20

6 On the Cover
All the Great Gear Found On the Cover

8 Editors Letter
Welcome to OFFGRID

12 New Products
The Latest and Greatest

16 HighLIGHTS
Pen-Shaped Flashlights

20 O-Grid and In Touch 26 34

Satellite Phones Arent Just for Jason Bourne

26 Bioterrorism
Agents of Mass Destruction

34 Pole Survivor
Trekking Poles Arent Just for Hiking Anymore

42 What to Do?
Survival Situation Versus Natural Disaster Versus
Bug-Out Scenario. Know What to Do and When.

50 Bug-Out Boat 42 50
When Things Get Rough, Should
You Set Sail?

62 Independent Airwaves
An Emergency Radio Buyers Guide

70 Teach a Man to Fish

Capitalizing on Earths Most
Abundant Source of Protein

62
74 Ready Dot Gov
Whats Wrong with FEMAs Plan for
You?

80 Tick Tock You Dont Stop

Timepieces for Daily and Survival
Use

90 Bound and Determined

Techniques to Break Free From a
Kidnappers Restraints
 96 Hot and Bothered
How to Safely Stay Active in Hot and Humid
Environments

100 Shields Up!

Protect Yourself Against Wireless RFID Identity Theft

108 Food for Thought

You Dont Always Need a Sandwich

112 Chopping Block

When is Amputation the Only Option?

70
116 What If?
74 80 You Are Captured by Desperate
Mauraders Intent on Taking
Whats Yours. How Would You
Escape and Evade? We Speak
to a Panel of Three.

130 Blazing Trigger

Flare-Gun Etiquette

Product Disclaimer
Prices and details for items featured
in OFFGRID are set by the manufac-
turers and retailers, and are subject
to change without notice.

90 100

96

108 116
Throughout this issue you will see certain images are labeled as being 100% Actual
Size. This designation is for the print edition of this issue. Because of the various
screen sizes on dierent tablets and computers, we cannot always provide actual
life size images in digital versions. We apologize if this causes any confusion and thank you
for your understanding.
006 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

Cover Photo: Jorge Nuez and

iStockphoto.com/MoreISO, THEPALMER,
1 Shirt
BrettCharlton, ElsvanderGun, kjschoen MAKE & MODEL
Under Armour
Mens UA Flux 14 Zip 4 Shoes
COLOR MSRP MAKE & MODEL
Superior blue $80 Nike
URL Special Field Boot
www.underarmour.com COLOR MSRP
Desert tan $140
URL
2 Jacket www.nike.com

MAKE & MODEL

Kuhl
Parachute Jak 5 Belt
COLOR MSRP MAKE & MODEL
Pirate blue $139 Arc Teryx
URL Conveyor Belt
www.kuhl.com COLOR MSRP
Nubian brown $39
URL
3 Pants www.arcteryx.com

MAKE & MODEL

Kitanica

ON THE
Brush Pants 6 Gloves
COLOR MSRP MAKE & MODEL
Brown $99 NRS

COVER
URL HydroSkin Gloves
www.kitanica.net COLOR MSRP
Black $40
URL
www.nrs.com

2
8
 9 Backpack 15 Knife
7 Hat 12 Flashlight
MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
MAKE & MODEL SealLine MAKE & MODEL Benchmade Knife Company
Marmot Urban Waterproof Backpack (small) Streamlight 111H20 Folder (plain edge)
PreCip Safari Hat E-Flood LiteBox HL Vehicle Mount
COLOR MSRP System COLOR MSRP
COLOR MSRP Gray $150 Yellow $135
Slate $45 COLOR MSRP
URL Orange $600 URL
URL www.cascadedesigns.com/sealline www.benchmade.com
www.marmot.com URL
www.streamlight.com

10 Watch 16 Cooler
8 Sunglasses 13 Binoculars
MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
MAKE & MODEL Resco Instruments YETI
Wiley X The Bullfrog, Sterile - SS MAKE & MODEL Tundra 65
WX Knife Redfeld
COLOR Renegade 10x50mm COLOR MSRP
Stainless steel, MSRP Desert tan $400
COLOR MSRP $2,105 COLOR MSRP
Gray lens, black nylon strap URL
$90 Black $165
matte black frame www.yeticoolers.com
URL
www.rescoinstruments.com URL
URL www.redfeld.com
www.wileyx.com

11 Case 14 Signal Kit

MAKE & MODEL
Pelican Products MAKE & MODEL
iM2400 Storm Case Orion Safety Products
Bluewater Alert/Locate Signal Kit
COLOR MSRP
OD $215 COLOR MSRP
Orange $140
URL
www.pelican.com URL
www.westmarine.com
11 14

15

12

10

16
SUMMER 2014

13

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 007
008
SUMMER 2014
EDITORSLETTER

T
he ocean covers 71 percent of the Earths surface. In Being prepared for survival in a multitude of situations takes disci-
the United States alone, water covers over a quarter pline, knowledge, and forethought. In OFFGRID, we strive to introduce
million square miles of territory. Thats a formidable a selection of diferent topics that can stoke further discussion and
amount of area any way you look at it. If an emergency independent research on the part of the reader. Because everyones
occurs, natural or manmade, and you need to get survival experience is diferent, we hope that each reader will come
yourself and your loved ones to safety, water may be the very method away with new knowledge when reading certain articles and receive a
and obstacle that you will need to contend with. refresher on material they have previously learned in others.
Our country is dotted with lakes and ponds and is crisscrossed with This issue is packed with a myriad of information, from whats wrong
rivers and streams of all depths and sizes. Because we need to be with FEMAs plan for you to determining at what point amputation
prepared for anything that is thrown our way, it would be imprudent for becomes necessary to save a life. Because were fans of the latest gear,
us to only consider getting out of a danger zone by land. In this issue of we look at wristwatches built for both survival and everyday wear,
OFFGRID, we look at water-based escape in the article Bug-Out Boat. emergency radios you should pack in your BOB, and even gear to
In it, marine and tactical experts Chris Costa and Nic Thomas explain protect yourself from RFID theft and much more.
what elements to consider when bugging out via water, the pros and Thank you for your support; we couldnt make this magazine pos-
cons of diferent vessel types, and equipment considerations. And, sible without our readers. Your voices are always being heard, so keep
especially for the landlubbers out there, they delve into some basics of your comments, ideas, and recommendations flowing to our Facebook
how to operate watercraft. page (www.facebook.com/OFFGRIDmag). As always, be vigilant,
Being prepared for the unexpected is important to all matters of stay prepared.
survival. Sure, you may already know how to start a fire using only a Welcome to OFFGRID.
basic tool or navigate yourself to safety using only your wits but what
if you need to contend with an element other than nature? The world
can be a scary place and unsavory people can make it that much
worse. Kidnappings are unexpected and frightening because they can
happen to anyone, anywhere, for any reason. We talk to experts about
escape and evasion and share tips on how to break free from unlawful
restraints in Bound and Determined. Along that same train of thought,
we throw a panel of three into a mock scenario where they are nabbed
by a band of desperate bandits in What If? How would an escape-
and-evasion expert, a survival expert, and an average Joe each handle
the situation? What would you do diferently yourself? Check out the
article to find out.
 Editorial. Advertising.
Editor/ Martin Anders Group Publisher/ Mark Han
Senior Editor/ Patrick Vuong Associate Publisher/ Danny Chang
Managing Editor/ John Schwartze Advertising Operations Coordinator/ Kari Watters
Contributing Editor/ Steven Kuo
Photography Studio Manager/ Jorge Nuez
Contributors/ ALT, Chris Costa, Richard Duarte, M. Dufy, National Sales Ofices.
Ryne Gioviano, Shane Hobel, Michael Grey, Curt Lang,
New York Ofice/ 212.915.4000
Tim MacWelch, Gordon Meehl, Michael Penhall, Ryan
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Teator, Nic Thomas, Sarah Watanabe-Rocco 831 S. Douglas Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
Irvine Ofice/ 949.705.3100
Special Thanks/ Scotty Clough, Control Risks, Jef Faulk, 1733 Alton Parkway, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92606
Todd Haraldson, Garrett Harmola, Iridium Communications, Detroit Ofice/ 248.594.5999
Dan McCauley, Chuck Morrow, Craig Sawyer 4327 Delemere Court, Royal Oak, MI 48073
Chicago Ofice/ 312.396.0620
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information presented is from various sources from which there can be no President/ Chris Argentieri
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012
SUMMER 2014
NEWPRODUCTS
1 MAKE & MODEL
Triple Aught Design 2 MAKE & MODEL
Secur Products 3 MAKE & MODEL
MealSpec
Traverse Tech T Sun Power 6000 Charger MRE Heater Bag
FIT DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS
Standard 6 x 3.65 x 0.75 in Approx. 16.75 x 7.63 in

COLORWAY WEIGHT WEIGHT

Black, slate gray 9.5 oz 2.2 oz

MSRP COLORWAY MSRP

$70 Black $18 per dozen (discounts for higher quantities)

URL MSRP URL

store.tripleaughtdesign.com $129 www.mealspec.com

NOTES URL NOTES

At frst glance, 70 bucks for a crewneck
T-shirt seems like a bit much. But once you
wear the Traverse Tech T on a hike, a trip
to the river, or a stroll to your favorite pub,
youll soon realize that youre defnitely
getting what you paid for. This shirt is light-
weight yet durable and versatile enough
for all four seasons. The breathable Merino
wool wicks moisture during hot summer
days and insulates as a base layer for those
bone-chilling winter months. In fact, wool
continues to insulate even when wet, unlike
cotton or other materials. Plus, it aint itchy
like traditional wool.
1
www.securproducts.com
NOTES
Whether you need it to boost a dying smart-
phone to make an emergency call or are just
looking to keep your portable GPS unit alive
for your daylong trek, having a solar-powered
charger is a no-brainer when youre off-grid.
But most arent very powerful. Enter the
Sun Power 6000. Secur says it offers four
times the power than conventional chargers
thanks to its dual ultra-effcient solar panels
and high-capacity 6,000-mAh lithium bat-
tery. You can juice up two devices simulta-
neously by plugging into dual female USB
ports or using the full-size and micro USB
plugs, which are built in so you never have to
worry about packing the right cords. Water
resistant and about the size of a phablet, the
Sun Power 6000 is a convenient way to have
some power insurance.
Ever eaten an MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat)?
Then you know that, aside from its justifed
nicknames (i.e. Materials Resembling
Edibles, Massive Rectal Expulsions, etc.),
it often comes with an ineffective fameless
heater that gets the food to armpit-warmth
level at best. The MealSpec Heater Bag is
changing all that. It activates in 12 seconds,
works for 12 minutes, heats up to 220 de-
grees F, and stores for fve years operating
faster, longer, and hotter than both FEMA
and military heaters. And a MealSpec heater
is easy to use: place your packaged food
in the bag, add 3 to 4 ounces of water, and
wait 12 minutes. Use it to boil water, sterilize
utensils, or prepare your next Meal Refusing
to Excrete.
3

2
 MAKE & MODEL
4 Mosquitno, LLC
Mosquitno Bandz
SIZE
Adults, kids
COLORWAY
More than eight colors, including green,
camoufage, and glow-in-the-dark
MSRP
$4
URL
www.mosquitnoband.com
NOTES
While they look like those ubiquitous
bracelets from a decade ago, the Mosquitno
Bandz is more about keeping mosquitos at
bay than fashion fads. These silicone rubber
wristbands are infused with 100-percent
citronella oil, which is an all-natural, non-
toxic bug repellent that can keep skeeters
and other potentially-disease-infested fy-
ing pests away for up to 150 hours. Whether
youre just enjoying Mother Nature or lost
in the woods, this is a great alternative to
spraying DEET and other harmful chemicals
found in most insect repellents.
4 thought of all in an engaging and informa-
5
AUTHOR & TITLE
5 Jim Cobb
Preppers Long-Term Survival Guide
FORMAT
Softcover
PAGES
193
MSRP
$16
URL
www.ulyssespress.com
NOTES
So youve decided to bug in after a
cataclysmic event. What do you do once
your stockpile of water and rations are
consumed? Would you know what to do if a
loved one came back from a supply run with
a grotesque laceration? How about helping
your neighbors establish community rules
after weeks of zero police presence? Jim
Cobb offers some answers. The authors
latest book discusses almost everything
you need to know to ensure your long-term
self-suffciency when the authorities cant.
From bartering and treating wounds to
selecting weapons and quarantining ac-
cepted strangers, this manual covers both
the basics and topics you might not have
tive writing style.
MAKE & MODEL
6 12 Survivors
Knife Rollup Kit
DIMENSIONS
15.98 x 3.5 x 6.5 in (rolled up), 25 x 15.75 in
(opened)
MATERIAL
Weather-resistant nylon
WEIGHT
1.33 lbs (unloaded), 3.79 lbs (with tools)
COLORWAY
Black
MSRP
$120
URL
www.12survivors.com
NOTES
When crap starts hitting the fan, youll
want to GTFO quickly. The 12 Survivors
Knife Rollup Kit allows you to do that while
still having the tools necessary to endure
whatever conditions youll face next. You
can grab the carry handle or strap it to the
outside of your go-bag, saving room for
other essential gear. The kit comes with
a hand axe, fxed blade, folding knife, and
multitool giving you an arsenal of survival
instruments in a compact pack. Each tool
comes with a sheath that attaches to the
rollups MOLLE webbing, which you could
use to connect other gear to, as well. The
kit saves space for those who need to get
going fast.
014
SUMMER 2014
NEWPRODUCTS
7 MAKE & MODEL
GSI Outdoors 8 MAKE & MODEL
SOLKOA Survival Systems 9 MAKE & MODEL
Kershaw Knives
Glacier Stainless Dukjug (0.75L) Fastfre Emergency Fire Starting Kit CQC-5K
MATERIALS DIMENSIONS OVERALL LENGTH
Stainless steel Rod: 3.5 x 14 in. diameter; Hacksaw Blade 7 in
Striker: 3 x 1.2 in.; Cubes: 1 x 1 in.
CAPACITY BLADE LENGTH
25.4 oz WEIGHT 3 in
Rod and striker: 1 oz; Cubes: 0.2 oz
HEIGHT BLADE MATERIAL
6.38 in MSRP 8Cr13MoV stainless steel
$17
WEIGHT WEIGHT
8 oz URL 3.7 oz
www.fast-fre.com
COLORWAY COLORWAY
Silver NOTES Black-oxide-coated blade, olive drab handle
This small, durable kit contains everything
MSRP you need to start a fame in almost any MSRP
$16 condition. The Faststrike tool is a ferro- $55
cerium rod and a hardened-steel hacksaw
URL blade that, when struck together, can spark URL
www.gsioutdoors.com even when wet. The kit also comes with kershaw.kaiusaltd.com

NOTES two Fastfre tinders, which resemble sugar NOTES

The Glacier Stainless Dukjug is a smartly
designed reusable water bottle thats great
for bug-out bags, outdoor adventurers,
and professionals on the go. Its made of
premium 18/8 stainless steel thats free
of BPA and phthalates and features a
sip guard to prevent splashes and spills.
Though you cant use it to boil water due to
plastic threads, the Dukjug has a silicone
grip that slides off so you can store twine,
duct tape, or paracord. And the high-density
polyethylene lid is easy to open even with
gloves or mittens on, making it great for hot
or cold weather.
cubes but can produce a wind-resistant,
1,300-degree fame in seconds even
when damp. It burns for 10 to 12 minutes or
can be rationed into smaller pieces, though
for shorter burn times. This kit can be a
life-saver if you dont have a lighter or other
means of starting a fre or youre in a wet or
freezing environment that doesnt allow for
suitable tinder.
8 Emerson wave-shaped opening feature,
Any Emerson Knives blade is guaranteed to
be of top quality, but also cost top dollar. You
can expect to pay at least two Benjamins,
if not more. But now you can own an Em-
erson for far cheaper and you can thank
Kershaw Knives for it. The two companies
have teamed up, with Kerhsaw making
production knives based on Emersons
designs. The CQC-5K is one such lovechild.
Its a versatile tool with a modifed clip-point
blade, making it great for various cutting
needs. On the blades spine is the famed
which catches on your pocket and opens
the blade as you draw. Despite being made
of 8Cr13MoV (a Chinese steel), the blade
is razor sharp and has a thumb-disk for a
smooth manual opening. Meanwhile, the
handle is made of excellent G-10 scales. The
CQC-5K is an excellent tool for all sorts of
situations, whether youre marooned on an
island or just opening boxes at home.

9
016
SUMMER 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
PEN SHAPED
FLASHLIGHTS
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER
THAN THE SWORD
By John Teator
Photography by Michael Grey

S
ometimes the
best place to
stash a flashlight
is in those pen
loops you find in
everything from backpacks and
laptop cases to pant pockets
and even body armor admin
pouches. But for that to hap-
pen, youll need a flashlight that
is thin and shaped like a pen.
In this installment of HIGH-
Lights, we look at specialized
lights that are not only slim and
compact, but pack a powerful
burst of bright light as well. You
never know when youll need a
light, but having one when and
where you need it can make
all the diference. We didnt
have to search far and wide for
them, as there are many great
pen-shaped flashlights available.
Heres a look at a few up close.
 SUMMER 2014

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 017
018
SUMMER 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
5.11 TMT PLx
At the heart of 5.11s Tactical Mission
Torch PLx Penlight is a Cree XPE-B
LED capable of putting out 90 lumens
of illumination. A regulated circuit
and gold-plated battery terminal
contacts abut the LED for effcient
performance. It draws its power from
two AAA batteries, which can power
it for four hours and shines a cone of
light out to 40 meters. The penlight
is rated for impact resistance from
3 meters, and its body is made of
rugged black anodized aluminum.
The PLx is capped with a rubber
button capable of both momentary
and constant on modes.
Pros: Brightness, ease of use, value
Cons: No low mode
Brite-Strike
EPLI Illumination Tool
Brite-Strike held no punches
when they came up with the EPLI.
Not only is it equipped with digital
power management that optimizes
maximum power from its power
source of two AAA batteries, it also
uses a high-quality Cree LED. The
sleek-looking EPLIs body is made of
anodized aluminum, and its bezel is
made of polished stainless steel and
brass. This penlight is waterproof,
shockproof, and has three lighting
options: high, low, and strobe. In high
mode, it emits an outstanding 160
lumens that can cut through the
darkest of nights, and its 80-lumen
low mode is suitable for area
navigation and low-intensity tasks.
Strobe mode can be used as an SOS
signal or to distract a threat.
Pros: Multiple lighting options when
needed. High-quality build. Hard, steel
bezel.
Cons: Having to cycle through multiple
lighting options when not needed.
Short runtime on high mode.
Streamlight Stylus Pro USB
The Stylus Pro USB is a pen-sized,
USB rechargeable, lithium ion
battery-powered fashlight that is
housed in a durable and abrasion-
resistant Type II Mil-spec anodized
aluminum body. Its simple-to-operate
tail cap switch is set up to blast light
out at 70 lumens of momentary or
constant operation. The Stylus Pro
USB features a gasket-sealed glass
lens, and its included pocket clip is
removable. Built with Streamlights
C4 LED technology, this light is
impervious to shock and has an
outstanding 30,000-hour lifetime.
To charge the fashlight, pull back on
its collar to reveal a mini-USB port.
The battery is good for 300 charges
and is replaceable. It is IPX4 rated
for water-resistant operation, and
its impact resistance is rated up to a
1-meter drop.
Pros: Bright, consistent light output.
High-quality build. Shock- and water-
resistant.
Cons: 0.74-inch diameter collar might
be too large for some pen loops.
TerraLUX LightStar80
The LightStar80s has a rubber
BiteGrip at its tail end so you can
put your incisors to work for hands-
free operation. Its momentary and
constant on switch is designed to
take whatever abuse you can dish
at it. Its pocket clip is reversible
and has a strong grip. Perhaps the
feature that stands out the most is
its High CRI (Color Rendering Index)
LED which brings colors to life like no
other LED youve ever seen.
Pros: Good balance of runtime and
lumen rating. Unique High CRI LED.
Cons: Only one lighting mode
UZI Tactical LED Light
Defender Pen
Firearms enthusiasts will probably
instantly recognize the name
UZI. The makers of the legendary
submachine gun, famously used by
the Israeli Defense Forces and the
United States Secret Service among
other agencies, offers this multi-use
penlight. Unlike the others in this
guide, it is a real working pen. The
sleek shape of its aluminum body
also lends itself to be an effective
self-defense striking tool as well.
The LED fashlight located at the tail,
powered by two tiny CR927 button
cell batteries, isnt anything to write
home about. However, it does have
a very long runtime and can still be
used to help fnd that contact lens
you dropped on the conference room
foor or help you pick out the correct
key for that lock in dark areas.
Pros: Multiple uses including as a pen
and striking tool
Cons: Flashlight is not very powerful.
Uncommon battery type.
Pelican 1920 LED
Boasting a runtime of over nine
hours on low mode and a rated high
output of 120 lumens, the 1920
LED by Pelican covers the bases in
terms of longevity and brightness.
Known for their nearly indestructible
cases, Pelican applies the same high
standards to their fashlights. The
LED emits a clean white beam, and
in high mode it casts its light out to
87 meters. Its body is made of Type
II anodized aluminum and is rated
IPX7 on the Ingress Protection Rating
scale, which means it is waterproof
and submersible up to 1 meter for at
least 30 minutes.
Pros: Good balance between
brightness and long runtime
depending on mode
Cons: None that we could see
FOURSEVENS Preon P2
You need a light that does it all? Look
no further than the Preon P2. It can
run 23 hours in low mode and light up
the darkest areas with its 192-lumen
Cree XP-G2 Cool White LED. On top
of a medium mode that balances
battery life with brightness, the Preon
P2 has four special lighting modes,
including Strobe, SOS, Beacon Hi, and
Beacon Lo. Its Type III hard-anodized
aluminum housing is ftted with optical
grade, anti-refective glass.
Pros: Solid build with a ton of features.
High-quality LED emitter produces a
nice even light.
Cons: Activating the special lighting
modes requires an awful lot of clicking
of the tail cap
Maglite Mini Maglite
Serving frst responders for 25 years,
the Mini Maglite has been updated
with an LED that produces 84 lumens
of light. Its beam shines out to 116
meters and runs for nearly six hours.
This classic fashlight is water-
resistant and drop-resistant up to 1
meter. To turn it on, just twist the head.
Its pocket clip is removable. It can
also be used as an impromptu lamp.
By twisting the head all the way off
and using it as a base, the light stands
vertically in the base and emits light to
brightly illuminate a small room.
Pros: Classic design, simple operation,
value, lamp function
Cons: A bit larger than other penlights,
may not ft into all pen loops
020 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

OFF-GRID AND
IN TOUCH
Satellite Phones Arent Just
For Jason Bourne
By Michael Penhall and Martin Anders
Photography Courtesy of Iridium Communications, Inc.

J
ust because youre of-grid doesnt mean you have to be out
of touch. Previously we covered using ham radio as an alterna-
tive to cell phone and other wireless communication (OFFGRID
Summer 2013) but theres another option. Satellite phones will
allow you to keep in touch with everyone you need to, and it is as
simple to operate as dialing a phone.
Advantages to satellite phones over traditional mobile phones in times of
emergency or disaster are obvious. Because they communicate directly with
orbiting satellites, satellite-based phones are not dependent on terrestrial cell
towers. This means they are completely independent of the power grid and
traditional mobile telecommunications infrastructure. As long as you have a
charged battery, you can not only make and receive calls, but texts and email
as well. With an extra battery and of-grid charging capabilities, outlasting a
power outage while staying connected is a viable option. Inclement weather
isnt much of a factor either. Unlike satellite television reception during a storm,
satellite phones can even be used in even extreme weather, such as rain, hur-
ricanes, ice storms, and blizzards.
Satellite phones work by connecting to a series of satellites in space. Its
important to know that depending on your location, the satellites orientation
in the sky, and their relationship to you, you might not always have coverage.
In order to use a satellite phone efectively, you must have a clear line of sight
from the phone to the satellite. Also, since the carriers themselves maintain
the satellites, some carriers have better coverage in diferent parts of the
world than others. Some carriers satellites are based around the equator and
some cover the entire globe.
Carriers
The first thing to address is what carrier we are going to use. Diferent carriers ofer their services
with diferent devices. Just like with mobile phones, diferent carriers ofer diferent levels of coverage,
reliability, and pricing. There are three major satellite phone providers: Iridium, Inmarsat, and Globalstar.

Iridium
Iridium is by far the largest satellite communications provider with a se-
ries of 66 satellites that cover the entire globe. Their satellite system orbits Iridium
at low altitude, with satellites constantly crisscrossing one another and Communications
Inc.s global
keeping the planet blanketed with their service. Because the satellites are
satellite network
consistently on the move, it means that they come to you so you are not of 66 low-Earth
required to move to a particular location in order to find service. Iridium has orbiting cross-
linked satellites is
a fairly good selection of handsets and devices that are readily available for
the worlds largest
rent. Yes, thats right; satellite phones are available for rent more on that commercial
later. Iridium ofers prepaid service plans, as well as month-to-month plans. constellation.

Inmarsat
Inmarsat, which primarily started out in the data market, has three
constellations of 10 geostationary satellites orbiting the Earth at very high
altitudes. Their satellites orbit over the Equator, which is great if you use
their phones around the Earths waistband. But the farther you go toward
the North or South Poles, the less reliable their service is said to be. At
the Equator, Inmarsats satellites are orbiting about 22,236 miles above
you, giving them broad reach over most oceans and major land masses.
But the closer you are to the Poles, the lower in the sky the satellites
become in relation to you, thereby giving them a much smaller line-of-
sight window. The geostationary satellites dont move in relation to the
planet, which means you will need to bring the phone within line of sight
to one of the satellites for optimum service. On a positive note, if you are
communicating via a single satellite, your service will be more stable and
less likely to experience dropped calls. Inmarsats service costs are less
expensive than other providers, but they also have a limited selection of
handsets available for voice options. They also provide good high-speed
data solutions.
Globalstar
Adventurers and outdoorsmen may have
heard of the SPOT line of personal locator
beacons. They are compact satellite communica-
tion units that can broadcast your whereabouts
to those you choose, including emergency
rescuers worldwide. What you may not know is
that SPOTs maker, Globalstar, also ofers satellite
phone and coverage. While Globalstar has a
smaller coverage area compared to the other
two providers, they have recently been upgrad-
ing and expanding their satellite service. They of-
fer both prepaid and month-to-month plans, but
service areas do difer between the two services.
For instance, as of the writing of this article, Glo-
balstars prepaid plan does not ofer coverage in
Mexico and large parts of South America, while
their month-to-month plan does.

