Against All Odds | S.W.A.T. Magazine

AGAINST ALL ODDS: A Tale of Two Bivvies

SOL (Survive Outdoors Longer) has come out with their newest offering to the bivvy market—the Escape Pro Bivvy. Although SOL is not new to the bivvy market, the newer Pro series makes some subtle changes to the existing line-up. Throughout the warmer season, I used the Escape Lite Bivvy, so I could evaluate two options…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Urban Survival Sheltering

Many books and classes teach the importance of building and maintaining a shelter in the wild. Harvesting deadfall, cutting trees, and lashing logs together are all essential elements of building an emergency shelter, but what about in an urban environment? Urban areas are growing rapidly. As cities develop, people spread out and vast metropolitan complexes…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Stranded With a Vehicle

If you drive through a remote area, whether the terrain is wooded, desert, mountainous, or flat, think ahead about what could happen if you had a vehicle malfunction such as a flat tire or overheating. Are you prepared if you have to stay out an entire night in your car or truck? The truth is,…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Survival Travel: Fighting Back!

Fighting back against an attacker may be as simple as grabbing something close by and utilizing it—fast! Most big cities worldwide have crime. Situations with locals preying upon obvious tourists often end in some sort of physical conflict. This could be an encounter with a casual pickpocket or overaggressive local where you have to fight.…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Gearward Escape Tools

We live in an age of increasing terrorism and criminal activity. Hostage taking and kidnapping have dramatically increased as preferred tactics. No country is totally safe. Those at greatest risk include military and government personnel, foreign aid workers, and journalists in conflict zones, as well as recreational and business travelers in countries with a high…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: From Trash to Survival Gear

No matter where we go in the wilderness, trash is strewn across the forest floor and in waterways: tin cans, plastic water bottles, clothing, foam, paper, and many other types of rubbish. Sadly, there is no place in the world immune to humans who litter or, as my old friend Ron Hood called them—the humis…

AGAINST ALL ODDS Dark Angel Medical Ankle Trauma Kit

S.W.A.T. Magazine is all about preparedness and individual responsibility. Preparedness requires the proper mindset, training, and tools. It doesn’t just happen. It’s a way of life and takes some effort. And it’s about preparing for possibilities, not just probabilities. Everyone should carry a med kit. If you have made the choice to responsibly carry a…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Hobo Stoves

Campers, backpackers, hunters, and outdoorsmen alike are using small, portable devices to heat up dehydrated food, boil water, cook, and even keep warm with. These devices are known by many names and are sold commercially or home-made. Variously called twig stoves, natural fuel stoves, backpacking stoves, and bio-stoves, they are made by a plethora of…

AGAINST ALL ODDS Primal Gear Survival Bow

The skills of our grandparents and great-grandparents are being forgotten and lost faster than they can be written down and memorialized. Many of our modern conveniences replace the need to have some of these old techniques. Yet some people are finding a way to meld old and new technologies, and these old skills and tools…

AGAINST ALL ODDS: TOPS Slingshot and Bug-Out-Bag

Well-known knife company TOPS Knives has brought back childhood memories with one of their newest products. President and designer of TOPS Knives, Leo Espinoza, had some fond memories in mind when he decided to make his own slingshot—again. Much like he did as a kid, Leo wanted to make a new slingshot on a larger…