Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i American Outdoor Guide

Many of us enjoy survival-oriented films. With some of them, it gives us a chance to wargame, in a manner of speaking, and allow us to see how some situations may play out. There are other movies that seemingly share vital pieces of survival knowledge and techniques. Let’s take a look at three films that fall into the survival genre or niche. The summaries will be brief and will gloss over quite a few details, due to space constraints as well as an attempt to avoid spoilers for those who’ve not seen the movies yet. But, the larger concern for us will be, is there anything in these films that we can turn around and use in the real world? “…IS THERE ANYTHING IN THESE FILMS THAT WE CAN TURN…

If you’ve spent enough time in the backcountry (and chances are you have, Dear Reader), you’re probably way past the big hurdles: a sleeping bag with the right rating, the lightest tent you can afford, a backpack that’s both light enough and comfortable enough to accompany you for a stretch of miles. But what about the finer details, the little stuff that goes a long way in smoothing out the rough miles? I’m talking the kind of tips only garnered through years in the field, through trial and error… those “if only” epiphanies you have on a thru-hike that don’t make it back with you, lost to the backburners of your mind. I’ve done the legwork for you. Here are a few tricks to make you wonder “Why didn’t I…

Did you ever feel as if you were on life’s cruel treadmill? You work long and hard to pay for the possessions you accumulate only to find you have little time to use those things because you’re too busy working to pay for them. There is an alternative. Christopher Nyerges details a different approach in his book, “Urban Survival Guide, How City Dwellers Can Live Well, and Frugally, Even in Dire Times.” While this book is likely to be of interest to those seeking to be secure in the possible event of a natural disaster or economic collapse, it’s actually a guide for living a simple lifestyle unchained from the constraints associated with the pursuit of material wealth. Nyerges lays out a plan that entails growing your own food, repurposing…

"What if you pick the wrong one?" One of the most intimidating activities outdoors lovers can do is confidently pick wild food and eat it. People say, "I couldn't ever do that” or "I'll pick the wrong one." These are always initial concerns. However, don't let this fear prevent you from this experience. Hopefully, these fungi and quick how-to-identify tips will put the fun in and remove some fear. Spore printing, using apps, and books, searching online, and asking others who are in-the-know, are all ways to positively identify plants and fungi. To make a spore print, slice off the stem of a mushroom and lay the cap – gills down – on a paper bag, dark surface, jar lid, or Tupperware lid, and wait for spore coloring. “SPORE PRINTING,…

Combat effectiveness has been described as being able to “shoot, move, communicate, and support/resupply.” This formula has been around for centuries in different formats and it can be found in the history of the minutemen of the American Revolution, the greatest generation of World War II, and in use by modern combatants of the global war on terror. One does not need to be of military lineage to understand the importance of the first three of these tactics used against threats common in the modern world, but the last one, support/resupply, is often overlooked. At some point, the supplies you carry will need maintenance or they will need to be replenished. You won’t always have the option to return home, which makes field maintenance a necessity. The more capable you…

Some of the best brands out there for outdoor gear are ones of which most people have never heard. These are the cottage companies, small businesses and start-ups with low-to-zero overhead who started out making their own gear in garages or basements (or possibly still do) because what they wanted wasn’t already on the market. Most of these companies are ultralight-minded; the gear that the big brands were selling simply didn’t cut it for them, so they set out to do it better. Their costs are low (small teams, no massive inventories) and their quality is high because ultralight is their aim and everything is hand-stitched in-house right here in America (though of course, there are cottage industries all over the world). Unlike the big brands, many of these guys…

The next time you feel the urge for adventure, start by exploring through your computer screen. While being spontaneous can sometimes be a good thing, there are many benefits to doing a bit of planning before you hit the road. There’s a wealth of information available at your fingertips on federal and state government websites, all on the taxpayer’s dime --that is to say, your dime, and then some. These sites are virtual encyclopedias and because we’re paying for them, we might as well get some practical use out of them. PLAN A TRIP In last month’s issue of Boundless, we mentioned the National Park Service website for planning a kayaking trip. We decided to investigate the site further, and found many more great park adventures and trip-planning resources. Accessing…