SUMMER 2014

Inmarsats 10 geostationary satellites provide service over most of the Globalstars map of their voice and duplex data service areas.
Earths major oceans and landmasses.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 021
022 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
Rent or Buy
One thing you have to decide is whether you are going to
rent or buy your handset or device. Thats right, theres no
purchase necessary you can rent satellite phones. There
are several companies online that ofer a broad selection
of rental devices. This is a great option to keep your costs
down; for example, if you only need the phone for a limited
period of time. If you are driving cross-country or knowingly
headed to an area with spotty cellular coverage, such as
when camping or hiking, you could consider renting a satel-
lite device for the trip.
While the rental option keeps the budget down, you
obviously must know in advance when youll need satellite
service. This leaves you in the lurch for spontaneous trips or
emergency situations. Buying the device will allow you access
to diferent plans as well as being able to activate it when you
OFF GRID AND
IN TOUCH
want or need to. Say for instance youre going to use it for
a trip you can activate your phone for just that period of
time without recurring charges. Your rate per minute will be
significantly higher than a month-to-month or annual plan,
but in the end it might be the least expensive route. The deci-
sion to rent versus buy a satellite device is similar to any other
product estimate your anticipated usage, break out the
calculator, and figure out which is a better deal.
Handsets or devices are not usually sold directly by the
companies themselves, but rather by distributors. Theres
also a large supply of secondhand devices on secondary
market websites such as eBay. When looking to buy used,
as with pretty much everything else, youll want to carefully
consider the condition of the phone and its battery prior to
purchase. Standby and talk time can be severely limited by
an old or out-of-shape battery.
024 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
Costs
Rental prices for satellite phones vary greatly depending
on the device, service provider, and type of service. From
what we observed, phone rentals can range from $8 to $20
per day, $30 to $90 weekly, and a little over
$300 per month, with longer-term rental agree-
ments available.
If youre looking to buy a device, new units sell
from about $600 all the way up to $1,700 and
beyond. Of course, features and the network the
phone runs on will afect pricing. As mentioned
before, a good option is to look for secondhand
units, which can cost drastically less.
Satellite phone service is sold in various man-
ners, including prepaid phone cards that start
at $50. For the pay-as-you-go type of service
plans, service is sold in units, with a typical
unit costing you about $1 to $4 per minute,
depending on where you are calling. SMS text
messages are about $0.50 each. Other types of
plans are similar to your standard mobile phone
plans and can include a subscription fee that
includes a set number of minutes per month.
Those can start at $35 a month for 10 minutes
to $65 for 60 minutes. Of course, other charges
and options will afect pricing, so do read your
fine print.
Iridiums new
GO satellite
hotspot gives
your regular
mobile phone
satellite
capabilities.
Summation
This is an exciting time for satellite devices and technolo-
gies. Companies are starting to make satellite hotspots
that actually allow you to use your smartphone as a satel-
lite phone. This allows you to keep your email and other
data as well as your contacts with you in just one device.
For those who need Internet access on a computer or
laptop, portable satellite modems provide cell tower-inde-
pendent Internet access on the go and are a viable option
too. With so many methods of communication floating
above our heads, its easy to forget the many ways we
have access to communications.
SOURCES
Iridium > www.iridium.com
Inmarsat > www.inmarsat.com
Globalstar > www.globalstar.com
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Locate your nearest dealer at www.kriss-usa.com or call our toll

free number: +1 855 KRISS US (574-7787)
026 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

BIOTERRORISM
Agents of Mass Destruction By Richard Duarte

D
isease-producing biological agents are
among the most feared weapons ever
used against humanity. Terrorism is the
use of violence and threats to frighten,
intimidate, and coerce a group of people,
especially for political purposes. Combine the two and you
get one of the most powerful and horrific instruments of
death and destruction. According to some experts, bioter-
rorism poses one of the most significant threats currently
facing the United States. Its estimated that just one well-
calculated attack could result in innumerable victims and
cause enormous damage to critical infrastructure. Multiple
attacks could potentially wreak havoc and destruction on a
scale never before experienced on American soil.
There are many reasons to be concerned unlike other
types of terrorist attacks, a bioterror attack could infect
large portions of the population before any of the victims
with the specific intent of causing injury, illness, and death.
A bioterrorist is similar to a conventional terrorist, except
the attack can be silent, invisible, and highly contagious.
Biological weapons can often continue causing illness and
death well beyond the initial attack. A highly contagious
agent can be deployed and systematically continue to
spread indefinitely among the population far outside of the
primary geographical target area. Moreover, humans need
not always be the objective of an attack. Bioterrorists can
also target crops, livestock, and the water supply, efectively
compromising a substantial portion of a regions food and
drinking water.
Since detecting and confirming a suspected contamina-
tion takes time, immediately after an attack, portions of our
food and water supplies can be potentially infected without
our even knowing it.

mason01/istockphoto.com
begin to develop any obvious symptoms. The deployment
of a biological agent in an urban area could not only result
in a high number of causalities, but could also potentially
shut down commerce and disrupt vital public services. The
threat of bioterrorism is very real; even though its one of the
biggest threats we face as a society, its also one of the least
understood. The first step in preparing for this unimaginable
risk is to be informed it also doesnt hurt to make some
basic preparations.

Bioterrorism 101
A bioterrorist attack involves the intentional spreading of
biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, and germs
 027
SUMMER 2014

OFFGRIDWEB.COM
mayo5/istockphoto.com
028 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

A Potential Biological Attack

isak55/istockphoto.com
For most people, the full extent of a biological attack is
dificult to imagine. Prior to the terrorist attacks on Sep-
tember 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax letter attacks,
few people would have given the risk of bioterror a second
thought. Today, however, a number of experts have repeat-
edly warned that its just a matter of time before theres a
Science vs. Nature significant bioterrorism attack on U.S. soil. Since 2001, senior
The term bioterror may be relatively new, but biological government oficials have placed bioterrorism among the
warfare has been around for many hundreds of years. One top of the list of national security concerns.
of the first accounts of biological attacks dates back to the
year 1347, when the Tartar army catapulted bodies of plague
victims over the walls of the port city of Cafa, on the Black
Sea, to infect the occupants who refused to surrender. Many
of the infected, who later escaped, went on to carry the
disease to other cities and towns.
Today, bio-agents can be altered into incredibly efective
killers by enhancing their natural ability to spread. With ad-
vances in technology, its now easier than ever, and far less
expensive, to obtain raw materials and convert (weaponize)

5
them into biological messengers of death.

Bioterror
Quick Facts
Bioterrorism is a very real threat, especially to urban dwellers in densely
populated areas. Terrorists also know that the most devastating aspects of a
bioterror attack could be psychological millions of people reacting to news
of the attacks with fear and panic, causing inevitable waves of chaos.

Biological agents come in many diferent forms some occur naturally,

others are designed in a lab to be more efective. All can be lethal.

Biological agents can be spread in many diferent ways person to person,

through the air, or via water.
How an actual biological attack would unfold depends

As with other kinds of terrorism, the objective of bioterrorism is to cause
disruption, fear, and mass hysteria. Biological weapons appeal to terrorists
because they are highly efective at achieving these goals. Agents can be
released to spread far and wide, before the frst person ever begins to show
any symptoms.
A large metropolitan area, with a high population density, would be a most
attractive target for terrorist. A well-coordinated series of attacks could have a
devastating and long-lasting impact on society, the economy, civil order, and
essential public services.
mayo5/istockphoto.com
on many variables, including which biological agent is used
and how its dispersed. For the average person, trying to an-
ticipate and prepare for every possible biological scenario is
almost impossible. It makes more sense to plan and prepare
to address the basic survival needs that are common to all
disasters food, water, security/self-defense, first-aid/medi-
cal, sanitation/hygiene, and of course, knowing when to stay
put and when to get out. If the unthinkable happens, having
a plan and appropriate supplies will be essential, especially
in the days following the initial attacks.
030 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
Here are some things to consider:
Staying Informed: Upon learning of a bioterrorism
attack, the public will most likely look to local, state, and
federal authorities for guidance and direction. Since the
average person will have no clue what sort of bio-agent was
used, how it was dispersed, or how far or in what direc-
tion it has traveled, knowing how best to respond will be
dificult. Without substantial guidance, the public will be at
a tremendous disadvantage. Although the best possible
course of action may be to get as far away from the attacks
as possible, that option may not be feasible. For instance, if
the source of the attacks is unknown, leaving may be the
worst thing to do since large crowds of departing residents
may actually be unknowingly heading straight into an area
of heavy contamination. Staying alert for critical warnings
and alerts from government oficials will be key to surviving
the initial stages of a suspected attack.
Sheltering In Place: In some instances, the best option
may be to shelter in place, avoiding all exposure to the infect-
ed and waiting for more detailed information. In the absence
of a clearly defined plan with clear objectives for example,
knowing where to go and how to get there safely staying
put may be best. To shelter in place, however, you need sup-
plies. Plan ahead and store an inventory of all the essentials.
Jax71/istockphoto.com
BIOTERRORISM
Having Food and Water: Having supplies will allow
skodonnell/istockphoto.com
people to avoid exposure to potentially contaminated food
and water, at least in the early stages of any attacks. Having
supplies also makes it much easier to stay home and of the
streets (i.e. sheltering in place). People who lack suficient
supplies will have no choice but to take to the streets in
search of food and water.
Avoiding Exposure: Avoiding anything that may have
been touched by an infected individual will reduce the pos-
sibility of exposure. During a potential attack, the public will
need to protect itself not only from other people, but also
from domestic animals, objects, food, and water. If the agent
is airborne, staying indoors may be the only
skodonnell/istockphoto.com
option for most people.
Having Medical Supplies: First-aid kits,
prescription medications, particulate masks
(N95), goggles, and surgical gloves are
some of the basic supplies every household
should maintain.
Having a Bug-Out Bag (BOB): Bugging out, or
getting out fast to an alternate location, is usually not recom-
megasquib/istockphoto.com
mended unless you have a secure place to go and a safe
way to get there. But if the authorities advise the public to
evacuate, there will probably be no time to pack for the trip.
In the event of an emergency evacuation order, having a
pre-packed BOB can help your group get out quickly. Food,
water, self-defense, eye and face protection, and important
personal papers are just some of the things to have packed
and ready to go.
032 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

6 Deadly and
Contagious Agents

RapidEye/istockphoto.com
Anthrax
Bacterial
Severe skin ulceration, respiratory collapse. Contracted
by inhaling spores, direct contact on an open wound,
or ingestion. Anthrax spores can be created in a lab.
(Treatable with antibiotics if detected early.)

Plague
Bacterial
Severe fever, delirium. Spread by air,
water, direct contact, or undercooked food.
Smallpox (Treatable with antibiotics if
Viral detected early.)
Summary Fever, headaches, fatigue, and
Bioterrorism is the stuf of night- rash on body. Spread person to
mares. Terrorists know that one of person and by direct contact
the most devastating aspects of any with contaminated objects.
bioterror attack will be the chaos (No current drugs to
that follows. In the aftermath of such treat infected.)
a disaster there will be two groups
of people the prepared and the
unprepared. Being prepared is not
Botulism
Bacterial
just about having supplies; its also
Muscle paralysis, respiratory failure. Difcult to handle,
about having a viable plan and being
contain, and disperse. (Treatable if detected early. There is a
able to respond quickly to changing
new and very powerful strain of botulism called botulism H
conditions. In the face of uncertainty,
for which there is no known antidote.)
preparations can tilt the odds in your
favor and expand your options. Stay
safe and be prepared.
Tularemia
Bacterial
Severe fever, weight

About The Author: loss, and ulcers at site of

Richard Duarte is a practicing attor-

infection. Contracted by Hemorrhagic
ney and a survival and frearms enthu-
inhaling or contact with Fever
body fuids of infected Viral
siast; he currently teaches and consults
animals. (Death rate 30 Fever, gastrointestinal symptoms
in the areas of urban survival planning
to 60 percent if not followed by severe bleeding from
and preparation. He is the author of Sur-
treated.) internal organs, eyes, nose. Can be
viving Doomsday a Guide for Surviving
an Urban Disaster. For the latest news transmitted person to person by

and updates, connect with Richard at contact with bodily fuids. (No

www.survivingdoomsdaythebook.com. known treatment.)

034 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
 Trekking Poles
Arent Just for
Hiking Anymore
By Patrick Vuong
Photography by Michael Grey and Mike Sabounchi

W
hen we were young, spry, and cocky, we used to laugh
at the folks walking with what looked to be ski poles
in city parks and on easy hiking trails. Did you take a
wrong turn of the chairlift? we would ask, sarcastically.
Now that were a little older, a bit banged up, and a lot
wiser, we put ego aside and finally tried trekking poles for ourselves. Needless
to say, we want to slap our younger selves upside the head.

SUMMER 2014

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 035
036 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
Trekking poles arent a sign of weakness. Theyre essential
for some outdoor adventures and can actually serve as
multifunctional tools in a variety of SHTF scenarios. Dont
believe us? Read on.
Benefits
Trekking poles are more than just tricked-out crutches or
bastardized ski poles. They vastly increase our capabilities
while on a trail or heading of the grid. Below are just some
of the benefits of these tools.
BALANCING ACT: Mother Nature shows us that the more
legs an animal has, the more stable it will be. As bipeds,
humans do alright on flat surfaces. But what if youre
navigating up a steep hiking trail? How about escaping over
earthquake-induced rubble? Or searching for victims in a
tornado-ravaged home? Trekking poles can make a huge
diference. They provide better footing and help maintain
balance on harsh terrain. And they especially shine when
you need to cross streams or patches of ice and snow.
SELF-DEFENSE: Imagine its a long-term survival scenario.
Youre out on a supply run when youre ambushed by a crew
of raiders with knives and you dont have a firearm. Or you
bugged out to the backcountry and encounter a mountain
lion. If you ventured out with trekking poles, youre already
armed with a pretty decent improvised weapon. Most poles
are about 4 feet long and made of solid materials like alumi-
num, carbon fiber, or good old-fashioned wood essentially,
theyre short stafs that can be used for striking and deflecting.
POLE
SURVIVOR
When held like a spear, a pole can deliver a powerful thrust
made even more devastating if it has a steel tip. You can
also swing them to block attacks, launch counterstrikes, or
ward of wild animals. Or, you can grip the two ends of a pole
and slam the shaft forward like a crosschecking hockey play-
er. And if you have some combatives or martial arts training,
you can also use them to apply joint locks, cinch in submis-
sion holds, or sweep the leg like Cobra Kai. (Note: some poles
can snap upon impact if theyre not solidly constructed.)
QUAD POWER: When dual-wielding these tools, we gain
two thin legs to help not only propel us forward, but also
upward if were climbing elevation. Trekking poles can aid
your locomotion by digging into the terrain and letting you
pull yourself forward rather than just relying on leg strength.
SHOCK ABSORPTION: Conversely, when traveling downhill
you can lean part of your weight on the poles, easing the
impact on your ankles, knees, and back.
ARM EXTENSION: Trekking poles help you get your
Inspector Gadget on, giving you several feet of extra reach.
Use them to check the depth of a water hazard, remove
debris from the road, clear brush out of your path, or knock
down fruit and nuts from high tree branches.
SHELTER STRUCTURE: Trekking poles are quite rigid
despite being lightweight. That makes them useful in other,
MacGyver-like ways. For example, if youve broken a femur
or shattered your knee whilst bouldering hours away from
paramedics, one pole can be used as a makeshift leg splint
while the other becomes your crutch. What if youve gotten
lost in the woods? The poles can serve as rafters or columns
for an impromptu shelter so you can survive a chilly night.
CARGO HAULING: Hardcore backpackers have long known
that trekking poles can help you carry your cargo for longer
periods of time. Why? Because when you use these tools,
youre recruiting muscles in your arms, shoulders, back, and
core. This alleviates some of the strain normally endured by
just your leg and butt muscles. This in turn helps to ward of
lower-body fatigue and boost morale, allowing you to focus
on your target of reaching a peak or evading danger.
DIG IN: Most trekking poles come with steel tips, which can
double as picks for digging into hard soil or icy snow. This
can be key for various survival situations making a fire pit,
building a snow cave, or harvesting roots, just to name a few.
HERITAGE.
LOYALTY.
RELIABILITY.

THESE WORDS ARE THE REASON

WHY OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE
DEPENDED ON US FOR OVER 35
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038 OFFGRIDWEB.COM POLE
SURVIVOR
SUMMER 2014

The Anatomy 5
1 Black Diamonds

Back in the day, walking sticks were just chopped-down First Strike
features rubber
tree branches. Nowadays, space-age engineering is com-
handles and an ad-
bined with state-of-the-art technology to craft stellar equip- 6 justable webbing
ment. They come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Some wrist strap.
are long and used as a single staf while others are adjust- 2 Made of EVA

able and are used in pairs. But, generally speaking, trekking 7 foam, the grip on
the Black Diamond
poles consist of the following basic parts:
Ultra Mountain
Carbon is sof and
cushiony. Comes
with a moisture-
GRIP: This is where you make contact with the
wicking wrist strap.
pole, so the handle must be comfortable in your
3 The Carbonlite
palm. Theyre made of a variety of materials, each
Pro from Moun-
with their own pros and cons. Rubber grips repel tainsmith features
moisture and absorb shock, but can slip out of your molded cork grips
on an EVA foam
hands and cause blisters due to the constant rub-
handle with ad-
bing. Foam handles are the softest, but can get slimy justable neoprene
in wet conditions. Cork grips are the lightest, can wrist straps.
absorb sweat, and will conform to your palm but 4 The basket

theyre not as durable. Note: If youve never used keeps the pole
from sinking too
trekking poles before, consider wearing gloves to SHAFT: Most are made of either aluminum or carbon
far into sof terrain,
prevent developing bloody blisters. iber. Both are lightweight and sturdy. The former is like snow or mud.
usually stronger and cheaper and will bend, but not 5 Mountainsmiths

usually break, when subjected to intense pressure. Rhyolite 6061 is

Carbon iber is quite strong in its own right while be- made of 6061 alu-
1
minum, ofering
ing lighter and reducing more vibration. The catch? Its
sturdy support for
more expensive and can splinter under high stress. minimal cost.
6 The Ultra
3
2 Mountain
Carbon features
a 100-percent
carbon-fiber
construction.
7 Though con-

sidered a budget
model, the Twist
Lock Carbon Fiber
Trekking Poles
8 from Cascade
Mountain Tech
can easily
support the
BASKET: These rings near the bottom help keep
weight of an
your pole from sinking too far into soft terrain. Larger adult.
baskets (3 inches in 8 The Carbon-

diameter or bigger) are lite Pro comes with

used in mud or snow, TIP: This component is what makes contact with both carbide tips
and removable
while smaller ones are the terrain and commonly made of steel or carbide.
rubber boot tips.
better for wooded areas You can buy interchangeable rubber tips (if theyre
so they dont get caught not already included) for use on rocks and other less
up in underbrush. 4 forgiving surfaces.
040 OFFGRIDWEB.COM POLE
SURVIVOR
SUMMER 2014

The Categories The Overview

Trekking poles come in a variety of styles, each one better
suited for certain environments than others. Which type you
buy will also depend on your body (height and arm length),
itness level (athletic or sedentary?), and general health (any
knee or hip injuries?). Though there can be overlap, trekking
poles fall generally into the following categories:
STANDARD: These one-piece poles ofer straight-
forward performance. Theyre considered the
strongest, safest, and most durable because there
are fewer moving parts.
TWO-SECTION: These poles feature an adjustment
mechanism (usually a lever-lock or a twist-lock) that
lets you customize the length not just for your height,
but also for the speci ic terrain; the pole should be
longer when going downhill and shorter going up.
At irst glance, trekking poles seem like they belong only
on a ski resort or in the hands of AARP members. But once
you use them for the irst time, youll immediately recognize
the bene its of these simple yet efective walking tools.
From increasing stability and alleviating impact on joints to
boosting cargo hauling and aiding locomotion during uphill
climbs, trekking poles ofer a long list of bene its.
But in a disaster, they could possibly ofer life-saving
functionality, too. Use them as improvised weapons or tent/
shelter poles. Let them function as extended limbs to move
brush, debris, and hazards out of your way. Theyre also a lot
less conspicuous to carry than an axe or 12-gauge shotgun.
Sturdy, lightweight, and reliable, trekking poles can serve as
invaluable tools whether youre facing dire circumstances
of-grid or just heading for a leisurely hike.
SOURCES
Black Diamond > www.blackdiamondequipment.com
Cascade Mountain Tech > www.cascademountaintech.com
Mountainsmith > www.mountainsmith.com

THREE-SECTION: This type features two locks for

greater customization. Plus, when fully collapsed theyre
easier to transport. You can leave them in your car
trunk, throw them into a large bug-out bag, or strap
them to your backpacks side pocket.
Pole Positions
Most trekking poles are adjustable to accommodate for various terrains
and elevations. Heres a brief look at how to adjust your poles to adapt to
your given environment.

Flat Ground Uphill Downhill Traversing

Uneven Terrain
Your pole Shorten your Lengthen
ANTI-SHOCK: Similar to a cars shocks, these poles should be poles slightly the poles Maintain the 90-degree
have internal springs that absorb impacts when long enough so that you to sofen bend in both arms by
so that when can maintain the impact lengthening the pole
heading downhill or landing on harder surfaces.
it touches the a 90-degree of landings thats downhill while
These are great if you have weak ankles, knees, or ground, your bend in your and provide shortening the pole
hips. But be warned: theyre usually heavier, more elbow is bent elbows, making stability. thats uphill, or choke
expensive, and less stable. at a 90-degree it easier to pull up on the grip if your
angle. yourself up. pole has an extended
handle (as shown).

Both the Carbonlite Pro and the Rhyolite poles feature Mountain-
smiths spring-loaded, anti-shock system. Conveniently, the springs
can be turned of by rotating them if you prefer a static pole.
042 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
 I
n our modern world, were constantly presented
with new concepts and theories for survival, gear,
and gadgets, as well as new terminology that seems
to pair nicely with all your cool new stuf. From
rolling gear and BOBs (bug-out bags) to cach-
ing at rendezvous points, all this survival lingo can get a bit
convoluted. As you have undoubtedly heard and read from
likeminded people, both online and even in this very maga-
zine, there are many labels for particular situations as well.
But what are the diferences among a survival situation,
a disaster situation, and a bug-out situation? Potentially
horrific events flood the airwaves, the Web, newspapers,
and lunchtime conversations. But what does it all mean? Are
all these situations the same?
It all sounds a bit confusing. So to help decipher these
now commonly used terms, well boil them down to a few
major categories. Lets take a look at the major topics in this
world of survival and all things disastrous/apocalyptic/zom-
bie/end-of-the-world.
First, there is the known. What has happened on our plan-
et thus far in history? Of what we know that has occurred,
what incidents would be considered a threat? Big storms,
earthquakes, acts of war, pandemics, forest fires, droughts,
famine sadly, the list can go on and on. Not to mention all
the potential unknowns.
36clicks/istockphoto.com
044 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
In the modern practice of prepping we like to say,
being prepared is being responsible we have to define
some basic scenarios and clarify the diferences between
them. There are three key scenarios that we need to under-
stand and prepare for:
1 2 3
Disaster Survival Bug-Out/In
Situation Situation Situation
We must understand that these three can overlap one
another or one can turn into another at a moments
notice. Depending on the particular scenario, and whether
or not you have been a proactive planner, your position in
a disaster situation may quickly turn into a bug-out situa-
tion. Then depending on your survival skills and available
resources, it might remain at a manageable level or devolve
into a survival situation.
A Disaster Situation
Disaster or natural disaster are two of the most com-
monly used terms. But what should really be classified as a
disaster? To generalize a bit, most of the time it is related to
a localized disruption due to any number of reasons. Lets
examine natural disasters first.
Natural disasters occur regularly all over the planet, and
have besieged the human race throughout the ages
hurricanes, tornados, typhoons, and now super storms,
blizzards, ice storms, heat waves, and droughts. These types
of disasters can happen swiftly with very little warning, like
a tornado. Earthquakes are a prime example of a natural
disaster that can completely disrupt, destroy, and kill in an
instant and without any warning at all. On the other hand,
your local weather anchor might be warning you all week
that a pending storm is on the way and that you should
expect serious amounts of damage.
It is in this type of pending potential disaster that we can
actually choose to bug in or bug out. The reality is that if
you have an opportunity to leave in advance, choose not
to, and then suddenly it turns out worse than anyone had
expected, are you really equipped to deal with it? Or are you
just placing yourself in harms way no matter how proactive-
ly youve prepared? Are you risking your life or other lives
by choosing to stay? Before something like an approaching
storm, you have the ability to leave the area. After the fact, it
may be impossible to go anywhere due to massive damage
and losses to the infrastructure in your area. This in turn af-
fects the ability of emergency agencies to help you.
 WHAT
TO DO?
PickStock/istockphoto.com

All this can happen if you choose to stay when you

should have simply left Super Storm Sandy, for example.
We had plenty of warning, yet folks ended up dying in that
storm. There was no reason for that to happen. So when
it comes to storms and other forms of localized disasters,
please use your best judgment be rational and pragmatic.
Another type of disaster is, sadly, the man-made kind. These
really piss me of. Think of all the oil spills, chemical leaks,
preventable forest fires, nuclear catastrophes the list seems
endless. Though they may not always put your life in immedi-
ate danger, they are disastrous to all the animals in the region,
to the waters we depend on, and to the world in general.

A Survival Situation
In certain cases, a disaster situation can develop into a
full-fledged survival situation. Think loss of the power grid
due to a solar flare (see Blackout Preparations in the Sum-
mer 2013 issue of OFFGRID). How about the sinking of a
cruise ship? A crashed plane?
Or picture this: A huge storm hits your area, and you time of year is it? Is it safe to stay where you are or do you
become trapped by raging flood waters. You are cut of from have to move? Many more questions should be asked. Sur-
any outside help. What are your resources? What do you vival situations can develop instantly or over a period of time.
have with you? Who is with you? Do they have skills? What In a major storm, for example, you may prep your home
with extra food, water, pharmaceuticals, and any other
sshepard/istockphoto.com

personal provisions that your family may need. Youve done

your due diligence and have everything organized. Youre
ready. Then the storm hits, and its a big one. Nervous, you
sit and wait it out. It can go several ways if youre just deal-
ing with the inconvenience of temporary power loss, hope-
fully you have what you need to last you until it returns.
But it might become so bad that your area is declared a
disaster area. You might become completely stranded from
any outside help whatsoever. Your house and all your care-
fully prepared supplies are now floating away in the huge
flood that followed the storm. You now have to rely on your
wits, skills, and available material resources.
Now, you need to follow the order of survival:

STEP 1: Secure shelter

STEP 2: Find water (or utilize appropriate fltration)
STEP 3: Build a fre
STEP 4: Procure food

All the while, you need to keep in mind your safety and
security. Perhaps youre on a road trip in the middle of no-
where. Your car suddenly breaks down. Perhaps you simply
SUMMER 2014

forgot to stash supplies and gear in your own car, or youre

on a business trip in a rental car. You have just entered a

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 045
046 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
potentially dangerous situation. The diference is whether or
not you have skills that will mitigate your lack of gear.
Survival situations can also be so raw that you may only
More than have whats literally on your person at the time of the event
70 percent or what you can find in the environment around you. This
of the U.S. might not fit into your overall master plan of preparedness.
population But guess what? Tough shit! You have to make do with the
lives in areas situation and adapt.
with 50,000
people or A What
Bug-Out Situation
if the situation dictates that you must leave the area
more. immediately? Bugging out is a method of action that can
potentially save yourself and others. Understand that most
Americans live in and around major cities according to
the last census, more than 70 percent of the U.S. population
lives in areas with 50,000 people or more.
For example, you may need to bug out if your area has
become too dangerous to be in or has been simply cut of
from any and all support. Making a decision on whether or
not you should leave is something that you alone will need
to determine. Sometimes you may have to make that deter-
mination within moments of a particular event.
WHAT
TO DO?
f00sion/istockphoto.com
When it comes to actually bugging out, your preplan-
ning comes into play. How far and how fast do you need
to travel? How well are you practiced? How heavy is your
BOB? What is inside your bag? Have you ever tried to walk
for more than 5 miles with it fully loaded on your back? Did
you even have the time to grab it? If not, we hope that you
and your loved ones, friends, and coworkers know how to
survive without your go-bags. Remember, a BOB is some-
thing that essentially represents what we know and what
we dont know. In other words, are you so dependent on the
bag and its contents to save yourself? If you cant survive
without it, then what are you missing?
When discussing bugging out, many folks often focus on
their bags. But there are so many factors that can influence
your response and that you should consider in advance.
A bug-out response should be part of your overall emer-
gency action plan. (See Bug Out 101 in the Summer 2013
issue of OFFGRID.) It should be preplanned with rendezvous
points, communication options, and predetermined paths
of travel, as well as safety and security. There is much to
consider in creating a bug-out plan. And all of these skills can
be learned.

