Author Archives: Survival Frog

What To Look For In A Survival Bag

Your survival bag is just as important as any other piece of gear. After all, it’s what holds all your equipment together and keeps it organized.

You might think any regular backpack is good enough, but that’s a big mistake. There are a few things you want to consider when finding the right one for you, so in this post I’m going to talk about what to look for in a survival bag.

Finding the Right Size

The first thing to consider is the size of the bag, or rather, its carrying capacity. Get one that’s too small and you won’t be able to fit everything you need. Get one that’s too big and it’ll be hard to travel with for any significant distance.

Let’s split survival bags into three groups: small (40 Liters), medium (60 Liters), and large (80+ Liters).

In general, a medium sized bug out bag is best. It offers enough room while also being light enough to haul around without a problem.

Small bags can be used by filling them with non-critical gear and having a child carry it. That way you can bring extra gear without burdening yourself with the load.

Preppers should avoid using large bags. Campers can use them because they can take their time and travel at their leisure, but as a prepper you don’t have that luxury. If we move it’s because we have to, and we don’t want bulky gear slowing us down.

Keeping Things Organized

If your survival bag only had one large compartment, you’d be in trouble.

Sure, it’s the same amount of space either way, but it’ll be much harder to grab a specific item when you need it. That’s why the ideal survival bag should have plenty of compartments.

Compartments give you a way to keep similar items together and give you easy access to things when you need them.

Try to find a bag that has a large main compartment, and then several medium and small compartments on the side and the front.

One thing that usually gets overlooked is that every compartment needs to be fully closable. If it can’t be sealed then all sorts of undesirable stuff will find it’s way into your bag. Water, dirt, and bugs are all things you want to stay out of your bag.

Plenty of Support

Your survival bag will be heavy when it’s fully packed, probably around 30 to 40 pounds. That might not sound like much right now, but you’ll definitely feel it after you’ve been carrying it for a while.

That’s why your survival bag needs to at least offer basic support. The first thing to look for are extra straps.

A normal backpack only has two straps, one for each shoulder, but a bag with extra support will have more than that. Look for a bag that also has a chest strap and a waist strap. These extra straps will spread the load more evenly across your body and give your overworked shoulders some rest.

That takes care of support for your body, but the bag itself will also need support if it’s really heavy. This is where frames become useful.

Some bags have internal or external frames that offer support to the bag. The frame spreads the load through the bag so it doesn’t tear. As a bonus, it’ll also make it easier for you to carry.

A frame isn’t strictly necessary, but if your bag is over 40 pounds it’s worth the investment.

Rock Solid Durability

Most likely, you’ll be using your survival bag in rough conditions. It doesn’t matter whether you’re bugging out in the city or out in the woods. If you’re in a survival situation, your bag is going to get abused.

It’s going to be a real pain if a strap tears or it can’t hold you gear properly. That’s why any bag you choose should be durable enough to withstand lots of abuse. Look for things like thick straps, water resistance, heavy stitching, and durable materials.

Ordinary Civilian Appearance

Bet you didn’t think appearance would be an important factor! It’s true, the appearance of your bag is an important factor to consider.

Other people will perceive you differently based on how you’re dressed and what you’re carrying. This is important to remember, because in a survival situation you absolutely don’t want to stick out.

If you’re carrying a military-looking camouflage bag, people are going to notice that. Some people will realize that you’ve got gear they can use, and are willing to take it from you…by force if necessary.

I know those military style camo bags look really cool. I get it, but this isn’t a fashion show. It’s more important to stay under the radar when it comes to survival. The less attention you draw to yourself the better.

Camo means you have gear worth stealing, and bright colors draw too much attention. The best way to stay under the radar is to choose a backpack in a solid “boring” color like dark green, brown, tan, or gray

So, which survival bag should you choose? There are plenty of them out there, and you can spend days searching for one. The one I recommend is the LifeShield Bug Out Pack. It checks off all the important points for a survival bag, and it isn’t too expensive either.

Is there anything you look for in a survival bag that’s not on this list? Let me know in the comments section below and share your knowledge with other readers.

How To Make Sure Water Doesn’t Ruin Your Preps

There’s been quite a few hurricanes hitting the U.S. recently, and preppers in hurricane territory not only need to look out for themselves, but look out for their gear as well.

As preppers, we tend to think about what gear we need to keep ourselves safe during a crisis, but one thing that usually gets overlooked is how to keep our gear safe. It doesn’t matter how much thought we put into our preps if it ends up getting destroyed by water.

Since our gear is a critical part of a prepper’s survival strategy, you need to make sure water doesn’t ruin your preps. I’ll give you a quick rundown on some simple steps you can take to keep your gear safe.

Different Levels of Waterproofing

Before we get into how to protect your gear from water damage, let’s define a few different levels of waterproofing. Note that these aren’t technical definitions. Rather, they’re just rough guides for us to use as a reference.

Waterproof: Let’s say something is waterproof if it can be completely submerged in water without getting damaged. For example, a sealed can of food is waterproof.

Water Resistant: We’ll consider something water resistant if water can fall on it without the gear getting damaged. However, it’ll still get damaged if it’s submerged in water even if it’s not completely submerged. For example, clothes wrapped and sealed in a plastic bag.

Out of Water’s Reach: This would be gear that’s under shelter so it won’t get rained on, and is also raised far enough off the ground that it won’t get submerged in water during a flood. For example, anything stored in the attic.

