I'm Coming In.

One weekend I was watching a few movies. At least two of these movies had a scene where someone punches through a glass panel and reaches in to open a door. Having a glass panel within reach of a lock is foolish, but it is commonly done. Your own door may be of this sort.

Chris from UKBumpkeys has passed on an excellent video on ways to bypass locks without lock picking. It is quite long, but well worth a watch.

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DePugh on Wilderness Food and Gear

A friend of mine had some questions about food, and this reminded me of a section in Robert DePugh’s book “Can You Survive?”. DePugh was on the run for seventeen months and estimates about twelve of these were spent in the American wilderness. This book was written after this and his insights into what was and was not useful makes interesting reading:

“Clothing has already been mentioned and the first aid kit will be considered in a following chapter. This leaves a long list of items that might be labelled “miscellaneous.”

In our previous list, we included a nylon cord. This item I would still retain but not more than 20 or 30 feet. A climbing rope is nice to have if several members together are working their way through mountainous terrain but unless some definite need is anticipated, I would leave such heavy and cumbersome items at home.

In our previous list of materials for the backpack we included such food items as these: dehydrated meals for at least 14 days, boullion cubes [sic], coffee or tea, sugar, salt and pepper, vitamins, halazone tablets, malt tablets and chocolate. Of all these items only one that I would include in a backpack survival ration today would be the halazone tablets—but I would include an abundant quantity of them. The dehydrated foods are fine so far as weight is concerned but I am more convinced than ever that cooking must be kept at an absolute minimum. There are times perhaps when it may be essential to cook certain vegetable items to guard against toxic substances or to cook animals that have been captured and might be infected by some disease. Except for these necessary occasions, even the smallest fire places such a traveller in great danger of being discovered by the enemy. For these reasons, the coffee, tea and boullion cubes are also out. Sugar can best be carried in the form of candy that cannot be spilled or be easily ruined by moisture. Most medical authorities agree that the American people eat more salt than is healthy for them. Ordinary foods contain all of the salt that a person normally needs for good health. Pepper, of course, is one of those niceties of civilization that are best left behind along with your cigarettes and pipe.

Of those foods that are readily available, the best in my opinion for emergency survival rations would include canned meats and cheese, peanut butter mixed with sugar packed in plastic containers, and various types of candy that are customarily sold in small pieces and in plastic bags. All of these items are very low in water and therefore contain a high proportion of nutritive value and they can be eaten with knife and fingers out of the container in which they are carried. For the person who may be required to flee for his life at any time, survival foods beyond the amount he can carry in his pack are a very dubious investment.

Our previous equipment list also included several items for cooking such as a nesting set of cooking utensils, heat tabs or sterno, knife, fork and spoon, plate, cup and scouring pad. Of these I would make do with my canteen, canteen cup and a good hunting knife. Such cooking as may be essential can be done in the canteen cup. If you know where to look, tinder is always available for starting fires. Sand can be used to clean your canteen cup thus eliminating the scouring pad. Under desperate circumstances, good table manners do not justify the extra weight of a fork and spoon.

Other items from our previous list which I would now eliminate include candles, shovel, ax, wire, rubber tubing, folding saw, pliers, wirecutter, screwdriver and file. Items which I would retain include matches in a waterproof container (I'd carry along a lot of these); a flashlight is good so long as the batteries will last; a sharpening stone is worth the weight; compass, maps, ground cloth, thread, safety pins, needles and extra buttons are well worthwhile but since they weigh very little a few fish hooks, line and sinkers might be included though I have grave doubts as to their practical value. Except in the high mountains I would say that a good insect repellent is worth its weight in gold.

A small towel or washcloth has many uses that justify the weight involved. Soap and toothbrush are essential. For men, a razor and blades may be necessary to avoid looking conspicuous on those occasions when contact with other civilians is unavoidable. Other desirable miscellaneous items include a small magnifying glass, paper and pencils.

The dangers of shooting or trapping wild animals while trying to evade hostile forces has already been referred to. In this regard a good slingshot might be worthwhile in killing small game silently as the opportunity presents itself. In capturing wild game, beware of those animals that are caught too easily. They may be diseased and therefore, unsafe to eat without cooking.”

Trail mix may be worth carrying for a little variety. One can get a little more creative with the peanut butter. A quick browse of the internet turns up two-ingredient cookies (peanut butter and syrup), three-ingredient cookies (peanut butter, sugar, egg), four-ingredient cookies (+baking soda), no-bake cookies and oat-squares (peanut butter, honey, rolled oats).

