Clothing for the Apocalypse!

I know it's silly to post sensationalism like this, but with people posting all these stupid things about pokemon and politics, I just can't help myself! Seriously though, this is an important part of your life and times.

Everyone has a favorite pair of shorts, pants, shirt, shoes and (especially important) underwear. Sometimes it's purely emotional, like that lucky pair of drawers you were wearing that time you met that double jointed Swedish stewardess! Or not. My favorites all come due to comfort and/or usefulness. It's really important to have functional clothing at your disposal when the chips are down or you have to switch gears quickly. Case in point

Budget AR15 Builds and Why I Choose Them.

It's well know that I prefer the AR platform to any other battle rifle. The reasons are due to it's proliferation in the US as well as my familiarity with the rifle series. It's the most common rifle sold in the US for a long time now and it really is well suited to 90% of shooters due to it's modular and adjustable nature. You can build them in literally any configuration imaginable.

 Most recent build. My son built the entire thing himself at 12 years old. It now has a Black Spider red dot.

Another significant belief I have was first iterated by good old Joe Stalin. "Quantity has a quality all it's own." So for the price of a high end manufacturer's AR15, I can build 3 budget guns. Once again, why? Because even a budget build can work remarkably well. Outfitting another person can be more of a force multiplier than a super whiz bang piston driven death dealer.

These builds tend to run around the 650 dollar mark and include a 1x optic. Why an optic? Because it's a crutch. Teaching fundamentals with irons take time, and it's much easier and faster to teach fundamental hold and bullet drop.You might not be outfitting a shooter, you might be outfitting a neighbor.

 The Minuteman Cache includes such a rifle.


What to look for in a budget rifle:
Standard quality parts
Mil spec dimension parts

For this discussion, there are some built rifles that accomplish these tasks. Smith and Wesson's base models as well as DPMS's base models work just fine. I haven't had much luck with PSA or some of the other cheapo parts like UTG and the like. Double star on the other hand have been nothing short of brilliant in my rifles. Many contractors are given DPMS rifles for ship defense and foreign protection details. They work and they're cheap. I've been using the DPMS oracle uppers for all the builds I've done in the past 4 years with a perfect track record. No functionality issues, decent accuracy and a cost around 300 bucks. Hard to beat with an included BCG and charging handle.

Optics are an easy choice. Something inexpensive and durable. Vortex is a good option for this. The Sparc series is pretty good, and there are a myriad of others out there that will work great. Always have extra batteries on hand. I include flip up iron sights as well. I've been prone to getting a gas block with a picatinny rail and dual flip ups die to wanting a clear sight picture. A standard front sight post occludes your sight picture.

I generally install a JP reduced power spring kit to loosen up the trigger a bit. A cheapo sling works great, and it is easy because the rifles I build are very light weight.

Wifey's 3 Day pack.

I'm in the process of building a 3 day pack for the wife to take in her vehicle. There are so many threads out there on how to build one for a man or kids, we don't hear much about the contents of a woman's BOB. Women are hardy and able to deal with much more than we think, but they also can wilt pretty quickly without some semblance of civilized products or regular items.

Let's look at it from the perspective of a problem solver. How far (Realistically) will she have to travel? How far can she walk in a day? Will she have companions? Can she travel safely? Is she trained or mentally ready for a sudden tedious walk? What will make it easier for her?

Then we get into the essentials for her trip, including the math for how long her trip will be. It's all math at that point. Let's use my wife as an example. She's a remote employee for a 3 letter mega corporation and travels to local clients only rarely. Usually she's too far away to rescue, or she's here at home. Recently she's been in Dearborn, MI consulting for another mega corporation that sports 4 letters. If she's that far away, I can't help her because she's out of reach. Not only that, the pack won't be coming on the plane with her so it's moot. If she's at a local client's place, she can make it home within 3 days at most. About 35 to 40 miles max. She can do 15 miles a day without issue as long as she's not running for her life or injured.

What will she need to make it 3 days on her feet in this weather? The lighter the pack, the faster the trip, plain and simple.
Pack- decent 3 day pack or daypack.
Shelter- Something to keep the rain off you while you rest or sleep.
Water- A way to get clean drinking water.
Food- Anything light, low salt and high calorie.
Light- Lightweight light source
Protection- Something to fend off Dogs or two legged animals.
Comms- Some way to contact home as far away as possible
Route- Find your way home without getting lost
Clothing- Weather appropriate gear
Personal items- Stuff you want and might need to have around.