How Much Waterproofing Is Necessary?

Thankfully, not all your gear needs to be 100% waterproof. Some gear, such as food and electronics, needs to be totally waterproof while non-perishable and non-electronic gear can afford to have less protection.

The big thing to watch out for is keeping your food safe. If you’re stockpiling canned food, you pretty much already have this covered since the can itself is waterproof.

The tricky part is waterproofing food that isn’t in a can. In that case you’ll need to pack them into buckets lined with waterproof bags. However, the problem here is that the buckets can then float away. You’ll need to tie these buckets to something that won’t float away during a flood.

That takes care of your food, but what about all your other gear? You probably have a lot of gear, so waterproofing all of it by sealing it in buckets simply isn’t practical. Plus, you might need to have quick access to it.

This is where settling for water resistant and keeping it out of water’s reach come into play. Your non-perishables and non-electronics can be safely stored by tightly wrapping plastic bags around them and keeping them raised far enough off the ground.

Do some research here. How bad is the flooding in your area? If the flooding isn’t severed in your area you can probably get by just by keeping it on shelves off the floor. If the flooding is really bad you’ll need to store it on the second floor of your house or your attic.

However, this can be a bit inconvenient too. If you need something you’ll have to find it and dig it out of the packing.

To get around this, I recommend picking the gear you think will be most useful to have in most situations and store them in a waterproof dry bag where you can easily access it.

At this point you should have:

  • Perishable and electronic gear completely waterproofed and stored anywhere (Usually in the basement or garage.)
  • Your most important and frequently used gear sealed in a waterproof dry bag somewhere easily accessed.
  • Non-perishable and non-electronic gear stored in water resistant packaging and raised above ground level.

This should be enough to keep your preps safe from water damage in most cases. If you have any tips and tricks of your own on how to keep gear dry, share them with us in the comments section below.

25 Century Old Survival Hacks

Life was harder in the old days, and people had to do a lot more to survive. Our lives today are relatively easy, and a lot of the useful knowledge from back then has been lost for most people.

Luckily, some of these old school survival hacks are still around. Today, I’ll share with you some of the survival hacks from the “How To” cards that came with Ogden’s Cigarettes over 100 years ago.

#1 Cutting Down a Tree the Easy Way

After you’ve picked what tree you want to chop down, start chopping like you normally would, but stop halfway through. Then, start chopping on the other side a few inches higher. Finally, pull the tree down with a rope.

#2 Extracting a Splinter Quickly and Painlessly

Pulling out a splinter the normal way can be painful and can even make it worse. Instead, fill a bottle with hot water almost to the top and press it firmly against the splintered area. The steam will loosen up the splinter and the suction will pull it out.

#3 Surviving a Thunderstorm Without Shelter

We instinctively seek shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm. However, standing under a tall object such as a tree can actually be more dangerous.  The safest option is to lay low in a ditch underneath some low-growing bushes.

#4 The Easy Way to Stop Your Glasses from Getting Foggy

Try rubbing your glasses with soap and then polishing them afterwards to prevent them from getting foggy. This works because even after polishing the soap off, the thin film that remains prevents condensation from forming on the glass.

#5 Making a Water Filter With No More Than a Simple Bucket

Take a zinc bucket and cut a hole through the bottom, and fit a small pipe through the hole. Add the following materials in this order: large stones, small stones, coarse sand, and fine sand. The water that flows through to the bottom will be clear.

#6 Cleaning the Inside of a Glass Bottle

Cleaning the inside of a narrow-mouth bottle can be a pain, but this simple trick makes it much easier. Add some sand and water to the inside of the bottle and then shake the bottle. Afterwards, wash the bottle out and let it dry.

#7 Build a DIY Water Fountain for Your Chickens

Building a simple water fountain for your chickens will give them a continuous supply of fresh water so you don’t have to get them fresh water every day. Fill a bottle with water and secure it against a plank. Tip it upside down and place the mouth of the bottle in a bowl filled with water. When the water gets low, the bottle will automatically release water until the mouth is covered again.

#8 How to Automatically Water Your Plants

This is a cool hack that will free up a lot of your time. Fill a bucket with water and place it above your plants. Place some strands of wool in the bucket and place one end of the wool at the base of each plant. The wool will automatically siphon water from the bucket to the soil without you having to do anything.

#9 Preserving Eggs Without a Refrigerator

To preserve eggs without refrigeration, you’ll need to use freshly laid eggs. If you raise your own chickens, you can have fresh eggs all the time. Bury the eggs in a box of dry salt and store them in a cool place. The eggs can’t be exposed to air for this to work.

#10 How to Defend Yourself Against a Dog Attack

Dogs can be intimidating, but their method of attack is very predictable. The dog will always try to get rid of your method of defense before biting, so holding a piece of clothing out on a long stick will cause them to attack that first. Give the dog a forceful kick while it’s distracted.

#11 Treating Animal Wounds

Tie a cloth tightly between the bite and the rest of your body and cleanse the wound. If you suspect the animal had rabies or another dangerous virus, cut away the surrounding flesh with a clean knife and then cauterize the wound with hot metal.

#12 Safely Removing Debris from Your Eyes

Removing debris from your eyes with your finger increases the possibility of infection. Instead, add a few drops of castor oil to your eyes and the debris will wash out. You can also use water mixed with a small amount of weak vinegar.

