SOFIC 2017: Top 3 Pieces of Special-Ops Survival Gear

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The 2017 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) is produced each year by the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) and the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). It’s held in Tampa every year, since the USSOCOM is based in the same city at Macdill Air Force Base. The point of the conference is to allow the providers of Special-Operations-related technology and services to interact directly with their clients in various military units, and to ply their wares to entice new military contracts.

SOFIC began as a chance for service providers and manufacturers of weapons, gear, and vehicles to interact directly with USSOCOM representatives. This provides an opportunity for ground-level feedback and interactions between all parties. You’ll see generals slowly walking through the aisles with their aides by their sides, or sometimes being cornered by industry execs in suits or polo shirts. But you’ll also see soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen by the hundreds lining up to hold the latest and greatest guns and gear.

SOFIC 2017 military lead photo 2

The show is a great chance to find products which are designed for teams operating in remote areas with virtually zero outside support. This also makes the show an excellent resource for survivalists looking for the next great gear that will give them a leg up. But members of the media are thoroughly vetted before obtaining credentials to take photos and video, so we were lucky to get a glimpse into this heavily-restricted event.

We saw all kinds of things we would love to spend our money on, but the following items really caught our attention. Read on for our top three pieces of survival gear from SOFIC 2017.

Mariner F-2-0 from Fluid Technology Solutions

SOFIC 2017 military water desalinator Fluid Technology 1-3

The Mariner desalinization system from Fluid Technology Solutions uses deceptively simple small plastic bags which can be submerged in saltwater. The bags use a semi-permeable plastic membrane which allows ingress of water and removes 97% of its salts using forward-osmosis technology. As the less-salty water interacts with the chemical compounds inside the bag over a period of several hours, it creates a high-calorie survival drink that is perfectly safe to consume.

SOFIC 2017 military water desalinator Fluid Technology 1

We loved it mostly for its simplicity — the ability to simply drop a bag into undrinkable water and 8 hours later obtain 480 calories of energy drink in potable water? That’s some kind of survivalist black magic right there. The Mariner system is currently being used in service by the United States Coast Guard, and we plan to have it packed and ready for our next blue water expedition as well.

Badger Tent from Catoma Outdoor

SOFIC 2017 Catoma Badger tent shelter 2-1

Although we haven’t been able to test it in the field yet, by all appearances the Badger Shelter from Catoma Outdoor looks like a great choice for a shelter and is small enough to pack into your bug-out bag. We were amazed by the way this double-wall tent, which looks so large and substantial once set up, could pack down into such a small space. It even weighs less than three pounds. The single-person shelter offers moisture protection with its built-in rain fly, and its center height of 27” gives you some room to sit up and move around without feeling like you’re stuffed into an anchovy can.

SOFIC 2017 Catoma Badger tent shelter 2

It packs down to a size of just 13” x 13” wide and 3.5” deep, and this isn’t just achievable in a lab. We actually watched them pack it down for us at the show, and couldn’t believe just how easy it was to take down. And when you pull it out of your pack, you can have your shelter set up in less than a minute. The 70-denier, 1.9-ounce ripstop nylon is flame-retardant and comes pre-treated with permethrin insect repellant to ward off would-be blood-suckers.

DART18 Backpack from 5.11 Tactical

SOFIC 2017 511 Tactical DART18 backpack 4

Across the street from the actual convention, in a hotel conference room with zero signage or advertising on the outside, we met with some of 5.11 Tactical’s crew at their “other booth” which is more like an executive suite stuffed with their gear. This room is an invitation-only gathering place with sofas, chairs, and coffee tables set up for high-profile individuals who need a low-profile haven to speak directly with the decision-makers at 5.11 Tactical.

We were able to sneak in between some of their meetings to lay hands on the newest gear, and also meet with their lead bag designer, Scott Lambert. Scott designed the Urban Casualty Response (UCR) Slingpack which is a specialized medic bag for mass shooting events inspired by Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) guidelines. He also designed the UCR IFAK Pouch, which with its bungee tie-downs has a place of honor mounted to the back of our vehicle headrests. In short, we’ve used enough of his gear that we felt like we knew Scott before we met him.

SOFIC 2017 511 Tactical DART18 backpack 6

His newest brainchild was hidden in a secret compartment underneath the coffee table. He glanced furtively around the room, making sure everyone present fell under the “trusted” column, and then pulled out his soon-to-be released DART18 backpack. The intent of this pack is to pick up where the company's COVRT18 left off. Basically, it's a CCW-focused pack that doesn’t look out of place at the grocery store. They also were responding to end-user feedback to bring the price point down to below $100.00.

The pack’s sleek exterior features trimmable labels, because not everyone needs to know you like guns and (probably) have one on you. The articulating strap anchor points also help the pack to fit a variety of torso shapes, ensuring that this pack will be more comfortable than what you’ve been accustomed to from 5.11. Last, the removable modular board insert will let you attach gear for a specific mission profile and then quickly swap out the board for another as your environment and requirements change.

