The Seal Pup is based of the design that the Navy Seals use, so you know that this knife can take a beating. During our testing we threw everything we had at this knife and after a couple weeks of cutting everything we could get our hands, the SOG was still as sharp as the day we got it. We will be doing some more tests throughout the year and will do another review reporting on it’s long term use, but as of now I really don’t see this knife letting us down.

Seal Pup Knife Specifics

• Full tang blade
• Blade Length 4.85″
• Overall Length 9.5″
• Weight 5.4 oz.
• AUS 8 Steel
• Navy Seal Tested, including a 14-day salt water immersion test

This Knife held up to everything we through at it including:

1. Cutting wood, meats, leather, ropes, and anything we could find.
2. Used it as an Axe to cut some pretty thick pieces of wood. (still held it’s edge and no damage to the knife)
3. Used the knife point to open cans, notch wood, and jammed it into thing to see if it would break ( it didn’t!)
4. Letting it sit in water for a three days (no rust or noticeable damage)

Why We Recommend the SOG Seal Pup Elite

1. Extremely Sharp and Holds it’s Edge after rigorous testing
2. Hands down one of the best survival knifes we have ever seen.
3. Light weight and perfect for those wanting to keep down their pack weights.
4. I have seen some complaints from people who didn’t like the nylon sheath, but you won’t hear any coming from me. In fact I actually like the sheath. It feels really durable and had enough room in the pocket to stash a lighter, fishing line (a few weights and hooks), and a small flashlight. It made a nice little survival kit.
5. Very nice Grip. ( thicker and deeper finger groves than the regular seal pup)

Looking for a Good Sog Knife? I recommend one of these Sog Knives

• SOG Navy Seal Pup Elite Fixed Blade Knife – Special Edition
• Sog Seal Pup Elite, Zytel Handle, Black TiNi Blade, Nylon Sheath – Seal Pup – Knives

Things to think about when Buying a Bag

1. Consider how cold it will be when you are camping. One thing to keep in mind is it’s harder to stay warm in an insufficiently insulated bag than it is to cool off by venting a bag made for colder temperatures.
2. Your sleeping habits should be considered when picking the right bag. A bag that is too snug can make your body feel constricted and can actually compress the filling making the bag less effective.
3. Moisture Proof Bags – Consider where you are going to be hiking or camping, is moisture going to be a problem? If so you need to find a bag that can help wick moisture away from your body.
4. Weight – If you are hiking then the weight of your bag should also be a consideration. Some materials are lighter and can lessen your load on those long hauls.

Sleeping Bag Fillers

• Down Sleeping Bags
  • The Good – Down Bags are often used on high mountain expeditions because it is often warmer than synthetic options. Down is one of the lightest and most compressible insulations available. It is an excellent option to keep your pack weight down.
  • The Bad – If you are going to be in an area where moisture is a problem you should know that Down is very useless as an insulator when it gets wet.
• Synthetic Materials
  • The Good – Synthetic materials are probably a better option if you are going to be in wet environments. Synthetic-filled bags also cost less and are a good alternative for those who are allergic to down.
  • The Bad - Synthetic materials usually weight more and will take up more room in your pack. They are also not as warm as Down.

Temperature Ratings

A temperature rating is given to each bag to let you know how cold you can go. Be warned that this rating can differ from manufactures and can also depend on the person using the bag. The Temperature Rating of a bag should only be used as a rough guideline.

Other Features and Considerations

1. Bag Hoods – 50% of your body heat is lost through your head. A sleeping bag hood can trap heat and hold it in.
2. Draught Tubes – Draught Tubes are filled with Insulation and usually run along the side of the sleeping bag zipper to keep warmth from escaping. This is a must for Cold Camping
3. Vents – Some bags have vents that can be opened when the temperatures start to rise.
4. Draft collar. Make sure you Bag fits securely around your shoulders. This will help prevent your body heat from escaping. A draft collar is designed to prevent heat loss from your neck and shoulders. These are usually in colder weather bags and not in most summer bags.

When Choosing Socks there are a few options that you can choose from.