#13 Treating Sprains

Raise the injured joint above body level and wrap the sprain in a cold cloth. Gently rub the sprain with oil as it gets better. See our article on sprains and broken bones to discover exactly what you should do in this situation.

#14 Detecting a Gas Leak Without Risking Lighting a Match

Some people try to find gas leaks by lighting a match and watching the flame, but this method is very dangerous. Instead, mix soap and water together and spread it over the pipe you think is leaking. If it’s leaking, you’ll see bubbles forming at the point of leakage.

#15 Picking Up a Lost Trail

If you’re tracking an animal or a lost family member and lose the trail, try this technique. Treat the last footprint as the center of a circle and walk around it at varying distances. You should rediscover the trail at some point. This technique covers all the ground and helps you keep track of where you’ve been, rather than searching randomly.

#16 How to Light a Match Even in Strong Wind

It’s difficult to light a match in the wind, but it can be made easier by splintering the wood of the match near the striking end with a knife. When you strike the match, the splinters will instantly catch on fire and create a stronger flame.

#17 Curing Catarrh Without Medication

Breathe in a pinch of regular table salt through your nostrils. Then, gargle warm water while being careful not to swallow any. Do this once a day and the mucus should clear up.

#18 Building a Simple Shelter

Drive two forked sticks into the ground and lay a long stick between them to create the structure of your shelter. Then, lay additional branches against your structure to create a slanted wall. Start out with larger sticks and work your way down to smaller twigs and leaves to plug up holes.

#19 How to Rescue Someone from a Fire

Here’s what to do if you have to enter a burning building to rescue an unconscious person. Tie a wet cloth around your head so it covers your nose and mouth. Crawl through the building on all fours to stay low to the ground where there’s more oxygen. Tie a rope around the ankles of the unconscious person, and tie the other end around your chest and shoulders. Turn around and drag them out.

#20 The Top 3 Most Useful Knots

The timber hitch lifts heavy objects such as logs. The fisherman’s knot joins two separate ropes tightly together. The clove hitch gets tighter the more force pulls on it.

#21 Using Your Analog Watch as a Compass

Hold your analog watch in your hand and point the hour hand at the sun. Pick a blade of grass and lay it crosswise between the hour hand and the number 12. The end of the blade of grass will point South.

#22 Pulling Out Long Nails

Sometimes nails are too long and you can’t get enough leverage to pull them out. Simply place a block of wood underneath your nail puller and use it as leverage.

#23 How to Preserve Gas When Cooking

Gas stoves produce more heat than is needed for cooking most of the time. Instead of turning on multiple burners to heat multiple things, try this simple trick. Lay a large baking sheet across the stove and turn on only one burner. The baking sheet will spread the heat to everything else on the stove.

#24 Keeping Flies Away

Want to keep those pesky flies away? Try sprinkling a bit of borax powder on your garbage once per day to keep them from breeding.

#25 An Easy Way to Purify Water

Consider carrying a tablespoon of powdered alum with you. Simply dump it in a vat of water of up to 20 Gallons and wait a few hours. The water will then be purified.

If you want an even easier way to get clean drinking water, you need to check out this cool little filter. It’s one of the most powerful filters on the market and it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Use These 7 Essential Oils In A Survival Situation

Essential oils are derived from plants.

Essential oils contain different properties depending on which plant they come from and have a variety of medicinal uses. This makes them a useful tool to have during a survival situation where pharmaceutical medications might not be available.

Uses for essential oils range from simple things like cleaning and stress relief to more serious issues like relieving chronic pain and fighting infections. Some even say they’ve fought cancer using the healing power of essential oils.

Essential oils can be administered by air with a diffuser, or ingested by mixing them with a drink. They can also be applied directly to the skin in some cases if you dilute them with a carrier oil first.

Nearly any plant can be used to make an essential oil, which means there are a lot of them to choose from. However, some are better than others, and you want to have the best ones with you during an emergency.

Here are the 7 essential oils that will be most useful in a survival situation.

Lavender Oil

Lavender is a versatile essential oil and is found on the shelves of nearly everyone who uses essential oils.

If you could only have one type of essential oil with you, I would recommend lavender. You may want to stock up on more lavender than the other oils because you’ll probably use it more often.

Lavender oil can heal cuts, promote relaxation, relieve allergies and reduce inflammation.

Oregano Oil

Oregano oil has powerful anti-viral properties that make it just as effective, and sometimes more effective, than pharmaceutical drugs.

Oregano oil is known to be an effective treatment for those infected with HIV and AIDS. There is no cure for HIV and AIDS, though oregano oil relieves many of the symptoms and allows those suffering from it to live mostly normal lives.

In addition to its anti-viral properties, oregano oil is also known to boost the immune system, which is part of what makes it such an effective treatment for HIV and AIDS.

Oregano oil is also good at removing warts, skin tags, relieving back and joint pain, and getting rid of athlete’s foot.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil kills germs and prevents infection, making it a useful first aid treatment for cuts.

It’s also used to kill mold and mildew and relieves respiratory problems. Use it to relieve sinus infections, bronchitis, and airborne allergies.

Tea tree oil is sometimes called “melaleuca”, so keep that in mind if you have trouble finding it when searching for “tea tree oil.”

Lemon Oil

Lemon oil is known for its cleansing ability and works well when ingested. Some say that adding a few drops of lemon oil to water will purify it, though there’s no definitive proof of this.

