to the ALS release lever. Once I realized that my opponent wasn’t going to be able to snatch my gun quickly, I developed enough confidence to focus on defending and counterattacking rather than protecting the gun.

While old-school law enforcement training taught officers to pin the gun into the holster in the event of a hands-on fight, Graham encouraged us not to do this with our Safariland ALS holsters. Instead, I learned to use one forearm to deflect the hand that’s reaching for the gun, and the other forearm to redirect the bad guy’s head. As soon as my opponent couldn’t see me, it opened the door to move away or strike other weak points.

It’s also wise to use footwork to make the holster harder for an opponent to access. Rather than turning my dominant side toward my opponent, I rotated that side of my body away from the attacker to put the gun further out of reach as I defended myself. Above all, I made sure not to let my partner get behind me, as this would make it relatively easy for him to take my gun out of the holster, given that he knows how to operate its retention system. This may sound obvious, but it’s something you might not do in the heat of the moment unless you’ve practiced it.

Next, I learned what to do if my gun is already out of the holster when a physical fight takes place. A circular “hack” strike with the muzzle of the gun, similar to the motion of repeated overhand stabs with an ice pick, can be used to disorient an assailant long enough to take a few steps back and shoot. I practiced this on a padded stick swung slowly toward me by my partner, using my peripheral vision as a cue to react.

The absolute worst-case scenario is when an opponent manages to get his hands on your gun while it’s drawn. With good situational awareness and spatial management, this shouldn’t happen, but Murphy’s Law still applies. In one simultaneous movement, strike the opponent’s forearms with your support hand forearm and violently pull the pistol back toward your body this should be enough to break his grip. As a bonus, the front sight and slide serrations will cut into his hand if he attempts to hold on tight. I practiced each of these movements with a Umarex blue gun PDP replica and learned how hard it can be to wrestle for control of a weapon.

Image of two men doing a Full Spectrum Warrior Training Drill using Paintball guns and holstered hand guns in safariland holsters

Above: We used Umarex paintball guns to practice muzzle discipline in a crowded, chaotic environment. As other students walked near the line of fire, the muzzle was deflected to a safe direction.

Full Spectrum Warrior: Movement & Muzzle Discipline

“Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.” This is a safety rule we’ve all heard, but what constitutes “a safe direction” in a real-world setting like a crowded mall or multistory office building with people above, below, and all around you? That’s a lot more complicated. You may need to keep the gun pointed up, down, in a very specific direction, or switch seamlessly between these positions. It’s not like a flat range, where you know you can always keep the gun aimed into the berm.

To practice these skills, I was given a Umarex paintball training pistol and instructed to shoot targets while walking through a crowd of other students milling around at random. Some walked slowly, while others ran or even bumped into me. Whenever someone approached my line of fire, I immediately diverted the gun to a safe direction.

During this exercise, Graham occasionally shouted “Behind you!” to prompt a quick 180-degree turn and engagement of another target, all while maintaining continuous muzzle discipline. This visually and mentally challenging exercise is one of the best ways I’ve seen an instructor teach muzzle awareness in a realistic setting.

Full Spectrum Warrior: CQB Techniques

The FSW facility has a plywood shoot house with a variety of rooms, corridors, and intersections, and we made good use of it to learn two-man close quarters battle (CQB) skills. Anyone who’s worked on CQB knows this is a skill set that can’t be mastered in a few short hours, so we worked on the most fundamental aspects.

Students practiced leaning or hinging around corners to methodically “take bites” of the room while minimizing their own exposure and learned the basic steps of entering closed rooms.
In general, for an inward-opening doorway …

  • The #1 man (aka point man) approaches the door from the hinge side, staying close to the wall.
  • The #2 man approaches from the opposite side and waits for a “ready” nod from the #1 man to open the door.
  • The #1 man keeps his muzzle up at the ready while the #2 man quickly pushes open the door.
  • As the door swings out of the way, the #1 man moves in, staying close to the inside wall and rapidly scanning the perimeter of the room.
  • The #2 man enters immediately behind him, moving the opposite direction along the inside wall and scanning the other half of the room’s perimeter.

Once inside a room, students looked for — in order of priority — armed subjects, unarmed subjects, dead space (e.g., a couch or counter that creates a visual obstruction), open doors, and closed doors. To confirm successful clearance of a room, we communicated “clear left,” “clear right,” and eventually “all clear.” Each pair of students had the opportunity to work through the shoot house with Unit Solutions paintball carbines as well as the Walther-PDP-style Umarex pistols in our Safariland holsters.

Full Spectrum Warrior: Low-Light Shooting

At the end of the first day of training, students stayed after sunset to practice shooting with white light. I worked around VTAC barricades to shoot over, under, and through their various openings. The Modlite PL350C on my PDP cut through the darkness and gave me a clear view of the steel plates downrange.

image of a man with a hand gun safariland holster behind a pickup truck during the full spectrum warrior course

Above: Valuable lessons from the course, vehicles don’t provide much hard cover.

Full Spectrum Warrior: Vehicle Combatives

Here’s another skill set many of us haven’t had an opportunity to practice. The FSW facility allowed me to get in some reps shooting out of and around vehicles, and also to practice evasive maneuvers while driving between shooting positions. Students worked in driver/passenger pairs, learning how to shoot through a side window or windshield. The latter tends to deflect outgoing rounds upward due to its steep angle and laminated layers, but Graham also noted that this isn’t a guarantee — he says “bullets do crazy sh*t” sometimes after passing through objects.

However, Graham explained that shooting out of your vehicle should be a last resort, because …

  • If you can drive away from danger, drive.
  • If you can’t drive away, get out and move to cover.
  • If you can’t get out, only engage the threat for as long as it takes to buy enough time to do one of the above.

To escape a vehicle, I practiced unbuckling the seatbelt with my support hand and holding the door open by planting my outside foot near the hinge. Once a gun is drawn, the dominant hand’s job is good muzzle discipline; don’t use it for leverage against the steering wheel as you climb out of the seat. As I bailed out, I stayed as low as possible and kept my gun pointed in a safe direction (in this case, up).

Once you’re outside a vehicle, Graham recommends backing away from it at least one to two steps, since this provides more field of view and more room for incoming rounds to deflect as they pass through the sheet metal or glass. Remember that vehicles don’t provide much hard cover, the engine block is the only part that’s likely to completely stop incoming rounds reliably so you should take cover elsewhere if there’s a better alternative nearby.

For our final vehicle-based exercise, we paired up in squad cars and drove rapidly through an obstacle course that involved slaloms, reversing, shooting targets out the side windows, and eventually bailing out to cover each other as we retreated to safety. This ties in with the “tactical triad” mentioned in the introduction: shoot, move, communicate.

Each partner had to shoot targets, be aware of the other’s movements, and communicate to maintain safety and provide continuous covering fire. For example, after I got into position outside the vehicle, my partner yelled “moving” and waited to hear my approving “move” command (or a disapproving “hold” command) before moving. Once he reached his next position, he shouted “set” to let me know he’d be able to cover me if I needed to move or reload.

image of a man doing an obstacle course while equipped with a handgun and safariland holster during the Full Spectrum Warrior course

Above: The Full Spectrum Warrior obstacle course tests students’ strength, agility, flexibility, and balance with a variety of challenging obstacles.

Full Spectrum Warrior: Obstacle Course

Speaking of movement, Graham places a clear emphasis on physical strength and agility with his FSW curriculum, and it’s not hard to see why. The ability to move quickly without exhaustion or injury is essential in a combat environment, as well as in the contexts of law enforcement and civilian self-defense. During the course, students tested themselves by leaping over walls, crawling under barriers, sliding through pipes, and climbing up and down various platforms.

Shooting stations were present between each obstacle, and it became increasingly tough to get good hits as my heart rate elevated from the exertion. Elements such as monkey bars and gymnast-style parallel bars tested my upper body and grip strength, and I had to climb on top of a conex box to reach one of the shooting stations.

If your idea of strenuous physical activity is jogging between two positions at the range, you may be in for a rude awakening in a real-world gunfight. Pushing myself through the FSW obstacle course was difficult and humbling, but it left me excited to work harder on these important aspects of dynamic shooting in the future.

photo of Rich Graham during a training course

Above: During his time as a sniper with SEAL Team 10, Rich Graham learned that being a true warrior is about much more than shooting or simple combatives. This led to the development of Full Spectrum Warrior and its multi-disciplinary training program.

