Page 142 – RECOIL OFFGRID

Video: Making a Compound Bow from a Leaf Spring

Posted on January 6, 2018 at 6:00 am.

One man's trash is another man's treasure — these are words to live by for survivalists. In an emergency situation, you probably won't have access to big-box retailers and hardware stores, so you'll need to use the tools you already have and improvise the rest. That means re-purposing items most people might see as nothing more than trash.

If you know where to look in any junkyard, truck repair shop, or even a new car dealership, you'll have no trouble finding dozens of leaf springs. These curved steel bands are bolted onto the rear axles of most trucks, vans, and trailers, as well as some pre-1980s cars. We've seen them turned into knives and swords on shows like Forged in Fire, but one YouTuber known as Jake's Custom Knives recently documented an especially appropriate use for this scrap steel: making a compound bow.

This is clever, since instead of reshaping the metal, it's using the spring's existing properties to create an improvised weapon.

With an angle grinder, Jake cut off the cylindrical bushings from each end of the spring and narrowed the bow's limbs for added flexibility. He then cut a series of notches to serve as an arrow rest and grip, and removed the steel's rusty finish and smoothed its edges with a belt sander. The bow was finished with a contoured rubber grip.

In order to make this a compound bow (as opposed to a recurve bow), Jake added simple pulleys to each end — these provided a much-needed mechanical advantage and reduced draw weight to 60 pounds. The end result is powerful enough to shoot through thick plywood, and seems like it could be a great tool for hunting small game if SHTF. Check out the full video below:

RECOILtv: Gambler 500 Rally in a $500 Van

Posted on January 5, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

The term rally can cover a wide range of motorsports, from high-roller exotic car events like the Gumball 3000 to heavily-regulated off-road competitions such as the World Rally Championship (WRC). The Gambler 500 can be considered a rally, but it's far-removed from both these extremes — it's not a race, and it certainly doesn't require a million-dollar supercar to participate. Touted as “Cannonball Run crossed with Burning Man and the Thunderdome”, the Gambler 500 lives by the mantra that “fun > rules”.

The Gambler 500 is a 500-mile mostly off-road adventure rally that travels through the public lands of Oregon. It's free to enter, and participants are asked to start with a vehicle that cost $500 or less (although additional money can be spent on modifications). Other rules are minimal, and mostly consist of “don't be a dick”. Each vehicle is loaded with food, water, camping gear, navigation and communications equipment, and spare parts for the inevitable breakdowns.

The 2017 Gambler 500 was the biggest yet — and possibly the largest rally in the world — with 742 cars and trucks participating. Iain Harrison of RECOIL Magazine attended, teaming up with co-driver Dan Brokos and a camera crew for RECOILtv.

Harrison's vehicle was a particularly beat-up 1985 Toyota van, outfitted with OD green paint, a light bar, hacked-up wheel arches, and mud tires. The tires rubbed, the battery disconnected itself, and it rattled loudly the whole trip, but it completed the journey in one piece (well, mostly).

Check out the 11-minute 2017 Gambler 500 recap video below from RECOILtv:

Curated Offers: Put Those Empty Beer Bottles To Good Use With This Bottle Cutting Kit

Posted on January 3, 2018 at 3:00 pm.

Written by Offgrid Staff

We've all been there before: you're out at a cool bar and you order a cool new beer and it comes in a cool bottle. And the next time you're at the liquor store, you pick up a six-pack of the cool new beer, drink it, and think: I want to make something out of this. The next morning you wake up, ready to get to your DIY project, and you fidget with it for a couple hours, trying to cut the bottle or stuff something inside it, before realizing it won't work, and giving up. Well, thanks to the Kinkajou Bottle Cutting and Candle Making Kit, your DIY project just got a lot easier.

Featuring a bottle cutter, silicone separation ties, a glass finishing tool, and silicon carbide sandpaper, you can make professional-looking glassware without breaking a sweat. And included in the pack is a pound of soy wax balls with 5 wooden wicks and wick clips, so you can really take your project to the next level. Or, you can use your cut bottles as drinking glasses that will really impress your friends. Plus, if you can part with your newly created masterpiece, either a candle or drinking glass set makes for a great gift.

No matter what you decide to create with it, the Kinkajou Bottle Cutting and Candle Making Kit is a worthwhile investment, and you can pick one up for only $59.99, a savings of 31%. Grab one today and get to work!

Poll: What’s Your 2018 Prepping Resolution?