Lemon oil will get rid of harmful intestinal parasites, helps digestion, helps your liver, and dissolves petrochemicals that build up over time in your body.

In a survival situation, the hygienic conditions you’re used to will worsen.  Having a bottle of a powerful, edible disinfectant will maintain sanitary conditions, keeping you healthy and disease-free.

Frankincense Oil

Frankincense is used as an anti-inflammatory and is also used to enhance the effects of other essential oils when paired together.

Its ability to reduce inflammation also gives it pain reducing properties, making it a useful all-purpose oil.

Frankincense oil tends to have relaxing effects, so you may also benefit from stress relief and mood enhancement.

Frankincense is also useful as an anti-depressant. It’ll be hard to stay in a positive mood during a survival situation, so you’ll be thankful to have a bottle of frankincense with you if depression starts to sink in.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is useful for treating allergies when applied directly to the affected area. It also increases alertness, focus, and oxygen absorption.

Try using peppermint oil to treat digestive issues such as heartburn, bloating, and constipation.

A unique property of peppermint oil is that it’s good for repelling pests such as ants, spiders, mice, and other unwanted critters. Use it to repel pests from your garden, or to protect your home from intrusive critters.

Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus oil is great for those suffering from airborne allergies. It’s effective against mold and is also used as an odor remover.

Some people suffering from asthma report eucalyptus oil as an effective remedy. It dilates the blood vessels, which makes it easier for your body to transport oxygen.

The antiseptic properties of eucalyptus oil also make it good for treating wounds. The eucalyptus tree is native to Australia, and the Australian aborigines used to use eucalyptus leaves in their medicine because of its healing properties.

Plant Therapy is an online store specializing in essential oils and has an excellent selection. You can buy individual oils or get one of their starter kits if you aren’t sure how to get started.

You can also find many essential oils on Amazon, though there’s no guarantee you’re getting a quality product from the sellers there.

When used correctly, essential oils can have many positive health benefits for the user, but remember to practice caution and common sense when using essential oils. They’re more than just oils. They’re natural medicine that needs to be used responsibly.

The Best Fuels For Fire, Heat and Travel

Whether you plan on bugging out or bugging in when SHTF, you’re going to need fire and heat. Most of us use electricity right now, but what will you do when the power goes out?

You should have at least a couple backup fuel sources for emergencies, but you might not know which ones to choose. Let’s briefly cover the most common fuel sources and determine what each of them are good for.

Wood

Wood is the most basic fuel source for fire. Humans have been using it for thousands of years, and for good reason. Wood is a free natural resource and can be easily gathered in any rural area. Even if you have to buy your wood, it should still be relatively cheap.

Because hardwoods such as oak, ash, and mahogany have long burn times, they’re good choices to heat a house.

Another benefit of using wood for fuel is that even when the fire dies out the coals will still be hot for at least another day or two, so it’ll be easier to start another fire.

For best results when burning wood, make sure to dry it out for a long enough period of time beforehand. Although damp wood can be burned, it won’t provide as much heat.

If you plan on using wood as one of your fuel sources, keep it stored in a shed to keep it dry, or at least cover it with a tarp to prevent the rain from getting it wet.

Gasoline

There’s no shortage of gasoline right now, but when SHTF, it’ll get used up quickly and become a scarce resource. It’s better to stock up on this useful fuel now rather than try to scavenge for it later.

Gasoline starts fires instantly, is portable, and can power vehicles. Imagine you need to make a trip away from your base. You could bring a small container of gasoline with you so you can and easily start a fire.

One of the drawbacks of gasoline in a SHTF scenario is that it’s irreplaceable and it’ll become harder to come by as time goes on.

The other drawback is that it doesn’t store well. You’ll need to add fuel stabilizer to it to make it last for a decent length of time.

Due to its short shelf life, you shouldn’t rely on gasoline as a primary fuel source. However, it’s still a good idea to have at least a few gallons on hand just in case.

Diesel and Bio-diesel

Regular diesel fuel offers the same advantages as gasoline. It starts fires instantly, is portable, and can power certain vehicles.

The advantage of diesel is that it has a longer shelf life than gasoline, making it more useful as a stockpiling fuel, though it still won’t store forever. You’ll still need to add stabilizer to ensure it lasts longer.

The downside of diesel is that it’s less common than gasoline, which will make it harder to scavenge for when SHTF.

On the other hand, you can make your own bio-diesel fuel, which performs almost as well as commercial diesel when made correctly.

The most common ingredient used to make bio-diesel is cooking oil. The process for creating bio-diesel involves heating it to a certain temperature, sustaining it, and eventually adding a catalyst. I’m not covering the details here, but you can find this information online.

The drawback to bio-diesel is that it’s hard to make. However, as you practice the process, it should become easier over time.

Propane

Propane is another popular choice for heating homes, powering generators, and for cooking. It’s cheap, burns for a long time, and has a long shelf life, making it a great fuel source for survival.

It’s a good idea to keep a large propane tank at your bug-out location. You’ll have months’ worth of fuel on hand. Then you can add propane to smaller containers and transport them around for different uses.

Since propane is so common, it should be easy to find when scavenging, though it will eventually run out over time.

Kerosene

Kerosene is a great source of light for lanterns and performs well as a cooking fuel.

Kerosene has a long shelf life and can be safely stored for a few years without major problems. The typical shelf life of kerosene is around five years, though people report burning their kerosene after storing it for much longer than that.