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048 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
The More You Know
We have heard many folks in our programs talk about
these various factors and how they impact their survival
plans. When addressing these three diferent types of
situations, it becomes clear how easily one can overlap or
transition into another.
The first step is to build your foundation. So, start with
the basic explanations in this article and understand the
fundamental diferences between these types of situations.
As we have mentioned in past articles, honestly assess your
own skills and abilities and start applying those skill sets to
your overall plan. We can plan until the cows come home,
but none of it matters unless you practice.
Then take it upon yourself to learn more and further
your knowledge and experience base. Take notes from
world disasters throughout history. From local disasters.
And from individuals recounting their own personal sur-
vival stories.
About Shane Hobel, also known as White Feather,
is the founder and head instructor of Moun-
The Author: tain Scout Survival School, based in New
York. Hes been featured on numerous TV networks,
including FOX News, History, National Geographic, and
NBC. Specializing in wilderness primitive skills and
urban emergency preparedness (among other programs),
WHAT
TO DO?
As we have learned in the past, no matter the scenario
whether a disaster, survival, or bug-out situation its a
matter of clearly recognizing what truly lies before you and
acting accordingly. The more skills you possess, the more
risk factors that you can mitigate. Think about the skill sets
that require no gear and make sure you have them covered.
For instance, learn basic first-aid and CPR these skills are
invaluable and give you the ability to help not just yourself,
but others as well. Find a school near you that ofers primi-
tive and urban survival skills. Skills always remain with you,
even if all you have is the shirt on your back.
As you move forward in becoming more self-suficient,
you will develop a greater appreciation of your own po-
tential. And you will begin to realize that you are more and
more equipped to handle any of these types of scenarios.
Stay in the now, be present. This will help you recognize
the subtle changes that occur during times like these. Train
hard and share with others.
EdStock/istockphoto.com
his company is the only one allowed to teach in the mid-
dle of Manhattans Central Park and was named one of
the top 12 survival schools in the country by USA Today.
Also, Hobel is one of fve elite members of the Tracker
Search and Forensic Investigation Team, which is called
upon to track and fnd fugitives, lost children, hunters,
and hikers. > www.mtnscoutsurvival.com
 WHEN S.H.T.F.
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050 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

Photo by Jorge Nuez

 BUG-OUT
BOAT
B
oth of us grew up in seafaring families. We
have lived on and around the water our entire
lives. Yet, we still think bugging out on a boat
would be more challenging than a land option
and could potentially be a bad idea for the
average person. So much so that both of us realized it was
easier, safer, and more cost efective to move to landlocked
Wyoming than to try to maintain a viable vessel in emergency
departure readiness.
Still, some knowledgeable and well-prepared individuals
who live near a lake, river, or ocean might prefer a water
escape route. If thats the case, before even picking a vessel,
you must determine where you will keep it.
Obviously, having your primary residence located on the
bay or a canal, or a stones throw from a large body of water,
namenoname/istockphoto.com
is the most preferred option. If that is not feasible, then con-
sider docking your watercraft at a marina, where the vessel
is readily accessible (and by readily accessible we mean
one where forklifts and marina personnel arent required). A
third option might be to keep your boat, depending on its
size, on a trailer in a secure location near a proper ramp or
Imagine how this scene would look if every boat was
trying to get to blue water in a SHTF situation.
When Things Get Rough,
Should You Set Sail?
By Chris Costa and Nic Thomas
Nautical
Glossary
Aboard: On or in the vessel
Abaft: In the direction of the stern
access point but this could be problematic. Have you ever Above board: In plain view on the deck
tried splashing your boat from a trailer on July 4th weekend, Absolute bearing: The heading of the
vessel in relation to True North
when everyone is happy-go-lucky? Imagine what it would
Aft: The rear portion of the vessel,
be like during a state of chaos. Do not underestimate the toward the stern
importance of finding a good home for your vessel. Aground: Vessel resting on the bottom
Once youve done this, the next question is what type of the seafoor
of vessel to choose. (Please see the sidebar on page 56 for Aid to navigation (ATON): A device,
not on the vessel, implemented to help
an abbreviated list of general types of vessels available and determine position and course or to
provide warning of a hazard
brief pros and cons for each.)
Alee: The lee side of a ship or to leeward
Small Boats
The first, most
obvious option is a
small boat. If you are
thinking about making
a quick getaway, such
as in the Intracoastal
Waterway (ICW) area
along the Gulf and
Atlantic coasts, thats
fine. But everyone else Photo by Jason Arnold and courtesy of Ocean Kayak
is planning on doing that too. Its just too obvious to take a kayak, canoe, or
zodiac to a mangrove island, hide out for a bit, and hit the mainland on goods
runs. If you think youre the first to come up with that idea, we have some
oceanfront property in Nevada to sell you.
But if this is your only option, make sure to pack all essential items in your
vessel first. In addition to standard bug-out bag and survival packs with food,
water, clothes, and basic items, youll also need to consider a shelter system,
since a small boat doesnt provide any shelter. Youll also need fire-starting
equipment and kindling believe it or not, small islands are pretty damp
areas and finding dry kindling or fuel can be a challenge.
If youll just be going down a river or across a lake and only using the small
craft temporarily, you can get away with having rudimentary knowledge of
how the vessel works. But we cant stress enough how important it is to know
SUMMER 2014
the body of water youll be traversing, even if its for a short distance.
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 051
052 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014

proximity to us. The first type of island would be within

Nautical Glossary
(CONTINUED)
Aloft: The rigging of a sailing ship; above
the ships highest solid structure; or
high above
Alongside: By the side of a ship or pier
(A)midship: The middle portion of the
vessel
Anchor: Typically a hook or plow
designed to secure to the seaoor to
hold a vessel in a general area
Aport: Over to the port side of the vessel
Astarboard: Over to the starboard side
of the vessel
Astern: Toward the stern of the vessel
Athwart: At right angles to the fore and
aft or centerline of a vessel
Avast: Stop, cease, desist from whatever
action is being done
Aye, aye: (Also yarr) reply to a command
indicating that it is both heard and
understood, and will be carried out
Bank: A vast area of elevated seaoor
Bar: A large mass of sand or earth
formed by the sea, oftentimes only vis-
ible on the surface at lower tides
Batten: A stiff strip used to support the
roach of a sail, increasing sail area, or
any strip of material that can be used in
various ways
Small Center-Console Vessel
Generally speaking, the next larger vessel to consider
is a small center-console ofshore vessel. One of ours is
a single-engine four-stroke with 80-gallon fuel tank. Or
theres always that sweet Sea Ray 38 Sundancer with a
small cabin and galley that almost every self-proclaimed
boater seems to have an eye for. Depending on how
you run the vessel, you can get to a pretty decent-sized
sustainable island with some resources but so can
every Tom, Dick, and or Harry with a similar boat. And if
you thought of it, so have they.
If a center-console were our option, wed use it to look
for two types of resource-bearing islands, based on their
Yachts
Given space constraints, well skip over a few other types
of vessels (see the sidebar for some more detail) because
while there are diferences among them, they dont substan-
tially change our recommendations above.
That brings us to motor and sailing yachts with transatlan-
tic or unlimited blue water range. We feel these are the only
truly viable options for bugging out on water. But unless
scottespie/istockphoto.com
reach with half a tank of fuel otherwise known as the
point of no return (PNR). The second island would be
within reach of a full tank of fuel up to where youd
be running on fumes or just barely short of dead in
the water (DIW). Obviously the latter is inherently more
dangerous and has greater risk, but if the situation on
the mainland is dire, the cost-benefit ratio might just be
worth it.
In addition to the gear packed for our aforementioned
small boat scenario, we would now have the ability to
bring more of each essential item. More fresh water,
more weapons and ammo, and most importantly as you
stretch out farther from land, more spare fuel. Because
of the relatively shallow draft of a center-console and
its comparatively light weight, beaching the boat on a
sandy shoreline, lagoon, or alcove could prove benefi-
cial. Wed still run ground tackle to secure points on the
beach head and shoals to ensure that tidal ebb and flow
wont sweep away our only mode of transportation and
potential shelter. Then, just channel the Swiss Family
Robinson, and youll be all setbecause its always that
easy!Right?
youre one of the judges on TVs Shark Tank or have a lot of
Apple stock, this is not really realistic for most people due to
the steep initial price tag, as well as the cost of maintenance
and upkeep. A new yachts MSRP, depending on type and
length, can easily start at six figures and run into the tens of
millions of dollars.
Putting aside the financial considerations, the ability to
reach distant or certainly rarely visited islands is paramount.

miws16/istockphoto.com
Beaching: Deliberately running a vessel
aground or ashore
Beam: The width of a vessel at its widest
point, often in the middle of the vessel
Beamends: When the ship is hilted to the
beam and may be close to capsizing
Bearing: The horizontal direction of a
line of sight between two objects on
the water
Beating: Sailing as close to the wind
as possible
Beaufort Scale: Designed by Rear
Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort to articulate
wind force
Belay: To secure fast around a tting,
cleat, pin, or to halt a current action
Bell: A large buoy that rings a bell from
the movement of waves

Make Ready
The best way to set up your vessel varies tremen-
dously on what watercraf you have at your disposal.
This is only a general list of items; just like when
packing a good medical kit or bug-out bag you should
customize it for your personal needs.
If possible, your boats gear should include spare
lines, personal foatation devices, handheld GPS with
updated local charts, spare batteries, spare prop kit,
backup radio, small generator, extra generator fuel,
shelter materials, spare clothes for all persons and all
types of weather conditions, water fltration system,
fare kit with extra fares (there are several uses for
these; please see page 130), your bug-out bags, and
your survival bags. The old saying one is none and
two is one rings ever so true when out on the water.
For larger vessels, towing a zodiac or strapping a
kayak to the deck is also a good idea. This way your
maneuverability and mobility is not as limited when
you are around inland low-level waters. We would pack
all of our primary gear on the main vessel with us
and some of our redundant gear and supplies in
the zodiac or towed vessel. Remember that
at any time your tow vessel is likely to turtle up or
founder.
Of course, you need weapons in addition to the
standard blades, axes/hatchets, and pistols that might
accompany your bug-out bags and survival bags. A
shotgun would be handy, such as a Remington 870,
Mossberg 500, or Benelli M2 with a selection of vari-
ous loads. Our list would also include a few War Sport
LVOAs, KAC SR-15, or AR-15 rifes with Aimpoint optics,
as well as a few SR-25s or M14s with 1-8x variable
optics. Low-power optics are better yaw, pitch, and
roll are serious factors on a waterborne vessel. Last
but not least, we would pack lubrication, lots of quality
lube like FrogLube.
This armament provides a serious defensive pos-
ture, as well as the ability to hunt if birds fy overhead
or if you have access to an island with resources. Bring
as much ammunition that you can ft and that the ves-
sel can safely handle. A good Cerakote, marine coat,
or hydro-dip is essential saltwater is one of the
harshest environments and will eat through
metals quickly.
BUG-OUT
BOAT
Nautical Glossary
(CONTINUED)
Bilge: The lowest compartment in the
hull of a ship, where water can collect
Bimini top: Open front canvas top for
the cockpit of a vessel, usually found on
bowrider vessels
Block: Pulley or set of pulleys
Bow: The front of the vessel
Bowline: A type of knot producing a
strong loop of a fxed size similar to a
sheet bend knot
Bridge: A structure above the main
deck that houses the command center
of the vessel
Broadside: One side of the vessel above
the waterline
Buoy: A foating object of defned
shape and color, which is anchored at
a given position to provide navigational
assistance
Cabin: Enclosed room or deck
Capsize: When a vessel lists too far,
overexposing the keel topside to the
waters surface
Captain: The person lawfully in command
and responsible for the vessel
Cat: Prepare to store the anchor to get
underway
Catamaran: A vessel with two hulls
Chain locker: An area on the bow of the
ship to store the chain for the anchor/
ground tackle
Chronometer: A timepiece accurate
enough to obtain longitudinal position
during celestial navigation
Cleat: A stationary device used to secure
lines aboard a vessel or dock
Cockpit: The seating area of a small
vessel, usually astern to midship, that
houses rudder controls
Compass: A navigational instrument
showing the direction of a vessel in
relation to Earths magnetic poles
Cuddy: A small cabin
Dead Ahead: Directly in front of the bow
of the vessel
Dead in the Water (DIW): Not moving
Decks: The top part of the vessel, form-
ing a horizontal surface
Dinghy: Small boat often carried by a
larger vessel
Dock: The body of water between two
piers or wharves that accommodates the
vessel tied up to said piers or wharves;
or an affxed structure to the shore to
which a vessel ties up while in port
SUMMER 2014
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 053
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SUMMER 2014

out at sea for an indeterminate time period. Some people

Nautical Glossary
(CONTINUED)
Draft/Draught: The depth of a vessels
keel below the waterline
Fantail: Aft end of a ship, also known
as poop deck
Fetch: The distance across water which
wind or a wave has traveled
Flank: The maximum speed of a vessel
(faster than full speed)
Following sea: Wave or tidal movement
that is in a corresponding direction with
the vessel
Freeboard: The height of a ships hull
above the waterline, not including its
super structure
Galley: Kitchen of the vessel
Glass: A marine barometer
Ground tackle: See Anchor
Gunwale: The upper edge of the hull
Head: The forward most uppermost por-
tion of the vessel; or the latrine/toilet
Helm: A vessels steering mechanism
Hull: The shell and basic framework of a
vessel that enables it to foat
Inboard motor: Engine(s) mounted in the
hull of the vessel
Keel: The central structure of the hull,
oftentimes the lowest part of the vessel
in the water
On these types of vessels, we have the ability to pack even
more gear and supplies and to bring a larger, more depend-
able group with us if we so desired. For those who have
never had the privilege, yachts are essentially floating luxury
homes. There are multiple cabins, full-size galleys, washer
and dryer, dining room, full heads, and most importantly
plenty of storage space.
With larger sailing yachts, theres no fear of running out of
fuel as you can rely on the winds, so the only limiting factor
is food resourcesif you dont know how to catch fish of the
stern, that is. Well, that and keeping your sanity while staying
GBlakeley/istockphoto.com
are just not built to be on the water for their whole lives. As
you spin 360 degrees around and see nothing but a dark
deep blue horizon, day in and down out, some minds tend
to wander and need the solidity of sand and rock beneath
their feet from time to time. Incidentally, if that describes
anyone in your party, dont let them bug out on the water.
A blue water motor yacht will certainly get you wherever
you need to go and possibly to potentially resource-rich, un-
inhabited islands. There is a huge downside, though unless
you find that perfect island with a deep-water, S-shaped en-
trance lagoon to completely isolate it from the open water, a
big yacht is a huge sign saying, Look at me! And while that
may help you on the party circuit today, when chaos breaks
loose and panic is rampant, we always advise a low profile.
Once on a sizable island with sustainable resources, set-
ting up a basecamp is top on our list of priorities. Three key
factors to consider when we are looking for a new home are
fresh water resources, high ground, and game trails, among
other concerns. Just to be clear, having a pretty view
should not be on the list of priorities. Sure, who wouldnt
want to live on the beach? That would be wonderful until
the first real storm surge, when the barometric pressure
changes rapidly, the tide rises 15 feet, and your vessel and
new beachfront home get washed out to sea.

RASimon/istockphoto.com
Knot: A unit of speed (1 nautical mile
per hour)
Line: Correct nautical term for ropes
used on a vessel
List: A vessels angle or lean, often
known as roll
Marina: A docking facility for vessels,
particularly small ships and yachts
Mast: Vertical pole on a ship that sup-
ports sail rigging
Nay: No or the opposite of aye
Passageway: A hallway in a vessel
PFDs: Personal Floatation Devices, i.e.
lifejackets
Pier: A raised structure that vessels tie
off to, primarily for loading and unload-
ing of goods
Pitch: A vessels motion rotating about
the beam
Port: The left side of the vessel when
facing the bow
Propeller: A multi-bladed structure that
propels the vessel through the water
RADAR: RAdio Detection And Ranging
Rigging: The system of masts and lines Any aquatic bug-out plan must include fnding a location with natural resources for long-term survival.
on a sailing vessel An island could serve that purpose. But prepare for the inevitability of others having this plan too.
 BUG-OUT
BOAT

Final Thoughts
So, we finally have our location to house the vessel,
picked one out, and have it in a state of readiness. Fantastic
but are we really ready? You should always keep spare
charts around the house and review them periodically. Like
when moving on land, there are several options and routes
for getting out on water. Just as interstate highways might
best be avoided because theyll turn into giant parking lots
with panicked drivers, waterways too can become congest-
ed. Although less likely to be completely obstructed, many
other factors need to be taken into account as well.
G.I. Joe was right: knowing is half the battle. Tide tables
are important, and recognizing how much water you will
have under your vessel on chosen routes and waypoints
is absolutely critical. Running hard aground or becoming
DIW while trying to vacate an area is no ones idea of fun.
After you gain a solid understanding of your various routes
and plans, you need to stay on top of things. Knowing your
vessel and your local area is crucial; it is quite literally a fluid
environment. Shoals, sandbars, currents, and hazards are
rhyman007/istockphoto.com
always in a continuous state of evolution and can end your
run before you get very far.
Once you feel secure about your routes and destinations
during the daylight, run them again at night. No diferent
than being in the woods after sunset, everything is seem-
ingly and deceptively diferent at night on the water. Once
out in the open or blue water, its easier but getting from
the pier, up the ICW, through bridges, and out a pass in the
darkness of night can be a real challenge. Adding to that the
chaos will be civil unrest and panic of other boaters with the
same goal. Its important to stay focused and continually
aware of your vessel and routes.
After you have your location, vessel, routes and gear
squared away, it becomes a waiting game. We wish you the
best of luck. Again, this is not a task that should be taken on
by an average person. Even people who have spent their
lives in, on, and around the water would still require much
preparation and training to ensure an acceptable success
rate with a getaway plan based on waterborne activities. But
it would be the adventure of a lifetime, thats for sure.
Nautical Glossary
(CONTINUED)
Roll: The vessels motion rotating from
side to side
Rudder: A steering device, which can be
placed aft
Sail: A piece of fabric attached to a
vessel, arranged in such a way that it
drives the vessel
Screw: Propeller
Sheet: A section of line/rope used to
control the setting of the sail in relation
to wind direction
Shoal: Shallow water that is a hazard to
the vessel
Sonar: SOund NAvigation And Ranging
Starboard: The right side of the vessel
when facing the bow
Stern: The rear part of the vessel
Topsides: Part of the hull between the
waterline and the deck
Transom: Aft wall of the stern; often
where the outboard motor is mounted to
a small vessel
Trim: Relationship of ships hull to
waterline

Turtling: When the vessel is fully inverted

with the mast or superstructure pointing
to the seabed
Wake: Turbulence behind the vessel
Wash: Waves created by a vessel (yes,
wakeboarders have it wrong)
Waterline: The line where the hull of the
vessel meets the waters surface
Waterway: A navigable body of water
Waypoint: A location defned by
navigational coordinates, mostly as a
planned route
Yacht: A recreational vessel that is
usually 50 feet in length or more
Yaw: A vessels rotational motion about
the vertical axis

About The Chris Costa is the founder and head instructor of Nic Thomas is the chief operating ofcer of Costa

Authors:
Costa Ludus, which provides tactical training for
civilians, military and law enforcement, as well as
consulting for various companies and agencies. Pre-
viously, he served as president of Magpul Dynam-
ics, spent seven years at Applied Marine Technolo-
gies Inc., and served 12 years in the U.S. Coast Guard,
conducting counter-drug operations and special
missions throughout the world.
Ludus. Prior to joining the tactical training realm,
he spent 10 years in the private security industry,
focusing primarily on executive protection as a shif
leader and an agent-in-charge. Born and raised in
Florida, Thomas grew up on the water and obtained
two degrees, matriculating through collegiate levels
of academia.
> www.CostaLudus.com

OFF
056 OFFGRIDWEB.COM BUG-OUT
BOAT
SUMMER 2014

Watercraf Types
Acquiring a proper vessel can be a laborious task let alone picking one for the purposes of bugging out. We
could discuss all the options and designs for well beyond the limits of these pages. Therefore, this is an abbreviated
summary of options for the average person.

GBlakeley/istockphoto.com
Sailing Yacht
Ideal for the deep blue open water
and long-term use. Most have de-
salinators and generators on board.
Slower cruising speed. Typically
has a small diesel or gasoline engine
onboard for limited use.
PROS: Can make fresh water, large
livable area for several people, on-
board electronics (radar, GPS, Loran,
sonar, satellite communications, and
redundant systems), unlimited range Power Yacht
via wind power. Ideal for the deep blue open water and long-term use. Most have desalinators and gen-
CONS: Larger, meaning more things to erators on board. Medium cruising speed. Primarily has two large diesel engines.
go wrong. Engine room space limited, PROS: Can make fresh water, large livable area for several people, onboard electronics
generators can fail, potential elec- (radar, GPS, Loran, sonar, satellite communications, and redundant systems), long-
tronic and damage-control system range transatlantic capability.
failures, user must know how to sail, CONS: Larger, meaning more things to go wrong. Engine room space limited, genera-
draf is ofen 6-plus feet. Expensive. tors can fail, possible electronic and damage-control system failures, user must know
how to operate a large motor vessel, draf is ofen 5-plus feet. Expensive.

Sailing
Semi-Yacht
Ideal for coastal waters and medium-
term use. Most have generators on
board. Slower cruising speed. Pri-
marily have a small underpowered
gasoline engine.
PROS: Livable area for a few people,
onboard electronics (radar, GPS, sonar
systems), unlimited range via wind
power.
CONS: For a novice captain, just
enough boat to get into trouble with.
Potential onboard electronics system
failures, must know how to sail, draf is
ofen 3 or more feet.
laughingmango/istockphoto.com
Power
Semi-Yacht
Ideal for coastal waters and medium-
term use. Most have generators on
board. Medium cruising speed. Primar-
ily powered by one medium-sized
diesel/gasoline engine.
PROS: Livable area for a few people,
onboard electronics (radar, GPS, and
sonar systems), medium range.
CONS: For a novice captain, just enough
boat to get into trouble with. Possible
onboard electronics system failures.
Draf is ofen 3-plus feet.
 BUG-OUT
Watercraf Types
058 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
BOAT
SUMMER 2014

(CONITUED)

bpalmer/istockphoto.com
Center-Console Outboard
Ideal for short-term inland and coastal water use. Fast cruising speed. Primarily
powered by one or two outboard, four-stroke gasoline engines.
PROS: Onboard electronics (radar, GPS, and sonar systems), very maneuverable and
fast, easy for a novice captain to operate, short to medium range, draf is 1-plus feet.
CONS: Little to no shelter from the elements, little to no livable space, low to medium
passenger allotment, potential electronic system failure.

Flatboat

Alfsky/istockphoto.com
Ideal for short-term inland water use. Fast cruising speed. Pri-
marily powered by one outboard, four-stroke gasoline engine.
PROS: Onboard electronics (GPS and sonar systems), extremely
maneuverable and fast, easy for a novice captain to operate,
short to medium range, draf of less than 1 foot.
CONS: No shelter from elements, no livable space, low passen-
ger allotment, electronic system failure.

Bow-Rider/Cuddy
Cabin Cruiser

choicegraphx/istockphoto.com
Ideal for short-term inland and close coastal water use. Fast
cruising speed. Primarily powered by one gasoline inboard
engine.
PROS: Onboard electronics (GPS and sonar systems), very ma-
neuverable and fast, easy for a novice captain to operate, short
to medium range, draf is 2-plus feet.
CONS: Little to no shelter from elements, little to no livable
space, low passenger allotment, small engine compartments
that are hard to work in, potential electronic system failure.

