This article was originally published by Patrick Barron at The Mises Institute. 

The Soviet Empire started to crumble around 1989. The time period between the forming of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the late 1940s and the retreat of Russia from Eastern Europe with the eventual collapse of communism in Russia is known as the Cold War. There was a great power confrontation in Europe that did not result in war.

Essentially, US-led NATO stood its ground to prevent further Soviet expansion from the territory it occupied at the end of World War II and waited for the inevitable collapse. Now, perhaps not everyone saw the collapse of the Soviet empire as inevitable. But all one had to do was view the Soviet empire for oneself, up close and personal, which is what I did in the early 1970s as a young Air Force officer.

The State of the Communist Economy

The Russian economy at that time is painful to describe. Moscow and Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), the so-called jewels of the Soviet Union, were depressing. Everything was shoddily built. There were very few cars on the streets. There were no retail shops deserving of the name. Lines formed in the middle of the night awaiting the opening of the few bakeries. I saw this for myself from my hotel window on the Nevsky Prospekt in Leningrad. GUM, the “world’s largest department store” near Moscow’s Red Square, sold nothing that was equal to what could be found in any garage sale in the West.

Actually, that should not be a surprise since at one time all those garage-sale goods were marketable. I did not visit Berlin, but those who did say that crossing the Brandenburg Gate from West Berlin to East Berlin was shocking. The very idea that the Soviet economy and lifestyle was in any way superior was ludicrous. It took brutal police power and the infamous Berlin Wall to prevent mass exodus to the West.

The Peaceful Collapse of the Soviet Empire

I’m sure that life only got worse in the years between my visit to the Soviet Union in the early 1970s until its final collapse. And the collapse occurred without a shot fired between the Great Powers. The collapse came very quickly and without warning. Author Amity Shlaes was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal Europe at the time.

Returning to New York from Berlin, Shlaes called her boss between planes in London and was told to return to Berlin. Something was happening. She told her boss that she had just left Berlin and that nothing was happening. Her boss told her to go back for a few days anyway. She did as ordered and witnessed the German people tearing down that despicable insult to humanity.

How the US Enforces the American Empire

The American empire is not enforced by walls with armed guards to prevent its citizens from escaping but, instead, by the almighty dollar. Since the enthronement of the dollar as a reserve currency in 1944 at the Bretton Woods conference and then the establishment of the petrodollar in the early 1970s, almost all international trade has been conducted in dollars. Thusly, dollars are held by every country’s central bank to settle international trade flows. Alasdair Macleod of Goldmoney calculates that foreigners hold around $31.8 trillion in US liabilities, of which $5.8 trillion is held by “official” institutions. (Refer to US Treasury International Capital figures.)

But the US has abused this “special privilege” by printing dollars out of thin air. It has funded its empire of hundreds of bases worldwide with excess dollars. Furthermore, it has enforced compliance with its expansionist foreign policy by freezing dollar accounts held by foreign central banks, foreign businesses, and foreign individuals whom it dislikes. By cutting them out of the international financial messaging system known as SWIFT, it has created great hardship on nations held to be offensive to the US.

Today the Roles Are Reversed

But these nations have discovered America’s Achilles’ heel and are doing something about it. The almighty dollar rests on a base of sand known as fiat money, which is not redeemable in a desirable commodity such as gold or silver. This characteristic has led to the inflation of the dollar over the past fifty years at an ever-accelerating rate. Such inflation causes the exchange value of the dollar to shrink.

Since President Richard Nixon took the US off what was left of the gold standard in the fall of 1971, the dollar’s value against gold has shrunk by 98 percent. No one believes that this debasement will end or even slow down. In fact, the US seems determined to accelerate the dollar’s depreciation to pay for its military adventures and expanding welfare programs. Combining the debasement of the dollar with the trade sanctions has created an intolerable situation for those currently in America’s bad graces.

But these nations are countering American hegemony by deploying their own arsenal—not nuclear weapons but gold. Like America and NATO during the Cold War, these nations are standing their ground and arming themselves with an alternative and better reserve currency; i.e., a currency backed by gold and to be used at least initially for settling international trade.

Russia has been working on the framework of a new trade settlement currency for quite some time, and now China and others—such as Iran, India, Brazil, and South Africa—are joining the project. There is nothing nefarious per se about establishing an alternative trade settlement system. One may call it rational self-interest.

It is a peaceful project, but its results may be devastating for countries that depend upon a stable dollar. Those who join the new system will no longer need to hold dollars. This fall in the demand to hold dollars will lead to an inevitable fall in its purchasing power, perhaps even to its total collapse. This could happen literally overnight and without warning, just like the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Blinded by Fallacious Ideologies

Of course, no one in a position of power in the US understands anything about real money and real finance. They are blinded by the promise of Keynesian economics and modern monetary theory, which posits that creating aggregate demand (Keynesianism) funded by massive money printing (modern monetary theory) is the sure path to economic progress. They fail to acknowledge that the steady fall in the purchasing power of the dollar and the rise of an alternative trade settlement system are the inevitable consequences of their blindness.

I see nothing that can stop the continued debasement of the dollar, now coupled with arrogant and harmful financial sanctions, that will prevent the peaceful establishment of an alternative international reserve currency and all the consequences that it will bring to an unprepared US-dominated world.

When disaster strikes and the SHTF (sh*t hits the fan), the time for planning has passed, and you need to be ready to rock and roll. Buying stuff and putting together kits is easy, but having supplies doesn’t ensure your survival. A good emergency plan and survival skills will give you a huge headstart. As…

The post SHTF Plan: Step-By-Step Guide To Surviving Any Disaster appeared first on Survival Cache.

@media (max-width:576px) { .read-more-content { height: 720em; } }

The post 10mm Glock Pistols: Enough Gun And Then Some appeared first on Ballistic Magazine.

The Best Portable Stoves To Own In An Emergency

A portable stove is both lightweight and compact.

We’re talking light enough to transport from place to place with ease.

The critical word here is; “ease.”

Sure, “technically,” you can move your kitchen stove, but not with ease.

Portable stoves are the kind you can pick up, pack, and store in a vehicle or backpack without hassle.

For it to be genuinely” portable,” it must be extremely small and lightweight.

At least small enough for a petite human to carry by themselves (without throwing out their back).

Yet, just because they’re small and light doesn’t mean they’re not fantastic at cooking food.

The best ones function as well as your standard kitchen stove.

So today, we’re going to be covering the following topics:

• Best Portable Stoves On The Market Today

• Portable Stoves vs. Grills vs. Skillets

• Different Types Of Portable Stoves

• Best Portable Stove Features To Look For

• Reasons To Invest In A Portable Stove

• A Few Portable Stove Safety Tips

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Portable Stoves On The Market Today

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to test many different stove models across various designs.

Each type has great features, but no stove can be the best for all situations.

Here are a few of our favorites for some of the most common stoves on the market today.

↓ Coleman Triton Series 2 Burner Stove Review ↓

↓ GasOne Mini Stove Gs-800 Review ↓

↓ Jetboil Flash Cooking System Review ↓

↓ Gear Review: Snow Peak Gigapower Lite Max Stove ↓

↓ Solo Stove Titan Review (Cool Wood Burning Camping Stove) ↓

↓ BioLite Camp Stove 2 Charging With Fire!! ↓

↓ Alcohol Stove Review | TA Outdoors ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Portable Stoves Vs. Grills Vs. Skillets

Before we can get into all the different types of portable stoves, there are on the market. It’s wise to sort out all the confusion between stoves, grills, and skillets.

Here’s the simplest way to think about the differences:

• Stoves = Cooking food in pots, pans, or special cups over a controlled flame
• Grills = Cooking food directly over grates (without pots or pans)
• Skillet = Cooking food directly over a flat heated surface (again, without pots or pans)

See, that wasn’t so hard. Now you can impress all your camping and survival buddies with this new-found knowledge!

And more importantly, you have a better sense of whether you’re truly in the market for a portable stove, grill, or skillet.

If you’re still in the market for a portable stove, keep reading…

Different Types Of Portable Stoves

There are several categories of portable stoves; each has pros and cons depending on your goals and usage plans.

