Reader Question: Gear and Tools for Women

Awhile back I asked readers an open question about blog content. That lead to a question I have kind of sat on. Wasn't sure exactly how to answer it and then it slipped out of my mind for awhile. Anyway here we are.

The question was "I notice you like to discuss and review equipment. I would like to see an article on equipment addressing my needs. I am a woman and would like to see opinions of high quality, practical tools addressing a woman's normal physical traits--less upper body strength, smaller hand size, less powerful hand grip, etc."

This was difficult for me to respond to. On one hand it is absolutely true that women are physically different than men. They tend to be smaller and have less physical strength (particularly upper body) and endurance. Not saying all women are small or weaker than men but on average most are. On the other hand this can lead us down the "women need X because they are small/ weak/ whatever" rabbit hole. I will address relatively gender neutral issues first then gender specific ones afterwords.

In terms of physical size and strength for an individual it is about just that, height/weight/composition and strength as measured against a broad group of yardsticks (squat, deadlift, bench press, press, pullups, pushups, etc). The situation for a gal who is 5'7" #135lbs with a strength of X and a guy who has comparable stats are not magically different. It does not matter that she has boobs and and he doesn't. Everybody, even big strong people can have tasks they need to do that they cannot physically complete without friends or tools. It is just for some people that their breaking point is past most normal occuring tasks so it isn't really much of an issue.

[It doesn't quite fit anywhere in the rest of the post but I would be doing a disservice by failing to mention that getting stronger is a good answer to the problem of not being able to complete various tasks. If you can't pick things up then start squating and deadlifting. If grip strength is an issue do some flexed arm hangs, pullups or farmers walks. However I would recommend just starting a basic weight training program like 531 as part of your overall fitness plan. Too many people think they are somehow special and need a customized program they are invariably not capable of setting up. I hate to say it but you don't have a "weak spot" if you are just weak.]

My general observation is that strength lets you 'cheat' or 'cut corners' while those with less strength need to have the right tools for the job. If you can't open a jar or turn something with your hands then use a strap wrench, an oil filter wrench or the right set of pliers depending on the task at hand. For turning tough bolts some WD-40 is a good start. If that doesn't do it a wrench with a longer handle will create more torque or you can slip a metal bar over it for additional leverage. Before doing this I would make sure the thing is actually supposed to move the way you want it to. Though bolts do rust or get stuck brute force usually isn't the right answer in mechanical stuff.

For lifting things an old school lever and fulcrum is a solid option. For lifting and moving stuff I would look hard at getting a hand truck to do in the house/ garage stuff and some sort of garden cart for outdoor stuff or to aid in the dreaded on foot bug out. Also when it comes to lifting things the saying "many friends make for light work" is absolutely true. I am used to friends and neighbors helping eachother with a variety of tasks. Typically for small quick ones there is no compensation aside from a beer and a thanks. Dad and I helped the neighbor take the hard top off his jeep every spring and put it on every winter for years. We also helped friends drag a huge christmas tree into the house and put it up. A neighbor man helps my Grandmother move things now and then. If you have a bigger job like a couple yards of gravel to get spread or a pallet of brick pavers that need to become a path that is what unemployed young men and teenaged neighbor boys are for.

As to gear and guns I think there is a lot of profiling in terms of gender. One certainly doesn't need to get a certain gun just because of their plumbing. Depending on your training and hand size/ strength a variety of models might suit your needs. Thankfully adjustable backstraps and the Glock SF (short frame, they basically trimmed up the backstrap) made a lot of compact and full sized service type pistols a viable option to those with smaller hands. Broadly speaking frame mounted controls work better than slide mounted ones as they work with smaller hands. It is worth rehashing that if weapons will be 'pool guns' ie the guns with multiple users you have got to size them to the smallest user. A big guy can shoot the Glock 19SF and M4agery his small wife is able to use however she probably couldn't shoot a big double stack .45 and FN-FAL very comfortably.

As to gear  women will often do better with commercial backpacking/ camping stuff then the military surplus that survivalists love. While military stuff is getting more adjustable (MOLLE packs for example) it is designed for average sized men. A jacket that is a bit big can be overcome but if your boots don't fit things are not going to go well. Backpack/ rucksack's that really fit are probably also a worthwhile consideration. While it isn't cheap REI and other big outdoor companies have a lot of good stuff designed to fit women that is seriously worth considering. Boots and packs that fit are pretty darn important while a jacket or sleeping bag can be a bit big.

I can't really speak to concealed carry issues for women. Brigid and Tam have almost surely written some great stuff on it. Limalife's youtube channel is also worth checking out. Really the fundamentals of buying gun(s) that fits your body and lifestyle, getting the equipment to use them like a good belt and holster, slings and whatnot then seeking out some training are the same for guys and gal's. Really if you don't know what you are doing it is probably best to seek out the training (most places worth training at have a few rental/ loaner guns available if you talk with them in advance) then get the stuff.

