Merino Wool Baselayers Buyer’s Guide

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For all our opposable thumbs, ability to reason, and interstellar ambition, we humans have a pretty narrow environmental survival zone. We do fine in warm, dry conditions — say, inside a temperature band that ranges from 50 degrees F to about 95 degrees F. But outside that environment, our bodies have trouble maintaining a core temperature.

The human body is a thermal engine that produces heat as it converts calories to energy. The by-product of the conversion keeps us warm when it's cold out, but as we use more energy, the body dumps excess heat in a bid to maintain its perfect internal temperature. The body's primary method of shedding excess heat relies on the principal of evaporative cooling; specifically, the body produces sweat on the skin's surface to speed cooling.

This process works fine when we're naked and sweat can evaporate. But when the skin is covered by insulation, two things can happen. First, sweat gets trapped against the skin, and, second, that moisture soaks the surrounding clothing. The result is evaporative cooling combining with conductive and convective cooling actions to produce a rapid cooling effect that, if unchecked, leads to hypothermia in cold climates.

So, the trick to staying warm has as much to do with managing sweat as it does with providing insulation. Maintaining a buffer of air next to the skin (called a microclimate in marketing circles) is the key to warmth, comfort, and, ultimately, survival.

WHAT'S A BASELAYER?

When we think of a baselayer, we think its job is to provide insulation. But its primary role is actually to counteract the effects of cooling by managing moisture. In a proper layering system, a sweater or other lofty midlayer provides the primary insulation, while the baselayer keeps the skin dry. It's a team effort.

Since physics tells us air pressure forces moisture in the direction of cool, dry air, we need to maintain a small buffer of air that's warmer than the outside air, but cooler than skin temperature, to keep moisture moving in the right direction.

WOOL

There are a bunch of fibers out there that provide loft and more than a few that can wick moisture away from the body. But none does both as well as wool. For all its itchiness, wool is a crazy combination of features that reads like a textile engineer's wish list. For example, it's both hydrophobic and hydrophilic. Weird.

Wool's major downside as a clothing fabric is its itchiness. The itch comes from the scaly surface of coarse fibers found on most sheep. But there's a genetic strain of sheep that produces a fine wool fiber that takes itch out of the equation. That family of sheep is known as the merino, and its bounty is nature's itch-free, super fiber: merino wool.

FUNCTION

Merino wool does well enough as a thermal insulator. Its ultrafine fibers are naturally crimped so that when they're spun into a yarn, at a microscopic level, they interlock in a zigzag orientation that creates lots of small air pockets. Those air pockets hold air that's warmed by heat radiating from the skin. This quality is also responsible for wool's ability to stretch.

Where merino excels is at the important task of moisture management. A wool fiber's outer surface allows moisture vapor to pass into the fiber's hydrophilic core where it's trapped until it's released into a cooler, drier environment. Each fiber can hold as much as 35 percent of its own weight in liquid in the fiber's cortex, or innermost core. Without oxygen in the cortex, there's no way for stinky bacteria to breed, so smells are held at bay.

Now for the science fiction; wool fibers are hydrophobic, too. They repel standing water and prevent, to a certain extent, the kind of wet-out that cotton is known for. Since the wool yarns can maintain a matrix without collapsing like wet cotton, they continue to trap and warm some air … as long as you're still putting out heat. This explains wool's warmth-when-wet ability. Along this line, we've also read some science journals that suggest whenever wool absorbs moisture into its cortex, the chemical reaction produces a tiny bit of heat. We can't disprove this idea, but we've never felt a perceptible boost in warmth when jumping into a frosty lake while wearing merino, either.

We already touched on odor control, but wool is also quiet and nonreflective. And, lastly, wool's capacity to hold moisture means it's flame resistant. It's not flameproof, but its self-extinguishing, no-melt, and no-drip qualities make it far better than synthetics in fire-prone environments.

FABRIC

The base fiber of a merino yarn is tiny sheep hairs, chemically treated, washed, and dried, then either spun into yarn alone or combined with other fibers to make an intimate blend. These merino yarns, either alone or alongside yarns of other fibers, are knit into a cloth. The thinner the fibers, the more supple and itch-free the yarn. Synthetic fibers are sometimes mixed in to add other properties to the finished product. For example, merino isn't the most durable fiber, so it's often blended with nylon to add strength to the fabric. Wool garments are also known to steadily shrink when washed over their lifetime, and they don't dry quickly. Merino blends are formulated to help with these issues, too.

POWER WOOL

A textile that's managed to capture merino's benefits while mitigating its shortcomings is Polartec Power Wool. “The idea behind power wool was to put the wool where it makes the most sense, next to skin,” says Karen Beattie, Senior Product Manager with Polartec, “and then mitigate the negatives using synthetics.”

Power Wool combines merino wool with synthetics such that only wool is in contact with skin and a smooth polyester fabric faces out, providing more surface area than wool alone for moisture to evaporate. The synthetic inclusion makes Power Wool more durable than 100-percent merino, and means it doesn't shrink, dries faster, and layers better thanks to the smooth outer fabric.

Clothing makers use fabric weight to describe the amount of warmth a garment provides. This is somewhat useful when comparing garments of similar fabric construction, such as flat knit jerseys. But in general terms, fabrics under 100 grams per square meter feel like a light T-shirt, 100-200 GSM baselayers feel like heavyweight T-shirts, and 200 GSM fabrics feel like a light sweatshirt. Anything around 100 is appropriate for warm weather; 150 -180 is a midweight and ideal for mid to high output endeavors in cold climates. 200+ fabrics are best for sedentary activities in cold temps or high output activities in frigid weather.

THE WHOLE SHEEP

Once past the fabric level, the most important aspects of the baselayer are a close fit (the fabric has to be in constant contact with the skin to wick moisture), seam quality and location, durability, and the ability of the garment to stay in place. Oh, and dudes might like a pee slot. But every added seam means more expense and bulk. There's no free lunch.

We pulled a bunch of merino and merino blend baselayers together to learn what we can about the way fabric choices, garment constructions, and other features combine to keep us warm and dry.

Merino Wool Baselayers

  • Arc'teryx LEAF Cold WX T-Shirt & Boxer AR – Wool

    Make & Model - Arc'teryx LEAF Cold WX T-Shirt & Boxer AR-Wool
    Fabric - ABMT 180gsm nylon core spun merino wool, 81% wool / 12% nylon / 7% elastane
    Weight - 5.8/3.0 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Black, Crocodile
    MSRP - $99/$64
    URL - http://www.leaf.arcteryx.com

    It seems odd to wear wool in temperate weather, but merino's moisture transport superpowers work just as well when it's warm.

  • Arc'teryx LEAF Model Cold WX Zip Neck & Bottom AR – Wool

    Make & Model - Arc'teryx LEAF Cold WX Zip Neck & Bottom AR-Wool
    Fabric - ABMT 180gsm nylon core spun merino wool, 81% wool / 12% nylon / 7% elastane
    Weight - 7.4/5.7 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Black, Crocodile
    MSRP - $139/$109
    URL - http://www.leaf.arcteryx.com

    Arc'teryx's wool baselayer blend uses a lot of wool, adds some nylon for strength, and finishes with an elastic chaser to keep things tight.

  • Beyond Clothing A1 – Power Wool Pullover Top & Long John Bottom

    Make & Model - Beyond Clothing A1-Power Wool Pullover Top & Long John Bottom
    Fabric - Polartec Power Wool, 28% wool / 72% polyester
    Weight - 8.8/7.8 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Coyote
    MSRP - $135/$75
    URL - http://www.beyondclothing.com

    Beyond's A1 Power Wool thermals are the warmest, and heaviest, of the thermals we tried.

  • Duckworth Vapor Hoody & Wool Brief

    Make & Model - Duckworth Vapor Hoody & Wool Brief
    Fabric - Duckworth Vapor Wool, 38% Helle Rambouillet merino wool, 50% polyester, and 12% modal
    Weight - 7.0/3.1 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Olive, Gray, Gray/Blue
    MSRP - $110/$40
    URL - http://www.duckworthco.com

    Duckworth's Vapor Wool Fabric isn't a full-on cold weather solution. It's more like the best shoulder season Fabric we've ever worn.

  • First Lite Wilkin Half Zip Aerowool Top & Glenbrook 3/4 Length Aerowool Bottoms

    Make & Model - First Lite Wilkin Half Zip Aerowool Top & Glenbrook 3/4 Length Aerowool Bottoms
    Fabric - First Lite Aerowool (intimate blend of merino wool and Cocona 37.5 infused polyester fibers), 65% wool / 35% polyester
    Weight - 7.6/4.7 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Black, Conifer, Dry Earth, First Lite Cipher, First Lite Fusion
    MSRP - $115/$90
    URL - http://www.firstlite.com

    Aerowool Fabric uses a merino wool base fiber with a Cocona 37.5 polyester kicker.

