Urban Survival Tools – Pocket Multi-Tools

The Urban Survivors Kit will not be complete without a pocket Multi-Tool. These tools are commonly referred to as “Leathermans”, however Leatherman is only one of the companies that manufacture these must have items.

Having used several versions of Leathermans and other tools, we have the opinion that the two best multi-tools on the market are from Leatherman and Gerber. You should feel adequately equipped with either.

Leatherman 830038 New Wave Multi-Tool


Excellent multi-tool; easily open and handled; with many tools for common functions such as: needle nose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, hard wire cutters, clip point knife, serrated knife, saw, scissors, wood/metal file, diamond-coated file, large bit driver, small bit driver, 2 double end bits, large screwdriver, ruler, bottle/can opener, wire stripper, and lanyard attachment . Comes with Zytel contoured handle/grips in a leather sheath. Weight is approximately 8.5 ounces. Leaf spring type tool locking on the handle.

Gerber Compact Sport Needlenose Multi-Plier 400



Another excellent multi-tool providing the following tools: Needle nose pliers with wire cutters, crimper, serrated drop point blade, scissors, bottle opener, crosspoint (Phillips) screwdriver, large, medium, and small flat tip screw drivers, and can opener. Comes in a black ballistic sheath, weighing approximately 7.4 ounces. Spring loaded tool locking function on handle.

Whether or not you carry one on your belt or in your Survival Bug Out Bag, this is an essential piece of kit. We give a slight edge to the Gerber in terms of price and ease of opening/closing the tools, plus the scissors appear to be more robust.

Product Review – Danner Desert TFX Boots

Combined, we have worn a lot of boots over the years from the mountains, woodlands, swamps and deserts of the United States to jungles of West Africa to the harsh desert conditions of the Middle East. Having said that, footwear is largely a personal choice with 8 different people recommending 8 different brands. Durability and suitability for the environment would be our first two criteria when selecting a boot. Comfort would be a close third.

If your Survival Plan calls for vacating your home or location and moving to a safe zone house, you may have to do much of the movement on foot. Having to start humping, either on the run from bandits or mobs, or just moving through the countryside trying to make it someplace safe, you need something that is going to hold up to the elements and in many cases that means keep your feet warm and dry. There is nothing like the wet or the cold to sap your will. Good footgear will eliminate or greatly reduce the possibility of your feet giving up before the rest of your body does.
Approved for use with the Army, the Danner Desert TFX Boot with Gore-Tex lining has a lightweight hard rubber that is surprisingly stable. The Gore-Tex lining is very comfortable. Danner advertises the insulation as 400G Thinsulate and we wore these boots recently for 4 hours in 23 degree temperature doing mild to moderate activity with great comfort and one of the guys had a previous cold weather injury to his feet making him a near expert in "what is cold".
There is no doubt that whatever your job is, having a good pair of well broken in boots for doing Survival tasks in, whether be just standing watch, running from mobs or humping through the brush is a must have. You could do no better than the Danner Desert TFX Boot with Gore-Tex, model 26010.

Book Review: Lights Out by Half Fast

You won’t find Lights Out in the bookstore, but it’s a must read none-the-less. Like the book “One Second After”, Lights Out focuses on surviving the aftermath of an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) from a nuclear device. Where this differs from One Second After, is the story location is the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas rather than the Appalachian Mountains. Lights Out is not only a good read, but serves as story where lessons learned, primarily in survival preparation can be compiled. In each instance of a problem, you should ask yourself “what would I do?”

To be sure, as the story unfolds, the survivors in Lights Out, organize together in a group comprised of the residents of their local sub-division/community. The author “best cases” situations where the survivors have local auto parts stores, grocery stores and gun stores, as well as others, open for a considerable time after infrastructure failure, which is very unrealistic. The relative ease in which the larger survival group organizes and works together is perfect world and not realistic. Falling into exceptional barter situations for weapons and ammunition deal, finding just the right auto part and other strokes of good luck populate the book. However, the challenges of water procurement, food procurement, farming, group security, communications, establishing governmental type unit are all situations the author takes the reader through with the group’s solutions.

Available from http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf
this is a must read book for the survivor planner.

Survival Chronicles of Jim – Chapter 3

Got a Shotgun! A Mossberg Model 500 Tactical. Mine is a standard blued model, but you can buy them in Mossy Oak or similar camouflage. To tell you the truth I can't remember the difference between Woodland and Mossy Oak or whatever. I remember the Survival guys telling me to stay away from camouflaged items as they tend to stand out and bring more scrutiny, particularly from persons of authority. I also purchased 25 rounds of #8 shot birdshot, 25 rounds of 00 buckshot and 10 rounds of 1 ounce Slugs to start. I plan on buying additional ammunition every month,…25 rounds here and there until I have a basic load. I also bought a 12 gauge brass bore brush but neglected to buy a cleaning rod, solvent and oil which I’ll pickup tonight on the way home.

I got to say having a shotgun in the house makes me feel a lot safer. I realize that I need to not only start shooting it regularly but to also get one of my Law Enforcement pals to give me some pointers. I really like the shot shell carrier on the collapsible stock of the shotgun where I can store six additional rounds of 12 gauge, as I am only loading three rounds in the tubular magazine as per guidance from the Survival guys. I am also going to order a V-TAC padded Tactical Sling from www.vikingstactics.com

I picked up a Camel Bak Talon backpack with hydration bladder to serve as my Survival Bug Out Bag. Added six of the MRE’s I was given and my extra flashlight batteries, but could not decide on storing my flashlight inside the Bug Out Bag or keep by my night stand. I understand now when I was told that a person needs multiple flashlights, a re-charger and a good store of re-chargeable batteries.
Until next time - stay prepared!