Survival/Emergency :: Best Military Surplus

The Leather Slapper Makes Self-Defense Easy

by craigkent

March 8th, 2011

One of the least-known military surplus protection weapons is the leather slapper. It isn’t ideal for every dangerous situation, but it can get the job done.

The leather slapper is a small self defense weapon which can be used to knock out anyone who tries to attack you. The weapon has a simple design. It’s usually made of two lead chunks inside a leather covering with the lead pieces at two separate ends. The middle of the slapper is flexible, which allows the user to hold the leather slapper by one of the lead pieces and “slap” the enemy with the other end. Usually, there is a hand strap on the slapper so you have a good grip on it when you use it.

This little weapon may not look intimidating, but attackers who get hit with it with great force may think otherwise. It can easily knock anyone out when it’s used properly.

Oddly enough, the leather slapper was the very first weapon I ever owned — even before a Swiss Army knife. My cousin gave it to me for my 14th birthday after he got back from being in the Army. Thankfully, I haven’t had to use it ever.

Getting one of these self-defense weapons isn’t a bad idea for self-defense. You can easily keep it in your pocket for protection against an attacker; ladies, you can keep it in your purse. Check out Amazon’s selection to get the right one for you. They offer slappers with different sizes and weights.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Survival/Emergency
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Find Your Way With a Military Compass

by craigkent

September 28th, 2010

The best way to keep track of where you are when you’re outdoors is to use a military compass. It’s made to lead soldiers on the battlefield without failing, so you know you can trust this military surplus item.

Tritium-filled Military Compass

The compass has some form or another actually existed for more than two thousand years. This is sometimes hard to believe, but people living in the old days needed some way to know where they were going — the sky wasn’t always clear to see the stars at night. It’s tough to trace the lineage of the military compass earlier than World War II. During that period, soldiers used the Prismatic M-1938 compass. After that, the Magnetic M-1950 compass began to be used. The military compass used by soldiers today is called a lensatic compass (because of the clear lens used).

The way a compass works is pretty simple. A magnetized needle is placed on a peg within either open space or a fluid to allow the needle to move. The needle aligns with the magnetic field of the earth in order to point in the direction of “Magnetic North.” Because of the location of the magnetic field around the earth, the compass will not point directly to “true north.” Be sure to remember that when you’re traveling close to the North Pole, since the difference between “True North” and “Magnetic North” increases as you go farther north.

The military compass uses radioactive tritium for its fluid. But don’t worry — the tritium used in the military compass is not nearly as dangerous as the tritium used by Doc Ock in Spider-Man! Tritium is used for luminescence purposes — the fluid glows in the dark, and it re-charges with sunlight.

What’s so exciting about a military compass? Well it may not be a form of technology that’s new, but it sure will help you in a pinch. You can get the actual military compass that soldiers use right here. But if you’re not in the market for one that’s top-of-the-line, you can get a cheaper one here.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Survival/Emergency
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Military Sleeping Bag – Sleep Like a Mummy

by craigkent

May 24th, 2010

There are so many types of a military sleeping bag out there that it’s tough to find the best one. If it was a simple answer as to what bag stands out from the rest, we would probably tell you. The best military sleeping bag depends on your personal needs and your budget, so we’ll highlight different benefits of several bags so you can choose the bag that’s right for you.

The military sleeping bag is also commonly known as a “mummy bag,” since it features a “hood” portion that covers most of its user’s head, making the wearer look like a mummy. The whole point of this is to allow the bare minimum amount of body heat to escape the bag when it is fully enclosed. There are some great military surplus mummy bags out there at great prices, including this one.

Most military sleeping bags will be made to retain heat under conditions of certain temperatures. Many high-quality bags can be purchased that will keep you warm in below-freezing temperatures. The bag made by Cascade pictured to the right is supposed to protect you in temperatures as cold as -40 degrees fahrenheit!