Photo courtesy
of Ocean Kayak

Canoes & Kayaks

Ideal for short-term inland and coastal water use. Slow cruising speed. Human powered.
PROS: Extremely maneuverable, very easy for a novice captain to operate, range is dependent on operator, very
quiet and low impact, no fuel reliance, short to medium range, draf of less than 1 foot, no electronic system failures.
CONS: User needs to be healthy, hydrated, and fed. No shelter from the elements, no livable space, single to two-
person passenger allotment.
060 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
Boating 101
Starting a Vessel
Each vessel will start utilizing a different
system and checklist. Heres a look at the
basics.
Ensure the power is active and running from
the vessels batteries and not the pier
Check oil levels and that there are no fumes
Ensure cooling fuid levels are proper
Prime fuel if need be
Check power switches
Inspect fuel tank levels to ensure theyre
topped off
Check freshwater tank and holding tank
levels
Stow pier power lines
Turn the blower on
Ensure throttle(s) are in neutral position
Turn key to the on position, and ensure all
electrical systems dependent on the key
boot up and are ready
Re-check engine compartment for fumes
Turn key to start position
Ensure oil pressure and operating temps rise
to normal levels
Turn on DC power panel
Ensure all electrical based systems boot up
and operate properly
Ensure navigation equipment is operating
properly
The following is a good reminder for veteran captains and a primer
for landlubbers. Remember, there is no substitution for real training
and practice. And when youre ready to launch, always take into
account current and wind directions.
Docking
Please keep wind and current conditions at
the top of your mind whenever doing any
of these maneuvers. A good general rule of
thumb is that it takes two to three times as
much power to get out of trouble than it took
to get into trouble in the frst place. So, the
slower the better.
DEPARTURE
Single up on all lines, secure all loose articles
on the deck. Cast off all lines less one bow
line, turn your screw away from the pier or
dock, and slowly engage in dead slow astern
(reverse). As the vessel backs away and clears
the pier, cast off the bowline. Secure all loose
lines, orient bow in the desired heading,
proceed ahead at desired speed.
ARRIVAL
Make lines ready on the proper side of vessel.
Slowly nose the bow of vessel to the pier,
secure line. Then turn screw toward the pier
and engage dead slow astern (reverse). The
aft of the vessel will be brought into the pier.
Tie off all lines. Double up on all lines for
larger vessels.
BUG-OUT
BOAT
Anchorage
LOWERING ANCHOR
Ensure there is enough chain and line for the depth required. The 1:7 rule says that for every 100
feet of water, you need 700 feet of anchor rode and line combined.
Secure all loose deck items. Position the vessel forward of the desired anchored position; the
distance should be determined by the 1:7 rule, current, and wind. Place the screws in dead slow
astern and splash anchor. Engage screws to slow astern and continue to move astern to the desired
position. Just before arriving at desired position engage screws in dead slow astern, avast, and
secure the anchor line. If done properly, the anchor will catch on the seabed and position will be
held. Adjust anchor line for fnal desired position.
BOW ABOVE WATERLINE: 2 FT. SCOPE 7:1
DEPTH OF RODE = 7 X 10 FT.
WATER: 8 FT.
AWEIGH ANCHOR
Secure all loose deck items. Position the vessel to follow the anchor line. Engage screws to dead slow
ahead. Bring in all anchor line onto the deck or chain locker as slack evolves. Upon being perpendicular
or above the ground tackle, turn screws to all stop. Raise remaining anchor line and rode. Secure lines
and chain in the chain locker. Secure anchor in a proper storage position.
Towing
Attempt towing only if you are a component sailor or able seaman. There are a signifcant number
of extrinsic factors that are applicable when towing another vessel, and you need to have the
requisite skills.
When towing a vessel, it is important to monitor the towed vessel constantly. In a bug-out situation,
doubling up on lines would probably be a good idea.
When pushing off or just starting to get underway, pay the towline out slowly until all the slack is
out and the line is taut. Once at cruising speed, the vessel in tow should be set.
When arriving at a pier or mooring site, bring the vessel to ahead dead slow gradually, then full stop.
Bring the tow vessel alongside the main vessel port to starboard or starboard to port, whichever is
appropriate for mooring maneuvers. Then fasten off the bow of the towed vessel to a forward breast
cleat and the stern of the tow vessel to an aft breast cleat. This will prevent backing down on our tow
vessel, fouling the screw with towlines, or causing unnecessary damage to the mooring area.
062 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
 O
An Emergency Radio ftentimes, emergencies strike with little or no warning.
Buyers Guide What seems like a regular, uneventful day can instantly
turn into a living hell in mere seconds. Mother Nature
is full of surprises: earthquakes, avalanches, mudslides
By Martin Anders
and tornados can manifest without warning, leaving
Photography by Michael Grey
massive destruction in their wake. And because certain unsavory ele-
ments of humankind cant allow Mother Nature to hoard all the credit for
wanton destruction, manmade havoc is always a possibility too.
If you find yourself caught in a situation where you got sucker punched
in the gut by a surprise emergency event, theres a good chance youll be
scrambling to find out as much information about it as you can to better
understand your predicament and how you can enhance your surviv-
ability. Because you had enough foresight to have an emergency radio
packed for just this sort of occurrence, you have a means to monitor local
news broadcasts as well as the nationally broadcast Emergency Alert
System to figure out just what happened, what to do, and where to find the
safest places.
Emergency radios difer from traditional radios in that most of them
feature multiple functions, can run of diferent power sources, and are
built more robustly. We like emergency radios that feature an alterna-
tive to dry cell battery power. Many of these radios can be alternatively
powered by hand crank or solar panels very handy if batteries are or
become scarce. Some radios also allow for other devices such as smart-
phones and small electronics to be charged through their built-in USB
ports. Other features to look at are overall size (which afects its portabil-
ity), speaker quality, and volume capability, as well as extra functions such
as a built-in flashlight.
The most important element in an emergency radio is, of course, the
radio itself. You want one that has good reception of both AM and FM
bands, whether indoors or outdoors, as well as one capable of receiving
weather and emergency broadcasts from the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration (NOAA) over a service called NOAA Weather
Radio. The broadcast station frequencies of this weather-and-emergen-
cy-specific radio service are known as weather band (WB). It is broadcast
over seven FM frequencies in the 162.4 MHz through 162.55 MHz range,
which regular radios typically cannot pick up. In order to hear NOAAs
24-hours-a-day reports on weather-related warnings, forecasts, hazard
information, and alerts of non-weather emergencies (such as threats
to national security, environmental and civil safety), you will need a WB-
capable radio that is specifically set up to pick up NOAA Weather Radio.
There are many emergency radios on the market; we selected ones
of difering sizes, with multiple power sources, and replete with multiple
features. Lets take a look at a few that warrant a closer look.
SUMMER 2014

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064 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
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MAKE & MODEL

ambient weather
WR-111B Adventurer
Emergency Radio
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB
POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / USB
Rechargeable Battery
DIMENSIONS
5.5 in L x 3.125 in H x 2 in D

WEIGHT
10.9 oz

COLORWAY
Black/Red

MSRP
$40

URL
www.ambientweather.com

NOTES
Ambient weather makes quite a
few models of emergency radios.
We chose the WR-111B for its
small overall size, relatively light
weight, and useful features. The
Adventurer features digital
tuning for AM, FM, and WB
bands, an illuminated digital
display with a clock, and
a 15-lumen three-LED
fashlight. It can be
charged by both AC and
DC power sources, its
built-in solar panel,
and its hand crank.
If youre in a pickle,
it can also charge
devices such as
smartphones
through its USB port
as well. The black
portions of its body
are rubberized, giving it
some impact resistance as
well as additional grip.
Indoor Reception: AM Poor / FM
Good / WB Good
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent /
FM Excellent / WB Excellent
Hand Cranking: 1 minute = 16 to 20
minutes of radio time
Ease of Use: Excellent
 INDEPENDENT
AIRWAVES

MAKE & MODEL

Eton
American Red Cross FRX2
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB
POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / USB
Rechargeable Battery
DIMENSIONS
5.4 in L x 2.4 in H x 2.4 in D

WEIGHT
9 oz

COLORWAY
Red

MSRP
$45

URL
www.etoncorp.com/en

NOTES
The American Red Cross FRX2 by
Eton is a manually tuned analog radio
that covers AM, FM, and WB bands.
It houses a rechargeable battery
that can be charged through a mini
USB port, a hand-cranked turbine,
and a built-in solar panel. It also
features a full-sized USB port that is
capable of dump charging devices
such as smartphones. Its three-LED
fashlight works decently it isnt
super bright, but gets the job done.
The fashlights bezel glows in the
dark, a nice touch when you need to
fnd the radio in complete darkness.
However, we did fnd that even at
maximum, the radios volume in AM
mode just doesnt get quite loud
enough for us. The manual tuning
can be tricky, but the seven weather
band stations have their own preset
positions on the tuning knob, a nice
feature that makes tuning to them a
snap. That being said, the reception
quality for WB stations was seriously
lacking. The FRX2 is one of the
smaller radios in this guide, which
makes it the easiest to pack in tight
spaces. Also noteworthy, a portion of
the purchase of this radio goes to the
American Red Cross.
Indoor Reception: AM Good / FM
Excellent / WB Poor
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent /
FM Excellent / WB Poor
Hand Cranking: 5 minutes = 10
minutes of radio time
Ease of Use: Good
SUMMER 2014

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MAKE & MODEL

Kaito
Voyager Pro KA600
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB/LW/SW
POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / USB
Rechargeable Battery / AA Battery (3)
DIMENSIONS
9.5 in L x 6 in H x 2.5 in D

WEIGHT
1 lb, 4.6 oz

COLORWAY
Black (shown), Silver, Green

MSRP
$100

URL
www.kaitousa.com

NOTES
Who says that an emergency
radio needs to be stripped down
to its bare bones and left with
room for essential functions only?
Kaito, makers of the Voyager Pro
KA600, sure doesnt. Its packed
full of features that feel downright
luxurious compared to other
radios in this category. Like many
of the others, this radio runs on
rechargeable batteries that can
be charged through a USB port,
hand crank, and a solar panel. It
also can accept three AA batteries.
The KA600 sports a three-LED
fashlight and the ability to charge
other gadgets via a USB port. Unlike
other radios, however, the Voyager
Pros solar panel is positional for
optimum performance and includes
a low power fve-LED reading light
on its backside. Like other radios, it
can receive AM, FM, and WB bands,
as well as both Short Wave (SW) and
Long Wave (LW) frequencies. Its
back-lit digital display lights up and
displays not only the time, but also
date, temperature, and humidity.
Frequencies on all bands can be
stored in its memory for quick tuning.
The Voyager Pro even includes a
dual alarm clock, sleep, and snooze
modes talk about full-featured!
Indoor Reception: AM Poor / FM
Excellent / WB Excellent
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent /
FM Excellent / WB Excellent
Hand Cranking: 1 minute = 10
minutes of radio time
Ease of Use: Good
 INDEPENDENT
AIRWAVES

MAKE & MODEL

La Crosse
NOAA Weather Radio
[810-106]
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB
POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / Rechargeable
Battery
DIMENSIONS
5.5 in L x 2.375 in H x 2.5 in D

WEIGHT
10.7 oz

COLORWAY
Silver/Black

MSRP
$60

URL
www.lacrosseclock.com

NOTES
Right off the bat, La Crosses NOAA
Weather Radio impressed us with
its clear reception on AM, FM, and
WB bands. It features digital tuning
and a backlit display with clock. This
radio is powered by hand crank, solar
power, and rechargeable battery.
Only about a minute of hand cranking
netted us almost half an hour of
radio time. It can recharge your other
devices via hand cranking through
its mini-USB port. Its three-LED light
isnt extremely bright, but is enough
to get the job done. The 810-106 has
a rubberized exterior, making it easy
to grip, and a small overall size, which
makes it a cinch to pack.
Indoor Reception: AM Good / FM
Excellent / WB Excellent
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent /
FM Excellent / WB Excellent
Hand Cranking: 1 minute = 30
minutes of radio time
Ease of Use: Excellent

SUMMER 2014

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MAKE & MODEL

Midland
ER300 Emergency Crank Weather
Alert Radio
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB
POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / USB Rechargeable Battery / AA
Battery (6)
DIMENSIONS
7.9 in L x 3.25 in H x 2.4 in D

WEIGHT
1 lb, 0.3 oz

COLORWAY
Black/Red

MSRP
$70

URL
www.midlandusa.com

NOTES
Midlands ER300 can rely on multiple power
sources, including solar, hand crank, rechargeable
Li-Ion battery, and even six AA batteries. The
radio is digitally tuned and has a large, easily read
backlit display with a clock function. Its bright,
built-in fashlight is equipped with a Cree LED that
can project light in three modes low, high, and
as a Morse code SOS beacon. Interestingly, the
ER300 also includes a unique ultrasonic dog whistle,
which Midland says may assist search-and-rescue
teams in locating individuals during an emergency
situation. Its body incorporates a solid carry handle
and feels robust, as does the rest of its body. Like
other radios in this guide, it also has the capability of
charging devices through its USB port.
Indoor Reception: AM Poor / FM Excellent / WB Poor
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent / FM Excellent /
WB Excellent
Hand Cranking: 1 minute = 9 minutes of radio time
Ease of Use: Good
 INDEPENDENT
AIRWAVES

MAKE & MODEL

Oregon Scientifc
WR201 Multi-Powered Emergency Radio
RADIO BANDS
AM/FM/WB

POWER SOURCES
Hand Crank / Solar / Rechargeable Battery

DIMENSIONS
6.5 in L x 3 in H x 1.875 in D

WEIGHT
10.2 oz

COLORWAY
Yellow/Black

MSRP
$50

URL
www.oregonscientifc.com

NOTES
If you dont need all the bells and whistles and are looking
for a good basic emergency radio, this unit might have
your name on it. The WR201 by Oregon Scientifc has
everything we want in a radio and then some, all arranged
in a compact package. It is powered three ways, including
solar, hand crank, and rechargeable battery. It includes
a bright, three-LED fashlight and features a manually
tuned radio that picks up AM, FM, and all seven WB
frequencies. The best thing is that, for us, it picked up all
bands clearly and loudly. Its retractable antenna can be
pointed in all directions. It includes a USB outlet so that it
can charge your other gadgets. A bonus feature unique
to this radio in our guide is a 77-decibel emergency siren
with red fashing LED light that can be turned on with the
fick of a switch.
Indoor Reception: AM Excellent / FM Excellent / WB
Excellent
Outdoor Reception: AM Excellent / FM Excellent / WB
Excellent
Hand Cranking: 1 minute = 10 minutes of radio time
SUMMER 2014

Ease of Use: Excellent

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Inok/istockphoto.com
TEACH
A MAN
TO FISH
Capitalizing on Earths
Most Abundant
Source of Protein
By Gordon Meehl

Y
ou know the old saying: Give a man a fish,
feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed
him for a lifetime. Being that water is the life
source for all living things, cities tended to
spring up around lakes, rivers, and oceans.
And there we may find an aqueous motherlode of protein.
Fish are not only the most plentiful source of animal protein
on this big blue marble, they are also definitely the easiest to
harvest. And you neednt be Bill Dance to do it.
Depending on your goals, fishing can be as basic as
tossing a line in the water or as sophisticated and graceful
as making a hook and feather dance across a stream like
a marionette. Just like hunting, fishing can be an exercise
in pure sustenance or it can be an obsessive means of
feeding your bug-out group. How you view SHTF fishing (as
a survival necessity or an extension of a peaceful hobby),
where you plan to snag your protein (lake, pond, river, or
ocean), and your mobility plan will all determine what gear
and techniques you will use to land dinner.
 The Source
wcpmedia/istockphoto.com
More so than land-based hunting, fishing is an environ-
mentally specific activity that is to say, you have to go
to your prey. Unless something has gone very wrong, you
cant put on camo, sit in a blind and wait for your meat
to wander into your kill zone. You have to go to a specific
source to actively pursue and ultimately deceive your
quarry to end up with a full stomach. An efective bug-out
plan includes considerations for potential food sources as
well as sources for water. As luck would have it, finding a
productive fishing hole can take care of both.
Fishing in rivers, ponds, lakes, and the ocean each provide
various results (when successful), require diferent attack
strategies, and have widely diferent capacities. Lets review
the various forms of H2O well be sitting on or standing next
to while waving around sticks with strings attached to them.
Ponds
Ponds are, by far, the most accessible and arguably the
most plentiful source of scaly protein. However, they are the
most limited in their yield. Think of ponds as being a home
garden. They are small, easy to tend, but limited in what you
can produce.
It may seem strange to think about having a strategy
for harvesting a pond, but given the closed system of a
land-locked pond, its the best way to ensure a near limitless
supply of sustenance. Fish farmers, as well as fish and game
LilliDay/istockphoto.com
wardens, estimate that a fish-friendly pond can produce up
to 200 pounds of fish per acre per year. But the reality is
that if you take out that much fish at once, youll end up with
a fishless puddle. The best strategy is to eat the big ones
and let the small ones grow.
Lakes
Lakes, except the ones preceded by the word Great,
are essentially big ponds with more imposing waterscapes.
Whereas the bottom of a pond is typically bowl shaped, the
bottom of a lake can look more like the split top of an Eng-
lish mufin. Lakes also ofer a more diverse ecosystem over
that of ponds. Ponds typically support just one or two kinds
of fish, usually transplants from a larger body of water. In
lakes, we find a wider array of fish types. Keep in mind that
every freshwater fish (in the United States) is edible to some
degree. Some are just bonier than others.
The nooks and crannies of the lake bottom provide
protection for the small fry and a breeding ground for the
larger of our finned friends. The subsurface architecture
also allows lakes to support a more diverse menu. Because
of this, it takes a more specific game plan to bring home
dinner. Standing on the shoreline of a lake may only bring
in small snack-sized fish. To get dinner-sized fish, youll need
to get your hooks out to deeper water or be able to toss it
under some shady cover where the big boys lie.
Moving Water
Most cities have some sort of river, stream, or creek within
bug-out distance. Many cities even have a river running
through them or somewhere close to downtown. Moving
water is the toughest of sources to get dinner from. Often it
takes some real experience and skill to be able to read the
SUMMER 2014
water the way it ebbs and flows to find the right spot
to land a lunker or two. This environment usually requires
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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
Altoids
Fishing Kit
A compact fshing kit
can be assembled and
packed into in a small
container such as an
Altoids mint tin. Your
Altoids fshing kit can
be stufed into your
bug-out bag and used
when necessary. Some
common items that you
can include in your kit
are listed below.
> Jig - (1) 2-inch Swirl Tail Grub
> Jig - (1) Tiny Shad
> Jig - (1) 1 12 -inch Tube Jig
> Spoon - (1) 14 oz
> Bait - (8) Salmon Eggs
> Fly - (1) Size 8
> Fly - (1) Size 1018
> Desiccant - (1) Moisture-Absorbing
Packet
> Razor - (1) Folding Razor Knife
> Hooks - (2) Treble
> Hooks - (3) #4
> Hooks - (3) #6
> Hooks - (3) #8
> Leaders - (4) Wire Wound Leaders
> Split Shot - (4) BB
> Split Shot - (4) 3/0
> Bobber - (1) 34-inch
> Line - (50 ft) 12 lb
> Line - (25 ft) 30 lb
> Ready Line - (Line, Bobber, Sinker,
Hook)
With this, you can toss one baited line in the water at a
DIGIcal/istockphoto.com
time and sit and wait. But since time is likely of the essence,
youll want to swing the odds in your favor without increas-
ing your workload. You will want to set up a trotline a line
stretching from one point to another (the top line) with sev-
eral baited lines branching of at regular intervals. (Strands
of 550 paracord are perfect to build a trotline.) These lines
are a force multiplier, allowing you to have numerous points
of attack and increased potential of coming home with a
bucket full of protein.
STAKE
FLOAT
TROT LINE
ANCHOR
So what equipment should you have? If your bug-out
plan doesnt specifically include fishing, but you want to be
prepared if the opportunity presents itself, then an Altoids
box with some basic items will fit nicely in your bag and is
suficient for the occasional waterborne meal. When stocking
your survival fishing tin, remember small hooks can catch
small fish and big fish, but big hooks can only catch big fish.
If youre a little more skilled
angler or have a life-sustaining
you to immerse yourself in it to set yourself up in a honey body of water close by, youll
hole. In the two previously mentioned collections of water, want a spin casting setup.
you can be relatively successful standing on the edge and Many of the spin casting rods
tossing a line a few dozen yards away; this not the case with break down and fit nicely in
more dynamic water features. a backpack. Spin casting is
ideally suited for sending out
Equipment and Technique lures or baited hooks more
Theres a wide range of equipment, strategies, and than a few yards away from
techniques, so lets explore just a few of the more common your position. The technique
ones. You neednt have Old Man and the Sea-type tenac- of using a spin casting setup is
ity to bring home dinner, but you also cant expect to lazily to cast a line and slowly reel it
sit in a shady spot, dangle a line, and get enough to keep back, or to cast a line and wait.
your troops well fed. Remember were fishing as a means of These techniques are best
survival, not as a means to escape from the daily grind. suited for still-water fishing,
You dont need a quiver of rods or a diferent reel for such as in lakes and ponds.
every water type in fact you want to avoid that since Using a spin cast rig in rivers
were buggin out and trying to minimize excess gear. In fact, or creeks can be done, but
unless youve got some experience fishing, its best to stick usually the heavy lures or bait
to a basic setup. For fishing a pond, all you need are hooks, required will tumble along the
a line, and possibly a piece of cork. See the sidebar for the bottom, ultimately failing to
contents of a basic survival fishing kit that is easily packable. trick a fish into biting.
 TEACH A MAN
TO FISH

The whole idea of bugging out is to move quickly to your

The most dificult yet artistic technique is fly fishing. If
youre fly fishing in a bug-out situation, its likely because
you have spare time and nothing better to do than sit in a
stream for hours waving a stick at fish. Plus its not nearly as
easy as Brad Pitt makes it look. Dont get me wrong, I love
fly fishing and have spent a good portion of my angling life
tossing feathers a few dozen yards over an abundant creek,
but in a bug-out scenario its not practical. Very few will be
able to spend the time reading the river, stalking the fish,
and figuring out what they are feeding on.
bug-out spot. Getting food along the way needs to be quick
and easy. Fishing can fit the bill and be the best renew-
able source of protein you could have. Unlike livestock or a
garden, you dont have to feed or cultivate anything to fill
your belly nature does that for you. Fishing can be the
ideal strategy for long-term sustenance when everything is
of-grid, but its not an easy one. So before the SHTF, head
out to your local body of water, toss some lines in the water,
and see what happens. Remember, practice makes perfect,
or at least easier.
Fish... the other white meat.

2 5

Fileting
A Fish
Illustrations by ALT
Most fish dont need to be skinned, but if you
have time its best to remove the scales since
they can be a choking hazard. Hold the fish
by the tail and scrape of the scales with a
Cut of the head and tail (the head makes
for good soup). Slide the knife under the
ribs to separate them from the body. Work
from tail to head, away from your body and
knife, holding the blade and moving it away hands. Fish oils make the knife slippery
As soon as you land a fish, it should be from you toward the head. and dangerous.

killed, gutted, cleaned, and eaten as quick-

3 6
ly as possible. Fish can go bad very quickly
the skin turns slimy and is the perfect
breeding ground for flies and bacteria.

Grab a sharp, thin blade. With the tail toward

you and the blade facing up, insert the knife
into the anal gland (yup, the anus) and slit Separate the backbone and ribs from the
the fish open along the belly to the throat flesh and use some tweezers or pliers to
(with the blade up you avoid puncturing the remove any loose ribs.
internal organs) .
7
4

Cut the fishs throat and bleed it out. Wipe

away the slime.

Fry or cook over an open flame and enjoy

SUMMER 2014

Remove the guts. If the fish is female, keep natures bounty. Dont walk away fish
the roe (eggs) its good eating! Wash thor- cooks very quickly.
oughly inside.

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READYDOTGOV
By M. Dufy, MD
Whats Wrong With FEMAs Plan for You? Photography by Michael Grey
 A
re you ready for a disaster? Prepared for an
emergency? We all know Uncle Sam is here
to help, right? Our tax dollars are hard at work.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) are on the case, lending their expertise with educa-
tional tools and preparedness recommendations. Tax dollars hard
at workor hardly working? Read on, as we take a closer look.
Historically, most critical U.S. urban emergency response plans
have been focused on nature. What is diferent today? Terrorism,
chemical agents, biological pathogens, nuclear threats, IEDs, dirty
bombsthe list goes on.
Disasters whether natural, man-made, or simply accidents
all can and have posed unexpected or imminent threats to
citizens around the world. Recent world events demonstrate such
threats are not isolated to North America the 2011 tragedy in
Japan (with a tsunami and earthquake coincident with nuclear
reactor failure) illustrated how quickly and terribly catastrophic
such events can be.
For the past several years, and for good reason, the U.S. govern-
ment has had radio and television public service announcements
(PSAs) for their Ready campaign.
We examine some citizen preparedness recommendations from
DHS and FEMA, their approach to public education, and their basic
emergency supply kit. And we expose the folly of their recommen-
dation for citizens preparing themselves for post-radiation exposure.

Backwards Logic
For starters, lets review their overall message to the public. The
philosophy they advocate is to be Ready by (1) getting a kit, (2)
making a plan, and (3) being informed.
Were going to immediately suggest that you evaluate the need
for your own emergency response to be distinctly separate from
the governments. In fact, right from the start, its sequence of
recommendations imprints on the public an upside down logic to
getting ready. You should get yourself informed first, not last. Then
you can make informed decisions in forming your own plans.
No plan is a bad idea. But someone elses plan (i.e. the govern-
ment) is also a bad idea. Why do you need to construct your own
carefully considered plans? Because only you not the government
or strangers truly know your familys situation and how to custom-
ize a disaster response that fits your needs and region. (Once formu-
lated, your emergency plan should be rehearsed regularly.)
cpurser/istockphoto.com

Fact No. 1: The government doesnt have a plan for you. It has one
for the masses.
Fact No. 2: You do not want to be a guest of the government plan.
SUMMER 2014

Why do you need plans in 2014? Because when SHTF, it may

turn your world upside down and it may happen very quickly.

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Emergency Supplies
Only after educating yourself and developing your own Whos Checking FEMAs Checklist?
The following is what the government recommends for a basic emergency supply kit.
plans can you then logically assemble your kit(s). Your kit But the list is not prioritized, lacks specifcity, and doesnt explain how to pack the items.
should contain items to execute your plans and support
your will to survive. And diferent plans require diferent kits. Water, 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for
Importantly, nowhere in Ready.gov is there any education drinking and sanitation
to explain time-sensitive survival priorities and objectives when Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
dealing with crisis situations what I call the 60s concept:
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio
60-SECOND PLAN: Immediate survival with tone alert and extra batteries for both
60-MINUTE PLAN: Medium-term concerns
Flashlight and extra batteries
60-HOUR PLAN: Longer-term survival
First-aid kit
What items on FEMAs list address each of these distinct
timeframes? Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask, to help flter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and
duct tape to shelter in place
60s Survival Concept Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Diferent threats, diferent plans. Wrench or pliers to turn of utilities
Understand your survival priorities and objective in time.
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Match survival threats in time = survival solutions in time.
Local maps
Your frst plan must be to survive in place.
Your plans should not be a suicide letter as your Cell phones and chargers
objectives in time change, so should your plans.
Lets discuss some of the items on DHSs list.
SURVIVAL OBJECTIVES
DUST MASK: Unfortunately, they dont make any recom-
60 SECS 60 MINS mendations of speci ic masks or even types to consider.
TO TO 60+ HRS But we will the 3M N100 iltration mask is an inexpensive
60 MINS 60 HRS roughly 150-hour solution that is efective not only for
airborne radiation, but also biological threats such as anthrax,
Ability to Ability to Ability to continue
in luenza, and SARS.
Respirate Hydrate Communicating Were the most advanced country on the planet and our
Communicate Navigate Illuminating government cannot make recommendations to protect your
Illuminate Regenerate Locating breathing? The U.S. Coast Guard approves products and
Locate and Medicate Navigating devices (e.g. life jackets and ire extinguishers) that are man-
navigate dated for civilian marine safety inspections, and even have
Float Surviving
Will to survive approved simple survival ishing kits. Yet the DHS and FEMA
have nothing for us on masks. And just try and locate a mask
for an infant or child under 6 years of age.
Lets examine the DHSs recommended basic emer-
gency supply kit. Just as with the illogical sequence of
how to get ready, their list is not prioritized at all. Most
of you reading these pages may recognize misplaced
priorities; however, the average citizen might be led
astray. Furthermore, every item on the list appears just as
important as another. It would have been helpful for the
DHS to o fer their ranking of the relative importance of
the various items, as well as recommendations on how to
pack the kit.
 READY
DOT GOV

A good respiratory filtration mask, like the N-100 HEPA (High

Eficiency Particulate Air) can provide a number of protections:
Radiation (uranium and plutonium) inhalation exposure threat
Viral biologic inhalation exposure threats (smallpox, SARS,
influenza)
Bacterial biologic exposure threats (anthrax)
Aerosolized debris to 0.3 microns
Inhalation of gross-contaminant debris
Liquids and non-oil-based liquid sprays
Metal fumes
Reduced humidified respiratory heat loss

FLASHLIGHT AND BATTERIES: An LED-based flashlight,

rather than one that uses incandescent light bulbs, has a lot
of advantage: The LED is more shock resistant, has more
lumens of output, and is more eficient, allowing longer
flashlight runtimes. In addition, we recommend lithium rather
than alkaline batteries for superior device performance
and battery life, a 30-percent weight savings over alkaline
batteries, and a longer shelf life (about 10 years). Check out
the Spring 2014 edition of OFFGRID for a handy guide to
everyday-carry flashlights.

