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
My bro known as “Tactical Gypsy” sent me these delicious pictures to blog about. He loves his elk. You can see all the spices and flavorings used to produce the glorious nuggets. Half of the loaves are spicy, half mild. Both varieties went well with pepper jack cheese, sharp cheddar, and even brie on crackers. Most of these will be stored in the freezer tonight, the others gifts.
Here’s the recipe:
8 LBS Elk burger
1/2 cup Morton’s Tender Quick. Mix well & let sit overnight in fridge.
It’s not easy to set the alarm for 5:30 AM. But the prospect of free food was too alluring. My bro and I geared up, and went down to the beach in Seaside OR, right off of Avenue U. There were swarms of foragers looking for clam shows. The dimples in the sand were everywhere. We got our limit of 15 razor clams in about 30 minutes. Mission successful! We will be back soon. I hope my video entertains, and informs. We had fun shooting it. Maybe next time Survival Bros will show you how we cook the squirmy grub. Thanks for visiting this blog. Comments are always appreciated. Happy hunting. Peace and love.
This is just under the limit for 2 people with licenses.
I just rode an ebike for the first time! I love it. It hauled. And with dual disc brakes, I stopped on a dime. I priced models at Electric & Folding Bikes Northwest www.ebikesnw.com They start at around $1,000. I want to charge an electric bike with my Powertraveller solar panels. I’m looking at some designs from Currie Tech for Survival Bros, because me and my people are going places. That will be the day. Have a good one. Thanks for visiting the Survival Bros blog.
You’re off the grid, but you need power. That’s when you wish you invested in a solar panel charger, like the Solarmonkey from Powertraveller that I tested in the HD video above.
If I’m alone in the woods, it’s nice to know my cell phone has power just in case. That’s why the Solarmonkey Adventurer comes with. If I fall off a cliff, having my iPhone handy sure beats a whistle. Powertraveller has created a huge variety of solar chargers, excellent for any job. From small ones that can give your phone a boost, to large solar panels that can keep your laptop running. I like the Solarmonkey Adventurer because it’s a great size for backpacking, and mountain biking.
The powerful internal lithium polymer battery is 2500mAh, and will charge fully in 12 hours or less. Plus, you can charge the battery, and a device at the same time, saving time. And it can plug into a wall, or DC outlet. I was shocked at how fast it charges my phone. The system is lightweight too, tipping the scales at only 9.3 ounces. The dimensions are 6.6 x 3.7 x 0.8 inches.
It comes with many tips to be compatible for your device, and a heavy-duty “Monkeytail” cable made just for Apple products. The neoprene case it comes in is durable also. It will keep the solar panels safe, and secure. A carabiner is included. I use that often so it can just hang off my bag. As I mentioned in the video review, the panels are shock and water-resistant. It outlasted me pouring water on it while charging, and surprisingly worked after I froze it. The Solarmonkey Adventurer from Powertraveller is badass. I can easily recommend it to my friends. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros. Come back soon.
It’s my pleasure to bring to you, the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Dualist. This is a brilliant cooking solution for ultralight backpacking. It gets high marks with Survival Bros, and my puggle featured in the HD video review above.
I think you’ll like this cookware system because it has all the bases covered. It comes loaded with two telescoping foons, two 20 ounce insulated bowls with lids, two 20 ounce mugs, and a large hard anodized aluminum pot including a lid with a built in strainer. This is perfect for cooking pasta, and even works as a spout for pouring liquids like hot tea. The orange and blue foons match their bowls, but I like them because they are deep, so I can take big bites. They are dishwasher safe too, like the rest of the Pinnacle Dualist. Also, the entire package is BPA-free, so you aren’t absorbing harmful chemicals.
When I first got the Dualist a few months back, I was stoked that the bowls were insulated. The last thing I want is my precious food to go cold right after I prepare it. Plus, the bowls have “Sip-it” lids. GSI Outdoors must have been thinking about messy eaters like me. With the lids locked down, I’m less likely to spill scorching soup on my chest. Another sly feature is the rubberized pot handle. It folds, and either locks into place as a long handle, or on top of the bowls, keeping everything secure in the pot.
The stuff sack is also a wash basin. I couldn’t believe it either. It’s one more container that could come in handy for collecting water out of the creek, or washing your hands before supper. The cookware system looks as good as it functions. It’s orange and black. I like having a high-visibility handle for cooking in low light. And when you’re done, the Pinnacle Dualist is an easy clean. It uses non-stick Teflon with Radiance technology. So there’s no scrubbing. Heat spots aren’t an issue either, allowing for quicker, and more even cooking.
