Survival Fixed Blade Face-Off

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We realize we may sound like a broken record sometimes, since we’re always reiterating the importance of a good fixed-blade knife for survival scenarios. Then again, we only say it because it’s true. If you’re stuck somewhere with little to no resources, and you’ve got a sharp, sturdy knife, you’re already on the right track to collecting food, building a shelter, and defending yourself. There’s only one problem: there are literally thousands of different choices for fixed-blade survival knives. How do you choose what’s best for your needs?

First of all, let’s get something out of the way. Here at OG, we have the privilege of getting our hands on all kinds of handcrafted high-dollar blades. As awesome as those $300+ hand-finished knives can be, most ordinary folks just aren’t looking to spend that much on a piece of sharpened steel. That said, we wanted to come back down to earth and try out some more affordable, sub-$100 mass-market blades. Not everyone is a high-end knife collector, and when it comes to survival blades, you really don’t have to be. They’re going to get scratched and banged up, anyway.

If you walk into any outdoors store or sporting-goods store in the U.S., two brands you’re likely to see on the shelf are Gerber and SOG. That’s not surprising, either, since both companies produce wide ranges of good quality consumer-grade knives and tools.  More importantly, both companies produce survival knives that are priced under $100. So, we decided to pick up the latest of these fixed blade knife options from Gerber and SOG, and compare them head to head.

The two knives we’ll be reviewing are the Gerber StrongArm and the SOG Seal Strike. Both are very comparably priced at $86 MSRP for the Gerber and $83 MSRP for the SOG. The SOG also included an optional “Deluxe” sheath that brings its MSRP to $127, but we’ll get into that more later. To start, we’ve created a table below to compare the objective features. Next, we’ll compare our hands-on impressions of the knives, and finally, we’ll draw conclusions.

Gerber StrongArm

Fixed Blade Face-Off 08

Now that we’ve got the technical side of things out of the way, we unboxed the Gerber StrongArm. Immediately upon grabbing it, the handle became one of our favorite features. Like the SOG, the Gerber handle is composed of strong and light glass-reinforced nylon, but unlike the SOG, the Gerber has a textured rubber overmold around the nylon core. On our StrongArm model, this overmold is Coyote Brown, but Gerber also offers it in black. The rubber’s raised diamond pattern feels pliable and grippy, and it ensures the knife won’t slip when your hands get sweaty or dirty. At the rear of the handle is a pointed steel striking pommel, with a hole that’s perfect for a paracord lanyard or retention strap.

Moving to the business end of the StrongArm, you’ll find a black ceramic-coated 420HC steel blade. The 420HC steel is a mainstay of many survival knives, since it features excellent durability and edge retention, even under heavy use. The blade is quite thick (about 3/16 of an inch) and has reassuring heft—it feels like it could handle some abuse. Our StrongArm features a traditional drop point with a serrated edge, but Gerber also offers a non-serrated version. We did notice that the satin black ceramic finish had several noticeable smudges and discolored blotches, which are visible in our photos of both sides of the knife. Despite our best efforts, these blemishes did not wipe off, as they appear to be baked into the finish. If you’re picky about cosmetics, we could see this being an annoyance. However, the imperfections haven’t seemed to affect the finish’s durability thus far. There’s also “Made in USA, Portland, OR” in large lettering on the blade, and we definitely appreciate that the Gerber was manufactured here in the United States.

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Finally, we tried out the StrongArm’s sheath. Its hard nylon matches the Coyote Brown color of the knife’s handle, and we were pleased to see it’s a fully reversible/ambidextrous design, so the blade can be inserted facing either direction. We also liked the thumb leverage points on either corner of the sheath, which make popping the knife out of its retention notch a snap. The Gerber sheath features several mounting options: vertical (or drop-leg) belt mounting, horizontal belt mounting, and MOLLE compatibility. Getting the MOLLE strap configured correctly is a bit tricky, but it’s a great option to have.

