All posts in Survival Gear

First Aid, Medical Gear and Rescue gear, how close are you to it?

Rescue GearIt seems that in this industry, every time you buy something,  you have to buy something else to perfect it.  Just buying a first aid kit doesn’t cut it with me because even now, most of the first aid kits you see at Rite Aid or a neighborhood Drug Store isn’t going to have anything that relates to trauma, it’s mostly for people with boo boos, not lacerations, stabbings or gun show wounds.   If you don’t have any of the QuikClot, go out and atleast get the QuickClot Sport, if you are a gun owner, get the Combat Gauze and keep it in your car or in your range bag.   There are so many things to consider when putting together a medical bag,  but if you can afford it, there is every reason to keep some type of Go Bag with you at all times.    I have put together medical gear that stays in the family car, a medical box at home, one in my car and I also have a belt trama kit that goes in my tactical vest.

Sure you don’t need to have all of that stuff in 4 different locations, but in this day and age, it’s real easy to be the person that “can handle it” if you are faced with some type of emergency response.   Kids get hit by cars, dogs bite people,  lawn mower accidents occur and the most common thing are car accidents.   You should always have some type of glass break device in your vehicle and a knife that you know can cut a seat belt.   I’m more prone to want partially serrated knives since cutting through rope or seat belts often needs sawing.   If you don’t have a tourniquet, atleast always know that something like a belt can also work to some degree.   Also consider having rescue gear that applies to both Summer Hot weather or Winter wear.   Emergency Blankets are so inexpensive that keeping a few in the back of your car, especially if you have kids, is something  you may need if your car broke down in temperatures like we had in the Winter of 2014.   Consider some type of portable water filtration unit like some of the Camelback products so even if you don’t have water, if you can find it, you can drink it safely without having to haul large quantities around.

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If you go to a firing range or own a gun, you must have First Aid and Medical Supplies with you

Combat GauzeWe have a lot of range bags to pick from but the number one thing I say to someone ordering one online or in our Showroom after picking one out is “don’t forget about medical supplies”.   We have plenty of Combat Medical Instructors coming into our store that who us how they pack their bags and about all of the features various bags from Voodoo Tactical, Elite Survival Systems, 5.11 Tactical and Condor and all of them have their pros and cons, but “The Mission Drives the Gear” so it really comes down to preferences.   Anyone that steps foot on a firing line should always know who and where medical kits are and since there have been so many major advancements in medical supplies, just having a box with band aids and gauze is not tolerable.   I was recently shown video of a kid that got hit by a car and how even after a tournequet was applied, there was still bleeding that needed to be stopped and the technician had to use Quickclot.  Between the cost of the various Sport Medical Supplies and a Swat T Tourniquet, your talking about $30 on up, how much of a joke is that to not justify putting that in your range bag,  your car, and in your home.

I’ve had enough life experience to keep supplies in all of the previously mentioned locations because I’ve been in my home where I’ve had people knock on my door and tell me a kid was in a bad bike accident (no car involved just a single bike accident) to date its the worst bleed out I’ve ever seen.   The kids ankle was sliced open when he lost his footing and the pedal slid up the side.   When you move up to the Z-Medica Combat Gauze, your starting at about $44 for the smaller packs but can watch one minute of Youtube and see how to use a Tourniquet and Combat Gauze.   The next time you pickup a gun case, range bag, tactical vest or firearm accessory, make sure you put some thought into upgrading your first aid and survival gear because the more you are around firearms, statistically speaking, the more likely you are going to witness an accident and if you look at all of the training events, Carbine Courses, you’ll see that they do, which is also another good reason to always be wearing body armor while on the firing range.  Also, you might want to check out Doc Spears Combat Lifesaver DVD that we sell.

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There’s a reason to fall back on Motorola radios and not depend on Cell Phones

Motorola RadiosOne of the first things that happened on September 11th was cell phone service going out.   In a real emergency you have to have the mindset that you might not be able to use it, so many people depend on their cell phones, but in any major event, phone lines will be over loaded and if you are lucky, you might be able to use it for texting but that’s about it.    Having a Police scanner might also be something worth while so at the very least you will still have some idea what is going on your local community but keeping a CB radio or a couple Motorola radios around for communicating in your neighborhood.   There are large networks of people still  using these and the ranges can vary so look up the reviews on realistic ranges before purchasing, also be real careful about not using Marine frequency radios on land.    At the very least you can use them to listen and communicate with others by relaying info.

There is a lot for even us to learn about compatibility between various headsets and I would highly recommend using headsets because it’s much easier to operate at lower volumes which can reduce energy drains.  Many of the Motorola Radios we sell can be used with batteries and rechargeable batteries and I have personally used these just to get accurate NOAA weather reports whenever hurricanes hit the region and we lost power.  Just knowing when and were the bulk of a storm is hitting and estimating when it will pass over can be comforting.   There are several radio pouches we sell that can be used on Molle or belts so that is something else worth considering.

