| Component |
Joe's Comments |
Click to Research |
| Rifle - (Urban and Wooded) POF 5.56 Nato 14" |
Piston AR15 - Reliable and accurate |
www.pof-usa.com |
| Rifle - (Desert and Arid) POF .308 16" |
Piston AR10 - most accurate .308 I have ever fired with a 16" barrel |
www.pof-usa.com |
| Pistol - Springfield Armory TRP .45 |
Good mix of accurate and reliable |
Search the web |
| Knife - Gerber Infantry II |
Backpacker mag tested years ago. Only knife to survive being driven into a stump with a sledge hammer. Good enough for me. |
|
| Optic - (Urban and Wooded) Trijicon ACOG |
Both eyes open red dot with 4x mag. Combat proven, robust and perfect acquisition. No battery required for primary, red dot lasts 1,000s of hours. |
|
| Optic - (Desert and Arid) Trijicon 4x24 Accupoint |
You can pay a lot more, but Trig glass is as good as anything out there...even if it cost $1,000s more |
|
| Weapon Light -ND3 Laser |
Expensive, but more range and options than any other light source I have found.
This is not an aim laser. Make sure you get rechargable batteries. |
|
| Flashlight |
Streamlight Sidewinder - very robust little light. Clips onto MOLLE gear. See blog entry this site for more details. |
|
| Sling - Magpul |
Flexible, comfortable...many options. Remember, you carry more than you shoot. |
|
Night Vision - ITN PVS-14 Gen3
|
A real game changer. Drive, hunt, patrol and own the night. Don't waste your money on cheapies. |
Search the web
|
| Body Armor - Point Blank IIIA |
Less than 4 lbs. Will stop a .308 round (under some circumstances). Breaths well. Not combat armor, but good for survival. |
Search the web
|
| Load Vest - Spec Ops |
Load bearing gear is always personal preference. I have owned about everything out there. This is my fav for survival role. |
|
MOLLE Pouches (many different ones)
|
Pic a brand...any brand. You get what you pay for. The fastner is the most critical part. Velcro makes noise. So do snaps. These are not expensive, so get lots of sizes and shapes.
|
Search the web |
| Hat - Tru-Spec |
Bought it years ago at Army surplus store. You could store meat with the salt in the band. Keeps rain from running down my neck. |
|
| Gloves |
Good padded combat gloves. Will only help a little in cold weather, but they are not meant for snowball fights.
|
|
| Knee pads |
I only wear one, so a pair lasts me forever. Can't do without them. |
|
| Baclava |
Personal preference on face covers. I use this one, but any good cover will work. This specific model seems to not get as hot as others. Avoid pure cotton. |
|
| Dump Pouch - Blackhawk |
Biggest one I could find with good closure. |
|
| Small Pack |
Kifaru is the only way to go. Good stuff. Fits inside of big pack. Day trips or 2nd line gear. Keep those straps thin. MOLLE exterior helps with different load-outs. |
www.kifaru.net/militarypacks.htm |
| Large Pack - Gregory Palisade 80 |
Best frame I could find. Tuff, waterproof, all the features anyone needs. |
|
Duty Belt
|
Secret to a good duty belt in fastner. Thin and small is better. Other than that, its a belt - how wrong could it go? |
|
| MSR Water Purifer |
Light weight, little hard to pump but does a good job. Easy to clean and doesn't take much room. |
|
| Esbit Stove |
German Infantry Stove. Light weight, small, fuel is cheap. Makes good coffee or heats an MRE just fine.
|
|
| Gerber Camping Ax |
Has spare knife in the handle. Light weight. |
|
| Camelback Water System |
Be careful here. Camelbacks go under your vest and pack. Make sure straps are thin. Fill with ice on super hot days. |
|
| Hammock |
So much is personal preference. Use Hammock instead of sleeping bag/tent if you can. Lighter, less space and I sleep better. |
|
| Survival Net |
I make my own |
|
| Otis clearning kit |
Small, lightweight and MOLLE pouch. Not to be confused with maintenance kit. |
|
| Tent |
I use a two man because of family. The small/lighter, the better. |
Go shop in person |
| Sleeping Bag |
Depends so much on climate of your area. Again, the lighter, the better. |
Go shop in person |
| Gerber Machette |
I have always had good luck with Gerber and carry a lot of their stuff. Any good long blade will do. |
|
| Pancho - Dry Duds |
Compresses nicely, light, breaths and materail holds up well in the field. Use as a backpack cover if camo is required. |
Search the Web |
Solar Charger
|
Your optics may require batteries. Night vision and flashlight do as well. This works even on cloudy days. |
|
| Shovel (entrenching tool) |
You have to have some type of tool to dig. Any folding, light weight shovel will do. I use this one because handle is thick and a little longer than Army issued models. |
Search the Web |
| Gold & Silver |
I think it's wise for every prepper to have a little precious metal, both as an investment and hedge. I'm a member of this buyers' group. Joining gets you Gold or Siliver as close to spot price as possible. They are honest and good to do business with. |
|