Here are the major categories:

1. Fuel Source Categories

• Portable Electric Stoves
• Portable Gas Stoves
  • Propane Stoves
  • Butane Stoves
• Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves

So let’s go through each of these categories in detail.

↓ What Is The Best Survival Cooking Stove? ↓

Portable Electric Stoves

Regarding “plug and play,” electric stoves are the easiest and most convenient to use. You don’t have to worry about buying and storing a separate fuel source such as propane or butane.

However, that convenience is a double-edged sword.

Electric stoves only make sense at locations with a reliable (and abundant) electrical power source.

This is a decent setup for a modern campsite (with electrical hookups). However, if the power goes out due to a major storm or out-of-control wildfires, etc. – your portable electric stove becomes a large, expensive paperweight!

So for certain locations, a portable electric stove is the way to go, but it’s not very versatile.

If you want a portable stove that will work anywhere (no matter the circumstances), DO NOT get an electric one.

Portable Gas Stoves

Today, one of the most popular portable stove options is the one that burns liquid gas. Here’s a list of the possible liquid gas stove choices:

• Kerosene
• White gas
• Gasoline
• Alcohol
• Methanol
• Ethanol

Now, some stoves can burn multiple fuel types without any modification – which is a nice feature!

Other stoves need specific jet nozzles for each fuel type, which can be a pain to deal with.

Some portable gas stoves are designed to only work with one gas.

Many liquid stoves require some pressurization or priming before they start. Some even need pressurization control during the operation.

Nowadays, most gas-fueled stoves burn either propane or butane.

Propane is easier to find and performs better in the cold. However, the containers are often heavier than butane – which is a concern for backpackers.

Butane stoves have a very high heat output per weight. This makes them fuel-efficient but prone to scorching rather than simmering.

Butane containers are smaller and not easily refilled.

Both options are about as simple as it gets. Just attaching the fuel canister, turning a valve, and lighting the burner – that’s it.

However, with a gas stove, you can cook a meal anywhere – as long as you don’t forget to pack (or run out of) fuel canisters. 

So double-check all your essential camping gear before heading out, and you’ll be fine.

Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves

Finally, the new kid on the block is wood-burning backpacking stoves.

These units are becoming more popular with campers, backpackers, and even backyard bonfires.

You haul the stove around with a wood-burning backpacking stove, using natural fuel like downed twigs and branches. The smaller versions take a few sticks, while larger ones need branches.

Not worrying about transporting gas or depending on electricity is a very attractive feature for those interested in self-reliance.

These units don’t care if the power is out or if you run out of propane. You eliminate these headaches completely with a portable wood-burning stove.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Camping Essentials Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Portable Stove Features To Look For

The best portable stoves share several key features you’ll want.

Lightweight

The “portable” part of the “portable stove” means the stove is designed to be lightweight, but that can mean different things to different users.

A backpacker may consider anything over a couple of ounces to be too heavy. While someone who’s traveling by car, boat, or horse may be happy with a camp stove weighing several pounds.

So pay close attention, but generally, the lighter, the better.

Durable

Anything designed to be portable is bound to get banged around every once in a while. If you are lucky enough to stay in one place, that can be minimal after the initial setup.

However, if you’re always on the move, that means extra wear and tear on valves, fuel lines, and moving parts.

Besides, dropping your heavy pack down to rest has been the cause of many portable stove malfunctions.

This abuse makes a durable, proven design a must.

Reliable

Something as crucial as a stove should be reliable if it’s worth adding to your camping gear or survival gear.

This means it has to light under just about any conditions – wind, rain, high altitude, freezing cold.

Many stoves have a piezoelectric starter. But if that spark fails, I still keep some windproof matches and a survival lighter with most stove kits.

A repair kit for crucial parts and the knowledge of how to use it can also be a lifesaver.

Easy To Use

Another critical factor in choosing a portable stove is its ease of operation.

You want one with fine-tuned controls over your heat adjustments. The simplicity of design, setup, and availability of fuel all play into this factor.

Making heat control one of the most important variables.

Some stoves are hard to put together but work almost like a standard kitchen stove once set up. Others are simple to set up but need tedious adjustments and fuel management.

At the end of the day, choose a portable stove that matches your ability to use it properly.

Reasons To Invest In A Portable Stove

Nowadays, modern portable stoves are designed with camping and recreation in mind.

From backpacking stoves only weighing a few ounces. To “suitcase stoves” with several high-output burners.

But to make a wise purchase, you must understand what, where, and how you want to use a new portable stove.

Camping

Portable stoves make an excellent addition to a campsite.

I enjoy cooking my camp meals over a nice campfire. However, sometimes it makes more sense to cook over a portable stove instead.

One reason is to manage the high cost of firewood. Instead of using costly firewood for your meals, save your firewood for sitting around after the sun goes down!

Not to mention the increase in widespread summertime campfire bans across the arid US.

Because there’s nothing quite as disappointing as showing up at a campsite with no way to cook your food.

If you’re only cooking method is via campfire, and there’s a bane on campfires – you’re going to be one unhappy camper ?

Backpacking

Backpacking and portable go together like macaroni and cheese – which is to say they are inseparable.

If a piece of gear is not portable, then it’s not for backpacking.

That’s why so many backpackers add a lightweight, portable stove for their backcountry meals.

Sure, you can pack meals that don’t require a stove, and many backpackers choose this option. However, a nice warm, filling meal while on the trail is hard to pass up.

With the minimalist, lightweight stove designs on the market today, adding a portable stove to a backpack is not much of a burden.

Bugging Out

Bugging out and backpacking are technically very similar.

With both activities, you carry gear in a backpack to survive a long-distance trek. However, you do this with backpacking to enjoy nature and explore the wilderness.

With bugging out, you’re preparing for a dire emergency when you’re forced to leave your home.

But regardless, portable stoves are an ideal solution for both situations.

Power Outage Emergencies

What’s your survival cooking strategy? How do you plan to cook food if electricity is out for several weeks, a month, or a year?

Extreme? Maybe, but we like to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

So having a portable stove (and a means to fuel it) not only provides you with warm meals just about anywhere. It also provides a warm meal anytime – even if the power is out indefinitely.

Investing in some piece of mind is always a good thing.

Survival Emergencies

In wilderness outdoor adventures, every member of your family (or group) should have a lightweight, portable stove.

If you get split up, a single stove isn’t going to cut it. Someone will be without an emergency stove – a dangerous situation for survival.

They don’t all have to be able to cook a 4-course meal.

But everyone should carry a stove capable of heating up a freeze-dried meal or boiling water to make it safe for drinking.

Tailgating

Tailgating and grilling go hand in hand, so many people may prefer to go with a portable grill. And while that works just fine, maybe you’d prefer not to buy a portable stove and grill.

Instead, getting a portable stove for all the other reasons above may make more sense than using it for tailgates.

You can pan-sear just about any tailgate foods you can think of – plus, you can keep your cheesy salsa deep warm on a low burner!

Portable Stove Safety Tips

Of course, any article about stoves has to include safety tips and warnings.

A quick glance at a manual for any portable stove and you’ll see it comes with pages of warnings.

What does it all boil down to in the end? Make sure you read all the warnings thoroughly, but here are a few highlights:

Stoves get hot. (Duh!)

Even after you turn them off, most stoves remain hot for several minutes (or longer). You can burn yourself or your gear if you don’t let them cool before packing away.

Fuels Release Toxic Fumes

Burning any fuel releases carbon dioxide and other exhaust gases into the atmosphere.

Without ventilation, operating a stove in an enclosed space can be dangerous.

If you need shelter from the weather while cooking, make sure you open some vents for fresh air.

Be careful with stove fuel.

You should clean all fuel spills immediately but with care. In extreme cold, spilling fuel on exposed skin can cause frostbite as the fuel evaporates.

Also, allow any fuel vapors to dissipate before starting a stove. A spark can create a dangerous flash explosion if excess fuel vapors accumulate.

Cannot Fly With It

If you plan to fly with a stove, taking fuel (or even used, empty fuel bottles) with you on the plane is nearly impossible.