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The Balance between being a prepper and a nut when it comes to Wise Emergency Food

Wise Emergency FoodsWe brought in the Wise Company long term storage survival food several years ago and now that we are stocking much of it, walk in customers get to hold in their hands and ask questions about the various products, bucket prices, shelf life of the products, and what it’s all about.  If you look over many of the Go Bags, Active Shooter Bags and bugout bags that we sell, those are often showing images of Wise Emergency Food in with pistol magazines, water bottles, AR15 magazines, radios and flashlights.   We several police departments in the area that their SWAT Officers have this product in their bags because they know how the possibility of standing out in front of a School or any type of standoff can hours and possible days long.   Try skipping breakfast or lunch and stand out in the sun for 6hrs on a hot day and tell me if you wish you had something you could just add water to and get a fast lunch to keep your body from being stressed or unnecessary drops in blood sugar that can cause  you to loose focus.  Yes, humans need to maintain their bodies to stay focused and that means eating and drinking properly.

We also have several customers that are truck drivers and are often traveling across Country during Hurricane season and out West during Tornado Season, people don’t realize the amount of disruption to super markets and transportation that occurs when that kind of weather can hit and if you are stuck in traffic on a highway trying to deliver across state lines, you may not be able to park the truck and walk to McDonalds if you are starving.  We are offering a much broader Wise Emergency Foods because this product line is something any level headed individual should consider bringing into their Duty Gear, Camping Gear, or keep in your basement for the what ifs.   The best example of not being prepared is what happened during Hurricane Katrina and an entire society was not independent.   Even though the word “prepper” can bring laughs and giggles, there are whole bunch of “preppers” that aren’t going to have problems riding out power failures, hurricanes, floods ect. because they had just a few weeks of non-perishable food.   The Fruits in these packages last for 7yrs, the meats 15yrs, the camping product line is 7yrs, and everything else can last up to 25yrs. All that security for $50-$150 buckets or packages of food?

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You need 2 Sleeping bags a Summer Bag and a Winter Bag so check out the Recon Sleeping Bags

Recon 2 Sleeping BagsRecon 3 Sleeping BagsRecon 4 Sleeping BagsRecon 5 Sleeping BagsWe have been expanding our EMS and Search and Rescue product lines in the last year from medical kits, Quick Clot sport and Combat Gauze as well as Timberline EMS Rescue Tools and Leatherman Multi-tools that are geared towards military, survival and Paramedics and EMTs.   There are always interesting products that Search and Rescue personnel buy from us that make you think they are going to be repelling off a cliff or going off on a jungle adventure.   One thing everyone knows in this industry is something many use to learn in Boy Scouts is “being prepared” is the best mindset you can have.  I don’t know the number of times I’ve been on friend or family trips and someone didn’t even think to bring rain gear or medical supplies.   There’s something to be said about survival of the fittest and when you are going in the outdoors for long periods of time, sometimes the possibility that something could go wrong and you might be out longer than expected is a real possibility.  Packing light is something that is much easier to do today and if you have old camping gear or outdated sleeping bags you might want to consider doing a clean out of your attic.

We picked up the Recon Sleeping bags via Elite Survival Systems and didn’t know much about them until they came in stock but we were really impressed with out light and compact these are.   There are always extreme temperatures that one can endure and not every sleeping bag is going to be good for -10 C and also be good for 95F temperatures.   Many in the Search and Rescue are aware that deployments might be a  lot longer and getting stuck over night in a not so great environment is a reality.   I’ve found that packing lighter gear especially camping and hiking gear is becoming easier and easier.   The lighter the sleeping bag the more food or gear you will be able to carry and even something like the Recon 2 Sleeping Bags or Recon 3 sleeping Bags and some type of emergency blanket that might only weigh a few ounces and cost less than $5 keeps your backpack light and gives you much more tolerance to cold temperatures.   The Recon Sleeping bags are very friendly to being geared up and ready to good since the bottom of the bag gives you the ability to move around with boots on without snagging or twist up.

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Bail out bags, low profile vs tactical value

511 tactical bagsThere are always going to be trade offs in this industry, there are so many backpacks and range gear that is very close to another, but that one extra feature is what is going to make it work for you.  For many of our Local Law Enforcement, the active shooting bag can mean a very broad selection of bags, from Maxpedition to 5.11 Tactical, to Condor or Elite Survival Systems.   We often heard the term “they have that bag”  is we always ask for the manufacturer before we can narrow down what it is we are looking.    The best stuff is always going to cost you but there are certain items like the 5.11 Bail out bags that are very popular but very tactical looking.  active shooter bagsactive shooter bag reviewsBail Out Bags Everyone will have different things to put it in from, Wise Emergency Food, Snickers Bars, Bottles of water to medical gear, pistol magazines and 5.56 ammo.

The Bail out bags from 5.11 Tactical are available in Black and Tan are are $59.99. this is an over the shoulder “go bag” that starts out very lightweight.  Many of the 5.11 Tactical bags that we sell have a very well received track record of not being too pricey and readily available.   If you are looking for low profile less tactical looking bags, The Elite Survival Systems Crossroads Discreet Escape bag.   This will be more like a camera bag with an over the shoulder strap,  internal magazine storage as opposed to outer magazine pouches and an adjustable internal compartments.