These probably do not have the shelf-life of peanut butter and sugar but can be used on shorter trips.

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Don't Carry a Rucksack (If you can help it)

A friend of mine e-mailed me recently and told me he felt it was impractical for him to carry his bug-out gear in a rucksack. There was just too much, he said. I pointed out to him that others had been managing this for centuries, and that it wasn’t actually a “bug-out kit” if he couldn’t move it anywhere. Same friend often e-mails me wonderful, must-have gadgets that he has found. The two facts may not be unrelated. :)

Your core bug-out kit should be man-portable. What is lost on many people is that you should not be carrying it on your back if you can avoid it!

This is something we seem to have inherited from the military. A fundamental of military training is marching long distances with heavy loads. As well as the physical conditioning this provides it also improves traits such as self-discipline, determination and resolve. Unfortunately there is a downside to the old adage that “You fight as you train!” Lost on many officers is that long marches with heavy rucks’ may be great training but in an actual operation are to be avoided whenever possible. Most combat theaters are “vehicle-friendly”. Infantry may need to operate on foot, but gear they do not immediately need may be carried on vehicles and brought forward once an area has been pacified. Many soldiers during the Second World War learnt to operate effectively in “light order” and many modern “irregular” fighters do the same. Many armies need to relearn this. Current efforts are towards exo-skeletons and robot mules that will increase the weight that can be carried. The opposite strategy may be more productive.

As an individual prepper or survivalist you may not have a support unit that can bring your heavier equipment and supplies forward for you. Additionally you may be in “vehicle-proof” terrain where the operation of conventional or military vehicles is not possible or very restricted. Military forces sometimes find themselves in the same situation, of course.

A tried and tested solution is shown below. Porter-bikes were modified to carry heavy loads. When fully loaded they could not be ridden. A pole extending the handlebars allowed one or more individuals to push the bike along by walking beside.

 

For bugging out a bike has a lot to recommend it. On terrain where it is difficult to ride you can push it, and use it to carry your pack rather than your back. Overall load should be kept in the man-portable range since there may be obstacles you will have to carry bike and pack across.

Another interesting option is found on this site and others. Its inventor calls it a “travois” but it is actually a hand-cart (or possibly a “man-cart”?) As an aside, a real travois is an option you should always consider if you have to move something heavy over relatively soft ground.

 

Handcarts were once not uncommon in armies. After WW2 the “big ruck” mentality seems to have taken hold and they become rarer. In the early days of ATGWs some models were offered with golf-trolly-like contraptions so a dismounted infantryman could move them. Nowadays a few mortars are provided with trolleys, but in most forces they are unknown. If a skier can tow a pulk, why not a a walker a cart?

The wheeled travois has been designed with ease of manufacture in mind. I would suggest making the poles a little longer so that if necessary the cart can be carried over an obstacle like a stretcher. For ease of use in vehicle-proof terrain I would suggest reducing the width so that it can be used on narrow paths and trails. Bicycle wheels may be a good source for the wheels. I particularly like the net that forms the bed of the cart. With a bit of ingenuity this might double as a camouflage screen.

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Vanishing Infantry

I came across the interesting photo sequence shown here. Some time ago I made a post about the Vietnamese use of a framework on the back for camouflage. Here we see its use in action:
 

This is a Viet Minh force from the Indochina war. This trick was still in use in the Vietnam war.

Possibly at the sound of an aircraft, the men have moved off the road and dropped down. As the threat passes men “grow” first from one side of the road and the other.

The final image is a close-up. Interesting is that their uniforms appear to be beige rather than the green associated with the later NVA. VM Regular uniforms have been described as “khaki-drill” but apparently light-green, khaki and a variety of other drab shades were used.

According to Osprey Men at Arms 322, “The French Indochina War 1946-54.”:

“Viet Minh Regulars, and many Regional units, were first class; it is clear that they had successfully made the mental transition from guerrillas to soldiers. Neutral journalists who managed to spend time with Regionals were impressed by their discipline and preparedness. Throughout the VM attention to tactical detail was excellent, both in camp and on the march - great emphasis was laid on camouflage, night movement, dispersal and reassembly in the face of the enemy, and endurance with the simplest rations and minimal medical care and comforts.

