SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

Survival Cord and Rope Tricks

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I’m willing to bet that every single one of us has, at some point, dealt with a big ol’ hank of some kind of rope, or other cordage, that looks like this:

hanks of survival rope and cord

All neat and pretty and organized, UNTIL that fateful moment when you actually have to use it, and then, no matter how OCD you may be about unwinding it, it IS going to tangle, knot and kink, and you will waste time trying to get a useful piece of rope to use to fasten something.

It is an even more annoying situation if the cordage is wet and/or your fingers are cold.  The hank is also pretty big and bulky. 50 feet of 550 paracord is probably not a huge storage/carry issue. 200 feet of ½ inch rope, done this way, is almost as big as a sleeping bag in a stuff sack. My packs aren’t THAT big.

Old-time mariners apparently swore by flat coils on deck to store extra line for fast deployment. (I would assume they also swore AT them a lot – imagine the daily rum ration being passed out, and Jack Tar kicking the coil, and undoing a half hour’s work..)  Since I don’t live on a 100-gun frigate-of-the-line with a full crew of scurvy-knave-pirates to assist me in becoming the Scourge of the Seven Seas, this bulky, non-portable cordage storage idea doesn’t work real well.

paracord spools Carefully-wound hanging coils also work pretty well, only a bit more tangle-prone than flat coils, but once again, they take up a lot of space, and are not at all easy to store inside a pack or EDC bag.

Where nautical lore fails, mountaineering-practice doesn’t.  I was taught this method by a climber-friend when I was in college, and so far, it has never failed me. The “knotting method” is called a “double chain sinnet”.

Spend 5 minutes looking at the photographs and practicing, and you will be able to do it with your eyes closed. It works with string, mason twine, bankline, paracord, clothesline, rope, whatever you have.

NOTE: If you knit or crochet, you can probably already do this better than I can. It’s basically a long line of crochet stitches. (note 2: if your cordage is already on a spool – leave it there as long as possible- spools are HANDY.).

  1. Take the time to untangle, un-knot and un-kink your line (Spin the line between your fingers when it ‘wants to go in the wrong direction’).  Put the 2 ends together, and lay it out as evenly and neatly as possible. You’re just making a loop half the length of your rope.
  2. At the “loop” end, tie a simple slip-knot – just an overhand with a loop slipped inside – does not have to be too tight. Tight is not your friend. If the ends are not perfectly-aligned, big deal.. nobody is grading you :)
  3. Take both running pieces (“bights”) of the line, and pass a loop through the loop of the slip-knot. paracord wrapping
  4. Tighten slightly, and pass another loop through the loop you just made. How to store paracord
  5. Repeat until you are almost out of rope.  Slip the 2 ends through the last loop, just to keep it from unravelling. Wrapped and Stored Paracord

You will end up with a flat “strap” that can be used for tying down items to a pack or roof-rack, when needed. Climbers frequently carry their ropes, tied this way “Bandido Bandoleer” style, frequently with extra carabiners through the loose loops.  The big advantage is that the rope will now be able to conform to the size and shape on whatever you carry it in/on. (For example purposes, approx. 7 feet of paracord is now about 7 inches long and 1 inch wide)

To deploy your rope, you only have 1 “knot” to undo, then just give it a yank (Pull both ends outward). Assuming you didn’t pull anything too tight, it all pulls free in 1 tangle-free length. Even if it doesn’t save your life on a mountain or at sea, it can keep you from using a lot of bad language when you need a piece of rope. :)

On another note, this method also works well for easily stowing heavy-duty electrical extension cords from becoming tangled nests of annoyance when you need them. (In this usage, it is called a “Contractor’s Wrap”).

Magnifying Glass – Still One The Simplest and Cheapest Survival Fire Starters

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magnifying glass fire starter

Alright folks – how many of you remember burning leaves with a magnifying glass when you were kids?

I do. I thought it was the coolest thing to get just the right angle so that the suns light was concentrated onto a pinpoint spot. I would get a small pile of dry leaves, place that bright spot onto them and watch the smoke start to rise – then…..”Fire!!!”

