Cameron McKirdy from Survival Bros recommends covering your cameras connected to the internet for privacy. Try putting stickers over the lenses on your cell phone, and laptop. Take a stand on surveillance. Boycott Big Brother. Please like, comment, and share.
Produced By Cameron McKirdy
This is my new and improved EDC keychain system. Now I have many practical items handy at all times, with little redundancy. I plan on changing out gear as I acquire smaller, higher quality tools, but this is stuff I had on hand. Everything fits easily in my pocket, since I usually wear athletic shorts, and not tight pants like a hipster. I’ve also hooked my everyday carry survival keychain to the belt loop on my jeans, and to the outside of my tactical Bug Out Bag, for easy access. I’d like to add a telepen, peanut lighter, USB thumb drive, glow in the dark tape, 550 paracord, bit driver, seat-belt cutter/knife sharpener, and maybe something for self defense like a kubaton, or pepper spray.
I will update this blog post as the project develops. Tell us what’s on your keychain, and help out other Survival Bros readers. Below is the EDC Keychain items list. Thanks for visiting.
– Sharpie Mini
– CRKT Eat N’ Tool (tactical spork)
– 4 In One Tool: whistle, compass, thermometer, magnifying glass
– Gerber Shard multitool: pry bar, bottle/can opener, Phillips/Standard screw driver, nail puller
– Coast Products TX5 Night Vision Red Keychain light
– LED LENSER P3 AFS P focusing LED light with pocket clip, sheath, and carabiner included
– Leatherman Style Multitool: knife, tweezers, nail file, and scissors
– Kershaw Rainbow Chive with Tip-lock (Ken Onion Design)
– Mini Nail Clippers
– Waterproof pill container
– Lighter Leash for Bic
– Belt Loop Clasp
By Cameron McKirdy
When I train outdoors on my bike, and hiking, I like to bring most of my Bug Out items in my backpack. I carried a heavy book bag through school, and now useful item are included. However, many people don’t have emergency preparedness packs ready to go. Like my friend Kate for example. When we went hiking on Saddle Mountain, she brought a funky backpack with one strap. I knew that was going to be uncomfortable, but I didn’t say anything. Later I took her old bag with wrappers inside, and upgraded to another backpack with two straps. I built a better survival bag, starting with the weight being more evenly distributed on the hips. Here’s her emergency preparedness day bag after the hike, before I got to look at it and add items.
Before Kate had some helpful gear, but it was still unorganized. Now her stuff is protected in heavy duty Zip Lock bags. Plus, I wrote her a list of all the things she needs, and checked off the items she already has.
Here’s Kate’s New Bug Out Bag List:
– Light Stick x 2
– Pink Flashlight (with extra batteries)
– Tooth Paste
– Travel Tooth Brush
– Floss x 2
– CRKT Pazoda folding knife
– Cabela’s Multitool
– Repel Natural
– Kleenex Tissue Paper
– Wet Ones
– Secret Deodorant
– First Aid Kit with extra bandages
– Emergency Space Blanket
– Tampons
– Pain Pills
– Compass 4 in 1 tool keychain
-Tea Kit
– Instant Coffee/Sports Drinks
– Mascara
– Protein Bars and other food and packets of salt, pepper, etc
– Lighter
– Waterproof Matches
– Ponchos
– Extra trash and plastic bags
– Foil
– Local Map
– Chapstick
– SPF Protection
– Change of clothes
*What about barter items?
– Water bottles
– Treatment Drops
– Signal Mirror
– Super Foods/Vitamins
– Stove
– Spork
– Candles
– iPhone headphones/USB charger
– Weather Radio
– Shampoo sample
– Tweezers
– Razor Blade
– Scrunchie
– Duct Tape
– Paper/Pen/Pencil
– Nail Cutters
– Envelops with Forever Stamps
– Paper Clips & rubber band
– Moleskin
– Sunglasses
– Ear plugs
– Silver Rounds
– Tarp
– Survival Bros Paracord Bracelet
– Coffee Filters
– Contacts List
– Cash
With a Bug Out Bag Checklist, you’ll know exactly what you have on hand. Now if Kate gets a flat tire, and has to walk to town because her new car doesn’t have a spare, she can grab her B.O.B., and improve her situation. Another survival scenario she’s prepared for is simply having to bug out at a friend’s or relative’s house for 72 hours or more. Today that’s possible, and even easy. The new and improved pack will be on her back, handy in the apartment, or in the trunk of the car, depending on her needs that day. It’s the minimum you should have tucked away for a rainy day. Of course systems vary, and change over time. What’s in your survival bag?
By Cameron McKirdy
For my prep of the day I waterproofed gear. I rattle canned black panniers for my bug out bicycle, a frame bag, and my bike repair kit with the protectant. Then sprayed my clean Nike LunarGlide 4’s with one thick coat. I let them sit outside on a hot day, and now they are better than new. Broken in. Snug.