SOFIC 2017 511 Tactical DART18 backpack 5

It’s funny — in talking to Scott, we learned about several other neat features he had wanted to incorporate, but didn’t make the cut in the effort to bring the price point down. Too often in the past we’ve complained about gear without thinking. “Why couldn’t they build it this way? They should have thought of this!” When in reality it’s very possible that the designer or the company did, in fact, think of exactly that, but couldn’t include it due to budget constraints. That’s why we laugh sometimes when companies make two- and three- and four-hundred dollar backpacks, trying to do everything possible to build the best bag and/or manufacture it in the USA to higher quality control standards, only to have users complain that the cost is crazy. It’s a game that sometimes manufacturers can win, and sometimes they can’t.

More Photos from SOFIC 2017

We wish we had space to mention every single one of the cool things we saw at SOFIC this year, but like some of these manufacturer booths, we sometimes just can’t squeeze in everything that ought to be there! Check out the gallery below of all the photos we took at SOFIC 2017, and follow @recoiloffgridmagazine on Instagram for more show coverage and cool new gear in the future.

[instagram-feed includewords="#SOFIC2017" instagram-feed showlikes=true instagram-feed disablemobile=true]

About the Author

Andrew Schrader is a licensed professional engineer and is certified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Structures Specialist. His company, Recon Response Engineering LLC, advises state and federal government organizations on the subject of urban search and rescue and building collapse. He recently assisted the U.S. Department of State’s Italian Consulate in the development of their post-earthquake response and rescue protocol. You can follow him on Instagram at @reconresponse.

Poll: Axe, Saw, or Knife?

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Ford versus Chevy, Mac versus PC, SIG versus Glock — humans have a tendency to form strong preferences for tools, often to the point of developing rivalries towards those on “the other team”. Just go on any popular social media site, and you'll see the keyboard commandos duking it out in defense of their various preferences.

At the end of the day, there's rarely a definitive right and wrong option between these pieces of gear. A lot of your choice in tools comes down to personal preference, your surrounding environment, and the way in which you use the item. However, it's still interesting to see how each team stacks up and read the justifications for these decisions — doing so might even lead you to reconsider your own position.

Ax to grind manual 03

Most survivalists would agree that a reliable cutting tool is one of the essential items in any emergency kit or bug-out bag. But there's less consensus on what form that tool should take. Some argue for a small bushcraft knife, a lightweight and flexible machete, or a heavy kukri or parang.

Others say an axe is the way to go, from a small pocket hatchet or tomahawk to a big woodsman's chopper. Finally, there are those who prefer a saw, either a folding model, a fixed saw, or a chain/cable/wire friction saw. Then there are the various combinations and pairings of these items. Some would even carry all three items, but all that extra pack weight had better be justified.

Tools for Survival - Saw

So, where do you stand on the issue? What cutting tools are currently included in your survival gear? Answer the poll below, and feel free to justify your choice in the comments section. If you carry multiples of the same tool (i.e. a small folding knife and a large machete) or some other cutting tool entirely (tin snips, scissors, bolt cutters, etc.) let us know about that in the comments, too.

Fuel Expiration: How to Keep Your Bug-Out Vehicle Running

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We love a good post-apocalyptic movie or TV show, but the vast majority of these Hollywood creations prioritize flashy visuals and entertainment factor over realism. That's somewhat understandable, since watching the protagonist roar through the deserted streets on a chopper draws in a bigger audience, and money is the name of the game. However, one of our pet peeves with this genre is the way they overlook a virtually-unavoidable problem in a long-term survival situation: fuel expiration.

While this makes for great entertainment, it's not exactly realistic.

Mad Max: Fury Road makes for great entertainment… but it's *a wee bit* unrealistic. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Problem number one: in a major nationwide or worldwide crisis, fuel production and distribution will cease. If the proverbial fire and brimstone is raining down from the sky, Steve the local tanker truck driver is going to stop making his rounds to the gas stations and go find his family. (It's OK Steve, we'd do the same.) If the disaster is big enough, ports, shipping lines, and refineries will also grind to a halt. That means no new fuel will be produced or distributed.

Sorry “The Walking Dead” fans, this Hyundai would likely sputter to a stop less than a year after SHTF....

If the only fuel that's available is sitting idly in the tanks of vehicles, gas stations, and regional storage facilities, we'll run into problem number two pretty quickly. Most vehicle fuels have a limited shelf life, and when there's a finite supply of new fuel, it's a matter of time until the volatile fuel expires. Generally, modern ethanol-blended E10 gasoline will last 3 to 6 months, depending on how it's stored and the tolerances of the equipment it's being used in. Diesel (or biodiesel made from cooking oil) is a little better, with a 6 to 12 month shelf life.

After this time, fuels will form gum, varnish, and oxidized deposits, which may clog filters, injectors, and lines. Condensation may also cause water buildup in the fuel, reducing its potency and causing misfires or knocking. It may even cause rust in the system, which can break off particles and be a real nightmare to clean. You can check for fuel expiration in a number of ways:

  • Look at the color. Old fuel turns dark brown as impurities form.
  • Waft a little of the fumes toward your nose and smell them. If it smells sour, it may be expired.
  • Use a test swab from an auto parts or hardware store. These strips can detect the presence of water and contaminants.

