Water

Marine Corps Vets weigh in on Top pieces of EDC gear

Everyone can agree that there are some pieces of EDC, survival, and travel gear that you can’t go without. For this article, I polled the writers of the Loadout Room and asked them to share with me in one or two paragraphs what their top three pieces of kit are. Much of it is due to preferences and lessons learned directly from our military service. Here is what a few of us came up with.

Nick Coffman (USMC)

My favorite items come from plenty of experience with discomfort and misfortune over the years.

Lip balm – This may come as a shock to some as my first choice, but when traveling or operating in any sort of survival situation, any level of comfort can provide a major confidence boost. Whether in Iraq or back in the United States going about my normal routine, I’ve always got some Burt’s Beeswax in my pocket. There are some survival tricks with lip balm but my primary benefit is comfort. Anything that will increase my level of comfort and give me a boost while not taking up much room is always welcome in my EDC.
Silkies – Much like the lip balm, I won’t leave my house without wearing my silkies (also known as Ranger panties) under my trousers. Early in my Marine Corps enlistment I quickly became frustrated by chafing during physical activity from wearing boxers or boxer briefs. At one point for me silkies were just for PT or grossing out civilians on base, but now they are legitimately an important part of my everyday kit because they are comfortable in any environment and allow me to stay focused on whatever I’m doing.
Quality pocket knife – This one seems like a no-brainer to have, and it may be, but I still feel it is important to mention. There are so many uses in virtually any setting you find yourself in that require a good knife. I went through several, let’s say “affordable” knives before I finally decided to spend the money on a $100+ knife that was easy to conceal, durable, and effective. For everyday self-defense and survival, I never leave my house without at least a quality pocket knife on me.

Rich Moore (USMC)

My 15 years in the Marine Corps was mostly spent overseas and my top pieces of gear is constantly carried today especially when I regularly travel.

Water Purification tabs – Whether you are in the Jungles of Asia, the Fjords of Norway, a desert, or any 3rd World Country, the accessibility of clean water is few and far between. A drop or tab of water purification goes a long way to keeping healthy and if you like ice in your adult beverages then a tab or liquid drop in your drink will only keep you healthy.
Multi-tool – A multi-tool is a must on any adventure. You never know when you will need pliers, a file, screwdriver, etc. There are many today that are TSA approved for travel or you can simply stick one in your checked luggage. In my USMC career the multi-tools have progressed a long way in their design, abilities, and job-specific tooling.
Suture kit – There were many times during my career that I didn’t have a Corpsman available to take care of my stupidity, I always carried a suture kit. They come in handy if you are alone and slice open your leg from coral or barbed wire, or your multi-tool slips and the cut requires more than a Band-Aid, I can personally state that going to a clinic or other 3rd World doctor’s office will most likely get you sicker than when you went in. A suture kit in your gear will give you the time and opportunity to get to a proper place. This kit requires some additional training, but if you’re constantly learning, this is one of those pieces of gear that will literally save your life.

Scott Witner (USMC)

The following three pieces of kit were drilled into me while serving in the Marine Corps. Now that I’m on the other side living the civilian life, all three pieces still prove valuable on a daily basis.

Water – From day-1 in boot camp, they reiterated the importance of hydration. We ALWAYS had a canteen of water with us no matter where we went. Due to the physical nature of the training and lifestyle, you had to keep hydrated or you’d end up in medical with an IV stuck in you. Fast forward to current day and I still drink 1 quart of water in the morning and another quart at lunchtime. Your body is naturally dehydrated when you wake up in the morning. Water is the elixir of life. Drink it every day.
Motrin – If you’ve spent any time in the military and dealt with your units’ medic or went to medical for any ailment, you were handed two Motrin and sent on your way. That seemed to be the cure-all in the military along with water. I still to this day carry a bottle of either Motrin or Ibuprofen in my backpack.
Socks – Putting on a clean pair of socks does wonders for your moral and positive mental attitude. As with water and Motrin, socks were always third on the list for personal hygiene. We had to take care of our feet if we were to be combat effective. During long forced marches we had predetermined stopping points to drink water and change our socks. It was mandatory. Even today if I’m traveling a long distance, just changing your socks makes a big difference in your mood and gives you a boost of energy. It may only be a mental thing, but the bottom line is that it works.

In the Marine Corps if you showed any signs of sickness, whether it was the common cold or nasty flu, or you had physical soreness from PT and training, they had the same answer; Drink water, take two Motrin and change your socks. That advice still sticks with me to this day. It may sound funny, but the shit works. Nowadays when I’m traveling I keep a ranger roll inside my bag which consists of a fresh t-shirt, socks and underwear. In addition to that, I have a bottle of Ibuprofen and a full water bottle. If my checked luggage does get lost, I still have the necessities to keep going.

How to Survive Anything: Boiling water to make it potable

These days, it’s not unusual to carry a LifeStraw or other lightweight filtration method (like this one from LifeSaver) – but if you find yourself in a survival situation without your kit, good drinking water becomes no less important. In the absence of of water purification tablets or filtration systems, you can boil your water until it’s (more or less) safe to drink.

Try to draw your water from a moving source (no stagnant water) and make sure to remove any debris from it. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a metal pot and keep it there for at least 60 seconds (except for at altitudes about 2,000 meters, then boil for 3 minutes).

Let the water cool, and have a drink — it’s as simple as that.

Rad on Gear: Staying hydrated with the Stow-Collapsible Hydrapak Water Bottle

We all know the old “rule of threes” when it comes to survival: you can last 3 hours without shelter in a harsh environment, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food, but if you don’t start worrying about staying hydrated before a survival situation arises, you’re already in for a world of hurt.