Which of these fuel sources you choose is up to you, though I’d recommend everyone stockpile at least a little bit of wood and at least a few gallons of gasoline or diesel.

 

How To Fix Broken Bones In A Crisis

What would you do if you or a loved one broke a bone during a crisis?

Most people might try to hastily set the bone in a panic, with the reasoning that it’s a serious medical situation that can’t afford to wait.

It’s true that a broken bone is a serious problem, but many times waiting is actually the better decision. Setting a broken bone with little to no training comes with significant risk and can pose much more danger to the injured person than the broken bone itself.

On the other hand, sometimes setting the bone is the right choice. I’m going to show you how to fix broken bones in a crisis for those times when you have no other choice.

Risks of Setting Broken Bones

Whenever you handle a damaged part of the body, you risk causing even more injuries. Moving a bone haphazardly can cause severe damage to the surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves.

Setting a bone isn’t as simple as just moving it back into place. When a bone is broken, the surrounding muscles contract to protect the bone. These contracted muscles will put up a lot of resistance when you try to set the bone, making your job more difficult.

On top of all that, manipulating a broken bone is extremely painful. Without proper anesthetic treatment, the injured person you’re trying to help might flinch and accidentally cause even more harm to themselves.

Setting a broken bone during a crisis is risky at best, and potentially fatal at worst. That’s why in most cases, it’s better to temporarily splint the broken bone instead of setting it. Splinting means immobilizing it to prevent further damage until a more qualified person can set it permanently.

Setting a bone isn’t something to take lightly, but there are times when setting it yourself is the best option.

When Setting a Broken Bone is Worth the Risk

The following situations are severe enough that you should attempt to set the bone despite the risk involved.

Nerve Damage

A broken bone can pinch nearby nerves. If left untreated, this could cause permanent nerve damage.

It takes about one day for irreparable nerve damage to occur, so you can’t afford to wait if you suspect there’s nerve damage.

You can tell if there’s a pinched nerve by checking for feeling in the fingers and toes. If the injured person can’t feel their fingers or toes, they probably have a pinched nerve.

Loss of Circulation

A broken bone could block blood flow to the damaged area, which can cause major damage later.

You can check for loss of circulation in two ways: checking for a pulse past the damaged area, or by visually checking to see if the area past the broken bone is blue.

You have a window of a few hours to set the bone if there’s loss of circulation, so if this is the case, then set it yourself.

Bleeding

Some bones are located next to arteries and can damage those arteries when they break. For example, the femur is located next to a major artery and can cause life threatening bleeding if it isn’t set.

Usually, simply applying pressure is enough to stop most bleeding. However, in a deep area where the femur is located, applying pressure isn’t enough to fully stop the bleeding.

In this case, it’s better to attempt to set the bone.

Sometimes when a bone gets broken, it will pierce the skin. In this case, it’s important to stop the bleeding. Having a first aid kit on hand will make this process much easier and more hygienic.

You Can’t Get Help

If help is several days away, or if it’s simply never going to come at all, then your best bet is to set the bone yourself.

If you wait too long to set it, then it will heal in the wrong position and cause many problems down the line.

How to Set a Broken Bone

Let’s say you’re in a situation where a loved one has a broken bone, and they meet one of the criteria where setting the bone yourself is the best option.

The best way to set a broken bone is through a technique called traction. Traction, in crude terms, means to grab hold of one end of the broken bone and pull on it. This pulling pressure returns the bone to its original position. It sounds easy, but it’s harder to do in practice.

Here are some tips to help the procedure go as smoothly as possible.

Make sure you get a good grip on the end of the limb you’re pulling on. The contracted muscles will fight you, so it’s important that you’re able to firmly hold onto it.

Pull in the same plane as the bone sits on. Don’t pull at an angle or you’ll risk seriously damaging nearby nerves, arteries, and tissues.

Never suddenly jerk the bone. First, you could damage the sensitive tissues surrounding the bone. Second, the contracted muscles will fight against you harder if you suddenly apply lots of pressure. It’s better to pull gradually so the muscles loosen up on their own.

Those are the basics of setting a bone during a crisis. If you or a loved one breaks a bone during a crisis, try to stay calm. Remembering when to set a bone and when not to set it might just save your life.

Choosing The Best Optic For Survival

Choosing the best optic for survival can be just as tricky as picking the best gun. Many survivalists spend all their time picking out a gun, but never get a scope to go with it.

Maybe they think optics are too expensive, too much of a hassle, or maybe they just think they’re enough of a sharp-shooter with iron sights. Either way, not having an optic is a costly mistake.

Attaching a scope to your rifle makes you a much more effective shooter, and might be the one thing that saves you in a SHTF scenario.

Why Every Survivalist Should Have An Optic On Their Rifle

Anyone who plans on using their rifle for defense or hunting needs to have an optic that goes with it. If not attached to the gun at all times, then at least stored in their bag so it can be attached later.

Everyone likes to think of themselves as professional marksmen, but if you’re truly in a survival situation, then hitting your target is a matter of life or death. Do you really want to trust your survival to iron sights?

If it’s dark or if your target is far away, it’ll take significantly more time to line up your shot properly. If you miss, your target will run away unpredictably, making it even more difficult to land the next shot.

