SureFire

Archive for the ‘SERE’ Category

SUMA Survival Kit from Solkoa – Available Now at Austere Provisions Co

Monday, December 9th, 2013

The FastFire SUMA Pro Survival Kit is a professional grade survival kit by Solkoa has traditionally only been available to government clients. I’ve seen the kit in their booth at SHOT Show and asked every year if it would be commercially available. Finally, they’ve added it to their commercial line, FastFire. It comes packed in a SUMA Container along with an Emergency Blanket, and two individually packaged FastFire cubes.

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The SUMA container (2-1/2″ x 4″ x 1-1/2″) is machined out of billet 6061 aluminum, which makes it four times lighter than stainless steel and half the weight of titanium. Hard anodized it is suitable for cooking or to boil small amounts of water for purification and can also be used for digging. I know a lot of guys who use these on the job modify the containers by applying sticky Velcro to the lid and attaching a flag or other near recognition symbol to the face.

The packed SUMA Container includes the following items:
– (1) Compact multitool wrapped in a section of inner-tube to suppress noise from rattling
– (1) 3.5″ Carbon steel hack saw blade
– (1) LED Coin type light with lanyard
– (1) P-38 Can opener
– (1) Ferro rod
– (1) Signalling whistle
– (1) Signalling mirror with reflective tape
– (1) Magnifying lens
– (1) Compass, oil filled coin type
– (1) Baggie, zip type
– (1) Pill bottle, amber
– (1) Wire, 24″ length
– (10) Matches, NATO type with striker (individually wrapped)
– (4) Tinder, Cotton wool type (individually wrapped)
– (2) Safety pins, Small
– (2) Safety pins, Medium
– (6) Water purification tablets
– (1) Roll of high strength braided line
– (1) fishing kit, assorted weights, hooks, and float
– (1) Tape, Duct type 2″x24″ tan
– (1) Needle, sewing type with cover
– (1) Pad, clean medical type appr. 2″x2″ (individually packaged)
– (1) Triple antibiotic ointment, 0.5g packet
– (1) Pencil with attached eraser
– (5) Weather resistant paper

I cannot recommend this kit enough after purchasing one earlier this year from Austere Provisions Co. Oftentimes I am approached by friends and asked about survival kits. Granted, the best advice is to make your own, but many lack the time or experience necessary to assemble a kit that has just the right amount of “stuff.” Some will keep adding and adding to their kit until it’s too big. Others will leave out a critical item. Solkoa has assembled an excellent kit that you can add to your equipment. Whether carried on a first-line belt, in a pack, or the trunk of a car, it’s a great insurance policy. If anything, you’ll find that it makes an excellent base to add to, as you learn more about what works and doesn’t work for you.

I’ll add one word of caution; practice. Become familiar with your kit, no matter whether it’s the SUMA, a kit from another company, or one you’ve made yourself. The last place you need to become familiar with your kit and how it works is when you really need it. Learning how to start a fire when you’re already cold, tired and hungry is a recipe for disaster. The packaging of the SUMA is well suited to opening the kit and repacking as well as customizing.

The SUMA Survival Kit is available now with Black or FDE case from www.austereprovisions.com.

Marie-Elsa Batteux Flahault Presents – We Are On The Edge

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

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As a final design project, entitled “We are on the edge”, Marie-Elsa Batteux Flahault created this Multi-Purpose jacket after some inspiration from the Preppers movement.

This project is a projection in a dystopian world where prepping becomes trendy and gets integrated in the design DNA of everyday life products. The jacket serves as an illustration of this prediction; a fashionable outfit suitable for everyday use but which also possess the features needed during a doomsday scenario.

Be a Prepper under cover…

We are on the edge from Marie-Elsa Batteux on Vimeo.

Gerber Gear Round Up – Bear Grylls Survival Belt

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013

Gerber gear offers a selection of knives, flashlights, belts, and other survival tools for the outdoorsman. We purchased a small variety of Gerber survival tools, and put them to the test with our own weekend warriors, our three Boy Scouts. The rules were simple. They could select any of the products that wanted but had to write about their impressions.

Each week, we’ll feature a new Gerber product review written by one of the Scouts. The full series can be seen at www.tacticalfanboy.com

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The Bear Grylls Survival Belt has a secret compartment on the belt buckle that you twist counter-clockwise revealing the following tools:

-Snare Wire
-Fishing Line
-Fishing Hook
-Snap Swivels
-Weights
-Signaling Mirror

The back of the belt buckle reveals a mini screwdriver with flathead and Philips tips. Also on the interior of the belt is a zippered compartment.

I like almost everything about this belt. I love the fishing line, fishing hook, snare wire, snap swivels, weights, and how the signaling mirror is located on the back of the cap. Also, it’s easy to tighten and loosen. What I dislike about it is the mini screwdriver is really hard to get out and the zipper pocket being on the inside instead of the outside. Overall, the belt is worth having for survival scenarios.

www.gerbergear.com/Survival/Gear/Bear-Grylls-Survival-Belt_31-001771

Doomsday Castle Comes to NatGeo

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

Prepping continues to be all the rage and even better are reality series about preppers. It appears “Doomsday Preppers” has spawned its first spinoff.

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At Outdoor Retailer I was checking out the ballroom when I ran across the Wise Foods booth. They sponsor the NatGeo series “Doomsday Preppers”. One of the more interesting episodes last season involved a man who had built a castle in the wilderness and was testing his progeny to determine who he would leave it to. Sounds like it has everything needed for a great reality series of its own; family conflict. And they’ve got it. Hopefully, they’ll share a trick or two. Coming August 13th.

doomsdaycastle.com

Outdoor Retailer – Bison Designs

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

Bison Designs has added a new twist on the ubiquitous 550 cord bracelet. The BUKaLITE incorporates an LED bulb in the buckle.

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Offered in Red or White lenses, the BUKaLITE has two functions, constant on and strobe. For many, it might make a handy, soft light.

www.bisondesigns.com

Outdoor Retailer – Insta-fire

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

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Insta-fire combines volcanic ash with a fire starter that is then encased in wax. It lights instantly and can be used to start fires on snow or wet ground. It contains no benzene and each pouch burns for 10-15 minutes, long enough to get that fire going when you need it.

www.instafire.com

Sneak Peek – TD Exclusive Arc’teryx Cloak LT In Wolf

Thursday, July 18th, 2013

In this video by Tactical Distributors, Über Group announces the Omega line and the new Arc’teryx LEAF Cloak LT. The Cloak LT will initially be available in Wolf, with MultiCam coming Spring 2014. It’s made from a patented fabric that was developed with Gore, and is designed for use in cover and concealment, shelter, and escape and evasion.

For more information go to www.tacticaldistributors.com/Arc-teryx

Warrior Expo – Cejay Engineering

Thursday, July 11th, 2013

Cejay Engineering has introduced a new Pegasus strobe variant. It is a single AA-cell light that can be synched with other Pegasus strobe pattern programs at the touch of a single button using a see-me, teach-me protocol.

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It comes with a removable cap as well as an integrated PALS-compatible clip. Additionally, Cejay has introduced a new rotary switch at the bottom of the light.

www.cejayeng.com