Video: Mike Glover’s Fundamentals of Solo CQB

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If something goes bump in the night in your home, how would you respond? Many of us would grab a handgun from the bedside and quietly go to investigate, clearing the house to determine whether that noise was just the dog knocking over a plant or an armed burglar stumbling over it. However, there are many considerations for how to clear a house safely and efficiently, especially when you're doing so alone. In the following 30-minute video, Mike Glover of Fieldcraft Survival discusses some fundamental lessons for single-man CQB (close-quarters battle) that can apply to any solo room-clearing context.

Glover is a former Green Beret — go read our Survivalist Spotlight interview to get up to speed on his background. As a result, he has quite a bit of training and experience dealing with CQB scenarios. But he also understands that many of the principles of clearing a structure with a team, like a military unit or law enforcement squad, don't directly apply to doing so on your own. “Remember that you don't have a number two man in this case. It's just you.”

Some of these lessons, such as thinking about angles and exposure, are easy to work on at home. Others, such as shooting with your non-dominant hand, may require substantial practice. As always, we recommend seeking out a qualified instructor and training regularly to confirm your skills. Because when something goes bump in the night, you'd better be prepared to deal with it.

New: KADRI Clothing Valkyrie Pants for Women

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We've often heard ladies expressing frustration over clothing that offers an imbalance of form and function — either it looks good and fits well but lacks functional pockets and durable materials, or it has those desirable features but fits poorly and looks extremely unflattering. This is an understandable source of frustration, since the majority of shooting and duty-oriented apparel seems to be designed for men first, then redesigned to fit women as an afterthought. In November 2019, the founders of KADRI Clothing set out to solve this problem with the creation of their first product, the women's Valkyrie pants.

KADRI Clothing was founded by female U.S. Special Operations Forces veterans, including OFFGRID contributor Eryn Chase. They often found themselves tailoring men's pants in order to get the features they wanted — moisture-wicking, quick-drying, breathable, and abrasion-resistant fabric as well as plenty of pockets. Eventually, this led them to start from scratch and create their own Valkyrie pants.

The KADRI Clothing Valkyrie pants feature 72 different size combinations thanks to the company's signature WHVR Matrix sizing system. Ladies can simply measure their waist, hips, and inseam, and KADRI uses these measurements to find the right size. The Valkyrie pants also feature stretchy gussets in the crotch and waist to improve flexibility and comfort, plus numerous reinforcements to maximize durability. And, of course there's an abundance of pockets (11, to be exact).

The Valkyrie field pants are made in the USA and currently available in High Desert Field Tan and Titan Grey. MSRP is $220. For more information, go to KADRIclothing.com.

New: Kershaw Tumbler Folding Knife

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While walking the aisles at SHOT Show, we stopped by the Kershaw/Zero Tolerance knives booth to see what new products these brands had on display. While each had an array of brand-new and recently-released designs to show us, one knife in particular caught our attention: the Kershaw Tumbler.

This folder feels almost like a crossover between Kershaw and the high-end ZT line, since several of its features exceed those present on the typical $60 folders you may be familiar with. The blade is made of D2, a high-carbon tool steel that we'd consider an upgrade from the 8Cr13MoV stainless Kershaw has been using in the past. Its handle is machined from G10 with a thin decorative layer of carbon fiber built into the resin, and it connects to the blade via a smooth KVT ball bearing pivot.

The Kershaw Tumbler was designed by Dmitry Sinkevich, and exhibits the characteristic curvature seen in other Sinkevich designs (like the ZT 0462 we previously reviewed). However, we appreciate that the blade is broad and the curvature is mild, making this a knife that seems like a practical choice for EDC.

This knife is finished with a sub-frame lock, lanyard hole, and deep carry pocket clip (reversible for left- or right-handed tip-up carry). The Tumbler will be available soon at an MSRP of $110. For more info, go to KershawKnives.com.