The Pinnacle Dualist retails for $64.95. If you are looking for an ultralight cooking solution ideal for two people, this could be for you. I like the price, but truly appreciate the thought that went into this American design. It’s all only 21.6 ounces, and the pot holds 1.8 liters. The dimensions are 5.90″ x 6.40″ x 5.90″. The Dualist offers bang for your buck. This product gets the Survival Bros seal of approval. Please comment, like, and share. Thanks.
Yesterday I checked out the Collector’s West Gun & Knife show in PDX. It was a big event, with tons of vendors, and people trading gear too. I took home a few things, and learned a lot.
The show ends today, but visit www.collectorswest.com to see when it will be in your area. It’s worth the $12 for admission, and $8 for parking. I was able to price out stuff I’m interested in, and get my hands on it too. There were deals galore on new and used guns. Booths had closeouts on every style and brand of knive imaginable. Coast Products was there. My friend got a powerful LED keychain light from them.
I also ran into my buddy Shawn Gregory. He makes quality “Predator Paracord” bracelets, gun slings, lanyards, and more. I got a few samples to test, including the badass band below. It’s comfortable, and stands out. You can never have too much cordage just in case. More on Predator Paracord later, but go to www.predatorparacord.com to see all of his bold designs.
The Girl Scouts were also in the house. I walked quickly by them, because I was saving room for Voodoo doughnuts, but it was great to see kids at a gun show. It was a safe enviroment, and fun for everyone. It’s important to teach kids about preparedness early.
I found another company with a product called 4EverLights, (www.uvpaqlite.com) with epic reusable glow-in-the-dark lights. They have a huge variety of sizes, and styles that really do work. I had to get some to test and review for Survival Bros. Sunlight isn’t required, so you can quickly charge them with a flashlight, or whatever. I like that they don’t affect my night vision either like brighter light sources would. Ya best believe one is going on my bug out bag, and with me camping.
It was a great show. If you missed it, there will be another soon. Just get to one, and get prepared. You never know when you’ll be faced with a crisis. Plus, a gun show is an excellent place to network with other serious preppers.
This is the blade I carry every day. It’s the famous Kershaw Blur, but with a carbide tip designed to shatter glass with ease. It does, as you can see in my video review below.
I’ve been testing the Kershaw Blur for 2 months now. I love it. It’s quality, and produced locally in Tualatin, OR. I rep gear made in the USA as much as possible, especially Oregon. The first thing that fascinated me with the knife is the unique design. It’s beautiful. Simple. Elegant. The subtle curves are sexy. I couldn’t wait to get her out of the box. Initially, I noticed how fine the blade is. It’s razor sharp. Also, I was impressed with how well the scallops cut. Slicing through materials like cardboard, plastic, rope, and paper is effortless, and so is opening it, thanks to the SpeedSafe assist. It flies out, and feels extremely secure in place with the liner lock.
Another excellent feature is the rigid angled thumb studs. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to grip the nubs, and whip it out. Kershaw really made something special with the Blur. They even upgraded the steel in this new version to Sandvik 14C28N with DLC coating. So it’s tough. Which brings me to the tiny carbide tip embedded in the aircraft aluminum handle. People don’t even notice the special tip at first, but believe me, it works. I broke a sheet of glass in my video, plus several bottles with minimal effort. The glass breaking feature is one I have to have on my EDC knife. It could save my life if I’m ever trapped in a vehicle, and it’s not bad for self defense either.
The Kershaw Blur is a great size, and light at only 4.2 ounces. I like the blade length too, at 3 3/8″. The overall length is 7 7/8″, and 4 1/2″ closed. And the belt clip is removable, so you can have the tip up or down. In the end, this is the knife I trust with my life right now. It’s blacked out, and stealth. But above all, it’s well made, and sharp as hell. Survival Bros gives it 5 Stars. I can’t complain about it at all, besides the handles getting a little scratched up after smashing so much glass. I go into more detail in my HD video review below. Please comment, and feel free to ask me any questions about it. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros – Emergency Preparedness.
The Portland Expo Center is hosting the 38th annual Pacific Northwest Sportsman’s show from February 6 – 10, 2013. I went on opening day. It was $8 to park, and another $12 for admission. I made the trip worthwhile, checking out every booth and demonstration.