WEATHER RADIO: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) does not make specific recom-
mendations, but their website has a list of manufacturers
whose radios have been evaluated and approved by the
National Weather Service. They recommend that folks look
for receivers with the Public Alert and/or the NOAA Weather
Radio (NWR) All Hazards logo. Even better, see our guide to
emergency radios on page 62.
FOOD: As we discuss in depth in Food for Thought, on
page 108, you dont need a sandwich to survive! However,
there is no need to reinvent the wheel either.
Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) provide about 1,200 calories
each, with a wide variety of entre choices fortified with nutri-
ents. They weigh 18 to 26 ounces depending on the entre,
complete with biodegradable napkins, eating utensils, flame-
less ration heaters, and beverage bags. While not intended to
be eaten for more than 21 days in a row, MREs are incredibly
convenient, with a three-year shelf life and packaging that
can be dropped out of a plane. No can openers required and
a moist towelette is also included thats two less items from
the DHSs ready list! Break out your copy of the debut issue
of OFFGRID for our guide to MREs.
rather than end up in line waiting for them to be distributed
post-crisis by the National Guard. If you can believe it, this is
an example of the government actually having developed a
great product, but not making it readily available to you.
We mustnt neglect to mention breast-feeding, natures
infant MRE. Unlike formula, it doesnt require potable water,
protects against infection, and is nutritious and theres
no special packaging required. The World Health Organiza-
tion (WHO) and UNICEF have long strongly recommended
breast-feeding in crises.
We dont have enough space in this article to critique
every single item on the list, but an obvious omission is
eye protection. High-speed airborne debris as well as thick,
stagnant air particulates are common in disaster scenarios.
Sept. 11 survivors not only sufered lung-inhalation injuries, 27
percent had significant eye injuries. Health care workers at-
tending Joplin, Missouri, tornado survivors reported a similar
experience.
In addition, you might consider swapping moist towelettes
on the list for a heavy pair of work gloves. They are useful to
SUMMER 2014

MREs should be sold in grocery stores, big-box stores, move about or remove sharp objects, such as broken glass
and so forth. This would help citizens to prepare in advance, to make your way to safety.

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SUMMER 2014
Going Nuclear
In 1979, after the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant
accident in Pennsylvania, President Carter transferred the
federal lead role in ofsite radiological emergency planning
and preparedness to FEMA. The Radiological Emergency
Preparedness Program was then established to protect the
health and safety of citizens living around commercial nucle-
ar power plants and to inform and educate the public about
related emergency preparedness. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) remained responsible for onsite activities.
DHS subsequently developed guidance (Planning Guid-
ance for Response to a Nuclear
Detonation, 2nd edition, June
2010, available as a PDF download
at: http://tinyurl.com/l4jteyk) for a
wide range of possible terrorism
scenarios, from a small radiological
dispersal device (RDD) that might
impact a single building to an im-
provised nuclear device (IND) that
could potentially afect a
large geographic re-
gion. It states, One of the most catastrophic
incidents that could befall the U.S. would
be a nuclear detonation in a U.S. city and it is
incumbent for private parties to prepare for this
incident.
In 2010, a Federal response simulation exercise to
such an incident with 10,000 emergency responders
was scheduled for Las Vegas. After protests from business
leaders and Nevada Senator Harry Reid, the exercise was
MichaelUtech/istockphoto.com
cancelled. What do we always advise in the pages of this
magazine? To train and practice. If emergency personnel are
not able to practice, how much comfort does that give you?
In the former Soviet states of Georgia (2010) and Moldova
(2011), oficials seized weapons-grade nuclear material such
materials remain in illegal circulation on the black market,
where they are vulnerable to smugglers and potential ter-
rorists. Not to mention the Fukushima calamity in 2011. But
in 2011 DHS made a statement, We have worked out the
details of this in several tabletop exercises. Well, that makes
us feel a lot better
There are 104 nuclear reactors in the United States. If one
of them lost both primary and backup power for even a
matter of hours, it could lead to a meltdown and an airborne
radioactive plume. In fact, five nuclear power plants had
emergency shutdowns in 2011:
Calvert Clifs - Lusby, Maryland (due to hurricane)
North Anna - Louisa, Virginia (due to earthquake)
Ft. Calhoun - Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska (due to flooding)
Browns Ferry - Athens, Alabama (due to tornado)
Surry - Surry, Virginia (due to tornado)
Operational Nuclear Power Plant Sites
Earlier this year, the DHS participated in @tomic 2014,
an international exercise on preventing nuclear terrorism,
exploring various potential nuclear security scenarios on a
global scale, including smuggling and the threat of terrorism.
The Domestic Nuclear Detection Ofice at DHS focuses on
preventing a nuclear or radiological terrorist attack against
the United States. While still a so-called tabletop exercise,
the DHS collaborated with international partners to help
build global counter-nuclear smuggling capabilities. To date,
however, no full-scale practice for FEMAs citizen plan has
There are 104
nuclear reactors yet occurred.
in the United
States.

Heres what you can expect from the government. Ac-
cording to the 2010 Guidance document, There will be no
significant Federal response at the scene for 24 hours and the
full extent of Federal assets will not be able for up to 72 hours.
Emergency response is principally a local function [Editors
note: this means you!]. Federal assistance will be mobilized as
rapidly as possible; however, for purposes of this document,
no significant Federal response is assumed for 2472 hours.
The DHS also emphasizes the importance of taking potas-
sium iodide (KI) in advance of exposure to radioiodine. Dig-
ging deeper, the FDA advises that KI should be administered
before or at the same time as exposure to any radioactive
cloud though there may still be protective benefit three to
four hours after exposure. But there are no recommenda-
tions to obtain KI, and in fact, the DHS warns that Federal
response could take up to three days. That doesnt sound
like a good idea.
KI is not even a prescription. Sold over the counter by its
brand name iOSAT, KI tablets are easily purchased on the Inter-
net for less than $10, have a shelf-life of seven years, and could be
readily available for potential radiation exposure victims to take
when directed by public health authorities. Contrary to the FDA,
even the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) website
states that, administering KI can be a reasonable, prudent, and
inexpensive supplement to in-place sheltering and evacuation.
So why isnt it in the recommended first-aid kit? The gov-
ernment recommends taking KI within three hours, but plans
to provide assistance in three days. Dont wait for the govern-
ment to get a clue; include KI in your emergency planning.
Note: KI isnt safe for everyone. Consult with your physician
first to see if its right for your kit.
Personal Protection
How about Ready.govs advice on protecting yourself?
Well just give you a quote from their recommendations
about weapons:
The recommendations Ready.gov provides are intended
READY
DOT GOV
Urban Shield
Although widespread practice in response to major disasters at the civil-
ian level doesnt happen enough (or at all), its good to know that some agen-
cies have taken it upon themselves to get the practice they need to efective-
ly serve the public. The Alameda County Sherifs Ofce in California hosts
an event called Urban Shield. It is a large-scale training exercise involving
local, national, and international frst-responder agencies. The scenarios
and exercises incorporate fre, land- and water-based search-and-rescue,
hazmat, law enforcement, EMS, public works, Cal Trans, rail, and commu-
nity emergency response teams. Its purpose is to incorporate the principles
from the National Response Framework (NRF) to assist all frst responders to
prepare for a unifed response to disasters and major emergencies. For more
information on Urban Shield, check out www.urbanshield.org.
to be the essential items every individual would need for the
first 72 hours after a disaster, weapons are not considered
among these items. Citizens are encouraged to customize
their kits to accommodate their unique considerations; if
you feel such items are necessary for 72 hours after a disas-
ter you should modify your emergency kit accordingly.
Its pretty obvious what we think of that. You need only
recall the widespread lawlessness in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina to decide for yourself if a weapon is essential.
Parting Words
In addition to personal security, FEMA and DHS dont
address potential biological or chemical threats. If indeed the
Ready.gov objective is to prepare as many citizens in advance
of crisis, boost their survivability, and lessen dependence on
government services, why not ofer a thorough and carefully
crafted Ready Kit for sale at afordable prices and via com-
mon retailers? The gift basket industry has it right ofer all
the desired products in one easy-to-purchase package to
overcome the inherent procrastination and laziness of our
species. Surely Americas brightest minds can do better.
About The Author:
Dr. M. Dufy is a surgeon and veteran Navy Gulf War special opera-
tions-qualifed medical ofcer with mission deployments to desert and
coastal Africa. He is certifed in survival mindset and is an expert in
time-sensitive human survival strategies, mass casualty triage protocols,
SUMMER 2014
and survival kit construction.
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 079
 TICK
TOCK
YOU DONT
STOP By Martin Anders
Timepieces for Daily and Survival Use Photography by Michael Grey

I
t takes a licking and keeps on ticking was a slogan
coined by a watch company over 60 years ago.
The motto may be old, but the idea it presents is as
pertinent as ever. A reliable daily-worn wristwatch is an
indispensible tool to have in just about any situation you
might encounter. During mundane times, you can reference it to count down
the minutes until your lunch break. In more challenging times, you can use
it to do everything from guiding yourself out of the wilderness to calculating
the ETA to an objective. With so many watches available on the market, how
do you go about selecting which one is right for you?

Backup (Two Is One )

Firstly, we suggest that you have more than one watch at your disposal.
That piece of advice is more than just an excuse for you to go buy cool new
toys although it can serve as a bonus reason, we wont snitch on you.
Having backups for any type of equipment is always a prudent move, espe-
cially when you have the responsibility of planning for the unknown. The ob-
vious reason you want to have extra watches readily available is in case one
malfunctions or breaks. The other is that if one powers down for one reason
or another, its very likely that your backup will still be going. In a survival situ-
ation, you probably wont have the luxury of asking a passerby what time it
is. You have to supply that info for yourself. After you remedy the inoperable
watch by changing its battery, winding its action, or charging it back to full
power, you can reference your backup watch to get the correct time.
Selection
There are probably hundreds of thousands of watches
floating around. Some are inexpensive dime-store models,
and some can cost as much as a luxury car. Where do you
begin your search? The key is to keep in mind that you are
looking for a watch with features that suit your particular
needs and is tough enough to survive abuse. Other factors
to consider are what type of power it runs on, your budget,
and its style (this final factor is important to some, less
important to others). Lets examine some of the criteria that
you want to look out for.
Toughness
How does the watch fare in your intended environment?
How much abuse can it take? All the elements of nature
apply here your watch should be able to withstand at least
a moderate to extreme amount of heat, cold, sand, water,
moisture, and impact force. You want a unit that you can rely
on and that can take punishment. This criteria might be hard
to figure out though, without actually abusing it yourself.
Some external factors to weigh are the manufacturers
reputation and warranty policies. Sure, if all hell is breaking
loose, youre not going to call them for a warranty repair.
But if a company ofers a solid warranty and has a good
reputation for making watches that stand up to abuse, at
least you know they have confidence that their product will
most likely function as intended. When in doubt, test it out
yourself by performing your own endurance tests.
Power
How is the watch powered? Mechanical watches require
either manual or automatic winding for them to stay
powered. Thats great because you dont need anything
but yourself to power it. It also means you shouldnt forget
to wind it.
There are battery and solar types as well. Extra watch
batteries are small and easily carried, so you should always
have some in your pack of supplies. If things get apocalyp-
tic, watch batteries would probably be near the last to be
scavenged and might be easier to find than more common
varieties. If you do opt for a battery-powered watch, also be
sure that its easily replaceable and doesnt require special
tools to do so.
Solar watches can oftentimes be charged by artificial light
in addition to natural sunlight. They can run for months and
months on end between charges so if you crawl in a cave to
hibernate, you neednt worry about charging your watch for
a long time.
Features
All watches tell time after all, thats their primary func-
tion. Looking past that, youll find watches that can do
everything from telling you where you are via GPS to letting
you know when the next storm is coming by forecasting the
weather. Whats your altitude on that mountain? What tem-
perature is it? It also does you no good if your watch can tell
you 30 diferent pieces of information, but you dont know
how to access and understand them. Learn about what
features a watch ofers, weigh that with what your needs are,
and how you can use that information to your advantage.
Lets take the barometer function for example. Many
watches ofer it, but do you know how it can be used? It
measures atmospheric pressure, and one use for it is to gen-
erally tell what weather trends you are about to encounter. It
gets complicated, but the basics are that by monitoring the
rising and falling trends of a barometer, you can generally
tell that a storm might be approaching (continuously falling
barometer reading) or that better weather is likely to come
(rising barometer). Truly understanding the many functions
of your watch is imperative.
Do you want a digital display or an old-fashioned big-
hand/little-hand analog model? Those are all personal
choices that youll have to make. Digital displays are easier
to read with a quick glance, and some like having hands
so that they can be used as a makeshift compass (see No
Compass, No GPS, No Problem in OFFGRID Winter 2014).
Some ofer both. The choice is yours.
Budget
You dont need to break the bank to find a quality watch.
There are plenty of afordable models that are dependable
and have useful features. Keep that in mind if youre getting
a backup or two in conjunction with your primary wrist-
mounted clock. Sure, it would be nice to have several nice
watches in your stable if you have the scratch, but its not
necessary.
Style
Were not above saying that style counts. There are those
out there that will say function trumps form every time, and
were certainly in agreement with that. But we also appre-
ciate a good-looking timepiece and say that a little style
doesnt hurt either. Consider all of the above factors when
selecting a watch and also pick one that you like the look of
as well. After all, youll have it for a long time to come and will
SUMMER 2014
be looking at it at least a few times a day. You might as well
pick one thats easy on the eyes.
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MAKE & MODEL

SOLAR
Casio
Pathfnder PAG240B
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.92 in

BAND MATERIAL
Resin/cloth

POWER TYPE
Solar rechargeable battery (non-replaceable)

RUNTIME
6 months (without further exposure to light)

WEIGHT
2.3 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
100m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Solar power
Triple sensor (altimeter/barometer, thermometer, digital
compass)
Sunrise and sunset data

MSRP
$250

URL
www.casio.com

NOTES
Casios excellent reputation in the world of durable
multi-function watches has long been cemented with
its successful lines, including the well-known G-Shock
and Pathfnder. This entry has been on the market for
some time under the Pathfnder line, which has been
renamed Pro Trek, and its popularity with outdoorsmen
and survivalists alike is well earned. The PAG240B, along
with its various siblings, are lightweight, boast a plethora
of features, and powered by light. The model shown here
features a resin/cloth band that seems tougher than
leather yet is very comfortable on the wrist. Its compass
bezel rotates and its function buttons are easy to access
without the risk of accidental activation.
Pros: Durability, triple sensor functions, solar power,
lightweight
Cons: Price
 TICK TOCK YOU
DONT STOP

MAKE & MODEL

Garmin
tactix
GPS
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.95 in

BAND MATERIAL
Elastomer

POWER TYPE
USB rechargeable battery (non-replaceable)
RUNTIME
50 hours (GPS mode) / 3 weeks (sensor mode) /
5 weeks (watch mode)
WEIGHT
3.2 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
50m

STANDOUT FEATURES
GPS positioning
Automatic calibrating altimeter, barometer, and three-
axis compass
1,000 Waypoints and TracBac navigation

MSRP
$450

URL
buy.garmin.com

NOTES
The most high-tech watch in this guide, the Garmin
tactix GPS watch is inspired by the Special Forces and
their needs out in the feld. Its packed with features,
including sun and moon information, a hunting and
fshing calendar, alarm clock, vibration alerts, choice
of tones, a timer, stopwatch, world clock with auto-
matic time-zone calibration, and even Jumpmaster
software for skydivers. The tactixs metal surfaces
are coated in black to be non-refective, and its
curved glass lens is scratch and glare resistant. It can
store 1,000 waypoints and take you back to where
you started with its TracBac navigation capability.
Pros: GPS functionality, TracBac navigation, durability
Cons: Low battery runtime, price, requires USB
charging, watchcase is very thick at 0.7 inch

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MAKE & MODEL

Luminox ANALOG
Recon NAV SPC A.8832.MI
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.81 in

BAND MATERIAL
Polyurethane

POWER TYPE
Battery (replaceable)

RUNTIME
5 years

WEIGHT
2.5 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
200m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Tachometer is scaled to measure walking speeds
Rotating one-way diver bezel
Removable analog compass

MSRP
$495

URL
www.luminox.com

NOTES
The Recon NAV SPC A.8832.MI is built with land
navigation in mind. Unlike other watches that
have tachometers that are calibrated to measure
how fast vehicles are travelling, the one on the
A.8832.MI is scaled down to easily measure
walking speeds. Also, sticking to its land-nav
theme, its band contains a removable direction-
fnding compass. Its hands and hour markers are
embedded with what Luminox calls Night Vision
Tubes, which glow and allow the watch to be
readily utilized at night. The tubes do not require
recharging and are rated to last 25 years. The
watchcase is made of tough, shock-resistant,
carbon-reinforced polycarbonate and is capped
with a scratch-resistant sapphire glass covered
in an anti-refective coating.
Pros: Ruggedness, waterproof down to 200 me-
ters, bright Night Vision Tubes, compass
Cons: Price, lack of more functions
 TICK TOCK YOU
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MAKE & MODEL

Resco Instruments ANALOG
The Bullfrog, Sterile - SS
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.66 in

BAND MATERIAL
Nylon

POWER TYPE
Mechanical (self-winding)

RUNTIME
unlisted

WEIGHT
3.9 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
500m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Self-winding mechanism with ball bearing rotor
INCABLOC shock absorber
316L stainless steel bead-blasted case

MSRP
$2,105

URL
www.rescoinstruments.com

NOTES
Owned and operated by a Navy SEAL, Resco is in
the business of building handmade, sleek, simple,
and rugged timepieces. The Bullfrog is built to
honor the frogmen of yesteryear as well as those
who serve today. It is designed to be just as tough
as the men for whom it was designed. Taking
inspiration from the Elgin Canteen, the frst watch
issued to the Teams, it features a canteen-style
hinged crown. The Bullfrog features a scratch-
resistant domed sapphire crystal that is 3mm
thick and has an anti-refective coating.
Pros: Toughness, 500m water-resistance depth,
bright glow-in-the dark hands and hour markers,
interchangeable wrist straps
Cons: Price, lack of advanced functions

SUMMER 2014

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MAKE & MODEL

SOLAR
Seiko
Core SSC095
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.75 in

BAND MATERIAL
Metal

POWER TYPE
Solar rechargeable battery (non-replaceable)

RUNTIME
6 months (without further exposure to light)

WEIGHT
5.5 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
100m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Solar power
Chronograph (60-min stopwatch, 12-hr alarm,
1/5-sec split time measurement)
Date calendar

MSRP
$395

URL
www.seikousa.com

NOTES
The analog Seiko Core SSC095 chronograph
never needs batteries, because its powered
by advanced solar technology that can accept
charging from not only solar light, but artifcial
light as well. It contains energy depletion fore-
warning and overcharging prevention functions
that help keep its manganese titanium-lithium
rechargeable battery at peak effciency. The
SSC095 is quartz regulated so its very accurate.
This sharp-looking timepiece features Seikos
Black Ion fnish.
Pros: Solar power, metal construction, chrono-
graph functions
Cons: No advanced functions, price
 TICK TOCK YOU
DONT STOP

MAKE & MODEL

Suunto DIGITAL
Core All Black
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.93 in

BAND MATERIAL
Elastomer

POWER TYPE
Battery (replaceable)

RUNTIME
unlisted

WEIGHT
2.26 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
30m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Altimeter, barometer, compass
Storm alarm
Depth meter for snorkeling/diving

MSRP
$299

URL
www.suunto.com

NOTES
Another company with a great reputation with
sportsmen and survivalists is Suunto. These
watches are worn by combat troops worldwide,
which should attest to their durability. The Core
series of watches arent the new kids on the
block; theyve been fne tuned over the years to
provide rugged and reliable service in various
environments. Its mineral glass crystal is scratch
resistant, and its battery is easily user replace-
able without special tools.
Pros: Functionality, tough build, no special tools
required for battery replacement
Cons: This black-face version can be hard to read
in certain light, even with its backlight on. Price.

SUMMER 2014

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SUMMER 2014

MAKE & MODEL

Humvee DIGITAL
Recon (Olive Drab)
FACE DIMENSIONS
1.5 x 2 in

BAND MATERIAL
Nylon

POWER TYPE
Battery (replaceable)

RUNTIME
unlisted

WEIGHT
1.7 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
50m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Shock-resistant body
Countdown-stop timer, three alarms, 22-city world clock
Scratch-resistant face

MSRP
$40

URL
www.humvee.com

NOTES
With its polymer body and durable nylon and Velcro-style
strap, the Humvee Recon feels like it can take a beat-
ing and then some. It features an easy-to-read large
EL-backlit face that clearly displays plenty of information
in all selected modes. For the price, it can fll the spot as a
great budget primary or backup timepiece.
Pros: Price, durability, chronograph functionality MAKE & MODEL
Cons: Can use some more functions Smith & Wesson ANALOG
Pilot Chronograph Watch
BEZEL DIAMETER
1.55 in

BAND MATERIAL
Metal

POWER TYPE
Battery (replaceable)

RUNTIME
unlisted

WEIGHT
3.8 oz

WATER RESISTANCE
30m

STANDOUT FEATURES
Chronograph
Date calendar
Glow-in-the-dark hands and hour markers

MSRP
$90

URL
www.campco.com

NOTES
The Smith & Wesson Pilot Chronograph Watch is a
no-frills chronograph-style analog watch. It features a
tachometer that is marked around the dial ring as well as
60-second, 6-minute, and 24-hour subdials.
Pros: Metal construction, bright glow-in-the dark hands,
anti-refective fnish
Cons: Battery requires special tool to replace
090 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
BOUND &
DETERMINED
K
idnappings are an all-too-real situation
both at home and abroad. Whether youre
an overseas contractor, a deckhand on a
freighter in unfriendly waters, or a tourist
in a foreign country who wandered into
the wrong part of town, the unfortunate reality is that the
fate of unlawful abductions and incarcerations can often be
the worst kind. Whats even more discouraging is that the
availability of training for the average person to deal with
these kinds of situations is limited at best.
Assume neither Liam Neeson nor anyone else is going to
find and free you. Youre on your own. So in the event you
are taken by unknown assailants and restrained, what can
you do to escape?
The variables that can occur in these situations are
only limited by your imagination. You may be blindfolded,
gagged, partially or fully undressed, in the same room
with your captors or alone, and bound in various diferent
ways with various diferent materials. Since we cant cover
every possibility, weve spoken to a few experts on what
to do to free yourself from common restraints (handcufs,
duct tape, rope, and zip ties) and staged a few situations to
demonstrate ways to possibly break out of these restraints.
Take a look at these methods and arm yourself with the self-
reliance that could very well save your life.
Preparation
Kevin Reeve whose company, onPoint Tactical LLC,
ofers courses in tracking, survival, escape, and evasion skills
says kidnappings are typically motivated by three factors:
profit, political reasons, and ideological reasons (such as
religion). You may not realize it, but you may fit one of these
criteria just by traveling in an unsafe area. Take the time to
familiarize yourself with where you are going. Know where
the closest military bases, embassies, and consulates are
located. After you escape, you will need to find a safe haven
thatll ofer asylum and enable you to contact help. If you are
captured within the United States, finding a fire station or
Techniques to
Break Free From
a Kidnappers Restraints
By John Schwartze
Photos by Mark Saint
police station would also sufice; however, these facilities may provide little protec-
tion in foreign countries.
Landmarks can help you navigate. For example, if you are going to Paris,
finding the Eifel Tower on the horizon and knowing where it is in relation to safe
locations is recommended. See the article No Compass, No GPS, No Problem in
the Winter 2014 issue of OFFGRID. The U.S. Department of State also ofers travel
advisories and warnings on its website (www.state.gov). Familiarize yourself with
these before traveling abroad. Knowing danger zones and avoiding a potentially
life-threatening situation to begin with is the most efective tool you can have.
Reeve also suggests carrying small and discreet tools that can help facilitate an
escape, as well as having them in several tiers if some are confiscated. I have a
lock pick set in my pocket, one in the back of a search-and-rescue belt, and then
I have other picks sewn into pads on my clothing. If they take my shoes and belt,
Ill still have three tiers: pocket, belt, and inside the clothes. There are three or four
restraint escape devices that I also carry. Usually a handcuf key, a V cutter on a
string, and a diamond rod, which is a diamond-coated wire about a 1 32 of an inch
thick and 3 inches long, Reeve says. This may seem excessive, but in survival
situations its all about having as many advantages as possible. Well discuss
resources that sell these tools in a bit.
Time is of the essence. As time progresses, the quality of your incarceration
increases, says Reeve. The sooner you can escape, the better your odds of sur-
vival. The more time passes, the more dificult escape becomes.
Passive Resistance
When you are forced to surrender to your captors, Reeve suggests passive
resistance techniques to help stack the odds in your favor without your captors
knowing it. Do not act threatening to your kidnappers or look them in the eyes.
Generally the more compliant you are at this stage, the better it is for you, says
Reeve. You can also try to persuade your captors to bind your hands where you
can see your restraints and therefore have an easier time breaking out of them.
Present your hands in front of you hoping your captors will accept that arrange-
ment, says Craig Sawyer, a former Navy SEAL with experience in running high-
threat mobile security operations.
Orient yourself. Are you alone? If so, what is in the room that you can reach and
use to escape? What are you bound with? If you cant see it, feel it to get a better
idea. Does anything around you have hard or sharp edges, such as a closet track,
door, wall corner, or table? Is there anything on the floor such as paper clips or
pens? You have to use everything at your disposal that may help free you.
DISCLAIMER
The techniques described in this article are for the
purposes of gaining freedom from kidnappings and
SUMMER 2014

unlawful incarcerations only. Escaping from lawful

custody is illegal.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 091
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Handcufs
Handcufs tend to be a bit generic. One key may work
on a variety of diferent handcuf types. Smith & Wesson
Model 100 handcufs account for about 60 percent of the
market. The reason is because people have to transfer pris-
oners and they dont want a special key for each one, says
Reeve. First, if your cufs are not in front of you, try to bring
them out in front of you. This is far better for numerous
reasons: increased mobility, the fact that you can easily see
and manipulate your restraints, your reach is increased, you
can fire weapons if the opportunity arises, etc., says Sawyer.
Arm and torso length varies from person to person, and
it may not be possible for you to bring the cufs in front of
A bobby pin or small,
thin piece of metal you. If your hands are stuck behind your back, youll need to
can be fashioned into figure out the orientation of the locking mechanism. Is the
a lock pick by bend- keyhole facing your hands or your elbow? Is the cuf double
ing one end of it into a
or single locked? Once you establish this, youll have a better
shape that resembles
a hand crank. understanding of how to manipulate the lock.
The next step is finding or making a tool. Assuming you
dont have a cuf key available, a bobby pin or small, thin
piece of metal can be fashioned into a lock pick by bending
one end of it into a shape that resembles a hand crank. You
can use the keyhole to help bend it into the appropriate
shape. A thin piece of metal called a shim can also be used.
The metal clip of a pen cap can be broken of and used as a
shim. If youre double locked, youll have to use a bobby pin
or something like it to open the cufs. If youre single locked,
you can shim or bobby pin the lock open.
DOUBLE LOCK: If the cufs have been double
locked, put the bobby pin in the keyhole facing
the other side, opposite of where the cufs will
open and move it to release the double lock.
Then turn the pin around and repeat what
youd do in a single lock situation by turning it
to release the ratchet.
SINGLE LOCK: Insert the
bobby pin into the narrow USING A SHIM: Push a shim between the teeth
part of the keyhole, bend the and the ratchet, leave the shim in place, then
pin down toward the side turn your wrist to push the toothed end of the
where the cufs will open, cuf open.
and this will release the
ratchet to open the cufs.
Slide your hands forward
toward your captor as your
cufs are applied with the
intention of them being
fastened around your
forearms. This way the
cufs will be closed loosely,
and you may have enough
room to pull your hands
through the opening.
Another method is try to slide your hands forward toward
your captor as your cufs are applied with the intention of
them being fastened around your forearms. This way the
cufs will be closed loosely, and you may have enough room
to pull your hands through the opening. Enlarging your
wrists may also cause the cufs to be closed loosely. The
technique is to align your wrists and flex them in a manner
that causes the restraints to be loose once you relax and
change the angle. Basically, put your wrists next to each
other and make fists. Once the restraints are applied, relax,
realign, and attempt to slip out, says Sawyer.
To escape using some sort of lock-picking device takes
some practice. By using a diamond rod, you may also be able
to saw through the cuf chains by working it back and forth.
With enough practice, you can use any of these techniques
to escape in a reasonable amount of time. Having a diagram
of the internal workings of cufs or cutaway cufs that have
a piece of plastic where the top piece of metal goes is also a
great teaching aid to practice with. We must also reiterate that
escaping from lawful custody is illegal, and these techniques
are for unlawful abductions and incarcerations only.
Zip Ties/FlexiCufs
Zip ties and FlexiCufs, which are generally made of nylon
or plastic, can be broken or loosened with enough force and
are also susceptible to friction. With a fair amount of upper
body strength and a wide enough body, if your hands are