Those were the good ole days.

Anyways – a magnifying glass can be extremely useful. Whether it is reading small print, removing a splinter, or starting a fire – a magnifying glass is an inexpensive item to have as part of a survival and preparedness system.

Sometimes cheap and simple works best.

6 Best Survival Radios

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Best survival radios for emergencies lined up together

The best survival radios earn their spot in your gear whether you’re miles from civilization or just living a more minimalist, off-grid life. They keep you apprised of weather emergencies and atmospheric conditions. They also pack in flashlights, power banks, and SOS beacons most people forget to bring separately. These aren’t your dad’s dusty hand-crank radio.

Every radio on this list handles the basics well. What separates a great pick from an average one comes down to power options, battery capacity, and how it holds up when the grid actually goes down.

The Short Answer: Our Pick for the Best Survival Radio

Short on time? Here’s our top pick for the best combination of features, durability, and value in 2026:

The FosPower Emergency Radio

Why It’s #1:

  • Can be powered 4 ways
  • Internal 2,000mAh power bank
  • SOS alarm
  • Lifetime warranty
Check Latest Price

Power flexibility topped our criteria this round. A dead battery in the backcountry turns an expensive radio into dead weight. The FosPower charges four ways: AAA batteries, its built-in solar panel, a hand-crank dynamo, or a Micro-USB source.

The FosPower packs a standard AM/FM receiver for entertainment during downtime, plus a powerful 1W LED flashlight and a separate reading light for more diffused light. Its respectable 2,000mAh power bank keeps a phone or GoPro charged and ready.

It also receives NOAA stations and emergency alerts, which matters most if you’re in storm-prone or earthquake-prone territory. A few minutes’ warning can make a real difference. If things go sideways, the built-in SOS alarm signals rescuers to your position.

At around $40, and still one of the best-reviewed compact options on the market in 2026, the FosPower Emergency Radio is our pick for the best survival radio overall.

Other Great Survival Radios

Kaito KA500

  • 6 options for power
  • AM/FM/SW/NOAA radio
  • 14.5” antenna and signal strength meter
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The Kaito KA500 packs in more features than most, but it also weighs nearly half a pound more and costs more too. Along with AM/FM and NOAA support, it adds a dual-range shortwave receiver, backed by a built-in signal strength meter and stronger reception circuitry. Once tuned in, a headphone jack lets you listen privately while saving battery.

Its internal NiMH battery charges from the solar panel, hand-crank dynamo, Mini-USB, or an AC/DC adapter, and it also runs on 3 AA batteries in a pinch. Once powered, you can tune in AM/FM/NOAA/SW broadcasts, use the flashlight or reading lamp, or charge a phone from the 5V USB output. A red LED SOS light rounds it out for signaling in an emergency.

Midland ER310PRO

  • 10,000mAh battery — up to 200 hours of runtime
  • Bluetooth streaming
  • USB-C bidirectional charging
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Update: We swapped this pick from the original Midland ER310 to Midland’s late-2025 upgrade, the ER310PRO — the standard ER310 is still sold, but the Pro is now the stronger buy. Its 10,000mAh battery is nearly four times the size of the standard ER310’s 2,600mAh cell, and Midland rates it for over 200 hours of radio use on a full charge.

The ER310PRO adds Bluetooth streaming, a first for Midland’s emergency line, so you can pair a phone and listen to music or podcasts once regular broadcasts go quiet. It charges via USB-C, solar panel, or hand crank, and that same port pushes power back out to top off a phone or tablet.

It keeps the Cree LED flashlight, SOS strobe, and ultrasonic dog whistle that made the standard ER310 popular. The trade-off: the Pro drops the removable AA battery backup in favor of the larger internal cell, and at roughly $100, it costs about double the classic ER310. If budget matters more than runtime, the original ER310 remains a solid, cheaper alternative.

American Red Cross Emergency NOAA Weather Radio

  • Red LED beacon
  • AM/FM/7-channel NOAA receiver
  • 2,600mAh battery
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The Red Cross-branded FRX3 keeps its distinctive shape, which shields the volume and tuning knobs from getting bumped or changed by accident. Its 2,600mAh lithium-ion battery charges quickly from the ergonomic hand crank, or tops off passively from the built-in solar panel. The included AC charger offers the fastest option when you’re near an outlet.