The last thing you want is to try to fire up your engine and bug out, only to find it won't start.

Oil Pumps

So, now that we know fuel will eventually expire, what can you do to stop it? Unfortunately, it's impossible to permanently prevent fuel expiration, but you can slow down the degradation process with the following steps.

  • Obtain ethanol-free gasoline, which has a shelf life of many years, since it has less tendency to attract water. Small cans of stabilized ethanol-free fuel are also available for 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines — while these won't be practical for keeping a car running, they would be a good option for small generators, chainsaws, or even motorcycles.
    Ethanol free fuel gasoline bugout shtf survival preparedness
  • Store your fuel in a purpose-built air-tight container. Contact with oxygen, moisture, or certain metals can cause it to degrade faster.
  • Keep your fuel in a cool and dark environment. Heat accelerates degradation.
  • Fill tanks to the top to keep excess air pockets away from the fuel. A half-full tank will form condensation quickly.
  • Top off with a little fresh fuel when possible, if you manage to find some that has been properly stored and stabilized.
    broken-down-car
  • Mix in a anti-oxidant fuel stabilizer before storing your fuel. This reduces the rate of oxidation and can double or triple shelf life (12 to 15 months for regular gas).
  • Use an older vehicle that's less sensitive to poor-quality fuel. Modern fuel injection systems can become clogged easily by particulate.
  • Convert your vehicle to run on used vegetable oil. This fuel source is plentiful, and you can gather it easily while other survivors fight over the remaining gasoline.

Pemmican: The Original Protein Bar

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Walk into any grocery store or outdoor gear shop, and you'll see a smorgasbord of granola bars, protein bars, seasoned beef jerky, energy gels, and other calorie-dense travel-ready snacks. But that wasn't always the case. Hundreds of years before the dawn of the supermarket, compact calorie-dense survival food was hard to come by. There were no Power Bars or Clif Bars — if you wanted portable food, you probably had to make your own, or buy it from a trader who knew how to do so.

Pemmican meat survival food berries fat protein 2

Pemmican, as shown in the video below, is an extremely dense calorie-rich food source.

Pemmican could be called the original protein bar. It originated from Native American tradition, and was widely used by early American trappers, fur traders, and explorers. It was usually composed of two or three simple ingredients: dried powdered meat, animal fat, and (sometimes) dried berries.

Pemmican meat survival food berries fat protein 3

Pemmican typically started out with a bison, deer, or elk, but beef, fish, and other meats can also be used. The meat was cut into thin strips against the grain, dried out over a fire, and pounded into a fine powder. An equal quantity of fat was melted and added to the powdered meat, creating a thick mixture. Dried berries could also be added for additional nutrients, though this wasn't always done. Once the mixture dried, it could be stored for 10 years or more, as long as it remained in a sealed container in cool and dry conditions.

Pemmican meat survival food berries fat protein 1

Pemmican equates to about 2,000 calories per pound, and it's unsurprisingly high in fat and protein. It can be eaten cold (though some may consider it gritty and unpleasant), heated in a frying pan, or boiled into a stew along with wild vegetables and biscuits or flour — this was called a rubaboo (roob-uh-boo).

In the video below, 18th-century historical YouTube channel Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc. discusses the origins and core components of pemmican. Don't be put off by the period-correct colonial apparel, the information in this video series is extremely informative, even in today's modern context.

Subsequent videos in this series show how to produce pemmican, how to cook it into rubaboo stew, and how to make rousseau (pemmican hash) in a frying pan. The channel also features videos on pemmican storage and potential additions to spice up your pemmican. If you're interested in these topics, check out Jas. Townsend and Son's other videos. There's lots of good primitive and semi-primitive survival info to be found on this historically-oriented channel.

A Survivalist’s Guide to Rucking

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Running isn't a bad workout; it just isn't the only workout, as some would lead you to believe. Cardiovascular exercise and preparing for the fight go hand in hand.

But running on its own doesn't build muscle or develop functional strength. Running in nothing more than skimpy shorts with a fanny pack of electrolyte goo won't prepare you for SHTF. You need an exercise that'll test your power, endurance, and cargo-carrying capacity.

This workout, of course, is ruck marching. Whether you prefer to go at it alone or wish to seek out a training group to motivate you, ruck marching (or “rucking”) is a growing trend you should be consider joining.

Long before health-minded folks used weighted packs for exercise, soldiers carried rucksacks into the field and backpackers carried frame packs up mountains. In recent years, rucking has grown exponentially as a health trend. You'll find individuals and groups around the country storming down trails, urban landscapes, and sidewalks under heavy pack in the name of fitness. Leading the charge is a company called GoRuck. It's spearheaded the movement with its own line of packs, dedicated group equipment, and organized events nationwide.

Today, the numbers continue to grow and are led by fitness fanatics who've abandoned traditional running for a workout with a much greater health-benefit yield.

Science

Walking burns more calories than sitting. Running burns more calories than walking. And rucking burns the most calories of the trio at an approximate rate of three times that of walking.

How? Add weight to your back and you build strength in your shoulders and core. Add weight to your legs and you increase the work necessary to move you, improving your cardiovascular output.

