Mix a mechanical engineer who used to design equipment for the military, with unquenchable passion for exploring wilderness, and you get: Outdoor Element, a company that specializes in unique and innovative outdoor gear. Each of their items comes with loads of versatility baked into their design, and here we are taking a closer look at their range of patented Multitool Firebiners.
What is a Firebiner?
A Firebiner is a variation of the commonly used carabiner. Carabiners come in a wide range of styles and load bearing capabilities, and are a commonly used piece of gear for many outdoor enthusiasts. From high-angle technical rope, to keeping a canteen in a handy position, there are endless uses for this simple item. But for one of Outdoor Element’s founders, Mike Mojica, the carabiner just wasn’t versatile enough. Multitools are often used as a common EDC item, so he decided to take carabiners to the next level by cleverly building a plethora of useful tools into the design. There are several models of Firebiner, and many colors to choose from.
For those of you ultralight hikers or campers meticulously weighing everything you carry, the original Firebiner weighs a mere ounce, and comes equipped with: a flathead screwdriver, bottle opener, utility blade, hang slots and has a 100lb carrying capacity.
Firebiner Variants
The Fire Escape Multitool Firebiner is much like the original but with a little more beef. This one has a dedicated seatbelt cutter, a tungsten carbide window breaker, an oxygen tank wrench, and can carry a load of 125lbs. Every style of Firebiner lives up to its namesake by having a built in EverSpark wheel that throws a directional stream of ferrocerium sparks on to the tinder of your choice. Engraved near the EverSpark wheel is an arrow which indicates which direction to spin the wheel. This arrow can also be used as an aiming tool by aligning the tip of the arrow towards the tinder you are looking to ignite. Being able to aim the stream of sparks is especially useful if time is a factor, or if the surrounding area is susceptible to unintentional combustion.
I recently attended a Fieldcraft Survival tracking fundamentals class taught by Craig Caudill, the Director of Nature Reliance School. A writeup on this class will appear in Issue 57 of our magazine, on sale in August, so keep an eye out for that. A couple days after the tracking class, I was able to connect with Craig on Zoom for an interview to get to know him a little better, and get his thoughts on topics related to the class, survival skills, and tracking in general.
RECOIL OFFGRID: I know you covered a little bit of this in class, but could you tell us about yourself and your background?
Photos courtesy of Craig Caudill / Nature Reliance School
Craig Caudill: I grew up in Kentucky and have been basically living in the same small town here in Kentucky ever since. I grew up doing hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities, a whole lot of camping … I’m 52, so back during that time parents were like “get out of the house and come back tonight sometime.” And so that’s what we did — spent a lot of time outside. As I got older, I started challenging myself both from a hunting perspective and an outdoorsman perspective. I did a couple of 30-day trips into the woods with nothing but a knife to advance my skill set and actually learn where there were some deficiencies — some strong deficiencies — in my skill set.
That was my early 20s. So I spent the last 30 years improving upon those deficiencies and continuing to grow the skills that I already had. The Nature Reliance School, that is my school that I founded in 2006. And that primarily grew out of teaching some martial arts students. I taught martial arts full-time for a number of years and some of [my students] wanted to learn outdoor skills. So I started teaching them that. It just kind of snowballed in a good way when survival TV stuff started happening [like] Bear Grylls and Dual Survival. And that popularity started growing anybody that had a school. I was a benefactor of those shows because there was a lot of interest that was brought into it.
How long have you been tracking and teaching tracking specifically?
CC: Tracking my whole life, and teaching tracking about 10 to 12 years now. It used to be, I was teaching maybe once or twice a year. Now I’m teaching once a month, if not more. I love it. If I could teach tracking every day, I would.
Above: Craig Caudill’s book, The Secret Signs of Nature: How to Uncover Hidden Clues in the Sky, Water, Plants, Animals, and Weather, has been published in seven languages.
And how long have you been associated with Fieldcraft Survival?
CC: Affiliated with them for about a year. Kevin Estela, who is the Director of Training, and I have been friends for a number of years. When he went to Fieldcraft to work full time, Mike Glover asked him if there was anybody he wanted to bring on as instructors. He had four or five of us — he knew what our skill set was and he wanted to bring us on. And I was fortunate to be one of those guys.
Above: Longtime OFFGRID contributing writer Kevin Estela has been friends with Craig Caudill for many years.
So I know you’ve mentioned, even just now, a few other people that have survival schools. How would you say that your approach to teaching tracking specifically differs from some of the other big names in the space?
CC: That’s tough to answer and stay professional, but I will say this. In everything I teach — and particularly in tracking this comes out — I think I want everybody that comes to my class to become a tracker. And so there’s never a time, or at least I don’t feel like there is, where I feel like I want to overshadow the people in class. I want the people in class to become better at this, at the topic of tracking, before they leave, let alone after they leave. I want to help them develop their own skill set without me. The truth of the matter is I’m a big fan of tracking. I think it’s just enhanced situational awareness. It’s good for the world. So the more trackers I make out there, then the world’s a better place in my opinion.
From that perspective, to be a good tracker, you’ve got to put a lot of time in. And so the hardcore truth is that people typically are going to take the class and be done. But there’s also always one, two, three people in class who are bit by the bug and will become trackers for life, in an in-depth way. I’m not one to try and teach a class so that people will come to a level two. I’m not that guy. I am a guy who wants to teach people and give them as much as I can, such that it’s usable information in one class. And then if they come back, great.
Awesome. That touched on the next thing I wanted to ask: what do you think the difference is between a good tracker and a great tracker? Is it just practice, or is it something else?
CC: Two things, I would say. One is, yeah, practice. Putting dirt time in. You gotta put a lot of dirt time in. And one of my teachers, Cole, said that that the difference between a good tracker and a great tracker is that a great tracker knows when he or she’s lost the sign and is OK with it. And I’m paraphrasing there, but I really liked his definition, so I use it myself. You heard me say that in class recently — that it is, I think our ego really gets in the way of doing a lot of things, particularly when it comes to tracking.
You’ve got to set your ego aside and just let what happens on the track happen. Sometimes you’re going to lose the sign and you just are OK with it — not that you don’t want it, you want it, you want to acquire it and you want to stay on it as a tracker. But you also recognize that you’re going to lose it. It’s just a fact. And instead of being upset and seeing that as a problem, I think the difference is that great trackers are just okay with that aspect of tracking.
So, I know you do a lot of training for military and police and you’re about to go out with a fish and wildlife crew. Is there is a big structural difference in the class when you teach those groups, versus civilians?
CC: No, especially in a day-long class, there’s really no difference at all. The only difference that would be recognizable from somebody that was looking on the outside is typically those guys are carrying their firearms and kitted out because usually that’s what they’re going to be utilizing and carrying when they’re out performing the action of tracking. I usually have them practicing and training in that kit, and I don’t typically do that with your average ordinary folks. But the structure and the way of doing things is virtually the same.
There’s a couple of things we’ll do in a in a law enforcement/military type class that are needed by them, but not really needed by me and you, specifically as it relates to ID recognition.
And I’ll just briefly — just ever so briefly — touch upon small unit tactics. Typically my mode of doing that is I will ask somebody that’s there that teaches their small unit tactics to assist me when we get to that point, when contact is made. I know how other schools teach it, but a lot of those other schools have experience that I don’t have in making contact. I’ve trained in that, just like a lot of people that are freedom loving Americans. I do a lot of training on making contact, but because I haven’t had that experience, I would rather, when we get to the point of making contact … I want somebody on the inside that does that to teach that portion. And I don’t do that with the typical class that I teach, like for Fieldcraft, or even for my own school, Nature Reliance School.
I know one of the big points you made in class was that tracking is a science. So when you look at advances in technology around drones and sensors, do you see these having a major impact in tracking as a discipline, or not so much?
CC: Yeah, without a doubt, they’re a very useful tool in an actual track line. And when I say tracking, what me and you were talking about is visual tracking. There’s also canine tracking. There’s also technology tracking. And these are three categories where a lot of people who do what I do would break it down and focus and study on those different areas. But bringing them together is a game-changer. And whether technology is drone or ground sensors or whatever, it’s a force multiplier.
Above: Craig Caudill showed us various types of sign that can aid in tracking, such as this broken plant. It’s an obvious disturbance in the environment.