An easy-to-read LCD shows the active power source, the tuned station, and battery level. The pack reliably charges phones and other small devices, and the LED flashlight helps in low light. The beacon function uses a single red LED. Eton, which manufactures the radio for the Red Cross, now also sells an upgraded “FRX3+” version with the same core feature set, if you’d rather have the newer model.

RunningSnail Emergency NOAA Portable Radio

  • 4,000mAh lithium-ion battery
  • AUX input
  • Large LCD readout
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The RunningSnail Emergency NOAA Portable Radio packs a lot into a modest package. It runs on 3 AAA disposable batteries, but you’ll rarely need them, thanks to the massive 4,000mAh internal power bank. Keep it topped off via hand crank, solar panel, or Micro-USB, and you get hours of radio time, SOS alarm, reading light, or flashlight use.

Beyond the usual AM/FM/NOAA receiver, this unit adds an AUX input most models skip. Connect an AUX cord and you get your entire music library, not just live broadcasts — a genuine advantage if you’ll use this radio outside of emergencies too. The large LCD display shows battery level, active power source, and tuning details at a glance.

RunningSnail Emergency Self Powered Weather Radio

  • 1,000mAh lithium-ion battery
  • IPX3 water resistance
  • 3 options for charging the battery
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The RunningSnail Emergency Self Powered Weather Radio skips the extras and keeps the price under $20, making it an excellent budget pick. Its 1,000mAh power bank charges via hand crank, solar panel, or Micro-USB cable. Cranking at a brisk 2-3 revolutions per second fills it in about 4 hours; charging over USB beforehand is faster.

The analog tuner and volume dial reach AM, FM, or NOAA stations for continuous listening or alerts. A 1-watt LED flashlight lights your way, and the reading light kicks on automatically to keep a tent or campsite lit for evening tasks. In a pinch, the power bank can give a phone enough of a boost for one crucial call.

Midland ER310 survival radio with USB charging port
Like many survival radios, Midland’s ER310 (and its upgraded ER310PRO sibling) features a USB port for recharging your phone on the go.

What To Look For In A Survival Radio

The most important thing to keep in mind is battery capacity.

Battery capacity should match how you actually plan to use the radio. Casual weather checks or evening fireside listening only need a 1,000mAh bank.

Planning to run a reading light for hours, listen more often, or keep a phone, tablet, or camera charged? Look for at least a 2,000mAh power bank. (For more on keeping devices charged during an extended outage, see our guide to power outage preparedness.)

The second factor: how likely you are to need emergency features.

If you might need to receive emergency alerts or send an SOS signal, pick a unit built for both, with the largest battery you can get. An SOS function shouldn’t drain the battery before it has a chance to attract attention.

The third factor: your charging and power options.

Every radio here charges via built-in solar and hand crank, though some add extra options. Going from grid power to no power? Look for a model that fast-charges over USB or AC and takes disposable batteries as backup.

Generating your own power and using it sparingly? A slow trickle charge from the solar panel works fine and skips the extra hardware. Pair your radio with a broader bug-out bag checklist so charging isn’t the only power plan you have.

Kaito Voyager survival radio with AM, FM, and shortwave bands
One of the great features of many emergency radios is band versatility. Pictured here, the Kaito Voyager has AM, FM, and 2 shortwave bands.

FAQs

What’s the difference between lithium-ion and NiMH batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries are newer technology; NiMH batteries have been around much longer, and you’ve probably seen them in cordless home phones. Both use a series of small cells bound together, but lithium batteries outperform NiMH in most ways: they hold larger charges, last longer, and discharge to a lower level without damage.

Are any of these radios waterproof?

Yes. Every radio we’ve highlighted carries at least an IPX3 water-resistance rating, meaning it can handle running water of up to 10 liters per minute for 5 minutes. Don’t submerge them, but they’ll stand up to heavy rain or storms without issue.