Anyway I am sorry to the lady who left the comment for the excessive delay. Also I hope somebody gets a thing or two out of this.

Choosing To Get Equipped and Ready

So much stuff is readily available these days. You can buy semi automatic military pattern rifles like AR-15's, AK-47's as well as a slew of others and all the magazines, ammo and accessories you want. You can buy tactical gear, pouches and chest rigs as well as body armor that will stop rifle bullets and military quality night vision. #10 cans and 5 gallon buckets of food that will store almost indefinitely can be ordered on the computer in your underoos while drinking coffee. My point is that all of this great stuff is readily available, all you have to do is pay for it.

I cannot say how long that will last. Maybe inflation will make these things slip out of the reach of poorer folks, then middle class folks and finally only be available to the really rich. Maybe importation of cheap Russian/ Croatian/ whatever ammo will get cut off. Maybe the sale of body armor and night vision will become regulated or just banned entirely. Who knows what could happen with guns. Maybe the economy will get even worse and you will lose your job and not be able to buy anything. The point is that within reason it would be advisable to get what you need to sooner instead of later.

I can't tell you what to do or how to prioritize your money or life but getting the training, capabilities and stuff that increases your chances of survival is pretty important. I am probably preaching to the converted here. That being said you may have a spouse who is not on board, other priorities or goals or just a tight budget already strained by the rising costs everyday basics or other problems. As I mentioned yesterday you do not have to break the bank to get gear. It is also worth finding that sweet spot between what you would like and what you can afford to pay for to get the best deal possible on the right kit.

To spend money on this stuff you have to cut it from someplace else or figure out how to earn some new money. While it is not possible to tell you exactly how to do it but I can say how we do it. Looking at your life and finances wholisticly is important. See where everything is going and think about what your lifestyle is like. Also priorities definitely come into play here. If you drive a newish cool guy tricked out 4X4 and the Mrs has a BMW, go on a great 2 week tropical/ international vacation every year and have a huge house full of the newest coolest electronics, gadgets and other stuff but "cannot afford" to prepare then rethink what is really important to you.

Life is uncertain so getting equipped and ready is a good thing to do.

Tomahawk or Hatchet?

I have seen a few folks having hawks as a part of a survival kit/ BOB or whatever. At least one of them is a person who knows his stuff and whose opinion I value. I did some looking and got to wondering. I fiddled around online looking at reasons folks choose them. One of the biggest reasons was that they are 'lighter' than a hatchet. I got to looking and the weight didn't seem to measure up to that claim at least on the models I compared.

I know hawks are cool and a lot of folks own them. Some folks like them for defense or fighting or whatever. That is a reasonable point however I am not really concerned about it. First any situation where I would have a hawk I would have a pistol and probably a rifle. Secondly yes, Rogers Rangers carried hawks as backups but they didn't have 30 rd mags for rifles and 17 rd mags in pistols. Third I wouldn't exactly want to get hit with a hatchet anyway.

My questions are as follows:

Does anybody uses a hawk for practical woods stuff like chopping a few limbs to make a shelter, cutting firewood, etc?

If so how does it compare to a hatchet for these purposes?

Other than the cool and theoretical tactical factor what makes a hawk better than a hatchet?

Input would be appreciated.

Skills and Mindset

Recently I realized something that I do not like about this blog recently. There is not anywhere near enough discussion of skills, mindset's or training taking place here. After looking around long and hard for somebody to blame for this shortcoming I was unable to find anybody but myself.

I got to thinking about why exactly this is the case. The answer came about pretty easily. This blog is largely a reflection of what I am doing, working on or thinking about. Skilss haven't been a big part of this personal journey in survivalism or it's subsequent twists and turns.

The reason that skills haven't been a big part of my journey are that I came into this thing fairly comfortable with my skillsets. At the risk of tooting my own horn when I became seriously interested in survivalism I had a solid outdoor background, decent hand to hand and firearms/ tactical skills and a variety of little stuff learned from rural living and various redneck jobs. Certainly not saying that I know everything or am a master of anything but somehow I had a pretty good grab bag of skills to work with.

Once I started getting into this I pretty much needed stuff to feed the skill sets that already existed. This I have been more likely to be thinking and talking about something related to food storage than how to cook with a camp stove as I can do that. While I have worked on a small skill here or there it hasn't been a big part of my personal preparations.