Wicking Socks

A lightweight sock that is made from a wicking fabric can help draw moisture away from your feet and keep you dry and blister free. When looking for a good inner sock you should look for fabrics that are smooth against the skin like wool or polypropylene.

Warm Weather Socks

Summer Socks are often made with Wool or a Wool Nylon Blend. There are also many new technologies out there such as CoolMax® polyester fibers that will help keep your feet cool and dry in hot environments. A good Summer sock will provide the right amount of cushion while at the same time being light enough to cool your feet in the heat.

Three Season Socks

Three Season Socks or Trekking Socks are often thicker than summer socks and will provide your feet with added cushioning to help prevent blisters. If you are planning on hiking long trails then these are probably the perfect socks to choose.

Winter Socks

Winter Socks are usually made out of wool and provide you with the warmth you need in freezing temperatures. They are often paired with a thin wicking sock.Make sure that they are thick enough to keep you warm but not so thick as to cut off the circulation to your feet.

Wouldn’t it be great to have all the survival information you have ever found online in your Bug Out Bag? But how? The hard drive is a great way to store information and can be great addition to your bag, but how can you access it in the middle of nowhere?

Well I think I found the answer. Enter the Mini Laptop…….

Laptops have been getting smaller and smaller, but a new generation of laptops (the netbooks) have  taken small to the next level. These little laptops are the perfect addition to any Bug out Bag. They are small, require little power, and the batteries on some of them can last for over 7 hours. With the right solar charger in your backpack, you would be able to use these off the grid forever!

You can also plug a portable hard drive or memory stick into the side of the laptop to increase your ability to store information.

So Why put one of these mini Laptops in your Bug Out Bag?

• Knowledge - You can store a huge amount of survival articles and information on these things. You would have to carry thousands of pounds of books to have the same amount of  information that you can fit on one of these little laptops.
• Internet – The ability to log onto the internet when you are on the road.
• Entertainment - Having something that can keep your spirits up in an emergency situation is extremely important. Imagine having all your favorite songs, games, and movies available to you anywhere in the world. Don’t overlook the power of entertainment, it helps keep your mind sharp and alert. Without entertainment, depression is a serious risk in any survival scenario.

Top Mini Laptops: (these things are really small)

• ASUS Eee PC 1000HA 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel ATOM N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery)
• Acer Aspire One 8.9-inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery)
• MSI Wind U100-432US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery)

The Henry U.S. Survival rifle is extremely lightweight at only 2.5 pounds. It can be easily broken down into three pieces in a couple seconds, and all the pieces fit right inside the waterproof stock. Once broken down it is only 16 inches long.

While something like a 10/22 Ruger is a much better rifle, if your looking for a .22 that can easily fit into a backpack, this will defiantly do the job.

Recently, I started carrying the Deluxe Survival Kit by Ultimate Survival Technologies. While I haven’t abandoned my homemade kit, the deluxe survival kit is defiantly a great addition to my gear, and is well worth the money. It’s major selling point for me was the ability to get a fire going in just about any conditions you can imagine.

The Survival Kit includes:

• Blast Match Fire Starter: The blast match is pretty cool. Its an all weather fire starter that generates sparks that are 3 times hotter that a regular match. It can be used with one hand and is a lot easier to use than a standard magnesium fire tool.
• Wet Fire Tinder: This stuff can be used to start a fire even in the rain. It actually burns while floating in water.
• Star Flash Signal Mirror: The mirror that comes with the kit is extremely durable and can be used to signal from distances of around 100 miles. The Star Flash signal mirror is used by the U.S. Air Force.
• Jet Scream Whistle: LOUD!!!!! This whistle is extremely loud and is great for signaling or scaring the hell out of bears.
• Saber Cut Saw: A really cool addition to a survival kit is this flexible hand chain saw. It’s great for cutting down dead trees for fire wood.

My Favorite Parts of the Kit:

• The Blastmatch and the Wet Fire…… The wet fire is extremely useful for starting fires in the rain. And the Blastmatch really cranks out the sparks.

I was going to make a video showing how useful some of the gear in this kit is, but I found one on youtube that really shows how useful these tools are.

