Hot Disaster Preparation Posts
How To: The End of the World Survival Guide: Staying Alive During a Global Cyber War
Will the predicted apocalyptic date—December 21st, 2012—really be the end of the world? In this ongoing five-part series, we examine what would happen if zombies, nuclear weapons, cyber wars, earthquakes, or aliens actually destroyed our planet—and how you might survive.
How To: Tie a perfect round crown sinnet
In this handy knot-tying tutorial from JD of Tying It All Together, we learn how to tie a round crown sinnet. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started tying round crown knots yourself, watch this video guide.
How To: Make an outdoors survival shelter out of mud, soil and clay
Oh no! You're lost in the wilderness without an adequate survival shelter! Protect yourself from inclement weather by using soil, clay, mud and other materials found in nature to build your own mud hut for protection from the elements.
HowTo: Drink Your Own Pee (Safely)
For my sake, for your sake, for everyone's sake: I hope it never comes to this, but you never know. Dire times call for dire measures.
How To: Tie the Etyszkiety knot
Tying It All Together presents a video on the Etyszkiety knot, a decorative Polish knot worn by mounted brands. This knot also has connections to other cultures, where it is called the prosperity or the prolong knot.
How To: Build a basic shelter out of plastic and cord
In this informative video, Reggie Bennett from the Mountain Shepherd Survival School shows you how to make a basic shelter in the woods. It's simpler than you'd think. Whether you're planning a campy trip or you're trying to prepare for any potential disasters, it's important to know to build shelter in a hurry.
How To: Prepare an emergency kit for your car
You may think you'll never be in an emergency situation, but you can never be too prepared! This video provides excellent tips on what to bring and do in an emergency situation.
How To: Build a shelter in the forest
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a shelter in the forest. If you get stuck in the woods, you'll need to know how to protect yourself from the elements.
How To: Make a primitive fishing hook from wood or thorn
Learn how to make a primitive fishing hook / fishing gouge from completely natural materials in a wilderness survival situation. Learn how to survive in the wild. You never know when you'll be stranded on a desert island, lost in the deep woods, or be a contender for Survival, the TV show. This series of videos, by Hedgehog Leatherworks, brings you the basics in outdoor survival. Wilderness survival skills include fire starting, deadfall traps, primitive fishing, making jerky, rope & cordage ...
How To: Tie the sheepshank knot
Check out this instructional knot tying video that demonstrates how to tie the sheepshank knot. This type of knot is shortened to "tie out" a damaged section of rope or shorten a rope that has specialized ends. Learn how to tie the sheepshank knot with this video tutorial.
How To: Tie a hangman's noose looped knot out of rope
Learn how to tie the hangman's noose, it has more purposes than you may think, it is great to bundle items together, especially when you need to loosen and re-tighten the rope without having to re-tie the whole thing. Be responsible with any kind of noose. This video is for information only, and is not responsible for any kind of misuse. Watch this video survival training tutorial and learn how to tie a hangman's noose.
How To: Make a Slammin' Fire Piston for Under a Buck
Did you know that there's a way to start a fire by squishing air? In this project, I'll show you how to build a tool that does exactly that—and I'll give you a sneak peak into the principals of how a diesel engine operates!
How To: Identify flint and other types of sparking rocks to light a fire
If you're going to start a fire in the wild, you're going to need the right kind of rock. This great little video helps you identify the kind of rock you'll need to successfully light a fire in the wild. You'll need some high carbon steel for striking your sparking rock, then you'll be ready to make sparks.
How To: Make a teepee from an inexpensive tarp
Ever wanted to build a backyard teepee? Here's your chance! In this two-part tutorial, learn how to contruct an inexpensive teepee out of a tarp. Easy to set-up, this teepee is roomy and fun to play in no matter what age you are! If in the wilderness, use this teepee for reliable shelter from cold or warm weather.
How To: Make your own compass
Matt Preye shows you how to make your own emergency compass. Here are two ways of making your own compass: If you have a sewing needle and a magnet you can magnetize the needle by running it down the magnet a few times. Find some stagnant water and set a leaf in it. Now set the pin down on the leaf, and the leaf will swing just like a compass. If you don't have anything other than the sun, you can do the following: Put a stick in the ground and then add more sticks at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and ...
How To: Use a magnesium fire starter
This is how to use a magnesium fire stick. Steps:
How To: How to tie an eye splice with rope
The eye splice might sound like some horrible procedure from the lab of Dr. Frankenstein, but it's actually a very useful skill to learn for camping or disaster preparation. Eye splicing is a way to secure different strands of rope together so they're stronger than a knot. In this tutorial, the guys at ITS Tactical show us how to do an eye splice.
How To: Tie the Celtic heart knot
In this video, we learn how to tie the Celtic heart knot. Start off with your rope and make a loop in the middle of it. Now, bring the working en on the right side into the loop so you have a circle. Now, bring that end back into the knot and braid it through the other loop. Next, push this through the bottom loop, then braid it through the lines that are on the shape. After this, you will see a heart shape start to form. Pull gently on the heart with both sides of the rope and shape the midd...
How To: Boil water without pots or pans
This video illustrate how to boil water without pots or pans. Here are the following steps:Step 1: You need fire, water and any plastic container with lid.Step 2: Now take water and fill it in the bottle so that there is no air present in the bottle.Step 3: Now put on the fire and put the seal bottle on fire with a distance of around 12 inch.Step 4: Now let the heat warm up the bottle and be careful while handling the bottle.Step 5: After the water has heated up, bubbles will appear in the bo...
How To: Make your own water filter
This video shows you how to make your very own water filter. 1. 20mm PVC pipe for upper section larger debris.