A Full Spectrum of Skills

After two days of intense training with Graham and his FSW instructor cadre, the holsters and gear provided by Safariland held up to all the training with ease — not once did a student’s pistol go flying out of a holster, even while grappling, climbing over walls, clambering out of a vehicle, or somersaulting out of the drainage pipe on the obstacle course. The Walther PDP ran flawlessly with both the Federal frangible ammo and Remington ball ammo, and its C&H red dot kept shining brightly through the Florida sun.

Most importantly, I walked away tired and bruised but satisfied in a way that few training experiences can provide. I could’ve happily spent several days drilling down into any one of the topics Graham covered, so I can’t wait to return to Deep Woods Ranch for another course in the future.

Resources

Safariland: safariland.com
Full Spectrum Warrior: fullspectrumwarriors.com
C&H Precision: chpws.com
Walther: waltherarms.com
Modlite: modlite.com
Federal: federalpremium.com
Remington Ammunition: remington.com

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

Preparedness Essentials: Mini Survival Kit

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If we tried to account for every possible piece of equipment we would want to have in our survival kit during an emergency situation, the ideal gear loadout would probably require a 100 plus liter mountaineering pack to carry it all. For most of us, it is unrealistic to haul that much gear daily, and it would be a serious encumberment issue during an actual emergency that required movement. Beyond the obvious awkward pack size and the physical strain of carrying that much weight, the social aspect of running around with all that would definitely make you stand out from the crowd.

Survival Kits: The Eternal Struggle

In the early days of my preparedness journey, like so many others, I faced this issue. After multiple sessions of unpacking, negotiating with myself about priorities, and repacking just the “most important Items” I still found myself with a pack or sling bag that was too big or heavy to realistically be carried regularly. Which typically resulted in leaving the bag at home or in my trunk, separating me from the survival kit I would need in an emergency. As time went on, my skillset and knowledge improved. Combining that with some more real-world experience, I came to a profound realization that the best gear in an emergency is the gear you have on you!

I needed away to ensure that I always had potentially life saving equipment on my person and knew that there was a very real chance that I would be separated from my larger survival kit bag either due to an emergency or by virtue of not wanting to carry a large bag with me at all times. This is where the mini survival kit, or MSK for short, comes into play!

What is a Mini Survival Kit?

The basic principle of the mini survival kit is simple, it is a bare bones kit that you can easily keep on your person. When I began putting my MSK together, I realized it was not going to be designed to give me everything I needed to survive off the grid for days or weeks at a time. It is designed to provide some basic tools and supplies that would give me a leg up in an emergency until I could reach better equipment and tools.

Urban vs. Wilderness Survival Kit

A question I often see regarding the building of any survival kit is: should it be built for urban or wilderness environments? While dedicated full sized kits are best served for one task or the other, the mini survival kit can be well suited for both. The principles of survival are surprisingly similar in both locations. Core skills like starting a fire to keep warm and cook as well as purifying water for drinking and washing are universal needs regardless of your environment. Many of the tools I will detail when breaking down my personal mini survival kit are as well suited in the woods as they are in the city!

How To Carry a Mini Survival Kit

When it comes to how you carry your mini survival kit, personal preference is going to play a big role. Some people advocate stashing the various items on different parts of your body, but I found during high stress scenarios fumbling around your pockets to find what I needed was not advantageous. I found my personal mini survival kit to be better suited for single container carry. I tried multiple containers, including hard plastic cases, Altoids tins, and high-end billet aluminum containers. The Altoids tin was a touch on the small side, and the other plastic and aluminum boxes felt unwieldly in my pocket. Ultimately, I came to my current configuration and haven’t looked back!

Image of a mini survival kit with a compact knife and survival supplies inside

Above: The Tuff Possum Pocket Possibles Pouch with Modl Outdoors Glow in the Dark Infinity Tool and a Knives By Nuge PSK EDN

Mini Survival Kit Container

Tuff Possum Pocket Possibles Pouch: This small pouch is compact at just  3.5 x 5 inches. It is made from Durastretch nylon that is both lightweight and tough. It features a quality YKK zipper and has rubberized tabs at each end. Despite the small size, the Pocket Possibles Pouch can hold a fair amount of kit thanks to the center zipper and stretchy material.

Modl Infinity Tool: A small tool with so many purposes. This glow in the dark version acts as my grab handle for the pouch but can also be used to as a way to attach or hang the pouch if needed or act as a signal device while it glows in the dark if you need to conserve battery power on your other light sources.

Image of a pouch and small tools outside of a mini survival kit

Above: Some of the Tools in my Mini Survival Kit. Vargo Titanium Whistle, Olight I3E EOS, Fisher Bullet Space Pen, and a Knives By Nuge PSK EDN

Mini Survival Kit Tools

Knives by Nuge PSK EDN: This simple high carbon steel knife and basic kydex sheath combo ensure that I have a cutting tool when I need it. This knife sports a 2-inch scandi grind blade and an overall length of just 4.25 inches. While it is not big enough to be a comfortable all-day user, it a very functional or durable backup blade. The Scandi grind is ideal for processing wood to carve makeshift tools or make tinder for a fire, and it can be easily sharpened on any flat stone you find if needed. The spine is ground to a 90-degree angle, allowing for scraping tasks and striking a ferrocerium rod to make fire.

Vargo Outdoors Titanium Whistle: This whistle is small and super lightweight, but it makes a big sound! It weighs a mere tenth of an ounce and produces 100+ decibels, making it an ideal signaling device to alert search and rescue personnel of your location while expending very little energy.

Fisher Bullet Space Pen: This compact pen is capable of writing in just about any environment, including underwater, or as the name indicates in space. This is particularly helpful in wet or cold environments where most pens would not be functional. While the pen is an often-overlooked piece of survival equipment the ability to take notes or leave messages can be invaluable if you want to leave a warning about a threat in the area to others or need to move from a location and you want to let people know where you were moving and why.

Olight I3E EOS: This tiny flashlight runs on a single AAA battery and produces an impressive 90 lumens. It will run from 45 to 90 minutes depending on the quality of the battery used, making it an ideal backup light or emergency use light. Flashlights not only enable us to better navigate in the dark, they can also serve as a valuable signaling device if stuck outdoors at night.

ITS Tactical First Strike Bypass Bundle: This kit contains a variety of tools that are designed to help bypass several different types of locks. While bypass tools are not as effective at defeating locks as a traditional pick set, they can defeat many padlock and combination locks quickly and requires less technical skill to use, which may be particularly valuable in low light environments.

Mini Ferrocerium Rod: Ferro rods are a great option to help get fires started, especially in cold, wet, or windy environments. The sparks coming off a ferro rod can be over 5000 degrees Fahrenheit, which will quickly ignite many flammable materials. In this kit, I would use the spine of the PSK EDN to strike the ferro rod. While ferro rods are effective, they do require some practice, so be sure to train with your tools before you rely on them!

assorted fires starting and emergency supplies from the inside of a mini survival kit

Above: A few more tools including the ITS Tactical First Strike Bypass Bundle and mini ferro rod along with some of the supplies that make the kit work.

Mini Survival Kit Supplies

Basic First Aid: I keep first aid pretty bare bones with a few bandages, some Steristrips for larger cuts, antibiotic gel, sting relief, and burn cream. While none of this covers any catastrophic injuries, it covers a majority of the minor injuries that can occur while moving quickly.

Water: I have a 1 liter whirl pack bag and a chemical purification agent that will allow me to treat river water or even some urban water supplies to ensure I stay hydrated in the short term. Dehydration has a terrible impact on our bodies, making us physically weak and mentally dull. Having easy access to drinkable water during an emergency allows us to keep moving until we can reach a better solution.

Fire: Storm Matches and Black Beard Fire Plugs are a great way to get a fire going even in adverse conditions. I have a lot of fire redundancy in this kit, but fire is a universal resource in both wilderness and urban survival situations. While many people don’t initially think that fire is valuable in a urban environment, you’ll quickly change your mind when you are forced to dumpster dive for food and want to cook your find to ensure you are killing off any harmful microbes on that food!