However, when I get a chance to work people, my particular ability lies within visual man tracking because that’s what I’ve done all my life. You know, I’ve tracked things — whether it be people or animals — all my life. And so being able to share that is where I stay within my wheelhouse. Let the intelligence gatherers and intelligence analysts gather that information from drones or sensors, and do what they do best and add that to the tracking and put it all together so that you’ve got a usable set of information.
So, what are the three most important things that you would hope a student takes away from attending one of your courses?
CC: About tracking specifically? OK, number one would be a heightened situational awareness of the outdoors. And because it doesn’t matter where I teach and what I’m teaching, if I’m teaching man tracking for a military or law enforcement crew, I’m still going to touch upon animal tracking so that they can recognize the difference between let’s say deer tracks and human tracks. That way they don’t get off on a set of deer tracks when they need to be on a human.
Above: In a video on his Instagram page, Craig Caudill shows some of the differences between a domestic dog track and a coyote track.
Number two, is the ability to track slightly. Well, I shouldn’t even say that. The ability to track as best as somebody can. When a person comes to me, I want them to leave a tracker or a better tracker than they were when they showed up.
And number three, the big thing that I want people to have when they leave is the ability to continue developing their skill set after they leave. Meaning I try to lay out the skills, techniques, and exercises people can do to develop the skill of tracking. I like to equip people with the skills or mindset necessary to continue tracking.
It’s often said that good things come in small packages, and when it comes to guns, we’re inclined to agree. Ever since firearms first appeared on the battlefield, there has been a gradual trend toward shorter and lighter fighting weapons. The American long rifles of the Revolutionary War era often had barrels that exceeded 40 inches; standing upright, they were nearly as tall as the men who carried them. The famous Sharps rifles, used extensively by “sharpshooter” marksmen in the American Civil War, were typically equipped with 30-inch barrels. By the turn of the 20th century, the M1903 Springfield had a 24-inch barrel, a length that would carry over to the M1 Garand. Although the standard-issue M16 still has a 20-inch barrel today, carbines with 16-inch, 14.5-inch, and shorter barrels have become increasingly popular for maneuverability in confined urban areas. Thanks to dramatic improvements in barrel and ammunition manufacturing, it’s possible to achieve excellent accuracy and effective range from these compact weapons, whether they’re configured as short-barreled rifles (SBRs) or braced AR pistols. Read on as we examine four compact rifle bag options that are designed for SBRs, AR pistols, and other compact long guns.
Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Rifle Bag
Above: With the right parts and quality ammo, modern short-barreled rifles can yield impressive performance. OFFGRID Editor Tom Marshall built this 12.5-inch suppressed SBR, and has achieved consistent hits with it beyond 800 yards.
Although the weapons we use have shrunk, it often feels like the cases we carry them in have remained the same size. If you walk into an average sporting goods store, you’re likely to see a wide array of cases designed for handguns and cases designed for rifles with 16-inch barrels, but not much in between. Sure, you can carry your 14.5-, 12.5-, or 10-inch AR in a standard rifle case, but you’ll be left with excess space for the gun to slide around, and excess fabric that folds and flops awkwardly. Why spend the time and money shaving inches off your gun if you’re going to carry it everywhere in an oversized case? Sure, you could take apart your upper and lower to fit your gun into a smaller pack, but that creates an opening for dirt and foreign objects to get into the inner workings, and it slows down your ability to use the weapon.
With this dilemma in mind, we sought out four rifle bags that were purpose-built for carrying short weapons. One is a relatively basic clamshell case design, while another is a full-fledged backpack with weapon-retention features. The remaining two split the difference, incorporating both case-style carry handles and backpack-style shoulder straps. Read on to see if one of these packs might be just right for your compact gun of choice.
Notes As the most diminutive of the four packs we tested, the LV M4 Shorty is perfect for slim guns with sub-10-inch barrels. It fit our Aero Precision EPC-9 AR pistol with 8.3-inch barrel like a glove, even with the SB Tactical brace fully extended (a 27-inch OAL). Anything much longer or thicker will be a tight squeeze. Our 11.5-inch SBR almost fit with the buttstock collapsed (29-inch OAL), but the chunky Cloud Defensive REIN flashlight bezel near the muzzle prevented the zippers from closing the last few inches. Some side-folding guns fit, but it’s not optimal — a PSA GF-3 AK-47 side-folder with 16-inch barrel (28-inch OAL, 5 inches wide) did fit, but caused the case to appear somewhat round and overstuffed.
The main compartment is lined with slick 840D nylon, so it’s easy to shake out and keep clean. We also appreciate its light gray color, which makes it simple to find small items like sight adjustment tools and loose hardware. A 5×12-inch field of webbing provides attachment points for a hook-and-loop cuff to secure your weapon inside the bag. However, the compartment is small enough that we didn’t really need it.
Above: Laser-cut hook fabric inside the front pocket allows for the attachment of MOLLE or Velcro-backed pouches and accessories.
On the front of the case, there are two zippered compartments. The smaller one contains a soft lining that’s ideal for shooting glasses and other fragile gear. The larger compartment has laser-cut MOLLE-compatible webbing for attaching tools, mag pouches, or a small trauma kit; the opposite side has a zippered mesh pocket for other loose items. We found this half-zip front pocket to be the ideal size for storing a minimalist chest rig pre-loaded with three 30-round mags.
Above: A small zippered pocket up top fits anything from eye protection to this JK Armament Form 1 suppressor.
On the back of the case, you’ll find two low-profile grab handles as well as a pair of padded shoulder straps with sternum buckle. The padded portion of the shoulder straps can be removed via G-hooks and buckles, but this leaves a pair of foot-long dangling nylon straps. They’re sewn directly to the rifle bag and can’t be tucked anywhere, so it’s best to leave the shoulder straps on the case.
Above: The combination of a 1.93-inch red-dot mount and 33-round Glock mag on our Aero Precision EPC-9 pistol created a wide profile. It fit inside the rifle bag, but just barely.
PROS
Simple and effective, not loaded-down with excess pockets or features we don’t need
Discreet appearance without any external MOLLE webbing or patch fields. Even the 5.11 logos are stitched onto tags that can be tucked away for a sterile look.
CONS
It’s a tight squeeze for anything longer than 28 inches or wider than 3 inches. Many SBRs won’t fit.
Shoulder straps aren’t fully removable or tuckable
Grey Ghost Gear Apparition SBR Bag
Exterior Dimensions: 28 by 13 by 4 inches (expands to 34 inches long)
Maximum Capacity: 19.6 liters
Weight: 4.0 pounds
Colors: Black & Cyan, Black & Red, Brown & Black, Grey & Black, Tan & OD Green (pictured)
Notes On the product description page, Grey Ghost Gear says, “This pack can easily exist among all the other travel backpacks that are filled with flannel, yoga pants, beef jerky, and granola.” From the outside, it really does look like a run-of-the-mill light hiking pack, although this disguise would be more convincing in a high-vis pastel colorway. Regardless, unlike traditional rifle cases, you probably won’t raise eyebrows if you carry this in public.
Above: Although the rifle bag expands to fit longer barrels, doing so eliminates any sense of concealment and makes it obvious you’re carrying a rifle.
The Apparition is advertised for SBRs with 10.5-inch or shorter barrels. With its brace extended, our 8.3-inch 9mm AR pistol (27-inch OAL) fit with about an inch to spare; our 11.5-inch SBR (29-inch OAL) wasn’t even close to fitting unless we unzipped the expansion pocket at the base of the pack. With that pocket extended, the Apparition can fit guns up to 33 inches long. However, we weren’t wild about how tight the expansion pocket is — it accepts a naked barrel or the end of a suppressor fine, but good luck trying to cram a full-length handguard with flashlight into it. Our folded 16-inch AK fit with the expansion pocket open but wasn’t easily removable, since the front sight post got snagged inside the pocket.
Above: The Apparition is more backpack than rifle bag, and that may be a good thing depending on your needs. The adjustable yoke, load lifters, and ample padding make it comfortable for long-distance carry.