A scope improves the accuracy of the shooter by making targets appear larger and increasing clarity, especially in situations without much light. That way you’ll be able to land a clean hit on your first shot.

Plus, even a beginner can hit most targets with the help of a scope, making it an ideal addition for anyone who hasn’t been training their marksmanship.

There are several factors that determine the effectiveness of a scope. I’ll cover each of them below.

Objective Lens Size

The objective lens is the front end of the scope where light from your target enters the scope and reflects towards your eye.

The lens size is what determines the field of view (FOV) of your scope. FOV refers to the total amount of area you can see through your scope. A higher FOV means you would see more area than a scope with a lower FOV.

A good lens size for survival is around 30mm or 40mm. You can get a scope with a larger lens size if you want, but keep in mind that the larger your lens the more difficult it’ll be to carry it around and not damage it.

Besides, a 30mm or 40mm lens size is plenty big enough. Most people won’t get any benefit out of a larger lens size, so don’t burden yourself with something bigger than necessary.

Optic Style

Your two main choices for optic styles are either tube body or holographic, also known as heads-up.

Tube style optics are the best choice for survivalists because they’re generally better quality and good for general use.

Also, tube body optics can have variable magnifications settings while holographic sights are fixed magnification.

Variable Magnification VS Fixed Magnification

Scopes can be either variable magnification which allow you to zoom in and out on your target, and fixed magnification scopes which are locked in at a certain magnification.

Variable magnification allows you to zoom in at the perfect distance to line your shot up just right. This allows you to shoot at both long and short distances equally well, unlike a fixed magnification scope which is effective only for targets at a certain distance.

However, fixed magnification scopes have their benefits too. For example, fixed magnification scopes have no moving parts which makes them sturdier. They won’t change magnification settings while you’re moving around either, so you can just pull it out and be at the correct magnification every time.

The ability to change the magnification setting on your scope is a must-have for any survivalist, and is why I recommend using a variable magnification scope.

When shopping for scopes you’ll see their magnification settings listed something like this: 3-9x40mm. That means it has a variable magnification setting of between 3 times to 9 times, and the lens size is 40mm.

You’ll see optics with other magnification settings, but the 3-9x40mm is the standard, and the one I recommend getting.

Adjustments

You don’t need a lot of adjustments, but there are two which I consider necessary. They are elevation adjustments, windage adjustments, and eyepiece focus.

Anything else is unnecessary and likely won’t ever be used. A scope with more adjustments is going to much much more expensive than a similar scope without them. Stick to the basics and you’ll be better off.

Reticle

There are many types of reticles to choose from. It’s important that you get a reticle you like, and this is largely up to personal preference.

However, the simplest solution is usually the best choice for most people. If you don’t already have a personal favorite that you’ve trained extensively with, I suggest using a duplex reticle.

A duplex reticle is just like a regular crosshair reticle, but the lines out thicker near the outside and thinner near the middle where your target will be.

The thick outer lines make it easy for your eye to find the center of the scope while the thin inner lines don’t obstruct your view of the target.

Don’t want to go through the trouble of searching for a scope? The Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-9x40mm is a great choice that isn’t too expensive.

Don’t throw away your iron sights just because you’ve got an optic. Things can go wrong, and having your iron sights as a backup is always a good idea.

Don’t have a gun yet? Check out this blog post for info on which ammo types are best for survival and some quality guns that will help you during a survival situation.

9 Foods You Can Grow In The Winter

If you thought your garden is doomed every time Winter comes around, think again. There are a variety of vegetables you can grow in the Winter.

These plants need to be sowed in the Fall, but with proper planning and maintenance you’ll be able to eat fresh, healthy food straight from your garden all Winter long.

Before I reveal which plants can grow during Winter, let’s go over a few basic things you need to know about cold weather gardening.

The location of your plants is more important during Winter than during other seasons. You’ll want your plants to get as much sun as possible, and also shield them from the wind.

The best location to keep your plants safe during Winter is usually on the South side of your house, as the South side gets maximum sunlight and keeps your plants safe from the wind.

You may also want to plant your vegetables in a raised bed. The soil in raised beds stays warmer than ground soil, and will give your plants the best chances of survival.

Don’t want to build a raised bed yourself? An easy way to get an instant raised bed garden is to roll out some old tires and fill them with soil. Plus, the black rubber absorbs heat from the sun and keeps your plants nice and warm.

The final thing you can do to give your plants the best odds of survival is to cover them with fleece frost covers. Frost covers go over the plant and retain heat. This protects them from frost on particularly cold nights.

Now that you know the basics of Winter gardening, you’re ready to choose some Winter-friendly plants you like. Here are 9 foods you can grow in the winter.

Winter Lettuce

Winter lettuce is a great source of continuous food through the Winter. With proper care, your winter lettuce will continue growing for the whole duration of Winter.

It needs to be covered by frost covers in order to survive harsher Winters, but those in regions with milder Winters might be able to grow them without covers.

Onions

Many types of onions can grow during Winter, so you can have your pick of red, white, and yellow onions. Plus, onions have a long shelf life so you can still eat them long after they’re harvested.

You could also plant shallots and leeks instead of onions to fulfill the same nutritional purpose. Shallots and leeks require the same care as onions so you can plant whichever you prefer.

Peas

Peas aren’t the best vegetable for Winter as they tend to struggle in extreme cold, though they can be an excellent addition to your garden in regions with mild Winters.