How quickly can I charge these radios?

Hand-crank dynamos generally recharge around 250mAh per hour at 2-3 revolutions per second. Solar panels work best for maintenance charging and take at least 6-8 hours of direct sun to fill the battery. Units with USB or AC charging can reach a full charge in a couple of hours or less, depending on battery capacity.

Do the SOS functions send any kind of radio signal?

No. None of these radios broadcast like an EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon). Their SOS functions are limited to a flashing LED or an audible alarm loud enough to carry across a significant distance in the wilderness.

How much do these units weigh?

Weight varies by model. The lightest is the RunningSnail Emergency Self Powered Weather Radio at 7.8 ounces, and the heaviest is the Kaito KA500 at a still-manageable 1.4 pounds. None of these radios will add meaningful bulk to your pack.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Our favorite among the best survival radios remains the FosPower Emergency Radio — but it may not be exactly what you need. Weigh your own situation, and your own needs, before deciding.

Want maximum runtime and don’t mind the extra cost? The Midland ER310PRO is worth a look. Prefer digital tuning or a bigger battery bank? Reading through our breakdown of the leading models above will help you land on the right survival radio for your situation.

Soda Bottle Fishing – A Survival Skill?

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Have you heard of “soda bottle fishing?” I talked to a couple folks, today, and nobody had heard of this fishing method. I never saw it until 2001, when I was living in a campground on the bank of the Shenandoah River.

First, I’m NOT talking about using bottles to float trot lines, which, at least here, is illegal.

I did a lot of fishing that particular summer, using pretty normal tackle, because I was unemployed. I ate some fish, but it was a ‘luck’ (actually skill) thing.

Many of my weekend neighbors, mostly folks from the state of Sonora in Mexico, fed their families (and sometimes me, too) and brought home bass, perch, catfish and carp for the week. They weren’t using fiberglass rods and nice reels. They fished the way they did at home, where everybody was dirt-poor, and resources were in very short supply. Up here, we’d call it “hillbilly ingenuity”. The difference in our styles was, I was ‘fishing’, they were actually ‘catching’. :)

You may not need or want to fish this way every day, but it could be a way to harvest a meal or two, if you need to, using mostly discarded found materials.

You’ll need:

  • Crappy shorts and sneakers you don’t mind getting wet.
  • An empty 2-liter plastic soda bottle (remove the label)
  • 50-60 feet of fishing line. This can often be found in the bushes near the shore. If you look around in the submerged rocks/logs, you can often find good fishing lures, as well.
  • ½ oz. or so weight/sinker. (maybe a float/bobber, too)
  • A hook
  • Bait

Creating Your Rod and Reel

  1. Tie the end of your line to the neck of the bottle.
  2. If you have the cap, tie a knot in the line, put it inside, and screw on the cap to hold it.
  3. Wrap all the line around the bottle “reel style”. This is the annoying part. Try and be as neat as possible.
  4. Tie on a hook at the end. Add your weight to the line about 8-10 inches in from the hook.
  5. Add a float (a stick or a piece of a foam cooler works) if you want to fish off the bottom, or see when you have a bite.

To use Your Soda Bottle Fishing Setup

  1. Bait your hook.
  2. Walk out into the water about waist deep.
  3. Hold the bottle by the neck in your ‘weak’ hand.
  4. In your strong hand, let out about 2 feet of line, and swing it around above your head (like a “David” type sling). (DO be careful and don’t hook yourself). Let it go in the direction you want to cast.
  5. Point the bottle in the direction of your cast, and just let the line peel off, just like it would off an open-faced spinning reel. Once your cast hits the water, play “spin the bottle” to take up any slack.
  6. Yank and pull to retrieve your line and/or your fish. Repeat as needed. :)

A pair of old work gloves are also not a bad idea. That fishing line can slice you like a razor if you’re not careful.