New: 5.11 Tactical A.T.L.A.S. Footwear

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At SHOT Show 2020, we stopped by the 5.11 Tactical booth to check out some of the new products the company launched at the show. One of the most notable announcements was a major addition to the 5.11 footwear line, known as the new A.T.L.A.S. series. These shoes and boots bridge the gap between military-style duty gear and sport-oriented consumer footwear, and they place a strong emphasis on comfort while carrying heavy loads.

A.T.L.A.S. stands for All Terrain Load Assistance System, which speaks to this purpose. Most of us have experienced foot soreness while hiking or walking with a loaded backpack — all that weight is distributed onto the soles of your feet. 5.11 Tactical addressed this issue by combining a proprietary high-rebound foam with a stiff A.T.L.A.S. support plate. The plate is designed to spread your weight and offer stability, while the foam cushions each step.

The 5.11 Tactical A.T.L.A.S. line has initially launched with three models: low-cut trainer, mid-cut boot, and 8-inch boot. The latter is available in standard and side-zip variants. Note: the trainer does not include the stiffened support plate, and is therefore better-suited to comfort with lighter packs.

These models will be offered in black and dark coyote tan. MSRP is $120 for the trainer, $140 for the mid-cut boot, and $150 for the 8-inch boot. We've already snagged a pair of the trainer shoes, so we'll be trying them out soon and reporting back with our thoughts.

For more information on the 5.11 Tactical A.T.L.A.S. line, go to 511tactical.com.

All Tied Up: 10 Easy Survival Knots

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Most people begin learning knots at an early age. Once the shoelaces are secure, though, knot fluency usually drops like a rock. There isn’t much of a push to teach rope competency at any age beyond shoe tying. In fact, it’s safe to say the majority of people subscribe to the ever-popular “if you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot” theory.

In 1999, I became a firefighter and learned a handful of knots required for the job; then a few years later I joined our Technical Rescue Team. Being a part of a squad whose primary responsibility is rope rescue required me to up my knot game. When public safety depends on one’s knot-tying abilities, more skill is required than continually wrapping and tucking the rope until it looks like something that will probably hold.

Whether you’re a card-carrying prepper, an avid outdoorsman, or one who simply recognizes the potential need to tie, hoist, drag, or secure, proficiency in tying a few easy and key knots is a critical skill that should be learned.

So, which knots are the most important?

The answer is as hotly contested among rope purists as the Glock-versus-1911 debate is in the handgun community. This article is less about settling that argument and more about identifying 10 relatively easy-to-tie knots that offer a solid foundation for your knot-tying skillset. Read on to untangle any confusion you might have about survival tethering.

Knot Glossary

Bight: A curved section in the rope where the two sections lie alongside each other — think U-shape.

Loop: A circle placed in the rope with the ends crossing each other.

Round Turn: Two passes of the rope that make a complete circle.

Standing End: The remainder of the rope not involved in tying the knot.

Working End: The end of the rope used to tie the knot (also called the running end).

Survival Knot #1: Figure-of-Eight Loop

Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

Functions: This knot has virtually unlimited uses, such as hoisting gear, pulling limbs or debris, rappelling, and climbing.

Directions
Step 1: Place a bight in the rope.
Step 2: Fold the bight over (in essence creating another bight).
Step 3: Wrap the bight one full time around both standing parts.
Step 4: Tuck the bight through the top of the knot (the second bight you created in step 2).
Step 5: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #2: Figure-of-Eight Follow Through

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Functions: As a variant of the first knot, this has the same vast variety of uses, but additionally allows you to tie the knot around an object when you don’t have access to the end of the object to loop the figure-of-eight over.

Directions
Step 1: Tie a Figure-of-Eight in the rope with enough working end to wrap around your anchor and trace back through the knot.
Step 2: Wrap the working end around your anchor.
Step 3: Place the working end against the standing end and trace the working end through the knot.
Step 4: Dress the knot so the turns don’t cross each other.
Step 5: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #3: Overhand Knot with a Drawloop

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Functions: The draw loop is wrapped around the load (gear, animal carcass, human victim, litter, etc.). As the knot is weighted, the loop cinches tight, securing the load. When the load is relieved, the knot can easily be released by pulling the working end of the rope.

