Hello. I'm a newbie, but I've been a guest for years. Great site and contributors. My special interest is urban survival. sort of a"get me out of this building/tunnel and home "focus. My work and pleasure often take me into the city and into secure buidings. I hope to be a useful addition to the Forum. My first question is: does anyone have any experience with a product named the Survival Straw, sold by Brigade Quartermasters ? I've been relying on it in my briefcase kit, but without any field experience. Second inquiry: now that Evac-u8 hoods have been recalled, anyone have a reasonably priced and sized alternative?

Welcome to the forum!

First: why did you call the topic'' Urban e&e'' ? e&e stands for escape and evasion, but that's usually a militairy term and hasn't got much use in ''normal'' survival/preparedness, let alone urban survival.

About your question:

The survival straw: http://giardiaclub.com/survival-water-filter-straw/index.php

I have used something similair. It's pretty good, although I think that it hasn't got much use in the urban enviroment, or am I wrong?

I don't know a alternative for the Evac-u8 hoods, but I do know that you should make a good concideration between price/quality.
If that means spending more money, well I would spend it, because when you need it the hoods are the only thing between you walking away safely and you getting injured or worse from smoke inhalation.

Maybe it's possible to also ask your fellow-workers and family if they are also interested in hoods, then you can order more at once and get a discount?

Take care and welcome,

JIM

I think the straw is an excellent item for urban carry. It you can't get a fresh water source in an emergency, the straw gives you an option to drink water without a water container, if necessary. I don't carry one but I can see the possiblities. I would have less use for such a device in the wilderness, it is less effcient than a good water filter with a pump.

Remember that in an urban survival situation the water may be contaminated with chemicals and toxic waste (like in New Orleans or if there is a big Bay Area quake) most filters will not be sufficient.

In a big city during a crisis (storm, flood, quake, fires, civil unrest) it is ofetn a very good idea to treat the situation like an E&E event. There may be many looters and thugs; avoiding or escaping them may play a big part in surviving.

Some information was discussed earlier here:
urban PSK

Thanx for the welcome to the Forum. I employ the term"e&e" because I view the situations in urban survival as escaping the threat and evading the resulting chaos as I make my way home or to safety.


















i chose the Survival Straw because its advertised as a water purifier, not only a filter. It is suposed to remove not only bacteria and viruses, but also pesticides, herbicides, aresenic, cobalt, radon,mecury, lead, chlorine and water soluble heavy metals. I only carry 1 or 2 foil packets of water in my kit, sometimes supplemented with a bottle of spring or tap water. The Straw is my back-up device to deliver extra water from questionable sources.

On the subject of EDC, I offer a small contribution: 1 or 2 dry hot ironed yellow or orange cotton bandanas, folded pocket sized, ironed again and sealed into a Gerber Breastmilk bag, the edges of which i've reinforced with duct tape. Attached to this packet with more duct tape is a flat roll of duct tape





















about 40" long. Tucked inbetween the tape and the packet are 2 foil packets of Neosporin. It makes for a passable bandage, smoke mask or signal flag.

with only 2 packages of foiled packed water, i would recomend to get either more water or a beter waterfilter/purifier.
Modern 0.2 mocron filters are able to remove bacteria and anything bigger. If you life in north america or europe you have relative low chance of getting a virus by filtered water in the wilderness.
Although this MIGHT not be the case in a emergency urban situations where ther might be more virusse due to poor hygiene and possibly dead things in the water. Haven NOT found research on this yet.

For chemical removing, like pesticide, heavy metals,etc. A straw really doesn't contain enough carbon to effectively remove those chemcicals. The most effective carbon purifier for chemicals, which can be easily bought and is portable is the First Need Deluxe purifier.(some prefer to call it a filter, due to the fact it removes virusses with the effect of positive charged things being attracted to negatively charge things and vise versa, which might not be extreamly reliable). It has the larged carbon matrix of pretty much all of the commercial portable filters in it's class.

Think of "Urban e&e'' as another way of saying, "Get me outta here!"

-- Craig

There is something known as the "Rules of Combat." They were thought up by a Greek sqaddie outside the wall's of Troy. They are still applicable today. They are:

1) Always remember that your gear is made by the lowest bidder.
2) Train like you plan to fight (or Survive).
3) If your up to your eyeballs in Goblin's, your in combat.
4) When in doubt, use industrial strength deterrence.
5) Never get into a situation with someone who is braver than you are.
6) Priorities are man-made, not God-made.
7) A plan never survives the first 30 seconds.
8) If it's stupid but it works, it ain't stupid.
9) Only turn round to blow the threat away. Otherwise run away.
10) Always honor (i.e. Don't ignor) a threat.
11) Know the opposition.
12) Know when it's time to get out of Dodge.
13) Know how to get out of Dodge.
14) The important things are always simple.
15) The simple things are always hard.
Modify and prioritise as required.