As a full-fledged backpack, the Apparition has many additional features. The coffin-shaped main compartment is lined with black loop fabric and has three retention loops to hold your gun in place. The inside of the flap features several pockets, including a zippered pouch and two magazine pockets with adjustable bungees. Moving toward the front of the pack, there’s another large zippered compartment lined with loop fabric — GGG says you can put a spare upper in here — plus a few more admin pockets and a zippered mesh pocket. A pass-through slit at the top of this compartment allows for a hydration tube or communications wires to be routed outside. One more zippered pocket on the front face of the pack offers storage for quick-access items.
The base of the pack features two elastic water bottle carriers, two vertical-zip compartments that seem ideal for gloves, and two bottom zippers. One of these reveals a rain fly that can be placed over the pack; the other conceals the aforementioned barrel expansion pocket. On the back side of the Apparition, there are mesh lumbar pads, a removable mesh waist belt, and a mesh shoulder strap yoke that offers height adjustability and load lifter straps. All these touches make it clear that the Apparition was purpose-built as a backpack that can carry a gun, not a gun case that happens to come with backpack straps.
Above: Our AK was too wide to fit in the rifle bag with a magazine in the gun, but that’s not a problem. Two pouches inside the main compartment offer quick access to magazines.
PROS
It has the features we’d expect in a hiking pack, like load lifters, a comfy waist belt, and torso length adjustment. Even if you’re not carrying a gun, it’s a good backpack.
Main compartment has plenty of width for side-folders
Tons of organized storage for tools and sustainment gear
CONS
Don’t rely on the expansion pocket. It’s a tight fit for anything bigger than a barrel or suppressor, and it makes it fairly obvious what you’re carrying.
Coffin-shaped compartments feel inefficient — the bottom is always crowded and the top is always loose.
Notes Despite its incognito name, the Haley Strategic INCOG bears the closest resemblance to a traditional rifle case in this lineup. It features a rectangular footprint with three-sided zipper and clamshell opening. There’s no backpack harness, only a rubberized carry handle and an over-the-shoulder carry strap; the latter item can be concealed behind a hook-and-loop flap on the back of the case when it’s not needed. This rifle bag is only available in one colorway — Disruptive Grey with black accents. If you look closely at the diagonal hook fabric strip across the front pocket, you’ll see Haley’s signature dragonfly logo stitched in black thread. Although nobody is going to see this and think it’s not a rifle case, the subdued branding keeps it looking relatively generic.
If you need to access its contents quickly, the INCOG has a cool trick up its sleeve. Pulling the small nylon loop on one end of the bag tears two zippers open, creating an opening to retrieve the weapon within. This flap is held in place by a strip of hook-and-loop fabric.
Above: The INCOG fit our 11.5-inch SBR like a glove, and its full-clamshell opening made it easy to pack and stow the rifle at the range.
This rifle bag doesn’t look much bigger than the competition, but it proved to be the perfect fit for our larger weapons. The 29-inch OAL SBR fit like it was built for this case, and so did the folded AK. The added width of a folding stock was no problem, since the INCOG’s boxy main compartment offers plenty of depth — you might even be able to fit two slim guns side-by-side, but there’s no divider to keep them from knocking against each other.
The interior of the main compartment is lined on both sides with webbing made from loop fabric, and four retention straps are included. These could be used to secure anything from a full-length disassembled upper and lower to a pair of very short AR pistols. There’s only one other zippered compartment to speak of, a 14×9-inch mesh pocket that’s only accessible from the inside of the case. The external zipper around this section doesn’t open it; instead, it allows it to expand out accordion-style to offer increased capacity. A small, soft pistol case or chest rig can fit into this space once it’s expanded.
Above: For fast access, yank this handle to quickly unzip one end of the rifle bag. The rifle can be removed without opening the bag fully, as long as you didn’t use the internal retention straps.
PROS
Easily fits a variety of weapons up to 30 inches long, even those with bulky accessories
Four retention straps provide a way to securely carry a full-length upper and lower, or an SBR with two uppers
CONS
Traditional rifle case shape isn’t as INCOG as the name implies
Single accessory pocket doesn’t provide organization for small tools and accessories
Only one colorway
Savior Equipment Specialist Covert 30
Exterior Dimensions: 30 by 13.5 by 5 inches
Maximum Capacity: Not advertised
Weight: 7.4 pounds
Colors: Dark FDE (pictured), Obsidian Black, OD Green
Notes We’ve learned to be skeptical about buying anything gun-related on Amazon, since that online marketplace is inundated with cheap off-brand products and counterfeit items. But every once in a while, we find something that offers impressive quality at a surprisingly affordable price — such was the case with Savior Equipment gun cases. We bought one of these cases a few years ago on a whim, and were surprised by how sturdy and well-built it was. We’ve acquired a few more since then, and even though they’re not perfect, they’re worlds better than we expected at this price point. The stitching is neat, the zippers are smooth, and the 600D ripstop polyester fabric is tough and thoroughly padded.
Above: Our 11.5-inch SBR was just barely short enough to fit in this bag with the barrel “bucket” removed. And although it’s advertised as a single rifle case, we found that the Specialist 30 can easily fit a second weapon.
The Specialist Covert 30 is advertised as a single rifle bag, but it’s clearly capable of hauling two sub-30-inch SBRs thanks to the center divider. This removable, padded panel is secured by two buckles on one side, and by a strip of hook-and-loop fabric on the other. The bag’s primary half contains two adjustable retention straps and a hard foam “bucket” to hold a weapon’s muzzle in place. Behind the divider, the other half features a complete field of laser-cut loop material with two more retention straps. Although you can easily stash a second rifle in here, it would also be a good fit for an extra upper plus MOLLE pouches full of medical gear, tools, and spare parts. We were able to pack either the folding AK or 11.5 SBR into the case alongside our Aero EPC-9 AR pistol, but couldn’t squeeze both the AK and SBR in at the same time due to their combined width. Savior Equipment offers a 34-inch version of this rifle bag if you need to carry longer weapons.
Above: A large front pocket offers attachment points for MOLLE pouches, plus two zippered pockets for small tools and accessories.
This rifle bag features three external pockets. The smaller zippered pocket contains elastic loops that are ideal for retaining suppressors or multi-tools; the larger full-zip pocket features webbing for MOLLE pouches on one side and two large mesh pockets on the other. The final pocket is hidden — pull the loop behind the top of the large pocket to rip open its hook-and-loop seal. It’s lined with more hook-and-loop fabric, providing an attachment point for a Velcro-backed pistol holster or sandwiched Velcro mag pouches. Three sturdy grab handles and a pair of tuckable, padded shoulder straps make it easy to carry this bag downrange.
Unfortunately, there’s one glaring downside to this pack: weight. It’s inexpensive, durable, and feature-rich, but weighs nearly twice as much as the next heaviest bag we tested. If you’re only planning to carry it a few yards from your car to the range bench, the extra pounds won’t matter, but it’s definitely worth considering if you plan to hike substantial distances with it on a regular basis.
Above: The top pocket is just the right size for this Gemtech Shield suppressor, and even includes an elastic band to hold it in place. Additional elastic slots fit pens, flashlights, or screwdrivers.
PROS
Surprisingly well-designed and sturdy given its sub-$100 price point
Capable of hauling two compact weapons with a divider in between, plus supplementary gear
Easy to carry thanks to three grab handles and fully stowable shoulder straps
CONS
All the extra features and durable materials add pounds — this bag is noticeably heavier than the competition.
We recently completed a top-down review of the ruggedized Juggernaut phone cases and mounting ecosystem. Shortly after that article was complete, Juggernaut announced they would be releasing a new, expanded line of phone cases and mounts. Good news up front: both cases and mounts are backwards compatible. If you have a legacy mount, all the new cases will still fit in those mounts. Likewise, if you purchase one of their new-generation mounts, your existing phone case will fit into it without problems. (Our first look of the improved PALS plate carrier mount can be found here.)
Above: The outgoing IMPCT and SLEEV cases offered two levels of protection; the new ENDVR, ADVNTR, and OPRTR families provide three levels to choose from.
Previously, there were two Juggernaut phone cases: the IMPCT and the SLEEV. The IMPCT was their “medium-to-hard” use case, with the SLEEV being up-armored even further for extra-rough handling, and optimization for Juggernaut’s line of power and data transfer cables. Their new line has expanded to include three case options, instead of two, to cover a wider range of use-cases.