  • Mammut Klamath Half-Zip & Long Underwear Bottoms

    Make & Model - Mammut Klamath Half-Zip & Long Underwear Bottoms
    Fabric - Polartec Power Wool 145 Jersey, 31% wool / 69% polyester
    Weight - 6.4/4.9 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Gray, Navy
    MSRP - $99/$79
    URL - http://www.us.mammut.com

    Compared to the other Polartec Power Wool product in our roundup, Mammut's Klamath baselayer Fabric is thinner with a lot more stretch and return.

  • Ortovox 185 Rock'N'Wool Long Sleeve & Short Pants

    Make & Model - Ortovox 185 Rock'N'Wool Long Sleeve & Short Pants
    Fabric - 100% virgin merino wool
    Weight - 6.2/5.4 ounces (medium)
    Colors - blue, green, gray, red
    MSRP - $110/$100
    URL - http://www.ortovox.com

    They are the European masters of merino, but you've never heard of Ortovox because the company only brought their clothing line to the U.S. a couple years ago.

  • Rab Model Merino+ 160 LS Crew & Pants

    Make & Model - Rab Merino+ 160 LS Crew & Pants
    Fabric - 160 Merino+, 65% wool / 35% polyester
    Weight - 6.4/5.9 ounces (medium)
    Colors - Amazon, Ebony, Gray, Red
    MSRP - $85/$110
    URL - http://www.rab.equipment

    Rab's 160 Merino+ Fabric is a blend of merino wool and Cocona 37.5 polyester.

More From Issue 24

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

The Diabetic Survivalist

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Disclaimer
This article is meant to be a quick overview and not a detailed guide on how to deal with diabetes in an emergency situation. Professional medical treatment should always be sought first before attempting any of these methods.

Surviving an apocalyptic event will be a serious challenge for healthy people. As both a doctor and a Type 1 diabetic, I can say that the challenge is more formidable for those of us with this chronic condition. Preparation is necessary to survive for any amount of time, especially for a diabetic.

Diabetes is a1 disease of the balance between calories consumed and insulin produced (or injected). Normally, a diabetic should aim for a blood sugar of 110 to 130; however, in a survival situation I would recommend a blood sugar near 180 to 200. Your body is much more tolerant of high blood sugars (hyperglycemia) in short-term survival situations; low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) can quickly be deadly below 20. Taking the time to prepare and acquire the diabetic supplies you need could mean the difference between life and death.

Important Supplies

In the event of an emergency you may not have time to get your gear and enough medications together quickly. Most of us will have a bug-out bag and extra basic supplies to give ourselves a chance to last for a while. However, as a diabetic, you'll need time to acquire all the supplies you'll need to last days, weeks, or possibly months. Supplies to consider include medication, syringes for insulin, test strips, two glucometers, a solar charger, batteries, glucose, and water purification equipment.

With different medications, there are important factors to consider. Every medication has a shelf life and expiration date. As a general rule, for prescription medications in pill form, I will keep them up to one year after I acquire them; after one year, I dispose of them. Keep them somewhere cool and away from direct sunlight. Insulin is best kept in the refrigerator, but it may be kept at room temperature for up to a month without losing its potency. The warmer the temperature, though, the faster the insulin will become ineffective. If the insulin is past the expiration date or has been sitting at room temperature for 30 days, I wouldn't recommend using it.

Metformin is a popular pill for diabetes, but if you are dehydrated and your kidney function declines, this drug can cause lactic acid to build up in your system. Your chance of dying due to lactic acidosis is twice as high if this happens so make sure you stay hydrated! Glipizide and Glimepiride are two other medications commonly used for diabetes. These two medications are usually tolerated well even when your body is under stress.

diabetic-survival-insulin-pump

Keeping redundant supplies, such as syringes, insulin, test strips, and insulin pumps are a must for disaster situations. Check and rotate them regularly according to their expiration. Check with your doctor and insurance company to see what is available to you for emergency purposes. Stock at least three months' worth of supplies if possible.

Keeping redundant supplies, such as syringes, insulin, test strips, and insulin pumps are a must for disaster...

There are many types of insulin (e.g., long acting and combinations of long and short acting). They come in 10mL vials or 3mL pens. Knowing what your type of insulin will do for you is incredibly important before an emergency. If you don't know, ask your doctor. Keep in mind that insulin can be kept at room temperature for about 30 days if needed. Make sure you have enough syringes or pen needles for four injections a day. I don't recommend reusing these.

For testing blood sugars, you should have two of the same meters and enough strips to test four times a day. Keep a few batteries as backup. Some meters now come with USB chargers and no separate batteries; thus, it is a good idea to have a solar charger.

If you're an insulin pump user, a solar charger can also be used to charge your pump. Having enough supplies for your pump is important, but will take up a lot of room. Most pumps now have continuous glucose monitoring capabilities and are an excellent way to monitor your sugars in a survival situation. The most important thing for pump users, however, is to be comfortable going back to injections in the event your pump quits working or you run out of supplies.

Proper Preparation

If a disaster were to occur today, would you have all of the diabetic supplies you needed to survive for any amount of time? You should anticipate needing three months of supplies in the worst-case scenario. After those three months, you may be able to scavenge supplies from casualties. In order to save enough supplies, you may need to prepare a year in advance of a SHTF scenario. Since it is impossible to predict when that event will occur, you will need to have a plan in place to improve your odds of survival.

When you think about stockpiling medication, realize that most insurance companies will allow you to pick up your prescriptions five days early. If you are taking oral medication once a day, filling it five days early will allow you to collect five extra days of medications a month. With insulin, the amount you need will depend on how much you use and whether you use long-acting or short-acting insulin. In general, the older insulins are U 100, which means that there are 100 units of insulin per 1 mL. Vials of insulin have 1,000 units (10 mL) and pens have 300 units (3mL). Newer insulins are concentrated (U 200, U 300, and U 500) and have more insulin per milliliter. As an example, if you take 30 units a day of U 100 insulin then you will use 900 units a month. That leaves 100 units extra each month. If you still pick up your prescription on time every month then in 10 months you will have stockpiled one vial of insulin. Insulin pump users should stockpile pump supplies, but also have backup syringes in the event the pump fails.

diabetic-survival-glucose-tester

For test strips, keep in mind you will probably need to be checking your blood sugar more frequently the longer the survival situation persists. Be sure you refill your tests strips monthly even if you don't use all the allotted strips. By doing this, you may be able to procure several hundred extra strips within a year. When you find that you have to check your blood sugar four times a day in a survival situation, these surplus strips can last months.

Make sure you are keeping the test strips in a dry, cool place to help them last longer. I wouldn't recommend using test strips beyond the expiration date due to the potential for less accurate readings. Usually your meter will come with a control solution which tests your meter's accuracy. Most meter companies will send you a control solution for free if you call the number on the back of the meter. Ask your doctor about getting a spare meter or call the meter company: they often have extras to give to you.

What to Expect

The stress of a survival situation will likely increase your blood sugars in the first few days. The stockpile of medications will help with hyperglycemia, and the food storage (e.g. canned goods and MREs) you have saved should help combat the hypoglycemic events early on. You should be checking your blood sugars one to two times a day at this point.

As the event moves from days to weeks, checking your blood sugar is more important (two to three times a day). Your food sources will begin to dry up, and you'll now need to forage for food and water. The risk of hypoglycemia increases as your energy expenditure increases and caloric intake decreases. I would recommend checking at least four times a day as the disaster stretches from weeks into months.

Stocking up on calorie-dense foods, such as ration bars, is a good idea in the event of food shortages. See Issue 7 for our buyer's guide on ration bars.

Stocking up on calorie-dense foods, such as ration bars, is a good idea in the event of food shortages. See Issue 7 for...

The possibility of death due to hypoglycemia increases the longer the survival scenario persists. The ability to be productive when the blood sugar drops below 60 is difficult, and the ability to survive once it drops into the 20s isn't guaranteed. Resources such as glucose tablets, glucose gel, and glucagon pens are an option to fight hypoglycemia, but aren't long-term solutions. Knowing what kinds of fruits (e.g. raspberries, blackberries, oranges) grow naturally in your area will also be helpful if your sugar goes low. High-calorie emergency ration bars can contain 400 calories per bar and may be used as a bridge until food can be procured. These items should also be stockpiled.

In Summary

As a diabetic, the importance of stockpiling medication and resources for a survival scenario cannot be overemphasized. It's important to know how your body and blood sugars respond to stress. Maintain a balance during a crisis situation, and you'll be better prepared to succeed.

