Love and kindness are the very basis of society. If we lose these feelings, society will face tremendous difficulties; the survival of humanity will be endangered. - Dalai Lama
I get a kick out of being an outsider constantly. It allows me to be creative. - Bill Hicks
The status quo sucks. - George Carlin
“If the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise.” – William Blake
I’m always challenging myself. That’s why I decided hiking Saddle Mountain in Oregon on consecutive days would be a hardcore mission. I camped out a night, took photos, cooked, and rested in the VW Vanagon often. Besides achieving my goal, and reaching the summit back to back, I also met some cool people. There’s so many beautiful girls from Portland that make this day hike, it’s ridiculous. I gave them all a hard time about being tourists. I’m from Seaside, a local, and don’t look so out of place.
Take a look at the picture galleries I created for each day. The wildflowers were exploding, and made the hike much more pleasant. Plus, they gave me a chance to stop, breath, stretch, and take in their sweetness. I also spent time creating a video of Humbug Mountain. It offers a marvelous view point, and is only .2 miles off the main Saddle Mountain trail. So are you up for the Survival Bros challenge? Can you hike to the summit twice in two days, or maybe twice in one day? Somebody will take me up on this. Let us know. Good luck! Tons more soon, only on Survival Bros.
Survival Bros Founder Cameron McKirdy goes inside an old American WW2 bunker near the hiker cabins on Tillamook Head. Using a LED headlamp, watch Cam enter the empty fortress. This building housed a radar installation during World War II. The bunkers and cabins are between Ecola State Park, and Seaside, Oregon. There are trails each way. Before your visit, read up on Lewis and Clark’s trip to this beautiful location. Please like, comment, and SUBSCRIBE! Thanks.
Inside the World War II bunker near Ecola State Park on Tillamook head in Oregon
An Ultralight backpacker’s 30 liter bag setup
Cameron McKirdy snaps a selfie on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean
The Tillamook Head Trailhead in Seaside, Oregon
In this classic video production Survival Bros backpacks from Indian Beach to Seaside, Oregon. Cameron McKirdy stops at the cabins to show you his gear, and take a nap before hiking back in the dark. Read our previous blog about the trip HERE.
Survival Bros eats fresh slices of smoked fish on the Oregon Coast. Bell Buoy is one of our favorite places to dine, and support. Stop by their store when you’re in Seaside, OR. They can and smoke on site, right off of Highway 101. I bet I could eat pounds of this meat easy. It’s the perfect food for building muscle. I like to take a bag of salmon jerky hiking, but unless you have a cooler, it has to be consumed within a few hours of purchasing. Have you tried seafood like this? Listen to the locals when you’re on vacation. They know what’s best. Please subscribe on YouTube for more adventures. Thanks.
Survival Bros talks about the value of silver bullion, and shows off some precious metal porn in high-definition video. Take a look at the Kitco charts, and see if you think now is a good time to invest. I am not a financial advisor, so do what’s right for you. In this video production I simply point out the facts, and display some special silver coins for fun. Subscribe to our YouTube channel if you haven’t already to watch all of the productions. We appreciate your support. You can also subscribe to the blog itself by entering your email at the top left side of the webpage. We’ll have another silver price update for you soon, so stay tuned to your emergency preparedness blog – Survival Bros. Please comment if you have something to add to the discussion. Best wishes to all.
Produced By Cameron McKirdy and Tactical Gypsy of Survival Bros.
I need coffee, and I need it now. I’m addicted to Joe, so when the portable GSI Outdoors Commuter Java Press walked into my life, I didn’t let go. This lightwight, modern french press must have taken years to develop, because it’s awesome. Survival Bros loves everything about it, plus it makes loose leaf. Some of the product feature highlights include it being BPA-free, grippy, insulated, and having a non-slip foot. All this combines for an easy to use, practical, and tactical coffee maker. The GSI Java Press costs only $22.95. So at that price why not steal one from them? There’s nothing negative to say about this product. It’s been Survival Bros tested, and came out on top. Visit http://www.gsioutdoors.com for all the information on this piece of gear. Please comment if you want.
