SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

DIY Sawyer Gravity Filter for a Bucket

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Remember the days of drinking water through a garden hose in the middle of summer? Well – not all water is safe to drink.

The Sawyer water filter is awesome! It is simple to operate, reliable, and is a great value. The biggest drawback of the Sawyer is using it with multiple people. It can be done but you’re either all sucking on the same straw or using a lot of time and energy filling small bags or bottles with dirty water and squeezing through the filter. I figured there had to be a better way to use this great filter.

However, you can easily adapt the Sawyer for bucket use. Once a hole is drilled in the supply bucket the components are assembled (instructions included) – and then the Sawyer is attached. That’s it.

Here is one of my most recent trials:

#1: Started with a bucket and threw in a bunch of dirt and added a couple gallons of water.

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#2: Used a towel as a pre-filter to remove the larger particles.

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#3: Towel caught a lot of crap. A finer pre-filter for capturing more of the larger particles would be suggested (coffee filters good for this).

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#4: Below is the water ready to go through the Sawyer.

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#5: Filtering operation in progress.

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#6: Close up of the stream of filtered water exiting the filter.

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#7:  This is what the non-filtered water looked like sitting in the bucket.

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#8: Filtered water is crystal clear.

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I was pretty happy with the results. I was interested in seeing how well the water flowed from the bucket through the Sawyer as well as what the water would look like afterward. I was not surprised that the water looked crystal clear after all that is what is supposed to happen. The flow rate was excellent at around 5-6 gallons an hour.

I drank the entire glass of filtered water and found it had no off-taste and tasted like….well…..water. Granted this test was dealing really with only sediment and suspended particles in water. I have no way of knowing about potential pathogens or bacteria but I am still alive so I consider the test a success.

Remember, a solid water plan involves, storage, purification, and resupply. There are also some “just in time” solutions like the WaterBob bathtub water holder that can give you an extra 100 gallons if you have a few minutes notice to fill it. For all these ideas and more on water preparedness, check out this guide on water security.

Survival Supplies at the Dollar Store

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Dollar Store Survival Supplies and Gear In today’s economy every dollar counts. Many people out there are trying to stretch every dollar, while at the same time store additional supplies as part of their preparedness planning.  You may not think of a Dollar Tree or similar store as a place to buy survival supplies, but let me tell you, you would be surprised. Dollar stores offer an economical method of obtaining some needed supplies. I go to my local dollar store about every 2-3 months and check out what they have. For folks that can’t make it to the dollar stores, or prefer to have things shipped directly to their houses Amazon has also gotten very cheap (although dollar stores will almost always be cheaper on certain things if you can get there). If you fall into this category, I included links to many of the products below on Amazon.
Here we go:
  • Stocking up on toothpaste is very easy at the dollar store. They even have a “Sensitivity” type that would cost you several dollars somewhere else.
  • Floss is also available with many different types stocked.
  • Tooth brushes galore!!!! You can get a years – maybe 5 years supply – of brushes for your whole family for just a few dollars.
  • Above is a decent selection of cold medicines and band aids – CHEAP!!!!
  • Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol. Worth checking to see if they have any saline solution.
  • Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer and wet wipes – important items to assist in keeping germs to a minimum.
  • Lot’s of medical ointments and cremes for all kinds of problems – some you especially do not want to be dealing with after TSHTF.
  • Very inexpensive pain killers – great for the first aid kit.
  • You can even pick up a few flashlights while at the dollar store. They sell batteries too.
  • Do you have a young child in your group? Don’t let them feel left out – get them a backpack and have them help carry a few of their supplies. These are not very durable – but carrying a stuffed animal and a small blanket they would be just fine.
In this post I have shown many items related to sanitation and first aid – but there is so much more. Go by your local dollar store and see for yourself. It is amazing how many supplies you can get for $20-$25.00.

How To Get Off the Grid Water with A Ram Pump

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Off Grid Water with A Ram Pump

When I was a little girl we used to go visit my great-grandfather, Harry, on his farm in Trout Valley.  We would carry buckets from the fresh water spring that bubbled out of the base of the bluff to the house for drinking and cooking.

My grandmother Marge however, would tell us of a time, when she was a young girl, on the farm when the boom of the ram water pump would lull her to sleep. A time when there was no need to carry water and the spring was fenced off from the cows. Remember – if clean water is not available, use a water filter to protect against pathogens and other contaminants.

Hydraulic ram water pumps have been used for at least two hundred years to deliver water to homes, farms and even small towns bordered by small creeks or rivers.