About the Author

David Miller, DO, FACOI, is an internist in private practice. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1990, he has a unique perspective on patient care and disease management. Experiences away from the office have included being a fight doctor for regional MMA bouts and a team physician for a Division I university in west central Illinois. Dr. Miller is an instructor for the Civilian Crisis Response Team (medical section) based out of Indianapolis.

More From Issue 24

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 25

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 23

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

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

New: Mora Garberg Black Carbon Knife

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Swedish knife-maker Morakniv is well-known in outdoor industry for producing quality knives at a price anyone can afford. For example, the Mora Robust is priced at $15, but has proven to be impressively durable. The company offers quite a few knives that'll set you back less than $20, but it also offers higher-end options for those with more specific needs.

Mora Garberg black carbon knife bushcraft survival 02

The Garberg is Mora's top-of-the-line survival knife, with a full-tang design intended for durability and shock-resistance. Since its launch in 2016, the Garberg has only been available in stainless steel, but many bushcrafters and outdoorsmen expressed an interest in a carbon steel version. Compared to stainless, carbon steel is substantially easier to sharpen in the field, and it can also be struck against flint or other hard stones to generate fire-starting sparks.

The new Mora Garberg Black Carbon knife is made in Sweden, and features a 3.2mm thick and 4.3-inch long carbon steel blade. To resist corrosion and scratches, a black DLC finish has been applied to the steel. The classic scandi grind and drop point profile are versatile for a variety of outdoor tasks, and the spine is ground at a 90-degree angle for striking a ferrocerium rod.

Mora Garberg black carbon knife bushcraft survival 01

Made from Mora's famously tough custom polyamide material, the handle is said to be “extremely stress-resistant and nearly unbreakable”. The butt of the handle displays a section of protruding steel, indicating the knife's full-tang construction. A lanyard hole is also present.

Mora Garberg black carbon knife bushcraft survival 03

The Mora Garberg Black Carbon is available with either a black leather sheath or a polymer sheath with multi-mount kit. The multi-mount version is MOLLE-compatible and can be attached to a variety of surfaces, as seen in the video below:

This new Black Carbon version of the Garberg will be available starting in Spring 2018. MSRP for the leather sheath version will be $120, and MSRP for the multi-mount sheath will be $109. For more information, go to Morakniv.se/en.

Review: Kifaru Reckoning Backpack

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How much gear can you carry, and how far can you carry it? The answer to these questions will substantially affect your preparedness as you head outdoors.

Higher gear capacity means more tools, more food, and more potable water. It provides space for a better shelter, clean clothes, and emergency medical supplies. Of course, we're not saying you should cram your pack full of unnecessary items — that's obviously unwise. But when you're on your own in a remote location, a few extra resources can spell the difference between a miserable night's sleep and a restful one. And in a survival scenario, the resources in your pack will make the challenge of staying alive a little easier.

Although your physical fitness dramatically affects your carrying capacity, it's not the only variable. The pack you choose is also an extremely significant factor. Forty pounds of gear in a cheap bookbag will be drastically tougher to carry than the same amount of weight in a well-thought-out pack. A supportive frame, padded shoulder straps, an adjustable sternum strap, and a wide hip belt go a long way to distribute weight evenly and reduce fatigue as the miles tick by.

Choosing a high-quality backpack will allow you to carry more essential gear, and to feel less exhausted at the end of the day. Whether you're going on a multi-day backpacking trip, carrying meat back home from a successful hunt, or preparing a bug-out bag for an emergency situation, your pack is one of the most important pieces of gear you own.

Kifaru's Story

Kifaru International was founded in Colorado in 1997 by Patrick Smith, an avid backpacker, hunter, and outdoorsman. Smith had previously founded another well-known Colorado-based outdoor gear company, Mountainsmith, in 1979. But as is often the case in this competitive industry, Mountainsmith eventually moved production offshore to save money. This left behind a large pool of skilled production staff in the United States, and Smith took the opportunity to hire them and form a new venture: Kifaru.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 43

Over the last twenty years, Kifaru has remained a small company with a strong emphasis on quality over quantity. Rather than outsourcing its designs to a foreign manufacturer in pursuit of lower prices, all Kifaru gear is proudly made in the United States. On its About Us page, the company states, “Every dollar you spend with Kifaru is kept right here in the United States. Instead of fueling foreign economies, we put funds right back into American pockets. The taxes reaped from our sales and salaries support our infrastructure and our communities – not those in Asia or Latin America.” That's a bold and clear statement that we can certainly respect.

You may not have heard of Kifaru yet — that's because most of the company's marketing is by word of mouth. In fact, that's exactly how we heard about the brand. Survival instructor and RECOIL OFFGRID contributor Kevin Estela gave us a recommendation, and after checking out Kifaru's web site, we knew we had to try one of the packs.

Specs: Kifaru Reckoning Pack

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 04

In search of a pack that could easily handle week-long backpacking trips and carry all our bug-out gear in an emergency, we came across the Reckoning. This pack features a cavernous 82-liter main compartment with a roll top that can expand vertically up to 106 liters. The sides of the pack also feature 8-liter bellowed pockets for tall items. Five colors are available: Ranger Green, Coyote Brown, Wolf Gray, MultiCam, or Kryptek Highlander camo.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 01

The Reckoning is built from tough 500-denier Cordura nylon with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating. While many other tactical pack manufacturers use denser 1000-denier Cordura, that material can be quite heavy — we've found 500D to be a good balance between wear-resistance and weight.

The pack's contents can be accessed in one of two ways:

  • Center-Zip — disconnect the compression straps and unzip the main compartment from the bottom
  • Top-Loading — loosen the drawstring at the top of the pack and unzip down to open the main compartment

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 16

Three horizontal compression straps keep the contents of the main and side pockets securely in place, and two vertical straps cinch down the roll top or optional Guide Lid (more on that feature later). The straps feature strong Autolock buckles to prevent accidental loosening, and hook-and-loop strap keepers to neatly stow excess webbing slack. Sturdy grab handles are also present at the top and bottom of the pack, making it easy to pull out of your closet or truck bed.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 26

It's important to note that — like most other Kifaru packs — the Reckoning is sold as a bag only and requires an external frame and suspension system. We'll discuss that portion of the pack below.

Specs: Hunting Platform Frame

This is the point where Kifaru clearly departs from the “one size fits all” design of most consumer-grade 72-hour packs. The Duplex external frame system is offered in 22, 24, and 26-inch lengths (though only 24 and 26 are compatible with the Reckoning). Hip belt sizes range from 27 to 39 inches, and a flat or normal back profile can be chosen. When ordering a frame from Kifaru, you'll also need to specify your height, weight, waist size, and inseam.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 12

The combination of all these variables allows Kifaru to precisely tailor the frame's fit and suspension lifter strap functionality to the individual who'll be wearing it. If you're over 6 feet tall, this system dramatically improves comfort and ensures weight is distributed across the hips.

Raised foam pads on the upper back and lower lumbar area provide cushioning and space for airflow around the wearer's back. The wide contoured waist belt stabilizes the pack's load and cinches securely to any bag paired with this frame. Unbuckling the straps that secure the backpack to the frame reveals a space for a hydration bladder, and loosening these straps creates a shelf for carrying meat back home after a hunt.

Loadout & Add-Ons

This author is 6'5″ tall, and as a result, often has quite a bit of trouble finding gear that fits. Wearing a small day pack bears a comical resemblance to a full-grown man who borrowed a first-grader's book bag, since the pack sits so high on the back. So it came as a surprise to find that the Kifaru Reckoning fit flawlessly right out of the box. After a few seconds of positioning the sternum strap and cinching the waist belt, the Reckoning was ready for the trail. With a 26-inch frame, the pack was positioned at just the right height for this author's torso.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 09

We loaded the main compartment with a sleeping bag, hammock, and insulated air pad from Klymit — stay tuned for a review of these items — as well as a mesh pouch with spare clothes. Three Ultralight Pullout pouches from Kifaru hold freeze-dried food, stove and mess kit, and toiletries/medications.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 35

Additional Pockets

After loading up the main compartment, we installed some accessories to add quick-access storage for tools and loose items. Three small belt pouches were mounted on the PALS webbing around the base of the Reckoning pack, and a fourth was attached to webbing on the left side of the waist belt.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 30

These pouches hold the following gear:

  • 75 feet of paracord in pre-cut bundles, small tin with mini Bic lighter and matches, large perforated tin full of char cloth, heavy-duty black trash bag
    Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 31
  • Sawyer Mini water filter, back-flushing syringe, water pouch, and chlorine tablets
    Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 32
  • Handkerchief, sunblock, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, 5000mAh USB power bank, micro-USB and iPhone cables (an ultralight solar panel is also stowed in the main compartment for long-term off-grid smartphone and headlamp recharging)
    Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 33
  • Headlamp and gloves (in pocket on waist belt)
    Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 40

On the right side of the waist belt, a water bottle pocket was added to hold a 40oz Klean Kanteen bottle. All these accessories attach via Kifaru's unique Lock & Load system — four oval-shaped metal buckles are pushed through the PALS webbing, then rotated to lock the pouch into the webbing.

