If you read our article on 12 Tools for Survival, you may remember that we professed the importance of a good shovel for survival situations. Obviously, it’s great for digging shelters and fire pits, and if you’ve got one with a saw or serrated edge, you can even cut firewood with it. However, there’s one more use we mentioned for a shovel: cooking. A sturdy metal shovel provides an excellent surface for cooking or flat-top grilling meats and vegetables—just add heat.
This video from The Art of Manliness demonstrates the basic technique. Admittedly, the host appears to be doing it in a backyard as a novelty, and using steaks from the grocery store, but it proves the point. It’s certainly possible to do the same over a small campfire with a folding shovel and some freshly-caught game.
A word of caution: make sure your shovel is stripped to bare metal and thoroughly sanitized/disinfected before using it to cook. Any form of paint or powder coat remaining on the shovel’s metal could lead to toxic fumes or food that tastes downright disgusting. If you plan on using your shovel to cook in the future, consider cleaning it thoroughly with a wire brush or power sander ahead of time. A steel shovel is preferable to aluminum for durability and heat-resistance.
To take this technique to the next level, you might even add a small squeeze bottle of cooking oil or some spice packets to your bag. A beautifully cooked and seasoned piece of protein goes a long way to improve morale when you’re surviving… even if it’s cooked on a shovel over a campfire.
As children, many of us daydreamed of towering monster trucks, enormous castles, high-tech space stations, and other grandiose things. After all, what little kid doesn’t like the idea of being fully independent and in control of his or her own domain—like a treehouse with a “keep out” sign, but on a much larger scale. Years later, you grow up and realize that you can’t really commute to work in a monster truck, a castle would violate zoning laws, and a space station is a little out of your price range. This seems to be a disappointing fact of life. However, we found one father who refused to let the big dreams of his five-year-old daughter Kira slip away.
Bran Ferren is the former President of R&D at Walt Disney Imagineering and co-founder of Applied Minds, LLC, a company that does design and technical consulting work for industry giants such as General Motors, Intel, and Lockheed Martin. So, Ferren decided to put 100% of his resources, connections, and imagination to work creating the ultimate getaway for his young daughter Kira. It may not be a monster truck, a castle, or a space station, but it’s actually the best of all these concepts rolled into one groundbreaking vehicle: the KiraVan Expedition System. This 51,000lb 6-wheel-drive behemoth is one of the most incredible survival vehicles we’ve ever seen, and it’s one hell of a father-daughter project.
What Is the KiraVan?
We first spotted the KiraVan at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and immediately wanted to learn more about it. The KiraVan is what Ferren calls a “natural progression” from his last project, the MaxiMog, which began in the mid-1990s and was completed in 2001. The MaxiMog is a modular expedition vehicle and trailer, built by UNICAT in Germany to Bran’s unique specifications. The MaxiMog is enormous in its own right, and is based on a 4×4 turbo-diesel Mercedes-Benz Unimog truck. Most people would be more than satisfied by a vehicle of this caliber, but after 15 years, Ferren decided it was time to take it to the next level and build something even more advanced.
The MaxiMog in its natural habitat, circa 2003.
Thus, the KiraVan was born. Ferren’s web site states, “As compared to the MaxiMog, the [KiraVan’s] principal design goals were to increase the available space and capabilities, extend flexibility and modularity, minimize crew workload while increasing their situational awareness, and minimize negative environmental impact.” Essentially, it was back to the drawing board to improve upon every aspect.
The KiraVan uses a customized Mercedes-Benz Unimog tractor paired with an articulating trailer.
On top of all this, Ferren was building this vehicle for his daughter, so he wanted to “give Kira places to work, play, interact (often remotely) with her friends, and do her own personal research and discovery.” It was also a proof of concept to show the sort of systems Ferren’s company, Applied Minds, is capable of designing and building.
Again, a Mercedes-Benz Unimog platform was chosen, this time a U500NA tractor chassis with a stretched and reinforced frame and highly reliable turbo-diesel engine. Everything else would be built from the ground up, with a wide array of high-tech systems used for “communications; telepresence; navigation; mapping; still, film, and video production; remote exploration; physical and chemical analysis; geology; archaeological survey work and digs; scientific field research, and thorough trip documentation.” Basically, not just what is needed to survive, but also what is needed to thrive and understand the surrounding environment.