Opinions vary as to the magic number of workout minutes needed to burn fat. Assuming it's around 30, give or take, rucking with a weighted pack will help keep the heart rate up with far less impact on the bones and joints than running.

Also, since rucking taps into different muscles, folks who can't run 30-plus minutes on end may find rucking easier while accomplishing similar goals. Even accomplished runners will find they're sore the next morning (and especially two days later) after a good rucking session. It simply works the body in a way running can't. The weight of the ruck requires the wearer to tap into stabilizing muscle groups in the torso and legs.

It's a true full-body workout.

Rucking Types

The Basics: While any weight will work, most supplemental pack weights are dedicated plates meant for competition and training and makeshift weights made from bags of sand and duct-taped bricks. Bricks can be abrasive on packs and need to be wrapped in duct tape. Those who don't will get nicknamed “raw dog.” We'll pass.

Tape your bricks before loading them in your ruck, lest you want a shredded pack.

Tape your bricks before loading them in your ruck, lest you want a shredded pack.

For official events, participants under 150 pounds generally carry four bricks and those over 150 pounds haul six. For the individual not bound by competition rules, a good rule of thumb is to begin with approximately 10 to 20 percent of your bodyweight. To more closely mimic reality, carrying true hard armor plates and ammo cans will let the “survival athlete” know how they'll perform in a real-life situation.

Group/Team Rucking: The group dynamic of a ruck cannot be denied. Peer pressure, as well as the pressure from elite Special Forces cadre who lead the GoRuck events, help runners push through pain. A group usually travels only as fast as the slowest rucker, and generally there's a team burden to bear. Depending on the fitness level of the participant, group ruck marches can last hours or even days.

If this level of organization is too much commitment for you, informal partnerships between two or more ruckers will ensure someone is watching your back and vice versa.

Beyond Rucking: Most any bodyweight workout can be enhanced with the use of a ruck. These workouts don't require much space and allow the athlete to train in place. Pull-ups, dips, and pushups take on a new dimension when the added resistance of a weighted pack is incorporated. Squats, lunges, and calf raises will work the lower body relative to the amount of weight stuffed in the rucksack.

Weighted ruck dips

Weighted ruck dips

Weighted ruck push-ups

Weighted ruck push-ups

Even crunches with the pack clutched to the chest, leg raises with the ruck squeezed at the calves, and planks can be used to work the core and stabilizing muscles. For those who have never tried resistance training with anything other than a barbell, using a weighted bag requires more frequent stabilizing. This added resistance burns more calories.

Deep lunges with weighted ruck

Deep lunges with weighted ruck

Farmer carry with 5-gallon buckets for cross-training

Farmer carry with 5-gallon buckets for cross-training

How to Prep

Note Your Baseline: Before you strike off on a ruck march, you should consult a physician if you're unsure about your health. Also, it's advisable to determine your baseline resting heart rate as well as your maximum heart rate. Rucking can be a tough workout, and you should know how to monitor your pulse to achieve the fat loss or muscle building beats per minute needed formula to achieve your goal.

Stay Visible: Rucking is done at all hours of the day. Plan on finding trails and pathways where you won't be struck by a car. For this reason, carrying a headlamp and signal panel will help drivers see you.

Pick It: While any pack can be worn during a ruck march, a durable well-fitting pack is best. Hip belts are non-existent on many rucks, as they interfere with what's worn on the belt. Looking to the experience of the military, this means waist belts are cut off to avoid obstructing holsters and blades. A ruck shouldn't shift unnecessarily when worn. A sternum strap will add support, but it must be worn just above the nipple line or the wearer risks being choked out by his ruck.

Test It: A good ruck must be comfortable to wear with significant weight inside. The ruck chosen should be tough as nails, as it may house objects that will abrade and damage lesser-quality designs. Padded and curved shoulder straps will help cushion the load and a good padded back panel will mitigate the sharp corners of taped bricks, armor plates, and dedicated weight panels.

Fit It: One other consideration in picking your pack is knowing how it fits your torso. The torso of a 6-foot man isn't the same size as a 5-foot female. Make sure your ruck fits before you exit the store, let alone strike off on the trail.

Benefits

Even those with a good running technique (landing mid-foot to forward instead of heel striking) will eventually feel the effects of running. It's jarring on the knees and the pounding takes its toll. Rucking works the body three times as hard as walking — even if you take the same exact trail — but has less impact on the human body. With rucking, since one foot remains on the ground when the stepping foot makes contact, less impact is felt than running where the athlete “catches” his weight with each stride.

The benefits of rucking extend far beyond the physical for the survivor. Anyone who has completed a set distance run (from 5K to full marathon) always remarks on their feeling of accomplishment. They were tested and finished the race. The same is true for rucking. If you never thought you could walk to safety or have what it takes to push on, rucking will give you the answer. Rucking is a safe dry run, giving you the mental strength and confidence if you really have to bug out.

“The mind is toughened through the body,” says Johnny Ray Vega, a rucker, Crossfitter, and fitness trainer. “Rucking allows you to tribally connect to likeminded individuals.”