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SOG Seal Strike (Deluxe Sheath model)

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First, a clarification: the SOG Seal Strike we received is the Deluxe Sheath model, which has an MSRP of $127 versus the Standard Sheath model’s $83 MSRP. However, the Deluxe Sheath knife itself only differs from the Standard model in two ways—the Deluxe has a more durable Titanium Nitride finish instead of the Standard’s black powdercoat, and the Deluxe Sheath has several additional survival features built in. So, since the only functional change to the knife itself is the finish, we feel it’s still comparable to the $86 Gerber. After all, you’re mostly paying for the sheath features.

Speaking of sheath features, we’ll address those now. The Deluxe Sheath has a fully rigid nylon design, while the regular sheath has a fabric upper section and button retention strap. The Deluxe sheath also includes three added features: a fire striker ferro rod, a sharpener, and a sliding metal cover that reveals a seatbelt cutter. All these features are certainly nice to have, but we question if they’re worth a $44 premium over the Standard Sheath. Also, despite the helpful added features on the SOG’s Deluxe Sheath, we found its ergonomics were less than perfect. Unlike the Gerber sheath, the SOG sheath’s belt loop extends all the way to the end of the handle. This means you can’t fully grasp the handle as you draw the knife—you have to pinch it with your fingertips and pull.

Putting aside the sheath, we gave the Seal Strike a try. Its handle is composed of hard glass-reinforced nylon with a thick crosshatch pattern and a decorative black stainless steel insert. We liked the finger grooves and thumb ridges, but we felt the hard plasticky nylon wasn’t as grippy or comfortable as it could’ve been. The end of the handle has a steel striking pommel and a lanyard hole wide enough for two strands of 550 paracord.

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The Seal Strike with Standard Sheath features a hard nylon lower with a soft fabric upper. It also lacks the ferro rod,...

The Seal Strike’s blade is constructed of AUS-8 steel, a material used by SOG on many of their knives. Unlike 440 series steel, AUS-8 also includes vanadium, which improves its wear resistance and helps it take a razor-sharp edge. The Seal Strike blade is relatively thin and lightweight, with a tapered clip point, causing it to feel more like a precision instrument than a hacking and chopping tool. The SOG blade is well-balanced, and its black TiNi finish showed none of the cosmetic imperfections that the Gerber’s ceramic coating had.

Fixed Blade Face-Off 01

Conclusions

Both the Gerber and the SOG are solid fixed-blade knives, and would likely serve you well in a survival situation. That said, each knife has its strengths and weaknesses. The Gerber’s rubberized handle feels far superior to the SOG’s hard nylon, and we liked the ambidextrous design and versatile mounting options of its sheath. We also preferred the thickness and heft of this knife, as well as the fact that it’s made in the USA. Then again, the blotchy finish was a major disappointment cosmetically.

On the SOG Seal Strike, the nylon handle feels rather cheap, even with the stamped steel insert. We also have a hard time justifying the 53% price increase for the Deluxe Sheath model over the Standard Sheath model. However, the added sheath features are a nice option to have, and the TiNi finish is cosmetically perfect (unlike the Gerber). Also, the Seal Strike’s light weight and tapered blade design make it feel precise and easy to wield.

When it comes down to it, if we had to pick one of the two blades to rely on, we’d go with the Gerber. It’s simply a better ergonomic design—the grippy rubberized handle feels appropriate for a knife in this price range, and the ambidextrous sheath doesn’t get in the way while drawing the knife. All the blemishes in the ceramic finish are ugly, but at least they don’t interfere with functionality. As for the SOG, the Deluxe Sheath model is a good choice if you want the additional survival features in a single package, and spending $44 extra doesn’t bother you. Without the Deluxe Sheath, the SOG Seal Strike is a good knife, but its ergonomic shortcomings prevent it from being truly great.

Infographic: Hammocks 101

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We recently came across this useful infographic from Derek Hansen at TheUltimateHang.com. It does a nice job of conveying the basics of hammock rigging for those who don’t have prior experience. It’s really not that complicated, and it requires minimal gear, so it’s perfect for those who want to travel light. Check it out:

Hammocks

As opposed to sleeping on the ground or in a tent, hammocks can have a number of advantages. Hammocks are often lighter and more compact than tents, they’re relatively easy to set up (assuming your location permits), and they generally cost less than tents as well. If you set up a hammock correctly, they can also be quite comfortable. And, of course, they help keep you off the ground and away from nocturnal critters, uncomfortable rocks, and rain water.