Bring your hands
above your head and
jerk them down in a
quick motion with your
elbows of to your sides.
With enough force you
can break the zip ties.
bound in front of you by zip ties or nylon cufs, bring your
hands above your head and jerk them down in a quick mo-
tion with your elbows of to your sides. With enough force
you can break them. Once the zip ties are on, wait for a
period when youre left alone and twist your wrists against
the bands of the zip ties to break them. Turn, relax, and
wiggle your hands to try to slip out of the zip ties, attempt to
push the internal metal locking blade of the zip ties down to
unlock and remove them, Sawyer says.
By using something hard that creates enough friction,
such as the corner of a door, wall, or table, you may also be
able to work the binds back and forth over the edge until
youve broken through them. Shoelaces made of paracord
or Kevlar string are heat resistant enough to be used as
a saw to break out of nylon or plastic binds. Sorry, regular
cotton shoelaces wont do the trick. If you still have and
Shoelaces made of paracord
or Kevlar string are heat re-
sistant enough to be used as
a saw to break out of nylon
or plastic binds.
BOUND AND
DETERMINED
can reach your shoes, you can unlace them, tie the strings
together, tie a loop on both ends to slip your toes into, and in
a bicycle motion move the string or cord back and forth to
burn through the material.
Put your knuckles
Rope and wrists together
and then pull your
A passive resistance technique Reeve recommends is hands toward your
presenting your hands in such a way that you cross your chest and push your
wrists in front of you and then rotate the lower wrist about elbows out, creating a
big gap between your
45 degrees to create a space when you put your wrists
wrists. When you
back parallel. Another option is to put your knuckles and bring your elbows
wrists together and then pull your hands toward your chest back in together,
and push your elbows out. From the captors perspective youve created a
huge amount of
it looks like Im being very cooperative, and my wrists and looseness.
hands are close together, but Im creating a big gap between
my wrists by having my elbows out, Reeve says. When you
bring your elbows back in together, youve created a huge
amount of looseness. Try and create as much space in the
rope as you can.
When you bring your wrists together, rotate your wrists
back and forth to stretch the rope and then start pulling on
one strand with your teeth to loosen it. Take up as much
slack as you can, then do the same thing and work your
wrists again until you have stretched it. Pull that loop repeat-
edly until you can wiggle your hands out.
If your hands are bound at your sides and you have rope
wrapped around you, you can wiggle until the rope moves
from the wider part of your body to the narrowest part.
You can also ball your hands into fists and keep your fists
against your thighs as youre being tied so you create space
between your forearm and your body. As with cufs and zip
SUMMER 2014
ties, try and resist in a way your captors cant detect that will
enable you some degree of looseness.
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DETERMINED
SUMMER 2014

Rope can also be cut through using
paracord, Kevlar string, or a diamond rod
if you have it hidden on you. Also, as with
zip ties, finding a hard surface to work the
rope back and forth against until youve
burned through or loosened it will help you
escape. Phone and electrical cords are also
commonly used in home invasions because
theyre readily available, but can also be cut
through using the friction method.
Duct Tape
Believe it or not, duct tape can be fairly
easy to tear and escape from. If you can take
Find a corner to control of the situation passively enough to have your hands
rub the tape up and
bound in front of you, put your forearms together. As op-
down against until it
begins to tear. posed to rope where you bring your hands in and elbows out
to create slack, you want duct tape to be tightly bound so that
comms. The next priority is to make plans to get home by
finding transportation,. Reeve says.
You obviously need to know the city, back streets, which
neighborhoods are permissive/non-permissive, how all
methods of public transportation work there, alternate
means of communication, any friendly allies there and how
to contact them, plans on where to go, and how to establish
contact with friendlies once on the run, etc., says Sawyer.
Tools of the Trade
Previously wed mentioned companies that provide restraint
escape and lock-picking devices that will help you escape from
unlawful custody. Purchasing non-metallic tools may also give
you an advantage if you are searched with a metal detector.
You can create your own escape and evasion belt with a hid-
den compartment containing the tools mentioned previously.
Here are companies that provide these types of tools:
www.serepick.com
www.lockpicktools.com

Danger
you can have the most leverage later so extend your arms
and put your hands out to get them close together. Like with Taking a course in escape and evasion is highly recom-

Zones zip ties, if you have enough upper body strength, bring your
hands up over your head and slam your elbows over your
mended. Practice these techniques at home. Doing so may
shave precious minutes of the amount of time you may
According to data ribcage. It will begin to tear the tape. Once you start the tear, be kidnapped and held unlawfully. Just as is the case in
provided by Control you can keep it going. If that doesnt work, find a corner to rub Navy SEAL operations, Sawyer says, Proper prior planning
Risks, an independent,
the tape up and down against until it begins to tear. prevents piss poor performance.
specialist risk consul-
If youre bound to an object, such as a chair, put pressure
tancy with ofces on
fve continents, here are on the tape by twisting instead of lifting. If your arms are par- SOURCES
allel with the arms of a chair youre bound to, turn your arms Kevin Reeve > www.onpointtactical.com
the top 20 countries
Craig Sawyer > www.tacticalinsider.com
leading the world in 90 degrees to tear the tape. If your legs are bound together,
kidnappings for ransom bend over and put your hands together like youre praying,
as of September 2013.
then put your hands between your knees and shove. Youll
1. Mexico put enough tension on your legs to tear the tape. If that
2. India
doesnt work, you can start a tear using the friction method.
3. Nigeria
4. Pakistan
5. Venezuela Escaping
6. Lebanon Escape and evasion techniques are very specific to your
7. Philippines situation and too detailed to address here. However, here are
8. Afghanistan a few guidelines to know if you are able to flee your captors.
9. Colombia
The first priority is to get as far away as you can. But running
10. Iraq
can bring attention to yourself, says Reeve. Try to blend in
11. Syria
12. Guatemala with the locals. Second priority is to attend to yourself medi-
13. Yemen cally. Third priority is to arm yourself, which may be picking up
14. Libya a piece of rebar or finding a rock and putting it in a sock to use
15. Egypt as a weapon in close quarters. Fourth is to attend to physical
16. Brazil (tied)
needs of warmth and water. If youre in Alaska, youll want to
16. Kenya (tied)
18. Nepal find warm clothing and get into a warm location. Fifth priority
19. Malaysia (tied) is to try to communicate. Find a payphone, borrow a phone,
19. South Africa (tied) make a collect call, and do whatever you can to establish
096 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
 HOT AND
BOTHERED
How to Safely Stay
Active in Hot and
Humid Environments
By Ryne Gioviano, M.S.Ed., NSCA-CPT

T
he summer months bring with them
the warmth and humidity weve
come to expect. Most of us look for-
ward to being outside and enjoying
the nice weather. Whether its that
half-marathon youd like to cross of your bucket list
or maybe just a short hike, its no surprise people are
more active in the summer months.
Hot and humid weather combined with increased
activity has no doubt contributed to incidents of
heat-related illnesses. Hyperthermia occurs when
your bodys core temperature reaches levels greatly
above normal (98.6 degrees F), which would begin
at about 100 degrees F. Depending on the severity
of hyperthermia, it can bring about several other
critical issues, including dehydration, heat exhaus-
tion, and heatstroke. These can occur with and
without exercise however, well focus here on
exercise-related heat illnesses. Well look at what you
can do to better prepare yourself, and what to do if
its too late. Understanding practical steps you can
Kamchatka/istockphoto.com

take is imperative to your safety.

SUMMER 2014

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 097
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SUMMER 2014

Exertional Heatstroke
Exertional (yes, thats a word!) heatstroke is a the quickest. The highest temperatures, however, usually
life-threatening illness that occurs when the body is occur around 3 to 4 p.m., depending on cloud cover. Wear
unable to dissipate the heat it is storing and reaches sunscreen when appropriate, and do your best to avoid
critical temperatures, according to the Health Care of these hotter times.
Homeless Persons manual. This leads to a break-
down of the bodys heat-control mechanisms. CLOTHING OPTIONS
The clothes you wear can make a significant diference in
Signs
how you tolerate the heat. Clothing creates a microenviron-
Disorientation Weakness
Nausea Extreme thirst ment between your skin and the fabric, which will afect your
Vomiting Disorientation bodys ability to dissipate heat through sweating. Clothing
Diarrhea Convulsions that absorbs sweat will not allow that heat to be transferred
Severe dizziness Coma away from your body, making matters worse, according to
Advanced Environmental Exercise Physiology. As more heat
Predisposing Factors
According to is generated through activity, it creates a situation where heat
Obesity
the Journal of Dehydration builds up without being released.
Athletic Training, Low physical fitness level First, limit the amount of clothing youre wearing. More
on average, your Lack of heat acclimatization skin exposure results in better heat dissipation. Next, look
body temperature for light-colored, moisture-wicking fabric. Light-colored
increases 0.4 clothes reflect more of the heat radiating from the sun, and
degrees F for Exertional Heat Exhaustion moisture-wicking fabric allows sweat to be transferred to
every percent of Exertional heat exhaustion is significant weakness the material, where it will evaporate. Cotton or wool retains
body mass lost that occurs when too much fluid and electrolytes heat by trapping sweat in the fabric. If you only have cotton
through sweating are lost through sweating. This generally leads to an garments, look for something loose-fitting. This allows more
in hot and humid inability to continue exercise. airflow to your skin and increases evaporative heat loss.
environments.
Signs
PRE-COOLING
Fatigue Headache
10 4.0
Percent of Body Mass Lost

Increase in Body Temp (F)

Thirst Nausea Pre-cooling your body is another efective way to safely

9 3.6
Malaise Vomiting lengthen the amount of time it takes for your body to reach
8 3.2
7 2.8 Shortness of breath Diarrhea critical temperatures, according to the Journal of Strength
6 2.4 Dizziness Profuse sweating and Conditioning Research. Some options include spending
5 2.0
some time in an air-conditioned building or vehicle, placing
4 1.6 Predisposing Factors
3 1.2 a cold wet towel on the back of your neck or drinking cool
Dehydration
2 0.8 water. Regardless of the method, this can lengthen the time
High body mass
1 0.4 you can safely spend time in this type of environment.
Lack of heat acclimatization
0 0

Before Activity
ENVIRONMENT
To stay safe in hot and humid conditions, you really have
to know your environment. Dry heat conditions, such as in
a desert, typically have high ambient temperatures, but low
humidity. Conditions like this allow for heat to dissipate ef-
fectively through evaporation. By contrast, humid weather
can be especially dangerous because moisture in the air
doesnt allow sweat to evaporate well, keeping the sweat
rate high without the attendant cooling efect.
Another factor to consider is time of day. Solar radia-
tion peaks around noon, which is when sunburn occurs
HYDRATION
Hydration in hot and humid environments cannot be
stressed enough. Since sweating is your bodys primary
method of cooling, dehydration can occur during hyper-
thermic conditions if you arent regularly drinking.
An accurate way to see if youre dehydrated is by observ-
ing your urine color. Urine that is clear may indicate you
are overhydrated, while pale yellow, somewhat resembling
lemonade, would represent adequate hydration. When urine
color is darker, similar to apple juice, its a pretty good indica-
tor that you are dehydrated, and fluid intake is highly recom-
mended at that point. Look to drink about 16 to 20 ounces
of water one-and-a-half to two hours before activity.

During Activity
Activity should also be altered in these environments to
reduce the likelihood of developing heat illnesses. Its far too
common for people to wait until there are warning signs
before they reduce intensity you should try your best to
avoid this situation. Reduce the intensity at which youll be
working, especially if you arent accustomed to this type of
weather. When possible, take short breaks to avoid reaching
high temperatures.
To prevent dehydration during activity, drink roughly 7
to 10 ounces every 20 to 30 minutes. Many of the popular
sports drinks contain electrolytes, which are lost in sweat.
If youre planning on being active for 75 minutes or longer,
a sports drink may be beneficial. Otherwise, water will do
just fine.
After Activity
Its very important to rehydrate after being out in the
heat. To figure out how much to drink, you would ideally
measure your bodyweight before and after being active or
in the environment. Following this guideline, drink between
HOT AND
BOTHERED
20 and 24 ounces for every pound of bodyweight that you
lost. Whether its water or a sports drink, opt for something
cold to help bring down your core temperature faster.
Treatment
So, what if its too late? First and foremost, try to reduce
To prevent
as many environmental variables as possible by moving
dehydration
indoors or to a shaded area. The most efective cooling during activity,
method is immersion in cool water, but not cold water. drink roughly
Water that is too cold can cause shock. The problem is that 7 to 10 ounces
its not practical for most people. A more realistic option every 20 to 30
would be placing cold wet towels on the back of your neck, minutes.
splashing cold water on your body, or the use of fans to cir-
culate air toward you. If symptoms are severe, such as in the
case of exertional heatstroke, medical assistance is highly
recommended to quickly replace the lost fluids and reduce
temperatures.
Heat can create a very dangerous situation if youre not
ready. Know the environment, plan accordingly, and be
aware of the warning signs. Adequate preparation makes all
the diference sometimes between life and death.
ReeseImages/istockphoto.com
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SHIELDS UP!
Protect Yourself Against
Wireless RFID Identity Theft
T
echnology is a wonderful thing. It
makes our lives easier and more conve-
nient. A wealth of information is just a
Google search away. Smartphone apps
are totally personalized exactly how you
like them. Merchants and service providers can give
you what you want, based on your purchase history
and your past behavior. And you can buy almost any-
thing with the click of a button or the swipe of a piece of
plastic. But all that convenience comes at
a price your privacy.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
refers to systems that transmit certain
identifying data wirelessly, using radio
waves. That data might be the serial num-
ber of a piece of equipment. Or it might
be your personal or financial information.
Its stored on a so-called RFID tag, which is attached to
or embedded in the object in question. In turn, a reader
can retrieve the data from the tag using radio waves,
so long as it is in close proximity to the tag. They dont
need to touch, nor do they need line of sight. Difer-
ent types of tags and readers are efective at varying
distances.
Well take a look at how RFID works, how its used,
what risks it poses, and countermeasures that you can
take. And well take a look at various products you can
utilize to help protect your privacy.
By Steven Kuo
Technology Is Great
RFID is an immensely useful technology. There are
many industrial and commercial applications for RFID, al-
lowing companies to easily track and manage inventory,
items, animals, and people. For example, manufacturers
use RFID tags to track products through an assembly
line. Distributors use them to efectively track inventory.
Ranchers keep tabs on their cattle and sheep. Hospitals
monitor inventory and workflow. Libraries replace bar
codes with these tags. Even that access
card you use to get into your ofice build-
ing or garage uses RFID.
There are many consumer applica-
tions as well. The device afixed to your
windshield to let you zip through toll roads
and bridges? The chip you had implanted
in your Doberman, Flufy? Your fancy new
credit card that allows you to pay for those curly fries
with the wave of a hand? Thats all RFID technology.
Many smartphones are incorporating RFID (referred
to as near field communication or NFC for phones) to
allow for wireless payment and data transmission. But
did you know that your passport may have an RFID tag
in it, containing your photograph as well as passport
and personal data? Your drivers license might have an
RFID chip too. With such personal and financial informa-
tion encoded in those tags, this raises some very real
security, privacy, and fraud concerns.
 How Exactly Does It Work?
Tags generally are comprised of at least two parts an in-
tegrated circuit, which is its brain, and an antenna for signal
transmissions. There are three main types of RFID tags:
ACTIVE: Has an internal power source and may periodically
transmit a signal. These are more expensive, but can oper-
ate at long ranges, function in dificult conditions, and even
record additional data from sensors, such as temperature
and humidity. Active tags are commonly seen in industrial
and military applications.
SEMI-PASSIVE: Has a small battery that is activated when a
reader is nearby and powers only the chip, not the antenna.
While not as powerful as active tags, these are more sensi-
tive than passive tags and can also perform active tasks
such as logging sensor data.
PASSIVE: Does not have any power source, relying on
the signal from a reader to provide power. Passive tags
are cheap to produce and very compact. They have more
limited range, which can be considered a positive attribute
from a security standpoint.
We are largely concerned with passive tags, such as those
found on credit cards, passports, and drivers licenses.
Readers come in various shapes and sizes, and varying
levels of strength. There are the typical point-of-sale termi-
nals that you may have seen at your local fast food chain,
intended to be used in close proximity and designed to be
afordable and reliable for local businesses. But there are
also high-powered readers that have greater range. Hacked
kizilkayaphotos/istockphoto.com
and connected to a laptop or other custom circuitry, such a
setup could potentially read your RFID tag from several feet
away and youd never know it.
RFID systems are designed to work on various frequency
bands, depending on the application and industry stan-
dards. Financial institutions, passports, and NFC mobile
devices generally adhere to ISO/IEC 14443 standards,
stipulating high-frequency systems at 13.56 MHz. There are
systems that utilize low frequency as well as ultra high-
frequency bands, but those are rare to find in the consumer
applications that we are concerned with.
Risks
Carrying and using cards or IDs with RFID tags presents a
few potential risks:
SKIMMING: Someone uses a reader to surreptitiously
retrieve data from your RFID tag without your knowledge.
For example, a criminal might hack a high-powered reader,
place it in a briefcase, and run it of battery power. Then by
passing by various folks, such as women carrying purses,
the reader might pick up data from RFID-enabled credit
cards. Later, the criminal loads the data into a computer and
uses a blank magstripe card to make a cloned counterfeit
credit card.
EAVESDROPPING: Someone intercepts data that is being
legitimately transmitted from your RFID tag to a reader with
your consent. This sort of eavesdropping may be possible at
greater distances than skimming with specialized equip-
ment, but location and timing is more constrained since
the criminal needs to be near an authorized reader being
used for an actual legitimate transaction.
TRACKING: Even legitimate use of RFID can leave a trail of
data that you might not have thought about. For example, if
you regularly use a wireless toll pass like an E-ZPass in your
vehicle, have you considered all the information on your
travels that it provides? Just two data points with position
and time could be used to calculate your average speed, for
example. New York state has rolled out a system in several
areas that tracks the movement of cars with E-ZPass tags
to estimate trafic patterns and travel times they insist
individual data is not stored or used for law enforcement
purposes. Does that comfort you? And just imagine the
implications for RFID tags that you carry on your person.
Again, those are typically passive tags with limited range, but
its still frightening to consider.
SUMMER 2014
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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

Countermeasures You can even make some of your own.

If you see a symbol like
the one shown below on
your passport, it means
yours is a biometric
passport that is ftted with
an RFID chip containing
personally identifable
information that can be
taken from you without
your ever knowing.
If youre reading this
magazine, it means that youre
already thinking ahead. You
have the desire and commitment
to take care of yourself and your
loved ones. You know that making
carefully considered and educated
decisions is the way to go and sometimes that means
making the choice to compromise on some conveniences.
For instance, you could avoid potential RFID risks with
credit cards by simply obtaining or requesting cards that
do not have RFID tags in the first place. How important is
it, really, to be able to wave your card at the register to pay
for your Slurpee? Keep in mind, though, that you are always
subject to good old-fashioned crime. Everything in life is a
tradeof, and one benefit of credit cards with RFID tags is
that you neednt actually hand over your card to a cashier
when you do, an unscrupulous individual might steal your
info. Fortunately, more and more stores utilize customer-
facing terminals that you can swipe yourself.
But you may not have any choice in the matter. If you
have a U.S. passport issued after August 2007, it contains an
RFID tag with some personal data. Your state (in particular
border states) might issue drivers licenses with an RFID
chip. So you might not be able to opt-out. But there are a
variety of products to help protect your privacy most pro-
vide passive protection by shielding against transmissions
while one actively jams them.
While a little less user-friendly than the
products in this article, an Altoids tin
or several layers of aluminum foil can
actually provide protection. Yes, thats
right insert your own tin foil joke here.
As mentioned earlier, the RFID chips
that were worried about use high-frequency bands,
making them sensitive to metal and thus able to be shielded
by the linings in the various products featured here. Low-
frequency bands are more dificult to shield, but fortunately
credit cards and the like dont use them. As an experiment,
we tested our access badges at the ofice, which utilize low-
frequency tags all of the products reduced the efective
range of the reader, but only a couple actually blocked it
(the Access Denied wallet and the Alumawallet). Breaking
out the aluminum foil, we had to completely wrap the badge
in at least three layers of foil to prevent it from being read.
Finally, you could simply inflict some damage on the RFID
chip in question to disable it. You could make surgical cuts
with an X-Acto knife or use a hammer to perhaps be more
discreet. And its free (though irreversible). You may have read
about using a microwave oven to destroy RFID chips be
wary with this approach as it may scorch or burn the item.
However, before you break out your hammer, please do keep
in mind that tampering with government documents is illegal.
How often do you really need to break out your passport
anyway? Surely you have some aluminum foil in the kitchen
right now

BUYERS GUIDE
RFID JAMMER
MAKE & MODEL
1 Armourcard
DIMENSIONS
3.4 x 2.1 x 0.1 in

MSRP
$50

URL
www.armourcard.com

NOTES
Unlike the other products in this guide, which offer passive
shielding protection, the Armourcard is an active countermea-
sure. Credit card-sized, you place it in your wallet amongst your
other cards. It stays in standby mode until it detects an RFID or
NFC reader, then it will jam the high-frequency RFID signals. The
Armourcard can be temporarily deactivated to allow you to use a
contactless credit card or simply pull out the card and keep the
Armourcard away from the reader. One item to note is that the
device uses an internal battery that cannot be replaced, so once
it is depleted you will need to purchase a new Armourcard. This
is quite unfortunate; the manufacturer explained that they use a
special battery and design to keep the device as slim as possible.
1
The battery is expected to last at least 18 to 24 months.
 SHIELDS
UP!

SLEEVES
MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
2 Conair 3 Conair 4REI 5 REI

Travel Smart RFID Blocking Travel Smart RFID Blocking RFID Passport Sleeve RFID Credit Card Sleeves
Credit Card Sleeve Passport Sleeve
DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS
3.625 x 2.5 x 0.125 in 5.25 x 4.125 x 0.125 in 5.5 x 3.8 in 3.375 x 2.25 in

WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT

0.2 oz 0.8 oz 0.1 oz n/a

COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY

Silver Silver Green Assorted

MSRP MSRP MSRP MSRP

$4 $6 $7 $7

URL URL URL URL

www.conair.com www.conair.com www.rei.com www.rei.com

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

The padded sleeve is advertised The padded sleeve holds one A larger laminated foil sleeve, de- It doesnt get much simpler than
to accommodate up to three credit passport. We were able to force a signed to hold one passport. this laminated foil sleeve, which
SUMMER 2014

cards, but we were able to shoe- second in, but we wouldnt recom- holds one credit card (two in a
horn four into it. mend it. pinch). The package comes with
a set of three sleeves in different
colors.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 103
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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM BUYERS GUIDE

WALLETS
MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
6Access Denied 7 AlumaWallet 8 Dopp 9 Dynex

Mens Bi-Fold Wallet RFID Black Ops Front Pocket Passport Security Wallet
Slimfold Wallet
DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS
4.5 x 3.625 x 0.5 in (closed) 4.25 x 2.875 x 0.75 in (closed) 4.25 x 3 x 0.375 in (closed) 5.5 x 5 x 0.625 in (closed)

WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT

2 oz 2.7 oz 1 oz 2.4 oz

COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY

Black, Black/Tan, Cocoa Brown, Dark Black, Blue, Red, Silver, Leopard, Black Black
Chocolate Brown, Saddle Tan, Tan Zebra

MSRP MSRP MSRP MSRP

$55 to 60 $11 $30 $5

URL URL URL URL

www.rfddenied.com www.alumawallet.com www.buxton.co www.dynexproducts.com

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

This looks like a standard leather
wallet, but Access Denied has
added lining throughout advertised
to meet Federal FIPS-201 security
standards in shielding RFID trans-
missions. It has two full-length
currency pockets, six credit card
pockets, two slip pockets, and a
fip-up ID window.
Made of aluminum and plastic,
the AlumaWallet provides more
protection than a typical wallet
with its water- and crush-resistant
hard shell. But it feels like having
a chunky old Blackberry in your
pocket. Pop the plastic latch and it
opens like a clamshell, to reveal a
fan-fold accordion organizer.
This offering from Dopp is very
slim, compact, and discreet. It has a
single full-length currency pocket,
two credit card pockets, and two
slip pockets (one with a clear ID
window and thumb hole). The
interior features a complementary
accent color as well as a perforated
pocket that shows off the metallic
lining. Were not kidding when we
say its slim so if you carry a ton of
cards, this ones not for you.
Dynexs security wallet is remi-
niscent of a fanny pack quite
versatile and just as attractive. Its
trifold construction features a zip-
pered currency pocket, passport
pocket, clear ID pocket, zippered
mesh pocket, and four credit card
pockets. It secures with a Velcro
fap and has a neck strap (not
removable) as well as a belt slide.
Shielding is on the exterior of the
wallet. Did we mention its ugly?
But its dirt cheap as well.
 SHIELDS
UP!

