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  Hardtack, what is it and why is it practically indestructible?  The basic version is essentially a hard cracker made from water, flour, and salt. The salt content helps preserve it, and the baking process dries it out enough that you don’t have to worry about it going moldy. In fact, if you keep it … Read more

You’ve probably heard the expression “food desert” as applied to urban areas that don’t have reliable access to fresh, whole foods. Well, in a survival situation, it’s easy to imagine that many urban areas will be landlocked from any kind of reliable wild edibles, too. But this is not the case! Plants grow everywhere, even … Read more

Activated charcoal is one of the most important first aid items to have in your bug out bag, preparedness first aid kit, or home medicine cabinet. It is one of the most important tools in removing impurities and toxins of all kinds and has a ton of different applications. You can typically buy it in … Read more

How safe do you feel while you are out hiking and camping in the woods? Most people have little fear of the wild animals that share their world. In most cases, the animals tend to leave people alone, and that’s a good thing. However, there may come a time when you are facing down one … Read more

Every heard of papercrete? Well, if you haven’t, you should learn what it is and how to make it right away. It is the ultimate resource for any long-term-minded prepper. It is a sort of concrete block that’s made using recycled paper, and it is incredibly sustainable, affordable to make, and versatile. It would be … Read more

If Fukushima has taught us anything, it’s that you never do know when nuclear disaster can strike, and just how many people will be affected. Five years later, the Fukushima nuclear disaster is still impacting not only the immediate area, but potentially the whole West Coast of North America and possibly even the world. Nuclear weapons are … Read more

Being stranded in the arctic is certainly no small crisis. While it’s not impossible to survive, it would certainly be a huge challenge, but if you travel to arctic regions at all for hunting, fishing, or other sporting, you should prepare yourself, just in case, for the unfortunate disaster in which you might end up … Read more

I just shared an article all about paracords, and since one of the most popular ways to carry paracord for EDC is in a handy bracelet, I thought I’d share some really simple instructions on how to make your own from DIYReady.com. These are great DIYs, in my opinion, because they’re really simple to do, … Read more

In a disaster, all our easy-to-access digital information about all of our assets, utilities, and resources might vanish in an instant if communication grids go down. We also might find ourselves in quite a precarious situation very quickly if we don’t have important physical documents we normally keep somewhere safe in our house and never … Read more

‘Survival Mom’ blogger and YouTuber Lisa Bedford knows what she’s talking about when she talks survival, and this video is a great look at a very serious subject. EMPs, or electromagnetic pulses, could theoretically cause massive global metldown. Cell phones won’t work, modern cars with computers in them won’t work, security systems will fail, ATMs … Read more

There has always been a lot of discussion surrounding why some people are able to survive harrowing situations that the rest of us could never imagine being able to physically, much less psychologically endure. What is it that mentally sets some apart in the face of grave danger or terrifying situations? Today I want to … Read more

We discussed a bit last week about whether or not our country will see peace and stability with Donald Trump is in office. A lot of people feel really confident and emboldened with him in the White House, but you’d have to live under a rock to not notice how many people feel completely panicked, … Read more

Carbon steel knives can be great. They are sharp and they hold their edge. However, if you are outdoors often, you will find that these knives have more of a tendency to gather rust. This looks bad for the knife, and you do not want to have rust rubbing off onto the things you cut, … Read more

When you first get your CCL, it is very exciting. But carrying a concealed weapon is not a force field that protects you from any and all aggressors, it is something you need to think about, get used to, and have a good plan. Here are some tips for making you gain the right experience … Read more

When you’re just getting started, disaster preparedness can be very overwhelming…and expensive. There are a ton of products on the market out there, some that are real quality investments, some that are pretty much just designed to make money. But if you are a low-budget or fully broke prepper, it can seem like there’s not … Read more

  Chances are, when thinking about stinging nettle, images of painful rashes come to mind.  Most people’s experience with nettle doesn’t go much further than this.  But if you come across a patch of stinging nettle while surviving in the wilderness, it may be just what you need, though you might not know it.  Stinging … Read more

This video is from home security cameras and captures an armed home invasion in the Atlanta area in which three armed men force their way in a home with guns drawn.  Luckily the homeowner was armed and responded accordingly, shooting at the intruders and hitting one, with no one in the home injured.  The scene … Read more

  Being able to determine the range of a target is crucial when firing at long distances.  The greater the distance between you and your target the greater the effect both gravity and wind will have on your round.  For most defensive scenarios this won’t be an issue since you would be defending an area … Read more

  There are aspects of survival that seem to work in your favor, for instance, if there is a poisonous plant, insect, or snake in the area, there tends to be a treatment available from a plant that also grows in that area.  But there are other times when it seems that nature is conspiring … Read more

If you have an affinity for the great outdoors, chances are you get out and go camping and hiking at every opportunity. Whether you are new to hiking or you’ve been doing it since you could barely walk, it’s important to keep a few basic tips in mind that can help keep you safer out … Read more

Many people who have chosen to carry a firearm for self-defense only go to a standard pistol range.  They stand in their lane and they fire one round at a time, one magazine at a time, and then bring their target back for inspection.  This is not without its benefits, but it is one-dimensional training.  … Read more

It’s not unusual to find plants that offer more than one benefit for survival, but few come close to the versatility of the cattail.  Cattails can be used to start fire, build shelter, manufacture tools, and for nutritious food.  They are widely distributed, growing in almost any environment that water can be found.  Coming across … Read more

Recently I mentioned in an article that I don’t recommend keeping sizable amounts of cash stored for disaster, and why I don’t think it would to you any good to do so.  One of those reasons is that after a disaster there will be extreme inflation on the items that people will need most.  One … Read more

Whether just in the back yard, or worse yet, in a wilderness survival situation, getting a tiny splinter under your skin can cause you big problems.  The pain can be distracting and make necessary tasks difficult or impossible.  If left unaddressed the splinter can lead to infection which could, if you are unable to access … Read more

When talking about self-defense and safety, situational awareness is always going to come into the conversation.  Having good situational awareness will allow you to avoid danger entirely or at least respond to it quickly so as to increase your odds.  But what exactly are you supposed to be aware of?   When The easiest thing … Read more

Ironically, as your need for a fire increases the difficulty in starting that fire will also increase.  One reason is that many of the common sources of wilderness tinder are absorbent, and in damp conditions they will be full of water, making them nearly impossible to use as tinder.  Of course, it’s always a good … Read more

  Violent protests and even riots are not as rare as they should be these days.  Donald Trump’s victory has a lot of people upset, some of which care little for the rule of law.  Protests are already occurring in several major cities around the country, and despite how the media portrays them, they are … Read more

You don’t need to have table manners when you are struggling for survival in the wilderness.  But you may need to have some utensils.  If you have gotten lost, stranded because of weather or an accident, then you might not have your gear with you.  This might leave you without a container for water.  It … Read more

One of the easiest to store and most useful survival items is a tarp.  It’s primary purpose being to provide waterproof shelter that can be adapted to varying needs and available resources.  Like all tools, you will get the most out of your tarp if you know how to properly use it.  Here are a … Read more

A blowgun is probably not the first weapon that comes to mind when you think about prepping for survival.  And while there are weapons that might be higher on the list, a blowgun is not without its advantages.  This is a list of some of the reasons that you should consider adding a blowgun to your … Read more