Even if you live in a region with harsh Winters, it’s still worth trying to grow them anyway. They’ll definitely need frost covers to stand any chance of surviving.

Many of your peas won’t survive, so plant them relatively close to each other so you can plant more to make up for your losses.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, so you only have to plant them once and they’ll keep producing year after year.

The drawback is that asparagus takes two years before they can be harvested, so you won’t be able to eat them this year or even the next year.

Take the time to plant them now and in a couple years you’ll have a reliable source of food through every Winter.

Garlic

Adding garlic to your garden will give your meals extra flavor that you won’t want to miss out on.

Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow, even during Winter. Plant individual cloves fairly far apart from each other, and at a depth of between 1-2.5 inches.

Garlic requires very little work on your part, and you’ll be glad you planted it when you taste its fresh taste in your next meal.

Broad Beans

There are several advantages to growing broad beans during Winter instead of Spring.

First, sowing during Fall stops nutrients from leaching through the soil, which means more nutrition for you.

Second, they won’t be taken out by blackfly infestations, which could ruin your whole harvest.

Watch out if they grow too tall. If they grow over one foot tall the wind could blow them over and snap them. Fix that problem by tying them to sticks or canes for support.

Turnips

Turnips withstand frost well, and don’t need to be harvested unless the ground freezes. Frost will kill them, but this shouldn’t happen if you’re using a raised bed with frost covers.

However, to mitigate risk you can harvest some early and store them over Winter. Turnips store well, so there’s no downside to digging them up early.

Spinach

Spinach won’t last all the way through Winter like some other vegetables, but they still earn their place on this list.

Use raised beds and frost covers to extend their growth stage as far as you can, and harvest them when they’re at their limit.

Spinach can be picked early and still be very tasty. Instead of eating early leaves normally, try wilting them instead.

Spinach is one of the most nutrient rich vegetables, so they’re a must-have in any survivalist’s garden.

Carrots

Carrots are an easy vegetable to grow. All they need is loose soil without any stones, and a soil temperature over 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

This can be accomplished even during Winter with the use of raised beds and frost covers.

As a bonus, carrots get sweeter if they grow during cold weather. Some people routinely leave their carrots in the ground over Winter just to get that extra flavor.

Now that you know how to grow an amazing vegetable garden during Winter, it’s time to get planting.

Want to get a great deal on quality seeds? Try our Survival Preparedness Seeds which includes 16 varieties of healthy, delicious veggies.

3 Reasons Never To Perform Surgery In A Crisis

What would you do if someone in your group needed surgery? If you think performing surgery on your own during a crisis is an option, think again.

Surgery is risky enough during normal conditions, but lack of training and suitable supplies make surgery an even worse option during a survival scenario.

If you attempt to perform surgery yourself, you’ll most likely do more harm than good even if you’ve done some research on doing field surgery. You could even end up killing the person you’re trying to save.

Don’t believe me? Here’s three compelling reasons never to perform surgery in a crisis.

#1 Uncontrollable Bleeding

Here’s something most survivalists don’t think about. Cutting someone open is easy, but doing it in a way that’s safe and doesn’t cause more damage than necessary is extremely difficult. If surgery was as simple as cutting an opening, then anybody could do it.

In order to perform surgery, you’d have to cut through skin, muscles, and fat. Blood vessels are found in all of those tissues, and they’ll bleed when you inevitably cut them.

If you’re unfortunate enough to cut a major blood vessel, well, good luck stopping that without years of experience and proper surgical equipment.

Let’s say you were lucky and managed to avoid major blood vessels and had someone to help you control the rest of the bleeding. That’s great, but you still need to perform the surgery.

There will be a pool of blood obstructing your vision, and any slip up on your part will cause even more problems and the bleeding will increase.

The risk of massive blood loss can be a bigger threat than whatever injury you were trying to fix with surgery. It’s better to avoid performing surgery by yourself in most situations.

#2 Difficulty Cutting and Closing Wounds

The inside of the body is delicate. If you accidentally scrape an organ it will bleed or leak another fluid, creating an unsanitary mess.

You need to know exactly where to cut before you make any incisions, but the problem is that not everyone’s organs are in the exact same spot.

Sure, they’ll be in the same general area, but they could be an inch or two off point, or even rotated a different way.

Imagine the disaster that will result from puncturing someone’s organ because their organ was located slightly to the side of where the anatomy book said it was.

Closing wounds can be difficult and you may end up doing more damage than you fixed while attempting to close them. As you become frustrated you’ll make even more mistakes, putting your patient at even more risk the more time passes.

#3 Deadly Infections

Even if the surgery goes well, the patient is still in a huge amount of danger.

Infections from surgery are fairly common even when the surgery is performed in a hospital by a professional surgeon, and any surgery performed during a crisis by a non-professional will be even riskier.

Infections are dangerous enough under normal circumstances, but in a crisis they become even more serious.

Antibiotics are limited in supply, and there’s no guarantee they’ll successfully stop the infection. Plus, if you ever need to use antibiotics again they’ll be even less effective than the first time.

How to Prepare for Surgeries In a Crisis Ahead of Time

An amateur surgery performed in an dirty environment is practically a death sentence. In many situations it’s better to not perform an amateur surgery at all and simply let the person try to recover on their own.

That’s easier said than done. When you see a loved one in pain your natural reaction is to do anything to help, but the better choice is to refrain from surgery and instead comfort them while they recover.