For those who want to learn more about hammock camping and more advanced techniques, visit Derek Hansen’s web site at TheUltimateHang.com. It’s packed with good info and guides for this unique form of camping.

Serac, a leading manufacturer of camping hammocks, also offers some useful tips and tricks on their blog. Click here to read Serac's “Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Hammock Camping”. The company's blog entry answers many common questions about staying warm in your hammock, rigging your hammock correctly, and hammock safety.

MRE Date Codes

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MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, are a staple for American military servicemen and women worldwide. As many of you know, they’re also a well-known choice for disaster preparedness, due to their compact packaging, relatively long shelf life, and calorie-dense contents. However, if you haven’t had much hands-on experience with MREs, you may not know how to check their packaging date. It’s not labeled in the standard MM/DD/YY format found on most consumer goods, and you might not recognize it if you don’t know what to look for.

MRE date 3

 

First of all, why does it matter if you know an MRE’s packaging date—they last practically forever, right? Well, no, actually. When stored in ideal 50-degree conditions, most modern military-grade MREs have a claimed shelf life of approximately 60 months (5 years). At a more realistic 80 degrees, this lifespan drops to just 36 months (3 years). Some old-style MREs from the 1980s and ‘90s contained freeze-dried elements that increased shelf life to 10 years or more, but modern MREs are not freeze-dried and do not last as long. Knowing the packaging date on MREs (and the components inside) will help you to determine if they are still safe to consume. However, note that depending on storage temperature, manufacturing date, and ingredients used, certain MREs and components may go bad faster than others—so, only consume borderline expired MREs at your own risk.

MRE date

Now, let’s get to the actual dates. Standard military MREs will have a four-digit code either printed on the bag’s exterior or stamped/embossed into its seam. In the MRE pictured here from SoPakCo, it was printed clearly on the back: 0004. This is a format called the Julian date code, simplified as YDDD. The first number is the year of packaging, in this case, 0 denotes 2010. The next 3 numbers are the day, with 001 indicating January 1st and 365 indicating December 31st. So, in the case of our SoPakCo MRE, the 0004 date code means it was packaged on January 4th, 2010. We know it was stored in 70-80 degree conditions, so according to official guidelines this should be considered expired by a year or two. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s inedible—we tried the Carrot Pound Cake inside, and although it tasted a bit stale, we didn’t notice any ill effects from eating it (again, only try this at your own risk). Before 2003, date codes weren’t labeled on MREs’ exterior bag, so the only sure-fire way to date pre-2003 MREs is to open them and check the dates on interior components.

MRE date 2

Now that we mention the interior components, you’ll notice they also feature the same YDDD date format, and that the components will all have dates slightly earlier than the exterior 0004 date. The dates on contents of this SoPakCo MRE ranged from 9289 to 9335. In normal format, that’s October 16th, 2009 through December 1st, 2009.

There’s a lot more to be said about MREs, but this should give you the information you need to at least determine if they’re relatively safe to eat. Bon appetit!

Backup Water Source

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Let’s say there’s a natural disaster, riot, or other form of SHTF-style unrest that forces you to stay at home. If you’re adequately prepared and in a survival mindset, you’ve probably got some drinking water and other basic resources stored in a closet, cupboard, garage, or shed. However, if you’re stuck for a week, two weeks, or more without running water, your supplies may run out. Fortunately, there’s a large water source already in your home you may not have thought of using—your water heater.

Water heater

An ordinary home water heater generally has a capacity of 30-80 gallons, but some may exceed even this amount. Since it’s sealed in a metal container and refilled regularly as you use the hot water tap, this water should be relatively clean if your heater is in good working order.  Then again, it’s always best to be on the safe side and filter, boil, and/or purify this water before drinking it. This is highly recommended if your heater has been inactive for an extended period, since residual heat can provide an environment for bacteria growth. Also, water straight from the heater may not taste great, due to the precipitation of minerals from hard water and possible sediment in the tank. However, drinking from the water heater certainly better than dehydration if you’re out of other water sources.