Soda Bottle Fishing

I don’t have a 2-liter bottle (which would probably work better), but here is a picture of a packable fishing kit, based on an acrylic cigar-tube, that I have been playing around with, recently. I’ll cover the braided line with duck tape for protection. (The other tape bundle is about 50 ft of nylon bankline)

This could also be a handy ‘hack’ if a bunch o’ grandkids show up, and there is not enough “real” fishing gear to go around. In general, where there are kids, there are soda bottles :)

Boats: The Open Water Bug-Out Alternative

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Bug Out Boat for Survival

According to the NOAA, the oceans cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface. This means that if you’re looking for an open, off-the-grid destination to take your group when the SHTF, heading out on the water can’t be beat. Most people expect their feet to stay on solid ground, but if you live near the ocean or in the Great Lakes region, going offshore might be the smartest–or perhaps only–option. However, the equipment and training you need to bug out on a boat is much different than prepping a four-wheeled vehicle.

The Best Type of Boat for Bugging Out

You might be able to survive for a time on a 30-foot weekender, but after a few days, everyone will be pretty uncomfortable. Your best bet is to choose a boat built to be on the sea for long periods of time: a blue water sailboat.

Designed and constructed for round-the-world treks, these boats can be crewed by one or two people and have an interior similar to that of a motor home. This agile bug-out shelter can not only get you to safer ground, it will keep your group comfortable while you travel the open water.

Make Sure Your Equipment is Seaworthy

Conveniently, most newer-models come equipped with water survival tools and contraptions. Sail boats have a battery bank that can be recharged by wind power, an electric desalinization system for producing fresh water, storage space for supplies (i.e. food, first aid kit, clothing) and radar and radio equipment to keep in contact with other water crafts–whether you want them to find you or not.

Some even have entertainment systems and climate controls, but in a time of chaos, you’ll likely have all the “entertainment” you can stand.

Sail Boat Training

It is absolutely necessary to get a formal training on how to control the sail boat; do not take boating education lightly, because you could find yourself in a situation where you’re responsible for more lives than your own. The ideal method of training is to have an experienced sailor take you out on multiple trips with your boat, each one longer than the last. You’ll get more comfortable with steering and maneuvering, as well as learn methods of dealing with varied weather conditions.

You should certainly take your boat out as much as possible before it’s a survival shelter, but you can learn a lot about boating basics and water survival by taking a boating safety course or cold water survival training (check out the American Sailing Association if interested).

The Downsides of Bug Out Boats

Water bug outs are pretty ingenious and a blue water sailboat sounds like a legitimate survival vehicle and shelter, although there are some downsides to using it as a long-term solution. First, not everyone can deal with an indefinite length of time on the water; seasickness is a very real possibility and without the proper training, it will be difficult for one to control a seasick stomach once it’s already a problem.

You can supplement meals with dried vegetables and other staples, but to stay offshore for a long period of time, it’s fishing and diving for food, so you never know exactly when your next meal will be.

Also, cabin fever (figurative term for the claustrophobic reaction to isolation in a small space for an extended time) will likely set in at some point, setting irritability high and trust levels at low. Finally, and maybe the most important, when it comes to self-defense, you’re severely limited in a boat. You can use firearms to repel boarders and pirates, but if the worst happens and they take control, you’ve got no other means of escape.

How To Make a Solar Grill [Easy DIY]

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How To Make a DIY Solar Oven (1)

Solar cookers harness the power of the sun’s rays to heat and cook food. Because they use only the sun, they are not reliant on a source of fuel, like propane and wood stoves are. This makes them great as a backup cookstove for emergency situations.

Also known as “solar ovens”, “solar grills”, or “solar stoves”, these cookers are also awesome for people that live off-grid full time. While off-gridders will usually have a wood or propane stove for their primary cooking needs, having a solar stove allows you to take advantage of sunny days and save fuel. It’s also cleaner, quieter, and doesn’t emit any smoke or fumes.

There are a million uses for a solar cooker. They can be used to bake bread, cook chicken, heat water, make soups and stews and tons of other things.

So, how do solar cookers work?

To put it simply, solar cookers operate on the principle of reflection. With multiple panels that can be adjusted to capture maximum light, the sun’s rays are then reflected into the center of the stove, to create a concentrated area of heat (much like you might do with a magnifying glass).

What are the main types of solar cookers?