The Exterior
The KiraVan is truly enormous, with a total length of 52 feet (7 feet longer than an average tour bus) and a maximum gross vehicle weight of 51,700lbs. At the front of the vehicle, a custom-built four door cab is packed with lights, brush guards, and antennas. It carries 170 gallons of diesel fuel, enough to travel up to 2000 miles without refueling, and it rides on 46-inch-tall off-road tires with a central inflation system (similar to that found on US military Humvees). The truck’s fuel tanks are even heated for use in temperatures as low as -30F, and are filtered to accept biofuel or used vegetable oil. The variety of antennas allow for communication from anywhere on earth, as well as aircraft-grade global positioning so the truck and crew will never end up lost.
There are several servo-controlled pneumatic masts atop the tractor and trailer, which extend to provide added antenna reception and broadcasting capabilities. One of the masts contains an array of electro-optical cameras, including high-def video, still photography, FLIR infrared, night vision, and even a laser rangefinder. There’s even a SATCOM for Internet connectivity and video conferencing.
The KiraVan’s trailer is fully articulating for off-road use, and features a hydrostatically driven axle (making the vehicle 6-wheel-drive) as well as hydropneumatic suspension. At the rear of the trailer, you’ll find a retractable lift platform that carries a one-of-a-kind turbo-diesel motorcycle known as the KiraBike. The KiraBike is capable of 100mpg fuel economy, and can traverse rough terrain with ease—perfect for scouting and supply runs.
The KiraVan trailer’s insulated composite walls keep the trailer’s interior isolated from the outside world, and a heavy-duty HVAC system keeps passengers comfortable in ambient temperatures of -30F to +130F. There’s plenty of redundancy for electrical power, too: dual 25kw diesel generators, modular high-current battery banks, solar chargers, and connections for external power input. When parked, the trailer also deploys and expands like a high-end motorhome, effectively doubling interior space for the crew.
The Interior
With an exterior this extreme, you might assume the KiraVan’s interior is nothing but computer systems and diamond-plate aluminum. Well, yes and no. Portions of the interior are certainly high-tech, and Ferren’s team openly admits to borrowing aspects of aircraft cockpit designs. Inside the cab, there are an almost unfathomable number of switches, lights, buttons, toggles, gauges, and screens. This seems overwhelming to a layperson, but if you’ve ever looked at a commercial jet cockpit, you’ll know a select few individuals can handle this level of complexity with adequate training. We do imagine it would take years to learn how it all works, but in the event of a major disaster, you’d probably have plenty of time on your hands.
The rear of the tractor’s cab contains more buttons and monitors, primarily for the security cameras and optics. Ferren says he intended the vehicle to be operated by a crew of three, and with the number of high-tech systems on this truck, we imagine everyone would be kept busy.
The KiraVan’s trailer is a stark contrast to its high-tech trailer cab. There’s wood flooring, a full kitchen, a 4K HDTV with surround sound, a dining area, and an office with dual Apple computers. On the upper level (yes, there’s an upper level) you’ll find a main sleeping loft and a pop-up “penthouse” designed specifically for Kira. The trailer’s bathroom includes a shower with a multi-faceted skylight, and a toilet that incinerates all waste into a non-toxic and sterile powder. Ferren says the trailer contains enough food, water, and provisions to support the crew of three comfortably for 3 weeks without re-supplying.
If we hadn’t seen this vehicle with our own eyes, we probably wouldn’t believe it exists—it seems like the sort of thing that would make for a great concept rendering, but would be too costly to actually build. Yet, here it is. It’s very real, and probably eye-wateringly expensive. Nevertheless, Ferren says the KiraVan is far from complete, and still needs work to get all the systems online and 100% reliable. But, with the motivation of building the ultimate vehicle to show his daughter Kira the world in, he’s not stopping any time soon. Within a few years, the project should be completed, and you might even spot it on the road as it traverses the world with the Ferren family in tow.
For more information on the KiraVan and Applied Minds, LLC, visit Kiravan.net.
As much as we all enjoy drooling over the next cool piece of gear to add to our bug-out bag or EDC kit, it’s also nice to turn our attention to serve the greater good of society. Fortunately, Streamlight has figured out a way we can do both at the same time, with their Lights for a Cause program. Over the years, they have released a series of special-edition flashlight designs targeted at various humanitarian efforts, and donated a portion of each sale directly to foundations which help those causes. For example, pink lights to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, blue lights to benefit Concerns of Police Survivors, and so on.
A recent addition to the Streamlight Lights for a Cause program is this red Nano Light keychain flashlight. Not only is it a potent and compact light, but $1 of its $12.48 MSRP goes straight to the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation. Since introducing this light last year, Streamlight has already donated $6,500 to this worthy cause, and helped fight a disease that affects nearly 30 million Americans.