Directions
Step 1: Tie an Overhand Knot.
Step 2: Wrap the working end around the anchor and back through the loop created in step 1.
Step 3: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #4: Alpine Butterfly

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Functions: This knot offers a three-way pull. One can wrap a rope around an object and tie an Alpine Butterfly. Then, an object can be clipped or tied to the Alpine Butterfly — and it won’t compromise the rope or knot due to the three-way pull. The Alpine Butterfly can be used any time a loop is required in the middle of the rope, such as securing a shelter or elevating food away from wild animals.

Directions
Step 1: Drape the rope over your open hand at an angle extending away from your thumb.
Step 2: Bring the rope around and over the front of the hand, crossing the first wrap and forming an X.
Step 3: Continue wrapping one more time around the hand, working closer to your thumb.
Step 4: Pull slack in the center of the three wraps and lay the loose rope on your hand facing back toward your wrist.
Step 5: Tuck that loop under the X toward your fingertips.
Step 6: Withdraw your hand from the knot and pull the standing ends in one direction and the bight in the other.
Step 7: The knot is complete when you pull the two standing ends apart from each other, popping the knot into its final position.

Note: As with many knots, there are multiple ways to tie the Alpine Butterfly. If this method doesn’t click for you, research other ways to tie this important knot.

Survival Knot #5: Constrictor Knot

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Functions: The Constrictor can be utilized as whipping at the end of a rope, a clamp to hold things down, or to hoist, drag, or grip around a group of objects. It can also be used in any scenario when you need to secure a rope to an object or an object to a rope, and doesn’t require access to the end of the object. This is possibly the most useful and common of the binding knots.

Directions
Step 1: Wrap the rope around whatever is to be tied.
Step 2: Lay the working end across its own standing part.
Step 3: Tuck the working end around the object again creating an X.
Step 4: Lead the working end beneath the diagonal part of the X that was just created.
Step 5: Tuck the working end under the first crossing turn.
Step 6: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #6: Pile Hitch

Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

Functions: Used to quickly tie a rope to a pole, post, or tree. The Pile Hitch is often used to tie off a watercraft or to secure an animal. While it isn’t even considered a knot by some purists, this knot provides one of the easiest ways to tie a hitch.

Directions
Step 1: Make a bight in the rope.
Step 2: Wrap the bight around the post or object, passing the bight underneath both standing ends.
Step 3: Pass the bight over the top of the post or object.
Step 4: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #7: Double Fisherman

Difficulty: ★★★★☆

Functions: A tad more difficult to tie than the rest in this bunch, this knot can be used to securely tie two lengths of rope together. Whenever a single rope is not long enough to accomplish a task, the Double Fisherman can potentially save the day.

Directions
Step 1: Place the two ropes parallel to one another.
Step 2: Make a bight in rope No. 1.
Step 3-4: Create a figure eight working back toward its own standing end, making sure you finish it by tucking the working end under both ropes 1 and 2.
Step 5: Pull both ends of rope No. 1 to secure it to rope No. 2.
Step 6-7: With the working end of rope No. 2, repeat step 3, tying it around rope No. 1.
Step 8: Pull the ropes apart, drawing the knots in together.

Survival Knot #8: Simple Simon Under

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Functions: Another knot used to tie two ropes together, the Simple Simon Under is especially useful for tying wet, synthetic rope together.

Directions
Step 1: Make a bight in rope No. 1. Tuck the working end of rope No. 2 through the bight in rope No. 1.
Step 2: Wrap the working end of rope No. 2 over both the working and standing ends of rope 1.
Step 3: Continue wrapping over the working and standing ends of rope No. 1.
Step 4: Crossing the working end under itself, tuck it back into the back of the bight in rope 1.
Step 5: Pull tight.

Survival Knot #9: Handcuff Knot

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Functions: This can be quickly tied and placed around a victim’s wrists or ankles to remove them from harm or around an animal to drag it.