Check out the Ultimate Survival Kit:

• Ultimate Survival Deluxe Tool Kit ( everything below is in the kit I listed the stuff below in case you wanted extra)
• Ultimate Survival WetFire Tinder
• Ultimate Survival Technologies BlastMatch All Weather Firestarter (orange)
• Ultimate Survival Technologies SaberCut Saw (Black)

Why I liked the Klean Kanteen.

• If you like the taste of plastic then don’t buy the Klean Kanteen, if you like water that actually tastes like water, then this bottle will do the trick. Even after a long day of hiking your water will still taste as fresh as when you filled it.
• Nice Rounded top for drinking. While this may sound like I’m over hyping the bottle, trust me I’m not. I had a bottle from another competing brand that was so sharp It was actually kind of dangerous to drink out of.  Out of every bottle I tried the Klean Kanteen was by far the best designed bottle. ( I tried 5 other brands that all sucked!)
• Rust Free – Another problem that I had with other bottles was rust. Most of them started to rust after only a couple days. The Klean Kanteen has never had that problem. I use these things on a daily basis and I don’t think this will ever be a problem.
• Light Weight – About the same weight as my old plastic bottles without the nasty plastic taste.
• Ability to boil water in the bottle. In a survival situation these bottles can be used to boil water. Some other brands are made of aluminum and baked epoxy that can not be used to cook with.

The Klean Kanteen comes in 4 sizes, (12, 18, 27 &40oz) and has a variety of cool caps and accessories. We liked the loop cap the best because it can be hooked to the straps of your backpack for easy access while walking.

Where to buy the Klean Kanteen?

• Klean Kanteen with Steel Caps – the Original Style. All Sizes. 12 oz, 18 oz, 27 oz and 40 oz

I think having a hand crank radio is essential for anyone who is serious about survival. Not only will it help you stay on top of what is going on during a natural disaster, but it will provide you with some needed entertainment. During any kind of disaster it is nice to have something that can temporarily take your mind off of your troubles.

Why We liked the EGear Dynamo Radio

The radio has:

• Weather band radio scans 7 NOAA channels plus emergency alert mode with AM/FM Radio
• Powerful little Led Light with a 180 swivel head light with 3-LEDs
• Sturdy outer shell.
• Operated by built-in rechargeable Ni-Mh batteries with 3 ways to power:
  1. Dynamo winding generator
  2. 12V DC car adapter (included)
  3. 12C AC/DC Wall adapter (not included)
• Features a Mobile phone adapter kit that will charge most cell phones.
• Has a little Storage compartment in the bottom of the radio to stash extra gear.
• Only 1 minute of winding time to get you 10 minutes of radio time or 1 minute of light time

Find out more about the radio:

• eGear Dynamo Weatherband/AM/FM Radio with 3LED Light (Yellow)

So Why did I end up liking the Leki Poles?

• I really liked the extra support they gave me while hiking through some riverbeds. They made hiking over tricky areas a little easier to navigate. They are also really good for keeping your balance when navigating over rough terrain.
• Hiking Poles can reduce the stress on your knee joints when doing a steep descent.
• The Leki poles are super sturdy and the quality is superb.
• Very Lightweight. When not in use I strapped them to the back of my Mountainsmith pack. The added weight was of no real significance, in fact, they are so light that I forgot they were strapped to the bag.
• They are really handy to have around in case you get into trouble. They can be used to make a quick tarp tent shelter.

Hiking Pole Tarp Tent Shelter

Check out these popular Leki Poles:

• Thermolite XL Antishock Trekking Poles 000 by Leki USA
• Leki Yukon Antishock Trekking Poles (Pair)
• LEKI Super Makalu COR-TEC PA Hiking Poles (Pair)

Looking for a solo tent to use with your walking Sticks?

• MSR E-Wing Solo Tent

The Cobb has an ingenious base that stays cool to the touch, and allows you to serve directly from any surface, even when the charcoal reaches 500 degrees.

Guyot Design’s TapGuard

Guyot Designs introduced an activated carbon filter called the TapGuard. The TapGuard fits in the mouth of a water bottles, and has an activated carbon filter to filter your water. It is not meant to protect you from bacteria but it will filter out the taste of chlorine or water treated with iodine.