Pack- It's usually best to figure this out last, because you want a pack big enough to fit everything you need. I have a few extra 3 day assault packs and some duffel bags, but for Christmas a few years ago I got her a really nice Kelty Backpack, a Redtail 30. It's really close to the size she needs, but it's a bright color. I'll decide once I'm ready to get the pack together. I have a feeling a black NC Star 3 day pack is in her future.

Shelter- The simpler the better. A tarp, casualty blanket or best of all, a Poncho would be perfect. It allows for protection without occluding your surroundings too much.

Water- I'm going to put a nalgene bottle and 2-20 oz water bottles in the pack in case my boys are with her. She will also get a bottle of purification tabs.

Food- Clif bars, some hard candy, some jerky sticks and trail mix.

Light- A small headlamp, extra batteries and maybe an extra flashlight. Preference given to a headlamp with a red beam for discreet travel at night.

Protection- This is where it gets screwy. She likes guns but isn't interested in carrying a gun so doesn't want to go get her carry license. That means in order to stay legal she needs a long gun. The obvious choice would be a KelTec Sub 2000 in 9mm. Breaks down to pack size, will take 33 round glock mags, and is easy to manipulate. 100 rounds JHP in 3 mags, 19 in an extended mag to keep in it. A decent sling will help too.

Comms- Cell Phone as primary and then a 2 way GMRS radios with extra batteries in case I can go look for her. All call signs and codes in a small notebook in the pack. Radio is set to proper channel and privacy code before hand. We have tested them and they are good to 4 miles if at least one person is elevated. If the phone lines are a mess, texts should still work as long as the towers are still operating. Another option is a backup disposable cell phone in case of a domestic threat.

Route- Pre planned routes from each side of the larger, meaner city close by, as well as from each direction of travel from home. A map and compass will be in the pack, with a rain cover or ziplock bag. Routes Marked in highlighter close to home but not all the way. Maybe to the edge of where she knows the streets well.

Clothing- Army Surplus silk thermals, a few pairs of warm non cotton socks, a warm hat, rain suit if no poncho, a loose fitting warmup or track suit. My wife is well endowed, no reason to entice the animals. She always wears a warm jacket and I'll throw and gloves and a scarf inside the hat. Another hugely important item is shoes. Find a pair that she doesn't wear because they look too shabby and put those in the pack. She won't miss them and they will be well broken in. Think Grey Man Camo. Have her dress as average as possible and remove all jewelry.

Personal Items- TP, Wet Wipes, Tampons (There's a 1 in 5 chance she will need them), Nail clippers, a small knife, Zip ties, Gorilla tape wrapped around a shopping card, Paracord in case she needs to repair clothing or breaks a shoestring, a small microfiber towel. Anything that's small and light that will help her. Maybe a lighter and some Votive candles in case she needs a fire for an emergency, like if she fell in some water and was too cold to continue on without drying off. First aid kit with plenty of Ibuprofen. Some cash in medium and small bills would help as well. Keep them in different places in case the pack gets grabbed.

Things to make sure she leaves out of the pack:

Earbuds- They will ruin her ability to observe her surroundings.
High salt food- It can cause a person to dehydrate and get cramps
Alcohol- No reason to make a person sleep deeper than need be or have dulled senses.
Loud toys for the kids- obvious attention getters.
Brightly colored clothes- Think grey.
Purse- Have her throw everything in the pack, dirtbags know purses mean money.

 Should she ever need to use it, the earlier she heads out, the safer she will be. If she's in denial and shelters in place, it's going to get more difficult. We live near a major city and many of the companies she visits aren't in the best part of town. Her most often visited client is in the middle of a large industrial/urban complex of factories, scrap yards and has a major interstate and a large river between her and the house. The Interstate only has 3 places to pass under it that she could reliably use without adding a day to her trip. There are 2 river crossings under the interstate, but they aren't passable.

Without a plan, the proper mindset, and the tools to succeed, any venture you attempt can be more difficult than it needs to be. I love my wife dearly and would want her to make it home if there's an emergency. I know many of us always think of ourselves and how we would make it home, but what about the rest of the family? It's only fair to make sure they can have the same or even a better chance than you do.

Gear Review: LA Police Gear 3day pack

About two years ago I bought an inexpensive 3day sized pack from LA police gear for 29.99 plus shipping. http://www.lapolicegear.com/diplomat-3-day-backpack1.html I expected it to be a thin, cheapo bag for stuffing extra gear in. What I received was a very durable material backpack with good stitching and thick padded straps. I looked the unit over very well and decided to utilize it as a primary unit, retiring the light weight pack I've grown out of.

