Basics of Urban Combat Survival and Assault Pack Setup

This is the first video I've seen where Garand Thumb was that serious and passionate about a subject. Thank you G.T for the years of knowledge

If you’ve ever tried to “survive” in the city, but ended up in the county jail, go ahead and hit that subscribe button

1. Stop kicking in all the doors unless you want a fast ticket to Valhalla 2. Camouflage (doesn't really matter as long as it keeps you from digging a death hole) 3. Medium pack not wider than body or taller than shoulders 4. Situational awareness (SLLS) 5. Group up 6. Keep filtered groundwater (boiled or purified) on you that you don't get from cities. 7. Minimize time at water sources (Dip n go bags) 8. Ammo (quick access), batteries, thermal, weapon cleaning kit, extra lightweight bag 9. Small amounts of calorie-dense foods just during missions (typically the best foods are high in fat, sugar and carbs) but dont discount nutrition and protein for long-term survival) 10. Lock picking, small lightweight breaching weapon, bolt cutters 11. Blend in (BLS) and thermal poncho 12. