DNA Tactical Blog

When we go on adventures out of doors we need to face it that we can’t carry all the water we need for days on end. We need to be able to find it and make it safe to drink. Also bear in mind that without water you will only survive for three days. Staying hydrated should be one of your highest priorities while you are outdoors and you should take every opportunity to top up your water supplies.

When we look the survival rule of three’s; three minutes without air, three hours without shelter in harsh conditions, three days without water, three weeks without food we have to face it that food is at the bottom of the list.

That doesn’t mean that we should ignore it though, having to forage, hunt and scavenge for food is a time and labour intensive activity so being prepared for emergencies with a well-stocked pantry or for outdoor adventures with well packed provisions if you’re headed out on an expedition is essential.

Sometimes being prepared requires you to have a light on you at all times, too often people rely on their mobile phones to light their way if they need to find something or do anything in the dark. Not only are mobile phone batteries drained very quickly by using the torch but in an emergency your phone is probably better preserved for contacting other members of your party and making emergency calls.

Fire is one of your most vital resources in the outdoors, nothing else in the history of the human species has been quite as revolutionary as the discovery and harnessing of fire, and it is as vital now as it ever was. In the outdoors only our requirements for air and shelter ranks above our need for fire.

There are so many factors that are involved when we think and talk and read about "survival". We may think about being in the wilderness, or we may think about the jobs that some of us have in the world where use-of-force is regular and necessary, or we may think about civil unrest (a reality that is, sadly, growing more common in our country recently). And for each of these, there are various tasks and tools that come to mind as well ‑ everything from purifying water to binding a wound to defending against an attacker to staying warm and dry. What we all agree on is that surviving is serious business where the stakes couldn't be any higher and the price of failure couldn't be more severe.

I want to tell you a little story. This is a story about a lack of preparation. A story of when being stupid was thankfully followed by being lucky. Without the latter, the former would have kept me from telling this story at all. Depending on luck is a terrible decision in a survival situation. Depending on "well, this has always worked before" is foolish ‑ we should learn from those around us who may have more experience or more knowledge (or even a differing perspective or viewpoint). As Bismark is to have said, "Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others." This would make me a fool and you, the reader, wise.

I remember an assignment I had in the fourth grade. We were supposed to walk around our houses and find the best or the most important tools in our homes. I walked first to the barn to look at all the equipment for the yard and fields and paddocks and pens ‑ everything from rusting scythes to filthy posthole diggers to more wrenches than I could count to piles of nails and screws and other fasteners. Nothing there seemed like The Most Important Tool. I tried the garage next ‑ more wrenches and everything was covered in oil, and nothing seemed even as important as the tools in the barn. 

EDC: Every Day Carry. This means so much more than simply a concealable firearm, though that is the extent of what many people think. There are so many tools that we need access to every day other than a gun; in fact, our gun is likely the tool that we will reach for the least. So what is it that we need to have with us at all times in addition to a weapon? We have talked before about the importance and utility of a knife and some type of multi-tool. What else do we carry? A light source. DNA Tactical is the place to find the equipment and the advice to help you find the hand held lights that you need.

Is there anything more foolish than hurting yourself while training to protect yourself? Whether we get hurt in the weight room or while going for a run or while otherwise protecting our health and wellbeing, it feels (and arguably, in preventable cases, is) absurd to sustain an injury in the pursuit of health and safety. 

I want to tell you a story about eyewear. It's a simple story that could have happened to any one of us (and, the more often I tell this story, the more often I have people reach out to me saying that they experienced the same or a similar set of circumstances.) But first a little background about me, so that you know that I am not just a foolish Johnny-come-lately who was ignoring some of the most basic safety rules that experienced people follow as a matter of course.

I had spent my whole life shooting and hunting and camping and backpacking. I shot for fun on the range and in wilderness in northern New England. I hunted small game with rifle and shotgun and big game with revolvers. I never really liked camping (parking my car or motorcycle at a campsite and pitching a tent there and walking in the woods), but I loved to backpack ...

How much time do we spend researching a firearm that we want? Does endless sound about right? We read magazine articles. We read online and print reviews and comparison tests. We go on countless gun forums where "experts" will praise or revile the same weapon countless times. We talk to friends and strangers about their experiences with the gun. 

With their specific Medical Components and their complete Medical Kits, DNA Tactical has the tools that you need to make sure that you come home safely from every environment and every encounter in your life. You will know that you have what you need on your belt, in your bag, or in your car to preserve both your life and the lives of those around you.

So you have committed to adopting a firearm, purchased your first gun for "Self-Defense", now what? Have you taken everything into consideration? Do you have the education, understanding, background, and respect to use your firearm; especially pertaining to a Self-Defense scenario? Are you familiar with all the influences that entail Firearm Safety? Did you take the time to familiarize yourself with all the variant aspects of ammunition and how they are traditionally utilized?

It is actually surprising how often the difference between "training" and "practice" is discussed, argued and more often than not, compared to one another in theory. The truth is, these two fundamentals are not remotely similar, the basics are different and both require diverse approaches to truly master the craft!