So consider fuel availability at your destination when selecting your portable stove.

Final Thoughts

If you’re this far into the article, you’re serious about investing in a quality portable stove.

However, to get the right portable stove for you – it’s important to understand how to intend to use it.

You should also have the key features you want in your portable stove as well.

Once you’ve done that, you can purchase with confidence. An investment purchase you can be proud of and will last a lifetime.

Jason K.

P.s. Do you know where the closest nuclear bunker is from your home?

There are a lot of natural nuclear shelters in the US that are absolutely free. And one of them is near your home.

Click here to see the Closest Natural Nuclear Bunker to Your Home?

Click on the image above to find out where you need to take shelter.

The post Best Portable Stoves To Cook Meals In An Emergency appeared first on Skilled Survival.

The Benefits Of A Tactical Watch Go Way Beyond Just Telling Time

Investing in a tactical watch shouldn’t be about looking cool (although that is definitely a side benefit)!

It’s about wearing a real piece of survival gear.

One that’s ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

The uses of a tactical watch go way beyond merely telling time, especially newer models.

The latest ones are full of useful sensors and technology.

Heck, the best tactical watches are small wrist computers.

They provide critical data in survival situations or outdoor adventures.

It’s the reason tactical watches are on the recommended overseas deployment list.

And it’s why they’re extremely popular with civilians as well,

And the more advanced they get, the more “in demand” they become because a tactical watch is a survival accessory you’ll wear every single day.

So today, here’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this buyer guide:

• Best Tactical Watches On The Market

• What Is A Tactical Watch Anyway?

• Best Tactical Watch Features To Look For

• Best Survival Uses For A Tactical Watch

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Tactical Watches on The Market Today

With so many watch choices and features available, finding the perfect tactical watch is an epic challenge.

So to help you narrow your search down, here are a few of the best tactical watches you can find on the market today:

↓ The BEST SURVIVAL Watch: Garmin Tactical Instinct ↓

↓ Casio Rangeman GW9400: Tactical Watch? ↓

NOTE: Casio has an entire series of these G Shock watches with triple sensor technology and hundreds of color options.

So if you like this watch, you might find a variation of it that you like even better.

↓ Top 5 Best Casio G Shock Watches For Tactical ↓

↓ The Most Tactical Watch EVER: Garmin Tactix 7 ↓

↓Luminox Dive Watch: Navy SEAL Choice ↓

↓ Timex Watch Expedition Military Series Shock Digital Compass ↓

↓ Casio G-Shock GD-100-1BDR Unboxing & Overview + Close Ups! ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

What Is A Tactical Watch Anyway?

In the wide world of everything watches, it’s easy to get confused about what is and what’s not a “tactical watch.”

For example, here’s a random list of typical watch categories:

So as you can see, there’s an overwhelming number of ways in which to categorize watches.

And there are even more subcategories within each category.

This extensive categorization only helps to exacerbate the confusion.

But I think we can all agree that the best tactical watches are at the forefront of watch technology.

They are the most durable, toughest, multifunctional, lightweight, technology-filled watches on the market. I like to say:

“I’ll know it’s a tactical watch when I see it.”

Because they are badass, and if you’re serious about survival, you should invest in one.

But a tactical watch should never be an impulse buy.

It’s NOT something you grab in the checkout line of a supermarket. It’s a serious investment!

Navy SEAL “Coch’s” Tactical Watch Collection

That’s why you must determine exactly what you want, need, price range, and goals.

After all, someday, your life may very well depend on this piece of survival gear.

So, don’t be silly and hinge your own existence on a poorly made, basic, cheap, fragile watch!

Make sure you are getting the very best tactical watch for your money.

Trust me; it’ll pay off in the long run.

↓ The Reason Military Guys Wear Their Watch Like This??? ↓

Best Tactical Watch Features To Look For

Tactical watches come in various shapes, sizes, weights, price ranges, and colors. But, as with any piece of gear, there are a few features that all the best tactical watches have.

A tactical watch does not need all these features to be useful. But ideally, it should have as many of them as possible.

Scratch Resistance

The crystal or plastic that makes up the face of a watch must be resistant to scratches and scrapes.

Otherwise, it may become difficult (if not impossible) to see through it over time.

And if you get to the point where you can’t see the hands on your watch or the numbers – you might as well disassemble it for parts.

Water Resistance

This is a non-negotiable quality of a tactical watch. If water ruins it, it was never meant for survival purposes in the first place.

You need to check and see how deep your watch is rated to withstand water. The deeper it can go without succumbing to water pressure damage, the better off you will be.

Diving watches are particularly useful because they are designed to handle depths of hundreds and thousands of meters.

But a great diving watch will be insanely expensive.

And a quality tactical watch will be able to survive hundreds of meters anyway, which is more than enough for the average survivor outdoorsman.

Backed By A Strong Warranty

Of course, you never want to break your tactical watch or have to send it back for repairs (or replacement). But stuff happens.

After all, these watches are designed to take a whipping, deal with stress and shock, and keep on ticking. Sometimes, they are exposed to more than they can handle and break.

Which is a major bummer when you’re investing in something that’s supposed to last for years.

That is why it is always good to check and see if the manufacturer of a tactical watch offers a damage warranty.

It will offer you some peace of mind as a form of watch insurance.

Warranties are one of those things that you don’t need until you really need them.

Reliability

Some survival tools do not have to run like clockwork, but a tactical watch does. If your watch is not reliable, you should get rid of it.

• You should stop wearing a watch that measures some days less accurately than others.
• If the internal compass never points north – take it off.
• Your watch is unreliable if the altimeter says you’re below where you actually are.

The bottom line is that if you CAN’T trust your watch, it’s time to find a new one.

A tactical watch worth wearing needs to be extremely accurate and reliable.

That’s why people like to buy their watches from brands they trust.

Some tactical watch manufacturers have been in the industry for over a century. Their brand names are synonymous with quality.

This is where it helps to spend the extra few dollars for the brand name. They have proven their value time and time again.

It Looks Amazing

OK, let’s be real for a second: watches are an accessory, no matter how you slice them. And many of them look fantastic, on top of being extremely useful.

I said it before and will say it again – vanity should never be a driving force in a tactical watch investment.

Just because something looks slick, badass, and incredible does not mean it’s any good.

Watch designers, manufacturers, and marketers know humans’ bias towards cool-looking survival gadgets. But that means there are many badass-looking watches out there that are not very good!

However, if you find a functional survival watch that also looks great, that’s a win-win.

Because, honestly, watches are fashion accessories. But that does not mean they are not the first and foremost survival tool.

So try to find a quality one that you’ll also enjoy wearing.

Triple Sensor Technology (optional)

If you can pay a bit more for your tactical watch, you should get one with triple-sensor technology. 

The best tactical watches are ones that include 3 advanced sensors:

1. Altimeter
2. Barometer
3. Temperature

1. Altimeter

An altimeter measures your current altitude based on atmospheric pressures.

This comes in handy when you’re in mountainous terrain. It’s much easier to find your exact location on a topographical map if you know your current elevation.

↓ Using An Altimeter To Help You Navigate ↓

2. Barometer

A barometer measures the change in atmospheric pressure over time.

And since weather changes are correlated with changes in atmospheric pressure, you’ll be able to predict the weather well before it arrives.

When the pressure rises, the weather is likely to improve; when it’s falling, there’s usually worse weather ahead.

I think it’s fairly obvious how this is a major advantage in a survival or outdoor adventure situation!

↓ The Barometer Explained ↓

3. Temperature

Everyone likes to know the temperature at all times, and with this sensor, all you’ll need to do is look down at your wrist.

But this sensor can do more than tell you the current temperature; it can also help predict your destination temperature based on your current location temperature!

Temperatures generally decrease by approximately 3.6°F with every increase of 1,000 feet. If the temperature at 5,000 feet is 50°F, therefore, the temperature at 8,000 meters will probably be about 39.2°F.

The bottom line is tactical watches with triple-sensor technology are incredibly useful. You should get one with these advanced sensors if your budget allows it.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Survival Uses For A Tactical Watch

Simply put, the practicality of these things goes far beyond their ability to tell time.