I decided to do some research on the pack before I invested the energy to personalize it. I found widely varying reviews and opinions on the pack so I was adamant about deciding for myself. Upon the first evaluation, I was still undecided due to the cut and bulk of the pack. At first the zippers were very hard to operate and caught on the lining very easily. Once broken in, the bag sculpted to my back and the zippers became far more user friendly. The first addition I made the the pack was a 102oz water beast bladder system from Camelbak. It fit perfectly and even came in OD like the pack I chose. As I've added equipment and accessory pouches all over it to make an extended sustainment pack. This brought it's capabilities from 3 days to a month or so fairly quickly. The molle system made adding the pouches very easy. The pack itself full loaded weighs in at 36 pounds before water is added to the bladder.

The interior of the pack has a pvc coating making the pack water resistant. The external compression straps make it easy to attach a bed roll, rope or backpacking tent. I've also added a tomahawk to the exterior compression strap. Instead of buying a ready made system that you have to deal with how it's made, this system allows for easy customization. The drink tube can be routed left or right due to the pack having 2 gusseted outlet tabs with hook and loop closures. I haven't tried rucking the unit for extended days, but it works great and is fairly comfortable for a weekend pack trip. I usually use it for car camping trips and extended range trips where it would take 3 or more days to walk home.

Overall, the pack gets 2 thumbs up. One for being fairly inexpensive and one for being robust for it's price. I'm not saying this unit is equal to anything made by Blackhawk, Eagle, Maxpedition or other name brands. The packs strength is it's price. It doesn't have the best zippers or hook and loop. It doesn't have a name brand's warranty or backing. I've kept this pack loaded for almost 2 years now and I've car camped, hiked, rendezvous, and bugged out with this pack on numerous occasions. There isn't a single rip, tear, hole, zipper issue or even a worn strap. Solid performance at a budget price. The only reason I'm changing is so I can have a modular sleep system in my pack during winter and to have a better suspension system.


Let's take a look at mine:

I've added a Condor extra large bottom pouch that was made to be a stand alone satchel. A few Blackhawk pouches of different types, a Condor Tool carrier pouch and smaller flashlight/admin pouch on the front. Each pouch has it's purpose. Food, first aid, hygiene, Pens and paper, tools and such. The outside Molle webbing has held up tremendously well. Not a single stitch has come loose, nor has a zipper had to be reset. It's holding together my menagerie of pouches like a champ!

The modular nature of the pack allows me to customize the setup depending on what I'm planning. I can attach my shotgun scabbard to the side and now I have a pack hunting rig! Another couple additions I made are a SOG tactical tomahawk in a custom made kydex sheath and Blackhawk TaTang knife in a custom sheath.

The pack has been complete for about 6 months now, so I guess it's time to replace it with something designed to do what I'm forcing this pack to do and return this pack to a 3 day pack and pass it on to my son.
Here's what the pack holds right now, minus food. I keep a small food bag prepped and ready for a hasty exit. I can lash it to my pack in a second so the food isn't in there right now.

Gear list:
8x12 tarp, heavy duty tent stakes, Skeeter Beeter Hammock, Precut tarp lines, Sleeping bag, Rope, Cook pots and stove kit, rain gear, dopp kit, mess kit, Stainless mug, tea/coffee/juice kit, playing cards, Med kit, sam splint and shears,Katadyn hiker pro filter, Poncho and garbage bags, shemaugh, hat, gloves, wet wipes, zip ties and gorilla tape, head net, microfiber towel, paracord, notebook with info and codes, Night ize figure 9's, writing utensils, mirror, tools, inner tube ranger bands, P51, Blackhawk TaTang knife, SOG tomahawk, 12v solar charger, AA/AAA charger, CR123 charger, assorted batteries, chem lites, headlamp, backup battery charger for technology, bladder, map case and compass, GPS, water hose, yoyo fishing kit.

I used to add a pad and 2 man tent under the compression straps when it was cold out, but they are in the trailer and it's freezing cold outside. Not gonna go get them right now. I did notice a few things have come up missing over time. My spare socks are missing, as are the clothes pins I keep in there. Huh, must have needed them elsewhere.

I'll make sure to post a review of my recreational pack, and Osprey Aether 70, when I get a chance. The new Bugout pack, a Marine ILBE and assault pack, will also be coming up for review.