Duct Tape: Let’s be real, no survival kit is complete without some duct tape! From repairing gear to binding a wound a duct tape is an invaluable resource that should not be overlooked.

Kevlar Cord and Snare Wire: Kevlar Cord can be used to bind things if needed, replace busted shoelace, or even cut through materials such as the plastic often used in restraints such as zip ties and thick duct tape. Snare wire is primarily used for trapping small animals should you need a meal but can also be used for a variety of other purposes such as setting up perimeter warning systems so you can get out fast before a potential threat reaches you.

Button Compass: While the compact button compass is not the most reliable means of navigation, it may be enough to help you get your bearings and get you moving in the right direction.

Image of a mini survival kit along with everyday carry items

Above: Some of my regular EDC items including a Failsafe Goods Field Wallet that holds a pen, notebook, and Wazoo Gear FireCard and a Knives by Nuge Sheepsfoot Chickpea along side my Mini Survival Kit

Final Thoughts

When I put this kit together, I built it to complement the gear that I would normally carry on a regular basis, but I wanted to ensure it could stand alone if needed. I keep my normal everyday carry pretty simple with a fixed blade knife, a flashlight, a Wazoo Spark Necklace as well as a wallet with a pen, notebook, and Wazoo FireCard. In an emergency, I already have my primary cutting tool, the ability to make fire, something to light the way, and can take notes or leave messages if needed. I purposely built redundancy into the mini survival kit should I become separated from my primary tools or experience equipment failure. While this kit will not sustain me over the long-term, each of these items presents a significant advantage during a variety of wilderness or urban emergencies allowing me to focus on fast movement to reach a secure and better equipped location instead of spending valuable time trying to find resources to accomplish essential life sustaining tasks.

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The Way of the Wheelgun

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Wheelguns are obsolete — or at least that’s what internet commenters and the self-proclaimed experts behind the counter at your local gun store will probably tell you. Granted, modern semi-automatic pistols offer some substantial advantages over wheelguns, including higher capacity, faster reloads, light and precise triggers, and the ability to easily install accessories such as weapon lights.

I’ll admit I prefer shooting my Glocks and other semi-autos, and I consider them much better primary defensive weapons for everyday carry. However, that certainly doesn’t mean there’s no place for the revolver in today’s market. After taking a two-day practical revolver class with instructors Ed Calderon of Ed’s Manifesto and Raul Martinez of Rogue Methods, I’m fully convinced that the revolver is still a valuable and deadly tool under the right circumstances.

This course is called La Chata, the Spanish term for flat, stubby, or — most relevant in this case — snub-nosed. Calderon and Martinez, both of whom have appeared in the pages of previous issues of this magazine to discuss their extensive real-world experiences in hostile environments, teamed up to teach this two-day class at the Pro Gun Vegas shooting range in Boulder City, Nevada.

Calderon spent more than a decade chasing drug runners and violent cartel members as a member of Mexican law enforcement, while Martinez grew up on the mean streets of Chicago, deployed to Iraq with the U.S. Army, and returned home to work on a Chicago Police Department undercover narcotics team. The duo has considerable firsthand experience with street violence, all of which was integrated into the La Chata course curriculum.

instructors Logan Prather of Send Me Training & Consulting, Raul Martinez of Rogue Methods, and Ed Calderon of Ed’s Manifesto and the Manifesto Radio Podcast.

Above: Instructors from left to right – Logan Prather of Send Me Training & Consulting, Raul Martinez of Rogue Methods, and Ed Calderon of Ed’s Manifesto and the Manifesto Radio Podcast.

The Wheelgun: A Tool with a Specific Purpose

The class began with a simple question: Why choose a revolver? In simplest terms, it’s a tool for solving problems quickly in extremely close quarters. If you’re trying to hit a small target at extended range or might end up in a drawn-out firefight, it’s not the ideal choice. Even for a skilled shooter, reloads are slow and the long, heavy double-action trigger pull can be challenging. But if you’re in a situation that involves using surprise to your advantage, firing two or three shots at close to contact distance, and then making a quick escape, a revolver excels.

Much of what we know about fighting with revolvers comes from the criminal underworld, or as Calderon puts it, “murdery sh*t.” Revolvers are the preferred tool of many sicarios throughout the third world due to their widespread availability, reliability, ease of concealment, and the fact that they don’t leave behind evidence (spent casings). In America, these so-called Saturday night specials are also cheap enough to be disposed of or destroyed after a crime, eliminating the evidence trail.

Among these users, deep concealment is a way of life and holsters are a foreign concept — they’ll just tuck the gun into their waistband, pocket, or even a bag of food where it can be accessed and fired in a split second. Some will even cut off the trigger guard and shave down the hammer spur to make it easier to fire from inside concealment layers (this is commonly known as a Fitz Special). Unlike semi-automatics, revolvers don’t rely on a reciprocating slide that can get hung up on clothing or pushed out of battery by an opponent in a hands-on fight.

For those of us who carry fine-tuned semi-auto handguns with upgraded triggers, red-dot sights, compensators, and Kydex holsters, the idea of carrying a tiny snub-nose in a pocket might seem as jarring as trading in a Lamborghini for a Toyota Tercel. But unless you’re extremely dedicated to dressing and planning your day around that semi-auto, you’ll probably encounter situations where an ultralight revolver makes a lot of sense.

These might include going for a run in gym shorts, doing yard work, or simply carrying inside your own house. The wheelgun is miles better than going unarmed, and it can buy you time to get to another weapon if the situation deteriorates. Revolvers also make outstanding backup guns for those who carry in the line of duty.

Image of two wheelguns with kydex holsters

Above: In addition to my primary revolver, the red-dot-equipped Taurus 856 T.O.R.O. I also tested a more compact 856 model with 2-inch barrel and bobbed hammer. The latter is preferable for deep concealment.

Wheelgun Caliber Considerations

So, what caliber should you go with? According to Calderon, that question isn’t as significant as you might think. During his time working in Mexican law enforcement, he frequently found cheap .22 LR revolvers at crime scenes. While some of you may scoff at the idea of using a rimfire weapon for self-defense, those small bullets are extremely effective when applied to the right place in the right quantity.

At one point in Calderon’s career, a killer referred to his small-caliber wheelgun as a “stapler” due to his preferred method of use — press the muzzle into the victim, mash the trigger a few times, and walk away. In this context, the size and power of the round is almost meaningless; shot placement and violence of action will end the fight before it begins.

Calderon’s preferred calibers for revolvers are .22LR and 9mm (i.e., the Ruger LCR), followed closely by .38 Special. This is a byproduct of their availability more than ballistic effectiveness; any one of them will be lethal if it’s fired into vital areas at contact distance.
Reliability and Safety

Revolvers may be reliable, but they’re absolutely not failure-proof. One common issue, especially among shooters who are used to semi-autos, is short stroking the trigger. While attempting to fire several rounds quickly, the shooter may not release the trigger far enough to reset the hammer, causing the second trigger press to go “click” when it’s supposed to go “bang.” If the gun gets hot and/or dirty, spent brass may stick in the cylinder, making reloads difficult.

Even worse, the case rim can slide in front of the ejector, causing the ejector to become ineffective and preventing the cylinder from closing until the case has been removed. Speaking of reloads, they should be treated much like a malfunction — Calderon explained that reloading a revolver during a fight will usually be impossible, so learn to work with the contents of the cylinder and don’t empty the gun without another weapon or an escape plan.

Regarding safety, a modern double-action revolver’s heavy trigger makes it reasonably safe to carry in a pocket but be sure to avoid carrying anything else in that pocket that might press or snag the trigger. Protecting the trigger with something like a Kydex trigger sheath tethered to the lining of the pocket is a wise safety measure.

If your clothing allows, inside-the-waistband Kydex holsters are also a good way to secure the gun — in a situation where a fight seems imminent, the gun can be discreetly removed from the holster and staged in a pocket for faster access. Lastly, at contact distances, especially while grappling, it’s all too easy to sweep yourself with the muzzle of a snub-nose revolver. Be extremely cautious about where you put your non-dominant hand while firing one-handed, or how you position your support hand while firing two-handed.

image of man with a wheelgun cup close to a target

Above: A student practices ducking an incoming strike and moving around for double underhooks. In this position, it’s much easier to control an attacker.