So let’s cover those abilities now.

Navigation

If you wear a tactical watch, it will likely have a digital compass built-in.

With a compass, you’ll never be completely lost.

Sure, you might be somewhere you’ve never been, but you’ll know in which direction you’re heading. This is critical for survival situations and any outdoor adventure, for that matter.

Don’t underestimate the power of the compass and having one strapped to your wrist at all times.

Accurate Countdowns

Accurate countdown timers are essential tools when you need to count down things. There is an unlimited number of countdown tasks.

For example, countdown timers come in handy when :

• Backyard Grilling
• Lighting Bomb Fuses
• Coordinating Ambushes
• Scheduling A Watch Guard

Sometimes an accurate countdown timer is a “nice to have” feature (like grilling), but sometimes it’s a life or death one (like lighting a fuse). But most countdown tasks fall somewhere in the middle.

And with an accurate timer on your wrist, you’ll be ready no matter the circumstances.

 Signaling In Distress

Many watch faces are made of crystal or another highly reflective material.

So if you’re ever lost and forgot to pack a signaling mirror, you can use your tactical watch instead. Angle the sun into it and flash at rescuers to alert them of your distress and location.

If the back of your watch is reflective enough, you can polish it up and use it as a reflector distress signal.

Team Synchrony

Chronological synchronicity is necessary if you plan a raid or escape with others.

You can sync up your times and operate simultaneously if you both have tactical watches.

Which makes the meeting at a specific time and location much more accurate.

Starting a Fire

I recommend this only if you are in serious trouble and your watch is broken or out of battery. (Namely, because it requires disassembling your timepiece, which will almost certainly ruin it).

But, if you take the crystal face out of the watch, it can be used to concentrate sunlight and start a fire.

If the sun is out, this is easier to start a fire than with sticks.

And, perhaps best overall, each of these survival applications is strapped to your wrist.

Like having a multi-tool or a survival kit latched to your arm at all times. Except these are elegant and classy and un-intrusive.

Final Thoughts

When people think of watches, they rarely think of survival gear.

To most people, watches are a simple fashion accessory that can tell time, nothing more.

But as survivalists, we know better. Tactical watches combine a ton of gear and sensors into a single device.

They are a data-based survival multi-tool.

They bring practicality together with durability, simplicity, and ease of use.

Any survivalist or outdoorsman worth his salt should wear a tactical survival.

If you choose not to, you’re at a major disadvantage.

Will Brendza

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post Best Tactical Watches For The Most Unforgiving Terrain appeared first on Skilled Survival.

@media (max-width:576px) { .read-more-content { height: 1020em; } }

The post Glock Guy Vs 1911 Guy: Tactical Tupperware Takes on Old Slabsides appeared first on Ballistic Magazine.

When the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant is finally announced by the Israeli government, it will be the greatest archaeological bombshell in the history of the world.  Authorities in Israel have known where it is located for a long time, but trying to remove an object of such immense importance from deep under the Temple Mount was always going to be complicated.  In fact, when the Israelis finally unveil the Ark they may not even admit where it was hidden all this time due to conflicting claims of jurisdiction over the Temple Mount.  If the Israelis openly admit that they took the Ark from under the Temple Mount it could potentially set off riots all over the Islamic world.  This is such a sensitive topic, and it really will be a miracle when the discovery of the Ark is finally revealed.

But it will happen.

In fact, I believe that the announcement of the discovery of the Ark is most likely to happen on or near a major Jewish holiday.

So every time another Biblical festival rolls around, we need to be on high alert.

In case you did not read my last article on the location of the Ark of the Covenant, I want to review one very important point.

In the western world, our “scholars” have come up with all sorts of weird theories about the location of the Ark, but the truth is that over in Israel they have known where it is resting for many years.

In fact, on their official website the Temple Institute actually admits that they know precisely where it is located…

The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most fascinating of all Temple-related subjects. There are many theories about what happened to the Ark of the Covenant, and speculation abounds as to its actual location. Some people think it was taken to the Vatican, together with other Temple vessels, such as those depicted on the Roman monument, the Arch of Titus. There are many authentic, ancient historical chronicles, and even more popular legends, that attest to many sacred vessels having been taken away to Rome. However, this does not apply to the most holy feature of the First Temple, the Ark.

While some claim to have evidence that the ark is in Ethiopia, and of course, moviegoers were treated to a fanciful version of the story in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in reality, the expression “lost” ark is not an accurate description for the Jewish people’s point of view – because we have always known exactly where it is. So the Ark is “Hidden,” and hidden quite well, but it is not lost.

Tradition records that even as King Solomon built the First Temple, he already knew, through Divine inspiration, that eventually it would be destroyed. Thus Solomon, the wisest of all men, oversaw the construction of a vast system of labyrinths, mazes, chambers and corridors underneath the Temple Mount complex. He commanded that a special place be built in the bowels of the earth, where the sacred vessels of the Temple could be hidden in case of approaching danger. Midrashic tradition teaches that King Josiah of Israel, who lived about forty years before the destruction of the First Temple, commanded the Levites to hide the Ark, together with the original menorah and several other items*, in this secret hiding place which Solomon had prepared.

This location is recorded in our sources, and today, there are those who know exactly where this chamber is. And we know that the ark is still there, undisturbed, and waiting for the day when it will be revealed. An attempt was made some few years ago to excavate towards the direction of this chamber. This resulted in widespread Moslem unrest and rioting. They stand a great deal to lose if the Ark is revealed – for it will prove to the whole world that there really was a Holy Temple, and thus, that the Jews really do have a claim to the Temple Mount.

Of course knowing where it is and getting it out are two entirely different things.

The area under the Temple Mount is riddled with at least 45 major tunnels, and not all of them are stable.

Any effort to do more digging could cause one or more of those tunnels to collapse, and if any of the structures sitting on top of the Temple Mount were damaged that could cause an international incident.

And as investigative archaeologist Harry Moskoff has pointed out, getting approval from all of the necessary authorities would be exceedingly complex…

Now, about those subterranean tunnel entrances. Even if one would theoretically obtain all the permits from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Jordanian WAQF, as well as the halachic permission from the Chief Rabbis of our day, it is simply too dangerous from a spiritual, as well as physical perspective to enter into these tunnels (which I delineate in my book). Further, the Ark seems to have this profound ability to sense who is around it, and if they have permission (as it were) to be there. And if not, the consequences have been proven to be lethal! Why take the risk? After all, even Moses wouldn’t enter the Tabernacle (that he himself built) to speak with God without permission.

So who would be worthy today?

Personally, I believe that God will keep the Ark hidden until the perfect moment.

And so it will continue to rest under the Temple Mount until the proper time.

Moskoff is entirely convinced that the Ark is located directly behind a colossal 570 ton stone that was specifically placed there to protect it…

Moskoff took CBN News to the spot where he believes the Ark really lies.

He believes a key clue lies behind a 570-ton rock and says high-tech search tools give credence to his theory.

“Two years ago, there were tests done by the University of Nebraska, sonar tests…using electromagnetic waves. They actually found what’s called a storage space across from here,” said Moskoff.

“So actually, there was a purpose for putting this giant stone, this massive slab here. One of the reasons, in my opinion, is to protect whatever it is on the other side. And according to my theory of where the Ark was actually buried by King Josiah, I think it was 568 BC – in back of these boulders, these massive stones,” he said.

Time will tell if Moskoff is correct.

Decades ago, there were multiple attempts to get to the chamber where the Ark is.

In fact, it has been reported that Rabbi Yehuda Getz was actually “within 40 feet” of the chamber…

Rabbi Getz believes that in 1982 he was very close, within 40 feet, to finding the cave in which the Ark resides. He was conducting a search in an old tunnel that had been filled with the debris of centuries, which runs perpendicular to the Western Wall and under the Temple Mount. However, when the Moslems discovered that there were diggings being conducted under the Dome of the Rock, they threatened a general riot and the diggings were stopped. The rabbi explains that, for the sake of maintaining peace with their Moslem neighbors, the Israelis had to reseal the entrance to the tunnel, and it remains blocked up to this day.