In 1879, The People’s Cyclopedia included the hydraulic ram among the 55 most important inventions in the history of mankind. It defined the hydraulic ram as: “A simple and conveniently applied mechanism by which the weight of falling water can be made available for raising a portion of itself to a considerable height.

Generally, you need at least two feet of falling water to operate a ram pump. Most creeks and small rivers you would have access to on the homestead do not have a natural two foot drop.  The spring on Harry’s farm gently meandered down to feed a larger creek.

When Harry was a young, successful farmer however, he created a two foot drop by building up the small stream of water with rocks and mortar which created a natural pool at the base in which to sit the ram pump. Metal water lines ran a continuous stream of water to the summer kitchen of the house and to the stock tank that overflowed and created its own stream back to the stream below the pump. There was always ample water for the house, stock, and to irrigate crops if need be.

A quick and fairly easy way to create a pond/waterfall that I have used is to fall a fairly large tree across the creek and cut a V in it with a chainsaw. Instant waterfall! Silt and rocks will build up behind the log and the V focuses the water into one spot where you can put your ram pump. Or if you don’t want to pump water, just create an area where you can dip water, bathe, wash clothes, etc. the force of the water will carve out a small pond that will usually stay open even in traditional Minnesota winters. And on a hot summer day, it is a little piece of heaven to sit on the log, dangle your feet in the water and watch the kids play in the pond, jump across the V in the log and just laugh and play in the sunshine and clear water.

A solar water pump is an option if you don’t have the drop to create a narrow falls and have more money and a significant amount of sun. Any time you can get the water closer to the house, stock and garden, life becomes so much easier! This is the same principle as any electric pump, except that the power is supplied by the sun. If you pump the water into 50 gallon rain barrels and water the individual plants at their roots the water will last a lot longer than traditional overhead watering.

For more information about ram and solar pumps, a good site to access is: http://www.theramcompany.com/index.html. There are also plans on the net to make your own ram pump.

If you have water on your land, it probably slopes.  Thoughtful placement of your garden, stock pens and home can make water access as simple as a gravity feed. Create a “mouth” in the creek of PVC or some such attached to inexpensive plastic water line and you have instant water! At least until it freezes. :)

And then there is snow… also known as poor man’s fertilizer. It too can be thawed to create water for cooking, dishes and even bathing. Just so you know, the ratio is about 10 inches of snow to 1 inch of water—that is a lot of melted snow. But you do what you gotta do J and just be grateful that you have the heat to melt it with!

Water is a critical piece of the self-sufficient equation. If you haven’t thoroughly organized your water security plan, it’s time to do so now.

This post was originally published at ModernSurvivalOnline.com.

6 Of My Favorite Prepper, Survival, and Post Apocalyptic Movies

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I enjoy apocalyptic movies.

This does not mean that I hope for the world to end or I am overly obsesses with preparedness. Some people like comedies. Some like horror flicks. I like disaster movies.

Here are a few of my favorites:

One of the reason I like watching some of these movies is motivation. Yes – I know they are movies and not realistic. However when I watch these shows like Jericho I think about what preps would be needed to survive the situations presented in the movie.

Take one of my favorites – Signs. This is certainly a creepy movie. It is about an alien invasion. A father, son, and fathers brother end up getting stuck in a house while the aliens arrive. The movie is quite unlike any alien invasion movie I have every seen.

Anyways, while watching the movie I consider how I would react should little green men surround my house. Hopefully they wouldn’t have ray guns.

Most Common Health Problems for Senior Citizens

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It is an unfortunate reality that many seasoned citizens have to deal with more health issues that range from the nagging to the debilitating. For the older prepper in a survival situation these ailment can become a serious detriment.

Let’s take a look at some common ailments:

No doubt there are many more and varying degrees of severity among those listed above. I am no doctor and proclaim no advanced knowledge of any of the above. I have high blood pressure myself which I take medication for and my 13 year old son has type-1 diabetes.

If you are a senior citizen/older prepper with health problems you likely know your health issues and conditions better than anyone else. Think of some common sense means which would allow you to deal with those conditions during a power outage/emergency situation. Here are a few examples:

Vision – If vision is corrected via eye glasses or contact lenses you have to ask yourself – “Self, what would the situation be if I lost/broke my glasses or contacts?” If you’re like me and would find it an absolute disaster to not have glasses – then you need to prepare for that. Spare glasses can be purchased very inexpensively.

I have a total of 3 pairs of current prescription glasses. If you wear contacts try to stock up on a few months (at least) of contacts. If your prescription changes keep any older glasses/contacts as they are likely better than nothing.