Use the GSI Outdoors Commuter Java Press for hot, fresh coffee!
In this HD video I show you my new Dr. Scholl’s Pain Relief Orthotics. I’ve been testing them for about three weeks, and they have scored off the chart in overall quality. This type is made just for men, and they fit size 8-12 shoes. I cut them down to size, threw them in my sneakers, and went to work. I was standing on concrete for 10 hours a day, and before I bought these inserts my feet were absolutely killing me. I had intense heel pain, and cramping throughout my entire foot. I couldn’t take a break, so I had to try something.
First I purchased a pair of flat, massaging gel inserts. They sucked. I still had heel pain. I took the off-brand cushioners out of my kicks to return, but they left a strange indentation on my insoles, so I’m going to keep them in those dress shoes for good. Then I stepped it up, and spent a few more dollars on the Dr. Scholl’s. I’ve never owned a pair of arch supports that weren’t custom to my flat feet, so I was skeptical. However, like I said in the video, they worked to relieve my pain immediately, and I forgot all about my discomfort. I’ve been using these ever since, and I had to recommend them to everyone that follows the Survival Bros blog. Please comment if you have purchased these orthotics, or something like it.
Survival Bros is in Champaign, Illinois with the news. Cameron McKirdy films an HD video in the middle of a huge winter snow storm they are calling Nika. Roads are covered in dangerous ice, with packed snow on top making for bad driving conditions. Don’t try to commute unless you have a 4×4 truck, or something with excellent traction, and considerable weight. This weather is brutal on your skin, so use as much protection as possible, such as ChapStick and hand lotion. Cam is wearing a Hoo-Rag bandana on his face to stay warm, and has epic GOR-TEX gloves from Trekmates out of the UK. Check those brands out, and get prepared. Unfortunately, the worst Winter weather is yet to come. Tomorrow Survival Bros will be enduring temperatures near zero degrees. Cam will have another cold weather update for you soon. Thanks for watching. Please subscribe to us on Youtube, and follow this emergency preparedness blog via email. Be safe. Peace.
How’d you like to drive on this? Road conditions keep getting worse. To be continued…
A delivery bike quipped for an arctic blast in Champaign, IL.
The roads are clear here now, but it got down to -25 last night.
Mother Nature had no mercy this morning. I wore shorts to suffer for fun. I got lots of looks and almost caused a few accidents. Ladies like my calves. It would be a shame not to show them. Seriously though, it was so cold my teeth hurt from breathing. Back in Oregon my friends and family are dealing with tons of unexpected snow. Hopefully they are safe, and have food and supplies stockpiled for events like this. More soon!
This weekend Survival Bros went for a drive up I-5, and then took Spirit Lake Highway to visit majestic Mount St. Helens. Most of the hiking trails were off limits to us because we had a puppy to acclimate to the outdoors for the first time. Therefore, we found ourselves at Seaquest State Park, which while splendid, doesn’t have well-maintained paths like the nearby Hummocks Trail closer to the volcano. So, after breaking a sweat there we continued to climb in elevation, and drove to two breathtaking viewpoints called Elk Rock, and Castle Lake. I shot the HD video above, and snapped a few pictures. Our final stop was Clearwater Lake. It formed after the eruption in 1980. There’s a relatively flat trail circling the body of water, but again no dogs are allowed. I was willing to risk a minimum $50 fine, but we’ll just have to trek it another time. Besides, the sun was setting, and my belly was growling. At Castle Rock we cruised into C and L Burger Bar for a feast. I’m talking peanut butter real ice cream milk shakes, fatty elk cheeseburgers, and scalding crinkle cut french fries. Epic. It was a complete day, and I look forward to returning to Mount St. Helens when it’s warmer, and all the backpacking trails are open to explore.