Directions
Step 1: Put two loops in the rope side by side, one clockwise and one counterclockwise.
Step 2: Partially overlap the two loops with the clockwise loop on the bottom (at this point, the knot will look like a pretzel).
Step 3-4: Pull the leading edge of the clockwise loop through the back of the knot and the counterclockwise loop through the front.

Survival Knot #10: Daisy Chain

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Functions: Although not a knot, the Daisy Chain is an extremely useful method to store rope for rapid deployment.

Directions
Step 1: Locate the center of the rope.
Step 2: Create a Half Hitch.
Step 3: Pull both legs of the standing end up through the loop in the Half Hitch just enough to make a bight.
Step 4: While holding the newly formed bight, pull the standing end and the bight with the two rope ends.
Step 5: Place the two working parts of the rope up into the bight just far enough to make another bight.
Step 6: Continue tucking the two working parts of the rope up into the most recently formed bight just enough to create another bight. Do this until the entire rope is “chained.” To untie, simply pull the ends of the rope and the chain comes undone.

Conclusion

Tied Knot isolated on white background

With these 10 knots, you can now use rope as a tool to enhance your life, bolster your survival skills, and wow your friends. Remember you were only able to learn how to tie your shoes by repetition. Cut yourself a piece of rope and, as you binge watch your favorite TV show, tie these knots over and over again. Create the muscle memory to afford you the ability to tie them under the stress of a disastrous scenario. It’s far better to learn them in the comfort of your chair rather than on your back in the throes of a disaster.

About the Author

Scott Finazzo has been a firefighter for more than 20 years and a longtime member of his fire department’s Technical Rescue Team. He has authored five books, including The Prepper’s Guide to Knots and the national bestselling The Prepper’s Workbook. He also wrote Why Do All the Locals Think We’re Crazy? about his kayak trip through the Virgin Islands. www.scottfinazzo.com

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

New: Maxpedition Prepared Citizen Deluxe Backpack

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There's a time and place for large-capacity military-style packs covered in PALS webbing, MOLLE pouches, and expansion straps. They're great for range days, backcountry hikes, or long-term sustainment situations. However, when it comes to every-day carry around town, we prefer something more discreet and streamlined. We're therefore pleased to see more gear companies offering lower-profile options for urban EDC. Maxpedition recently launched a new pack in this style known as the Prepared Citizen Deluxe.

The Maxpedition Prepared Citizen Deluxe is a follow-up to the company's popular Prepared Citizen Classic, a pack that closely resembles a ubiquitous bookbag design we're all familiar with. This new Deluxe variant adds more capacity, compartments, and features while maintaining a relatively-innocuous appearance. Both feature sturdy 1,000D nylon fabric with double-stitching and reinforcements, YKK zippers, and Duraflex buckles. There's also a hidden rear CCW compartment for a weapon or ballistic panel.

The Prepared Citizen Deluxe pack's interior features loop-lined panels for addition of pouches, pockets, or a holster. Each side of the pack also now has an expandable bottle holder, a feature we're glad to see implemented. Total capacity is 32L, plenty for a daypack or get-home bag.

This pack is available now in four colors: Wolf Grey, Dark Blue, Black, and OD Green. MSRP is $110, but at this article's time of publication, it's on sale for $89. There's also a limited-time code on the product page for a free hook-backed holster for the CCW compartment. For more information on this pack, go to Maxpedition.com.

Book Review: “The Final Day” by William Forstchen

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The Premise: The best-selling John Matherson series began with 2011’s One Second After, a realistic portrayal of life after an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon sends the United States into a new Dark Age. In the series’ third installment, The Final Day, a messenger is sent to find John; however, his perilous journey proves too much, and he only manages to get a partial and cryptic message to Forrest’s settlement. The remaining citizens of Black Mountain, North Carolina, are finally starting to make progress rebuilding after “The Day,” but a new threat looms.

The 411: The Final Day was written by William R. Forstchen, an American historian and novelist. If you have some back issues of Boys’ Life from the late ’70s you read some of his earliest work. His writing in the John Matherson series exemplifies his expertise, with multiple references to important historical events that parallel or give further insight into the story. One Second After was even cited in Congress as a realistic depiction of the possible aftermath of an EMP attack on the continental USA.