Joint Aches/Mobility Issues – One of my first thoughts is someone that lives their life in a wheel chair and a disaster strikes. While traversing their home/property their wheelchair breaks. A difficult situation just got REALLY bad. Whether it be a cane, walker or wheelchair that helps you get around – have a spare on hand.

On Amazon.com there are many varieties of equipment available to help those that require assistance getting around. Many of these can be purchased with Free Shipping.

Joint aches is another large category and cannot be covered as it should be. Whatever makes the pain better or manageable – stock up on extra supplies.

Sores – There are numerous types of sores and just as many locations for them. At a minimum triple antibiotic cream/ointment should be stored.  If you are at risk for frequent sores discuss prevention and treatment with a doctor. Always ask if there are multiple methods as well. Sometimes one treatment method may not work where another will.

Diabetes – This is one of the toughest issues and is very close to my heart as my 13 year old son has Type-1 diabetes. Regardless if one is suffering from Type-1 or Type-2 diabetes – a short term disaster/survival situation does not have to be critical to life as long as medication is available. Relative to Type-1 diabetes which requires a supply of insulin to stay alive – keep extra on hand. In addition to insulin – glucose meters, syringes, pump supplies, etc. need to be kept on hand.

Here are a few links related to emergency preparedness and diabetes:

High Blood Pressure – Many people live a normal life with high blood pressure. The problem is that normal life often ends premature due to complications from the condition. In a survival situation unless the high blood pressure is critically high – missing medication should not be life threatening. It is advisable to stock extra medication.

There is evidence that natural remedies are available in lieu of medical prescriptions. Some examples include Coenzyme Q10, fish oil, garlic, hawthorn, and magnesium.

I highly recommend a  book that recently came out – The Doom and Bloom(tm) Survival Medicine Handbook: Keep your loved ones healthy in every disaster, from wildfires to a complete societal collapse. A long title and even longer book. It is packed with medical information specifically geared towards emergency preparedness.

What’s The Best Survival Watch?

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Survival watches are not only extremely durable, but they also include features such as GPS, altimeters, and barometers, to help you negotiate outdoor and tactical situations. 

Some outdoor watches even include additional “above and beyond” features such as ambient solar charging, topographical maps, or stored locations for hunting, fishing, and foraging spots. But which watches strike the right balance between ‘feature rich’ and ‘feature bloat’? And how much do added features cost? 

The Short Answer

Want to cut to the chase? Here’s the best survival watch for your money on the market today:

Casio G Shock “Rangeman”

Why It’s #1:

  • Excellent water resistance
  • Pinpoint accurate atomic time
  • Solar charging
  • Big watch but doesn’t feel bulky
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Casio’s G-Shock line is the household name in durable, cool guy watches. And the Rangeman is no exception here. If anything it leads the pack. There’s not really another way to say it–People love this watch! With over 3,000 reviews on Amazon, this puppy still has a 4.7 out of 5 stars, even with a handful of haters. 

Over and over again, you’ll hear people talk about how it doesn’t feel bulky or uncomfortable, even though it’s a bigger watch. It comes with G-Shock’s own “Tough Solar”, which ambiently charges the watch, and comes with a full stack of features–digital compass, altimeter, barometer, all the normal timers, stopwatches, calendars, and much more. 

Two minor gripes with this watch are:

  1. the altimeter derives its readings using barometric pressure, so it’s not always 100% accurate, and 
  2. if you opt for the green model with “negative” display, the display can be difficult for some people to see. 
Best Survival Watches
A solid survival watch will perform in all conditions, including temperature extremes.

Other Great Survival and Outdoor Watches

Here’s what you need to know about each of the top-rated outdoor watches:

Casio Pathfinder

Why It’s Great:

  • Tough Solar
  • Triple Sensor
  • Titanium Band
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Similar to Casio’s G-Shock line, the Pathfinder comes equipped with Tough Solar and a triple sensor (altimeter/barometer, compass, and thermometer). It’s also racked up a mess of positive reviews on Amazon and other retail sites for its lightweight construction, it’s easy to use timer, it’s modest price point, and dead-on durability. 

Unlike the G-Shock however, this watch comes with a titanium band which lends a slightly more smoothed down, grown-up feel, to an otherwise aggressively tough watch. People love the accuracy, the looks, and much more. 

Casio Pro Trek

Why It’s Great:

  • 200 meter water resistance
  • Smaller watch face
  • More expensive than Pathfinder & Rangeman
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Another Casio, and more of the same goodness. Really the Pro Trek bears many of the same positive qualities and reviews as the Pathfinder and Rangeman. 