The best option is to prepare for this situation ahead of time. Coordinate with like-minded people near where you live and try to add a doctor to your survival group.

A trained professional has the best chances of performing a successful surgery, and this will also take a lot of pressure off of you if the need for surgery ever arises.

Plus, they’ll have high-end surgical instruments and also know how to sterilize them effectively to reduce the risk of infections.

What if you don’t have access to a doctor and you absolutely must operate or else your loved is guaranteed to die? In that case you’ll want to give yourself the best odds possible.

At the very least, you’ll need sterile instruments and medical supplies to give your loved one the best chances as possible to make it though the crisis.

But remember, it’s usually better to go without surgery unless it’s 100% necessary and should only be done as the very last resort. Most of the time it’s just not worth the risk.

Should Preppers Buy Cryptocurrencies?

Chances are you’re aware of the cryptocurrency craze that’s been going on lately, but maybe you’re not sure if they’re a smart investment.

It’s understandable why many preppers are cautious about investing in cryptocurrencies. Their electronic nature makes them difficult for non-techies to understand.

Plus, there are so many of them to choose from that it’s difficult to get enough information to make a smart move. Some are good, some are bad, and some are downright scams.

Whether you should buy cryptocurrencies or not depends on your specific financial situation and your ability to understand and accept risk.

First, let’s take a look at what cryptocurrencies are and what their true value is.

The True Value of Cryptocurrencies

What gives a currency its value? It comes down to supply and demand. This is the same whether we’re talking about national currencies or cryptocurrencies.

The major difference between national and electronic currencies are the people controlling them.

The value of a currency is determined by supply and demand, but governments can influence the value of their currencies by manipulating interest rates and printing money.

On the other hand, cryptocurrencies are much more decentralized, which means they can’t be manipulated by the government.

In other words, the value of a cryptocurrency is a true reflection of supply and demand. Its value is whatever people are willing to pay for it at the moment.

Their prices in dollars fluctuates according to the market just like any other volatile investment.

However, the real value of cryptocurrencies is that they’re difficult for the government to regulate. Sure, the government is trying as hard as it can to regulate them, but it’s impossible for them to ever have complete control.

For preppers, this freedom from the prying hands of the government is a compelling reason to consider investing in cryptocurrencies.

Which Cryptocurrency is Best for Preppers?

Anyone can create a new cryptocurrency, and new ones are being created every day. Last time I checked, there were over 900 available and growing every day.

With so many possibilities to choose from, you may be wondering which is the best one for preppers to invest in.

Preppers only need to be concerned with two major points when it comes to investing in cryptocurrencies: long-term stability and popularity.

Some cryptocurrencies are merely fads. They rise in value with media attention and then shrivel away into obscurity forever. Preppers need long-term stability because we’re relying on it to be there for us during hard times.

Popularity is also very important because it allows you to exchange your currency for goods. If you have a large amount of cryptocurrency that nobody accepts, then it’s useless.

Here are the top three cryptocurrencies for preppers.

#1 – BitCoin

BitCoin is the original cryptocurrency, and has been the most popular one for many years now. When you see news reports about cryptocurrency, they’re usually talking about BitCoin.

BitCoin’s source code is what’s known as “open source,” meaning anyone is free to make improvements to the code. This means it’s always becoming safer and more stable.

It’s also decentralized, so governments can’t shut it down even if they tried.

BitCoin is becoming more mainstream every day. Many stores accept BitCoin just like they accept cash and checks.

Survival Frog accepts BitCoin for all transactions because we know how important cryptocurrencies will be in the future.

BitCoin’s stability and popularity make it the number one choice for preppers looking to get into cryptocurrencies.

#2 – LiteCoin

LiteCoin is like BitCoin’s younger brother. It functions very similarly to BitCoin, but it uses a different algorithm and functions faster.

The LiteCoin community is also more unified, potentially giving it more long-term stability.

LiteCoin has historically been less volatile than BitCoin, rising and falling much more steadily. This is a great crypto for those who are afraid of investing money in something that changes as rapidly as BitCoin.

#3 – Ethereum

Ethereum is different from most other cryptocurrencies.

First, it’s not decentralized. It’s owned by a Swiss company, which exposes it to interference by national governments. However, this also allows it to make improvements faster.

Second, what makes Ethereum special is that it’s known as a “smart currency.”

This smart currency technology has the potential to give Ethereum practical uses beyond just sending and receiving money.

Downsides to Investing in Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies aren’t a perfect investment. They have some problems, but you can minimize the downside by understanding the risk and taking precautions ahead of time.

Remember earlier when I said anyone can create a new currency? It’s true, and some of these new currencies are complete scams.

They get created and then promoted so the price rises, and the creator can cash out at everyone else’s expense.

This is easy to avoid by simply sticking to currencies that have a significant track record. If you stick with the three recommended currencies listed above, you’ll be able to avoid this threat completely.

Another potential downside to be aware of is that cryptocurrencies are electronic, meaning they can be hacked and your investment stolen.

However, this doesn’t sound so scary when you realize that the same thing is true of the current monetary system. Even with U.S. paper dollars, you could still lose everything overnight due to an out of control government and a financial hack.

Also, because the value of a currency is determined by supply and demand, there’s always a chance you could lose money on your investment.

Everyone’s financial situation is different, and I can’t give you financial advice, but in general I think cryptocurrencies are a good idea for preppers if you understand the downsides.