The Guide Lid

The final addition to our pack was a Kifaru Guide Lid. This 20L pouch attaches to two buckles at the top of the backpack, and two more clipped to webbing on the midsection. Its large zippered compartment serves as additional storage space when it's attached to the Reckoning — but it's also useful on its own.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 20

Unbuckling the Guide Lid from the backpack and examining it closely reveals a hidden hook-and-loop pocket on the back of the lid. Inside this pocket are a carry handle and two shoulder straps that attach to the buckles on the bottom of the Guide Lid, converting it into a simple day pack.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 21

This is extremely helpful, since it means you can quickly set down your full-size pack at your campsite, and head out to gather water or firewood with a small pack of essentials. For bug-out situations, it could also serve as a last-resort SHTF pack if you need to ditch your main bag and make a run for it.

Kifaru Reckoning backpack review camping hunting hiking bugout survival 22

We loaded our guide lid with the following gear:

  • Snugpak Stasha tarp with paracord ridgeline, guy lines, and ultralight stakes
  • Rain jacket and wool cap
  • GRAYL Ultralight water purifier bottle
  • Kifaru Chamber Pocket with small items: compass, signaling whistle, Bic lighter wrapped in duct tape, Leatherman multitool, small first aid kit, mylar emergency blanket

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Exterior Storage

For quick access, we stored our White River FC5 fixed-blade knife on the left side of the pack, with its leather sheath retained by the compression straps. If we head out for a walk without the backpack, it's easy to remove and carry in drop-leg configuration. It also has a ferro rod and divot for making a bow drill, in case other fire-starting methods are inaccessible.

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Remember the bellowed side pockets we mentioned earlier? We found those were a good spot for a set of trekking poles. Both parts of a 10/22 Takedown rifle will also fit into one of these side pouches, or you can use them for a bow and quiver, an ax, a rolled-up tarp, or any other long and narrow item.

Full-size rifles can be carried vertically on the outside of this pack. This is accomplished by emptying the centermost add-on pouch, placing the rifle's stock inside, and retaining the body of the rifle behind the compression straps.

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We loaded a Hydrapak 3-liter hydration pouch into the space between the frame and pack. With the rigid frame and firm lumbar pad, the hydration system can't be felt against the wearer's back — there's no awkward bulge like you'd get after adding it to some frameless packs.

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Lastly, we rolled up a Thermarest foam pad and attached it to the straps at the base of the Reckoning pack. Although it's not needed if we're using the hammock and air pad setup, it's a good lightweight insulation layer in case trees are sparse and we end up sleeping on the ground under a tarp.

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Carry Impressions

With the Reckoning pack, Hunting Platform frame, Guide Lid, and accessory pouches, this setup weighs about 8 pounds before filling it with any gear. That's certainly not ultralight, but that's also not this pack's emphasis. Fully-loaded with all the gear in these photos, plus three days of food and one gallon of clean water, the pack weighed 40 pounds. While heavy, that's still under the common 20%-of-total-body-weight recommendation for this author. To add a rifle and ammo to this loadout, we'd probably ditch a few of the redundant items inside the pack and guide lid to reduce weight sufficiently.

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Although 40 pounds is a substantial amount of weight to carry, the Kifaru Reckoning made it feel surprisingly easy. The suspension system and hip belt keep the pack stable and distribute its weight across the wearer's midsection, keeping the strain off the back and shoulders. (Trekking poles help, too.) Additionally, every stitch, strap, buckle, and seam on this pack feels rock-solid. We didn't see a single loose thread or odd wrinkle anywhere — that's the sort of workmanship we wish every gear company could achieve.

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From a design standpoint, the Reckoning backpack is simple and elegant. Its cavernous main compartment handles smaller loadouts easily, and expands to swallow up bulkier gear if necessary. It's a great choice for hunters due to this expansion capability. As we used the pack more, we continued to find new ways of stashing gear inside and outside it. The only real limitation of this pack's capacity is your own physical strength and endurance — its size can almost certainly hold more gear than you can comfortably carry.

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The addition of a few exterior pouches helped to organize small gear and provide quick access to fire-starters, water-purification, and other tools. Without these pouches, we'd be shoving everything into the main compartment, so we consider them a very worthwhile upgrade. We also grew fond of the Guide Lid, since it's an easy grab-and-go storage option for short hikes away from camp. The lid's tucked-away shoulder straps lack any form of padding, but they work well enough for light contents.

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Now for the elephant (or perhaps the rhino) in the room: price. The Kifaru Reckoning is made in America with an immense list of features and some of the finest materials available. That does not come cheap. Here's a breakdown of the Reckoning as seen in this article:

We'll save you the trouble of whipping out a calculator — that's a total MSRP of $911. However, remember our statement at the beginning of this article on the actual value of a quality pack. You can't go backpacking without a backpack, and your bug-out bag would just be a pile of gear if not for the bag. Your backpack is the cornerstone of every outdoor trek, and if it's not up to the task, you will feel the physical reminders of that fact after a few miles of hiking. An inadequate backpack will also reduce the amount of gear you can comfortably carry, providing you with less survival tools and resources.

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Expense aside, we found the Kifaru Reckoning to be a truly outstanding pack — you'd have a very hard time finding other backpacks that can compete with this level of craftsmanship, durability, adjustability, and modularity. This is a pack we know we could put our trust in for any backpacking trip, hunt, or bug-out situation.

To learn more about the Reckoning and other Kifaru packs, go to Kifaru.net.

Video: Make Your Own Ultralight Camp Chair

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After a long day on the trail, there's nothing better than sitting down and kicking your feet up by the campfire. But sitting on the hard, dirty ground probably isn't what you have in mind. Folding chairs are available at your local sporting goods store, but they're large, heavy, and a pain to carry on your pack. Small ones are available at camping stores, but those are often close to $100 and still rather unwieldy. Fortunately, there are ways to solve this problem with a little preparation.

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Chairs like these are a nice luxury, but finding space for them in your pack can be difficult or impossible.

Lonnie of YouTube channel Far North Bushcraft and Survival came up with a simple and effective way to build an ultralight and compact camp chair. It's only 2 ounces and packs down into a shirt pocket — this is possible because the legs can be cut in the field. All you're building is a triangular fabric top that'll connect the seat legs.

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The basic materials you'll need are:

  • Large sheet of paper, scissors, yardstick, and a pencil to make a template
  • Durable fabric, such as Cordura nylon
  • Sewing machine or needle and thread
  • Knife, ax, or saw
  • Cordage to bind the legs
  • A source of wood

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In the video below, Lonnie shows how he created this simple camp chair, and discusses potential reinforcement points for the fabric:

Video: Perfecting a Paiute Deadfall Trap

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Hunting for food isn't easy — chasing down animals in the wild burns a lot of time and energy, and it can be highly inconsistent. The ideal situation is to sit back, relax, and let the food come to us. That's why we transitioned from foraging for wild edibles to growing our own crops near our homes.

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However, primitive trapping isn't easy either. There's a lot that can go wrong with a trap. If the trigger is too sensitive, it'll go off with a slight breeze; if it's not sensitive enough, the prey will scamper away with your bait. There's a lot of trial and error involved unless you can learn from someone more experienced. In the past, this knowledge was taught from one generation to the next, but these days we can all learn from each other through the internet.

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In the following video, YouTube survival instructor Bob Hansler shows how to make one of the most well-known primitive traps of all time: the Paiute deadfall. This trap, which is named after the Paiute Native Americans who invented it, is composed of a large flat-faced stone or log, four sticks, and a piece of cordage.

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The parts are as follows:

  • Lever: Supports the deadfall weight. One end is connected to the trigger stick with cordage.
  • Fulcrum: A sturdy forked upright stick to support the lever. The base of this fulcrum should be placed on smooth, flat, solid ground (or a rock or wood plank).
  • Toggle: A small piece of wood tied to the lever stick and wrapped around the fulcrum.
  • Trigger: This long, thin twig is placed between the toggle and deadfall weight, and used to suspend the bait.

Hansler explains the configuration and necessary angle in the video below. He then demonstrates making a large trap for raccoons, coyotes, rabbits, and other medium-sized animals, as well as a smaller trap for scurrying rodents. As he wisely notes, you'll need to set several traps in varying sizes and locations to improve your chances in a survival situation. You should also be actively hunting, fishing, and foraging for wild edibles if you expect to eat consistently.

Advanced Fire-Starting Techniques in Cold Weather

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Disclaimer
This guide is meant to be a quick overview, and not a detailed guide, on improvised fire-starting methods. Any use of the information contained in this article is solely at the reader's risk.

