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Survival in whitewater depends on proper training and good equipment.

Reader’s comments: Controlling panic when canoe capsizes in whitewater

300 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

After my immediate shock of being in the water, gasping for air between waves, I recalled something one of your newsletters or blog posts mentioned about survival. I thought you might be interested that in the face of a stressful situation, your words of advice came to me and helped me.

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bison in Yellowstone, bison, bison down

Review: Are Buffalo Wool trekking socks the best choice for cold, wet weather?

448 189 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

These new socks combine modern technology with old time materials. The result is a warm durable sock made of bison down, merino wool, nylon and spandex. I put a pair to the test under extreme conditions, and here is what I found. 

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The L.T. Wright Next Gen (top) and Rouge River are great user knives.

How to: Baton firewood with a butter knife

600 366 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

Most survival knife reviews at some point show the blade being pounded – or batoned -through a block of firewood. But batoning is not a big deal if you use the right technique. This method is so simple you can baton firewood with a butter knife.

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A much younger Leon at a silver mine in the Beartooth Mountains in Montana.

My 1976 John Muir Trail Journal

300 203 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

…even the lousy weather can’t change the beauty of this mountain range. It’s all worth it, when I come over a ridge and can look at all the trees and mountains. The mountains are so beautiful in the mornings, I usually get up early just to watch the sunrise. The air is usually pine-scented. Walking through the forest is like walking through a cathedral. Underfoot, there is a thick carpet of pine needles, which muffles my foot steps. I have walked right up on several herds of deer, just because I was so quiet. I’m really glad to be out here.

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Happy Birthday Survival Common Sense: Why I started a survival blog that has lasted 14 years

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In the wilderness survival industry the average lifespan of a website is about 18 months. Survival Common Sense has been around for 14 years in October. Here is the “why” of that continued success. 

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Video: Fight the heat and stay hydrated with this Water-to-Go™ filter bottle

430 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

Staying hydrated is not optional. You drink or you die. This water bottle/filter system may be what you need, and it helps cut down on single-use plastic bottles.

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brick rocket stove, cast iron cooking

Build a brick rocket stove for emergency water purification

326 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

During an emergency – think tornado, hurricane, flood etc – there will probably be lots of building debris all over. And one priority in that situation is going to be finding drinking water. The best, quickest way to purify questionable water is probably by boiling. This stove can be built with bricks and stoked with wooden biomass from a demolished…

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Video adventure in the Oregon backcountry: Visit Pete French’s round barn

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The historic Round Barn in the Oregon backcountry is well worth the drive to go see it.

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Review: Bark River Mini Kephart – A do-it-all knife

600 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

The Kephart may be the best do-it-all knife design. Bark River’s Mini Kephart may be what the backpacker, or everyday user needs.

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I made this knife and cardboard sheath 40-some years ago. The blade is quite usable and the sheath still does its job quite well! It doesn't work all that well for small game cleaning.

Choose the right knife for small game hunting

300 200 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

You can skin and field dress squirrels, rabbits, upland game and smaller animals with many different styles of knives. Here’s how to pick one that can do the job well for you, while not breaking the budget.

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