I need to swoop another can of protectant. Next I will waterproof my backpacking bags, and other cycling gear.
I may put another coat on these items tomorrow. As long as the shoe (article) is still breathable, and isn’t stained, I’m pouring on this type of protector, as pictured.
Survival Bros Prep Of The Day – Waterproofing Gear
Ready or not, my chubby puggle Mocha was going hiking with me. I took the pug/beagle combo to the top. She made the summit by herself, but it was a struggle. It was a sweltering 80 plus degrees out. My poor dog hasn’t been training hard lately. Her exercise routine consists of going from the couch to food and back. But Mocha and I have hiked, so I knew the 5-year-old mutt still had it. I remember the first time I let her off the leash on a trail. She was running back and forth, up and down it. The puggle was so excited to be out of the apartment. I couldn’t contain her. Once she even fell off a cliff as the bank eroded and I had to quickly swing her up by the leash and collar to save her. Mocha is much fatter now, but we are working on it.
When we got to Saddle Mountain State Natural Area her nose was working overtime. There were lots of people hitting the trail, and camping. I brought water, and gave the puggle breaks. I made her sit, and she would lay in the shade when she could. The hike is 5 miles round trip, but the elevation change is brutal. It’s 1603 feet to be exact, with the top at 3283 feet. Mainly I was concerned about her paws bleeding. There is lots of metal fencing on the ground to contain the loose rocks, and I didn’t know if that would bother her. On the way up I kept Moc on the leash, 1 because there’s cliffs, and 2 because lots of people were coming down the trail with dogs. I wanted to protect her. However, on the way down I decided it would be better to let her follow me off leash. She didn’t want to walk on the trail because the gravel was hurting her. So she waddled along side the main path, and didn’t hurt anything. Plus, it was getting late, and we were basically the last down.
On the way we checked out a geocache hidden on a side trail. I’ve found it before, but I wanted to see all the new stuff inside, and sign the log book again. Not many people locate it each year. I traded in a emergency paracord bracelet for a CD with clues to another cache. I’m getting into geocaching because it’s something fun to do while hiking, or when you’re just out and about. There’s more than 2 million geocaches planted around the world. This hobby also forces me to analyze and use maps too. I filmed Mocha and I checking out what was inside the ammo box this time.
After a few solid hours of hiking, Mocha, my cameraman, and I reached the peak. We all sat down and took in the majestic views of the North Coast. You can see the whole coastline, from Seaside well into Washington State. Poor Mocha was beat. She was gasping for air, and I was a little worried about her. We had just enough water left to quench her thirst, but more would have been nice. Usually there is a spring about halfway up that I feel is safe to drink from. My dog did lap up the puddle there, but I wasn’t getting on all fours. In the end, Mocha killed it. I was so proud of her. I kept her motivated with words of encouragement, smacking her butt, and tossing turkey jerky in her mouth. On the way back I told Moc we were going back to the car and home for ice cubes (her fav). My legs were jello, and Mocha was walking funny, but we accomplished the mission. Next time we will be even stronger, and smarter about it.
Mocha knew we were going to the top. If you want to rock a paracord bracelet for emergency preparedness made by Survival Bros, send $8 to cameronmckirdy@hotmail.com via PayPal. Thanks and best wishes from us both.
Produced By Cam McKirdy
In this HD video clip I relieve pressure on my foot. These big blisters were the result of an 18 mile hike on The Ramona Falls Loop and The Pacific Crest Trail. I should have busted out the Moleskin as soon as it started hurting, but I didn’t think they would develop so quickly, and puff up like this. If your blisters are huge, there’s nothing wrong with poking into them with a sterile knife or needle. You can sterilize your tools by cleaning them with alcohol, a lighter, or boiling them in hot water. It’s also a good idea to soak the wound in Epsom salts for up to 30 minutes. Plus, apply an antibacterial cream like Neosporin before covering with a bandage. Clean the area twice daily if possible too. Prevention is key. Wear thick socks, and break in your hiking boots long before you hit the trail.
Disclaimer: Information provided on the Survival Bros blog is for entertainment purposes. Do what’s right for you.
By Cameron Consumption McKirdy
My dad and I have been planning this one for awhile. We hiked half of the Ramona Loop and lots more on Mount Hood in Oregon. It was brutal. The hike was almost 18 grueling miles. We crossed the Sandy River several times, and were on the epic Pacific Crest Trail.
First I will list the gear in my day pack. I rocked a black Kelty day bag with a new U.S.M.C approved 3 liter Camelbak hydration system. I recently got that at a Navy Exchange. Here was my checklist: compass with whistle, emergency poncho, Mylar blanket, Bear Grylls Gerber Ultimate Survival kit, Moleskin plus padding, Coleman biodegradable eipes, caffeine pills, lighter, various fruit and nut bars, GoPro Hero 3 Black on my head, Panasonic TS4 digital camera, Vibrams, Coast LED flashlight with with white and red light, extra socks, Chapstick with SPF, cash, mace pen, Coast Rapid Response 3.0 knife, 12 hour glow stick, Tillamook County turkey jerky, natural bug spray, and hand warmers. My backpack was on the heavy side with all the extra stuff. It weighed maybe 25 pounds.