News: Hack a stove from a soda can & rubbing alcohol
Here's a hack submitted by member SurvivalTek. Introducing the Pepsi-can stove! Cook meals with a soda can and some isopropyl alcohol!
How To: Tie a tensioning knot
The tensioning knot, demonstrated in this how-to video, is a useful way to tie the strands of my whips to the rope machine. It is also useful anytime that quick tension is needed and a truckers hitch is too much or the distance is too short. Tie a noose in the line and snug it up then a slippery half hitch locks it in place. Watch this video knot-tying tutorial and learn how to tie a tensioning knot.
How To: Tie a paracord bundle
The method of rope handling demonstrated in this how-to video came from the Japanese. Pirates during the warring states period used such bundles to secure prisoners among other shipboard duties and the bundle stays alive today in hojujitsu. A few fathoms of paracord in a pocket and a handier tool aboard a boat would be hard to find. Watch this video knot-tying tutorial and learn how to tie a paracord bundle.
How To: Use a Wind King rope lighter
This video is a short demonstration of the wind king rope lighter, a small lighter that uses a length of cloth rope and a flint to create an ember for fire making. With this helpful lighter, you can make fire in places where the wind would normally destroy your lighter's flame.
How To: Build a RanDome Geodesic Emergency Shelter
This method is easy, intuitive and requires very little math. You will need:
How To: Build an Apache foot trap snare for catching large game
Procuring food in the wild is key if you're going to survive. The bigger your catch, the longer you'll be able to survive. This instructional video shows how to build and bait an Apache foot trap, for catching large game such as deer, moose, elk, or bear. You'll need a hatchet, several branches, some grape vine pieces, a length of paracord or bankline and a hole in the ground.
How To: Make natural long burning torches in the forest
In this tutorial, we learn how to make natural long burning torches in the forest. First, use a dead tree limb and rip off all the bark that is on it. Next, gather up the bark from the tree and tie it together with wire you carry with you. Also, gather up a dead stick and connect this to the dead bark as well. Use a multi-tool to cut the wire if you are in a hurry. Once finished, light the bark on fire and you will have a natural torch that will burn in the forest! Be sure to use a dead tree ...
How To: Tie a Button Knot lanyard
Think you're a knot master? Have you mastered the Button Knot? Simple and elegant, the Button Knot makes for more than just a decorative button; It makes for a wonderful lanyard leash. From Tying It All Together, learn how to tie a Button Knot lanyard in a just a few steps.
How To: Start a fire with the "fire saw" friction method
This video illustrate us how to start a fire with the "fire saw" friction method. Here are the following steps:
How To: Cook under a tarp in rain
This is a video about shelter cooking. We are shown how people who are hammock camping in the rain are able to cook under their tarp. This is important because you have to have some way to cook under your shelter when it rains, and there's no way you can have a fire under there without getting smoked out. It makes life easier if you can set up a stove inside your shelter to cook on. We are shown two ways to do this, and both systems work well. One way is to use an alcohol stove. You can make ...
How To: Use water vines to get water in the wild
This video tutorial will show you how to use water vines to get water in the wild, if you fancy yourself the next Bear Grylls. There are different kinds of vines and not all vines are made equally. If you open them up they all contain water. Some vines produce bitter water and some are sweet.
News: DIY Penny-Powered Stove
Light-weight, tiny, and easily doable, Mark Jurey's penny stove instructional demonstrates how to make a sleekly simple (and cheap) camping stove.
How To: Orient a map and use a compass as a Boy Scout
Second Class Boy Scouts work on building their outdoor survival and camping skills. Compass work, nature observation, camp tools, and swimming are areas where new skills are mastered and demonstrated. A second class scout, having completed all the requirements, should be able to lead a hike, care for his own equipment, set up a campsite, and perform basic first aid.
How To: Tie a Winch Pole Hitch
The pole hitch, demonstrated in this how-to video, is used on a marling spike or rack quite often but it is also a great way to tie off to a winch to bolster your mooring. The Winch Pole Hitch can be tied in the bight, meaning that neither end of the rope needs to be accessed in order to be tied, making it idea for tying up animals. Watch this video knot-tying tutorial and learn how to tie a Winch Pole Hitch.
How To: Tie an adjustable bowline knot
This how-to video demonstrates a way of tying a bowline to adjust the snugness of the bowline on your winch or whatever you have tied it to. Tie the bowline as usual. Pull the top of the eye and the bottom of the turn apart then pull on both of the strands exiting the loop to capsize the knot. Then snug it up and reset it. Watch this video knot-tying tutorial and learn how to tie an adjustable bowline knot.
How To: Tie knots to hang an easy hammock
This how-to video demonstrates the easiest way to make a hammock. Simple, easy and safe, with no sewing required, make a hammock anytime in a pinch. All you need is fabric, rope, and the knot-tying skills from this instructional video. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to make an easy hammock.
How To: Make a fire piston from a flashlight
Learn how to make a fire piston or fire syringe from a MagLite flashlight.
How To: Build your own hidden safe
With over 6 million break-ins across the nation a year, Here's a cheap quick and easy way to hide your smaller more valuable goodies! Build your own hidden safe.
How To: Build a bivouac shelter
Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine and video jug team up to demonstrate how to build a bivouac shelter. Materials you will need are: a bivouac, a ground sheet and a knife. Choose right spot for camp. Is there a fuel source or water nearby? Is there a water source? These and other practical considerations are discussed. Build a bivouac shelter.
Body Hack: How to Stop an Emotional Freakout by Inducing Your Body's Natural Survival Instincts
Many of us experience highly emotional "freakouts", so to speak, more often than we'd like. Weather you experience them personally, or via your loved ones, it can be very difficult to think rationally during an episode, and for some people it can take quite a while to calm down.