Water heater 2

Here are the basic steps to drain your water heater:

  • At the first sign of a disaster, TURN OFF the electrical power, gas, and pilot light on the heater. Close the cold water inlet or fill valve to avoid floodwater and other contamination entering the tank.
  • When you need water, connect a clean hose to the water heater drain, and run it into a bucket, pot, or other container. Open the drain valve.
  • Open the pressure relief valve on the tank, and collect the water you need. Then shut both the drain and pressure relief valve until you need more water.
  • Filter, boil, or purify the water as needed.

Knots to Know: Bowline Knot

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Whether you’re rigging up a hammock, securing a snare line, or tying your boat down at the shore, it’s extremely important to know how to tie a knot that won’t slip or give way under tension. The bowline knot fits this task perfectly, and it’s a strong contender for the most important knot to know in survival scenarios. There’s a good reason the bowline has been called the king of all knots—it’s even said to date back as far as ancient Egypt.

The bowline is essentially a way to attach a free end of rope or cord to a solid object. The process for tying a bowline has been simplified as “into the hole, around the tree, then back out the hole again” and is demonstrated well in this video from HowCast:

If you try this method a few times, and remember the saying “into the hole, around the tree, then back out the hole again” you’ll have the technique down in no time. Tie the bowline around a post or tree, then give it a hard yank—if you’ve tied the knot correctly, it will tighten instead of slipping. This is extremely useful for setting up a hammock, stringing up a bear bag, or a number of other tasks.

CCI Low-Noise 22 LR HP Ammo

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In a survival situation, the last thing you want to do is scare off the game you’re hunting with the crack of a muzzle report, since it could make the difference between a hearty meal and an empty dinner table. However, it’s equally important to have enough stopping power to bring down said game, otherwise you might as well be using a slingshot—silent, but not nearly as effective. CCI Ammunition has achieved a happy medium between these two goals, with their Quiet-22 Segmented Hollow-Points.

The CCI Quiet-22 ammo considerably reduces muzzle noise, with up to 75% less perceived noise than a regular 22 LR round. However, it also retains excellent power, with a segmented bullet that splits into three pieces on impact. This creates three wound channels, and brings down small game with ease. You might be thinking there’s a trade-off here, but CCI says the new round retains the excellent accuracy and reliability you’d expect from standard 22 LR ammunition. However, because it’s a low-velocity round, you may have to cycle your weapon manually if you use it in a semi-automatic rifle. Still, with a 75% noise reduction, it’s something worth considering.

Here’s a quick video of the Quiet-22’s sound level compared to standard 22 LR and CCI 22 Short:

For more information on the CCI Quiet-22 Ammunition, visit http://www.cci-ammunition.com/

Browning X-Bolt Varmint Stalker Rifle

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Although we’ve previously sung the praises of a reliable .22 LR rifle for survival purposes, sometimes you need something with a little more oomph. Browning recently launched a new variant in their X-Bolt line of rifles, the Varmint Stalker, and it fits this task nicely. It’s available in 204 Ruger, 223 Rem., 243 Win., and 308 Win. calibers with a 24″ barrel length, as well as 22-250 Rem. in a 26” barrel length.

Browning Varmint Stalker

On top of these versatile caliber choices, it has Mossy Oak® Brush® camouflage and a heavy sporter contour barrel in non-reflective matte blued finish. If you’re trying to stay concealed in the woods, both those items could come in handy. Other standard features found on all X-Bolt rifles include a detachable rotary magazine, adjustable Feather Trigger, 60° bolt lift, bolt unlock button and Inflex Technology recoil pad.

If you’re looking for a flexible bolt-action rifle to add to your survival kit, visit http://www.browning.com/ for more information on the new X-Bolt Varmint Hunter.