After all this time, it will take something really spectacular to get the Ark above ground again.

Could it be possible that God will supernaturally intervene in order to make it happen?

We shall see.

Once the Ark is finally revealed, it will send spiritual shockwaves all over the planet…

Many hold that it is only a matter of time until the whereabouts of the ark will be revealed. The Temple Mount faithful certainly believe that its discovery will be accompanied by the coming of the Messiah and the building of the Third Temple. Others think that its detection will connect Moses and the contemporary Jewish nation once and for all. They believe that it will forge a permanent, indissoluble bond between the State of Israel and the Temple Mount, in other words affirming the right to settle in the land of Israel. Thus, we see that the Ark of the Covenant is not only a religious symbol, but a political tool as well.

As I discuss in my book entitled “End Times”, the revelation of the Ark of the Covenant will be a critically important prophetic sign.

And once it happens, nothing will ever be the same from that point forward.

I know that literally nobody else is talking about this right now.

But I am going to keep talking about it, because eventually this will be a story that will throw the entire planet into a huge uproar.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of the latest updates.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post Will The Discovery Of The Ark Of The Covenant Soon Be Publicly Revealed To The Entire World? appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

I believe that we are going to see more political chaos in the next two years than we have ever seen before.  On Thursday alone, Donald Trump was indicted in New York in an obvious attempt to derail his presidential campaign and radical leftists stormed the Kentucky State Capitol and the Tennessee State Capitol to protest for trans rights.  If things are this crazy now, can you imagine what is going to happen once we get into the heart of the presidential race in late 2024?  Honestly, our nation is not too far away from being completely ungovernable.  Our system of government is starting to come apart at the seams very rapidly, and now there are violent explosions of anger and frustration on a regular basis all over the country.

No ex-president in history has ever been indicted for anything, but there are some ex-presidents that have committed some extremely serious crimes.

But instead of doing anything about those crimes, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has pulled the trigger on some absolutely ridiculous charges…

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted as part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s years-long investigation, possibly for hush money payments.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been investigating Trump for hush money payments made leading up to the 2016 presidential election.

These include the $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, and the $150,000 payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, Fox News Digital has learned.

There is nothing illegal about making hush money payments.

What Trump is being charged with is breaking campaign finance laws.

But if there is a campaign finance violation, it should be handled by the FEC, not Alvin Bragg.

No matter what you think of Trump, it is clear that Bragg is abusing his power, and it is also clear that he is doing this in a desperate attempt to keep Trump out of the White House.

Needless to say, Trump is not amused…

BREAKING: Trump issues statement, slams indictment as ‘political persecution and election interference’ https://t.co/7SHHWJO5Jb pic.twitter.com/0hX5XFRUoK

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 30, 2023

Meanwhile, the recent mass shooting of Christians by a trans activist has apparently not diminished the trans movement’s appetite for storming state capitols.

We have seen this happen a number of times in recent months, and on Thursday the Kentucky State Capitol was hit…

Nearly two dozen people were arrested and cited for criminal trespassing at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday after protesting a bill in the Bluegrass State pushed by Republicans to ban transgender procedures for minors.

The protest — which came as the state House voted to override Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of Senate Bill 150 — resulted in the arrests of 19 people, according to a statement shared with Fox News Digital from Captain Paul Blanton, a spokesperson for Kentucky State Police (KSP).

I thought that if you stormed a capitol building that made you an “insurrectionist”.

But of course the mainstream media will never use such a term when referring to their radical leftist friends.

Trans activists also stormed the Tennessee State Capitol on Thursday, and they got quite aggressive with law enforcement officers…

pic.twitter.com/DTAZdnw2gv

— Clown World (@ClownWorld_) March 30, 2023

There is no place for such behavior in a civilized society.

But of course the mainstream media will give them a free pass because they are trans.

No matter how radical they become, leaders on the left will only say good things about trans activists, because that is what leaders on the left are expected to do…

NEW – White House: “Our hearts go out to the trans community — as they are under attack right now.”pic.twitter.com/2dsjQptr0n

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 30, 2023

Hold on a second.

The six people that were just ruthlessly gunned down in Nashville were Christians.

It is the Christian community that is under attack.

So why won’t the Biden administration say that their hearts “go out to the Christian community”?

Of course the Biden administration is not alone.  The way that the entire radical left has responded to this crisis is utterly shameful.

If someone on the left does something that is evil, it should be condemned.

And if someone on the right does something that is evil, it should be condemned.

I am so tired of activists on both sides endlessly making excuses for the behavior of their people no matter what happens.

Every single individual, no matter what their political affiliation is, should be subject to the same set of rules.

That means that justice should be applied equally to Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Even though all five of them have done things that are wrong, only Trump is being prosecuted.

And the “campaign finance violation” that Trump is being prosecuted for should be a non-issue.

But this is how the game of politics is played in our day and age.

Things have gotten very bitter, and that isn’t going to change any time soon.

For example, just check out how AOC responded to a surprise encounter with Chaya Raichik…

BREAKING: I served @AOC with an ethics complaint after she lied about me in a committee hearing. AOC wasn’t in her office but then I bumped into her as I was leaving the Capitol!

Watch what happens: pic.twitter.com/Lhrrzo1w8Q

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 30, 2023

You could actually feel the vitriol in her voice when AOC realized who she was.

Sadly, millions upon millions of other Americans feel the same way about those on the other side of the political spectrum.

We have never seen as much political hatred as we are witnessing today, and it is only going to get more intense as the 2024 election approaches.

No matter how future elections turn out, all of this anger is not going away.

We are a deeply divided nation, and a house that is divided against itself will not last long.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of the latest updates.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post Things Are Starting To Get Really Crazy Out There… appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

The Monkey Fist – A Badass Knot For Survival

There’s no telling when or where you’ll fall into a bit of trouble.

It could be while you’re walking home from a friend’s house late at night.

Or maybe it’s while you’re wandering around a town on vacation.

It could happen when you return to your car in a deserted parking lot.

Wherever you are or whatever you’re doing, you need a means of self-defense.

Something to protect yourself from an attacker. One who emerges from the shadows and demands your wallet or threatens your life.

There are many self-defense tools for such a situation.

• pepper spray
• pocket knives
• keys
• firearms
• tactical pen
• etc.

But one self-defense weapon that’s overlooked but highly useful is a monkey fist.

So in today’s article, we will be covering the following monkey fist topics:

• What Is A Monkey Fist
• A Brief History Of Monkey Fists
• Best Monkey Fist Uses
• How To Tie A Monkey Fist Knot
• Monkey Fist Video Tutorials
• Best Monkey Fist Jigs On The Market Today

**Note: If you want our top recommendations, feel free to SKIP AHEAD HERE.

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

What Is A Monkey Fist?

Most people don’t even know what a monkey fist is, let alone how to use or make one.

They’re a time-tested self-defense tool that’s both dangerous and effective.

Like a miniature flail, a monkey fist can come in many different sizes, shapes, and weights. Some fit on a self-defense keychain or in a purse; others are larger and harder to conceal. But they are a versatile means of self-defense survival.

Now, you can purchase various monkey fists from different vendors. If you know where to look, they are all over the place. They’re also a fairly simple device you can make yourself.

Learning how to make one will save you a couple of dollars, and it’s also a very handy skill to know.

If the grid goes down and anarchy ensues, you will want access to as many weapons as possible. And the more weapons you are capable of making yourself, the better.

What’s The Legality of a Monkey’s Fist?

Well, it’s technically illegal in many states in the US and Canada (plus other areas around the world) if you wrap this knot around a hard object.

Why?

I mean, how is a monkey fist any different from a hammer?

Watch this video to understand how the monkey’s fist became illegal:

THIS KNOT IS ILLEGAL!

And just for fun, here’s the “world’s largest monkey fist build.”

World Largest Monkey Fist

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Brief History Of Monkey Fists

As with most knotted instruments, the origins of monkey fists are out at sea in the 1800s. Sailors used them as a way to throw lines between ships or to shore, and in a pinch, they would use them in a fight, too.

Initially, the monkey fist knot was tied around cannonballs to add a lot of extra heft. And imagine what that would do to an attacker!