Put Your Wheelgun to Work

As mentioned earlier, the snub-nose revolver is an up close and personal tool, and that means that many of the ways it can be used will seem gruesome. But if you’re in a fight for your life, you’ll do whatever it takes to survive. Calderon began the discussion about vital targets with a PowerPoint slide about shooting opponents in the face. The “T-box” formed by the nose and ocular cavity can easily be penetrated even by low-velocity rimfire rounds, so he recommended visualizing a bright red clown nose.

on your target and aiming for that (if you have a phobia of clowns or have watched It too many times, that should be easy enough). In confined spaces, sweeping your dominant hand up the target’s chest and pressing the muzzle into the chin is another option. Outside of headshots, shots to center mass (the heart or lungs) and the pelvic girdle (hip bone structure and femoral arteries) are likely to stop a threat quickly. Since the typical engagement distance with a revolver shouldn’t be much beyond arm’s reach, hitting these targets shouldn’t be difficult.

As with many Ed’s Manifesto classes I’ve taken over the years, the classroom portion incorporated analysis of real videos of street killings. Students watched several examples of sicarios in Mexico and South America casually walking up to targeted individuals in public places, looking around for witnesses, and then firing one round into the back of the victim’s head at contact distance. Typically, the assassin bends over to deliver one or two more finishing shots, then simply walks away.

These attacks are over in the blink of an eye and rarely involve more than three shots. In another example, a killer approaches a victim with both hands in his jacket pockets, turns his head to ask a question about something nearby, and uses the momentary distraction to fire a revolver through his jacket pocket into the victim’s groin. The victim crumples to the ground as if a string holding him upright had suddenly been cut.

Obviously, the purpose of studying these vicious criminal acts is not to encourage students to commit similar crimes. It’s to show that the revolver is an extremely potent weapon in deep-concealed, close-range settings, and that the “bad guys” are well aware of this fact — understanding this can help you turn the tables and avoid being victimized.

Instructor and student having a discussion

Above: Each student started with an empty gun and practiced drawing and dry-firing to get used to the feel and trigger weight of a revolver. For hands-on drills, inert green plastic guns were used.

Wheelgun Drills on the Range

Once we left the classroom, the range portion of the class was led by Martinez and a third instructor, Logan Prather of Send Me Training & Consulting in Oklahoma. We began by working on the fundamentals of our draw with empty guns. From a holster, Prather said your draw should be no different from any other semi-auto, but recommended practicing various starting points for the draw process — hands up, arms crossed over the chest, hands together at the waistline, and so on. If you’re not using a belt-mounted holster, Martinez says it's a good idea to sweep the support hand across the outside of the cover garment, indexing the gun and ensuring it hasn’t moved unexpectedly before the draw.

  • To grip a revolver, hook the support hand thumb down over the dominant hand thumb. If you use a thumbs-forward grip like a semi-auto and you have large hands, you may burn your thumb due to gas escaping between the front of the cylinder and the barrel (i.e., cylinder gap). Martinez called this a “self-correcting mistake” since you’ll only do it once.
  • For reloads, all of the instructors made one thing clear — there’s no fast way to reload, only slightly less slow ways. Rather than going down the rabbit hole of moon clips and speed loaders that might shave a small amount of time off a long process, we simply learned to work as quickly as possible with loose rounds from a pocket.
  •  To start a reload, hold the frame of the gun in the palm of the support hand, open the cylinder, and use the support hand’s middle and ring fingers to grip the cylinder, preventing it from flipping closed.
  • Tilt the gun back and press the ejector rod, either with your support hand thumb or the palm of your dominant hand.
    Hold the gun flat in your palm again and feed rounds into the cylinder with your dominant hand. (This hand generally has more dexterity for handling loose rounds.)
  • Close the cylinder and transfer the gun back into your dominant hand.

At the beginning of the second day, we started with a cold drill involving five shots, a reload, and five more shots as fast as possible. The instructors’ best time was 12.38 seconds — quite impressive but also a reminder of how much slower these reloads are than a semi-auto magazine change. My best time was just over 20 seconds, which is said to be fairly typical for students who are new to the revolver platform.

three images of wheelgun close combat training

Above: A student practices ducking an incoming strike and moving around for double underhooks. In this position, it’s much easier to control an attacker.

Hands-On Gunfighting

Since we’ve established that snub-nose wheelguns are close-range tools, it’s critical to be prepared for the other aspect of that reality: you’re close enough that the opponent can grab you and/or your gun. Martinez has considerable experience in this field, so he passed on some lessons and let us fight each other over control of inert training guns.

If an opponent lunges at you, take a wide and aggressive stance and square your hips to him. One quick redirect strategy is to grab the opponent’s wrist with one hand and grab his shirt collar with the other, pushing up and out to redirect his head away from the fight. In the event that you’re unable to redirect or create distance, move in rapidly and go for control. Martinez recommends the clinch technique known as double underhooks — this means hooking your lower arm under the opponent’s arm, ducking under his armpit, and circling the other arm around the torso.

If the underhook is blocked from one side, go for the other side. Once you’re behind your opponent with double underhooks, you’ve established physical control and can maneuver into a rear choke or pin the opponent to the ground with relative ease.
If you’re going in for a hands-on fight, having a gun in hand already may be a significant disadvantage, since a stronger and faster opponent may be able to take control of it before you can use it.

Only draw the gun when you’re confident you can prevent this. To build that confidence, each student paired up with another and practiced controlling the gun while grappling, then switched and tried to take it away from their partner. Since we had an odd number of students, I was paired up with Martinez himself, and he made quick work of folding me into a pretzel.

Ideally, a fight in the real world shouldn’t come to this — you can palm the gun ahead of time or maneuver your body to draw from an angle your adversary won’t be able to see. One of the fundamentals of fighting with a concealed revolver is that the bad guy never gets to see the gun, they only get to feel it once it’s used against them. Speaking of which …

image of a man drawing wheel from concealed position close to a target

Above: Unlike a semi-auto, a revolver can be fired reliably from within a cover garment. This method of defense can surprise an attacker who thinks he has the upper hand.

Shooting Wheelguns From Concealment

With most concealed-carry weapons, you’ll clear your cover garment, draw the weapon, and then use it. With wheelguns, you can skip straight to the last step. The final exercises in the La Chata course involved firing our guns from inside cover garments. Each student brought an old sweatshirt or jacket, gripped the gun inside the pocket, and fired into a target to see the effectiveness.

Those with bobbed hammers (i.e., no external hammer spur) fared better, since the hammer couldn’t snag on fabric inside the pocket, but even revolvers with traditional hammers functioned smoothly for the most part. It’s surprisingly easy to walk up to a target and send six rounds of .38 into the waistline without showing any signs of carrying a firearm until it goes bang.

Expanding upon this lesson, we worked on multi-step drills that started with firing from concealment, then drawing and firing again from a retention position near the waist, and finally backing up to fire from full extension. During these drills, red balloons were placed on targets to represent vital areas and provide immediate feedback for hits.

 

man firing a wheelgun through a bag of chips

Lessons From The Real World: The Spiciest Snack

Here’s a deep concealment lesson based on real-life experience. While working for Chicago P.D., Martinez rolled up on a group of gang members hanging out on a street corner. As they scattered and ran, one threw a bag of chips he had been eating out of … and the bag made a clank when it hit the pavement. Upon closer inspection, there was a revolver hidden among the chips, ready to be pointed and fired through the bag at any moment.

One of the students in our class tested the technique, and aside from leaving behind a cloud of chili-and-lime-flavored dust in the air, the revolver functioned perfectly. Keep this in mind the next time you see someone sketchy carrying a bag of snacks in public.

 

 

image of a Taurus 856 T.O.R.O. Wheelgun

Featured Wheelgun: Optics Ready: Taurus 856 T.O.R.O.

Feature-rich semi-auto pistols and simple, compact revolvers may seem like two distinct categories, but what if there was a midpoint between the two? That’s exactly what Taurus set out to create with the introduction of the Taurus Optics Ready Option (T.O.R.O.) series of revolvers. Serving as the industry’s first factory red-dot-ready small-frame wheelgun series, these revolvers include a removable optic plate that’s compatible with Holosun K series optics such as the 407K, 507K, EPS, and EPS Carry.