Why Ruck?

Beach muscles aren't the same as functional muscles. The average fighter (soldier, police officer, martial artist) isn't built like the professional bodybuilders seen on stage. Rucking will give you muscle for function first, form second. It challenges the mind and the body, building abilities the survivor may need to tap into if the SHTF.

survivalist-guide-to-rucking-ruck-contents

Most runners run with nothing more than a house key, an identification card, and an MP3 player or smartphone. In a bug-out scenario, anyone caught with this minimalist load out won't last long. A more practical prepper on the run will have a pack with them. What they carry and how far they can carry it shouldn't be unknown factors. Ruck marching exposes the answers and prepares the survival athlete for hard times.

Source

GoRuck
www.goruck.com

Ruck Off Online

If you're looking for more information on ruck marches, we have exclusive content online. To learn what you should pack in your ruck and five common newbie mistakes to avoid, go to www.offgridweb.com/preparation/ruck-gear.

About the Author

Kevin Estela is the owner/head instructor of Estela Wilderness Education, a bushcraft and survival school in New England. He is a Sayoc Kali Associate Instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and an avid marksman. As a “survival athlete” he can be found regularly testing his physical and mental limitations in the gym, woods, and urban landscape preparing for the fight.
www.kevinestela.com

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

Infographic: The NASA Guide to Air-Filtering Plants

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Home gardening is a useful skill for survivalists, since it can provide a renewable food source and improve nutrition during emergencies. If the shelves at the grocery store are suddenly picked bare, it's nice to have a long-lasting supply of fresh fruit and veggies. But plants shouldn't be seen only as a source of food — they have many other benefits. Some have medicinal properties, some provide valuable cordage, and many plants can improve morale and create a peaceful environment if you're stuck indoors for an extended period.

Air purifier plants NASA chemical infographic 6

Certain indoor plants, such as this peace lily, can naturally remove volatile organic compounds from the air.

On top of all this, there are a select few plants that have been proven to be effective at removing toxic agents from the air. Now, we know what some of you are thinking — this sounds like it could easily be a pseudo-scientific home remedy that's only creates a placebo effect. We certainly don't blame you, since there's a lot of nonsense on the internet about how cleansing crystals can magically heal your various ailments. However, in this case, there's actual scientific research to back up the claim of air-filtering plants.

In 1989, NASA published a study titled “Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement”. The study analyzed 12 plants and measured their ability to remove harmful chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethane from the air. The study found that “low-light-requiring houseplants, along with activated carbon plant filters, have demonstrated the potential for improving indoor air quality by removing trace organic pollutants from the air.”

This research was later continued by B.C. Wolverton, one of the scientists who conducted the original NASA study. The results listed a total of more than 30 plants which were effective at removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air.

The following infographic from LovetheGarden.com shows some of the most common and most effective indoor air-filtering plants, based on the research conducted in the studies above. Click here to download a full-size version.

Air purifier plants NASA chemical infographic 2Air purifier plants NASA chemical infographic 3Air purifier plants NASA chemical infographic 4

Video: Black Walnuts as a Survival Food

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When it comes to survival food, many of us gravitate to the idea of hunting or fishing. While a big slab of meat sizzling over the fire is certainly an appealing prospect, actively catching food often requires significant preparation and substantial effort — that means carrying added gear, and burning calories to obtain more calories. In some cases, there are sources of food in your surrounding environment that won't put up a fight or escape your grasp. In these cases, you should consider foraging.

Black walnut trees can be found throughout most of the eastern United States. (Map via Wikipedia)

Sometimes, sources of food will be clear as day — a ripe ready-to-eat fruit dangling from a tree along your path, for example. In other cases, you'll want to be extremely cautious when foraging for wild edibles. Certain types of mushrooms can be deadly, and may closely resemble edible varieties. This is why it's wise to study and prepare yourself before you venture into the wilderness.

The brown walnut shells we're familiar with must be removed from the green fleshy husk.

In the following video, YouTube survivalist The Wooded Beardsman shows how to process wild black walnuts from tree to table. These walnuts are an incredibly calorie-dense food source, with 100 grams (about 3/4 cup) providing approximately 618 calories. They're also high in fat and protein, both important resources for energy-intensive survival situations. In his own words: “When [walnuts] are available, the survivalist — like a busy squirrel preparing for winter — should focus their efforts on collecting as many as possible before it's too late.”

As the Wooded Beardsman aptly notes, “making a living from wild food is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive endeavor.” But if you know where to look and learn how to process them, these black walnuts can be an incredibly valuable resource for survival.

Seth McGinn’s CanCooker

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Anybody who stayed up too late in the mid-1980s remembers the cringe-worthy infomercial for the Showtime Rotisserie. This appliance cooked Flintstone-sized hunks of meat. Studio audience members bellowed like parrots, “Set it and forget it!” Seth McGinn's CanCooker makes the same type of claims, suited for cooks on the go.

Inspired by the meals cooked in a 10-gallon cream can and served to ranch hands on his grandparents' cattle farm in Nebraska, Seth McGinn wanted to replicate his childhood experience but had trouble finding a modern can that could handle the task. In 2009, he brought his own to market, allowing people to cook a lot of food with little effort.