Getting slammed with a cannonball flail could cause some severe damage.

Since then, they’ve spread widely as a survival tool and form of self-defense. Most of the monkey fists you will find today are not cannon-ball-sized.

Instead, they’re now shrunk down to marble size. This makes a monkey fist easy to carry. They can be attached to extra zipper tabs, keychain attachments, or bug-out bag loops.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Monkey Fist Uses

This is one of the most diverse tools in a survivalist arsenal. Unlike other pocket weapons (like pepper spray), this knot can serve various purposes, from decorative to dangerous.

Here is a shortlist of the most popular uses:

Self Defense

Obviously, these devices make great self-defense weapons. Ones you can keep with you with relative ease and covertly.

You can stash them into pockets, purses, or bags with no problem. And many can be attached to a wallet, zipper, or keychain, enabling fast access in tight situations.

Here’s how to use a monkey fist for self-defense. Hold the long end by the tip and swing the heavy knot hard – using it as a flail.

You want to strike your attacker with the blunt knot at the end. Swing hard and follow through to generate the most power per stroke.

Aim for sensitive areas like the temple, trachea, or groin.

The more massive your knot, the harder your swing. The more force is generated, the more effective the weapon becomes.

Monkey Fist testing. Can it really protect?

Rock Climbing

Back in the day, before rock climbing was as widely recognized as a sport, they were used as cams. Cams, for those who don’t know, are the devices climbers jam into cracks to create points of contact.

Today’s cams are very technical, but monkey fists generally do the same thing when used for rock climbing.

You wedge the “fist” into a crack in the rock as tightly as possible. Then you clip your rope into the other end with a carabiner.

Now, I don’t recommend using monkey fists in this way unless you have no other option. Using makeshift climbing equipment is extremely dangerous.

Monkey fists don’t work or get stuck if they do

Skydiving Parachute Ripcord

This is popular among people who deal with parachutes. Skydivers attach these to their parachute ripcords. This makes it easier to grasp the ripcord while in free fall.

You might buy very colorful ones (or use colorful paracord to make your own). That way, when the wind is whipping past your face, you can easily see your ripcord, grab, and yank it.

Then, hopefully, your chute comes out.

Zipper Attachments

Have a zipper that lost its grip tab? No problem! You can make small monkey fists and tie them to your zipper, even if the slider grip has fallen off.

Due to their shape, they make great little zipper knobs. Plus, you can attach them to anything – tactical backpacks, duffel bags, and even pants!

8 Awesome Paracord Zipper Pulls

Dog Toys

Tired of buying expensive rope toys for your dog at the store? Make your own!

Monkey fists make for excellent pet toys because the material is cheap (rope or cord), and they are very durable. Perfect for chewing or tug of war, a well-tied monkey fist will make your canine companion happy as a clam.

And you can keep making them new ones when they tear apart the ones they’ve got.

Making a ‘Monkey Fist’ Dog Toy (How-To)

Keychain

Monkey fists work well as keychains for several reasons.

First, they are usually bright and easy to spot (thus making your keys easy to find and harder to lose).

Second, this puts an extra self-defense weapon at your fingertips. Keys are one thing that’s almost always on a person. Keeping one on your self-defense keychain ensures you’re always armed.

3 Great Ways To Finish A Monkey’s Fist Key Chain

Throwing

This was the original purpose of a monkey fist. If you have ever tried throwing a rope a long distance, you understand that the task is nearly impossible.

But when you have got a monkey fist on the end of the rope you are throwing, it adds a lot of extra weight—enabling the thrower with much higher accuracy and much greater power.

But rope is not the only thing you can throw with a monkey fist. You can also attach written messages to the handle to pass messages over a decent distance.

Or you can tie smoke bombs to them to smoke out an area within throwing range.

You could even use them to throw fire. Douse it with gasoline, light it up, and throw it as hard as possible.

How to use a monkey fist for rope throwing

As Paracord

Finally, most monkey fists are made out of paracord and have many survival uses. So if you’re ever in a tight spot and need some paracord, you can disassemble and use it instead.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Make A Monkey Fist Knot

Maybe you want a specific size of monkey fist, or maybe you want to get one made from particular cordage material. But finding the perfect one can be difficult or impossible.

That’s why learning how to make your monkey fist is important. You can customize it to meet your personal needs and desires.

Not only that but in a dire survival situation, it’s helpful to know how to make a monkey fist.

You could potentially make a backup weapon for yourself and anyone else in your party. And when it comes to defending yourself in a “shit hits the fan scenario,” there can never be too many weapons on hand.

Note: Feel free to skip ahead to the video tutorials if watching someone build one is easier to understand than reading about it.

The Materials

• Paracord of your color choice
• Steel ball bearing, marble, rock, golf ball, pool ball or another round, heavy object
• Scissors
• Lighter
• Glue
• (optional) Monkey Fist Jig

Note: A monkey fist jig makes this process A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT easier. We cover a few good jigs to consider after we show you how to tie one without first.

The Process – Monkey Fist Knot Step By Step

1. Hold the cord

Wrap the paracord vertically three times around the fingers of your non-dominant hand.

This should create a loop that is three wraps wide.

Make sure the longer end is closer to your fingertips, as that will be the end you are working with.

2. Slide the triple-loop off your hand

First, make sure not to let the three loops fall out.

Next, pull the loops off your left hand and hold them between your right thumb and index fingers.

3. Warp horizontally

Continue holding the three original vertical loops with your right hand.

Now use your left to wrap the long end through and around the vertically looped cord. Do this three times.

You should now have three horizontal loops wrapped around three vertical loops.

4. Wrap vertically again

This step is somewhat optional, but it strengthens your knot. (Although, it depends on how much spare cord you have left.)

Once you’ve finished your horizontal wraps, make three more vertical wraps over the top of the vertical wraps you originally looped.

Now pass these second horizontal loops between the original vertical ones and the secondary horizontal ones.

5. Insert a round object

At this point, there should be an opening within the loops you have made to insert a round object.

Whatever you’re using, whether it’s a steel ball bearing, marble, rock, golf ball, pool ball, or another round, heavy object, place it inside the loops.

6. Tighten the knot

You need to work through and tighten each loop individually. Start with the loop closest to the short end of the cord and work your way through the horizontal loops. And then through the secondary vertical loops.

Tighten each one, ensuring you don’t pull too hard on the first few loops. This may take a little practice, and it will take some patience. So try not to get too frustrated.

You may have to work your way through the knot several times to achieve maximum tightness.

Once you’re finished, you’ll have a functional monkey fist.

This is not a project that will work the first time perfectly. You’ll likely need several times before you’re successful. But once you get the hang of it, it will come naturally.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Monkey Fist Knot Video Tutorials

As they say, an image is worth a thousand words. So there are several “how to make a monkey fist” tutorial videos.

How To Make A Monkey Fist Knot Without A Marble

This video shows you how to make a monkey fist without an object (like a marble) on the inside. This makes for a very small, keychain-sized monkey fist.

However, be aware that these don’t provide much self-defense value.

How to Make a Monkey’s Fist with No Marbel | Ball Bearing Tutorial

How To Make A Monkey Fist Knot With A Marble

This video shows you how to make a monkey fist with a marble on the inside.

Paracord monkey fist how to

Making A Monkey Fist Knot Using A Jig

This video shows you the process of using the help of a simple jig to build your paracord monkey fist.

How to make a Monkey Fist using the Speedy Jig Monkey Fist Jig

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Monkey Fist Jigs On The Market Today

Again, there are monkey fist jigs and toolkits that make it easier to create a monkey fist.

They serve as an extra set of fingers to hold the loops as you make them. This also enables you to tie four-, five-, and even six-loop monkey fists!

Depending on how often you plan to make it, you may want to invest in one.

Understanding and Using Paracord Bracelet Jigs

3 Monkey’s Fist Jigs REVIEWED | Which Is BEST?

Speedy Jig Monkey’s Fist Jig Review | Worth A Buy?

Final Thoughts

Monkey fists are insanely versatile survival tools.