To begin we hiked from our spot at Lost Creek campground. It was an easy climb along the Sandy river. We crossed it on a temporary wood bridge to get to Ramona Falls. I’d never been there. It was spectacular, and massive. I filmed the waterfall, and snapped pics.
Along the way I spotted several types of mushrooms popping up. Unfortunately, king boletes are a few months away from harvest. I did find out at the Ranger Station that they only give out 20 mushroom collecting permits per day, and commercial hunting is not permitted. Amanita Muscarias are in season. But of course those are hallucinogenic and poisonous. I found a few russulas too. In addition, I identified and tried huckleberries. They aren’t my fav, but were better than nothing when I ran out of aqua.
We met lots of people on the trail. Most were on day hikes like us. The route from Timberline Lodge to Ramona Falls was popular. I wish we did that, because our hike sucked. We were mobbing hardcore for 10 hours straight. We only had a few brief breaks, just long enough to catch our breath, check the map, and grab a snack.
I wore new waterproof Columbia boots. They held up, and had lots of cushioning. My tall Nike Dri-Fit training socks helped too. They were dry at the end of the day, and shielded my legs as we bushwhacked the unpopular, overgrown trail. We almost didn’t make it back before nightfall! It was getting dark quickly in the forest. So we had to book it all day. I was dumping buckets of sweat. I went through my entire 3L hydration pack, plus 1.5 coconut waters.
The pain of hiking that much basically nonstop was draining. My feet hurt, knees ached, and balls were sore. Women complain about childbirth, but try hiking with a big pair. I stretched along the way, but my hamstrings were tight. If you plan on doing a trek like this, bring pain killers just in case. I will be sore tomorrow, but didn’t cramp up or anything. I managed.
It will be a day or so before I get back to civilization, and can upload pictures and HD video. I got great shots of the canyon, mountain, and river. The highlight of the day was when pops and I used sticks and hiking poles to cross the rapid Sandy river. It had a path of loose rocks and wet logs. We made it across fine, but my dad realized he left his boots across the river. I got a good laugh in and filmed him tip toeing to safety. So he had to cross 3 times then. He changed into sandals, and me the Vibrams, so we didn’t get our boots wet. More soon. Thanks for visiting the Survival Bros blog.
Dad crossing the Sandy River for the 4th time. He won’t leave his boots behind in the future.
PRODUCED BY CAMERON McKIRDY
WARNING – BLOG IS GRAPHIC, AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
Survivalism is hardcore. Man has to eat. My bro Tactical Gypsy took matters into his own hands, and seized an opportunity yesterday, killing a wild rabbit and cooking it on a beach bonfire in Oregon. He’s on the Paleo diet, and needs lots of protein to stay lean and healthy. He popped the furry friend with his Glock 40 upon first sight. One bullet put it down. Roger never knew what hit him.
Next, Tactical Gypsy had to clean the cottontail rabbit with the knife shown above. He also removed the cute little feet. It took about 45 minutes to smoke on the fire with some PBR baste. It’s a hearty meal for at least two. To cut up wood, the survivalist and former Marine battoned wood into small chunks with the Coast Products FX350. He is proud to rock this knife as part of this every day carry or EDC. It’s held up remarkably well, considering the tremendous beating Survival Bros has put on it. Great work demonstrating your ability to be self-sufficient Tactical Gypsy. Thanks for the story and picture. Survival Bros salutes you.
If you would like to share a story, photo, or idea with Cameron McKirdy at Survival Bros, please email thesurvivalbros@gmail.com. You’re awesome.
By Cameron McKirdy
What’s good friends? I had to give you a quick update on my new Specialized Road bike. It’s a work in progress. I just picked it up from Goodwill, and started modifying it. First, I had the back wheel straightened, brakes adjusted, and new black handlebar grips put on. Next I attached a front light, back rack with pannier bags, a seat pack, and a black Specialized brand bottle holder. Plus, I acquired a bicycle repair kit, complete with mini tire pump, a set of tools, and more. I have a cargo net that can lockdown even more survival gear on top of the rack. Now I’m ready for the zombie apocalypse!
Check out the HD video clip I shot, and let me know how you would modify this ride. I plan on adding a handle bar bag, bell, rear LED lights, toe clips on the pedals, a B.O.B. Yak one-wheeled cargo trailer, and a computer for mileage, etc. I’m not spray painting this one. I like the odd color combo. I want to be highly visible on the road, so I will add 3M reflectors and wear them too. This bike is ideal for taking on long trips, and camping. I love every second riding this emergency preparedness vehicle. It’s fast. Enjoy the pictures.
Update: I put new bags on my Allez. Now I can carry more gear. I will shoot another video when the packs are fully loaded, and I feel like this project is complete.
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 