Made from FDA-approved 1060 anodized aluminum, the CanCooker comes in three varieties: the 4-gallon Original, the 2-gallon CanCooker Jr., and the 4-gallon Bone Collector (which appears to offer nothing different than a dire name and a deer skull logo for a penny less than the Original). They're 10 inches in diameter, but the Jr. is 3 inches shorter than the 10-inch stature of the other two.

All three, however, offer the same benefits. CanCooker makes a complete meal in about 40 minutes and can work on any heat source: stovetops, grills, fryers, camp stoves, campfires, and the Multi-Fuel Portable Cooktop offered from the company. The CanCooker's insides are coated with a nonstick surface.

Food and Function

We reviewed the CanCooker Jr. Adventure Special kit, consisting of the CanCooker Jr. and a Multi-Fuel Portal Cooktop. Our sample kit also contained a small plank cutting board (normally sold separately for $18) and a couple examples of the seasonings. However, it didn't include the optional two-piece rack, so we felt obliged to purchase one for $14 since every recipe in the manual suggested it.

The Multi-Fuel Portable Cooktop is a single burner unit capable of 10,000-btu output and can be fueled by butane or propane. It's compact for a single-burner stove, but not entirely practical for bugging out. This is a basecamp stove, packaged with a hard-shell plastic case.

The concept of the CanCooker is simple. Put in the rack, dump in the food in a particular order (usually a bed of vegetables then meat on top), and add 12 ounces of a liquid (in our case, a Belgian ale). Clamp down the lid (which has a silicone gasket), and fire up the stove. Then walk away.

The CanCooker converts whatever liquids you put in there into steam, which thoroughly cooks the food. The concept of steam cooking started in the American Southwest about 7,000 years ago, and it's considered a healthy alternative to frying or other stove-top cooking methods that involve oils.

We were apprehensive to walk away from the stove while it was spouting steam like an old-timey locomotive, but as a watched pot never boils, 3 pounds of sausage, peppers, and onions never cooks. So that's what we did.

After 30 minutes of steaming and a 10-minute rest, everything was cooked to perfection. The sausage was moist and tender, and the seasonings had melted into the meat. The vegetables retained their full flavor and didn't absorb any from the sausage, while the Belgian ale provided a subtle crispness to the whole dish.

Overall

The CanCooker — especially the Jr. — would be perfect for an RV or a remote cabin where the fuel may not be reliable and you would have to use different sources. The CanCooker can be placed directly on burning coals if need be (though you'll stain the aluminum with soot). It's a convenient and versatile tool — not to mention that our 2-gallon version prepared enough food to feed more than a few people.

This, however, is by no means a cooking vessel one could take in a bug-out situation … or on a hiking trip … or anywhere where space is an issue. It's light, at 2.1 pounds, but cumbersome because of its girth (though it has a cinch sack). And forget its cooktop — we're sure you can find a much smaller portable stove that could fit inside the CanCooker, should you choose to pack it with your survival cache.

Still, it's a solidly constructed and well-designed piece of cookware, and it functions exactly as promised. We're still baffled by the Bone Collector version (and the penny savings) though. Maybe people steam bones they've collected. Frankly, we don't want to know. We'll stick with the sausage, thanks.

seth-mcginns-cancooker

Make & Model
Seth McGinn's CanCooker
CanCooker Jr. Adventure Special

Dimensions
7 by 10 inches

Weight
2.1 pounds

MSRP
$100

URL
www.cancooker.com

More From Issue 20

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 21

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 19

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

How to Turn Your Spouse Into a Survivalist

Written by

We all have that special person in our life who just doesn't get it, right? They don't understand EDC, survival, or anything even remotely related to our lifestyle. It seems like they have no interest in learning, either. It's baffling at times to have a loved one repeatedly brush you off when you're trying to arm them with information that could potentially save their lives in a worst-case scenario. One would think that just watching the news would light a fire under their butts.

As a wife and mother, I can attest that nearly all women already think about worst-case scenarios. They're habitually the storyline of our nightmares and always lurking in the recesses of our minds when we're awake. So even with that innate sense of concern, why then aren't more women into survivalism?

Women are often afraid of confronting the issue because then they'll have to deal with it —hence, why some women don't want to talk about it at all. Ignorance is bliss? Fortunately, knowledge can combat fear.

how-to-turn-your-spouse-into-a-survivalist-bug-out-bags

From Adversary to Advocate

I'm not law enforcement or military, just a wife and a mother who happens to really enjoy learning and teaching survivalism and firearms. Having grown up in Alaska, I'm always mindful of personal protection. Whether you're camping, hunting, or just being vigilant of the state's drug and alcohol problems, you need to be aware or you could very well get killed.

Still, when I first got married, my husband was light-years ahead of me in this survival mindset. It seemed like the only things he wanted to talk about were everyday carry (EDC), firearms, and impending doom. This was a sore spot in our marriage until I bluntly told him that it scared me, and he needed to back off. Those conversations made me nauseous and left me wide awake at night.