The Verdict: Unfortunately, a lot of post-apocalyptic books tend to focus on two things: a corrupt government and EMPs. This series doesn’t deviate from this paradigm, but manages to keep itself from feeling tired or overdone thanks to believable storytelling.

The protagonists do suffer, get hurt, and don’t have all the answers. Characters are fleshed out and aren’t one-dimensional.

The people of Black Mountain and the surrounding area try to regain some of what was lost, such as power, communication, and a sustainable source of food. It’s interesting to see how the town has formed its own working militia based out of Montreat College. These battle-hardened shells of what were once kids are now the town’s first line of defense against enemies both foreign and domestic. There’s a bit too much civil-war talk, but still, it adds to the story.

Will John use their precious fuel reserves acquired from Fredericks Army of National Recovery in One Year After to see if what the messenger said was true? Is John’s old friend and former commanding officer, General Bob Scales, still alive? Or will they hunker down to prepare for something that could be far worse?

The series as a whole covers important topics that any survivalist can learn from, such as how to enforce law, priorities to focus on, the importance of hygiene, and the need for a strong community. The occasional bits of news the survivors receive about the condition of states like Florida being all but wiped out help build the tension. Real issues like the process of rebuilding are a key point.

The plot in The Final Day wasn’t as strong as the first two novels, but still kept us wanting more. After all, it’s pretty hard to compare any sequel to what some consider one of the best most accurate portrayals of life following a world-changing EMP event.

Novel & Author
The Final Day
by William R. Forstchen

Publisher
Forge Books

MSRP
$26 (hardcover), $13 (ebook)

URL
us.macmillan.com/torforge

Pages
352

Genre
Post-apocalyptic fiction

Rating
Thrive
> Survive
Die

OFFGRID Library of Recommended Books

More From Issue 19

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 20

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Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

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

RECOILweb: SureFire Stiletto Pro Review

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The following article was originally published by our sister publication RECOIL. It appears here in its entirety with permission. For more articles on guns, training, and gear, go to RECOILweb.com.

We always love a good sequel. The SureFire Stiletto Pro fits the bill.

If you are familiar with the original Stiletto, and a fan of the product, you will love this one. The Stiletto Pro is basically the standard Stiletto on steroids. The new version includes a number of new features and upgrades. We asked SureFire Public Relations Manager Andrew Wright about the product, and he said, “The Stiletto Pro is the big brother to the standard Stiletto. Still maintaining the awesome profile for EDC, the Pro has an aluminum body for increased durability and heat transfer. The Pro has 1,000 lumens and a new reflector, giving far greater candela and output than the standard Stiletto.” We were excited to receive a sample to walk through a side-by-side comparison.

Output

Let's be honest, the most critical feature of a personal light is output. With output, in lumens, we are concerned about battery life and also the ability to switch between different modes. If you are using a light for work, a lower mode is applicable for map reading or tasks in front of you, while a high mode is preferred for targeting a person or object at distance. The Stiletto Pro has both, and is an upgrade in energy from the Stiletto.

Most importantly, the Pro utilizes SureFire’s proprietary MaxVision Beam reflector. As Wright describes, Maxvision is “created by a special faceted reflector that shapes the LED’s light into a smooth, seamless wall of light that’s perfect for close-range applications and maintaining situational awareness.” What you receive is a very clear light that exposes every detail for a variety of applications.

The Stiletto Pro has three modes of high, medium, low, at lumens of 1,000, 300, and 25, respectively. A 1,000 lumens is a lot of light. As a comparison, the popular SureFire Scout light for rifles has a max output of 1,500 lumens. The Pro offers an output close to the Scout, but in a much smaller form factor. Below you can see the difference between the two models in both output, and battery life.

Stiletto

  • High: 650 Lumens/1.75 Hours
  • Medium: 250 Lumens/2 Hours
  • Low: 5 Lumens/30 Hours

Stiletto Pro

  • High: 1,000 Lumens/1 Hour
  • Medium: 300 Lumens/1.5 Hours
  • Low: 25 Lumens/23.5 Hours

Form Factor

Weight and size are critical components of any light for on-duty use. If you think back to the days of a police officer carrying a foot-long Maglite on their duty belt, you'll understand how far we've come. SureFire has driven home the concept of smaller, easier-to-use lights without sacrificing performance.