Posted on January 3, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

New year's resolutions may seem like fruitless ambition — we all know people who've set impossibly lofty goals, only to throw in the towel after a few weeks… or days… or hours. However, the new year provides a good opportunity to reflect on 2017 and consider what you can do better in 2018. Whether you're just getting into emergency preparation for the first time, or you're a seasoned survivalist, we all have room for improvement.

Setting a prepping resolution can help you stay conscious of your weaknesses and focus on improving those areas. You might realize you've gotten out of shape, and resolve to be more active in 2018 so you won't end up sidelined when SHTF. Or maybe your stockpiles aren't where they should be, so you're working on accumulating more supplies to hold your family over during a disaster. We'd break these resolutions down into six categories:

Physical Fitness – working out more often, hiking with a heavier pack, losing weight and building muscle
Skills – learning new bushcraft and survival skills, self-defense techniques, emergency signaling methods, and so on
Gear – building your stockpiles, upgrading old equipment, or adding new tools to your survival kit
Finances – saving more money (or alternate currencies) for a rainy day
Psychology – learning to develop a positive mindset, conquer fears, overcome cognitive biases
Community & Relationships – learning to work together cohesively with family, friends, and members of the local prepping community

So, which of these six areas of personal improvement will you be focusing on in 2018? Let us know in the poll below.

Infographic: America’s Top Fears of 2017

Posted on January 1, 2018 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Learning an individual's fears can tell you a lot about that person. Fear may be linked to unpleasant past experiences — for example, someone who was badly bitten by a vicious dog during childhood may have an ongoing fear of these animals. It can also be related to the potential for physical harm — someone who is deathly allergic to bee stings probably won't be comfortable harvesting honey from a beehive. Other times, fears are seemingly irrational, but still shed light on an individual's psyche.

48% of those surveyed feared the risk of North Korea using its weapons.

If you study those individual fear data points and combine them, you can paint a larger picture of America's top fears. That's just what Chapman University has done each year since 2014. The university's findings are recorded and published in annual blog posts, along with bar graphs that represent the top 10 sources of fear among those surveyed.

Environmental pollution was a source of 3 of the top 10 fears.

Environmental pollution was a source of 4 of the top 10 fears.

To generate this list of top fears, a random sample of 1,207 adults from across the United States was surveyed and asked to report their level of fear about 80 different topics. These 10 topics were marked as “afraid” or “very afraid” by the following percentages of those surveyed:

For comparison purposes, here are the results of the annual surveys from 2016 and 2015:

For a more detailed breakdown of the fears from each survey, check the links below:

Top Fears of 2017
Top Fears of 2016 (or click here to read our thoughts on last year's results)
Top Fears of 2015

There are several interesting trends visible here. First, the fear of government corruption has taken the first-place position for three consecutive years, and grown each year. Nearly three quarters of those surveyed said they were “afraid” or “very afraid” of this in 2017. As this number continues to rise, so might the risk of civil unrest or all-out revolution.

Terrorist attacks, which ranked 4th in 2015 and 2nd in 2016, didn't even make the top 10 for 2017 — it ended up ranked number 22 of 80. The categories of crime, illness and death, and technology are also no longer present among the top fears, but personal financial woes continue to be a major concern.

In case you're curious, the five least fear-inducing topics were ranked as follows:

Animals (dogs, rats, etc.)
Ghosts
Zombies
Blood
Clowns

In order to survive any disaster, we must prepare for sources of real danger but also learn to accept our fears.

Reader’s Tip: Insulated Outerwear For Winter Driving Survival

Posted on December 31, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Insulated Outerwear
Outerwear Flaws & Alternate Uses
The First Layer: Bibs
The Second Layer: Coveralls
Conclusions

The following submission comes from an anonymous reader in a remote and often bitterly cold location. This reader, who goes by the nickname Mountain Goat, shared this information with us in the hope that it may help other readers become better prepared for cold weather survival, especially vehicle-based winter driving scenarios.

If your vehicle breaks down, gets stuck in the snow, or is otherwise disabled, it's essential to maintain your body's core temperature as you work to get unstuck. Retaining body heat becomes an even greater priority if you're forced to leave your stranded vehicle and survive on foot. This reader's advice can help you consider apparel layering options that'll keep you warm and dry.

While Mountain Goat requested that we omit his name, he asked that we share his email address for any readers who wish to contact him for more details. He can be reached at mudsnowchains@gmail.com.

We live quite a bit off the grid, 30-40 miles off pavement on dirt roads. These roads are so remote and rugged that it can take 2-3 hours round trip to visit our nearest neighbors, even though they are only a few miles away. And that's in dry weather! I carry survival gear, tools, food and water for these trips — but that's what we should all do at all times anyway.