That’s why Rad doesn’t go anywhere without a reliable water source–this week, he’s rocking the Stow-Collapsible Hydrapak Water Bottle. What’s Rad think of this collapsible canteen? We’ll let him tell you for himself.

Get your own Stow-Collapsible Hydrapak Water Bottle below!

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Electrolyte replacement with SaltStick Caps

SaltStick Capsules are critical to minimizing muscle cramping, heat stress and fatigue due to unbalanced electrolyte levels. SaltStick Caps are formulated to closely resemble the electrolyte profile lost during activity: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Whether you are running a full marathon, out on a long day hike, or spend hours in the sun, these are for you. The SaltStick Caps also make an ideal supplement to keep in your bug out bags. If you’re “on the run” in a bug out scenario or deep in the wilderness on a backpacking trip, dehydration is an inherent risk and can lead to death if it’s not dealt with. During these times, take one capsule with water for each hour of activity in order to keep your body hydrated and your electrolyte levels where they need to be.

I personally keep a handful of salt capsules with my Adventure Go Bag. The salt capsules combined with my Hydro Flask water bottle and survival straw give me a fighting chance against dehydration and heat-related illness.

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Key Features:

The ONLY electrolyte capsule that was formulated to closely resemble the electrolyte profile lost during activity: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium
Only 1 capsule per serving. Suggested use: 1 capsule per 30-60 minutes during activity
Buffered salt composition that helps digestion and absorption
Vegetable-based capsule composition; Bio-available active ingredients
Contains only WHAT YOU NEED. No herbal, trace, or questionable components added
Gluten free
No sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup
Does not contain any World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned substances
Saltstick Caps uniquely includes vitamin D that helps the body absorb and utilize calcium

Procuring water in a cold environment: Tips from a Military Survival Instructor

People worry about dying of dehydration in the desert and rarely think about dying of thirst when surrounded by frozen water. However getting water efficiently is paramount in an arctic/winter setting. As you dehydrate in the cold your blood becomes thicker and the circulation rate slows leaving you incredibly vulnerable to cold injuries such as hypothermia and frostbite. In this article, I’ll go over a couple of things that I’ve done and that I teach to ensure that you can procure yourself some safe drinking water.

Water generator. It’s a simple enough device. Find something that is permeable to water and that can hold a good amount of snow. I typically use sections from a parachute as I’m teaching downed pilots how to survive. Hang the parachute up so that there is a pouch that you can fill with snow. Have a fire going near it so that the heat melts the snow in the pouch. Have a stick placed into the pouch to create a point for all of the water to collect at, and below that, a bucket to collect that water. It won’t taste great but it’ll get you through some tough situations.

Melting ice. Simple enough, ice will yield far more water than snow will due to the density of the ice. Melt it in canteen cups or equivalent and enjoy yourself some quality H20. If you find yourself in a location where the snow meets the shoreline or you find yourself rummaging for drinkable water in the ocean around the arctic circle make sure you stick to ice that has a deep blue color as it will be (mostly) free of salt.

Streams, Rivers, Ponds. Remove your gloves (so that they don’t get wet and your fingers don’t freeze solid) and get yourself some water. Be wary of falling through the ice or slipping off of the snowy bank into freezing water. To avoid getting a ton of debris in your water as you fill it hold your canteen cup or other water collection container 90 degrees to the flow of the stream. It’ll minimize the stuff that gets in there.

One of my favorite methods is to melt snow/ice in my canteen while on the move. While your canteen is partially full, add small amounts of snow or ice as you travel. The water in your canteen will melt it so long as the temperature is somewhat regulated (In an insulated cover, or in one of your layers if you must). It’s a simple method that can easily be done in cold environments and is a go-to for me.

A couple more cold weather water tips for you. Store your water containers upside down. Water freezes from the top down. This will help to ensure that your cap doesn’t freeze solid onto your canteen. Do not sleep with your water in your sleeping bag, if it bursts open or leaks you’re likely to have a very bad time. I like to place my canteens underneath my bough bed by my feet. Usually, the heat radiating off my sleeping bag coupled with the insulation from the boughs will keep the water from freezing. Alternatively, you can bury your water containers upside down in 2-3 feet of snow. The snow will insulate the containers enough so that they do not freeze solid. Also, purify your water.

As with any environment you need to hydrate. I see far more hydration issues during cold weather than I do during warm weather. Take care of yourselves, worry about water and not food. Avoid protein to save your water, ration sweat not water and be safe out there.

Magpul DAKA XL Pouch | Organization doesn’t have to be exciting, just functional

An almost-perfect backpack often would be perfect with an additional small pouch for storage and organization. A cavernous main pouch in a pack is great – if you actually need it. When you don’t but instead want compartmentalized storage for smaller items, a water-repellent organization pouch from Magpul is a great option. The Magpul DAKA XL Pouch is an easy-to-overlook but tough piece of gear.

The DAKA XL Pouch is large enough to contain many common laptop sizes and offers a sufficient level of waterproofing for it with the use of a YKK AquaGuard® zipper. It is not 100% waterproof (i.e. do not submerge completely in water) but it will keep contents dry under most wet weather conditions. It can be used to store and organize virtually anything you can think to fit inside, but is ideal for electronics cables, EDC and survival gear, trail snacks and other food items, ammunition and brass, first aid items, and the list goes on.

It is durable and well-constructed. The zipper functions very easily, and the bag is flexible enough to fit inside any appropriate backpack or go-bag. The welded seals around the edges ensure long-life and make it very difficult for this bag to come apart through wear and tear. It has carabiner attachment points if you want to strap it onto the outside of a pack or suspend it at a campsite. The DAKA XL Pouch — like it’s smaller counterparts — might not be the most exciting piece of gear you will ever pick up. But if you need a storage option for your pack or vehicle, this is a great piece of gear that won’t let you down when you need it.