Guides & Resources

How to Choose the Right Sleeping Bag Temperature for Your NeedA sleeping bag doesn’t generate heat on its own. Instead, it works like a thermos, insulating and trapping the warmth your body produces. The effectiveness of this insulation is indicated by the sleeping bag’s temperature rating. Choosing the right sleeping bag isn’t simply about opting for the warmest model available; it’s about finding one that matches the specific conditions you’ll encounter. If you’re unsure about which temperatur …

How to Wash, Store and Care For a Military Sleeping Bag Military sleeping bags are designed to take a beating, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be cared for properly. This guide will walk you through the best practices for washing, drying, storing, and maintaining a military sleeping bag--including synthetic, down, and DWR sleeping bags--to ensure your bag stays in top condition for your next outdoor excursion.How to Wash a Military Sleeping BagCan I Wash My Military Sleeping Bag in …

The 5 Most Common Outdoor Injuries and How to Treat ThemOutdoor enthusiasts know that the thrill of the wilderness comes with its share of risks. While dramatic injuries such as from a bear mauling or lightning strike are incredibly unlikely, there is a high risk for certain injuries while outdoors.These common outdoor injuries may seem minor. However, if you aren’t prepared, they can easily ruin your trip, or even escalate into something more serious. For example, a minor foot injury can slow d …

Not Just a Can Opener: 14 Ways to Use the P-38 or P-51While rucksacks, poncho liners, and vests might get more attention, the humble P-38 can opener has been called the “best army invention ever.” Also called a “John Wayne” by soldiers because of its toughness, the P-38 can opener is compact and lightweight enough to carry on your key ring. It is an amazingly versatile tool with a cool history and dozens of uses beyond just opening can, making it great for EDC and prepping.You can getbulk packs …

Setting up a tarp shelter for one or two people is fairly easy. However, things get complicated when you have a large group of people.For example, the classic A-frame shelter is terrible for 5+ people. The people at the sides of the shelter have almost no headroom. Their bodies can end up hitting the sides of the wall, which can result in condensation problems. You could try to solve this by having everyone sleep with their heads and feet towards the walls, but then people will have to crawl o …

When you walk through the doors of an army navy store or open your delivery package, it hits you almost immediately: the smell of military surplus. After a while, you may even come to love the distinct odor of must, Cosmoline and F.A.N. However, it’s understandable that you don’t want your gear smelling like a TA-50 locker or quartermaster laundry room. So, here’s how to get the surplus smell out of your gear without damaging it.1. FreezerThis method sounds a weird, but it works because freezin …

Unless you love the feeling of being cramped under a layer of canvas or poly, 8x10 is the minimum size tarp you will need to make a shelter for one person with gear. There are plenty of other tarp options, but the 8x10 is a good balance between coverage and still being easy to transport.Not all tarp shelter setups work well with an 8x10 tarp, though. The rectangular shape isn’t ideal for tarp setups that have diagonal ridge lines. Likewise, any setup with lots of folds will be cramped insi …

Tying knots with duct tape is one of those “survival hacks” that seems like it would be easy. You just cut some strips of duct tape and use them to tie knots, right?Wrong.It turns out that the almighty duct tape can’t be used for everything (gasp!). However, my attempt to make rope and tie knots with duct tape does teach a good lesson about survival gear.Fail #1For my first attempt, I simply folded duct tape over on itself so the sticky part was inside. Then I cut those strips into narrower piec …

With all of the advancements in LED lighting over the years, glow sticks—aka chemical lights—have become an overlooked prep item. While they won’t replace a good headlamp or lantern, glow sticks have many survival uses that make them worth packing.1. Tactical MarkingBecause they are cheap, glow sticks are great for tactical marketing. Put them along trails or tie them to trees to help you find your way back in the dark. Or use them to mark hazards, such as cliff edges or holes around camp. Durin …