The water resistance is 100 meters deeper, at 200. The watch case and face are also a hair smaller (47 mm vs. 54 for the Rangeman). It comes in slightly more expensive than the other 2 Casios in the lineup–roughly $40 more than the Rangeman and $60 more than the Pathfinder. 

Otherwise however, you get the same great “Tough Solar” charging, the altimeter, barometer, compass and thermometer, and the same “compliment a day” good looks. 

Garmin Instinct

Why It’s Great:

  • 3 axis compass
  • Multiple satellite navigation
  • Heart rate and activity tracking
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If you’re looking for a slightly more robust feature set and solid navigational performance, the Garmin Instinct might be your guy. The Instinct has a sleeker, smoother appearance, featuring the popular ‘black on black on black’ coloration (case, band, and backlighting), and a variety of color combinations. 

As one of the original pioneers in the space, Garmin knows a little bit about GPS. The Instinct couples a 3 axis compass with multiple satellite navigation systems (GPS, Glonass, and Galileo), giving you even more reliability in off-the-grid locations and challenging environments. Want to mark the exact location of a good trail, fishing or hunting spot? No problem–you can easily store the coordinates.

It also offers an impressive array of heart rate and activity tracking, and boasts an insane battery life–14 hours in smartwatch mode, 16 hours in GPS mode, and up to 40 hours in battery saving mode. 

Armitron Sport 40/8284 (Best For A Budget)

Why It’s Great:

  • Less than $20
  • Easy to read
  • 12 & 24-hour time modes
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Here’s one you might not have expected. But listen, sometimes the basic watch you have is better than the fancy watch you don’t. Wait, isn’t that just a fancy way of saying “something is better than nothing?” Yep, damn straight. 

Before making too many concessions however, it IS a pretty solid something. It’s durable, it’s easy to read, easy to operate, and offers convenient switching between 12 and 24-hour (military) time modes. All this for less than $20 is pretty intriguing.

Hey, maybe this is the survival watch you buy a few of and keep sealed up in bug out bags in case you need another one in a tough situation (if you do this, keep the battery separate). 

Suunto Traverse Alpha

Why It’s Great:

  • Automatic shot placement (for hunters)
  • Breadcrumb trail way-finding
  • Topographic maps
  • Mixed reviews on apps and software
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The Traverse Alpha has loads of hunting, fishing, and outdoor features–not to mention brutish good looks. For hunters, the Traverse Alpha has automatic shot placement, which stores the coordinates of any location where you take a shot–in case you need to return to pack an animal out or want to check the location for action again later. 

It also comes with automatic bread crumb trails, to ensure that you can go as deep into the wilderness as you want and not get lost. Moon phases, barometric pressure, a built in flashlight, topographic maps, altitude paths, a battery life that nearly everybody raves about, and much more. 

With all of this to love, it should be noted that this watch does get some mixed reviews–primarily with the watch’s ability to correctly connect and interface with the apps that power all the features. Suunto has 2 apps, and there are several reviews in both the Android and Apple app stores reporting difficulty pairing and slow synchronizing times. 

Suunto Core

Why It’s Great:

  • Incredible battery life
  • Storm alerts
  • Roughly $150 cheaper than Traverse Alpha
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This watch has several of the same features as the Traverse, and like the Traverse, gets lots of head nods for its incredible battery life. It also has a budget sensitive price tag (roughly $150 cheaper than the Suunto Traverse Alpha), and a storm alert, that provides advanced warning when inclimate weather is approaching. 

It has a small contingent of people that say it’s difficult to see the display, and a small assortment of quality/service complaints–not related to any one thing in specific. There are also people that rave about their Core after years of use however, and for that reason and the great features it offers, it’s included on this list. 

What To Look For in Your Survival Watch

A good outdoor watch has features that can help you navigate a survival or emergency situation. They also offer reliability, and all around performance as part of your EDC (everyday carry). 

Many people depend on a quality timepiece as part of their EDC, and appreciate the ease of being able to quickly access navigational and weather related information, especially if a smart phone isn’t handy (or its battery is dead). 

Remember, most survival or outdoor watches will have a much longer battery life than a cell phone, so if you do find yourself in an emergency situation, a good survival watch gives you solid performance even after your cell phone battery is dead. 

Anybody that wants to give him or herself an added edge would benefit from a capable survival watch on their wrist.

Here are the most important things to look for and keep in mind when you are choosing your watch:

Water Resistance

Kind of a no-brainer, but if you’re buying a watch in the 21st century, and you are wanting it to function as any kind of outdoor or survival watch, then getting one that has a high level of water resistance is an absolute must. Now, it doesn’t need to be a diver’s watch, but it should be solid and should be rated for water resistance up to at least 100 meters, 200 better. 