Juggernaut Case Everyday ENDVR
At the more casual end of the spectrum is their ENDVR case. The ENDVR is a front-load “snap on” case. Simply press the phone down into the corners of the case until it stretches and snaps down over the body of your phone. This is how most commercial phone cases work, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
Optimized for EDC and weekend warrior adventures, the ENDVR does not feature a port sealing mechanism like its counterparts. It does, however, still lock into Juggernaut mounts. Whether you want a belt clip for your work pants, a PALS pack adapter for your weekend trail pack, or a vehicle mount for road trips, the ENDVR will still fit securely into any existing Juggernaut mounting interface – with one caveat. The ENDVR’s design is so sleek that you will need to go down one mount size.
The sample phones used here are a Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra. If I load the standard S22 into an ADVNTR or OPRTR case, it will need a medium-sized mount to ride in. But the same phone loaded into an ENDVR case, will use a small-sized mount. Fortunately, Juggernaut marks both their mounts and cases with size icons, and all of the new cases are explicitly labels with the required mount size for that case. If you plan on switching your phone in and out of the different cases, using different case models for work and personal phones, or have family members or co-workers using different-sized cases than you, you’ll have to bear that in mind as you shop for corresponding mounts. But this difference only applies to the ENDVR.
Extreme ADVNTR and Tactical OPRTR
Above: The Juggernaut ADVNTR (left) and OPRTR (right) are top-loading designs with seals for the ports on the base of the phone.
The larger ADVNTR and OPRTR cases are similar in form factor. Both are top-load cases, as opposed to snap on, with a hinged top cover. They both feature a port-sealing mechanism on the bottom. The ADVNTR seals with a pop-off rubber gasket, while the beefier OPRTR has larger, buffered bottom plate that secures into the case with two screws. Either one can be completely removed from the rest of the case and stowed if not needed for daily use.
The ADVNTR and Operator both feature more material built up around the edge of the screen, creating a deeper offset for the phone. This is good news if you’re prone to dropping your phone on its face, when that offset could save you from a cracked screen. Aside from that, the OPRTR appears to be an even-more-up-armored version of the ADVNTR, slightly taller with more material all around.
Our sample S22 did require more effort to load into the OPRTR than the ADVNTR, which indicates the use of additional shock-absorbing foam on the interior of the case. But make no mistake, both of these cases are fit for duty with law enforcement or military units. Also, the ADVNTR and OPRTR use the same size mounts – in our case, they both used medium mounts for the S22 and XL mounts for the S22 Ultra.
Design Improvements
We were big fans of the previous-gen IMPCT Juggernaut phone cases, with our editorial staff making extensive use of them in the field, and the new lines offer some distinct improvements. In addition to scalability of protection level, all three of the new case models make more extensive use of texturing and rubberized grip material around the edges of the case. We did notice that, on the older cases, as increased wear smoothed out the untextured plastic edges, our phones became a little more prone to slippage and drops.
Not so with any of the new case models. There is also the SHLD screen protector (not shown here) available. In addition to the additional protection for your screen, the SHLD is available in blue light blocking and privacy-protection variants.
There is also more attention to detail in design aesthetic. The large military-style labels have been moved from the outside to the inside of the case, which also feature subtle artwork resembling topographical lines on a map. The inside of each case also features a cheeky one-liner or movie quote. You’ll only see it once, when you load your phone into the case, but they’re good for a quick chuckle, and the combination of colors and quotes adds a degree of uniqueness and collectability to an otherwise utilitarian product.
Above: The Forearm Mount features a ratcheting BOA dial for micro adjustment, ensuring it fits the wearer securely.
Speaking of colors, there are some additional options in that realm, as well. The ADVNTR and OPRTR are available in black, FDE, OD green, and Gunmetal Gray. The more urbanized ENDVR case is available in black, Stone Green, Gunmetal Gray, and a lighter limited-edition Tundra Gray. Pricing, like protection level, is scaled to the individual cases: $65 for the ENDVR, $80 for the ADVNTR and $145 for the OPRTR. The SHLD screen protector is an addition $50-$60 depending on model. Even maxing out the prices, you are still looking at just over $200 to not only protect your smartphone to the level of literal battlefield use, but also capitalize on the wide array of mounting and carriage options that can be integrated into almost any imaginable use case – from belt clips and dashboard docks to skydiving harnesses and body armor.
Above: The Armband Mount is made from stretchy Lycra with a topo-pattern grip material on the inside to reduce slipping.
At time of writing, these new case lines have only been released for Samsung Galaxy S22 phones, with limited availability for S22 Plus and Ultra models. Juggernaut has told us that iPhone 14 models are coming soon.
For more information on the new Juggernaut phone cases, go to Juggernautcase.com.
Protection is an individual right and an individual responsibility. This statement shouldn’t be controversial in the slightest, but in recent years, an increasing number of politicians and lawmakers have expressed a belief that protection is solely the responsibility of the state. “Don’t take matters into your own hands,” they say. “Just call 9-1-1 and wait for help to arrive!” Thankfully, most of you can see the fallacy behind this statement. Rather than resigning ourselves to helpless victimhood, each and every one of us should become a trained protector and a first responder, even if it’s only to buy a little time until law enforcement, paramedics, or other professionals arrive.
This mission statement formed the backbone of Protector Symposium, a multi-day training program that’s currently on its fifth iteration. In September 2022, we attended Protector Symposium 5.0 in Tucson, Arizona, with the goal of absorbing knowledge from renowned experts in the protection industry. Attendees included members of the military, law enforcement officers, EMTs, firefighters, executive protection specialists, cybersecurity analysts, and preparedness-minded civilians. The event’s website explains, “The Protector Symposium is specifically designed for those who have a heart for protecting others and understand the tremendous value that comes from investing in life-saving skills.”
The Mindset of a Protector
Before we headed onto the training grounds for practical exercises, the event began in the classroom with an opening statement by Protector Symposium and Protector Nation founder Byron Rodgers. This was followed by presentations from each of the instructors.
Craig “Sawman” Sawyer, a former Navy SEAL and founder of Veterans for Child Rescue (V4CR), opened with a frank discussion of the often-uncomfortable realities of being a protector. Sawyer reminded us of the old axiom, “evil prevails when good men do nothing,” but explained that simply doing something isn’t enough. As protectors, we must be righteously motivated and decisive. He continued, “Evil does not yield to mild suggestion. It never does. It takes and it destroys.” In practical terms, this means that those who are motivated to cause harm to others — rapists, murderers, and other ruthless predators — will not be swayed by polite requests or pleas for mercy. To reinforce this point, Sawyer shared an incident that rocked his family to the core. In 2017, Sawyer’s teenage daughter was abducted at knifepoint while walking out of a Subway sandwich restaurant in Tucson. Her abductor, later identified as 32-year-old Johnny Angel Salazar, forced her to walk with him to a dark and secluded area where he sexually assaulted her multiple times. Despite this horrific, life-altering event, Aspen Sawyer became a protector — a “right fighter,” as Sawman puts it. Today, she assists in V4CR operations to arrest predators and help victims of sex trafficking.
Sawyer left us with a powerful message: we should train hard to be better protectors because our lives depend on it, but more importantly, because others’ lives do. “There is a tremendous opportunity for you to make an impact and defend the defenseless,” he said.
Behind the Wheel
The next speaker was Rick Sweeney, President of SECFOR International and Director of the League of Executive Protection Specialists. With nearly 30 years of experience providing safety solutions for NGOs overseas, Sweeney has become an expert in vehicle-based operations in high-risk environments such as Bosnia, Iraq, Syria, and the war-torn Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Sweeney explained that many life-threatening scenarios, such as kidnappings and robberies, begin with a vehicle ramming attack or block-in tactics. To prove that this isn’t only a threat in foreign countries, he played a video of a 2022 armed robbery in Manhattan that began with a suspect using a stolen Mercedes to spin the victim’s car — not once, but twice — with a law-enforcement-style PIT maneuver:
Sweeney says in situations like this, your vehicle can serve as a powerful weapon as well as your best method of escaping to safety, but you’ll need to know how to use it effectively. Every driver is conditioned to avoid making contact with other cars, but you’ll need to get comfortable with trading some paint if you expect to escape this type of attack. In extreme cases such as those Sweeney has experienced overseas, it may also be necessary to PIT maneuver vehicles, evade obstacles at high speed, and push through roadblocks.