To clearly explain my insulated outerwear setup for winter driving survival, let me discuss the difference between bib overalls (bibs) and coveralls. Bib overalls are what you may visualize a farmer wearing. They cover a person from the chest to the ankles and have built-in suspenders but no sleeves. Coveralls are what a mechanic may wear, and they're sometimes called a jumpsuit or jumper. They cover the person from the neck and shoulders to the wrists and ankles.

Bibs (left) and coveralls (right) can be combined to provide better cold-weather protection.

Bibs (left) and coveralls (right) can be combined in layers to provide better cold-weather protection.

I try to be dressed for the weather at all times or have weather-appropriate clothing with me. This is essential in case I want to get out of the vehicle for recreation, an unexpected need, or simply to walk from my vehicle to the store. In winter that can mean rugged pants, insulated bibs, several shirts, a heavy jacket, a spare jacket and warm hat, along with my extensive EDC gear. Of course, in a rainy season that would include full rain gear as well.

Insulated Outerwear

So here's my tip: in my vehicle, I always keep a pair of oversized insulated coveralls, two sizes larger than my normal clothes listed above. Since I normally wear size large, that's XXL coveralls. Why XXL coveralls? Well, the coveralls have got to fit over everything that I'm already wearing.

The question here is not if but when I either get stuck or need to get out and put on tire chains to avoid getting stuck. It's actually not uncommon since we get snow and slush in winter and rain in summer. It's rare but occasionally I have to get out and walk. The only way to reasonably avoid it would be to stay put when I really need to be traveling for some reason, and that is not my style. Plus, I actually enjoy this stuff.

Kneeling or laying down in mud or snow to work on a vehicle can lead to rapid loss of body heat.

Kneeling or laying down in mud or snow to work on a stuck vehicle can lead to rapid loss of body heat.

So, if I need to get out and shovel the tires out, lay in the freezing slush, put on tire chains, and so on, I'm pretty well protected. Then when I'm done, I can take the coveralls off and my regular clothes are fairly clean and dry. Plus, if I need to sleep in the vehicle, I can put on the insulated coveralls in lieu of a sleeping bag. Add wool socks and/or wrap a spare jacket around my feet, and while I may not be exactly comfortable, I'll be warm enough to doze a bit and survive below freezing temperatures.

I've done some online research on snowmobile suits — I expect these would be more water resistant than standard coveralls, but less rugged and more expensive. What I initially found is that snowmobile suit prices start at $100 at Walmart and $200 at Cabela's, and then continue up to more than $1,000. When I get time, I plan to check out and compare the $100 and $200 ones.

By the way, in case someone is unfamiliar with insulated coveralls, here's a description.

Picture the mechanics coveralls you may wear when working on your vehicle. Then make them from more rugged material, and add insulation like a heavy jacket. Some have a permanently-attached hood. If the hood is the zip-off type, I would do a bit of hand sewing at the end of the zipper so the hood can't be removed and wind up missing when you need it. The legs have zippers in them so you can get them on without having to remove your boots. Now you're covered from the top of your head to your ankles. They are available from companies like Carhartt, Dickies, Walmart, Cabela's, REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, Aramark, and Oversize Outfitters.

Outerwear Flaws & Alternate Uses

The only flaws I've found in my system are that the oversized coveralls are about 6 inches too long in the legs. Even though I know how to sew, I haven't gotten around to hemming them up. Also, the zippers don't hold up in mud, and I have yet to create a workaround to hold the front closed after the zipper has failed. Thankfully, they still work fine for clomping around the pickup and laying in the mud. I guess I need to get a round tuit.

So, to be prepared for winter driving I suggest that you get some oversized insulated coveralls — don't be like me, take them to a tailor if you have to and get the legs hemmed up so they're not too long — and throw them in your vehicle. As the saying goes, “better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them.”

You can also use your coveralls as ground cover to lay on, or wear them if you need to work on your vehicle. You can even use them for a kneeling pad while adding air or changing a tire — this keeps the gravel from digging into your knees.

However you use your insulated outerwear, it provides an outer layer for numerous eventualities. So it's probably best to just keep them in the vehicle year round, so you won't misplace them. They certainly won't do you much good sitting in your garage.

The First Layer: Bibs

Above, I'm pictured in typical clothing on a mild winter day. On one arm I'm holding my insulated bibs. They are XL, 10 inches larger than my regular waist size. I prefer bibs with a full-length zipper down the front, as opposed to a one-piece front with a fly type zipper like on regular pants. This design makes them easier to get on, and gives easier access to stuff on or inside my regular clothes. I can also unzip them to keep from getting overheated.