The Stiletto Pro weighs approximately 4.0 ounces, compared to the Stiletto's 2.8 ounces. You will notice the slight weight difference if you are doing a side by side comparison, but with that weight comes enhanced durability. The Stiletto Pro is 4.5 inches long compared to the Stilleto with 4.45 inches.

The Stiletto Pro boasts an all-new aerospace aluminum body and mil-spec hard anodized for tremendous durability. The original Stiletto was composed of a lightweight polymer with only an anodized tip. While the Stiletto is still very durable, the Pro is next-level.

The form factor allows the user to fit the product in most pockets, and be drawn like a knife. Its Melonite-coated clip steel clip is reversible, while the standard Stiletto was not. The ability to switch the steel clip is a great option. Right-handed, I deployed the standard Stiletto and have to rotate the light to enter my natural grip. With the Stiletto Pro, I adjusted the clip so that the deployment is one motion.

The ease of deployment makes a difference when performing under duress or even movement. Both models have a similar light activation mechanism that matches the anatomy in our hand. With a natural grip, the activation buttons are extremely easy to access and manipulate. Both models also have an additional ‘tactical tail switch' that deploys the high mode– perfect for using in short bursts to disorient an attacker or move a crowd.

Both models use a micro-USB port for easy recharging. But if you don't like a light that requires recharging instead of replaceable batteries, a Stiletto isn't for you. There is a difference in price between the two models. The Stiletto Pro is $229.00 MSRP and the standard Stiletto is $109.00 MSRP.

Conclusion

As a professional end-user, I would recommend the Stiletto Pro due to its durability, output options, and clip functionality. While the standard Stiletto is still a great option for recreational needs, the power and ruggedness of the Pro are exceptional. The Stiletto Pro is a great reminder of why SureFire is still viewed by many as the gold standard in terms of tactical lights.

For more information on this flashlight, visit SureFire.com.

Debunked: The Myth of the Retrofitted EMP-Proof Vehicle

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The Myth: Let’s explore the popular belief that the average “shade tree” mechanic can modify his vehicle so it’s invulnerable to an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).

The Upsides: Picture a multi-megaton nuclear device has just detonated 200 miles over North Dakota. The resulting pulse knocks out the power grid and most electronics throughout the heartland.

So, what a game-changer it would be to drive a functional vehicle through a landscape of horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and inline skates. Forget about running away from a pack of mounted marauders. Your spike-covered and skull-adorned EMP-hardened truck would be truly awesome. Speeds over 50 mph, serious load-carrying capacity, and plenty of passenger room — none of these come standard on some old nag you commandeered from the local petting zoo.

The Downsides: First off, you may be wasting your time trying to modify a vehicle that doesn’t need modifying. Modern cars are somewhat shielded to prevent interference between the numerous electronic systems onboard. In some alleged U.S. government EMP tests, vehicles purportedly restarted after users disconnected the battery and then hooked it back up.

Secondly, I don’t believe that the average person has the knowhow (or parts) to modify a modern vehicle enough to survive a strong EMP strike.

Sadly there are more negatives. The parts that allegedly provide shielding could be expensive. And the corner gas station won’t be open for fuel, oil, and spare parts.

But aside from the expense and the uncertainties, you might as well paint a giant bull’s-eye all over your sweet ride, because it’s one hell of a noisy attention-grabbing target.

The Reality: Which kind of EMP are you worried about? They come in two flavors. First is the Carrington Effect, which is a solar event named after English astronomer Richard Carrington. In 1859, this fellow (and people across the world) watched in surprise as their telegraphs stopped working or caught fire from the effects of the greatest recorded solar storm in history. This massive solar flare had the energy of 10 billion atomic bombs. Scary!