Above: Training vehicle used during the Protective Driving Course.
Protector Symposium 5.0 offered a two-day Protective Driving Course option that allowed students to practice evasive maneuvers and bumper-to-bumper “sparring” in specially modified Crown Victorias. However, this option overlapped with the two-day Hard Skills Intensive training we planned to attend, so we’ll have to take this course with Sweeney and the League at a later date. Stay tuned for an article about this program in the future.
Instructor Zero, a firearms training specialist and social media personality, also taught a training block related to fighting in and around vehicles.
Weaponology
Ed Calderon should be a name that’s very familiar if you’ve been following our magazine for the past few years. We interviewed Calderon about “Survival Lessons from South of the Border” back in RECOIL OFFGRID Issue 25 and published a dozen articles about his training courses since then. He has also written several original articles for us based on his experience working counter-cartel operations in Mexico. At one point in his career, his team was recovering 10 to 20 dead bodies every night, many of which were viciously mutilated or suspended from bridges as an intimidation tactic. Looking back at those nightmarish days on the streets of Tijuana, he recalled a quote: “enlightenment is a destructive process.” Those traumatic experiences helped him develop his protector philosophy and create courses to share real life-saving skills with other protectors.
Above: Ed Calderon used whiteboard drawings to show vulnerable areas on the human body. Defensive knife designs were also discussed at length; wide and ornate blades are generally ineffective, while simple paring knives and icepicks are brutally efficient.
Calderon’s hard skills training block focused on weapon-based combatives, a curriculum he refers to as Weaponology. During the introduction, he explained, “There’s no such thing as blade combatives or gun combatives. Don’t separate sh*t. It’s a fight — you use what you have.” In other words, during a real life-and-death scenario, you won’t be concerned with which tool you’re using because you’ll be using every tool you have to stay alive. That said, there are some key characteristics for edged weapons that Calderon prefers. The handle should be simple in its design and should fit comfortably into a full-fist “icepick” grip (tip down) or “hammer” grip (tip up). The blade should be roughly the length of the user’s outstretched thumb and terminate in a narrow piercing point; Calderon has a strong dislike for karambits and other ornate blades. He considers an inexpensive Morakniv fixed blade to be one of the best knives on the planet — “it’s made as a tool, and it won’t break.” Paring knives from the grocery store are another favorite choice for utilitarian self-defense; they can be acquired in non-permissive areas and tossed in a trash can when you leave.
For the practical segment of Calderon’s course, students stepped into a padded sparring area, and each was handed an aluminum training knife. In pairs, we worked various angles and targeted weak points such as the heart and femoral artery. Calderon also showed us some down-and-dirty techniques for disrupting an opponent:
Grabbing a knee and lifting to throw them off balance
Stepping forward rapidly to pin their foot onto the ground, and shoving to topple them backward
Pulling their shirt collar up over their head to completely block their vision
Quickly passing the blade from one hand to another to make it more difficult to trap the weapon
Above: Ed Calderon demonstrating how a disorienting shirt grab can be used as an opening to go on the offensive.
We also covered what Calderon refers to as “parting gifts” — attacks that can be used as you step past an adversary without slowing down, such as a quick eviscerating slash across the waistline. Some might look at these techniques and think, “These seem awfully brutal, more suitable for street thugs than self-defense. Why would you even teach this?” Calderon’s response is concise: “These techniques are already out there. If you’re not aware, you’re fighting yesterday’s war.” Also, whether you plan to use these methods or not, it’s important to experience them firsthand in training so you can formulate better defensive strategies. As for demeaning labels like “thugs,” Calderon offered another important lesson: “Never make the mistake of dehumanizing the enemy. It blinds you to his capabilities.”
Lone Operator Tactics
Let’s make something perfectly clear. CQB — close quarters battle, especially room-clearing — should be a group activity under ideal circumstances. Whether it’s a military unit or a SWAT team, there’s a reason you’ll see breaching teams stacked several members deep. When you’re attempting to clear a building all alone, you won’t be able to cover all the angles completely, and if you get injured, there won’t be anyone to return fire or drag you to safety. There’s no delegation of tasks or sectors of fire — it’s all on you. Knowing this, there are many who will say, “I’d never attempt to clear a building alone! That’s too dangerous!” To these individuals, we’d like to pose a hypothetical scenario.
You awake in the night to screams of terror coming from your 8-year-old daughter’s bedroom down the hall. As you sit bolt upright in bed, you hear a strange man’s voice shout “shut up, bitch” followed by more muffled screams. Your spouse is out of town, so you’re alone. There’s no way to know how many people are in the house, or if they’re waiting around a corner to ambush you. Do you: A) grab a gun and move swiftly to your daughter’s bedroom, or B) call 9-1-1 and hide until police to arrive, because solo CQB is too dangerous? There’s no question which option we’d choose. This is why it’s important to consider one-man CQB skills — it’s far from ideal, but there are situations where it may be necessary.
Kawa Mawlayee — an Afghan-born Green Beret and founder of 2Alpha Training Group, who we interviewed in Issue 52 — has developed a Lone Operator curriculum to teach students how to increase their survivability in a solo CQB environment. This skill is directly applicable to defense against home invasions, and it should be part of a cohesive plan that’s discussed in advance with everyone in your house. Typically, developing CQB skills requires weeks or months of continuous practice, so Mawlayee gave us a quick overview of the fundamentals during his Protector Symposium segment.
Above: Kawa Mawlayee spent an enormous amount of time practicing CQB skills as a Green Beret, and he takes pride in passing that knowledge to prepared civilians.
We practiced three approaches to checking doorways — non-entry, shallow entry, and deep entry. For a non-entry approach, we carefully walked up to one side of the doorway and leaned close to the wall to get as much view of the interior as possible. Then we moved slowly in a 180-degree arc to “slice the pie” and check for threats; a lean-step-lean-step motion was used to limit exposure. It’s critical to ensure the gun’s muzzle never protrudes past the threshold. We held our trainer guns barely below line of sight, ready to fire at a moment’s notice, and moved our guns in line with our eyes — in CQB, there’s no sense in moving your head to check an area without being able to shoot in that direction. More time and focus should be given to areas with dead space, such as large pieces of furniture someone could hide behind. If you decide not to make entry, you should keep moving as soon as you’ve established that the room is clear. Don’t get bogged down.
Above: Opening a closed door is a dangerous moment. Push (or pull) it open in one swift motion, using the precise amount of force necessary — too little and it’ll get in the way as you enter; too much and it’ll swing shut in your face.
With a shallow entry, you can establish a quick foothold in the room, buying yourself a few seconds to breathe and get out of “bullet funnel” areas like hallways. Mawlayee explained that bullets skip down halls like rocks on a lake, so you should avoid lingering there. We practiced arcing back to the center of the doorway, positioned a leading foot just outside the threshold, and then stepped swiftly through the doorway with body and gun at the same time, clearing the wall parallel to the threshold. Once that side was clear, we made a quick U-turn to clear the opposite wall and complete the shallow entry.
Deep entry can be used if you’re looking for a known threat or a specific asset (e.g., a trauma kit, a defensible place to barricade, or a path to an emergency exit). The process is the same as shallow entry, but after the U-turn, we moved along the perimeter of the room to look for points of dominance (POD; key areas you can control for a strategic advantage). Check for open and closed doors — open doors are a priority and should be cleared first — and also note the hinge placement to predict the entry/exit direction. If you need to open a closed door, stay close to the wall, open it quickly and completely, and immediately step back. Anyone inside may fire blindly into the doorway or the wall next to it, so you don’t want to be where they’ll expect you.
Above: Airsoft guns may be marketed as toys, but they’re great tools for practicing force-on-force scenarios in close quarters.
After practicing these techniques, we put on masks and loaded up airsoft guns. Each student was tasked with clearing a series of rooms, with randomized configurations of opponents and bystanders inside. If a bystander approached, we gave clear verbal commands to stay back, show hands, and leave through a safe area, never allowing them to get close enough to snatch our guns. Some of the “bad guys” in our scenarios were instructed to hide for an ambush, surrender immediately, fire blindly, or retreat further into the structure after first contact. We learned firsthand how solo CQB situations are unavoidably dangerous, but we also saw that good visual awareness, wise decision-making, and violence of action can improve your chances of survival.