Earlier today in Paris, an unprecedented series of terrorist attacks have been reported. Initial statements indicate shootings and bombings occurred in at least five locations throughout the city. At the Bataclan concert venue during a performance by American band Eagles of Death Metal, hostages were taken, and shots rang out among the crowd of approximately 1,500 attendees. There was a reported suicide bombing near the Stade de France stadium, where a soccer match between Germany and France was taking place. In addition, at least three other shootings reportedly took place in Le Carillon, Le Petit Cambodge, and La Belle Equipe.
According to CNN, French officials have stated at least 153 people were killed in these tragic events, at least 112 of whom were at the Bataclan concert venue. Five of the terrorist perpetrators have been reported dead at this time, and the French borders have been officially closed as police forces investigate the attacks.
In response to these events, French President Francois Hollande stated, “Faced with terror, France must be strong, it must be great and the state authorities must be firm. … There is dread, but in the face of this dread, there is a nation that knows how to defend itself, that knows how to mobilise its forces and, once again, will defeat the terrorists.”
Minivan. Most of us cringe at the term, since it often indicates an emasculated beige 4-cylinder vehicle filled with sippy cups, crushed Cheerios, and screaming children. That, or a psychedelic ’70s ride with shag carpet and a sweet dragon mural. Fortunately, there’s still hope for the minivan, and OPTIMA Batteries proved it with the burly Ford Econoline van parked in their booth at SEMA 2015.
That’s right, this is no ordinary family hauler. This rugged van was built by MG Metalworks in conjunction with OPTIMA Batteries, and it’s based on a 2013 Ford Econoline Super Duty. The 4-wheel-drive V8-powered van rides on a lifted suspension and large all-terrain tires, and its armored bumpers and winch show it means business. We could probably do without the flashy glowing headlight halos, but HID projectors and LED light bars provide plenty of visibility at night.
Out back, you’ll find another armored bumper, more LED lights, a spare wheel, a toolbox full of Snap-On tools, and a dual bike rack. On this bike rack are two Motoped Survival motorized bikes outfitted with off-road shocks, knobbly tires, and jerry cans full of spare fuel. In fact, these bikes are worthy of their own feature article, so keep an eye out for that in the future. The Motoped bikes are perfect for a vehicle like this, since they allow for quick supply runs and errands while the van is parked.
As interested as we were in this van’s exterior, we really wanted to get a peek inside. The Econoline’s interior was custom-built by MG Metalworks, and includes a fridge, microwave, stove, coffee maker, sink, and a power inverter with several outlets for other electronics. There’s even a pop-up roof so you can walk around inside the van comfortably.
OPTIMA themselves originally stated that the van’s official purpose isn’t a bug-out vehicle: “The rig will essentially be converted into a “4×4 Limited” mobile office, paddock and off-grid video capturing headquarters. The van will not be a bug-out vehicle, but it will have the capability of going just about anywhere and staying there in comfort.” However, with everything we see here, we’d say this would make an excellent bug-out rig. Either way, it’s one mean minivan, and it was one of our favorite vehicles at the SEMA 2015 show.
For more information on OPTIMA’s Econoline project, check out the build thread on ExpeditionPortal, or read its full parts list on the OPTIMA blog.
If you’ve spent any amount of time near a river, pond, lake, or other body of fresh water, you’ve probably seen cattails. With an easy-to-spot bushy “tail” at the top of a long thin stem, these wetland plants often grow in the muddy banks of streams throughout America and much of the world. They’re also referred to as bulrushes, reedmace, punks, or even the memorable “corn dog grass”. Just thinking about that last one makes us hungry. Appropriately, this brings us to our point: cattails make for an excellent survival food.
Almost every part of the cattail plant is edible. For example, before the flowers mature into brown “corn dog” form, the green flower heads can be eaten cooked or raw off the stems, much like corn on the cob. You can also peel the leaves away from the stem or shoot and eat the lower white portion of the shoot. At the very base of the cattail plant you’ll find the roots, and these are edible too. You can peel the roots and boil them like potatoes, or roast them under coals in a fire—either way, you’ll want to chew the starchy pulp off the roots, and spit out the leftover stringy fibers. Finally, even the yellow pollen can be shaken off the early green cattail heads, and used as a substitute for flour in pancakes and biscuits.
For more information on eating cattails, and some recipes using cattails, check out this article on EatTheWeeds.com.