WALLETS
MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
10Pacsafe Pacsafe
11 12 Travelon

RFIDsafe 50 Anti-Theft RFID Passport RFIDtec 250 Anti-Theft RFID Travel Safe ID Ladies Wallet
Protector Wallet
DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS
6.8 x 4.125 x 0.25 in (closed) 7.5 x 4.5 x 1 in (closed) 7.5 x 3.875 x 0.625 in (closed)

WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT

0.8 oz 3.6 oz 2.5 oz

COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY

Black, gray Black, Cool steel, Ocean blue, Shadow Black, Brown, Navy, Olive, Pewter, Teal

MSRP MSRP MSRP

$20 $50 $20

URL URL URL

www.pacsafe.com www.pacsafe.com www.travelonbags.com

NOTES NOTES NOTES

A simple pouch made of shielded 50D chess
weave dobby with a Velcro closure.
Made of nylon 210D dobby and shielded on
the exterior, the Pacsafe is a large wallet with
a contrasting interior and a snap closure with
elastic strap. It is chock full of storage with two
full-length pockets for currency or passports,
eight credit card pockets, another full length
pocket with clear window, a zippered pocket and
an outer zippered pocket.
This zippered nylon wallet is shielded on the ex-
terior and comes in a variety of colors. It sports
two full-length currency pockets, eight credit
card pockets, a clear ID pocket, and a zippered
change pocket. The brightly colored interior
makes it easy to locate your items.

10

11

12
SUMMER 2014

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 105
106 OFFGRIDWEB.COM BUYERS GUIDE SHIELDS
UP!
SUMMER 2014

13

14

16
15

TRAVEL ACCESSORIES BAGS

MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL MAKE & MODEL
Lewis N Clark
13 REI
14 15Pacsafe 16 Pacsafe

RFID Neck Stash RFID Clip Stash Citysafe 200 Anti-Theft Travel Handbag Venturesafe 25L Anti-Theft Travel Pack
DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS DIMENSIONS
7.75 x 5.5 x 0.375 in 4.625 x 3.25 x 0.125 in 14.6 x 9.4 x 3.9 in 19.7 x 11.4 x 7.9 in

WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT

1.5 oz 0.7 oz 1.1 lb 1.6 lbs

COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY COLORWAY

Black, Tan Gray Black, Crimson red, Midnight blue, Plum, Walnut Black, Navy blue, Ocean blue, Storm gray

MSRP MSRP MSRP MSRP

$15 $12 $85 $135

URL URL URL URL

www.lcibrands.com www.rei.com www.pacsafe.com www.pacsafe.com

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

This neck stash has Made of water-re- Prada has nothing to fear from Pacsafe, but This 25-liter backpack has all the features that
an adjustable strap pellent ripstop nylon this is an eminently practical handbag. It has Pacsafe is known for, including body panels and
and Velcro closure with a foil lining, the Pacsafes trademark security features slash- straps with embedded stainless steel wires and
on a full-sized clip stash has a sin- proof stainless steel mesh in the exterior and mesh that prevent thieves from cutting them as
pocket with mesh gle zippered pocket shoulder strap, plus easily secured zippers and well as various other security features to secure
divider. It has two and a bit of padding straps. It also features an RFID shielded pocket zippers and straps. There is an RFID shielded
additional full-size on the backside. A inside the main compartment, which will hold pocket inside the front compartment, a little
zippered pock- small loop is handy a passport with room to spare note that the larger than a passport note that the entire
ets and a clear ID with the included entire purse is not shielded, just the specifc backpack is not shielded, only the specifc pocket.
pocket. All pockets carabiner to either pocket. The bag has a zippered outer pocket Beyond that, it is a fully featured backpack, with
are enclosed by the clip inside a larger and zippered main compartment, with an inner everything from an internal padded laptop sleeve
shielded exterior. bag or to a belt loop zippered pocket, electronics pocket, and several to sternum and waist straps to molded foam back
for more secure other smaller pockets. support. There is one main compartment, a front
pocket carry. compartment, and two side stretch pockets.
108
SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
FOOD
FOR THOUGHT
H
eres a cold hard fact: Overwhelmingly,
urban dwellers are unprepared to face cri-
ses, their hope placed on FEMA or other
disaster relief agencies to meet their post-
crisis needs. Not having groceries is just
one of those concerns.
Few would contest the notion that a well-nourished indi-
vidual would thrive better than one merely trying to survive
in the aftermath of a catastrophe. But, do you always need a
sandwich to survive?
You may have incurred injuries. In addition to all your other
gear, can you carry a 10-day supply of calories for yourself
or your family? If not, whos going to carry the 10-day water
Surprisingly,
Glucose and
Multi-Vitamin
Pills Can Stave Of
Starvation Until
You Find Food
By M. Dufy, MD
supply for each of them? Plus, you all may be on foot and you
may have to carry a child as well.
This intentionally provocative article examines the
extreme situation of involuntary, near-total starvation,
post-crisis in urban North America. Humans are actually
LauriPatterson/istockphoto.com
more adaptable to starvation than generally appreciated.
Healthy adults can benefit from an alternative strategy by
understanding the adaptation process and how it might be
optimized by simple oral supplements versus having to
carry a conventional calorie sub-load in your kit.
Are there precedents for urban starvation that we can
study to develop a crisis calorie management plan? The
truth is that there havent been any modern U.S. urban
disasters where starvation-related mortality was a concern,
mostly because otherwise healthy adults can easily with-
stand fasting for three to five days, by which time disaster
relief resources have usually managed to provide food and
supplies to those directly afected by the crisis.
So for our purposes in this article, were looking beyond
simply being hungry for three to five days, instead focusing
on two distinct conditions of involuntary starvation beyond
five days.
Individuals may be subjected to total or near-total starva-
tion. With the former, no hydration and no caloric intake
occurs in this case, you will perish due to dehydration
stress alone, generally surviving several days to a week or
two depending on the individual. In the latter case of near-
total starvation, youre presumed to have access to at least
nominal hydration levels, but otherwise no other essential
micro-nutrients (vitamins) and caloric intake.
 Get Informed CALORIE
We can actually find relevant information on near-total
COMPOSITION
starvation, both voluntary and involuntary. There are many
AND SURVIVAL
examples that we can examine: professional entertainers in
TIMES OF A
160-POUND
the late 1800s, who deliberately starved themselves in pub-
lic at great length for fame and notoriety; starvation during
polar desert expeditions; emaciated POWs in concentration ADULT
camps; severe mental health disorders such as anorexia;

160
prisoner hunger strikes; and even some specific medical
studies, including the Minnesota Starvation Experiment
(1944-45) and the Iowa prison studies (1969). POUNDS

The determinants of how long you can endure starvation include:

Availability of hydration
1,200
CAL/DAY
Initial body fat and protein stores
Calorie demand based on environment (e.g. cold, strenuous, etc.)
Initial health status (e.g. significant trauma accelerates the pace of starvation demise)
Gender (women have a slight survival advantage) FAT
Age extremes (very young and old have limited fat and protein reserves)
140,000
angelhell/istockphoto.com

In the past 50 years, the only well-documented involuntary CALORIES (TRIGLYCERIDES)

116
near-total starvation in a North American survival situation is the
story of Carla Corbus and her mother. After a small plane crash
in Californias Trinity Mountain range during the winter of 1967, SURVIVAL DAYS
they survived starvation for at least 54 days before dying. Carlas
daily diary entries were published in the Saturday Evening Post
in 1968. Incidentally, their tragic story was the impetus for legisla- PROTEIN
tion mandating transponder beacons for aircraft.
A normally proportioned 160-pound person requires
approximately 1,200 calories per day to avoid adapting to
24,000
CALORIES (MUSCLE MASS)

20
fasting and starvation metabolism. Our metabolic sensors
monitor our bodies and ensure that our brain tissues con-
tinuously receive a steady supply of their preferred energy SURVIVAL DAYS
source, glucose (carbohydrates). Upon sensing a caloric
restriction, body stores of glucose, particularly muscle and
CARBOHYDRATE
liver glycogen, are consumed within 72 hours to nourish
the brain and other critical tissues. And after only 12 hours
of fasting, the next days carbohydrate calorie needs are
already being sourced by metabolically cannibalizing body
900CALORIES
(MUSCLE ~ 600)
stores of fat and protein. (LIVER ~ 300)

1
In fact, practically all of your body fat is expendable
without serious adverse efects. The human body has a
mechanism for us to sustain long periods of starvation
SURVIVAL DAYS
by allowing brain tissue to readily utilize the byproducts of
fat and protein metabolism, transformed into glucose and
ketones. The brain can derive two-thirds of its energy from
SUMMER 2014

ketones, synthesized mostly from fat, allowing humans to

survive near-total starvation for 60 to 90 days.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 109
110 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

OFFGRID
Tip
SUMMER 2014

Proteins, however, play a more critical role in maintaining Fatty fuel cycle.
normal body function. Their uncontrolled depletion during

mcfields/istockphoto.com
starvation results in loss of tissue architecture, blood ele-
ments, enzymes, and muscle mass, as well as impairment
of our immune system. Unlike fat, precious body water is re-
quired to eliminate toxic byproducts of protein metabolism. BRAIN

ES
So, if our bodies were only able to utilize our protein stores If theres an

ON
emergency

KET
to maintain brain tissue, we would only survive for 20 to 30
evacuation and LU

G
days. In short, if you lose more than one-third to half of your you have to fee CO
SE
total body protein, thats all she wrote. the city on foot,
Starvation also depletes non-calorie essential micro- grab a 10- to
21-day supply KIDNEY
nutrients, particularly vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin LIVER
of glucose and
B-1 (thiamine). Unlike most other animals, humans cannot multi-vitamin
synthesize vitamin C, nor store thiamine in large quantities. tablets. Thats a
lot easier than
Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; thiamine deficiency
toting three
causes beriberi. Without these vitamins, calorie energy weeks worth of URINE

G L U CO S E
utilization and critical tissue repair mechanisms fail within groceries. PROTEIN
WASTE

FAT METABOLISM
weeks. Despite having non-citrus food and water, more than

PR
2 million sailors died of scurvy from the years 1500 to 1800,

OT
EI
MUSCLE

N
more than were ever claimed by naval warfare itself.

M
TA

E
BO
LIS
Have a Plan M
Providing even nominal amounts of glucose calories fa-
vors the metabolizing of body fat stores, rather than precious
protein. As little as ounce of carbohydrates during starva- RED
BLOOD
tion reduces protein waste by about 50 percent. This tiny bit CELLS
of intervention generates roughly 8.5 ounces of metabolic FAT
water, suficient to sustain daily requirements under limited
FAT
METABO
conditions. It also conserves body water otherwise required LISM

to excrete protein waste products. In great part, this is how

black bears survive their months of winter hibernation What does this mean practically? Simply take two 4-gram
humans just cannot do it to the same extent as bears. glucose tablets per day, and you will conserve precious
protein calories and body water. Take a daily multi-vitamin
OFFGRID
Tip
containing C and thiamine, and you will support your critical
metabolism mechanisms.
Storing Vitamins So realistically, the prospect of long-term near-total starva-
and Supplements tion in North America is a most unlikely scenario.
To keep vitamins and other dietary supplements And by understanding human adaptation to starvation,

at their peak potency for longer, its best to store
them in a cool, dry place. Avoid places like the
refrigerator and bathroom medicine cabinet
where humidity and temperature diferences can
reduce their efective shelf life. Certain vitamins
and supplements could require specifc storage
methods such as being kept out of light, so do keep
them in their original packaging. Vitamins lose
their strength with time, so be mindful of their ex-
piration dates and swap them out when needed.
jonathansloane/istockphoto.com
we can devise unconventional strategies to limit wasted
protein and sustain micro-nutrients when faced with limited
access to nourishment. While attempting to escape the
city on foot, a 10- to 21-day supply of glucose and multi-
vitamin tablets is a lot easier to tote and maintain than the
same amount of groceries. Plan on hearing your stomach
complain, but answer it with the higher priority of hydration,
and take your pills.
So theres your food for thought you dont always need
a sandwich to survive.
112
SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

I
When is Amputation f you havent heard of Aron

the Only Option? Ralstons horrific tale of survival,

then you must be living under
a rock or at least been stuck
By Curt Lang under one, like him. Arons ordeal
of having his arm pinned by a boulder inside
a Utah canyon made headlines across
the world and has even been told
through the lens of Hollywood in
the Oscar and Golden Globe
nominated film 127 Hours.
What makes his story so
fascinating is his ultimate de-
cision to perform self-amputation
on his arm to escape and have any
chance of survival.
Historically, amputations that were per-
formed outside a hospital, called field amputa-
tions, have mainly taken place on the battlefield.
In modern times, field amputations are mostly only
needed for extrication purposes. Though very rare,

DNY59/istockphoto.com
field amputation cases are still reported due to car
crashes, industrial accidents, and natural disasters.
 Due to the high risks involved, surgeons and professional
emergency response personnel perform the majority
of field amputations. It is critical to remember that such
a procedure is a one-way street with dangerous conse-
quences. So before we go down that path, we must lay out
the groundwork for making an informed decision. Amputa-
tions can only be done along the limbs (arms, legs, feet, and
hands) and should never be done on the main trunk of the
body nor obviously the neck.
When faced with limb entrapment, the first step is to
make sure the victim is stable by checking all their vitals.
Try to free the victim by using leverage or more manpower
to move the heavy object and free the limb. If the victim is
stable and time is not a factor for the victims survival, then
contacting emergency services and waiting for help is your
best option. But if help cannot be summoned and there is
imminent danger to the victims life, consider the following.
There are four main criteria used by medical personnel in
the field to determine if amputation is necessary. In all cases,
the victim has a trapped extremity that cannot be extracted
within a reasonable time. Criterias one and two are situations
where amputation is absolutely necessary, while criterias
three and four are up to ones informed judgment.
Now lets assume that a nuclear meltdown has eliminated
any surgeons within a 50-mile radius and the radiation has
created a swarm of human-eating squirrels. Your buddy is
pinned by a heavy object on his arm or leg and cannot be
freed. Mutant rabid squirrels are hungry and rapidly advanc-
WARNING! ing in your direction. This surely is a situation where amputa-
tion is the best option, and now you must take action.
This article is
meant to be a quick Once the decision is made, your next challenge becomes
overview and not a
detailed guide on obtaining the necessary tools. Ideally, you want to have an-
procedures relating
to amputations.
esthetics, gloves, a tourniquet, scalpels, saw, and antiseptic
To be prepared for materials. However, depending on the situation, you will
any emergency, we
encourage you to have to make do with what is available in your immediate
enroll in a certifed surroundings.
medical course or, at
a minimum, a famil- Amputation is painful, so any type of anesthetics will help
iarization course.
but since it is not normally readily available, anesthesia is
optional. Local anesthetics can be applied liberally around
the area where the cut will be made. If sedatives are avail-
able and you are trained in proper administration of the
drug, then sedation can help. However, sedation should be
avoided if the victim will be too dificult to move after ampu-
tation or if the victim is required to remain mobile.
Tourniquet and Torsion
One item that is not optional and might be the most impor-

Criteria For Amputation tant step in a successful amputation is a tourniquet. Knowing

how to apply a proper tourniquet is absolutely necessary to
CRITERIA ONE CRITERIA TWO CRITERIA THREE CRITERIA FOUR ensure that the victim will not sufer from excessive loss of
blood during an amputation. Commercially available tourni-
quets such as the Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) and
the Special Operations Forces Tactical tourniquet (SOFTT) are
available. Both use nylon straps that loop around the limb and
The victims vitals The victim is in The victim is The victim is use a turning rod mechanism to tighten the tourniquet.
are diminishing immediate physi- initially stable, stable, but extrac-
rapidly, such as cal threat, such but shows signs tion time may
drop in body as from fires, of deterioration take hours or is
temperature or collapsing struc- after time. Vitals indeterminable,
loss of blood, tures, and other become unstable and sometimes
where removal dangers that as time goes by. extraction is im-
of the victim is require immedi- possible without
necessary for sta- ate evacuation. amputation.
bilization of vitals
or transport.
114
SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

Simple tourniquets can be made out of anything, such as

TOURNIQUET
belts, clothing, shoestrings, and towels. Aron Ralston used
the rubber hose from his hydration pack as a makeshift
tourniquet. The best tourniquets are wide, preferably over 2
inches, to provide pressure over a greater surface area. Do
Overhand Knot
not use thin string or wires that can cut into the victims skin
and cause unwanted bleeding. If you need to use thinner
materials, place a protective inner lining against the skin
to prevent it from getting cut. The tourniquet should be
soft enough to circumvent the limb and be able to tighten
evenly around the limb.
The other item you will need is a torsion device, which is
usually a stif rod-like material. Basically, a strong wooden
stick will work, preferably around 1 foot long. First, you will
need to place the tourniquet in the correct position. An ef-
TRAPPED fective tourniquet should be placed a few inches above the
LIMB
Once the trapped area of the limb. For amputations, do not place the
location is de-
tourniquet too close to the trapped area because there will
termined, wrap
the tourniquet need to be room for cutting the tissue. Also, never place a
around the limb tourniquet directly around a joint because the blood vessels

angelhell/istockphoto.com
and secure it
are protected from applied pressure.
tightly around
the limb with an Once the location is determined, wrap the tourniquet
overhand knot. around the limb and secure it tightly around the limb with an
overhand knot. Place one end of the torsion device directly
over the knot and secure the torsion device onto the tourni-
Place one end
of the torsion quet with two more overhand knots. Tighten the tourniquet
device directly by twisting the torsion device in one direction only thus
over the knot increasing the pressure on the blood vessels. A sign of an ef-
and secure the
fective tourniquet is the cessation of bleeding in any wounds
torsion device
TOURNIQUET onto the tourni- beneath the tourniquet. In the case of amputation with no
quet with two downstream bleeding, look for signs such as loss of color in
more overhand the skin below the tourniquet. Now you will need to secure
knots. Tighten
the tourniquet the torsion device to prevent it from loosening by tying the
by twisting the other end of the torsion device against the limb using any
torsion device remaining material. It cannot be overstressed that an improp-
in one direction
erly applied tourniquet will greatly complicate an amputation.
only thus
increasing the
pressure on the Clean Cut
blood vessels. Ideally, we would want to reduce the likelihood of infec-
tion by sterilizing the amputation area and all tools with a
disinfectant before the procedure. If you have sterile gloves,
use them. In unfavorable conditions, try to keep as clean as
possible by removing dirt and other grime from the area
and rinse the tools with water. Infection can have serious
TRAPPED consequences, so maintaining cleanliness is important.
LIMB
In order to free the victim, a complete cut must be made
through the limb. You will need something sharp to cut
through the tissue and another tool that is sharp yet strong
 ON THE
CHOPPING BLOCK

enough to cut through bone. Several options can be used

to cut tissue, such as a kitchen knife or a pocketknife. The TOURNIQUET
dificult part will be finding something that can cut through
bone in a reasonable amount of time. A saw will work, as will
a large serrated knife.
Using a sharp tool, make an incision into the flesh, and
continue to cut laterally to both edges of the limb. Try to be
as eficient in your cuts as possible to reduce the amount of
time that the victim will have to endure the pain. Continue Secure the
to cut deeper and toward both sides until you reach bone. torsion device
Cut the tissue around the bone and try to create a small to prevent it
from loosen-
gap in the tissue for cutting the bone. Using a stronger and
ing by tying
sturdier tool, you will now cut through the bone completely. the other end
Remember that the upper half of the arm and leg contains of the torsion
device against
one large bone, while the lower half contains two smaller TRAPPED
the limb using LIMB
bones. After the bone is cut, continue cutting the remaining any remaining
tissue beneath the bone. material.

Whatever It Takes
Using a sharp
Complications can arise at any time during the amputa- tool, make an
angelhell/istockphoto.com

tion. Heavy bleeding from the initial incision site means that incision into the
the tourniquet was not properly installed. Immediately stop fesh, and cut
laterally to both
with the cutting and refashion the tourniquet until the bleed-
edges of the
ing ceases. Applying a second parallel tourniquet directly limb. Continue
near the first one can also increase its efectiveness. to cut deeper
If your tools will not cut through the bone, then brute and toward
both sides until
force can be used to fracture it. This method was used by you reach bone.
Aron Ralston to free himself. Using the site where the limb Cut the tissue
is trapped as the fulcrum, apply heavy force along the free around the bone
and try to create
part of the limb. This will create leveraged force, which can
a small gap in
snap the bone near the fulcrum. When using this technique, the tissue for
make sure to secure the joint area (elbow or knee) with cutting the bone.
added support so that you do not dislocate the joint. A good Using a stronger
and sturdier
snapping sound will accompany the breakage of bone and tool, you will
some tissue damage can be present around the break. now cut through
If this still does not sound like a horror film yet, then these the bone com- is always welcomed after a traumatic ordeal, but you should
pletely. Afer
other options might help make it so. In real situations you will seek professional medical help as soon as possible.
the bone is cut,
have to improvise and make quick decisions. If you need to continue cutting Though the details might sound gory, matters of life and
make your own sharp object to cut the flesh, try using a sharp the remaining death require extreme actions to survive. By assessing your
rock or glass. This might not be the cleanest, but sometimes tissue beneath situation, knowing your options, and fully understanding the
the bone.
it may be your only option. If you have an axe or meat cleaver consequences, the decision for amputation can be impor-
and know how to wield one, then make sure it is one clean tant for survival. On a side note, if our hypothetical nuclear
chop. Got a chainsaw? No problem that may work too. meltdown did not also eliminate all the lawyers in your area,
After the victim is free, it is essential to remember not to then getting a written confirmation that your buddy agrees
remove the tourniquet, which is keeping the victims blood to receiving the amputation might help with any legal
from gushing out of the severed limb. Check the victims vitals nightmares that might follow. By freeing your buddy, youve
SUMMER 2014

regularly and monitor for signs of shock. Keep the wound site saved him from hungry mutant squirrels that were after
as clean as possible and move the victim to a safe spot. Rest more than just his nuts.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 115
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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
 WHAT IF?
You Are Captured by Desperate Mauraders Intent on Taking Whats Yours.
How Would You Escape and Evade? We Speak to a Panel of Three.

By Tim MacWelch | Illustrations by Sarah Watanabe-Rocco

M
y head was still groggy from the last
beating I received. It felt like my skull
was packed full of cotton. Maybe it
was that would explain my difi-
culty in formulating a plan. All I knew
right then was that my tight lips had kept me alive so far
but if I cracked theyd probably kill me and kill my family
when they got to my house. I knew that I had to escape, and
very soon. Otherwise, theyd get bored with beating me and
just finish me of. Or I might finally talk. I didnt like thinking
about that one. It was nauseating to imagine being an active
participant in my own familys demise.
Thank God I left my wallet at home. No drivers license
meant no address. But it was time to make some more
good luck happen. It was time to go. The escape plan began
to clarify and take shape in my mind as I surveyed my sur-
roundings. I was in an empty storage room, locked from the
outside. I looked for something I could turn into a weapon,
but the place was picked clean. I had to be the weapon.
This what if? scenario revolves around a person who
must escape and evade a group of marauding thugs in the
aftermath of a natural disaster. OFFGRID asked two other
subject matter experts to join me, as we look at mans inhu-
manity toward man in this unsettling scenario. Joining me is
Ryan Lee Price, who is a journalist and self-taught jack-of-all-
trades survivalist. Ryan contributes to the SHTF column in
our sister publication, RECOIL. Kevin Reeve is a fellow survival
school owner and instructor who has a long list of accolades
and experience, specializing in tracking and urban survival.
And as for me, I have been a survival instructor for the past
18 years and am the author of a new book on preparedness,
Prepare For Anything. In my experience, man is the most
SUMMER 2014

unpredictable predator in nature.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 117
118 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
SUMMER 2014
The Scenario
Youre in a dense urban area that hasnt seen a semblance of civility
in at least a few weeks. A powerful and very destructive earthquake has
taken the Northern California region by surprise, and government services
have been excruciatingly slow to react. Roads are impassable, and even
the major bridges have collapsed. Basic utilities are all but nonexistent,
while food, drinking water, and other essentials are now being fought
over by the survivors. Its a desperate situation and mob mentality is
running rampant. You, being one with forethought, have prepared for the
post-disaster survival of your family to the best of your abilities. You keep
a low profile; your dwelling is dark and looks unoccupied. The situation
being what it is and with an already sick 5-year-old on hand, you have little
choice but to wait it out. Fortunately, no one has attempted to enter your
dwelling thus far.
DISASTER TYPE
Post-Disaster Urban Unrest
FAMILY
2 Adults, 1 Child (age 5)
LOCATION
San Francisco, CA (Dense Urban Area)
SUBURB POPULATION
800,000+
SEASON/WEATHER
Summer, mild, temp range is 70 Highs to 50 Lows
Every few days, you slip out of your safe house to survey the situation
firsthand and forage for supplies. Your childs health is improving. But then,
on one of your runs, you stray farther away than usual and find yourself in
an unfamiliar area. Tired and distracted, your guard slips just long enough
to become cornered by a band of seven armed and desperate people
looking to pillage your supplies. After stripping you of your gear, they
notice that you look well fed and surmise that you have supplies stashed
someplace. When you dont talk, they tie you up and forcibly take you
back to a house they have occupied for further interrogation.
The bandits have stripped you of all your kit. Your gun, knife, flashlight
everything you had on your person are now gone and in their posses-
sion. But you do realize that they took you to an area that is perhaps only
3 miles away from home so you are at least familiar with what direction
home is. After beating you for your non-compliance, they throw you into a
locked room with your hands and feet tightly bound with duct tape, where
you wait for them to come interrogate you further.
You need to escape and then evade their pursuit so that you can get
back to your home and family. You dont want to lead them back to your
spouse and child, so you need to do this right. How are you going to do it?
AVERAGE JOE:
Ryan Lee Prices
Approach
C
learly, they would have killed me by now if
that was their intention. I wasnt dealing with
murderers criminals, sure but just hungry
and desperate criminals. Of course, that didnt
mean they wouldnt leave me here to starve
to death when they decided to move on. It was their mistake
not to blindfold me or leave the sack on my head that I wore
for the trip to their temporary dwelling. Although duct tape
is pretty strong, it tore easily when introduced to a sharp
object. While the room was mostly empty (it looked like it
used to be a bedroom), there was enough squatters debris
to sift through to find something to do the job. A discarded
beer bottle would have worked, but I couldnt find a broken
one (and breaking one would make too much noise). But I
found a small screw that fell out of something which worked
well enough. I wanted to hurry, but I kept dropping the screw.
Instead of trying to cut the tape, I merely poked holes in it; a
series of close perforations allowed me to break the tape.
My eye was swollen, and my head hurt from the beating.
The big one had quite an arm on him, but I wasnt about to
write down my address or lead them to my house. Im just
glad I stopped carrying my wallet a couple of weeks ago. I
could tell some of the others in the group werent really into
it, but are hanging on for the prospect of some food. Hunger
is a powerful force. I get it. But so are thoughts of freedom.
It took awhile, but finally I was able to free my hands. I left
the tape on my wrists in case I had to feign restraint if one of
them came in the room. They hadnt been back since they
dumped me here, but mufled sounds of their conversa-
tions bled through the walls. Once free of the duct tape, it
was only a matter of opening the window for my escape.
However, I was on the second floor, and who knows what
was down there. The second option was to wait until the
door opened, surprise them and make a break for it. There
were at least three guns that I saw, plus mine, and odds
were good theyd come in here well prepared to deal with
me. So window it was. After a few hours, the conversations
filtering in from the other room died down to whispers and
then disappeared altogether. I had no idea what time it was,
but the change in temperature told me it might be a couple
of hours before dawn. Perhaps they were sleeping, but the
occasional noise made me wary somebody was still up.
The window slid open easily and quietly, but it was only
about 10 feet to the ground. Although it looked far, it wasnt
 WHAT
IF?
that bad. The key was to climb out feet first and shimmy
your body over the edge of the sill until youre dangling out
of the window by your hands. Im guessing that my feet
were only 3 or 4 feet of of the ground when I jumped. That
was the good news. The bad news was that I couldnt see
the dead bushes below me, nor did I expect to land in a pile
of dry leaves. I couldnt have made more noise if I tried. A
dog even started barking. I hopped to my feet and regained
my bearings, while flashlights glared above me in the room
and shouts of hes getting away filled the night air. I wasnt
about to stick around.
Now, Ive lived in San Francisco for a number of years, and
if theres one thing I learned, real estate in this city is very ex-
pensive. Because of that, yards (if any) are very small. Stand-
ing in what was a small side yard more like a planter with a
walkway of a three-story walkup in the middle of the night,
I had three options: 1) Go out the front gate, which might be
locked; 2) Go to the back of the house, where they might
be coming from; or 3) Hop the neighbors wall between the
yards to get as far from this house as possible.
Two of them were now hanging out of the open window,
with beams of light spilling all around me. They were yelling
at me to stop, and Im surprised they didnt shoot. After
all, I know where they live. I know what they look like. That
house was filled with supplies and equipment that would
take them hours to moveand move where? If they were
keeping me around and kept asking me where my house is,
they must not have many options. And even though theres
no working 911 system, and the police are too busy to come
if I asked them, theres the National Guard. Theres the Army.
Theyve taken over whats left of the city. Thats the law now,
and if I could get to them before they get to me
It was no problem bounding over the wall into the
neighbors yard; fear is a strong motivator. Since I wanted
to stay of of the streets for a while at least until I ran out
of backyards I continued north, perpendicular to the
house and somewhat toward my own. I had to move fast.
Their flashlights gave away their position, and every time
I scrambled over another wall, I was able to look back and
see that they were only a backyards length behind me. My
wrists hurt from the duct tape, but more noticeable now
was a pain in my left ankle from the jump out of the window,
or maybe from one of the walls. But a hurt ankle (or scraped
up arms from the cinder blocks) is better than a bullet in the
head. I could stop and fight, but Id quickly be outnumbered.
I could hide, but the odds of their finding me or stumbling
into an uncomfortable situation with yet another group of
SUMMER 2014

survivors was high. My back wasnt to the wall, yet, and I was
still able bodied.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 119
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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

So I kept going, but changed direction.