Your fingers are numb. Your face stings from the bitter icy wind. Everything around you is wet. Shelter from the excruciatingly frigid environment is nowhere in sight. You need to start a fire — now! Can you do this with limited tools? The answer is yes; read on a little further to see how.

Whether it's for warmth, cooking, signaling, or most likely, all of the above, having the knowledge and skill to generate fire can mean the difference between life and death. Television shows often feature a lone protagonist twisting a stick onto a larger piece of wood until smoke appears, establishing a life-saving fire. But have you ever tried to start a friction fire? It's not as easy as the TV shows and books may lead you to believe. More often than not, an inexperienced person winds up with a broken stick, blistered hand, uncontrollable shivers, and an altogether pissed off state of mind. Add in a critical factor such as your life depending on it, and suddenly creating fire becomes an entirely different task. Mastery of this takes practice, but there's hope, even for the inexperienced with a bare minimum of implements.

The key thing about starting a fire is that it's only as easy as your ignition source and the quality of your fuel. Waterproof matches, windproof lighters, and the classic flint and steel are items no prepper or avid outdoorsman or woman should be without. One can even go a step further by carrying petroleum jelly-soaked cotton or dryer lint, solid fuel cubes, or any other variety of fire fuel. Since we live in a world where Murphy's Law is commonplace, imagine you find yourself caught in a snowstorm or lost in frigid temperatures. You need to start a fire, but you don't have the Supplies: that you so carefully purchased, tested, and packed. Do you still have the knowledge it takes to start a life-saving fire under those conditions?

For fire to occur, four things must be in place: oxygen, fuel, heat, and a chemical chain reaction. This is known as the fire tetrahedron. To create fire, all four elements must be present, just as to extinguish fire, you can simply remove any one of those four elements. Rarely would someone attempt to start a fire in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, and, when all other elements are in place, the chemical chain reaction will naturally occur. That leaves two parts of the equation that must be provided: something to start the fire and something to burn. Finding dry fuel and an ignition source can be daunting, particularly in a cold and wet environment, one of the most difficult settings to establish a fire.

The cold will be more of a factor on your fingers than it will on the fuel that you want to burn. Science tells us that more energy will be needed to bring the fuel to its ignition temperature, but for our purposes, the difference is negligible. The damp conditions are another story. Anyone who has tried to start a fire when everything is seemingly wet knows what a frustrating challenge it can be. Fortunately, challenging doesn't mean impossible. When attempting to burn wet wood, over half the heat is utilized in drying the wood before it can burn. Often, though, dry wood is available with a little bit of effort and ingenuity.

Location

Before discussing alternative methods to start a fire in cold, adverse conditions, a few considerations must be addressed. First, the location of the fire is of utmost importance. Ideally, your fire should be placed away from moisture, out of the wind, and near a large rock wall or another noncombustible surface or structure.
Much warmth can be absorbed by the radiant heat reflected by a boulder, rocks stacked in a horseshoe shape around the fire, or even large logs stacked on top of one another (possibly leaned against a few small trees). If you're able to utilize a large boulder or rock wall, you can build the fire a few feet away from the wall so you can place your body between it and the fire for maximum warmth.

Nearby melting snow can hinder a small fire that you're trying to build into a big fire. You should elevate your fire by building a base of rocks or logs. The small spaces in between them provide water runoff channels as well as a dry foundation for you to build on. Also, avoid building your fire under a tree that has accumulated snow or ice on its branches, for obvious reasons.

Kindling

Successful creation of a fire begins with proper kindling. When you don't have fire-starting supplies on hand, you must learn how to find some in nature. Dry, finely fibered, and easily ignitable wood or dead grass are often the most prevalent and utilized. Start small and slowly add larger and larger tinder.
There are some trees that are well-known for providing valuable tinder:

White Birch: Its paperlike bark provides easily accessible and ignitable tinder. White birch also, almost exclusively, grows Chaga (birch tinder fungus) that's widely utilized for its flammability.

White Pine: The pine needles make superb fire tinder, and the flammable sap is invaluable when trying to keep a fire going in rainy conditions.

American Basswood: It's soft enough that it makes an excellent choice for starting a friction fire, but not so soft that it crumbles when pressure is applied.

Maple: Twigs are often readily available and yield effective tinder.

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There are other tinder options that you may need to use if trees in the immediate vicinity aren't helpful. As with most survival scenarios, a certain amount of ingenuity may be required. Check your pockets. You may have pocket lint or rogue threads that can help you get a fire going. The lip balm that you carry with you religiously during the winter months can help start and maintain a small fire. As painful as it may be, paper money can be used as tinder. The pocket itself, as long as it's not part of the structure of your garment, can be pulled out and cut or ripped to create tinder. Dry bird feathers, bird nests, hair or fur, cigarette tobacco and filters, dry animal dung, and any clothing not necessary for warmth or to keep dry can all be used to get a fire going.

With no ax or saw available to cut deadwood into manageable-sized pieces, you'll have to locate deadfall and carry or drag it to the vicinity of where you'll build your fire. You can break up larger pieces by wedging them between two standing trees and using leverage by pulling until the branches break. Green logs are OK to use, but only after your fire is large enough and generating enough heat to burn them. The general rule is to have three dry logs for every green one.

Fire Starting Methods 1. AA Battery

Difficulty: 2

Supplies: AA battery and a gum or cigarette wrapper

Many people don't carry a traditional tool that'll allow them to start a fire, but may have the means to start a fire right in their pocket and not even know it. If you have a flashlight or other electronic device that utilizes AA batteries, you're halfway there. Next you simply need gum with an aluminum wrapper or cigarette package paper. The gum or cigarette foil wrapper is thin enough to create resistance, which will generate heat. Steel wire could also work, but only if it's very thin (steel wool), otherwise it'll be too thick to provide adequate resistance. This is important because even a paperclip or standard aluminum foil is too thick to offer enough resistance to generate the heat required. Even copper wiring won't work. Copper has very low resistance that's good for carrying current, but not for generating heat. So it won't produce the results you need.

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Steps:

  • Remove the battery from the flashlight.
  • Cut or tear the gum wrapper into an hourglass shape where the thin part is about as wide as the width of your knife blade.
  • Hold the foil side of the wrapper against the positive and negative posts of the battery. Almost immediately the thin part of the wrapper will ignite.

Notes:

This method is very simple, but requires a fairly exact shape of the gum wrapper, which will take practice to perfect. If the narrow part of the wrapper is too wide, it won't ignite. If it's too thin, it'll burn through before it catches fire. The width of the top of a knife blade should be about right. Sometimes this method can create a lot of heat on your fingers. You should use gloves or even the gum that was removed from the wrapper to create a barrier between your fingers and the foil against the battery posts.

Some cell phone batteries have exposed positive and negative terminals as well and could potentially achieve the same result. Because the terminals are typically recessed it can be more difficult to make contact with them. Steel wool can be used with greater success, but people don't often carry steel wool with them.

Another method that should only be utilized in a dire survival situation is to pierce a lithium-ion battery with a knife. When the lithium becomes exposed to oxygen, a chemical reaction occurs that produces heat and flame. This will obviously ruin your cell phone battery, and, more importantly, the reaction is unpredictable and could be potentially violent. Therefore, only attempt this when there are no other options.

Fire Starting Methods 2. Chain saw

Difficulty: 3

Supplies: Chain saw

It's not uncommon to head out in the woods on a winter day to locate and cut firewood. It's also not unheard of for the weather to quickly change or to get turned around and find yourself lost and in immediate need of warmth. You may not have matches or a lighter, but if you have a chain saw, you can create fire.

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Steps:

  • For safety reasons, remove the bar and chain from the saw.
  • Find a depression in a log (or rock) that can confine liquid.
  • Pour a small amount of gasoline from the chain saw into the depression. (Consider adding bar oil from the other reservoir in approximately a 50/50 mixture to lower the flash point.)
  • Soak a small amount of quality tinder in the mixture.
  • Remove the spark plug from the engine and pull from the plug wire.
  • Place the chainsaw tool (a piece of wire would also work) into the boot of the plug wire.
  • Place the other end of the attached tool near (but not IN!) the fuel. The tool must be close enough to create a ground, but not so close it is in the liquid. Roughly 1/8 of an inch is about right.
  • Pull the pull cord to create a spark, igniting the fire.

Other Considerations:

Consider using a stick to hold the spark plug in place so the spark doesn't “bite” you.
You could also dip a stick in the gasoline, creating a makeshift match, and ignite with a spark plug the same way.

Fire Starting Methods 3. Ice lens

Difficulty: 5

Supplies: Ice

Lens-based fire starting techniques are commonly known and practiced. Some find them easy, while others find them rather difficult to successfully create fire. Commonly used lenses come in the form of a magnifying glass, water bottle, eyeglasses, or any other actual or makeshift lenses. One option, which may be more prevalent than others in cold weather, is ice.