And then there’s the nuclear kind of EMP. More scary! Rather than a lengthy blast from the sun, a nuclear EMP is a pulse less than a nanosecond in duration.

As with most things in life, size matters. If the second type of EMP attack happens, it happened because we are at nuclear war. Who cares if your Escalade won’t start. We’re at nuclear war!

Yes, vehicles with carburetors (usually pre-1980) will be mostly unharmed by an electromagnetic pulse. Do you want hordes of desperate people to follow the only set of fresh tire tracks in the area — right up to the gate of your secret homestead? I’d say no.

How about a bicycle instead? You can take a mountain bike completely off the road (and ride it almost anywhere else). And that old horse I was joking about earlier? It doesn’t run on gasoline, so refueling can be as easy as letting the thing graze on grass. But for those who can’t let go of the internal combustion engine, there’s always the dirt bike.

These off-road machines can last a long time, subsisting on simple repairs that you can perform yourself (no MIT doctorate required). Older dirt bikes don’t have a single computer chip in them either, so they’re good to go. Just a cache with some stabilized fuel and a few common spare parts could keep this thing running for months or even years. Let’s just hope that we last that long.

More From Issue 19

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 20

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

Alaskan Man Survives 22 Days After a Cabin Fire

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It's one thing to be self-sufficient when things are going smoothly, and entirely another to be self-sufficient during a catastrophic situation. Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us, and being able to deal with these challenges will test your survival skills, especially when you're all alone. The recent story of 30-year-old Tyson Steele, who was stranded in sub-zero temperatures for more than 20 days after his cabin burned down, is a reminder of this fact. Thankfully, Steele was able to stay alive until Alaska State Troopers rescued him.

Photo Credit: Alaska State Troopers

On Thursday, January 9th, an Alaska State Trooper helicopter was dispatched to conduct a welfare check on Steele at his cabin in the remote woods 20 miles from the town of Skwentna. Steele's family became concerned after not hearing from him for several weeks, an unusually long period of time for him to go without checking in. The helicopter found Steele waving his arms outside the ruins of his cabin, with “SOS” carved into the snow nearby.

Hours after Steele was rescued, he explained what happened in detail — you can read a PDF of the entire account on the Alaska DPS web site. It all began in the middle of the night on December 17th or 18th, as Steele recalls: ” I got hasty and I put a big piece of cardboard in the stove to start the fire … it sent a spark out through the chimney, which landed on the roof.” The resulting ember slowly burned a piece of plastic tarp, which grew into a blazing inferno while he slept.

At roughly 1 AM, he awoke to find the entire roof on fire. He ran back inside to wake his 6-year-old labrador retriever, Phil, who jumped up and appeared to run outside. He then attempted to save a few critical supplies — warm clothes, a sleeping bag, and blankets he'd need to survive the -15°F winter cold. He rushed out shortly before the fire spread to engulf his stockpile of cooking oil, as well as 500 rounds of ammunition, and finally a propane cylinder that exploded.

Tragically, the dog didn't make it outside after all. “I was hysterical… I have no words for what sorrow; it was just, just a scream,” he recalled.

He worked until sunrise, attempting to put out sections of the fire, but eventually sat down to formulate a plan. He determined that he had 60 cans of food, many of which were charred and questionably-edible. The only way in and out was through a chartered private plane — the ground was blanketed in 5 feet of soft snow, and Steele's snowshoes had burned up in the fire. Additionally, his cell phone had recently stopped charging due to a faulty battery, so he was unable to use it to call for rescue.

Steele scavenged some lumber and tarps to build an improvised shelter around the surviving wood stove, and was able to stave off hypothermia. “I could still see my breath, but at least I wasn’t suffering.” He ate ruptured cans of half-burned food and peanut butter in melted plastic jars. After approximately 22 days, the State Trooper helicopter arrived to find him healthy but cold and ash-stained.

You can read a full account of Steele's survival story in his own words here. By his own admission, he made some critical mistakes that exacerbated the disastrous situation, most notably a lack of emergency communications equipment. However, his commendable resourcefulness and determination allowed him to stay safe until rescuers arrived.