Fortunately, my husband listened. He drastically reduced the amount of discussions about this topic, but did it in a way in which I could still ask questions. It took more than a year of processing this information before I was ready to dive in.

I liken it to learning how to drive a car. Sure, the excitement is there, but deep inside there's that inner voice that's terrified of getting in a wreck. Eventually everyone overcomes that hurdle and gains enough experience to make driving practically second nature. So, what changed? Knowledge. You learned how to operate that tool and became comfortable with it. Survivalism is the same way. The more knowledge one has on survival, the less daunting it becomes.

Converting Others

I've spent the last several years trying to get my close female friends and relatives interested in prepping and survivalism. It's been challenging to say the least. There's a certain fear or anxiety that women have when entering a role that's traditionally seen as a man's responsibility —providing the last line of defense for the family.

Here are five of the most common excuses I hear from women for not wanting to prep and train —and how to deal with them:

1. “Bad things will never happen to me.” I wish I could go back to this kind of naivete. Bad things can happen to anyone at any time. If you don't believe me, find a first-responder —they'd surely have many stories to change your mind. More than likely, this is something that ladies will have to come to grips with on their own terms.

2. “I already carry so many things, why add more?” What some women don't realize is that adding a few extra items to their purse, pockets, or diaper bag increases their survivability exponentially. A greater level of preparedness is worth a slightly larger or slightly heavier handbag. Fellas, you might need to go on a purse shopping trip —a win-win for both of you.

3. “I will never use those items.” That's great! Hopefully no one will need them, but it's better to have and not need, than to need and not have. EDC tools are much like a fire extinguisher or a firearm. There's no substitute for some of these tools in an emergency.

4. “It's the husband's job to protect the family.” Many women think this way, but what they fail to understand is that husbands can't protect them if they're not there. Of course, husbands want their wives to be safe and sometimes that comes in the form of harping about bug-out bags, concealed guns, and the right mindset. Instead, be patient. Rather than lecture her, offer her a chance to ask questions or send her to the appropriate courses.

5. “I'm too busy being a mom to think about survival.” Being a mom and/or a wife is tough sometimes. There's laundry, driving the kids, setting up play-dates, shopping, and the list goes on —not to mention our own careers. When a mother says, “Being a mom is my first priority,” she may not make the connection that the safety of the children also rests on her having the proper mindset, equipment, and training. Find a time where she isn't distracted to approach her with this information.

Mothers make natural preppers, as they have to ensure not only their own safety but also that of their children. Some extra gear and training, and the right mindset, can keep everyone safe.

Mothers make natural preppers, as they have to ensure not only their own safety but also that of their children. Some...

Training the Converts

If you've taken your time and eased up on the “sky is falling” tactics, there's a strong possibility you'll eventually seduce your significant other to the survivalism side. If she's ready to prep and start learning, here are some ways to keep her interested:

Keep the Criticism Constructive: If you want the lady in your life to dive into this world, don't make fun of her. There's no better way to turn her off than to ridicule her questions or concerns. We didn't grow up playing with G.I. Joe action figures or pretending to be cowboys and Indians. Most of us were given Barbies and baby dolls and groomed to be nurturers and caregivers. Keep the feedback positive and focused on improvement.

Don't Do it Yourself: Most women don't have that primal survivalist mentality, especially in the presence of their husbands or boyfriends. But if you split up the couple and the woman is put into the position of being the primary protector, her inner mama bear will come out. Oftentimes, she'll be just as fierce, if not more so, than her male counterpart. So, if you're a guy trying to teach your wife, it's often more effective to ask a trusted friend to do so instead. It's hard to go from equals as husband and wife to the power disparity of teacher and student. Better yet, sign her up with a reputable instructor or two who can teach her self-defense and survivalism.

Be an EDC Enabler: How do you get women to carry more survival tools with their EDC gear? Make it easy. My husband put together my first EDC kit. I can't say that I knew how to use everything at first, but over time I asked questions and started doing research. When my husband was deployed with the U.S. Army and I became the sole protector of our children, I used this time to practice. I was given the space to process all the information and soon saw how much it benefited me.

Don't Pink it and Shrink it: There isn't a lot of tactical or survival equipment made specifically for females, relatively speaking. So, we have to tweak some things and make do with others. Many companies think that by making their products pink and small that they become female friendly. That's just condescending. Don't automatically assume women want the fuchsia-colored go-bag. Instead, give her the opportunity to try out as many different models of gear as possible until she finds one to her liking.

Don't Convert the Diaper Bag: I've never been the kind of mom who just throws her wallet, phone, and keys into a diaper bag. I want a separate pack so I don't confuse a diaper bag with my EDC kit. In a dire situation, if I need to leave an area quickly with my kids, I can drop the diaper bag and replace its contents later.

The author and her husband, a U.S. Army paratrooper, practice some fire-starting techniques.

The author and her husband, a U.S. Army paratrooper, practice some fire-starting techniques.

The Sell Job

Getting the lady in your life into prepping isn't rocket science. It just has to make sense to her. Start slowly and present it in a way that shows your concern for her safety. She'll pick up on that. Perhaps start with a flashlight and a multitool. However, don't be that guy. You may be thinking it, but save your hard-core prepper what-if sessions for your guy friends (for now).

