When we were kids we had a one-story house and in order to get all of our “stuff” inside we had to build up rather than out. That meant putting up shelves. And we put up a LOT of them! In our house, Dad and Mom would help but we were basically, as kids, on…

When we have an emergency the last thing we need is for our car to give us grief. It doesn’t even have to be engine failure or a dead battery. It’s the little things like a disgustingly dirty drink holder or those greasy French fries that end up under your seat after a fast-food run,…

We have all collected five (5) liter plastic bottles at one time or another but after we are through with them, what is next? Oh sure, we can throw them into the “blue barrel” for recycling but is there not a way to reuse the things? Of course, there is! We can simply refill them…

The Mylar blanket is probably one of man’s greatest accomplishments. It is one of those survivor items, something any outdoorsman should have in his or her backpack, that really packs a punch. Honestly, you do not realize just how important it is until you have to do without it. What is there NOT to love…

Survival knots are like survival knives, rifles, pretty much every other piece of survival gear! Everyone has their favorite. Really the only two rules that should apply to any survival knot are: Is it simple to make and will it hold even if extreme pressure is applied to it. Those two rules can make the…

Warning: Lye is caustic and can hurt you if you are not careful. Always make sure you wear long pants, boots, a long sleeved shirt, gloves and eye protection when working with or handling Lye. Also, be prepared to dispose of whatever you wear if it becomes contaminated. Making your own Lye from wood ashes…

Part of being a homesteader or survivalist is self-sufficiency, which is the ability to do things yourself without having to rely on external organizations or people. Many of us, for instance, have learned how to do-it-yourself (DIY) when it comes to home improvement projects, survival preparation, and household goods. This not only makes us more…

If you’ve ever owned an older car you have had the lovely experience of getting all that terrible oxidation on your headlights. It fogs them up and makes the light coming from them a little more difficult to see than when they were new, fresh and clear. Worse yet, it also makes it difficult for…

We have heard of container homes, have even read and written articles about their potential, but their ruggedness and often displeasing aesthetics tend to make an average person wonder how long a family can live in one without realizing they may have made a mistake. We think of ourselves as creative but even we had…

Uncertainty and necessity breed innovation and nowhere is that more evident than in the world of survivalists. One area that has gained prominence among many survivalists is the need to be able to bug-out on short notice. That has meant a host of innovations in bug-out vehicles and survivalists embracing the concept of tiny homes…

It would be ideal if every time you thought of, read about or saw a survival material, supply or piece of equipment all you had to do was whip out some cash and make it yours. Unfortunately, for many, that is not only not practical, it is not possible. For those of us that fall…

Warning: This video is informative and funny, but has some content that would be considered “salty.” If you find risqué comments and some content objectionable, you may want to start watching just beyond the introduction. The content of the video on the next page covers a survival kit that can fit in your standard water…

At the heart of the vast majority of survivalists is the desire to be prepared for whatever life throws your way. A large part of what drives us though, let’s be honest, is that we like gadgets, gear, hacks, and innovations. In fact, much of what drives the industry beyond food preparation is the fact…

Dealing with cuts, abrasions, rashes and worse is a fact of life when living, working or playing in the outdoors. The threat of an injury is made much worse in the chaotic environment of a survival situation. In the aftermath of a survival crisis, just about everything can pose a health or safety threat. It…