thanks Grimm, I have a few good and compact the price is right as well.

This is a great option..

Most people can't shoot and spend tons of money on accessories to make them feel like they can do better.

My old man had a 1917 enfield 30-06, my mother bought him a new briefcase, one day I was asking him how his old eyes were doing and he placed the old briefcase on a wooden bridge rail and drove off about a 1/4 mile and punched a hole through it from a standing position using the original 2 stage creepy trigger original to that model and iron sights. when I was a kid saw him drop deer at a couple hundred yards no scope using another of his favorite rifles an 03A3 his more modern hunting rifle was a early Mauser with claw mounts and a Hensold scope with double set triggers monntecarlo stock ebony tip in you guessed it 30-06 3 shots one hole my mothers rifle was a Mauser similar in 243 Winchester I do not recall her missing any deer. Moral of this story, either you can shoot or your can't.
I have spent hours teaching people how to shoot only to have them after some time away come up with different ticks, bad habits and new excuses.makes me cringe.

Thanks Mark
Britta water filters are a feel good item IMHO. they barley filter sand and moss that you can see much less harmful pathogens. Any water at ambient pressure for 12 to 24 hours allows the chlorine to evaporate off in this case I think it is more a gas on top of the water because the separate container holding the filter does not allow off gassing but if tested I am sure after X amount of time there will be less or no chlorine in the water.

A filter must not allow items over 1 micron to pass it has to have enough porous natural charcoal / carbon in a medium of compressed fine powder to filter out harmful minerals pellets or granules allow water to bypass filtering through the carbon and believe it or not if the sand is not a particular quality non olitic it has no value in the filtering process. distilled removes most everything and drinking it actually strips minerals from your body as it leaches minerals if it has none in the water.

Water is not just H2o water has memory it has a charge water does not absorb it attaches to other elements or they hitchhike. no matter how much water used there remains a constant amount on or in the earth it is an enigma the more we learn the more questions we end up with.

The best options are the MSR MIOX Water Purification system hard to find now and the steripen but this needs clear water and problem is they are battery operated and if we get emp'ed well -- goodbye and good luck <]:=}

Thanks for the in depth article Grimm:

in my region a hammock is great for most of the year it's good to put down a mat or blanket so the skeeters don't eat your azz through the material . This also keeps you off the ground when it's soaking wet or when your in a swamp.to keep you out of the water so you can get dry prune foot trench foot sucks. this can also be used as a burrito sling for gear. camo a position well I am sure plenty of other uses even after it is used up.

Good article great for many people I have a buddy that shoots swat and other competitions and a bladder works for him. another bud is a surveyor out in the heat and many times in remote areas this works for him.
I have 3 - 1.75 LT Kru 82 stainless vodka containers all together equals 1.38 gallons of water. I keep one of these in a carrier so I can wet it down so it can cool the container by convection. I have never had a stainless container crack brake or leak. dented but not loose water.

Great article, excellent looking piece of gear for those that want a bi pod, it would be well worth it. I am a purest 11 + ounces does not sound like much but a can soda is 12 ounces to give some parallel to how it will alter the balance of the weapon I definitely would have one of these on a long range rifle.

I keep to svelte lines high speed low drag and weight of 8.4 pounds here may seem trivial but carry one for days on end with all the rest of your gear it gets tiring after a while, Another issue is vines limbs grass and mud so anything that sticks out I consider well because that is where I am bound is to the swamps anywhere else I would take a bipod, especially this one looks so well thought out and engineered and the price is not too extravagant to avoid blood blisters.

drew if you can delete the doubled post

This is a really nice tool set I made some of my picks added to my kit I had a kit from log ago my levers are helped by some Allen wrenches. I saw my kit in a desk drawer a month or so ago have not used it in 20 years but being a pack rat I keep it just for nostalgia sake. the lock pick gun can be improved with home made picks made to fit.

Understood Drew. just remember it takes two people to pick a lock you are too focused to defend especially pad locks as you have to hold it while picking or when ratcheting the pins while finessing the lever. if there is glass close you can tape it and use a pellet gun to make a hole for a wire to trip the lock or just cut out the whole pane and use a suction cup or my favorite silly putty you need a couple of servings for a decent ball to work with.

CZ stones are so cheap to make your own glass cutter versus the wheel cutter. some other "tools" are masking tape brass shim stock and metal snips also carry steel shims so you can pop those annoying handcuffs or a cuff key just remember that is considered escaping and that carries a hefty criminal charge <);=)

Too bad porta-powers weight so much.

RIP OFF first aid kit I use caribiners, velcro is not secure enough IMHO.

California fires prove that tech can't save you, that each person must be ready to escape with their lives, The real horror stories are not going to be covered, like those people lost all their information Id, credit SSI cards and birth certificates are in for a hell of a mess. because you have to be able to prove who you are to get help in many cases. I have a flash drive with all my information it is encrypted but I have scanned copies of all my important information front and back I also keep certain records in a bank safety deposit box including my old ID cards and credit cards for emergency only use. It is also good to keep copies of your pay stubs if your company was to burn down where are your records of retirement, vacation sick and overtime pay at one job I had 360 hours of comp time and 3 weeks owed vacation as well as sick time I never used without proof just how could you get paid if there was insurance.

I watched interviews and most stated they got out with the clothes on their backs. this is where some preparedness would come in handy a Bug Out Bag and emergency food blankets and first aid might come in handy.

People that have never been in a life and death experience especially those that are young and strong have no concern thinking that their prowess in marathons biking and personal best at the gym means anything. These people were driving as fast as they could trying to escape the fire some people had time but did they use it wisely many people have to work and their children are at home before they are are your children prepared know who to call who to get a ride from where to rally after a emergency do they have a BOB ?

I saw one video where a car stalled and cars passed it leaving those in that car behind.

I recall Mt St. Helen's video of people arguing and evading going back to their homes some of those died apparently. Tsunamis or tidal waves can hit America neither coast is ready for that Hawaii and Alaska are the only ones to have been hit but times coming when it may happen in the lower 48. so have a plan a BOB a couple of rally points out of a area of concern like higher ground or furthest safe point and phone numbers because who now remembers phone numbers today.