The bibs in the photo happen to be Walls brand from Walmart. The suspenders are adjustable, so once I get them adjusted I hand-sew the position so it stays. If you look closely where the suspenders attach to the bib you'll see a clip that hooks to a brass button, I like to squeeze that clip together with pliers so the suspenders are permanently attached to the bib. Be gentle if you try this. One time I must have squeezed too hard and I broke the clip. It isn't replaceable so I had to tie it together with a piece of haywire.

In my other hand is a neck gaiter. I currently get my neck gaiters from truck stops, but like the bibs, these are available many other places.

The Second Layer: Coveralls

In this photo, I've added a layer and have the XXL insulated coveralls on one arm, and a really warm hat with ear flaps on the other. One of my friends told me that in a cold weather survival situation, if you have to choose between a hat and boots, “take the hat — you can live without feet, you can't live without your head!”

Here I've added the heavy jacket and the hat which snaps under my chin, handy when laying in the slush. Putting the insulated coveralls on top of all this, you'll understand why they are two sizes too big — probably about 16 inches larger than my normal waist size. I currently get these hats at the same truck stops as the neck gaiters. One interesting subplot about these hats: they all have the same company label, but different colors are differently-insulated! So, I basically ignore the color and feel for the thickest insulation. Thankfully the pink ones weren't the warmest.

Conclusions

Don't wait to buy this gear and get left out in the cold! Stores tend to get these products in in the fall at the beginning of the cold season, and can sell out of the size that I need if I wait too long to go shopping. So it's wise to shop for them early in the season.
If you look at different manufacturers, you may be able to find one that sizes the coveralls by inches. This way you can order them big enough without needing to tailor the legs.
If you're starting from scratch and/or have an adequate budget, you may want to go with stuff that can keep you warm when wet — as opposed to cotton, which can kill you when wet.
If style is essential to you (and again, you have a big budget) you can get stuff that looks good too. You don't have to look totally out of place to wear practical clothing.

Do you have a survival-related reader's tip to share with us? If so, we want to hear it. Click here to send an email to our web editor.

The Tardigrade: Nature’s Ultimate Survivalist

Posted on December 30, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

As preparedness-minded individuals, we often consider what it'd take to survive dangerous or challenging situations — lack of food or water, extreme weather, manmade disasters, and so on. Unfortunately, despite all our brain power and physical dexterity, the human body is relatively weak and fragile. All it takes to end a human life is a few hours in hot sun or freezing snow without adequate gear. Even a small cut or puncture wound can lead to death in minutes.

Now, imagine if you knew danger was coming, and could simply curl up into a ball and go dormant until the situation was safe again. In this state, even a massive dose of radiation from a nuclear bomb blast, the frigid temperatures and vacuum of outer space, or the crushing pressure of the ocean depths wouldn't affect you in the slightest. Sadly, humans don't have this superpower — but there's an animal on earth that does. It's called the tardigrade.

The tardigrade, also known as the water bear or moss piglet, is a water-dwelling microscopic animal that has been found in virtually every environment on earth. Tardigrades are typically 0.3 to 0.5mm long — about 1/3 the diameter of the head of a pin — so they're not visible to the naked eye. However, they can easily be found by examining moss under a low-power microscope. They have segmented bodies with eight legs and a tubular mouth, which is used to feed on plant cells and small invertebrates.

The tardigrade's resilience comes from its ability to suspend its metabolism and go into a dormant state known as a tun. In this state, the animal can lose up to 99% of its water content and remain alive without access to food or water for more than 30 years. It also becomes impervious to temperatures approaching absolute zero, intense heat up to 300°F, pressure six times greater than the deepest ocean trench, and doses of radiation that would be guaranteed to be lethal to most other animals.

To learn more about the incredible survival abilities of the Tardigrade, and the scientific breakthroughs these abilities may someday lead to, check out the 4-minute video below from TED-Ed on YouTube.

Poll: Emergency Currency

Posted on December 28, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In any emergency, short-term or long-term, it's essential to have liquid assets. We're not talking about potable water stockpiles, though you should have those too — we're referring to cash or other forms of easily-transferrable currency. Whether you need a little extra money for an everyday incident or you need to purchase some much-needed medicine after SHTF, you should never be without buying power during a disaster.

At the end of this article, there's a pair of polls where you can let us know your preferred types of emergency currency, but we'll start by discussing a few potential forms. This may help you rethink your options, or add a backup form of money to your disaster kit. It's important to diversify, and to collect an amount that's substantial enough to cover possible expenses.