If you are looking around at these suckers, you will have already seen that there are basically 4 main types of solar ovens, that look and function slightly differently.

Solar Box Cooker

1. Box Cookers

This group includes the most conventional, “box with a lid” looking cookers. Most of them are rated to cook as high as 200-300 degrees Farenheit in good conditions.

Panel Cooker Solar Cooker

2. Panel Cookers

These are the more scaled down, cheaper models that you see. They can be great cookers and are generally on the more affordable end of the spectrum, although their construction isn’t quite as sturdy, and coatings not always as reflective as other cookers.

Solar Cooker Parabolic

3. Parabolic Solar Cookers

Also called “curved concentrator cookers”, these are the things that look like metallic satellite dishes. They can heat up to 600 degrees, but they use a tiny little cookpot, making them not a good fit for many uses.

Gosun Style Solar Cooker

4. Gosun Style “Grillers”

The Gosun unit (and other similarly styled solar ovens) are nifty but a little limited in size/application (everything has to fit in that little tube). Plus, they are expensive as hell!

Within these 4 different types, you will see millions of different little homemade variations. You will also see some types of stoves that don’t really fit into any of the styles above (such as the tire cooker), but by and large, these are the main styles that you will see.

How long does it take to cook in a solar oven?

Like you might guess, it depends on what you’re cooking and how much sun is out when you’re doing it. It also depends on what type of solar cooker you are using, the size of your sun panels, the thickness of the pot you are cooking with, whether there are clouds in the sky, and even things like the temperature and altitude where you are cooking (although with solid enough sun, you can cook just fine even in freezing temps in the dead of winter).

Here is a handy chart of rough time estimates to cook 4 pounds of food on a sunny day:

How Much Time Does It Take to Cook With Solar Cookers?

How much do solar cookers cost?

Commercially available solar stoves can be expensive. The official “Sun Oven” is listed at $349 (although you can usually find it for quite a bit less online). Folding panel cookers are less. The Sol Cook comes is very popular and sells for just under $100. As mentioned above, the Gosun is extremely expensive, with their “grill” model selling for $700 (I actually saw it on the Home Depot website listed for $822!).

However, there are also plenty of folks creating their own DIY sun ovens. With a little ingenuity and some household materials, you may just be able to come away with a cooker for much less.

DIY Solar Cooker Made Out of A Sun Shade

There are several different kinds of DIY solar stoves out there. One that I had often seen is an oven made out of a reflective windshield sun blocker. I finally made one, and when I did, I was surprised at the results. Works pretty good!

solar oven 4 shade

What You Will Need:

  • Large reflective sun shade (Walmart, gas station or Amazon)
  • 5 gallon bucket
  • Oven bags (like the kind you roast a turkey in)
  • Dark-colored pot
  • Clothes pins, or something else to hold the sun shade in its conical position

How To Cook With It

Solar Oven 3

I picked up a sunshade for $2, clipped it together in a conical/parabolic shape (like the pictures above), and added a five gallon bucket underneath.

Solar oven 1

Put your food in the pot, and then place the dark-colored pot inside the oven bag. It takes a few hours and works best if it is above 60 degrees, but you can cook without fuel!

solar oven 2

The Slightly More Heavy Duty Solar Cooker

The sun shade solar cooker is awesome and does work, but it certainly isn’t heavy duty. If the pot is too heavy, the sun shade alone will not be able to support it. Then if it’s too light, it can be blown over in winds. Even if it isn’t blowing over, the sunshade itself can be blown around in the wind, causing less consistent exposure from the sun’s rays (and less heat).

For these reasons, I decided I would try my hand at putting together a slightly heavier duty solar cooker.

2 boxes

I scrounged up 2 plastic boxes in the basement. The bigger one is from some kind in-ground fountain that someone gave me, and the other one is some kind of bin.

Yes, the outside box could have been cardboard, but with snow and rain in Minnesota, and the potential for dogs getting into my meal, and given that I had one on hand, it just seemed like the thing to do. After all, the goal with this cooker was heavier duty.

insulation

I put a sheet of clear plastic in the bigger box and put a garbage bag around the smaller box. Then I put the smaller box into the bigger box and stuffed insulation all around it.