I want to add these parts to the blog in greater frequency, mostly for readers. The way I talk and operate here works for somebody with a background similar to mine but would fail miserably for a lot of people. Different folks need different things to become more fully prepared. The desired endstates are the same but how to get there is different based on where one currently is. A super rural small scale organic farmer/ rancher has different needs and concerns than a big city SWAT cop. Obviously what is good for one person isn't necessarily good for another.

In any case broadly speaking my lack of discussion of skills is an issue. In the worst extreme it could leave them with thousands of dollars of stuff they don't have a clue what to do with. I will try to consciously step back and talk about different foundational skills to the best of my ability.

Priorities should probably go to the most foundational stuff. You have got to learn basic weapons handling before you learn to shoot steel at 1,000 meters and how to change the oil before rebuilding an engine. This also helps because it typically puts the easiest targets in front of you first. Finding a basic (qualified) instructor in firearms handling, outdoor skills, auto maintenance, etc is probably something you can do pretty locally and cheaply. Heck if you are willing to invest some time and sweat equity money may not even be an issue. Less so if you want to shoot like Sammy The Seal or Wally the Super Woodsman who an go into the woods with a knife and build a shopping mall.

Personally I have some things to work on. Mostly because of the eccentricities of Germany (as well as our OP Tempo and deployment) the skills I need to develop have pretty much been in a holding pattern. I need to get better at mechanical stuff and harvesting wild game/ plants. I could greatly benefit from some targeted professional firearms training. Additional medical training is always beneficial. I am almost surely missing other stuff. Some of these things will take sweat equity and the rest will take cold hard cash.

Not quite sure how I will do this. Maybe a weekly feature or something. Despite any of my failures as a blogger please pay attention to the skill sets which you have and those which you lack. Work to close the gap between the two. Come up with some sort of plan that will allow realistic progress towards these goals.

Molle Rucksack Durability

I have read some discussion about the durability of Molle Rucksacks recently. The earlier ones had some issues with the plastic frame breaking. However in subsequent models that seems to have been corrected. I have dropped one weighing aprox 80 pounds from 8 feet onto concrete, had it land on a single point of the frame and had no problems.

I see two big downsides to the MOLLE system. First is the obviously militant appearance.  Depending on your concerns it could be an issue and if so a quality civilian model such as REI, Kelty, North Face, etc all in brown, tan or grey might be more discrete. Scruffy hair, slightly dirty non descript clothes and a gently used nice backpack just screams stupid hippie kid which could be a real advantage. A rifle fits easily in a ful sized pack and a pistol can be concealed under loose hippyish clothing. The downside is that these are typically a lot more expensive, like at least a couple hundred bucks. The second downside is that if the plastic frame is somehow damaged quality repair would be about impossible. You could weld or jb weld a more traditional metal frame and there isn't much of anything to break on the newer internal frame type packs. 

I should probably write about rucksacks some time but I haven't put anything organized together. Sooner or later I will.

Take care of each other

The Mushy Middle and Keeping Going

In survivalism (or preparedness whichever slightly different philosophy or label you prefer) the initial flurry of purchases, adaptations and skills is easy to quantify and makes you feel far more confident in your ability to survive. It could be debated where this stops but for most people it is being reasonably well prepared for a significant regional disaster lasting several weeks. You’ve gotten plenty of food, batteries, fuel for your lanterns and stoves. Also you have acquired a few guns as well as a decent supply of ammo (not cut and dry but you are probably starting to measure in cases not boxes) and keep some cash on hand. You may have even put a few bucks into precious metals in case things get really weird. Of course you have done numerous other small things that fill out your setup.

Then things start to slow down and become harder to really get excited about. Once you reach that first initial goal (and don’t get me wrong it is a worthwhile one covering you for most realistic scenarios) other goals become a lot bigger and more conceptual. How they really affect your preparedness becomes more and more remote.  It is easy to let complacency set it.

I have kept plodding on over the last couple years because well, I am crazy and that is what I do. Time goes by and things get accomplished an order of this here, that there, practicing some skills and refreshing some kits now and then.

Now don’t get me wrong we have made some big strides, it is just hard to see them in isolation. A little at a time I have set back a decent stash of ammo and spare parts. No longer am I one of those Americans with plenty of guns and hardly any bullets. Also got spare parts for our important guns to keep them running. Picked up all kinds of small but necessary electrical stuff, batteries and a charger plus a Berkley water filter. Also slowly but surely our stash of PM’s is adding up.

We saved an emergency fund and got out of debt. Now as our family has grown and our expenses have changed a little bit we need to give the emergency fund a boost. Not a pressing need just something we will do over the next year or so.

Keeping motivated is essential. Some people have long term visions and know exactly where they want to go and just work towards it. That keeps them going.  I am not so sure I have those for survivalism. There are just so many variables in our lives. However I do know what I want to accomplish in broad terms over the next couple of years.  Maybe I will write another post about that.