Bivy

Now if you want warmth without sacrificing convenience of size, then maybe one of three military sleeping bags made by Softie is for you. These three models — the Merlin, the Hawk, and the Osprey — are 17 inches long or less at their longest points when compressed. What distinguishes the three designs from each other is their temperature ratings. The catch with buying a Softie bag is that it won’t be cheap. But if it’s small you want, the price will be worth it. You can check out each Softie bag here.

A separate component of a military sleeping bag that helps soldiers stay dry in wet conditions is the bivouac sack, often called a “bivy.” A bivy is a simple piece of water-proof material, such as silnylon, that fits over a military sleeping bag. Sometimes moisture accumulates between the bivy and the sleeping bag, but bivys with breathable fabrics, like Gore-Tex, have been designed recently to prevent this.

And what would a military surplus item be without being available in camo? Here’s a great mummy bag that comes in the military fan-favorite design.

Let us know what you think the best military sleeping bag is. Comment below.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Camping, Survival/Emergency
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MRE – Meal, Ready-to-Eat

by craigkent

March 30th, 2010

Everyone loves food, but is the MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat) a worthy military surplus topic? Absolutely! After all, our uniformed soldiers have to eat something to sustain them while carrying out their duties. Granted, if a soldier is living on a base, he’s not going to be eating many MRE’s. But, an MRE can come in handy when away from the base on a mission.

To discover when MRE’s first originated, we have to go way back into the first days of this country during the Revolutionary War. Colonial soldiers were given food to eat on the battlefield, mostly made up of peas, beef, and rice. The MRE contained a wider variety as it made an appearance during the Civil War. It continued to evolve throughout the wars of the 20th century, containing lighter meats, potatoes, fruit bars, and more. Finally, standard issue dehydrated MRE’s went into service in 1986, being stored in plastic pouches.

The MRE currently can include a wide variety of contents. Here are some of the most common items: main course, side dish, desert, bread, spread (cheese, peanut butter, or jelly), and beverage mix. The MRE also has an all-important eating utensil, a flameless ration heater, and other miscellaneous items (seasoning, napkin, chewing gum, etc.). The ration heater is a small pouch that emits no flame, and it allows soldiers to heat their meal. There are currently 24 main course dishes available, including chili and macaroni, beef stew, and chicken and dumplings.

The MRE is obviously not the best-tasting meal you will ever eat, but it certainly can come handy in a pinch. It works great for camping trips by limiting dishes and utensils needed. It’s an easy way to carry food that doesn’t take much preparation while hunting. And even when you’re at home, it’s a quick way to get the energy you need when on-the-go. The shelf life of the MRE is three years, so you can stock up without worrying about letting any go to waste.

Just reading about all this food makes me hungry! If you want to get some of these tasty meals for that camping trip, or just to keep with you in the case of an emergency, check out Amazon’s great selection. And if you’re looking for a great way to sleep in style, check out our Family Coleman Instant Tent review.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Camping, Survival/Emergency
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Military Poncho – Don’t Let Rain Ruin Your Day

by craigkent

March 16th, 2010

The military poncho has been field-tested by soldiers since the American Civil War. It’s a popular military surplus item that brings its wearer happiness on those cloudy, rainy days.

The U.S. military did not invent the poncho, but it did make it a dependable item to keep its soldiers dry during wet days. The original military poncho used for protection from rain was made of a latex-coated material. Those ponchos were multipurpose, giving soldiers a covering from the rain and a mat to sleep on. Later the U.S. military started to make rubberized canvas ponchos to give to soldiers. Around the time of World War II, hoods were made for the military poncho. Finally, after the second world war, nylon was used in making the military poncho and has been the material of choice ever since. The current military poncho can be used as a shelter in emergencies.

Poncho liner

Another military surplus item that’s similar to the poncho is the poncho liner. It’s made of a durable nylon and doubles as a blanket. To wear it around your body, you just tie together the strings on the corners. Check it out here.

