CLOTHING HACKS
A BELT WITH TRACTION
A broken belt in the field can be a devastating setback, especially if you’re using your belt to carry gear such as a knife, your everyday carry (EDC) kit, and saw. A surprisingly simple and very durable hack belt can be made from the tread of an old bicycle tire. When the walls are trimmed away until just the face tread remains, it becomes the perfect belt width. Staple, rivet, or lash one end to your buckle, punch holes in the other end for adjusting, and you’ve got a belt that will last a lifetime. You can also use bicycle tire treads as suspenders, pack straps, replacement handles, and rifle slings. Slivers from the rubber tread can even be used as harsh-weather fire starters.
PANTYHOSE PREVENTION
An old hunting buddy introduced me to this unique hack, and I’ve never forgotten it. As manly as he was, he wore pantyhose every time he hunted—both in summer and winter. During hot summer months, he swore that the pantyhose barrier made it impossible for ticks to latch onto the skin. In cold temps, pantyhose make a very effective base layer. It’s all about layering in cold weather, and the addition of a few pairs of pantyhose to your cold-weather car kit is a great idea that’s easy on the wallet. If you’re using a new pair of boots, pantyhose can also help prevent blisters by reducing the friction from your shoe. Simply trim off the feet and wear them as a sock liner.
LIP BALM ZIPPER WATERPROOFER
In extreme weather, even the slightest nonwaterproofed area or seam can become a huge setback and source of frustration. Many zippers are water repellent because of their construction, but they are not waterproof. One way to help waterproof jacket and backpack zippers is to run lip balm with firm pressure along the length of the zipper. Wax from the lip balm will press into the cracks and prevent water from seeping in. This will also help to lubricate the zippers (especially metal ones) and make them easier to use. Other products that can work for this in a pinch are crayons, candles, some hair pomades, and beeswax. The wax will wear off with use, but is a great temporary fix when Mother Nature proves to be unmerciful.
HANDY TOOL/GEAR GRIPS
Places and ways to secure gear and tools should be a part of every survival wardrobe. Here is a quick hack using bicycle inner tubes to secure a variety of tools and gear to belts, backpack straps, knife sheaths, and even walking sticks. Crosscut sections of bicycle inner tubes are widely known within the survival community as Ranger bands. When these sections of inner tubes are threaded onto belts or backpack shoulder straps, they make secure grips for a variety of small gear that you wish to quickly access. I keep a multitool right on my backpack strap, using Ranger band gear grips to hold it securely in place. These grips are weatherproof, inexpensive, and very strong. They can also be used as an effective fire tinder in bad weather.
ROYCROFT PACK
Canadian survival instructor Tom Roycroft was tasked by the Canadian Department of National Defence to come up with improvised backpack ideas that soldiers could construct with limited resources in the field. He ultimately invented what is known as the Roycroft pack. Lash a simple triangle of limbs together as shown. The left and right sides are the length of your armpit to your fingertip. The bottom is the length of your elbow to fingertip. Lay any kind of fabric, sheeting, or jacket on top of the frame and place your supplies in the middle. Fold the remaining fabric inward; a crisscross lashing holds everything in place. Finally, tie a lark’s head knot on top and run the 2 rope ends around the bottom corners and tie them at your waist. You can make this pack in just a few minutes with hardly any resources.
TUMPLINE FOR HEAVY LOADS
Here is an old hack for carrying heavy loads that you may not have seen before. I first learned of this trick when studying the mountain men fur traders of the 1800s. Mountain men would have to carry heavy loads of fur pelts along hiking paths and canoe portages. They did this almost exclusively using a tumpline, a strap that runs over the shoulders and around the top of the head. The ends of the tumpline are attached to the sides of the basket or pack you’re carrying. It sounds very awkward, but in fact it allows you to carry a lot of cargo with less effort. The tumpline aligns the weight along your spine rather than weighing down your shoulders like a traditional backpack. It is important to note that the tumpline should wrap across the top of your head with you leaning forward rather than across the forehead.
SOCK HALF GLOVES
A wise woodsman wears a scarf around his neck in cold weather. Much of your heat is lost through the thinly insulated veins and arteries that run through the neck. The same is true for the wrist. Heat is lost through the blood being close to the skin as it works its way to and from the fingers. For this reason, half gloves (also called wrist gloves) that insulate the wrist can make a huge difference in keeping your fingers warm in cold weather. You can make a very effective pair of half gloves from the leg and cuff portion of a pair of old wool hiking socks. Cut the sock off above the ankle, trim a hole for your thumb, and pull it on. This half glove will insulate much of the palm, the exposed veins on the back of the hand, and your wrist.
FOOTWEAR HACKS
SEAL YOUR SEAMS WITH TOILET RINGS
I’m a huge fan of leather boots. However, they require a lot of maintenance. During extended periods in wet environments, many leather boots will leak at the seams. I have a quick and easy hack for that, and it uses an inexpensive wax toilet bowl seal ring. Before heading outside, heat the seams of your boots with a candle. Don’t burn them or catch them on fire, just heat them up. While the seams are still hot, use a cloth to rub some wax from the toilet ring along them. The wax will melt and draw into the seam, making it nearly impermeable to water. Even in a bug out or survival scenario, wax toilet rings are always available. You can also use this method to waterproof the entire boot. Just warm the boots first by letting them sit in the sun or near a fire.
NEWSPAPER MUKLUKS
Mukluks are traditional soft-soled boots originating in the Arctic. The design is most functional in extreme cold conditions when the snow is soft and powdery as opposed to wet and slushy. Mukluks allow the feet to breathe through thick layers of insulation and, like their moccasin cousins, offer very quiet travel. You can make a hack pair of mukluks by laying out 20–30 sheets of newspaper flat on the floor with a corner facing forward. Place your foot in the middle with your toes pointing toward the outside corner and then fold each of the 4 corners in on top and across your foot. Tape or lash this layer into place. Next, fold a towel in half, place it on the floor, and wrap it around the foot in the exact same fashion using rope or tape. A final layer of tarp, scrap jacket material, or canvas can be layered on the outside for added weather protection. Add more layers of newspaper for more insulation.