Cash
This is the most obvious option, and one of the easiest. As the saying goes, cash is king… as long as the economy is still somewhat functional or will be in the near future.

You probably already have some bills in various denominations set aside in your bug-out bag or get-home bag, and that's always a good idea. Cash can come in handy for everyday emergencies, and it's accepted everywhere. You'll probably want at least a few hundred dollars, or possibly several thousand depending on your family size and needs.

After surviving two major hurricanes that wiped out his home, reader Bill Napier emphasized the importance of having cash on hand. Click here to read his story.

Cards
Credit and debit cards are powerful tools due to their high level of buying power under normal circumstances — if you need to drop $5,000 all of a sudden, a card is more secure than an envelope of cash. If your card is lost or stolen, you can cancel it or reverse charges, while you would have no such recourse with wads of cash. Some places, such as hotels, may require a credit card to cover incidental expenses.

For all these reasons, having an emergency credit or debit card set aside can be helpful in some cases.

However, these forms of payment rely on fragile electronic infrastructure. A widespread power outage would make these cards useless. Pre-paid gift cards are another option to consider, and unlike personal cards, they can be traded away for quick cash in an emergency.

Precious Metals or Gems
Gold, silver, and even gemstones are often regarded as a fall-back currency independent of paper money. However, there are some drawbacks. They don't have much intrinsic value outside their use as currency (or jewelry/decoration). You won't be able to walk into most stores and spend these like you can cash. Also, if everyone in your area is starving and fighting over basic resources during a long-term disaster, gold will become much less valuable than MREs, tools, or medicine — that ties into our next point.

Bartering Goods
This is a large category, and includes any item that could become desirable in an emergency. For example, antibiotics, batteries, gasoline, or ammo. Obviously, you'll want to stockpile extras if you plan to trade them away — if you only have one of a necessary item, you can't exactly spend it. Even alcohol and pornography could become valuable resources for trading in a post-SHTF situation, and you could use that to your advantage.

The downside to bartering goods is that you probably won't be able to use them under normal circumstances. If you don't know what we mean, go walk into your local WalMart and try to pay the cashier with something other than cash or card — you'll get laughed out of the store. That's why we'd classify bartering goods as alternative currency for emergencies only.

So, what does your emergency buying power consist of? Let us know in the polls below.

Curated Offers: This Filtration Bottle Supplies Potable Water Anywhere

Posted on December 27, 2017 at 3:00 pm.

Written by Offgrid Staff

Water is a necessity for our bodies, but with harmful waterborne particles lurking, it's important that we have access to clean water wherever we go. This is especially true when we are outside of populated areas, such as the woods, where natural water sources may be our only option. That's where the 1HYDRO Series Filtration Bottle comes in handy, providing potable water through an internal filtration system.

This cutting-edge water bottle makes use of a filter that attaches to the lid, safely removing up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria from any natural water source. It allows you to take water from the nearest stream, waterfall, or the like, and turn it into chemical-free, drinkable water. And with up to 1,500 liters of clean water per filter, you won't need to change it for a while. Plus, each bottle comes complete with a nylon wrist strap to ensure grip, as well as a built-in compass, should you lose your way. Not to mention, each bottle is manufactured following eco-friendly processes. With a self-filtration water bottle, you can embark on your next adventure without worry.

A great gift for the family member or friend that spends a lot of time outdoors, you can grab a 1HYDRO Series Filtration Bottle for $29.99. That's a savings of 76%. This water bottle is an essential for your next venture.

Infographic: 50 Animal Tracks of North America

Posted on December 27, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

While hiking, camping, or even walking around your own property, you may have come upon animal tracks you don't recognize. A few are obvious, such as the split hooves of deer or the thumbed feet of oppossums, but others may not be as clear. Understanding these footprints can help you know which species occupy your surrounding area, in turn making it easier to find food sources and avoid predators.

Photo: Ozzy Delaney / Flickr.com

While you're not going to mistake a grizzly bear track for that of a horse, there are other tracks which can be easily confused with undesirable consequences. If you don't know what to look for, you might mix up squirrel tracks with that of a skunk and end up with a stinky surprise. Or you could think a set of mountain lion footprints are those of a dog — these prints are a similar size, but cat prints rarely leave claw marks.

The following infographic from Alan's Factory Outlet shows 50 different animal tracks from North-American species, and it's worth studying before your next outdoor trek. You probably won't spot most of these, but if you keep an eye out in the mud near streams or lakes, you might identify a few of the rarer animals in your area. Click here to download a full-size version of this graphic.