Hands-On with a Handgun
It should come as no surprise that self-defense shootings typically occur at “conversational distance” — less than 7 yards, the distance at which we usually interact with other people. Most of us also know how easy it is for a motivated attacker to lunge forward and close that gap. This leads to a high likelihood that an adversary will try to block you from drawing your gun, redirect the gun, or worst of all, attempt to take it from you and shoot you with it. Most shooters are not adequately prepared for this hands-on fight.
Raul Martinez Jr. is a U.S. Army veteran, former undercover narcotics officer with the Chicago Police Department, and founder of Rogue Methods, a combatives training organization. He leveraged his experience in Iraq and on some of the roughest streets in America to teach us how to deploy, retain, and recover a firearm at contact distance. He made it clear that a hands-on fight with a gun in play is a worst-case scenario, but also one you must be prepared for if you carry a gun.
Above: Raul Martinez Jr. demonstrates one “off-body holster” method to protect and control a firearm — wrapping the support hand’s palm over the bore — if you realize a hands-on fight is imminent.
Training began on a live-fire range, where each student learned how to deliberately induce a malfunction in his or her handgun. Why? If you’re about to get into a knock-down drag-out fight with someone, it’s surprisingly easy for your opponent to shoot you with your own gun — something we learned the hard way later with Simunition rounds — and putting it into a non-functional state temporarily might prevent that. Additionally, knowing how to induce a malfunction in your opponent’s gun while you’re grappling can put them at a huge disadvantage. We accomplished this by clamping the slide in a static position with our support hand before pressing the trigger. If the slide is pressed slightly out of battery, the gun won’t fire at all; if it’s held in place, the gun will fire one round but won’t eject it, resulting in a dead trigger. Racking the slide can clear the malfunction once you have control of the gun again.
Aside from the ability to induce malfunctions, gripping the slide with your support hand offers much better control over the firearm — Martinez calls this an “off-body holster” technique. Two methods were demonstrated: thumb over slide with elbows tucked in, and palm over slide with support side elbow up. The former keeps both arms and the gun tight against the body, making it almost impossible for an opponent to wrench the gun from your grasp. The latter allows you to use your elbow to protect your head from punches and create more defensible space. In either case, the trigger guard should be fully covered by your hands, and both hands should remain firmly on the gun. A similar grip around the slide and trigger guard can be used to forcibly “holster” an opponent’s gun during a fight, preventing them from getting a finger onto the trigger.
Above: After a few hours of grappling, every student was battered and exhausted. At this point, Martinez started adding Simunition training guns to the fray, dumping a whole new level of adrenaline into each fight.
After our brief live-fire segment, we headed inside and spent the next few hours grappling on padded mats. At first, we did hands-off, head-to-head drills to focus on footwork and learn how to push an opponent off balance solely with body weight. Next, we put on gloves and started punching our sparring partners as we grappled. Then, inert training guns were added to the mix, and students were forced to fight to maintain or take control of the weapon. For the final exercise, students paired up, stood head to head, and started grappling. At some point during the struggle, a training gun loaded with Simunition rounds was tossed into the fray, and both students dove for it. In some cases, the students struggled over the gun for an agonizing 30 seconds, but neither was able to shoot it; in other cases, one student took control of the gun immediately and shot their adversary at point blank — a painful but memorable lesson. We finished the Rogue Methods training block sore, bruised, and thoroughly winded, but it was a stark reminder of how challenging a contact-distance gunfight can be.
Closing Thoughts
With a wide variety of lessons on mindset, edged weapons, firearms, and tactics, the Protector Symposium 5.0 covered a lot of ground in only 72 hours. More importantly, we didn’t just listen to PowerPoint presentations or discuss these topics in the classroom — we experienced the drills and lessons firsthand. If you take the responsibility of being a protector seriously, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to seek hands-on training from qualified instructors. It’s a worthwhile investment in a skill set that will leave you with far better options when disaster strikes than to simply call 9-1-1 and wait.
Editor’s Note: This Black Triangle G10 knife review was originally published in Issue 24 of our sister publication Concealment.
WHAT IS IT? It’s a G10 knife with a nonmetallic sheath designed for discreet self-defense.
WHAT GOT OUR ATTENTION? Every Black Triangle knife comes in a retro VHS tape box, complete with a custom-printed, faux-aged insert that looks like it belongs on a late-1980s Blockbuster shelf next to Predator and They Live. Packaging is usually a throwaway item, so we were interested to see if this attention to detail carried over to the box’s contents.
HOW DOES IT WORK? For those who aren’t familiar, G10 is a hard fiberglass composite material that’s commonly used for handle scales on metal knives. The Creeper MK1 Mod 2 is constructed from a solid piece of ¼-inch-thick G10 ground to a sharp point. Its handle is wrapped tightly in gutted black paracord, and it includes a fitted Kydex sheath. The polymer belt clip is bound tightly to the sheath with elastic cord, eliminating the need for any metal hardware. The end result is a G10 knife that’s completely invisible to a metal detector, so it can serve as a self-defense tool in environments where a traditional knife or firearm might not be permissible.
We also received a sample of Black Triangle’s matching MK1 trainer ($42), which is made from easily identifiable blue G10 with a blunt tip. A fitted sheath is also included with each trainer.
HOW WELL DOES IT WORK? Many nonmetallic tools still register on a metal detector due to carbon-fiber construction, metal sheath hardware, or other overlooked elements. Thankfully, that’s not the case here — we passed a wand over the Creeper repeatedly without a single beep. Note that nonmetallic tools can still be found by density scanners or a simple pat-down, so there’s no guarantee it won’t be noticed, but it’s much more concealable than a metallic blade.
WHAT WE LIKE: The Creeper’s handle is large enough for a full-fist grip, and the twisted cord wrap offers plenty of slip-resistant texture. Sheath fit is just right; the knife clicks securely into place but is easy to draw quickly. The belt clip accommodates a standard 1.5-inch belt, and the extra loop of elastic cord attached to it provides an alternative retention method. It can be tethered to a belt loop, the inside of a pocket, or any other fixed point to ensure the sheath stays put as the knife is drawn. That versatility is helpful.
Black Triangle has a lifetime guarantee for every G10 knife, so if the tool or sheath is broken or damaged, they’ll fix or replace it.
We appreciate that Black Triangle offers a trainer that perfectly replicates the size, shape, and weight of the “live” blade. Too many of the trainers we’ve used in the past feel like featherweight toys compared to their real counterparts. We’re also glad it includes a fitted sheath that allows you to practice the drawstroke realistically. An inert trainer is an important add-on for anyone who wants to practice edged weapon techniques safely against a human partner.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE: The edge geometry of any knife is a compromise between sharpness and durability. A fine edge slices effortlessly, but dulls or chips quickly. This is especially relevant for G10, a material that’s less durable than steel. Black Triangle grinds each G10 knife to be strong enough to puncture repeatedly, acknowledging that they’re “point-driven, meaning they are not meant for cutting.” The Creeper won’t be effective for slashing, but that’s not a problem as long as your fighting technique matches this design.
Did you know that the difference between survival, inconvenience, and comfort, can be as simple as turning a dial? Open any survival manual, and you’re bound to find some crudely sketched drawing of an analog watch being used to determine a cardinal direction. This can be confusing or difficult to interpret if you’ve never been exposed to the idea before. Using a compass as a watch is rarely discussed in field craft books, so it may not even cross your mind as an option.
Thanks to Jacks Genega, a talented instructor and the owner of Wildcard Wilderness Survival, we are able to watch a demonstrations which make the two skills easy to understand.