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Handgun 22 Caliber Conversions

Glock 21 Conversion kitSig Sauer 22 Conversion kitFirst off, wAdvantage Arms Conversion Kitse always monitor our sales with various products to try and make sure we can acquire products that are highly sought after and one that has been hard to stock are the Advantage Arms Caliber conversion kits.   Now that Generation 4 Glocks are on the market, we are running into a lot of holster fit problems and not all of the grips, accessories and parts for other Generations of Glocks fit the same caliber or Model numbers.   A Glock generation 4 isn’t going to fit some of the standard Fobus holsters and you’ll have to get the E2 Fobus holsters.   With these Advantage Arms 22 Caliber conversion kits, you gotta watch which kit you purchase because there are a lot of people with Generation 4 handguns buying the older Glock Conversion kits.

If you purchase these kits, the slide you get will be much lighter weight, but ammunition selection is critical to running the gun reliable.  For some reason people always leave ammunition selections out when testing a guns accuracy and reliability.   Glock Caliber conversion kits from Advantage Arms come with 1 pistol mag so trying to acquire magazines is a whole other race.   The reason to switch to one of these kits is to save money on your shooting hobbies or to improve you trigger control and disciplines.  There are other caliber conversion kits out there but they do not have a very good reputation.   There are kits for the Springfield XD, Sig Sauer and 1911 22LR conversion kits.

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Dress Code when you’re packing

Gun beltsJust about everything in this industry revolves around the color black, whether it’s a Glock or an AR15, Flat Dark Earth gun accessories are second, but it’s gaining ground.   When it comes to clothing, Khaki is far  more popular than black because black colors make things look far more Law Enforcement or tactical ninja and it’s an image that doesn’t always fit the “casual” look.  Dealing with Uniform codes, each department has their standards that is usually at the discretion of the Police Chief, nylon gear tends to be for K9 Units or for Bikers, and plain leather or basketweave for the rest.  Sometimes the belt keeper button snaps are gold, silver, or high polish.

For your average CCW holder, the dress code rules are at your discretion but concealment is an art and not something you should cut too many corners.  Buying another gun is the conclusion some are going to have to come to because when we start showing various gun belts that we sell from The Wilderness belts to Desantis, Galco leather, Elite Survival Systems nylon Cobra Belt to a Safariland duty belts are pretty pricey and usually an overkill for CCW but Desantis leather has a very good reputation for being good looking, flexible and durable.   There were some issues with the Blackhawk plain belts “cracking” but they have a good Warranty so if that occurred when you purchased the belt, make sure you send it in.

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Preparing for emergencies in different climate seasons

Wise Emergency Food StorageI think up here in the Northeast, most of the major power losses occur in the Summer when major thunderstorms roll through and trees come down and knock out power.   We get wacked with hurricanes every couple decades and most people up in my neck of the woods have stories about them.  This year was very different, we are dealing with one of the highest recorded amount of snow and several ice storms and never ending snow storms have piled up on power lines.   The idea of being without refrigeration like you have in the summer doesn’t matter when it’s 6 degrees fahrenheit and all you have to do is move your freezer outside, but there are problems that extreme cold temps can cause you when you loose power.

If you have a gas stove you will still need to melt snow or keep water from freezing if possible, but fruits and vegetables are going to go bad if they freeze.   Having an item like the Wise Food Storage in your emergency food storage supply is going to come handy in these situations.  We have several local emergency management departments buying the larger serving kits to drop off in neighborhoods when people loose power for more than a week.   Things people don’t realize until it happens so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on what happens around the Country from weather channel cable news and see how they dealt with it.    These are sometimes once or twice in a life time incidences but we got our warnings in 2014 to be prepared for the next round or the next year.

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Shooting in undesirable environments

Elite Survival Systems Epsilon shooting matSure we know the positions, squatting, shooting prone, but not only will you become uncomfortable after a period of time, stress builds up and it will have an impact on your ability to stay focused.    I’ve seen a lot of shooting mats in the past and they can be made out of a rug, foam sleeping mat or anything you want to make out of it, but weight and portability can be an issue.   I have an older Elite Survival Systems Ultimate Snip drag bag that works well with my DSArms STG58 and also is large enough to open up and give me some ground support if need be, but I decided to add the Epsilon shooting mat to my personal inventory after I got to hold on in my hands last  year.

The 2 things that sold me  on this item are that being 6’3″  I need a large shooting mat that I could use that my legs weren’t hanging off it and second, the fact that this folded up like a briefcase and didn’t curl up when It was deployed on the ground.   The Elite Survival Systems Epsilon shooting mat goes for $159.99 with free shipping and also has enough molle attachments and support that makes this also capable of holding a lot of gear.   I store Binoculars, spare magazines for my AR15 as well as handgun magazines and a mosquito net.   If you’ve shot off the ground you know how knees and elbows get torn up when you’re down in the dirt, but that doesn’t happen to me anymore because I bring this to the range with me and use it when desired.

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