During this class, I primarily used a Taurus Defender 856 T.O.R.O. equipped with a Holosun EPS Carry red dot. The 856 features a 3-inch barrel, smooth double-action trigger, compact rubberized grip, and it can be loaded with six rounds of .38 Special +P ammo. (A five-shot .357 Magnum version of the same gun, the 605 T.O.R.O., is also offered by Taurus.)

This revolver is available in matte black finish, but I preferred the classic bead-blasted stainless finish seen here. The 856 ran flawlessly during the entire course, with roughly 400 rounds fired in two days and no cleaning in between. The optic held zero nicely, and led to substantial interest from instructors and other students who hadn’t previously tried a small-frame revolver with a red dot. At an MSRP of $455, I’d consider this a very good value, especially for semi-auto shooters who might want to try dabbling in the revolver world for the first time.

When we weren’t doing deep concealment work, I carried the gun in a Monocle Kydex holster from Harry’s Holsters, which is specifically designed for the T.O.R.O. revolver series. This holster offered solid retention and stayed exactly where I put it on my belt thanks to the steel DCC clip. Aesthetically, the rich brown color also suits the wheelgun nicely.

image of many wheelguns on a table at the firing range

Above: Students brought out a wide array of wheelguns, from polished classics to ultralight rimfire models.

Closing Thoughts

By the end of this two-day course, I felt far more comfortable shooting a revolver and working within its limitations. Much like a defensive fixed blade, I hope I’ll never have to use this tool in a defensive scenario, because doing so will likely involve fighting at “bad breath distance.” I certainly hope that I never have to reload it during a fight for my life. But the venerable revolver shouldn’t be relegated to history books — it can be carried discreetly and fired before an attacker even notices you’re armed, shifting the balance of power in your favor. And as we learned during the hands-on grappling portion of the class, a compact, mechanically simple weapon is exactly what you’ll want if someone is trying to wrench it from your hands.

Sources

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Kimber CDS9: A New Contender in Concealed Carry Firearms

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Kimber Mfg. has released the CDS9, a new entry into their popular KDS9c family of semi-automatic handguns. Marketed for everyday concealed carry (EDC), the CDS9 is designed to meet the demands of consumers seeking a micro-compact, high-capacity firearm. While Kimber has long been known for producing premium firearms, this latest model is designed to offer competitive value by including custom-like features typically found on higher-end guns.

Right profile view of the 13 round kimber cds9.

Design & Build

From a design standpoint, the CDS9 is a fully-featured concealed carry handgun built with durability and ergonomics in mind. It starts with an all-metal frame, providing a more sturdy platform compared to polymer-based alternatives. This model is also optics-ready, allowing users to mount red dot sights directly onto the slide without the need for aftermarket milling. The addition of an accessory rail gives owners the flexibility to attach lights or lasers for added utility in low-light situations.

Kimber’s attention to ambidextrous features is evident. Both the safety and slide release are designed to cater to both right- and left-handed shooters. Additionally, a reversible magazine release allows for further customization based on the user’s preference. For grips, the handgun comes with G10 panels, providing both durability and a firm hold in various conditions. Alloy frame options are also available.

Left profile view of the kimber cds9, 15 round variant.

Performance and Capacity

Performance-wise, the CDS9 takes advantage of a dual recoil spring assembly, which replaces the traditional guide rod system. According to Kimber, this configuration is intended to reduce felt recoil, enhancing the overall shooting experience for a micro-compact handgun. This could be a valuable feature for those who prioritize controllability in small, high-capacity firearms.

Magazine capacity is another area where the CDS9 aims to meet the needs of a variety of users. The handgun comes standard with two high-capacity magazines: one 13-round and one 15-round. For those who prioritize concealability over capacity, a flush-fit 10-round magazine is also available. Kimber has plans to release an ergonomic extended 10-round magazine for regions with capacity restrictions, providing an option for shooters who face legal magazine limits.

In keeping with Kimber’s history of incorporating premium components, the CDS9 features TAG fiber optic front sights paired with tactical rear sights, which aim to improve target acquisition and accuracy.

Trigger System And CCW Features

One of the more notable features of the CDS9 is its trigger design, which draws inspiration from Kimber’s popular 1911 models. It uses a flat-faced trigger with straight-pull characteristics, designed to offer a solid trigger wall and a crisp break. For experienced shooters, this trigger design could provide a familiar and reliable feel, making the CDS9 an attractive option for those who appreciate the 1911-style performance in a micro-compact form factor.

As an EDC firearm, the CDS9 is built to balance concealability with functionality. With the option of using a 10-round magazine for a smaller profile or the 13- and 15-round options for greater capacity, the handgun offers flexibility depending on the user’s needs. It is also available in a threaded barrel version, the TFS model, giving it compatibility with suppressors for those who prefer quieter shooting experiences.

Right side profile of the 15 round variant.

Warranty and Support

Kimber’s commitment to quality is backed by its limited lifetime warranty for the original owner, offering an extra layer of confidence to buyers. With all firearms made and assembled in the United States, Kimber continues to appeal to American consumers seeking locally manufactured products.

According to Mountie Mizer, Kimber’s Vice President of Sales, the CDS9 is a continuation of the company’s consumer-focused approach. Mizer highlights how the gun's blend of high capacity and compact size fits the concealed carry market’s current demands. “The CDS9 is just an awesome handgun for individuals looking for the most capacity with the greatest concealability,” Mizer said in a recent statement.

Final Thoughts

The release of the CDS9 positions Kimber as a competitive player in the micro-compact concealed carry market. With features like a high-capacity magazine, optics readiness, and premium trigger design, the CDS9 appeals to both seasoned shooters and new concealed carry permit holders. It is a noteworthy option for those searching for an EDC firearm.

More About Kimber

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Bag Drop: Low Vis Gear ISR Pack

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Over the last several years, recce has become a popular topic. Recce, short for reconnaissance, is simply information gathering or surveying of an area. This is typically thought of in a military role, but it’s also useful for hunters or even for checking a resupply or escape route during a disaster scenario. Recce is meant to be non-kinetic — if you encounter a threat, the goal is to break contact ASAP — and low visibility. This means minimal gear and austere conditions. To successfully complete the task of infiltrating an area, gathering information, and exfiltrating, you’ll need highly capable gear and a good system for carrying it, such as the Low Vis Gear ISR Pack.

Image of the front of the Low Vis ISR Pack

Low Vis Gear ISR Pack

The Low Vis Gear ISR pack (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) is a purpose-driven midsized pack with approximately 35 liters internal capacity. The focus of the ISR pack is to carry a tripod and spotting scope along with other mission-essential gear for information-gathering missions. A large, padded spotting scope pocket that runs the entire height of the pack has three tension straps to keep your valuable optic safe and from shifting as you move. On the opposite side of the pack is a sleeve that also runs the height of the pack and has three tension straps. This sleeve is for packing out your tripod and helping to keep your visual and auditory signatures low. The main compartment is large enough for everything you will need to be successful in the field while prompting you to be selective so as not to overload the pack.

The air mesh padded shoulder straps and waist belt adjust to give you custom comfort while assisting you in carrying 30 to 60 pounds. A frame sheet with aluminum crossover stays and 3D spacer mesh at the lumbar and in the mid-back make up the support structure. The ISR is offered in A-TACS IX, A-TACS AU Terrain, OD green, or MultiCam.

Image of assorted electronic view finders, military style helmet and a note pad

Above: With binoculars, night vision, and a thermal monocular, it’s easy to scout hide sites and track game animals, day or night.

ISR Electronics

InfiRay Outdoor Rico RH25: This is one of the most versatile thermal optics on the market right now. The RH25 can be helmet-mounted, weapon-mounted, or used as a handheld device. I like having this as an addition to my LPVO on my carbine, but it sees the most use as a handheld for doing quick sweeps of an area. It picks up thermal images out to 1,300 yards and runs off a rechargeable 18650 battery.