Using a Compass as a Watch
Estimating the time fairly accurately with a compass is one of those more obscure fieldcraft skills, but it is really easy to learn. Central to the concept is the fact that planet Earth must rotate 360 degrees on its axis to make one full rotation. Since it does this in 24 hours, each degree is the equivalent to 15 minutes (360/24 = 15). Assuming this is done in the northern hemisphere, by aligning the orienting arrow on the compass with the southern pointing end of the needle, simply count the degrees in the direction of the sun. This process would be reversed in the southern hemisphere. Each degree counted to the left of zero is 15 minutes subtracted from noon. Each degree to the right of zero is 15 minutes added to noon. To use a compass as a watch with more accuracy, being aware of time zone changes or daylight savings, and checking declination adjustments are crucial. But if that is too confusing, check out the Wildcard Wilderness video here:
Using a Watch as a Compass
This is a fieldcraft skill that is more commonly known, but you must have either an analog watch, or a watch digitally capable of displaying watch hands. What it boils down to is rotating the watch until the hour hand is pointing at the sun. Keeping the hour hand pointing at the sun, look at the space between the shorthand and 12, then divide that space in half. In the northern hemisphere, that halfway line is pointing to the south. See it in action here:
It should be noted that these are not precise ways to measure time or determine direction, but it will get you in the ballpark. Knowing the time could be vital when trying to determine how long you’ve been gone, and how long you have to get back, especially when trying to return before dark. Knowing the direction you’re going could prevent you from traveling in circles. Whatever the case may be, if you forget an important piece of gear like a watch or a compass, having these skills at your disposal can quickly turn a life threatening survival situation into a mild inconvenience.
We’ve always advocated that survival is a team sport. Building up your network of family, friends, and community to endure hardship together is perhaps the strongest step you can take toward being prepared to handle whatever contingencies an uncertain world throws your way. But since you can’t pack all those people in your go bag or backpack, finding yourself alone in a bad situation is often inevitable. Whether that’s away from home on business, in the wilderness on a solo adventure, or in the car on the way to work — very few people are never alone. Especially in a post-COVID world that puts a premium on remote work, digital delivery services, and video conferences, we are constantly being pushed into circumstances requiring us to “keep our distance” from even our closest loved ones, typically under the premise of some “abundance of caution.” So, we felt it was important to take a look at some critical skills for surviving on your own.
Self-defense expert Steve Tarani graces our pages to discuss some key methods to develop a defensive mindset. When all you have to rely on are your wits and a pocket full of tools, keeping calm and being able to analyze your situation on the fly is critical. We also assembled a panel of experts to discuss how to integrate yourself successfully into a foreign population. While most of us will never be alone in a distant land for extended periods, these critical social skills can be re-tooled for any environment of strangers, whether they share your language and culture or not.
Special Forces soldier Kawa Mawlayee, war correspondent Hollie McKay, and former private military contractor Tim Lacy all contributed to this piece after years of working embedded in foreign cultures. Our Web Editor Patrick McCarthy also gave us a very thorough breakdown of his experience with Apex Training Solutions, who imparted him with a thorough understanding of long-range shooting fundamentals. While making a 500-yard rifle shot isn’t what most people think of in a self-defense context, as shooting skills go, it does fall firmly into the category of keeping your distance. He also reviews the 5th annual Protector Symposium, an event the RECOIL OFFGRID staff has been covering yearly since its inception. Event founder Byron Rodgers does a fantastic job of compiling teams of experts in various protection skills, many of whom are past or current contributors to this magazine.
As always, we hope you never have to use the skills in this magazine. If you do, we hope you have friends, family, or community around to help you through it. But, with or without a shoulder to lean on, the best defense against a bad day is investing in the knowledge, skills, and equipment required well in advance. Stay safe, stay ready.
As the hot weather of summer months approaches, several officials and numerous media outlets reported that due to high temperatures and an overtaxed energy infrastructure, we should expect rolling blackouts. This has already turned out to be true in my region of the Midwest, having numerous power outages. Losing power, and subsequently losing indoor climate control, makes the human body more susceptible to ambient temperatures. Normally, this isn’t such a big deal but can quickly turn into a serious problem if it’s too hot. Having personally experienced heat injuries on more than one occasion, it’s a situation that I take every precaution with.
My inspiration to put this bag together came to me when my significant other ended up needing to spend the summer months in an urban area on the West Coast for work. This is a region of the United States that may be undergoing the first “mega drought” in over 1,200 years. No power, lack of water, and unrelenting heat can be a recipe for a bad time but doesn’t have to be. With minimal preparations, the worst of it can be staved off with ease. The components include redundant ways to prevent heat injuries, keep the body running efficiently, ensure personal protection, and stave off the inevitable boredom that comes with extended blackouts.
The Bag
Having a bag that had enough room for everything while not looking like an operator was important. Camouflage print and “tactical” colors like coyote brown often draw the wrong type of attention. Kitanica’s available colors help maintain a low profile without sacrificing features or functionality. The shoulder straps and reinforced back on the Vespid are cushioned mesh to assist with cooling. This helps keep your core temperature cool during hot weather, especially when you can’t charge your EV and need to move manually from one location to another. The 30L capacity offers plenty of room to store supplies while keeping the hands free, and two easy access side pouches make grabbing water bottles effortless. Four zippers allow access to the main compartment from multiple angles. While inside, a laptop can be nestled in a protective enclosure. There are plenty of inner pockets and three dedicated MOLLE panels for extra storage, should it become necessary but, for its intended purpose, I felt keeping it minimalist was the best approach.
Trickle Charge
USB chargeable fans will help keep air moving should hardwired fans become incapacitated. In case of nighttime blackouts, the USB chargeable Knog headlamp and MPowered solar charging light will keep the darkness at bay. To charge said USB devices, there’s a solar charging radio/flashlight/SOS device that will keep critical electronics running. This particular one has a hand crank and AAA batteries for several layers of charging redundancy. Having a radio allows the listener to tune into local stations that may still be able to broadcast important information in case of blackout emergencies, and the dedicated weather band adds another layer of usefulness. These days, phones have largely replaced wearing a watch, but Bertucci makes a solid timepiece with a glow-in-the-dark face for finding the time if the power is out. A dedicated analog watch can be used to count pulse rate during medical emergencies, or determine approximate cardinal directions, just to list a few useful functions.
Beat the Heat
Staying physically cool during hot weather is only one part of the equation, the body also needs H2O and electrolytes to stay hydrated and keep the body functioning well on a cellular level. SaltStick caps provide buffered electrolyte salts and a small amount of caffeine for an energy boost. Worst-case scenario, Katadyn tabs with a few sealable quart-sized bags will keep the body happy if finding potable water becomes an issue. No power means no Uber Eats, so Nutrient Survival fills in that gap until a trip to the grocery store can be made. Their non-perishable survival food has a long shelf life and is packed with vitamins and minerals.
Beat the Street
Unfortunately, being prepared also comes with the risk of being a target. People who are hungry or thirsty will do desperate things to change their condition. Mission First Tactical makes a civilian-friendly self-defense spray that packs a law enforcement punch, combining CS tear gas, OC Pepper, and UV dye. This is a great non-lethal solution for states with prohibitive gun laws. Wind could be a potential drawback, but the RapidStrike spray boasts a concentrated stream with an 18-foot range to minimize the risk.
Beat the Boredom
Last, but not least, what’s a blackout without a few analog items to pass the time? Playing cards and colored pencils will help keep morale up until streaming services are back in action. Cards are also great if the blackout brings friends and neighbors out of their digital cocoons. Nothing like a little Texas Hold ’Em to occupy the time. If the neighbors are lame, or there’s a need for some alone time, solitaire, or meticulously filling in spaces with color will provide some much-needed catharsis.
Final Thoughts
Exposure to the elements is one of the top killers in nearly every survival situation. Someone suffering from the heat would experience cramps or prickly skin sensations, shortness of breath regardless of how much they’re exerting themselves, rapid heartbeat, and eventually have a stroke with acute organ failure (in that order). When the rug of modern amenities is forcefully pulled from beneath us, having a few simple items and an understanding of the signs and symptoms will make a world of difference.
Water features such as lakes and oceans tend to vary in temperature based on latitude and depth. Even Caribbean Sea bottoms near the equator can reach temperatures as low as 36 degrees F. Luckily, humans rarely venture that deep. Rapid immersions in cold water, however, are still dangerous and can quickly become life-threatening if not prepared. Let’s discuss what you can do to increase your chances of survival.
Survival Times in Cold Water
If water temperatures remain above 70 degrees, a victim may survive quite a while. Once below 68 degrees, survival is unlikely beyond a certain time limit. Even less time exists before exhaustion leads to an inability to remain conscious. To an extent, this varies according to the circumstance and from individual to individual. You could die of hypothermia off a tropical coast if immersed long enough. Body size and build, fat content, clothing, flotation aids, and even psychological makeup play a part.
Above: Cold water survival chart.