I pulled the smaller box out and taped it thoroughly. YES, I know that this insulation is frowned upon because of fumes, but in Minnesota, I believe in insulation! It is also thoroughly taped and as you will see, it will have a Mylar coating on it so that it should never even get warm.

lined box with finished edges

Mylar on top of the insulation to reflect the sun’s rays and Mylar on the sides of the inside box – not sure about that yet, but I have another box with no Mylar that I’m going to test.

frame on box

Then I looked for an old picture frame that I could use as a lid to the cooking chamber. I swear this solar cooker was meant to be because I had a picture frame with glass that fits it perfectly!

cardboard top and sides

At this point I still wasn’t sure this was going to work, so I just cut my sides and top out of cardboard and siliconed on the Mylar. Then I duct-taped the flaps onto the box for a trial run.

oven bag and granite ware

A dark colored pot is preferred with solar cooking. The reusable oven bag is to add more heat and capture the heat from the pot.

cooker in snow bank

This is the first test run. Got to 150 degrees in that snow bank!

almost done

This proved to me that it would work, so I cut up some quarter inch plywood I had laying around and re-siliconed the mylar onto the wood.  I drilled holes in the wood and corresponding ones in the plastic, and used cable ties to hinge the flaps.

I put screws in the two outside flaps to lean the back on, for times when I wanted to get the solar rays at a better angle, and used garden twisties to hold them together. Then, I siliconed the glass to the picture frame, and ran some foam strip sticky seal that I had around the frame to ‘tighten” it a bit more.

So far so good!

screw

I then put a screw in the frame so that I could tell where the full sun was. I have been experimenting with this, and the last test I did, the temperature was about 15 degrees Farenheit, and I got it to 225 degrees – not to shabby (this was with the cooker sitting on the garbage can, not in the snow).

More Iterations and Refinements

Although 225 degrees is pretty solid, I still want to refine this more.

I’m thinking another panel on the front. And a way to tilt it up. The cable ties snapped at just 5 degrees above zero so I replaced them with electric fencing wire. And I am looking for a glass container to put the cooking pot in because the glass will amplify the solar heating.

bottom adjustments

To make a riser for tilt, I cut three strips of wood and siliconed them onto the bottom of the box.

box riser

Then I took a scrap of 2×4 and a board, screwed them together to complete the riser.

3 screws

Well, then I had to add more screws to the side flaps  for more adjustments on the top flap.

more finished

I added a bottom flap that I made adjustable just by drilling a hole on either side of that and a hole in each of the side flaps and lacing garden plant ties through it.

Oops! Got so hot it warped and melted holes in the inside plastic box! So then I took some aluminum flashing scrap I had around and made an aluminum box for it, painted it black – I need to keep my eye out now for an old metal box, maybe a bread box or something for the inside.

All in All

So, with materials I just had laying around the house I created this solar cooker that is pretty much weather resistant, dog and cat resistant, not nice enough where anyone would want to walk off with it, and it all folds into itself so it is easily stored.

Why should I bother doing this now? My experience has been that even though someone on YouTube or in an article can do this or that, doesn’t mean I can. And there is always a learning curve! It didn’t cost me anything and I have the time right now to build it and learn how to use it.

If the grid should go down tomorrow for a month or a year, how will you cook (in reality, not in theory)? Do you have what you need and know how to use it?

Videos, Plans, and More DIYs

Printable PDF – One of the best downloadables I’ve found on solar ovens, how to make them, and how to use them. From Solar Cookers International.

Solar Cooking Wikia – Several plans and DIYs (basically the motherlode of all things solar cooking)

Solar cooking IS a PROVEN technology. That said, you have to have sunshine. In Minnesota the sun does not always shine, and it gets cold. At this post, we are again below zero at night… Will winter ever end???

Because the sun does not always shine, I am also creating a thermal cooker that can be used whether there is sun or not. Much like a Wonderbag, the thermal cooker I’m making is kinda like an off grid slow cooker. If interested, check it out here.