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Steps:

  • Locate as clear a piece of ice as possible.
  • Cut or break off a piece about the size of your palm.
  • With your hand, rub the ice smooth on one side and convex on the other.
  • Prop the ice with a rock or wood to allow sunlight to pass through and focus on one specific spot.
  • Place light kindling (the darker the better) at the focal point of the sunlight.

Other Considerations

Only use your ungloved hand to shape the ice if there are immediate ways to rewarm your hand, otherwise you could expedite frostbite.

Conclusion

For every person you ask, you'll get a handful of differing responses as to the best ways to start a fire in a survival situation. There are tried-and-true methods that've been utilized for as long as humans have walked the earth. You certainly have your own opinions. One thing everyone can agree on is to start with the easiest methods first. If those are not an option, some outside-the-box techniques may need to be employed. It's those unusual and extreme techniques that must be practiced before needed. Try these out and become proficient with them so when the need arises, it's not the first time you've tried it. One sure way to improve your chances for success is to prepare in advance!

More From Issue 24

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 25

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

Video: Making a Traditional Finnish Puukko Knife

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A dependable knife is an essential tool, no matter what environment you may find yourself in. Many cultures have developed traditional knife designs that have stood the test of time — for example, the Nepalese kukri, the Japanese kiridashi, the Southeast Asian karambit, and the Germanic seax. Among these centuries-old designs is the Finnish puukko, a small belt knife designed for everyday utility use.

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Compared to some of the other dramatic blade styles we just mentioned, the puukko may seem rather plain. It generally features a slender blade with a flat spine, and sometimes a subtle drop point.

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Unsurprisingly, the puukko is often made with a broad “scandi” grind, which produces a razor-sharp edge without a secondary bevel. The handle is equally simple, without a prominent forefinger choil or guard. These knives excel at delicately carving and shaving wood, and can be an excellent complement to a woodsman's ax.

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Despite the overall simplicity, a high-quality Finnish puukko may be heavily-decorated with precious metals, bone, Damascus steel, and engraved scrollwork. The leather sheath can be equally intricate. In the following video from the Northmen YouTube channel, the traditional process of manufacturing a puukko is shown from start to finish. The result is impressive, but despite its decorations, this knife could still remain a functional tool for the outdoors.

What If Your Cruise Ship Is Hijacked?

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Illustrations by Lonny Chant

The ISIS flags. I had seen them many times on the news and in magazines. The black-and-white flags speak of God and his messenger, but the deeds done underneath them are never holy. Countless times, I'd seen pictures of this flag from the safety of my home, but this was the first time I had seen them with my own eyes. Fluttering from poles affixed to fast-moving skiffs, the black flags signaled these men were no ordinary pirates. They weren't just coming to rob us of our possessions or hijack the ship for ransom — they were coming to take our lives.

For this stomach-churning installment of RECOIL OFFGRID's What If?, the authors are continuing the new story style — explaining what they would do if they were personally caught up in the emergency situation. This oceanic survival story isn't some nautical nonsense about people with no survival background, muddling through an emergency. This is how we would personally plan for an international trip, and how we would react when things go horribly wrong. From our skills and survival tactics, to our plans and reactions, we hope you learn even more from this change in the format, and we hope you never need to deal with a situation like this.

The Scenario

  • Situation Type: Ocean liner hijacking
  • Your Crew: You and your spouse, ship's crew, and approximately 150 other passengers
  • Location: Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden
  • Season: Summer in the southern hemisphere (during our winter season)
  • Weather: Clear; high 100 degrees F, low 80 degrees F

The Setup: You've been saving for years to take a dream cruise with your spouse that lasts 44 days. It disembarks in Barcelona and makes stops in the Mediterranean before venturing through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. It then proceeds to several more stops along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal before reaching its final destination in Singapore. You plan to have an unforgettable summer vacation together to celebrate your anniversary and see parts of the world you've never been to before.

The Complication: Approximately 20 days into the cruise when you're nearing the Horn of Africa, your vessel succumbs to a coordinated hijacking by several skiffs. You're awakened around sunrise to an announcement. The captain comes on the loudspeaker, telling everyone that there are “unfriendly” vessels on the starboard and port sides and to stay in our rooms. The plink of bullets on the side was very noticeable.

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You peer out of your stateroom window, and see a skiff flying the ISIS flag and a pirate with a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher. He takes aim in your direction and fires. You see the flash and dive to the other side as the rocket detonates in a stateroom two decks above your own. The pirates, four or five in each of the 25-foot boats, continue firing and try to board the ship. The captain then orders all passengers to assemble in an interior lounge for safety, and the ship accelerates in what appears to be an attempt to ram or outrun the assailants. While getting dressed and readying to leave your stateroom for the lounge with your spouse, the ship unexpectedly slows down.

You realize the ship has been boarded. Being that this is ISIS and not pirates, this is the worst possible scenario as the motivation is likely not ransom, but hostages and executions. There's no way to tell how many total hijackers there are, or if more are coming.

The New Plan: If you were home you'd call 911 and grab your gun. But you're in an ocean liner off the coast of countries that are poverty-stricken, generally unfriendly toward Americans, and your mobile phone has no reception. How do you deal with the hijacking? Do you hide? Attempt to communicate an SOS somehow? Do you take on the hijackers? Try to escape in a lifeboat?

Former Federal Officer: Hana Bilodeau's Approach

Prep

Most vacations don't span over 44 days with multiple international destinations, but because of the uniqueness of this trip, I'd divide my pre-trip preparation into three categories: legal documents, intelligence on countries visited, and ship facts. Planning for a vacation in advance will hopefully help navigate any issues that may arise later.

Legal documentation: Before departing, I'd check with the cruise company to see what legal documentation they require to embark and disembark the ship. I'd then check our passports to ensure the issue date exceeds six months prior to the ship departure date and that expiration dates remain legal throughout the entire stay abroad. This is due to the six-month validity passport rule. Most countries won't permit a traveler to enter the country unless the passport is set to expire at least six months after the final leg of travel and was issued at least six months prior to arrival. Next is compiling a list of stopover destinations the ship will make throughout the trip. Using this list I also check the U.S. State Department website to see which countries require additional Visas or documentation to enter.

Once I have all the necessary government travel documentation, I make multiple paper copies of the documents in the event our passport is lost or stolen during the trip, so we will at least have some form of identification. I would be sure to carry one paper copy of my passport with me at all times and store each additional copy in different, secure locations while traveling.

I would also schedule a pre-trip doctor visit to obtain any necessary vaccinations and documentation thereof based on area of travel. Due to the fact that medical facilities will be limited at best, I would also purchase short-term international travel insurance that would cover any medical expenses outside the U.S. for a minimum of two days and a maximum of three years, and up to a million dollars in coverage. I'd keep copies of this coverage, vaccination documentation, and my U.S. insurance card along with our passports and other vital information.

Intelligence gathering: I'd first buy a paper map showing areas to be traveled and keep it in my luggage. I would also spend some time researching each country we'll visit and or travel through during our 44 days at sea. This would include checking the U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheets for each country and current travel advisories for this part of the world, which is also on the State Department website. Next, I'd also familiarize myself with the culture, religions, and customs for each location to learn what formalities that, if not followed, could disrupt a peaceful visit.

Other contacts I'd want info on are the closest American resources for each international waterway that our ship passes through. Lastly, find contact information for the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard for any of the U.S. ports as well as the U.S. embassy and local law enforcement contacts for all international ports of call. I would make a list of each and also make paper copies of each and store them accordingly.

Utilizing the cruise company's website I would gather facts on the ship to include:

  • Year Built: 2011
  • Year Refurbished: 2016
  • Gross Tonnage: 66,084
  • Length: 784.95 feet
  • Beam: 105.646 feet
  • Maximum Draught: 24 feet
  • Stabilizers: Yes
  • Cruising Speed: 20 knots
  • Guest Decks: 11
  • Total Decks: 16
  • Electric Power or Voltage: 110, 220 AC
  • Guest Capacity: 1,250 (Double Occupancy)
  • Staff Size: 800
  • Guest to Staff Ratio: 1.567 to 1
  • Nationality of Officers: European
  • Nationality of Staff: International
  • Country of Registry: Marshall Islands

I'd also research the on-ship security and procedures, specifically noting if they have a security force and onboard holding facility. I would then identify and make a copy of the ship's evacuation plan. Next I'd check the cruise liner's prohibited items list. Then onto gathering info on the ship's infirmary to see what type of medical emergencies they're equipped to handle and their treatment protocol if a passenger needs higher medical attention.