A solid outdoor watch shouldn’t just provide great features–it should also be built like a brick outhouse!

Durable Construction

This is another non-negotiable. Using a watch in outdoor situations necessitates that it be rugged and tough. Why? Because it will get knocked and nicked and scuffed and have things drop on it. It needs to “take a lickin’ and keep on tickin” (literally!). Stainless steel watch cases are the best, but there are also several polymer/composite/resin materials that can also be extremely durable. 

GPS/Compass

We have become so used to the convenience of GPS, that it seems we almost couldn’t make it across the room without turning on navigation. Slight exaggeration obviously, but it’s fair to say that GPS is almost ubiquitous in our daily lives.

Higher end, smartwatch style survival watches will offer GPS or similar navigational capability, to help you get “un-lost” and make sure that you stay that way. More streamlined and affordable watch models will often still offer some kind of compass. Look for this as core feature. 

Thermometer

In a survival situation, the temperature has a lot to do with whether you live or die. Getting an outdoor watch with a thermometer ensures that you’ll always have the temperature at your fingertips, to help you quickly make important decisions. 

Altimeter

For any who might not immediately know what this is, it’s the tool that measures altitude. A solid survival watch will usually include an altimeter as part of a triple sensor (thermometer, barometer and altimeter).

Higher elevations mean less oxygen, cooler temps, possibly more wind, and a host of other factors that could come into play in outdoor situations. For watches that include an altimeter, a quick check of the wrist is all that you’ll need to understand what you’re up against.  

Barometer

As mentioned above, a barometer feature is usually accompanied in watches with an altimeter and thermometer. Without getting too sciency on you, a barometer measures the pressure in the air, which is directly related to rain and storm systems.

A drop in barometric pressures signifies an oncoming storm (the quicker the drop, the faster the storm will approach…. The more it drops, the more intense it will be, etc).

Believe it or not, barometric pressure can also affect hunting and fishing. According to Weather.com, a steady, high-pressure system provides the most consistent all-around fishing, while there may be a feeding frenzy prior to the barometric pressure dropping. 

Long Battery Life

A long battery life can make up for a multitude of other sins in a survival watch. And conversely, all the features in the world don’t matter if your watch dies.

Battery life is more of an issue with smartwatches, where the sheer amount of bells and whistles necessitate regular charging (like your cell phone). Old school style watches almost never require a battery change–with batteries lasting years in many cases, and the dying battery giving plenty of warning before it goes.

Consider this carefully as you weigh the balance between a watch that can do a lot of cool stuff, verses one that will last forever without needing to be charged. 

Maps, topography, compasses, and other navigational features add to the utility of any great survival or outdoor watch.

Maps and Topography

Only found in the most loaded outdoor watches, mapping and topography features are a luxury that can prove incredibly helpful in a survival situation. Trying to plan the most low-energy route back to safety? Need to identify the low areas to give you the best shot of finding water? Topography maps can help you locate these. 

Hunting/Fishing Specific Features

As mentioned above, the savvy outdoorsman can glean bits of hunting and fishing information from a barometer.

Additionally, watches such as the Suunto Traverse Alpha provide lunar phase information, which corresponds with tides, and can be helpful in planning fishing or hunting activity.

Still other GPS style outdoor watches like the Garmin Instinct allow you to record and store the coordinates of specific hunting, fishing, or foraging locations so you can access later. These features are definitely “above and beyond” when you’re looking for a watch.

Solar Powered

A solar-powered watch removes the dependence on a limited storage battery, and instead allows you to power your phone (and all of it’s features) with the sun. Not a bad way to go right? In theory this should be an upgrade over traditional batteries, but not everybody loves the solar charging feature.

Battery technology has been around a lot longer than solar technology (especially watch-integrated solar), and the fail-points and surprises with solar have all yet to be discovered. While most people absolutely love solar-charging, and its usefulness as an outdoor watch can’t be denied, you will occasionally hear reports of people that have had some kind of solar-charging issue.

FAQ

How much do survival watches cost?

We could sit here and say, “uh… prices vary…. disclaimer… blah blah blah.” The short answer is this–you can expect to spend roughly $200 to get a high quality, well-constructed survival watch. 

What is an ‘ABC’ watch?

With watches the acronym ‘ABC’ commonly refers to ‘altimeter, barometer, and compass’, features commonly bundled together. 

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, the watch you wear is a matter of personal preference, and depends upon your situation. With these recommendations however, you’re on the right path. 

If you’re going in completely blind and just want to be treated to a solid, high-performing watch with solid features for survival and outdoor situations, go with the G-Shock Rangeman, and you won’t be disappointed.