I had been in the Alamo Square District
when they initially nabbed me on Scott
Street near the park, and they hadnt
dragged me too far before reaching their
house maybe four or five blocks at
most. But I wasnt sure in what direc-
tion they took me. In the next backyard,
I crouched down behind the wall and
squeezed between two houses and
through a gate to find myself on the street.
It was the corner of McAllister and Lyon.
The apartment building on that corner
had slipped of of its foundation and most
of it was in the street, as this was one
street that hadnt been cleared yet. There
was a Laundromat across from it and the
church next to that. I ran. My captors had
fanned out to the surrounding blocks,
perhaps anticipating where I would be
headed. I had counted 10 or 12 in the
house, and maybe a couple more in other
rooms (perhaps more like me in those
rooms?), but in the quiet of the streets I
could hear the voice of the big guy, shout-
ing orders from a block away. They were
organized and knew the area well.
They probably thought I would head
back to Alamo Square Park where they
caught me, but there was no way I was
going near there. In fact, I was headed in
the opposite direction, and I had a long
way to go, over The Panhandle, through
Haight-Ashbury District and Cole Valley
to my house on Belgrave Avenue, near
Mt. Sutro Greenbelt. I assumed that every
person I saw from then on was one of
them, so it was safest to avoid people
altogether. I found a worn 2x2 that made
for a nice club and kept a sharp eye out
for strangers.
Despite the pain, I kept moving until
the sun came up. Activity on the streets
increased until, somewhere around
Frederick and Clayton streets, I was able
to blend in with other survivors on the
street and disappear again, to finally
make it home.
 WHAT
IF?
ESCAPE AND
EVASION EXPERT: Kevin Reeves Approach

A
s I regained consciousness, I assessed my situation. weight slowly. At the top of the stairs, I stopped and listened. No noise,
My hands and feet were bound with duct tape. I so I started working down the stairs. I placed my feet on the sides of
was sore, and my nose was bleeding. Turns out it each stair tread where they are most supported, to reduce the chance
was broken. My ribs were hurting too. The bastard of a creak. At the bottom of the stairs I heard noise; at least two people
who kicked me had broken or cracked the ribs on in the kitchen were talking. My heart jumped when I heard one say
my left side. My knuckles were bloody from having fought the gang they were going to check on the prisoner. I quickly stepped to the
who accosted me. In spite of my best eforts, six strong men subdued door, unlocked it, and vanished into the dark of a new moon. Behind
me and took my gear. They must have figured I was good for more me, I heard the alarm being raised inside.
food if they softened me up a bit, so there I sat. I had to go at least a mile and a half north on the road before I could
Both the broken nose and hurt ribs were a problem. It was hard turn east toward my neighborhood. I was just turning the corner when
to breathe, and running would be an issue. But as my Marine Force I was silhouetted by a flashlight beam. I dodged left and headed west.
Recon friend James always said, Embrace the Suck. The pursuit was on, so I ran as best I could through the debris and
I needed to get out of there. I looked down at the duct tape and cars. I was holding my ribs for support, allowing me to move a little
smiled. Of all the restraints they could have used, duct tape was the faster. I passed an alley and ducked in. Moving along the side, I took
easiest to defeat. Its funny how many people just give up when they advantage of the concealment from the dumpsters, then turned west
get duct taped. I stood and straightened my body, trying to work out again before my pursuers had caught up.
the kinks. Then I hopped over to the closet door. I raised my arms Up ahead I saw a parking structure. The top two floors were col-
and rubbed the duct tape between my wrists up and down along the lapsed, but the bottom floors were intact. I ducked into the structure
corner edge of the door. After about four passes, the duct tape tore. I and cut across in near total darkness, coming out in another alley.
bent down, placed my hands together, and slid them down between Continuing west, I could see flashlights scanning the streets to the
my knees. With a downward jerk, the duct tape tore and my legs were
free too.
I had been thoroughly searched when they caught me, and the
lock picks in my pocket were gone. They also took my belt, which had
another set of picks and a handcuf key in a hidden pocket. However,
on my jeans theres a leather patch on my right hip under my belt. It
says Levi Strauss. Long ago, I began carrying a third set of picks, called
Bogots, in the pocket formed by that patch. Multiple backups paid
of today. Also inside my hidden pocket were a cuf key, a diamond
rod, and an auto jiggler. I pulled out the picks and checked the door.
The double-sided deadbolt was a Schlage, medium dificulty. I put my
ear to the door no sound. I touched the door lightly with the back
of my hand no vibration indicating movement in the other room. I
slid a lifter pick into the lock and began moving each pin individually.
I started with the resistant pin and slowly lifted the break point to the
shear line. One pin down. I repeated the process four more times,
then slowly started to rotate the plug. It only went of a turn. Damn, I
picked it in the wrong direction. I started over with the tension wrench
applying torque in the other direction. A couple of minutes later, the
tumbler began to rotate.
I was captured at around 8:30 p.m. An hour or two of pleasant
conversation, then I was knocked out cold. I wasnt sure how long I was
unconscious, perhaps a couple of hours, so I estimated the time to be
around 3 a.m. I carefully peeked out the door. I was in an upstairs hall. It
was very dark; the window showed no light outside. I moved very slowly
SUMMER 2014

and quietly down the hall, placing my lead foot down with no weight
on it, slowly compressing the floor with my foot, then transferring my

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south and behind me. No time for rest. I turned north for a
block, then back west, then back north. I zigzagged and used
alleys to reduce the chances of being spotted. The faster I
moved, the better.
I finally stopped in an alley behind a dumpster. My ribs
were killing me. I was sucking air as hard as they would allow,
but the pain kept my lungs from fully expanding. I had to
stop and rest for a moment. Trying to remember where I was,
I suspected I had at least another mile to go north. So I
walked slowly, catching my breath and letting the adrenaline
do its job. I soon started moving more quickly again, zigzag-
ging north and east again.
There was a warehouse with a rollup door that was of its
hinges. I squeezed in and was enveloped in darkness. Across
the building, I could see another open door. I moved slowly
toward it. As I crossed the floor, unable to see anything, I
tripped on some pallets add a skinned knee to the list.
Once at the opposite door, I scanned the street. About 100
yards to the east, I could see a light, but it appeared to be a
fire barrel, not a flashlight.
So far, I had avoided my pursuers no time to get compla-
cent. I peered around the warehouse, but couldnt make out
many details. As I stumbled about in the dark, I found a door
into another interior room. Complete darkness, no windows,
no light whatsoever. It was a cavernous room, and I bumped
into a forklift. A thought flickered in my mind. I closed the
door, then shufled back to the forklift. I turned the key and,
sure enough, the dash lit up. I flicked on a working light, cast-
ing ominous shadows around the room.
There was a fridge in the far corner. Inside was rotting food,
but also a couple of bottles of water. I gulped one down and
put the other in my back pocket. I also found a roll of pallet
stretch wrap, which I wrapped around my ribs it helped a
little. The warehouse had been looted, but there were many
trays full of nuts, bolts, and other hardware. I grabbed an old
rag and the largest bolt I could find; it would probably take a
1 8 inch wrench to fit this monster. I slid the bolt down to the
1
middle of the rag now I had a close-range weapon. I tucked
it into my back pocket, with the end of the rag hanging out,
and looked around again. There were some cardboard boxes
on one wall. After switching of the light and the key, I laid
down on the cardboard to get some rest. With some water
and a place to lie low, I decided to spend the day here. I could
see the sun coming up beyond the outside door.
After a long day hiding in the warehouse, the sun finally set
and darkness once again reigned. It was time to move. There
was a sliver moon that night, so not much ambient light. I
spent some time while resting sketching a map of my move-
ments the night before as best as I could remember, trying
to orient myself. While the first night was all about speed, the
second would be about stealth and deception.
I moved to the north door and looked out. I sat for 15 min-
utes just watching and listening; I needed to be sure I was the
only predator out there. As I crossed the street, and crawled
about the rubble of a collapsed building, I found the unmis-
takable smell of decaying flesh. This building had obviously
been inhabited. But next to the body was an 18-inch-long
piece of -inch rebar another improvised weapon.
I slowly and carefully worked my way toward the cross
street that would take me back home. I detoured around a
group of about six men standing around a burning barrel.
They were watching the fire, so they could not see anything,
but I wanted to avoid any potential contact.
When I reached my cross street, I stopped again and
waited for a full hour. From concealment, I watched my
back trail for anyone who might be following me. Seeing no
movement, I turned east and worked my way slowly along
the alleys and streets toward home. About two blocks down,
I saw flashlights dancing about like light sabers and slithered
into an alley. I found a dumpster and climbed in. Ugghh, the
stink of rotting food. I sat quietly and peered out of the crack
of the lid. The flashlights went by, and I recognized one as
from the gang that broke my nose. I resisted the urge to get
some payback; I wasnt in the clear yet.
Fortunately, I was near one of my caches. There I would
find a Glock 19, three mags, 100 loose rounds, two more
bottles of water, a flashlight, a folding Hissatsu knife, and an
MRE. These treasures were in a .50 cal ammo can that I had
buried in a somewhat vacant lot.
After waiting another nauseating hour, I clambered out of
the dumpster and headed east toward the field. It didnt look
the same, but along the left side was my landmark, a tele-
phone pole. I measured out 25 paces due east, then dug into
the ground with my rebar. I was pretty exposed, so after a few
false starts, I was relieved to hear the metal click of the box
lid. Grabbing the handle, I tugged it out, then looked for some
cover. There was a brick wall extending along the sidewalk.
Crouching behind it, I opened the box. The Glock in my hand
was one of the most reassuring feelings I had in two days. I
grabbed the water, took a drink, and stufed the rest of the
gear in my pockets. There was an abandoned store nearby
with a dark room, where I sat and rested. MREs never tasted
so good. My ribs hurt, but this style of movement was much
easier on them. I probed my nose and decided it was indeed
broken. I really did want payback.
Another two hours and I was finally home. My wife was a bit
of a mess with worry and turned her nose at my stench, but
my sons fever had broken and he appeared on the mend.

SURVIVAL EXPERT: Tim MacWelchs Approach
I
must have looked like a huge rat, hunkered in the corner of
that room, gnawing furiously at the duct tape. My lips and
teeth were soon covered with adhesive, but I was finally
able to start a tear in the tape. Soon my hands were free! I
was able to quietly unwind the duct tape from my feet and
ankles, which was still sticky. I saved some, pressing the top of the tape
strip to the wall. I had ideas for that tape. This place had electricity; that
must be why they picked it. There was just one bare light bulb hang-
ing from the ceiling, but it was on. I listened to the activity in the house
as best I could, and when it sounded like some of the group had left, I
set my plans in motion.
Using part of my shirt to bufer the heat of the hot light bulb, I un-
screwed the only illumination from the ceiling, pitch black descending
on the room. I began scratching on the door and the wall. I wanted to
arouse curiosity, not wrath, from my captors. Then, with a sticky strip
of duct tape in my hands, I began tapping my foot against the door,
standing there in the darkness. After a long while, I heard the door
unlock and my muscles tensed. I only had one shot at this. As the light
flooded the room, I hung back behind the door. As the man groped
the wall to find the light switch, I kicked him in the groin as hard as
I could. And as he doubled over in pain, I slapped the tape over his
eyes, and kicked him again this time in the throat. In a second, I was
outside the room, shutting the door, locking it and turning the tables
on my enemy. Then I ran. I ran like Ive never run before. I ran past two
very startled men, so quickly that I couldnt tell if Id seen them before
WHAT
IF?
or not. Exploding out the door, I ran through the yard and into the
street to get my bearings. Another bit of luck was in my favor it was
nighttime. But my luck turned quickly again when I heard shouting
and running behind me. It was time to disappear.
On the darkened suburban street, I ran. I couldnt tell if they were
catching up, or falling behind, so I just kept running. But I couldnt head
straight home. That would take them exactly where they wanted to
go. My home was north of this neighborhood, so I began heading
west. I ran on the sidewalk when I could, heading west one block and
north one block. I had to watch the ground carefully, as cracks and
gaps from the earthquake might break my ankle and throw me down,
but at least I was distancing myself from them. Quick glances back
showed me that the heavier man was falling behind his fellow. Some
of the blocks had power and streetlights, some did not. On the dark
streets, I had to slow down to watch my footing. Garbage was strewn
everywhere, and if I fell, theyd catch me.
After a few blocks of running, the adrenaline wore of and the
pain set in. I felt my pattern of west, north, west, north, was getting
predicable, so I turned east at an intersection and dove behind some
bushes. I saw my pursuers stop, and look around hastily. Dawn was
coming, and the darkness that hid me will be gone soon. The thinner
man, who looked older and clearly exhausted, took out a cell phone
and tried to call someone as his heavier companion gasped for breath,
SUMMER 2014
his hands on his knees. That phone was all I needed to see. Phone
Man was looking at the street sign. He was calling the others.
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I slunk away as quietly as I could to the backyard of
that house, praying that this unknown family didnt have
a barking dog back there. I wondered if anyone was in
those houses who would help me. Would I let in a man
who looked beaten, raving about being followed and
captured? I probably wouldnt. And I hadnt seen a police
car or oficer anywhere. Getting home was the only thing
that I could really count on. I continued east through the
backyards of that block. The earthquake had toppled
many of the fences that would normally have blocked my
backyard trek through the subdivision. But periodically, I
had to fight my way through debris and climb over fences
to continue on my path.
At the end of the block, I was completely out of breath
and had a tough decision to make jump back out onto
the street to move faster at the risk of being seen or
hide for a while. I chose the latter. I couldnt risk being run
down by fresh reinforcements from this bunch of Mad
Max wannabes. As I crouched in the shrubs, the sun crept
above the horizon. Damaged vehicles were everywhere,
so quickly rummaging through a nearby open car trunk,
I found a tire iron. At last, I had a weapon. Settling back
into the bushes, I carefully broke a few branches from
nearby shrubs and thickened the area between me
and the street. Soon, my pursuers appeared with larger
numbers. Some of the faces belonged to people who
had beaten me, and some were new. As I sat still in the
bushes, I slowed my breathing and recalled all the hunts I
had been on for deer and other wild game. If I could hide
from an animals sharp eyes and ears, these fools should
miss me by a mile.
Two of the men broke of and headed toward the house.
I stayed calm and ignored the ants starting to crawl on my
skin. He must live around here somewhere, said the first
man to his cohort. Well find his ass and his food stash,
if we have to go through every house around here, was
the reply. They walked up to the door and began bang-
ing on it. A few moments later, a shotgun boomed from
inside the home. No glass broke, and neither man fell. The
homeowner must have fired a warning shot into the floor
or walls, and it worked. Both men jogged away briskly. After
canvassing the street, the gang moved of to the west, mut-
tering obscenities and arguing about where I must have
gone. I almost smiled, but my face hurt too much for that.
After another few minutes of waiting, I stood up, brushed
of the ants, and continued north and east, my new tire iron
in hand. I borrowed some laundry drying on a line, which
gave me a quick change of shirt, and I picked up some
sunglasses through the broken window of a ransacked
car. I hoped they did a good job of hiding my swollen eye.
Would the predators recognize me, if our paths crossed?
Maybe But within the hour, I was home.
I did our secret knock on the door, which my wife hastily
opened. I dont know if the sunglasses and strange shirt
scared her, or my bloody lip and blackening eye, but she
slammed the door in my face and re-locked it. Then I could
actually smile. Good girl, thats exactly what you were sup-
posed to do. Then, after hearing my voice, she reopened
the door and pulled me inside. After a long, silent hug, she
asked what happened to me. I told her wed talk about that
later right now, we needed to fortify the house and seal it
up like a vault. I re-armed myself, and went to work. I practi-
cally beamed with pride at the way my wife was toting that
shotgun in one hand and tools in the other.
As we noisily moved things around, my 5-year-old
daughter emerged from her room. She looked like she
was feeling better. She halfheartedly asked about the
sunglasses, then got some Tylenol from her mother and
went back to lay down. I asked where the bottle came
from, and my wife sheepishly admitted to trading water
to the neighbor for the medicine. That was, after all, the
whole reason I went out in the first place. But neither one
of us said any more about it.
After reinforcing the doors and windows, I cleaned up
my face with a washcloth. It was time to get some infor-
mation. Our block had no power, so the TV had been out
since the quake. Instead, we gathered around the battery-
operated radio to scan through the channels, and used a
battery-powered charger to make a few cell phone calls. I
couldnt get through on 911 to report the people that had
kidnapped and assaulted me, so I just settled for collect-
ing some news. Help for the outlying towns and city of
San Francisco was on its way. One radio announcer said
that the National Guard would be moving in today, and
another said that police patrols were being doubled in the
wake of the rising crime. I could have used that last night
During the long walk home, I had begun planning to
bug out, but with the crime on the streets and increasing
military presence, the choice soon shifted to bugging in.
Now, more than ever, I thanked God for the foresight to
stock water, weapons, food, batteries, lights, and a radio in
the house. And I swore of solo supply runs for good.
WHAT
IF?

What are YOU carrying?

OLIVE/BLACK
KNOCKOUT
1870OLBLK

KERSHAWKNIVES.COM
126 OFFGRIDWEB.COM WHAT
IF?
SUMMER 2014

Conclusion
Stop worrying about being eaten
by a bear or a shark. Humans are the
About Our Panel:
worst animals youll face in an average SURVIVAL EXPERT
emergency situation. A real-life crisis Tim MacWelch
tends to reveal the true character just MacWelch has been a survival instructor for the past
beneath the surface, and some people 18 years, and has trained members from all branches of
are pure evil under there. It has been U.S. Armed Forces, the State Department, DOD and DOJ
estimated that just 5 percent of the personnel. He is a frequent public speaker for preparedness
population looting, raping, and pillaging groups and events. His new survival book, Prepare For
their way through an area would over- Anything, will be available May 2014. MacWelchs favorite
whelm local law enforcement person- survival skill is fre making. Follow him on Twitter @
nel and inspire borderline bad-guys timmacwelch for daily survival skills and tips.
to flout the law as well. It would seem And check out his wide range of hands-on
that criminal behavior is contagious. training courses that are open to the public at
So how do we avoid the growing www.advancedsurvivaltraining.com
hoard of marauders if the police stop
coming around? The best course of AVERAGE JOE
action is to be out of their reach. There Ryan Lee Price
are two ways to achieve this. First, get Ryan Lee Price is a freelance journalist
out! Dont live in high-population areas who specializes in outdoor adventuring,
more people means more criminals. emergency preparedness, and the automotive
If your work or family situation wont industry. He pens the SHTF survival column
allow this distance from population for our sister publication RECOIL Magazine and
centers, then have a bug-out location. is a long-time hiking and camping enthusiast.
A well-stocked bug-out site can be the He currently resides in Corona, California, with
greatest asset your family could have his wife Kara and their two children.
during a long-term emergency.
But if bugging out isnt your style, or ESCAPE AND EVASION EXPERT
you deem it unsafe to travel, then bug- Kevin Reeve
ging in can help you to keep the crimi- Kevin Reeve is the founder and Director of onPoint Tactical,
nals at bay. Its the second method the leading provider of training in Urban Survival and Escape
to avoid the human garbage flowing and Evasion. onPoint has trained many members of elite
through the streets during times of military groups such as U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Navy
trouble. But understand that if you SEALs, MARSOC, AF Pararescue, Navy, and Air Force SERE
stay put, youre a sitting duck. So try to Instructors, as well as members of the DEA, U.S. Marshal
look like an unappealing duck. Trash Service, ICE, Secret Service, and OGA. In addition to urban
the outside of your house, making it skills, Kevin teaches wilderness survival, tracking, SERE,
look as if it has already been looted. point man training, scout, and related skills. He also provides
Go dark, by concealing all light sources training to executives and businessmen on counter and anti-
after nightfall. Create blockades, kidnapping. Kevin has also been involved in scouting for over
barriers, and defenses around the 35 years, including 25 years as a Scoutmaster.
home, particularly around backdoors, www.onpointtactical.com
side doors, low windows, and other
ground-floor access points. Keep an
exit clear, with several exit strategies
How would you react to the same urban unrest scenario as played out by our panel?
for the family. And if in doubt dont
Share your plan with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OFFGRIDmag.
answer the door.
BROWNELLS.COM/ESG 800-741-0015

Source Code: PET

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SUMMER 2014 OFFGRIDWEB.COM

BLAZING
TRIGGER
Flare-Gun Etiquette
By John Teator
Photography by Michael Grey

I
f you find yourself in trouble and need help on help the flare linger
the double, youll want to make your whereabouts in the air longer than
known to anyone nearby. One of the best ways to regular aerial flares.
catch the attention of rescuers is via the glow of an They can stay afloat
ultra-bright, fiery flare day or night. When shot up for as much as 30 sec-
high in the air, aerial flares can broadcast your signal for help onds, giving you a better
to a wide-ranging area. Flare guns are commonly stored on- chance that it is spotted. Another
board boats, other watercraft, and aircraft, as well as carried category of flares is SOLAS flares. SOLAS stands for safety
by people traveling through the wilderness. of life at sea, are more powerful, and are primarily used by
vessels sailing the deep ocean.
Not a Firearm
A flare gun, as its name implies, functions like a gun (al- Use on Land
though not recognized legally as a firearm in most jurisdic- While not at sea, those traveling across land can use flare
tions). Pulling its trigger will draw its hammer back until it guns to signal a need for help as well. In doing so, be careful
releases. The hammer then strikes the flares detonating cap, not to inadvertently cause a fire. Remember that a flare is es-
which in turn ignites the flare and causes it to fire out of the sentially a flying torch, so when it lands, it is incendiary and
barrel. Flare guns should be pointed up into the air when can easily light dry brush and foliage.
fired. Shooting the flare straight up also makes it easier for Stories have surfaced of people using flare MAKE & MODEL
others to determine your position and maximizes its visibil- guns to scare away wild animals including bears Orion
Bluewater Alert/
ity. Aerial flares can travel 500 feet high when fired directly as well. In a pinch, flare guns can provide some Locate Signal Kit
up, making them powerful enough to be lethal if shot at a impromptu security, but remember that they are CALIBER
12-gauge
person or animal, so use caution and observe gun safety dangerous and have the ability to seriously injure
rules when handling one. or kill use caution and proper judgment. Before COLOR
Orange
heading out into the great unknown, be sure to
MSRP
Two Are Better Than One check with local authorities about the use and $140
To better facilitate your rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard legalities of flare guns in the area you intend on URL
www.orionsignals.com
instructs that when a rescue craft or party is spotted, you travelling.
NOTES
should fire two flares in succession, not just one. Two flares
The Bluewater Alert/
allow rescuers to better understand where the flares were Many Emergency Uses Locate Signal Kit contains
ve handheld red signal
launched from. Were fans of having a flare gun around ares, one handheld orange
regardless of whether were camping in the high smoke are, six 12-gauge
red aerial signals that reach
Aerial Flare Types desert, exploring a swamp, or on a craft 100 miles an altitude of 500 feet and
There are diferent types of flares for diferent situations. ofshore. You never know if trouble will come look- 12-gauge pistol-style are
launcher with attached are
White flares are for non-emergency signaling as well as area ing for you. If you find yourself in a flood sitting bandolier. The kit is enclosed
in a soft, bright orange,
illumination, while red flares signal an emergency. Be aware on your roof, your boat is going down, or youre buoyant bag. The ares are
that launching red flares when there is not an emergency awaiting rescue in the bush, you bet youll want a U.S. Coast Guard approved
for day and night signaling.
may be illegal depending on your region. Parachute flares flare gun to signal for help.

WARNING! 12-gauge fares and shotgun shells should never be mixed. Firing either out of non-approved devices is dangerous and can be illegal.