Kestrel 5700: While you probably won’t be firing a shot on a successful ISR mission, it’s a great opportunity to map out good hide sites and vantage points for the future. Having your own weather meter and applied ballistics calculator for long-range applications is a powerful advantage. The 5700 also measures wind speed, air density, humidity, temperature, pressure, and altitude. The ability to connect the Kestrel 5700 to a smartphone, range finder, or computer increases the power this tool brings to the field immensely.

SIG Sauer Kilo 2400 ABS: Much like the Kestrel, a good rangefinder can help you find shooting positions and take the guesswork out of putting rounds on target. The Kilo comes equipped with Applied Ballistic Elite technology to work with the SIG Ballistic App on your smartphone. The monocular is 7x25mm with SpectraCoat anti-reflection coatings which gives great clarity and light transmission. The Kilo body is made of lightweight and tough magnesium, has an adjustable diopter, and binocular-style eyecup as an added touch to aid in comfort of use. This device runs off one CR123 battery.

TNVS: Night vision is a superpower, and the ability to travel in the dark without using a flashlight is an advantage that cannot be underestimated. This specific dual-tube set is particularly handy because you can flip one side up and out of the way to use your eye unassisted or to bring your thermal device up. These NVGs can be handheld like binoculars, but I prefer to mount them to my Team Wendy helmet.

Thyrm Cell Vault: The curse of electronics is that they require power to keep working. I have long been a fan of Thyrm products. The Cell Vault allows me to keep all spare batteries together in one container while keeping the contact points from touching and draining them of energy. Thyrm was insightful enough to make this container watertight with a rubber gasket, MOLLE attachable, and lockable.

Image of small tools including a fixed blade knife, folding saw, lighter, and assorted cordage

Above: Cutting tools provide a means of collecting foliage, and the zip ties and cordage can be used to attach it to gear for camouflage.

ISR Tools

Bradshaw Knife: I am partial to a blade that’s no larger than what’s needed for the job. This Bradshaw blade has a 4-inch D2 blade for edge retention and durability paired with G10 grip scales.

Silky Gomboy: The Gomboy is the go-to folding saw for bushcraft applications. In many information-gathering roles, you’ll be constructing a hide site to observe from, and the Gomboy is the tool you’ll want. A saw keeps your sound signature much lower than that of a hatchet being swung into a tree trunk or a knife being batoned through a fallen limb. The Gomboy 240mm medium punches way above its weight with its 8-inch saw blade and weightless feel.

Fix It Sticks: My kit is an amalgamation of a few separate orders from Fix It Sticks. In this kit, I have everything needed to remove or adjust every nut, bolt, screw, and bit that is in the ISR kit as well as adjusting optics and doing battery swaps. The ratcheting T-handle may or may not be necessary, but I’m glad I have one. The torque limiters are also great to have and worth the added weight.

BOG Deathgrip Infinite: A tripod’s main use in a recce situation is going to be for stabilizing your spotting scope for viewing an area from long distances. The Infinite has an Arca-Swiss mount to accept your spotting scope and can quickly transition to stabilizing a rifle instead.

Leupold SX-2 Alpine: I am partial to angled-body spotting scopes as I find them less physically taxing to use for extended periods, as compared to the straight-bodied versions. The Alpine is a 20-60×80 HD optic that’ll produce a clear view of targets well out to 1,000 yards.

Low Vis Gear Shelter Roll: During an ISR, there isn’t a lot of sleeping going on unless you’re in a team. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get some shuteye, you have to remember that keeping your signature small is paramount. That means a poncho or tarp and maybe a section of a sleeping mat to insulate your body from the ground. I like to keep a poncho, half a dozen titanium stakes, a line kit, bank line, and a few bungee cords in my Shelter Roll.

Image of Medical and Emergency tools, including first aid kit and assorted water filters

Above: Clean water is essential to staying healthy in the field. This kit includes several methods of purification.

Medical and Emergency

Dark Angel Medical D.A.R.K.: As with every pack, vehicle, and outbuilding I’ve got, there’s a Dark Angel Medical D.A.R.K. (Direct Action Response Kit). This is considered an IFAK (individual first aid kit) and is attached to the right side of the removable CTR (Close Target Reconnaissance) belt included with the pack. The DARK is a pre-assembled kit with just the right amount of trauma gear to stabilize life-threatening injuries.

WIN Pouch: Lester River Bushcraft designed this smart little kit. WIN is an acronym for “what’s important now?” This is the item I would grab if I had to cut and run. The WIN is a minimalist pouch with two small snap closure pockets and three shock cord tie-down attachment points. There’s also a fire plug attached to the tension strap. In it, there’s a Sawyer Mini water filter, foldable water container, Pull Start emergency fire starter, ferro rod, emergency space blanket, and a small Benchmade Griptilian folding knife.

image of camo patterned shelter equipment

Above: The LVG Shelter Roll contains a large poncho, stakes, and cordage for protection from inclement weather.

Food and Water: It’s important to keep this as simple as possible. The more you eat and drink, the more you will need to relieve yourself. Drink enough to keep yourself performing smoothly and eat as little as possible. Being hungry for a day or two will not kill you, but crawling out of your hide site to use the head may give away your position, and that would certainly put you in danger of spooking game or in physical danger from an enemy. Water is much more important than food. I carry water via a bladder, 32-ounce Nalgene bottle, and a Grayl water filter bottle.

Miscellaneous Gear: Heavy-duty zip-top bag with assorted zip ties, ranger bands, rubber bands for camouflaging gear, shock cord, BIC lighter, and insect-resistant head net from Sea to Summit has been a lifesaver a few times.

Final Thoughts

Conducting recon is a lonely enterprise. Making sure you’ve got the right tools to complete your assignment in a timely manner is paramount to not being miserable in the field. Take the time required to test and evaluate your gear ahead of the task, rather than finding out the hard way when a tool breaks or an item is missing. Always add a healthy dose of critical thinking and you’ll go far.

The Low Vis Gear ISR pack back side

Specs

  • Make & Model: Low Vis Gear ISR Pack
  • Capacity: 35L
  • MSRP: $331
  • URL: lowvisgear.com

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Supply Chain Disruptions

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The modern supply chain is a complex web that is responsible for the production and distribution of all the supplies used in modern society. This web involves coordination between suppliers, manufacturers, transportation companies, retail stores, and even governments to facilitate international trade. Beyond the coordination between many businesses and organizations, it also relies heavily on our infrastructure, like roads and bridges as well as utilities such as power and water. Not only does this supply chain ensure we have access to life-sustaining essentials, but it also fuels global industry, utilities, hospitals, military operations, and just about anything else you can think of. Each part of the supply chain is vital to keeping the flow of goods moving to the next part and a failure in just one cog in the wheel can lead to supply chain disruptions that have a profound impact on our communities.

The Dangers of Supply Chain Disruptions

Despite the complexity of this fragile system, most people will not give it much thought on a day-to-day basis. We have become comfortable with simply going to the store or clicking a few buttons on the internet to access crucial supplies we need and the very many luxury items that modern life has afforded us. This level of complacency can be dangerous, especially seeing firsthand the impact disruptions in the supply chain can have on us as individuals and the communities we live in.

A majority of people can deal with the economic impact of minor supply chain disruptions. Higher prices based on a temporary disruption will not impact the wealthy, and those who are unwilling or unable to pay the higher prices will often seek alternative items. But what happens when a more serious disruption occurs on a regional, national, or even international level?

What was once a minor inconvenience can quickly turn into a devastating issue that can lead to serious consequences. In some cases, long-term supply shortages have driven prices of essential items to prices that are unmanageable for many and have even led to these essential items being inaccessible for extended periods. This often leads to panic and desperation, increasing crime rates, and even leading to civil unrest.

Many of us have experienced this to some degree or another throughout our lifetimes. Despite this, many of us quickly forget these experiences, and quickly fall back into complacent lifestyles that rely solely on these supply chains to get us what we need.

Two Decades of Supply Chain Disruptions

In the last two decades, several major disruptions have occurred. Unfortunately, it seems that every passing event is more severe than the last. While some of the events were regionally specific, the impacts were felt all over the United States. Issues like these have become widespread, and almost everyone has a story to tell about an event that disrupted their supply chain.

Image of a city experiencing a Black Out

Northeast Grid Failure

In the early 2000s much of the Northeast experienced catastrophic power outages, impacting everything from grocery stores, public transportation, communications, and hospitals. While many institutions had backup generators, the systems were antiquated, and many of those backup systems failed.