They’re cheap, they’re relatively easy to make, and they’re highly useful for survival. Owning one is beneficial for survival, but knowing how to make your own is a skill worth learning.

They make great survival gifts and are useful for survival and everyday life.

Few survival knots are as useful as the monkey fist knot, and even fewer can achieve such a wide range of survival needs.

Will Brendza

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post How To Make A Monkey’s Fist Knot For Survival appeared first on Skilled Survival.

When folks first hear about Faraday Cages, they have an initial wave of basic questions…

1. What is a Faraday Cage?
2. Why should I care?
3. How do I get my hands on one?
4. What should I put in it?
5. Do they work?

You ask the first question because maybe you overheard someone else talking about one.

Perhaps you’re unsure what all the hype is about and want to know, “what is it”?

You ask the second question because once you know “what it is,” you’re still confused about why it matters to you.

But once you fully understand why it matters, the next question is, “how do I get one?” followed by, “what should I keep inside of it?”

So that’s how I wrote this article. To answer all your faraday cage questions and more.

So we cover the following topics in great detail:

• What Is A Faraday Cage

• 4 Reasons Why You Need A Faraday Cage

• How To Build A Faraday Cage

• What You Should Store In A Faraday Cage

• Faraday Cage Myths and Misinformation

**Note: You can skip ahead to any section of this article using the navigation links above.

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

What Is A Faraday Cage?

In simple terms, a Faraday Cage is just an electronic isolation chamber. Or even more simply, it’s a special container that prevents electrical signals or waves from passing through it.

A basic way to think of a Faraday Cage is it allows any electrical pulses to go around the container.

They work by enclosing a specific area in a layer of conductive material (usually a metal). This outer conductive layer creates a “protective skin.”

This then blocks electrical signals from passing through the box.

Inside the enclosure, electronics are separated from the outer conductive skin. This is accomplished using a non-conductive insulator such as cardboard, plastic, glass, or wood.

These enclosures can be any size, large or small. So long as there’s a complete layer of skin and any gaps are small once openings (doors, etc.) on the surface are closed.

Faraday Cage Uses

One of the best ways to understand how something works is to share a few examples of them out in the real world. Here are just a few of the uses for Faraday Cages.

Engineering Design and Testing

In the world of engineering, large versions of these faraday isolation chambers are used. They help block any outside interference when designing and testing sophisticated electronic devices.

Scientists can see how certain electrical devices react without other signals in a Faraday cage. It’s used as a controlled vacuum for electrical testing purposes.

These engineering Faraday Cages also help determine if a device emits any unintentional or harmful radiation.

For example, the antenna in your cell phone was likely tested in such a way. This was to ensure energy transmitted during use was safe for humans. To prove no energy was “leaking” at frequencies outside the cell phone spectrum.

But the Faraday cage isn’t just for lab settings and engineering facilities. In fact, you’ve likely used or passed through several of them today.

Microwave Ovens

The mesh screen in the window of your microwave is part of a Faraday cage. It contains the high-energy microwave radiation responsible for reheating your leftovers. And without a Faraday cage, this radiation would leak out, cooking the rest of your kitchen.

Elevators

In some elevators, cell phone “dead zones” are also unintentional Faraday Cages. The metal elevator doors act as conductive skin, thus blocking cell signals.

And it’s why you should remain in your car if a power line falls because the vehicle’s metal body acts as a Faraday cage.

It directs dangerous electricity around the vehicle, allowing the energy to pass harmlessly into the ground. Isolating and protecting the passengers inside.

How about one more interesting example?

Spy Prevention

In 2013, the Vatican used a Faraday cage to shield the Sistine Chapel. They wanted to prevent electronic eavesdropping during the selection of the new pope.

So even if someone planted an electronic “bug” into the room, it couldn’t send a signal out to the world.

So as you see, Faraday Cages have some real-world applications.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

4 Reasons Why You Need A Faraday Cage

“I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones” – Albert Einstien

A survivalist (like yourself) should build a Farraday cage for many reasons.

A well-constructed Faraday cage will give your sensitive electronics a layer of safety. To protect them from damage or even to prevent signals from reaching others.

Here are four great reasons to build and use a Faraday Cage for survival and preparedness:

Reason 1. Prepare For A Massive Solar Flare

A solar flare is an explosion on the surface of the Sun. The occasional massive blasts produce a burst of electromagnetic radiation, including X-rays.

Scientists classify solar flares into three groups according to their X-ray strength.

The strongest are X-class flares. These are significant events and can trigger radio blackouts around the world.

M-class flares are medium-sized. They can cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth’s polar regions. C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth.

It’s not a matter of IF the earth will experience another strong X-class flare; it’s a matter of WHEN.

A Faraday Cage helps you prepare for the next massive X-class solar flare event. Keeping some of your backup electronic devices safe.

NASA | X-Class: A Guide To Solar Flares

Reason 2. Prepare For An Electromagnetic Pulse Attack (EMP)

The rise of nuclear powers around the world is growing. As well as the instability in global politics. This leads to rising concerns over the real possibility of a future nuclear attack.

All nuclear explosions create an EMP blast. But, some designs can cause a more significant EMP effect than immediate destruction.

These designs are called “high-altitude electromagnetic pulse” (EMP) weapons. They explode high in the stratosphere. And they use the Earth’s magnetic field to reflect and enhance the EMP effects.

Watch the following two videos for a more detailed explanation of the threat of a large, widespread EMP attack.

The facts about EMP and Faraday Cages

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) How a Faraday Cage Saves Electronics

Reason 3. Prevent Cell Phone Tracking

I know it sounds like the plot of a spy movie, but nearly all modern cell phones are equipped with a GPS chip.

From the newest smartphone all the way to the most basic flip phone.

This feature gives you the ability to use your phone for navigation. But it also allows mobile providers information about your location (past and current).

Authorities often share these location records during criminal investigations. And also during search and rescue operations.

This information is supposed to be stored for a limited time only. But it’s unclear how long companies keep these location records. And it’s also unclear who can request access to these records.

But, if you block the cell signals to your phone, you also prevent the ability of the GPS to track your phone.

A Faraday bag like this Stealth Anti Signal Forensic Faraday Bag can keep your location and movement private from prying eyes.

Review of a Cell Phone Faraday Bag

Reason 4. Prevent RFID Skimming

These days, “electronics” are no longer limited to “things with a battery, a wall plug, or an on/off switch.”

More of the cards in your wallet contains RFID security chips. These chips are designed to make mobile payment and verification easier.

Unfortunately, the ease with which that information is shared is a double-edged sword. They also make it easier for criminals to scan the information from your credit card.

And they can do this remotely while it’s still in your wallet. But you block this criminal activity with an RFID Faraday Cage wallet (like this one from Access Denied).

If you’d rather not replace your entire wallet, you can use these RFID-blocking Safe Wallets on your credit cards with the chip.

Review of RFID Blocking Leather Wallet by Access Denied

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Build A Faraday Cage

Now it’s time to build your own Faraday Cage at home using some very basic materials.

I highly recommend watching each of these Faraday Cage builds before you decide. Each has some great ideas depending on how simple you want.

This first video is the cheapest DIY Faraday Cage I’ve ever seen – a cardboard box, towel, and aluminum foil; now, where’d I put my “that was easy” button?

DIY Faraday Cage

This video shows you a more elegant DIY Faraday Cage solution. However, it’s still extremely easy and simple to build.

They use a Behrens10-Gallon Locking Lid Can as their conductive metal container, cardboard as their insulator, and some aluminum tape for the seams.

Survival Tactics: How to Build a Good Faraday Cage for Cheap

Ok, take the previous video and make it even simpler. Done.

How To Make A Faraday Cage In 5 Minutes Using 3 Items

As you can see, building a homemade Faraday Cage is easy.

You don’t need a degree in Electrical Engineering to protect your electronic devices. You must follow these examples and stash a few spare electronic devices in your Faraday Cage to protect your electronics from an EMP.

But which electronic devices?

Glad you asked.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

What Should You Store In Your Faraday Cage?

I like to think about Faraday Cages in three distinct categories: Home, Vehicle, and Carry.