Aside from the aforementioned documents, my emergency-preparedness packing list would include the following if allowed onboard:

  • First-aid kit
  • Flashlight
  • Leatherman tool
  • Knife with blade under 4 inches
  • Battery-operated portable radios for ship communication if there's no cellular service
  • Spare batteries for radios and phones
  • Battery packs, cell phone charger (if international is not part of the cell plan, it's an additional cost, you can either use your phone on roaming or purchase an additional international plan).
  • Electrical conversion and outlet adapter for each country
  • Laptop, charger, and accessories
  • Air card for internet and phone card (an air card is a cellular modem that attaches to the USB port of a computer and serves as a gateway to the internet antennas to improve cell reception)

On Site

Once onboard, first on the agenda would be checking into our stateroom, identifying where our stateroom is located in relation to the other important parts of the ship, and getting acclimated with its amenities. This includes unpacking and securing our personal documents. Next I'd develop an emergency plan for my spouse and I in case we're separated to include multiple meeting locations and modes of communication. We'd then want to familiarize ourselves with the ship's layout. Before doing so, stop by the information desk and grab a couple copies of the ship's map/layout.

With map in hand we'd head off to visit the most pertinent locations so we're better acquainted with where they are in relation to our cabin and the quickest ways to access them if needed during an emergency. These locations include:

  • Customer service or information center
  • Ship security office
  • Infirmary
  • Locations of fire extinguishers
  • Locations of life vests and rafts
  • Kitchen
  • Captain's quarters
  • Engine/electrical room

Crisis

And just like that, the captain makes an announcement that “unfriendly” vessels are on the port side of the ship and that passengers should assemble in the interior lounge for safety. Once confirmed that the ocean liner has actually been taken hostage, immediate action is imperative. Based on the history of ISIS, human life is of the utmost concern. Once the passengers have gathered in the interior lounge I'd spearhead organizing a mission plan.

First on the agenda is identifying any able-bodied passengers, preferably with military, law enforcement, or leadership experience. Establishing an operable militia of ship patrons to combat the hijackers is imperative. Organization and quick decisive action on behalf of the passengers is necessary to prevent the hijackers from becoming too embedded in the ship. Keeping the hijackers at bay and out of the interior lounge is essential.

Next, I'd ask all passengers to pool anything that could be used as weapons. Things that could be useful are kitchen utensils and knives, large blunt objects, fire hoses, extinguishers, rope, etc. Next is setting up a perimeter and using the ship's infrastructure as protection. One could do this by identifying things that could be used as cover/concealment and formulating a safe ground away form the threat.

what-if-your-cruise-ship-is-hijacked

Having a leader amongst the passengers is essential to maintain order, security, and communication. It's important that all passengers understand and agree to the plan of attack, convincing them that compromising that plan could disrupt the security of the group as a whole and cost the lives of everyone. The goal is to have all passengers in agreement. If that doesn't work through negotiations (strength in numbers), the passengers who refuse to conform will be separated from the majority to make sure there isn't internal hostility.

Once the militia has been established, it's all about dividing and conquering areas of concern. I'd take the most experienced passengers and send them to locate the ship's security forces to obtain any weapons kept onboard for such incidents. If possible, combine efforts with the security forces. Then it's on to locate and protect the captain, the engine room, and radio transmitting equipment.

If able to locate the captain, the goal is to immediately contact the U.S. Coast Guard, the closest embassy, and friendlies so an evacuation plan can be immediately implemented. The captain should be the person on board with the most working knowledge of the ship itself, so securing his or her safety is important. If there's firepower locked and stored on the ship, the captain is usually the only one with access. Make sure to provide as much pertinent information to the rescue efforts as possible, such as the number of passengers and location, estimated number of hijackers, and how and where the boat was compromised.

If possible, I'd send out another team out to identify the location and number of hijackers on board. Their secondary mission would be attempting to secure food and water. Being in the middle of the ocean, in the summer, and with extreme temperatures, hydration may quickly become an issue.

Success in this situation is reliant on remaining vigilant as a group, being prepared to fight, having a plan, keeping the hijackers at bay and maintaining strength in numbers until rescue efforts arrive.

Survival Expert: Tim MacWelch's Approach

Prep

To get ready for a trip of this duration, here are four areas where I wouldn't skimp.

Hit the Books: Research is an important aspect of preparedness, and I'd take my time studying for our trip. From the areas we'd stop to the areas we'd be traveling through, I'd learn about the people and their customs. I'd also take a hard look at the cruise company and the ship itself. Learning about restricted items would be vital, as well as my communication options and the predicted weather for the season. And of course, I'd be worried about the troubled waters we'd be sailing through. I'd read up on the Somali pirates off the coast of Africa and the pirates on the Indian Ocean. Modern piracy is still big business, and some estimates put the worldwide loss at $16 billion per year.

Get a Satellite Phone: Communication can be critical in a survival situation, so buying or renting a satellite phone could be the most essential expense in the preparation for our trip. I'd do my homework on the models, features, and even the satellite networks. Just like your mobile phone, certain networks have better coverage in certain areas. A cheap sat phone may be found as low as $300, while a great one may cost $1,300. These higher-end units (like Iridium) have a greater number of satellites in the network. This offers the user global coverage, even in polar regions. In either case, it's a small price to pay for a greater margin of safety in the remote corners of the world.

Set Up a Contact: We'd definitely establish a regular contact at home. This is someone to check in with who'd have our itinerary and instructions on what to do if we became uncommunicative. Just as it wouldn't be smart to head out into the wilderness without telling anyone where you were going or when you'd be back, it's not too bright to travel without checking in with someone. A trusted family member or friend would be our contact. I'd also reach out to the U.S. State Department and create a contact there.

Pack for the Trip: For a month-and-a-half voyage through countries great and small, I'd bring the clothing and footwear you'd expect a tourist to wear. And everything we'd be legally allowed to bring. We'd also pack lighting such as headlamps and flashlights with spare batteries. A charger for the sat phone is a must as well. Cash in small bills would be a must, in U.S. dollars and other common currencies, though the foreign bills would be easier to pick up abroad than at home. Stateside currency exchanges aren't likely to have currency from every country. Tactical pens, belts with heavy buckles, and other simple travel-friendly tools for self-defense might be the best we'd be allowed to take. In some places, even pocketknives are forbidden. Double check local regulations on items such as these as well as the ship's list of any prohibited items.

On Site

After the long flight, and once we'd finally reached Barcelona, it'd be a great relief to finally board the cruise ship and settle into our room. Before we board the ship we'd get some bottled water and nonperishable food to stock our cabin. While this may seem strange to ship staff, you never know when there can be a hiccup in your food and water supply, even on a hedonistic cruise ship.

Then, after a bit of rest, we'd take a look around to get familiar with the vessel, looking for areas where we could potentially hide or fortify. Any weapons from the ship, conventional or improvised, would be on my mind as well, since we could bring very little for self-defense with us. I'd ask for a tour of the kitchen, if allowed, just to see where the big knives are kept. And once our voyage is underway, we'd see some sights with our group at each port of call, do a little shopping, and add a few more foods to our personal food pantry.

Crisis

Here's the part where we find out if there's such a thing as a “no win” scenario. With the ISIS flags flying, I'll expect no quarter to be given in the coming altercation. These mass murderers are typically religious zealots who cannot be swayed by logic or reason. And it would be likely that they should have no qualms about massacring every man, woman, and child onboard. I'd expect a distress call to have gone out as soon as the unfriendly craft approached the ship, but there's no guarantee that this occurred. This force may have an insider who could disable communications right before the attack. While it's likely that the cruise ship company has a standard operating procedure for pirates boarding the ship to get ransom money, the company probably doesn't have a game plan for religious nuts trying to kill every person on the ship.

what-if-your-cruise-ship-is-hijacked-hijackers

I'd go along with the captain's orders to gather in a central spot as the ship tried to speed away from assailants who were firing on us from a small craft, but, with the small cruise ship lurching to a halt, I'd have to make a very dire decision. Would I join the group or avoid them? Rushing down the halls, bumping into uninformed people, I wouldn't know if the ship had stopped because it was under new command or it stopped because the captain had been instructed to stop and negotiate if pirates boarded. Whichever is true, these hijackers flew flags that showed they weren't the typical impoverished pirates looking for money. And the passengers gathered in one place would make a spectacularly easy shooting gallery.

With the sudden stopping of the ship, I wouldn't gather with the other passengers. I'd treat this like the active shooter scenario it is, and embrace the “run, hide, fight” mantra. If no distress call went out, it could be hours (or even days) before the maritime security forces in the area respond to the attack. And in just a few hours, dozens of motivated men could have every single one of our heads in a pile on the ship's deck.

So what's on a cruise ship that could act as a weapon? You're not going to go up against an AK-47-wielding attacker with a rolled-up magazine or a butter knife you stole from the captain's table. And with fire axes in short supply on the modern cruise ship, your choices are limited. So in this grim scenario, the best weapon at hand would be the weapon sitting in a drawer in our stateroom — the satellite phone.