Also, don't be offended if she doesn't want to learn from you. After all, it's not easy to take someone seriously as an educator if you've already seen them in their birthday suit. Give your lady space to learn, ask questions, and process their journey to becoming a survivalist. Dont' scare her to death, she needs time to associate the correct response with each potential situation, which is proper EDC and mindset. Remember, knowledge always trumps fear.

About the Author

how-to-turn-your-spouse-into-a-survivalist-nila-rhoades

Nila Rhoades is originally from Alaska, but currently resides in Northern Colorado. She is the wife of a U.S. Army paratrooper and has two handsome boys. She has spent the last several years researching firearms, prepping, and survivalism, and now teaches other women how they can help their family survive a worst-case scenario. She also loves peanut butter ice cream.
www.milspecmom.com

Female EDC

how-to-turn-your-spouse-into-a-survivalist-female-edc-kit

Whether you're a woman looking to supplement your purse with more preparedness-minded accessories, or you're a man trying to figure out ways to entice your lady to get into the survival scene, looking at everyday carry (EDC) gear is one of the most concrete ways to show the value of readiness.

My EDC Kit

Here's a look at what I put in my Maxpedition Fatty Pouch, broken down by basic survival categories:

Water

  • Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System

Fire

  • Lighter
  • UST Little Sparkie Fire Starter
  • UST Wetfire Tinder

Shelter

  • Space blanket

Medical

  • QuikClot Combat
  • CAT tourniquet
  • Band-Aids

Food

  • Tuna pouch

Signaling Device

  • Signal mirror

Navigation

  • Compass

Hygiene

  • Hand sanitizer

Others

  • Duct tape
  • 225/550 paracord
  • Superglue
  • Chem light

My Purse

Aside from my EDC kit, I also carry a purse. (Hey, I'm a woman after all.) I keep a few items in the main compartments because of the frequency of use:

  • Leatherman Wave: a multitool for, well, multiple purposes
  • TerraLUX TT5: a tactical flashlight with a strike bezel and strobe option
  • Goal Zero solar panel: While I carry a wall charger and a portable charger, this is a redundant method of charging electronics —and redundancy is good in survival situations.

These products don't take up a lot of space. Sure, I wouldn't be able to stuff this gear in a clutch, but not many women I know do carry a clutch on a regular basis anyway.

Any purse can be a concealed carry purse (even one from Target, like mine), but there's one thing that it must have —a dedicated zipper pocket for those off chances that you might be carrying your firearm in your purse. It needs to have a pocket that nothing else goes in. Nearly all clothing and accessories can easily be tweaked to accommodate concealed firearm carry and EDC.

My CCW

My concealed carry weapon is a Glock 26. I love the simplicity of the Glock platform and because my husband's carry firearm is a Glock 17 we can interchange spare magazines. I carry my Glock 26 in an Antero Pistol Holster from Long's Shadow Holster. I've tried dozens of holsters, and this one is more comfortable and concealable for me than anything else I've found. It's slightly curved, so it hugs the curves of a woman's body. It won't fall off your pants and skid across the bathroom floor when you use the restroom either.

My Phone

I always have my phone in a pocket. It's easier to access if I need it. With it in my pocket I'm not rifling through my purse while walking to the grocery store. My eyes are up and on any potential threats, allies, cover, and concealment. Walking confidently and with full situational awareness makes me look like a harder target, too. After all, the best way to get out of a scary situation is to avoid it in the first place.

More From Issue 20

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 21

Read articles from the previous issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 19

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.

Infographic: Martial Law Guidelines in the Philippines

Written by

As survivalists, it's important to consider the possibility of a martial law situation, and what you might do if direct military control was imposed in your country. It may seem like an unlikely scenario, but observing unfolding crises in other nations can help us better prepare ourselves at home or abroad — take the Philippines for example.

If you've been keeping an eye on world news lately, you've likely heard about the battle that's currently raging there. The city of Marawi, located on the large southern island of Mindanao, has been under siege by militants known as the Maute group, a radical Islamist terrorist organization with apparent ties to Abu Sayyaf and ISIS. The Philippine military has clashed with the Maute group repeatedly since May 25th, reportedly killing as many as 89 of its members, but the remaining militants have reportedly taken civilian hostages, and the occupation of the city is ongoing.

Left: the island of Mindanao. Right: the city of Marawi, currently occupied by Islamist forces.

Left: the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Right: the city of Marawi, currently occupied by Islamist forces.

In response to this terrorist group and the potential growth of the Islamic State in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte recently declared martial law on the entire island of Mindanao. Reuters reported that Duterte may keep the region under military control for a year if necessary, and “wouldn't rule out placing the entire country under martial law if the threat of Islamic State spreads.”

So, what will the implementation of martial law look like in the Philippines? The leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has issued a set of guidelines with the do's and don'ts of martial law. These official guidelines are summarized in the infographic below, which was created by Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN. Click here to download a full-size version of this infographic.

Martial law infographic military police philippines 1