Over the course of 4 days, frozen and refrigerated foods spoiled in homes and stores, gas pumps were largely non-functional, and the use of debit or credit cards in stores and ATM’s was impossible. Even if a store was open to sell non-perishable food, unless you had cash on hand, you could not buy anything. After a few days, the power came back online, and people moved on with their lives without much thought.

Image of a hurricane over water

Superstorm Sandy

In 2012, we experienced Superstorm Sandy, which devastated many Caribbean countries and eventually made its way to the Mid-Atlantic states. On Long Island at the time, this storm destroyed much of our infrastructure, many areas were without power for weeks. Some surrounding areas were out even longer.

It is easy to forget that Long Island is an island until major bridges and ports were damaged, and getting food and other necessities into the grocery stores was impossible. Once again, electronic gas pumps were not functional, and even as certain areas began to get power back, fuel was in short supply. Long gas lines quickly led to frustrations, and it was common to hear news stories of people getting into physical altercations, and even events where people were being stabbed or shot over disputes about filling their gas tanks.

image of people wearing medical face masks

The Pandemic

After experiencing the effects of Superstorm Sandy, people started to become more preparedness-minded, but most of that wasn’t constructive or practical.

Enter the pandemic and panic buying.

The COVID-19 pandemic started in late 2019, and by early 2020, there was full-scale public panic. Many grocery store shelves sat barren of staples that people relied upon, and many of these shortages lasted for months.

Common items were in short supply from a combination of reduced supply from many businesses being closed and an increase in panic buying. Many grocery stores instituted purchase amount limits on key items to reduce panic buying and get much needed supplies into many peoples hands. These shortages and purchase limits continued for months and exacerbated an already high tension situation for people, especially those living in densely populated areas.

Supply chain disruptions during the pandemic extended well beyond pantry staples. Prescription medications were in short supply, which put many people at risk of serious health complications. Motor vehicle production ground to a halt due to shortages in circuit boards and other parts driving prices on new and used vehicles up. These supply chain disruptions were so severe that the impact is still felt in our economy today!

 

Image of a cargo ship on the water

Current Events

Fast forward to today, an ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine has driven the cost of grains and other staples through the roof. Many businesses are still recovering financially from the pandemic, and prices for fuel, transportation, and utilities, along with record inflation, have drastically increased prices of goods across the board.

Massive storms rocked the northeast and many southern states, destroying roads, bridges, and entire communities. Early in October, the Dock Workers Union organized a major strike that shut down nearly all the ports from Maine to Texas, meaning food, clothing, machine parts, and much more could not make it into the country from foreign sources.

Image of a family with children in the woods looking at plants

Surviving and Thriving During Supply Chain Disruptions

With the threats of massive infrastructure destroying storms becoming more common, economic challenges making coping with rising prices more difficult, and workers becoming increasingly frustrated with their job conditions and pay rates, supply chain disruptions are likely to continue into the future.

While we may not have the ability to control the supply chain issues, each of us can be more prepared to handle minor and even major disruptions. With the proper mindset, a few ancestral skills, and the simple act of stocking up on key items we can ensure we have everything we need to get through the challenges of supply shortages, bring peace of mind to our loved ones, and encourage our local community to support one another.

Remember, like any other skill, preparedness is developed over time. Each piece of gear is helpful, but knowing how to use them properly and developing the proper mindset and skill set will take practice and time!

image of assorted rubik's cube type puzzles

Rubik's cubes and assorted puzzle games are a favorite in our house. Games like this are not only fun, but they sharpen our minds

Mindset

The most important tool or the greatest hindrance in any difficult situation is right between your ears. Your mind helps you make every decision in your life from something as mundane as what shoes to wear to major life decisions like choosing a place to live. The brain is such a powerful tool that even the most advanced computer on the planet does not even come close to matching its ability to process and store data.

Unfortunately for us, our brain has several unconscious defense mechanisms that are designed to keep us alive but can often lead to the opposite. The worst thing we can do in any difficult situation is panic and give in to irrational thoughts as it can often lead to hasty and poor decision-making.

There are a number of exercises we can do to help sharpen our minds and utilize logic-based thought, as well as exercises, that can help us focus and calm our minds through difficult situations.

  • Logic-Based Games: regularly playing logic and strategy-based games is one of the best ways to sharpen your mind. Games like chess, puzzles, and Rubik's cubes all teach our brain how to analyze data, patterns, and can help to make us more aware of small details. Playing cards with our friends and family can help us learn to better read body language, vocal tones, and facial expressions in others.

  • Situational Awareness Practice: Practicing situational awareness in different environments and conditions can teach us a great deal about our ability to perceive potential threats and identify resources. First, choose an environment. This could be a crowded urban area, a secluded wilderness area, or anything in between. Find a comfortable place to sit and spend 15 minutes just recording all the things that you can detect with your senses.

    You can record the details of people you see, buildings, vehicles, and natural features. If in a populated area, pay attention to the places people congregate and the places they avoid. You should also note the sounds and smells you encounter. Later on, attempt to recall as much of that information as possible. It should come as no surprise the first few times you will have a hard time recalling many details.

    But as you keep practicing you will not only start to remember more but you will also start understanding the patterns of people's behavior and common themes in wilderness areas. This will greatly increase your detailed memory retrieval, help you identify potentially helpful or harmful people, and help you avoid dangers and identify resources in the wild.

  • Box Breathing: This is a simple technique that has proven effective in calming panic and recenter yourself. Like any other exercise, it does require a bit of practice, but in time, it can quickly become second nature to start box breathing exercises in high-stress situations. Start by exhaling all the air in your lungs, then slowly inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Next, hold your breath for 4 seconds and finally exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds. Repeat this process until you find yourself calm, centered, and ready to make rational decisions.

image of binder, bleeding kit, grayl water filter, chem lights, lantern, and solar generator

Our households Emergency Plan Binder, along with some essential survival supplies that we keep easily accessible.

Planning

The old adage goes “failing to plan is planning to fail” and outside of moments of pure luck, this tends to be accurate. While it is next to impossible to account for every possible situation, having some basic plans of action will go a long way to help keep your mind focused and avoid panic.

Every person, household, and community is different, so no cookie-cutter plan will work for everyone. In a supply chain shortage, there are a few key factors that should be taken into account when developing your plan. While these are just a few points, these and many others will become more apparent as you begin to understand the other points on this list:

  • Household Members: When determining the quantity of supplies you will need, you will have to account for each member of your household. Emergency supplies kept on hand should be enough to cover the needs of each household member.

  • Medical Needs: If anyone in your house has specific medical needs such as required medications or the need for some form of medical device you should, when possible, ensure you have extra medication on hand and the ability to power electronic medical devices should there be a disruption in electricity distribution.

  • Available Local Resources: Know what supplies are available locally. Are there edible plants that can be foraged? Are there local farms that can supply meat, fruit, or vegetables? Can you hunt in the area? Is there a place where you can go fishing? These are all questions you should know the answer to and have a plan to leverage these resources if needed.

  • Community-Based Planning: Know your community. Do you have reliable people with skills and resources that you trust and can barter with? Are there people who may pose a threat or try to take your resources? Developing plans to both work with other people and potentially defend yourself, loved ones, and resources is vital.

image shelf stable foods and a first aid kit

A few of the items we always keep on hand. Canned tuna, crushed tomato, pasta, and some basic first aid supplies.

Stockpiling

Stockpiling is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to prepare for a supply chain shortage. The biggest challenge with stockpiling is storage space and available funds to purchase supplies. If you live in an urban setting, your space may be limited, but even keeping a few extra packages of essential items can ensure you get through a shorter supply chain issue. Here are some items that everyone should consider having in their stockpile, but this can be modified to suit your specialized needs.

An additional benefit to having a stockpile during a supply chain disruption is that it opens up the option of bartering with members of your community. This allows both parties to benefit from getting needed supplies and helps build bonds within the community!

  • Food: Nourishment is key to keeping your mind and body healthy and should always be at the top of your priority list. Stockpiled food items should be non-perishable and have a long shelf life. Things like canned foods, pasta, rice, and dried beans are excellent options. Freeze-dried food is also an option as it takes up little space and has exceptionally long shelf lives. While most of these food items are edible well beyond their listed expiration date, it is always a good idea to rotate your stockpiled food regularly.