We would barricade ourselves in the room and start calling our contacts. After notifying the State Department contacts we'd made before the trip, and making sure that the message would get to the multinational maritime task force for the region, we'd prepare to fight back if the door was breached. Perhaps some unruly passengers would buy some time for the anti-piracy task force of the region to organize, mobilize, and arrive on site. Using speed, surprise, and intense violence — we might be able to wrestle one rifle from an unskilled attacker. Or perhaps we could pick off a straggler who might be searching the ship alone. Then we'd finally have a proper way to fight back. Either way, I'm not dying on my knees.

Conclusion

In the past, piracy on the East African coast was much worse than it is today. Thanks to years of multinational naval operations, there's been a major reduction of piracy in the Indian Ocean. But the narrow sea passage in the Gulf of Aden has been favored by pirates for centuries, and in recent years, pirates have targeted scores of commercial vessels there (in 2008, more than 100 ships were attacked). This list of attacks includes several incidents involving cruise ships and private yachts.

Having done my homework before this trip, I would've known that in March of 2017, two-dozen pirates in two skiffs attacked and hijacked an oil tanker just off the northernmost town in Somalia. It was the first hijacking of a large commercial vessel since 2012. After boarding, the armed men turned off the ship's tracking system and demanded a ransom. A subsequent firefight with the local maritime police force and some tense negotiations ended the hijacking without ransom (largely because the pirates were afraid to get on the wrong side of the powerful Somali businessmen who had hired the ship).

So what's the takeaway here? Well, if you want to travel the world, you have to accept the fact that you'll be facing some serious risks and hazards. And while most trips end happily enough, some do not. Do plenty of research before you head out into the world. The U.S. State Department website is loaded with sound travel advice, and more importantly, travel advisories and warnings about dangerous areas. Criminal activity against travelers, terrorist activity, military conflicts, and many other hazards are explained and updated on their website: http://travel.state.gov. Give it a look. And although a cruise liner that goes slowly and close to shore off the coast of Somalia has certain risks, the potential for hijacking exists everywhere.

More From Issue 24

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 25

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 23

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

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

Hiking Boot Buyer’s Guide – Take a Hike

Written by

When you've got the right tool for the job, tasks become much easier. Hunting deer with a derringer would be a wee bit more challenging than with a scoped .308 rifle, and nobody in their right mind would rather chop firewood with a Swiss Army knife than a sturdy ax. Footwear is no different, yet it's not uncommon to see casual hikers headed down a trail in a pair of sneakers … or even flip-flops.

If you want to avoid bruised, battered, blistered, and aching feet on outdoor excursions, a supportive pair of boots is a must. But as a quick Google search or trip to any local retailer will tell you, there's a seemingly endless array to choose from. On one end of the range, so-called “lifestyle” boots are usually intended to look fashionable and do little else. On the other end, high-tech mountaineering boots are probably far beyond what you need, unless you regularly don crampons and scale glaciers. The happy medium between these extremes is represented by hiking boots.

A trusty pair of hiking boots can easily handle short treks, weekend camping trips, and long-term bug-out situations. This footwear will reduce the risk of injury by protecting your feet from impacts and your ankles from rolling; comfort and support over rough terrain will be far superior to that of running shoes or cross-trainers. Most importantly, your little piggies won't feel like they're ready for the slaughterhouse after a few hours of walking with a fully loaded pack.

In order to track down some versatile hiking boots that meet these standards, we requested sample pairs from six leading manufacturers. These pairs were then evaluated by three of our staff members: this author, network manager John Schwartze, and former head editor Patrick Vuong. Our variations in height, weight, and foot size helped us gain perspective on this selection of footwear. Read on to see if these boots fit your backcountry needs.

Gray Man Shoes

While hiking boots are ideal for rough trails and steep inclines, they're not the best tool for everyday wear in the city. If you stomp around the office or grocery store in a set of mud-caked heavy-duty boots, you're likely to appear out of place and clearly broadcast your preparedness. So, in addition to the six boots we tested here, we examined six shoes that fit the “gray man” philosophy — footwear that won't appear unusual in urban areas, yet offers more toughness and capabilities than an ordinary pair of sneakers.

You can read our complete Gray Man Shoe Buyer's Guide online here

Breaking-In Your Boots

Ever wonder about the best way to break in your new pair of boots, avoid blisters, and maximize comfort? There's more to it than you might think. Contributor Andy Schrader addressed this topic by testing two new pairs of footwear: the Garmont T8 Bifida tactical boot, and the Le Chameau Condor LCX hunting boot. He also shared some initial wear tips from a boot designer, and used these tips to evaluate how each boot fared during the break-in process.

This guide is available now exclusively here.

Hiking Boots

  • Ariat Terrain

    Make & Model - Ariat Terrain
    Materials - Full-grain leather upper, moisture-wicking liner, gel-cushioned footbed, ATS composite shank, EVA midsole, Duratread rubber outsole
    Colors - Brown Oiled Rowdy, Distressed Brown, Cordovan, Sunshine
    Sizes - 7 to 13 including half-sizes; D or EE. Women's sizes also available.
    MSRP - $105
    URL - http://www.amazon.com

    The texture of the sole isn't as aggressive as we'd like, but held up to hiking on steep, sandy trails respectably.

  • Asolo Fugitive GTX

    Make & Model - Asolo Fugitive GTX
    Materials - Suede and nylon upper, Gore-Tex liner, Lite 2 composite footbed, Duo Asoflex lasting board, mono-density PU midsole, Asolo Synchro rubber outsole
    Colors - Black/Gunmetal, Gray/Black, Gray/Gunmetal, Wool/Black
    Sizes - 7 to 14 including half-sizes; wide fit available
    MSRP - $250
    URL - http://www.asolo-usa.com

    This company is owned and operated by the Zanatta family, whose members have been producing shoes in the town of Nervesa della Battaglia for four generations.

  • Danner Light II

    Make & Model - Danner Light II
    Materials - Nubuck leather and 1,000-denier nylon upper, Gore-Tex liner, removable Airthotic PU instep, fiberglass shank, recraftable Vibram Kletterlift rubber outsole
    Colors - Brown, Dark Brown, Matte Black Kevlar
    Sizes - 7 to 14 including half-sizes; B, D, or EE. Women's sizes also available.
    MSRP - $380
    URL - http://www.danner.com

    In contrast to the $100 boot we reviewed at the start of this guide, the flagship Light II represents the top end of our guide's budget spectrum.

  • KEEN Targhee EXP Waterproof Mid

    Make & Model - KEEN Targhee EXP Waterproof Mid
    Materials - Performance mesh upper, KEEN.Dry waterproof liner, removable EVA footbed, nylon shank, dual-density EVA midsole, KEEN all-terrain rubber outsole
    Colors - Black/Steel Gray, Bungee Cord/Brindle, Mulch/Burnt Ochre, Magnet/Dress Blues, Olive/Black Olive
    Sizes - 7 to 17 including half-sizes; wide fit available. Women's sizes also available.
    MSRP - $140
    URL - http://www.keenfootwear.com

    We've had good experiences with KEEN footwear in the past, as the company clearly knows how to produce shoes that balance ruggedness and comfort at an affordable price.

  • LOWA Renegade GTX Mid

    Make & Model - LOWA Renegade GTX Mid
    Materials - Nubuck leather and Cordura nylon upper, Gore-Tex liner, ATC footbed, MonoWrap support frame, hard stabilizer, double-injection DuraPU midsole, Vibram Evo rubber outsole
    Colors - Black/Black, Gray/Green, Sepia/Sepia, Slate/Olive, Stone/Brown, too many others to list
    Sizes - 7.5 to 15 including half-sizes; B, D, or E. Women's sizes also available.
    MSRP - $230
    URL - http://www.lowaboots.com

    This boot destroys the notion that supportive footwear has to be as heavy and restrictive as a pair of cement shoes.

  • Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX

    Make & Model - Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX
    Materials - Nubuck leather and textile upper, Gore-Tex liner, EVA shaped footbed, 4D Advanced Chassis dual-density EVA midsole, High Traction Contagrip rubber outsole
    Colors - Detroit/Black/Navajo, Iguana Green/Asphalt/Dark Titanium, Fossil/Rain Drum/Humus
    Sizes - 7 to 14 including half-sizes. Women's sizes also available.
    MSRP - $230
    URL - http://www.salomon.com

    Salomon started 70 years ago as a ski manufacturer and has since built a worldwide reputation for making high-quality footwear and outdoor equipment.

More From Issue 24

Don’t miss essential survival insights—sign up for Recoil Offgrid's free newsletter today!

Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 25

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 23

Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

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