Every custom vehicle needs a cool nickname, and as far as nicknames go, it doesn’t get much better than this 2011 Chevy Colorado dubbed “Crawlorado”. We spotted this badass rig at the 2015 SEMA show in Las Vegas, and it immediately caught our eye with its burly 37-inch mud tires, straight axle conversion, and roof-mounted kayak. With its increased suspension travel and articulation, it looks like it would have no problem crawling over rocks and other obstacles.
There are plenty of trucks at SEMA that appear to be trailer queens, but the Crawlorado doesn’t seem to be one of them—this Chevy looks like it gets down and dirty on a regular basis. In fact, the sheetmetal bumpers even showed some scuffs and scratches. The truck was built by Pacific Fabrication in Gilroy, California, in partnership with BDS Suspension and a variety of other aftermarket parts vendors, and sports some of the industry’s best purpose-built off-road parts.
Lending to this truck’s off-road credibility, it was designed for the 2015 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine Ultimate Adventure. This world-famous “road trip” actually doesn’t involve many roads—but it does involve brutal trails, river crossings, steep ascents, and lots and lots of mud. BDS was the Ultimate Adventure event’s title sponsor, and they weren’t looking to put their name on a vehicle that would end up stuck and embarrassed, so the Crawlorado was built accordingly. Since it was able to handle the Ultimate Adventure and still show up to SEMA in one piece, we figure that’s worthy of the OG seal of approval.
The biggest thing we liked about the Crawlorado was the fact that it’s not just a show truck. There are patches of surface rust, scuffs on the rock rails, and its suspension components aren’t tricked out in flawless chrome. Also, we like the custom fabrication involved—anybody with a big checking account can buy a bunch of off-the-shelf parts for their truck and call it “custom”, but it takes more skill to weld up bumpers, rock sliders, and a chase rack from raw metal. Overall, the Crawlorado is a very cool build, and one of our favorite trucks at SEMA 2015.
If you’re familiar with our printed magazine, you probably know what to expect—survival-related tips, techniques, and knowledge to help you and your loved ones be ready for any adverse scenario. However, here on the web site, we’ll be sharing this info with you in real-time, allowing you to stay up-to-date with the latest OG news and helpful information. Knowledge is the most important asset in any survival situation, and now we’re bringing it to you on a daily basis!
With the launch of this site, we’ll also be looking for your feedback regarding what you like, what you don’t, and what you want to see more of. We want to hear what you have to say! So, feel free to add a comment below or post on our Facebook page.
Each November in Las Vegas, Nevada, some of the world’s finest custom-built vehicles gather for a trade show known as SEMA. SEMA stands for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, but it’s better known as the representative body for the entire automotive aftermarket industry. The SEMA show represents the culmination of a year’s worth of automotive upgrades and technical development, and it’s where you’ll find the most cutting-edge products and accessories currently available for cars and trucks. However, it’s much more than a showcase for auto parts. It’s also where you’ll find millions upon millions of dollars in custom cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles in every imaginable size and shape.
If you haven’t already seen our gallery of Trucks & SUVs of SEMA, go take a look. Today, we’ll be focusing on a vehicle that—while similar to both of these previous categories—is in a class of its own. The Jeep Wrangler was one of the most popular vehicles at SEMA 2015, and for good reason. It’s capable, versatile, tough, and has a huge assortment of available aftermarket parts. This allows owners and builders to make their Jeeps unique, and tailor them to their exact needs and wants. There are rock crawlers, desert rigs, mud boggers, supercharged powerhouses, and simple daily drivers—something for everyone.
Check out the gallery below, and don’t forget to tell us which Jeep is your favorite in the comments.
Each November in Las Vegas, Nevada, some of the world’s finest custom-built vehicles gather for a trade show known as SEMA. SEMA stands for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, but it’s better known as the representative body for the entire automotive aftermarket industry. The SEMA show represents the culmination of a year’s worth of automotive upgrades and technical development, and it’s where you’ll find the most cutting-edge products and accessories currently available for cars and trucks. However, it’s much more than a showcase for auto parts. It’s also where you’ll find millions upon millions of dollars in custom cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles in every imaginable size and shape.
Since the SEMA show is an industry-only trade show, and not open to the general public, we wanted to give you a look inside the Las Vegas Convention Center and show you what we saw there. This being a survival publication, we skipped over the flashy muscle cars and tuned-up imports to capture the OG-worthy vehicles of SEMA. While some of the rides we saw looked to be more “show” than “go”, all of these trucks and SUVs grabbed our attention for their survival-oriented features.
So, check out the gallery below, and let us know which one you’d want to bug out in!