Home

An at-home faraday cage can be either large or small, depending on how much you want to add.

In a home-sized Faraday Cage, I highly recommend stashing the following devices:

Communication Devices

Communication devices are the most critical electronics you should put in a Faraday Cage. I recommend adding at least one set of local communication devices (aka walkie-talkies) and one over-the-air type of radio.

Will radio communications still occur after an EMP attack? Won’t the EMP blast take down those communication lines and towers?

Maybe yes; maybe no. It’s hard to predict, and as you’ll learn below, no single blast can take down all electronics since each one is geared for different frequencies.

So I think the following devices are a good start for your home Faraday Cage.

Handcrank – Solar Radio

Adding a Hand Crank Emergency Radio to your Faraday Cage will ensure you have a radio to gather intel no matter how long the grid goes down.

This is the hand crank radio that I recommend.

Plus, it always makes sense to stash a backup AM/FM/Weather Band radio, just in case.

You can also use this hand crank radio to power up a cell phone to make a 1-2 minute call in a dire emergency.

Ham Radio

This radio setup is more for advanced prepared survivalists.

If you’re into Ham radio communications (and should be), you must add a portable ham radio to your Faraday Cage. Consider this radio a spare since you want to keep it in for a surprise EMP event.

And really, we’ll likely get little to no warning of an actual EMP attack.

A portable one is what you need if an EMP takes out your larger Ham radio setup.

Walkie Talkies

I firmly believe in preparing with a coalition. Whether that’s a survival group or just your local family doesn’t matter. In emergencies having other people you can trust is essential.

But you’ll want a way to communicate with each other on a local scale. So each member of your emergency team should stash a spare set of walkie-talkies in their Faraday Cage.

That way, if the blast does take out most exposed communication devices, you’ll still have your 2-way radios; most won’t have anything.

Illumination Devices

If the grid is down, your main source of nighttime illumination will be candles or flashlights. Candles work for a few days, but unless you stock up like crazy, you’ll eventually run out. Plus, good luck moving around at night with candles.

So you should add some illumination gear to your Faraday Cage.

Tactical Flashlight

Add a tactical flashlight to your Faraday Cage. This doesn’t need to be an expensive one.

A small single double A battery LED flashlight is ideal for this. The last thing you want to do is stash a $100 flashlight in there and then never get to use it.

For A Limited Time Only: Get a FREE FireHawk Tactical Flashlight For Visiting Skilled Survival! Just pay s&h. Click Here To Learn More.

Headlamp

There are some tasks where a headlamp works 1000X better than a flashlight.

It’s ideal for tasks that require two hands. Without a good headlamp, you only have someone hold the flashlight or try to prop the flashlight up.

For me, stashing a headlamp is the way to go.

Hunting-Related Electronics

Night goggles are a powerful tool in a survival situation. However, they require power.

So if you want the advantage of using night vision goggles after an EMP event, then you best stash a pair in your Faraday Cage.

The same idea goes for high-powered rifle scopes.

I’m not certain these electronics will be taken out in an EMP, but if your survival plan includes hunting, don’t risk it.

Spare Rechargeable Batteries / Battery Chargers / Solar Charger

You add batteries to support your battery-powered devices. You also need the means to recharge batteries without using grid power.

So get some rechargeable batteries, a battery charger, and a portable solar panel.

Ideally, all your devices use the same size battery. The most common is the AA battery. So if you can match all your electronic devices to AA, you make your life a little bit easier. If not, you’ll need spare batteries for each battery type.

Now, you also need a portable solar charger to recharge your batteries.

Then use your batteries to power your devices like your [pocket-radio source=”FaradayCagePost” name=”Katio Pocket Radio”], Tactical Flashlight, Headlamp, etc.

If you pair an Anytime Charge Power Bank with a few AA USB Batteries, you can bypass the need for a battery charger.

Just recharge these new rechargeable batteries into your Anytime Charge Power Bank.

Simple and effective.

Note: Your batteries will likely be fine after an EMP, even outside a Faraday Cage. So if space is limited in your Faraday Cage, you can remove them. However, I always try to keep spare batteries for my gear with my gear.

That way, I know that I have what I need in my gear stash.

A Spare Survival Watch or Tactical Watch

Most people I know have more than one survival watch.

Why? Primarily because they are awesome.

So don’t be afraid to toss one of your spare tactical watches into your faraday cage.

That way, you won’t lose the compass and sensor features you get from your watch even after an EMP.

Vehicle

Now, if your “at home” faraday cage is large (i.e., a shipping container), you can stash it in your vehicle.

This works best if you always have your vehicle with you at work and home.  However, if you live in extremely cold climates, you may have to consider electronics in those conditions.

But generally, a glove box or under-seat Faraday Cage enclosure will provide enough space for a shielded spare radio and cell phone.

This would be a must if your vehicle were disabled by a massive EMP or solar flare (due to so many electronic parts). At a minimum, you’ll want to stash a spare communication system if you get stranded.

Carry

On the go, you can use a smaller pouch faraday cage like this Migeec Faraday Bag, RFID Blocking Bag.

This allows you to can keep smaller items (like your cell phone or personal radio) protected.

These can be small enough to be ideal as a piece of your bug-out bag gear, a get-home bag essential, or even your jacket pocket. Plus, it’s light enough to become part of your everyday carry.

Police departments are now using them to protect electronic devices collected as evidence.

The RFID-shielding Faraday cage wallets or even a simple RFID-blocking credit card sleeve are at the smallest end of the spectrum.

These can help protect your credit card and banking information from mobile scanners.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Faraday Cage Myths & Misinformation

Myth 1. They Are Too Complicated To Build Yourself

People who look into Faraday cages get discouraged when they see professional installations. Ones that seem impossible to reproduce at home.

These cages often use expensive materials and highly intricate doors and openings. They help to reduce the chance of any signal transmission.

At the very simplest, you can use any metal enclosure that can work as a Faraday Cage with some modifications. Ammo cans, metal cabinets, steel lockers, and trash cans all work.

Heck, even just several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil can do the trick. Just by wrapping it carefully around a cardboard box, it can protect small devices.

Myth 2. Chicken Wire Works As Well As Foil Or Metal Boxes

There are some discussions online that using chicken wire as your Faraday Cage conductive metal works just as well as other options. This is not a good idea.

Chicken wire provides much less EMP protection than even aluminum foil by a wide margin.

See for yourself:

Faraday Cage – Check Wire vs. Aluminum Foil

Myth 3. You Can Use An Ammo Can (without modifications)

Ammo cans don’t make great Faraday Cages without some work. First off, ammo cans typically have a gasket around the lid to help create a good airtight seal.

But this gasket is not a conductive material, creating a breach. This allows an EMP blast to penetrate the ammo can.

You also have to deal with the hinges on the backside, which are also not an ideal conductive seal.

If you want to use an ammo can, you’ll either need to modify it, wrap it with several layers of foil, or put the ammo can into another Faraday Cage.

Ammo Can Faraday Cage

Myth 4. How Faraday Cages Actually Work

There are several misconceptions about how a Faraday Cage actually works. These misconceptions create several myths about Faraday Cages, such as:

1. Believing They Can Use A Cell Phone To “Test” A Faraday Cage – doesn’t work that way
2. That Faraday Cages Must Be Grounded – they do not
3. That A Single EMP Will Take Out All Electrical Devices – it won’t because different nuclear/solar EMP blasts have different frequencies (however, if an attacker used several blasts designed for different frequencies, it could do a large range of damage, or if an attacker focused solely on the grid – that would be devastating as well)
4. That All Modern Vehicles Will Become Paperweights After An Attack – they won’t

Watch the following video for more details on these misconceptions, and pick up this fantastic educational book on EMPs.

Faraday Cage & EMP Misconceptions

Final Thoughts

Now that you’re up to speed on Faraday Cages, what will you do about it?

Are you going to take action? When?

I think you should take action right now because “I should have” and “I could have” are just poor excuses when it’s too late.

Building a Faraday Cage is simple, easy, and affordable. So no excuses; get it done.

Jason K. 

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post How To Build A Faraday Cage & What To Put In It appeared first on Skilled Survival.