Understanding the Risks of Mountaineering

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Ever climbed a precarious mountain or hung unsupported from a rock face? Even if you haven’t, it’s easy to see that there’s plenty of danger involved in this activity—without any danger, it probably wouldn’t be much fun. However, examining the danger behind more extreme versions of mountaineering can help those of us who prefer mild hiking and climbing to avoid injury. After all, if you know when, where, and how most advanced climbers get hurt, you can better avoid those situations while surviving in mountainous terrain.

Experienced climber Steph Abegg has compiled a series of charts to show mountain climbing injury rates, locations and more. Below, we’ll be breaking them down and explaining what an average survivalist or outdoorsman can learn from the data.

Mountaineering

First, we see that over the last 60 years, mountaineering deaths have been declining steadily, but injuries have remained fairly constant. Even with the improvements in technology, gear, and communications since the 1950s, climbers are still getting hurt.

Mountaineering

Next, we learn that falling or slipping on rock, snow, or ice is the most common cause of injury. This one is mostly common sense, but it’s also surprising that nearly half of the injuries were caused by other rarer factors like falling rocks and lightning strikes.

Mountaineering

Also surprisingly, injuries were spread almost equally throughout experience levels. You might expect a veteran mountain climber to be more adept at avoiding danger, but at the same time, they tend to take on much more difficult terrain and conditions because they think they can handle it.

Mountaineering

Here’s an analysis of the most common injuries, most of which are to be expected. However, if you know how to apply a splint and treat lacerations in the field before you go mountaineering, you’ll greatly improve your odds of making it home safe.

Mountaineering

Finally, we learn that you’re almost as likely to get hurt descending a mountain as you are ascending it. Apparently the phrase “all downhill from here” doesn’t necessarily mean safety for mountain climbers. This is also important from a mindset standpoint—when you’re on the way down the mountain, there’s a tendency to get complacent and make dangerous mistakes.

If you spend a lot of time in mountainous terrain, or you may need to do so to survive in the future, it’s worth thinking about these mountaineering facts. Although climbing accidents are rare in the grand scheme of things, if you bear in mind it can happen to anyone, and prepare to handle injuries that may occur, you’ll be much safer out there.

100-Function Multi-Tool

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We’ve all heard the phrase “too much of a good thing”, and every man knows that tools are a very good thing. Plus, any multi-tool owner can tell you that combining many tools into a single package is a great idea. So, what happens when you take it too far? This incredible 100-function “mother of all Swiss Army knives” is what happens.

Originally made in Germany way back in 1880 as a display piece for J.S. Holler & Co’s cutlery store in New York, this insane amalgamation of tools actually predates the Swiss Army Knife by 11 years. Not only that, but it contains just about every tool imaginable, including a cheese fork, piano tuner, butter knife, mechanical pencil, cigar cutter, and even a fully functional .22-cailber pistol. See what we mean by excess?

Sure, this tool wasn’t meant to be used or carried around in a pocket, but it did set the stage for the Schweizer Offiziersmesser (Swiss Officer’s Knife) and multi-tool of today. It’s also a great example of why sometimes, there is such a thing as too many tools.

Home-Made Bug Out Truck

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We’ve always liked expedition vehicles, since they’re pretty much the ultimate survival assets on four (or six) wheels. They can overcome almost any kind of terrain, they’re built to be tough and highly reliable, and they are often jam-packed with supplies and tools for the road ahead. If you’re looking for an expedition vehicle, you can pay six figures to have one made to order, or—if you’re mechanically inclined—you can start with a common truck platform and build the rest yourself.

Land Rover expedition vehicle

After considering these two options, Expedition Portal forum user Taurunum chose the latter, and built his 1988 Land Rover Discovery into a proper home on wheels. The 4×4 turbo-diesel Land Rover itself is a seriously capable machine, seeing widespread use by the U.K.’s military and other organizations worldwide. On top of this, Mr. Taurunum added a utility box, numerous locking compartments, armored bumpers, a winch, auxiliary lights, and a pop-up rooftop tent.

You can read more about this expedition vehicle setup here on Bring a Trailer, or click here to see a gallery with more photos of this cool rig.

Land Rover Discovery home made bugout truck

So, what would your ultimate bug out truck look like? If you’ve already built one, or are working on a project, post it in the comments below.