This show has something for every adventurer. There’s boating, rving, and fishing exhibits, to name a few. So if you’re looking for gear, or ideas on where to travel, this is for you. I was impressed with the high amount of outfitters around. There’s a guide for everything under the sun. Most were for hunting trips, but I saw whitewater rafting experts offering their services too. I liked talking up the small, mom and pop vendors with interesting, lesser known products. My favorite item I found is called Squat Strap (www.squatmonkey.com). It’s a strap that wraps around a tree, or rock to help support you while you go poop. Brilliant. Now I can read a business book outside, while doing my business. I had to get a strap to test. More on that soon.
I also talked to a local inventor named Andy Gorman. He developed the Retractable Tool Tether, so you stop dropping things (www.retractabletooltether.com). I picked up a few of these to review also. I’ll put one on my jacket, and one on my EDC backpack. Maybe I will stop losing things. Doubtful.
There was lots to peruse, and stuff to sample. I tasted storable foods, oils, jams, meats, and energy drinks. Skoal was giving away cans of chew, put I passed. The Expo was serving beer as well. And at one booth you could try panning for gold, or buy a small nugget. Fun, but I will be panning outside. I shopped knives too, and picked up product catalogs to browse later. If you like the outdoors better than the indoors, visit this show before it’s gone.
About the video: To film this trip I used the Panasonic Lumix TS4. It’s waterproof, and takes quality high definition video. In the past I’ve used GoPro Hero cameras to film sports, but the audio was poor. This Panasonic sounds better, and is rugged. The TS4 is even high visibility, with a safety orange color. I took nearly an hour of footage. This is the best 15 minutes. I still need to get a better wrist strap so my camera floats. I handled it well, but with all the passengers falling into me, it could have slipped into the blue. Speaking of, the water was remarkably blue. I haven’t altered this footage in any way. It’s beautiful country near Tillamook. It’s fun to film out there, and on water.
Yesterday, a group of 30 people including myself, rafted the powerful Wilson River. I took these photos, and lots of HD video.
My Dad and I went on a paddle boat with three others from the Oregon Whitewater Association. I don’t have the gear the other boaters have. I’m more of a mountain man. They had dry suits, but I didn’t even use my wetsuit and booties. I wore hiking boots with waterproof socks, sweatpants with rain gear, and three layers for my upper body, plus a life vest, and a HooRag bandana. Going in, I knew I’d be cold. It’s rafting during the winter in Oregon. In the end, every rafter was freezing, and glad to be off the water. It was a long day. 14 river miles in 6 hours.
Our greatest challenge was getting people through a tiny 4.5 foot gap. My craft got stuck in between the two massive boulders pictured above, so we let air out of the sides and floor. Then we wiggled through. I filmed everyone making it. The group used ropes to pull one man’s cataraft over the rocks here on the upper Wilson. We all worked together, prepared for the worst, and got in position to help if needed. People were climbing mossy river rocks to signal, and help. They were ready. Also, everyone wore a helmet, and gloves, but me. I couldn’t film and wear gloves. The feeling in my toes and fingers did come back. I’m surprised.
It’s a real challenge to raft this time of the year. Everyone had to follow the plan. Safety was the name of the game. We had two people go into the drink. One guy wanted to swim, but our guide, the raft owner, got bumped out as we hit a rock wall. I look back, he’s floating there. Should I film this? Or pull him in before he gets crushed on some rocks? I put down the camera, and yanked him in with two others. We experienced Class 2, and 3 rapids. Whitewater for sure. I was soaked. We also cruised by a guy that snagged a huge steelhead. It must have weighed 9 pounds or more. When we finally got to land, I got a ride to snag our car back up river. Then it got dark. The group and I left my dad behind at the boat ramp. Problem is, I couldn’t find the damn thing. Dad’s soaked, it’s pouring. I was driving around, feeling like I left him for dead. I figured he’d wave me down on his walk back into Tillamook. There was no way to reach him. But suddenly, he text me from inside a fisherman’s truck. He was safe, and not angry that I made him wait. Then we got mexican food. Lots of it. In the end, the trip was hardcore, but worth it, and an amazing workout. It was another learning experience.
It’s my pleasure to bring to you, my hike on Saddle Mountain in the snow, at night, solo. I love doing extreme stuff in the outdoors. It’s a rush, and you’ll get one watching this HD movie. This is the longest video I’ve produced to date, but it’s packed with action, and epic views. I will update this post with the details of my journey, and my full review of the LED Lenser products I tested. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros!
The short version of my hike!
Produced By Cameron McKirdy – Survival Bros Founder
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 