“The VM were skilled at concealed cross-country movement in the worst terrain, carrying all essentials with them. This gave them significant advantage over motorised French troops, whose more complex logistical needs kept them tied to the inadequate and vulnerable road network. Generally only the best French paratroop units could match their cross-country speed in the jungle hills, and that for only limited periods. It was rare for French aircraft to inflict much loss on Regular units on the march, though their supply lines suffered much worse (e.g. in 1954, during the huge effort to supply the Dien Bien Phu siege army 500 miles from Viet Bae bases)...

“...Reports speak of Regulars carrying a wire mesh panel on their backs when on the march; at each halt the soldier changed the foliage camouflage of the man in front to match the locality exactly.” 

Some WW2 British Manuals advocate the use of net or chicken wire screens for troops to hide behind or under. The back-screens described above could thus serve more than on application. 

 

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Blanket-Coat

Often I come across something I want to place on the blog but don’t get around to it until much later. I seem to have two speeds: immediate and much, much later.

This is something I came across when I was discussing ponchos or cloaks, I think. It has some relevance to the recent post about simple ways to create a smock.

As you can see, construction is very simple:

DIY Blanket-Coat

Blanket Into Coat

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More On Camouflage Ponchos.

Today’s post is a follow-up to my blog on camouflage capes.

Shortly after writing that post I acquired a length of camouflage cloth and set about creating a camouflage cape. Since cloth comes in 1.5 metre widths and I am quite a big lad, I brought two metres, with the intention that it should be about a metre at the front and 1.5 at the back, so could drape over a pack if necessary. Making a cape is a relatively easy sewing task, run a hem an inch or more from the edge to arrest any fraying. Cut the cloth on the outside of this into tassels. Doesn’t matter if these fray, it adds to the disruptive effect. Similarly,your sewing does not need to be particularly neat. Irregular and non-uniform is good for real camouflage.

Good camouflage is three-dimensional, so the most time consuming phase of production was attaching the textilage. I suspect this process could be speeded up with a staple gun, but have yet to try this.

Once I finished, I realized there was a bit of a problem! I cannot really photograph this to show you. You cannot really judge personal camouflage unless it is on a human form. Lying it on the ground or over a chair does not really tell you anything, and I do not have a mannequin or taylor’s dummy. Use the girlfriend? She is petite and shapely, while I am big and ugly, so showing you something made for me on her is not accurate. And we get little chance to be together these days, so I’ve not been able to get her and myself in the same place as cape and camera.

I can, however, pass on some of the lessons learnt while constructing this. The first is that it may be a little long. I could have made it a little shorter without much loss of performance. Secondly, underestimated the effects of the textilage so the base cloth could have been a lighter shade. I could have probably used a monocolour of beige or similar since the textilage adds quiet a lot of shape disruption. 

Next time I would not opt for a cape design. Regular readers will recall the “Endor poncho”. Recently two other sci-fi sources have reminded me of this. One is the series “Krypton”. Sagitari on the moon Wegthor wear a brown poncho. While it is not intended as camouflage it does make the wearer appear less of a conventional humanoid shape. The second is season six of “The 100”. The “Children of Gabriel” wear camouflage that uses textilage. Octavia and Diyoza wear examples too. and in their scenes it can be seem the basis is a poncho/ apron overhead garment. 

One could easily construct an over-garment that combined the features of a short-poncho and a smock. The poncho part should be of a width to reach the elbows. Cut the edges into tassels. Don’t bother with a hood since the brush can catch such things. A properly camouflaged helmet or boonie hat camouflages your head. You can add a rectangle of cloth to make a collar for the neck opening if you wish. This can be used to show rank-insignia.

Adding sleeves to your ponchoette is simple. You just need two tubes of camouflage cloth. These need a generous width since they will have to fit over other garments. Trouser legs from old combat trousers can be used, or you can make simple tubes from any suitable cloth. If doing the latter put the hems on the outside, like the Langdon-Davies smock design and tassel them. Anchor the sleeves to the inner side of your poncho. The bottom parts of the poncho can be sewn together or you can apply other fastenings such as poppers. Leave generous side vents for freedom of movement and so you can access pocket or equipment on your trouser belt. As can be seen, the basic garment is formed from three or four rectangles

Your poncho/smock will need textilage. Some of this will be from the cloth you have left over. Use any other scraps of camouflage or suitable materials too. Apply to the sleeves and shoulder parts. The chest area does not need so much if you wear webbing or a chest rig. Apply the textilage to this instead.

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