By Cameron McKirdyI sling a day pack on my back nearly every day. I’ve mentioned the types of things I have in it before, like gear, food, and a warm change of clothes. So when I discovered the Ribz Front Pack, I was stoked. This innovative, steroid injected version of a fanny pack solves many of the challenges I face when backpacking. Here I am with it on the Hummocks Trailhead near Mount St. Helens in Washington State.One issue I have with a regular backpack is I’m constantly taking it off to grab water, my cell phone, or something else that isn’t handy. With Ribz Wear, it’s all right in front of me, so I can continue trail blazing. I also mention in the video how backpacks catch on trees when I have to duck under them. It usually happens a few times each hike, and I practically have to crawl under the obstacle. With my gear in front, navigating through heavy brush is considerably easier. The best part of this system is the pack is easy to adjust. My Dad’s chest and waist are smaller than mine, so after he used it, a quick tug on the straps in back and in front made it comfortable again for me. Plus, Ribz have long, padded shoulder straps, so it feels like a natural extension of your body. Check out the map of different Mount St. Helens Adventures. Back to the Ribz Front Pack review, I must mention the Large version I tested can hold absurd amounts, with an 11 liter capacity. Even with it packed full, I was able to swing my arms freely. My dad wore it, and noted that you could still use hiking poles with it on. Ribz makes smaller Front Packs with 8 liters of room too. Internally, there are separate pouches to keep smaller items organized. These elastic lined compartments will hold all your tools close to your ribs, and prevent them from rattling around. We both ran with it, and the pack remained snug, not bouncing around, or swaying side to side.In conclusion, the Ribz Front Pack is an excellent tool itself. The quality is unbelievable, and far superior to what I expected. It’s lightweight, at only 11 ounces, so it beats a backpack there too. However, I think it would be best suited for use with a rear pack, so the weight of your supplies can be evenly distributed forward and back, thus giving you better posture than wearing one or the other. But if you’re into ultralight backpacking, Ribz might be a dream come true. You can’t machine wash Ribz, but it cleans up nicely with a wet rag. I love the Cordura brand water resistant, ripstop material it’s fabricated with. I will be sporting my Ribz for a long time. I like it so much I want the smaller 8 liter pack too for shorter trips, and cross country running. I just don’t know which color to get next. Check out http://www.ribzwear.com to grab yours.
Cam makes instant coffee with an emergency water packet at Loowit Lookout near Mt. St. Helens in Washington State. Subscribe to Survival Bros on Youtube for more! Thanks for watching! Feel free to comment.
One of the most popular every day carry knives is the Kershaw Chive designed by Ken Onion. This sly blade features the patented SpeedSafe assisted opening, giving it a remarkable feel. In the HD video I put the knife to the test, slicing a can, plastic bottle, different types of cordage, and much more. On Youtube I couldn’t find anyone doing a legit cut test with the Chive, so I made an extreme one.
I was genuinely surprised to see that the Kershaw didn’t dull after cutting the soda can. I muscled through the bottom, and I was sure it would damage the blade, or at least scratch the titanium-oxide rainbow coating. But even after that, I was able to shave off a good chunk of arm hair in a few strokes. The knife did everything I wanted it to, making it a perfect EDC tool. It’s ultra lightweight too, at only 1.7 ounces.
The Chive comes in a wide variety of colors, some with different handle materials, but the Rainbow version is the most expensive. There’s nothing girly about it. The wild coating reminds me of an oil slick, which are always interesting to look at. I like the stepped thumb studs, because they are rigid, making the small 1 15/16″ blade easy to open. However, I prefer to use the flipper on the back, because I feel it’s a little safer, and there’s no chance of slicing my thumb on deployment. It does have a solid tip-lock system for safety, so the knife won’t open when you pull it out of your pocket. In addition, I love the long, sturdy pocket clip. It’s not rainbow, just polished steel with the Kershaw logo etched down it. Plus, the jimping on the top of the blade gives you more control, which is good because the Chive is small, and somewhat slick due to the coating.
At the end of the day, the Kershaw Chive is a legend. Trust me, you want one. It makes a great keychain knife, and if you carry it on you, you’ll use it daily. For additional tech specs, and to view other models, visit http://kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/ Thanks for visiting and supporting Survival Bros – your emergency preparedness blog. Comments, likes, and shares are appreciated. What knife would you like me to test next, and what should I destroy with it? Peace.
The Kershaw Rainbow Chive – Model 1600VIB
My survival keychain video starring The Chive
Popping Blisters with the small knife after hiking on the PCT
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 