Everyone has a need for a poncho at some point. The usual occasions to use one are while hunting or camping, but there are several other situations that call for one. A poncho will keep you dry while packing sandbags during a flood, walking in the city during a rainstorm, or strolling around a fair or amusement park while it’s drizzling.

So why not get the poncho that keeps our soldiers dry? The military poncho comes in all the great military colors, including olive drab, black, and several camouflage patterns (including “digital” camo). They’re also made with high-quality nylon, and feature a hood to keep your head dry. And the best part is, the ones you get here are made in the U.S.A. Check out this selection. If you’re looking for a way to stay warm and dry for the whole night, you might like our Family Coleman Instant Tent review.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Camping, Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Gear, Men, Survival/Emergency, Tents, Women
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What to Include in Your Survival Kit

by craigkent

January 10th, 2010

Here are some of the key tools you will need to help you survive when you are on your own in the wild and have limited resources.

Fire Starter Let’s face it: the old fashioned way of starting a fire is, well, old fashioned. To be sure you have a way to start a fire, it would be a good idea to carry around one of these magnesium fire-starters in your survival kit. They are small, reliable, and light even when they are wet. This is the model to get since it is the actual fire starter issued to military pilots.

Multi-Purpose Shovel When you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere, it is tough to come by a means of shelter. This means you would need to build yourself some protection from the elements. This five-in-one survival kit comes with all you need to do that. Included is a shovel so you can dig yourself a hole to use as a fire pit, latrine, or anything else. The kit also comes with a saw and an axe, which give you a means to gather wood for a fire, or possibly to build a semi-sophisticated shelter. A compass is also included, which may be the most important of the five items. The kit comes in a handy nylon carry pouch.

Water Purification Tablets A human being can live without food for several weeks, but one can not live without water for quite as long. When you find yourself in that tough situation where the only water to drink is dirty, and possibly harmful (such as from a river, or creek), you need an option that will enable you to stay hydrated. Your best bet is this simple water purification system that comes in the form of tablets. They remove sediment, giardia, bacteria, and viruses. Not to mention they are standard issue to military personnel. This means that since the military trusts these tablets to keep its soldiers alive in dire situations, you should too.

Survival Knife The axe and saw can help you cut down a small tree, but they do not give you the tact and versatility that a knife does. One of the best choices for a survival knife is the Ontario ASEK (Aircraft Survival and Egress Knife). The ASEK knife was designed for military aircraft pilots for use in the case of a crash. It is strong enough to cut through aircraft skin and acrylic glass windows, which means it is strong enough for just about anything a knife would be used for. The knife can be used to cut clothing to be used as makeshift bandages, as a weapon against wildlife or enemies, and a number of other things. A lot of people may not think a knife should be part of a survival kit, but we think it is very important.

All in One Survival Kit If you do not want the hassle of putting together your own survival kit, you can always just purchase a kit already made for you, such as this one. This kit contains most of the items already mentioned, and a substitute for those it does not. Items included in the kit are a compass, brass wire cutter, matches, water tablets, and more. Plus the contents of the kit come in a handy, easy-to-carry tin.

So before you leave on your next outdoor adventure, having survival kit with this gear with you will ensure that you are prepared for any emergency situation. You may never get lost in a hundred-acre forest, stranded in a desert, or marooned on an island, but it does not hurt to be prepared.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.

Categories Camping, Hunting/Camping Knives, Knives, Survival/Emergency
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Wire Saw – Pocket Small, Bone-cutting Strong?

by Administrator

December 31st, 2009

Here is a scenario for you. You are in deep in the forest without the proper tools, and all you have on you is the Commando Wire Saw. You are in better shape then you might think. It is small enough to fit in your pocket and strong enough to cut wood, plastic, bone, metal and most things you may encounter.

Carried on the person or in a survival kit, wire saws can be a very precise tool if used correctly, they can cut objects that normal saws are too thick for as well

Purchase Commando Wire Saw

Categories Camping, Survival/Emergency
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