Hypothermia
The ill effects of exposure to cold are called “hypothermia.” Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops below 95 degrees F (35 degrees C). When exposed to cold, the body’s muscles shiver to produce heat. This functions only to a point, after which the victim may appear confused and uncoordinated; as the condition worsens, speech becomes slurred, and the patient will become lethargic and uninterested in helping themselves; they may fall asleep. This occurs due to the effect of cooling temperatures on the brain; the colder the body core gets, the slower the brain works. As hypothermia progresses, organs fail, and the victim expires.
Those suffering from general hypothermia must be removed from the cold and warmed immediately. If the victim must remain on the ground, place a barrier underneath and cover with warm blankets.
Above: Typical hypothermia wrapping technique.
If they can’t be moved to a warm place indoors, place warm dry compresses in the neck, armpit, and groin regions. These are areas where major vessels come close to the body surface and can move warm temperatures to the body core more efficiently. Warm fluids may be given to those who are awake and alert but may be dangerous in those who have altered mental status. Although controversial in some circumstances, a rescuer might “spoon” with the patient and cover with blankets to share body heat.
Assume that anyone encountered in cold weather with altered mental status is hypothermic until proven otherwise.
How the Body Loses Heat in Cold Water
The body loses heat to the environment whenever the ambient (surrounding) temperature is lower than about 68 degrees F. Much lower temperatures cause heat to radiate away more quickly. This happens in water more rapidly than in air due to its increased denseness. As such, when the body’s surface comes in sudden direct contact with cold water, it conducts heat from the body many times faster than cool air.
Above: Always wear a life jacket while boating, especially on large bodies of water.
Events that involve a rapid immersion in cold water include capsizing boats, going overboard in storms, and even falls through the ice during winter hikes. All of these could lead to fatal consequences if the victim fails to act rapidly to mitigate the risk of drowning and hypothermia.
Boat Mishaps
If your boat sinks and you find yourself in cold water, you’ll need a strategy that’ll keep you alive until you’re rescued. Failure to follow this advice decreases the amount of time you have before the effects of hypothermia take hold:
Wear a life jacket. Whenever you’re on a boat, wear a life jacket. A life jacket can help you stay alive longer by 1) enabling you to float without using a lot of energy and 2) by providing some insulation. Jackets with built-in whistles or a beacon light are best, so you can signal that you’re in distress.
Above: A sudden dunk into cold water initiates a “gasp reflex.”
Keep your clothes on. While you’re in the water, don’t remove your clothing. Button or zip up. Cover your head if at all possible. The layer of water between your clothing and your body is slightly warmer and will help insulate you from the cold. Remove your clothing only after you’re safely out of the water. Then, do whatever you can to get dry and warm.
Get out of the water, even if only partially. The smaller the percentage of your body exposed to cold, the less heat you lose. Climbing onto the hull of a capsized boat or holding onto a floating object will increase your chances of survival, even if you can only partially get out of the water.
Position your body to lessen heat loss. Use a body position known as the Heat Escape Lessening Position (think H.E.L.P.) to reduce heat loss while you wait for help to arrive. Just float and hold your knees to your chest; this will help protect your torso (the body core) from heat loss.
Huddle together. If you have fallen into cold water with others, keep warm by facing each other in a tight circle and holding on to each other.
Above: Groups in cold water should huddle together while facing each other.
Don’t use up energy. Unless you have a dry place to swim to, do not exhaust yourself swimming.
Falling Through the Ice
In many parts of the country, lakes freeze to the point that it may be difficult to identify a safe trail to hike. Indeed, a field of newly fallen snow may camouflage a water feature with a thin coat of ice.
Above: After a snowfall, you might not even know you’re walking on lake ice.
Ice must be at least 4 inches thick to handle the weight of an average human. Having said that, this “safe” thickness may be undermined by flowing water just below the surface, which weakens the underside of the ice. Safety is never guaranteed when it comes to walking on the ice.
If you end up on thin ice and fall through, your body will react to the sudden immersion in cold water with an increased pulse rate, blood pressure, and respirations. This is known as the “cold shock response” (also called the “gasp response”). Drowning can occur as your body reflexively takes a breath and hyperventilates as you go underwater. Life-threatening cardiac events can also occur due to the sudden increased workload on the heart. Both are common causes of death in these situations.
Although this situation is difficult without a rescuer with rope or other equipment, it’s important to make every effort to keep calm. You still have a few minutes to get out before you succumb to the effects of the cold. Your main enemy here is panic.
If it’s possible, place your hand tightly over your nose and mouth as you go under. This will minimize the amount of water you inhale with the cold shock response. Then, get your head above the water by bending backward and, once in the air, taking a deep breath.
Tread water and quickly get rid of any heavy objects that might be weighing you down. Keep your clothing on, however; there are air pockets between layers that are helping you stay buoyant.
Now, turn in the direction where you came from; the ice was strong enough to hold you there. With any luck, it still is.
Spread your arms on the surface of the ice. If you have an ice pick (a useful item for anyone hiking on the ice), dig it into the ice as a handhold for support. Then, try to lift out of the ice while kicking your feet to get some forward motion. At the same time, try to get more of your body out of the water.
Above: Spread your arms on the surface of the ice.
Lift a leg onto the ice and roll out onto the firmer surface. Do not stand up, though — you’re not out of danger. Keep rolling in the direction that you were walking before you fell through. This will spread your weight out, instead of concentrating it on your feet. Then, crawl away until you’re sure it’s safe.
Start working to get warm immediately. The wisest hikers will have a change of clothes in a waterproof container available. This allows you to always have something dry to wear if you get wet. Other important items include a fire-starter; get one that works even if wet.
Knowing the Ice by Color
When it comes to predicting the safety of walking on ice, the color may give you a clue as to safety:
Light gray or black ice – This is a sign of melting, weak ice, even in freezing temperatures. Ice can melt even if the air temperature is below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). This ice will not hold your weight.
Above: Black ice won’t hold your weight.
Mottled or slushy ice – Thawing ice which may appear thick might be mottled in color. This ice may be deteriorating in its center and base. Consider it unsafe for walking.
White or opaque ice – This ice may be caused by snow thawing and refreezing in layers. Porous air pockets in-between usually indicate a questionable ability to hold weight.
Bluish-clear ice – Ice that is high density and strong is often bluish-clear in color. It is the safest ice to be on if at least 4 inches thick.
Above: Blue ice is considered to be strongest.
Areas of contrasting colors indicate an uneven thickness and should be avoided. Larger bodies of water take longer to freeze, and saltwater usually needs colder temperatures, depending on the concentration of salt and other factors (28 to 29 degrees as opposed to 32 degrees F).
It’s important to understand that survival rates are higher when traveling in groups. If walking on a frozen lake, members should always proceed in single file and be separated by several yards. This will guarantee potential rescuers are at hand if someone falls through the ice.
Above: Just because its cold outside, doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable.
C.O.L.D.
When it comes to preventing cold-related injuries, it’s useful to remember the simple acronym C.O.L.D. This stands for Cover, Overexertion, Layering, and Dry:
Cover: Protect your head by wearing a hat. This will avoid the loss of body heat from your head. Instead of using gloves to cover your hands, use mittens. Mittens are more helpful than gloves because they keep your fingers in contact with one another, conserving heat.
Overexertion: Avoid activities that cause you to sweat a lot. Cold weather causes you to lose body heat quickly; wet, sweaty clothing accelerates the process. Rest when necessary and frequently self-assess for cold-related changes. Pay careful attention to the status of elderly or juvenile group members. Diabetics are also at high risk.
Layering: Loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in layers do the best job of insulating you against the cold. Use tightly woven, water-repellent material for wind protection. Wool or silk inner layers hold body heat better than cotton does. Some synthetic materials, like Gore-Tex, PrimaLoft, and Thinsulate, work well also. Especially cover the head, neck, hands, and feet.
Dry: Keep as dry as you can. Get out of wet clothing as soon as possible. It’s very easy for snow to get into gloves and boots, so pay particular attention to your hands and feet.
About the Author
Joe Alton, MD, is a physician, medical preparedness advocate, and three-time Book Excellence Award-winning author of The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide For When Help Is Not On The Way. He’s also an Advanced Wilderness Expedition Provider and member of The Wilderness Medical Society. His website has over 1,200 articles, podcasts, and videos on medical preparedness.