  • Batteries: Many simple electronics in our lives use disposable batteries. It is always a good idea to determine what kind you use regularly and keep extras on hand. Batteries should always be stored in a cool, dry place to avoid damage.

  • Water and Water Purification: Having extra water on hand is always a good idea, as one of the most commonly compromised resources is our water supply. While bottled water is finite, having a reliable home filtration system and some extra filter elements can provide safe potable water for extended periods if needed.

  • Medication and First Aid: As mentioned in the planning section, backup prescription medication is important if accessible, but over-the-counter medication like pain killers, allergy medication, cold and flu medication, and gastrointestinal medications. They are essential to keeping ourselves functioning during potentially high-stress situations. Keeping ample amounts of first aid supplies like bandages, disinfectants, disposable gloves, and other similar items can help treat minor wounds and are often among the first items to vanish during an emergency based supply shortage.

  • Back-Up Parts: Keeping some backup parts for essential tools like saw blades, drill bits, and parts that can often wear or break on your bow or firearm can ensure these valuable tools can continue to serve you even when supply chain issues and panic buying have wiped them off the shelves.

  • Hygiene Supplies: Things like toothpaste, soap, and other hygiene related items are often overlooked when people stockpile. Having proper hygiene not only helps to prevent illnesses and infections, but it also goes a long way when having to interact with other people!

image of assorted foraging supplies, including field guide, knife, pruning shears, and pouches

Part of my personal foraging kit. Foraging can provide healthy plant options during supply chain disruption.

Ancestral Skills

It’s time to tap into the modern version of the skills our ancestors relied upon to stay alive. While modern tools such as compound bows, composite fishing polls, and hunting rifles have made these tasks easier, there is still a need to develop skills to use these tools effectively. While we can't teach these skills in a few sentences, there are some essential skills that you should consider looking into.

  • Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping: If you live in an area where any of these are viable, having access to high-quality animal protein can give you meals that fill your belly and provide essential nutrients and calories.

  • Gardening: If you have land available, basic gardens can provide a good amount of food and barter items during the growing season. In urban environments, plants such as tomatoes, peppers, and a variety of herbs can easily be grown in porch or balcony pots. Thanks to advances in technology, many plants can be grown indoors using specialized devices that can provide fruits, vegetables, and herbs even in the cold months.

  • Foraging: Learning to identify edible and medicinal wild plants can be a tremendous benefit during supply chain shortages. Many useful plants can be found in the wild, on our front lawns, in abandoned lots, or the cracks of sidewalks. While wild plants often don’t provide significant calories, they are high in vitamins and nutrients.

  • Fire Starting: Supply chain shortages can also affect the fuels that power our outdoor grills and kitchen stoves. Having the ability to make an effective fire outdoors will ensure that food can be cooked and a campfire is always a good way to boost morale!

image of a bicycle and scooter

Common recreational items like this bicycle and scooter can be used as faster then walking transportation when fuel becomes scarce.

Transportation

Getting around through either personal vehicles or public transportation is often taken for granted, but as seen in the examples earlier in the article, supply chain issues can impact the availability of vehicle fuels. Having backup methods of transportation can help us move quickly in an emergency or just get where we need to go faster than walking.

  • Bicycle: A tried and true classic, the bicycle is an easily accessible transportation option that requires no fuel except the calories used working the pedals. Always keep your environment in mind when picking a bicycle as a mountain bike is more suited in rural and wooded areas than your typical street bicycle.

  • Electric Transportation options: electric scooters and mopeds can be great to move around fast without burning too much of your energy, but are all but useless in a power outage scenario. Assisted E-Bikes are one of the best options available as they can work with a charge or pedal manually.

Final Thoughts

Supply chain disruptions have become more prevalent in recent years with no signs of letting up. Taking control of our reaction to situations like this will ensure that we are prepared to survive and thrive even during long-term supply shortages. Sharpening our minds will ensure we are calm and focused during high-stress situations. Creating emergency plans for our household will provide a road map when the times get tough. Keeping extra stock of vital supplies can allow us to maintain a fairly normal lifestyle during short-term supply chain disruptions, and honing the skills our ancestors relied upon can carry us through long-term supply shortages. Having backup transportation options can help us cover distance when needed when fuel supplies are unavailable. It may seem difficult to accomplish this all, but take it one step at a time, and you will quickly find yourself feeling more confident and prepared to take on any challenge!

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Book Review: The SHTF Anthology by Selco Begovic

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Have you ever considered what course of action is best when the fabric of society crumbles apart, and the rug of your worldview is pulled out from under you? Should you bug out to a safe location? Bug in and wait it out? Do you throw up your hands and decide to DIP (die in place)? It’s difficult to consider what you would do if war has never affected your life, but there are plenty of war survivors out there with compelling stories and a treasure trove of wisdom.

The 411

In a world increasingly fraught with uncertainty, the stories of those who have faced the unimaginable and survived provide not just a blueprint for endurance but a call to introspection. The SHTF Anthology by Selco Begovic, a survivor of the Balkan Wars, thrusts us into the harsh realities of a life upended by conflict and chaos. Through his eyes, we witness the breakdown of society, the collapse of resources, and the human spirit’s indomitable will to persevere. This book aims to transform Selco’s harrowing experiences into a reflective journey, urging us to wonder, “What would I do?”

Selco’s narrative is more than a survival manual, it’s a mirror held up to our own lives, challenging us to consider our preparedness, resilience, and adaptability in the face of crisis. Each chapter delves into aspects of survival that go beyond the physical, addressing the mental, emotional, and ethical dilemmas one might face when the fabric of society is torn apart.

Imagine, for a moment, waking up to a world where the conveniences and certainties we take for granted are obliterated overnight. Without electricity, running water, or access to food, how would you adapt? Selco’s experiences force us to confront these questions head-on, providing not just answers but a framework for survival that emphasizes resourcefulness, community, and the preservation of humanity amidst inhumanity.

Security and violence become paramount concerns in such a scenario. Selco doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of protecting oneself and loved ones in a lawless environment. But it’s his reflections on the psychological toll of violence and the importance of maintaining a moral compass that strike a chord. It’s easy to theorize about what one might do when threatened, but Selco’s account compels us to ponder the deeper implications of our choices.

Health and medical challenges are another critical aspect explored in the anthology. In a world stripped of medical infrastructure, knowledge of basic first aid and understanding how to prevent disease become lifesaving. Selco’s advice underscores the importance of preparedness in all forms — not just stockpiling supplies but acquiring skills that can sustain us when external systems fail.

Perhaps the most moving lessons come from Selco’s insights into the survival mindset. Survival is not solely about physical endurance but the mental fortitude to face each day with hope and determination. The stories shared in the anthology illustrate the power of human connection, the value of small kindnesses, and the strength found in shared suffering and solidarity.

As we reflect on Selco’s journey and the broader implications of his experiences, we’re reminded of the fragility of our own existence. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, but it also serves as a wake-up call. In our comfortable lives, it’s easy to overlook the importance of preparedness, community, and ethical resilience.

The Verdict

So, what would you do? This question isn’t just hypothetical, it’s a prompt for action. It encourages us to evaluate our readiness for the unexpected, to strengthen our mental and emotional fortitude, and to cultivate a network of support that can withstand the tests of crisis. Selco’s story, while unique to his circumstances, offers universal lessons on the importance of being prepared not just for survival but for living in accordance with our values when tested by fire.

The SHTF Anthology is more than a survival guide, it’s a philosophical inquiry into what it means to be human in the face of catastrophic change. It challenges us to ask ourselves how we would navigate the collapse of the familiar and emerge not just intact but stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. As we consider our answers, let’s take to heart the lessons of those who have endured the unthinkable and emerged with insights that can guide us through any storm.

SHTF Anthology Book

About The Book

  • Book & Author: The SHTF Anthology by Selco Begovic
  • Publisher: Daisy Luther Media
  • MSRP: $15 (PDF download) or available for free as a series of blog posts
  • URL: selfrelianceandsurvival.com
  • Pages: 149
  • Rating: Thrive | Survive | Die

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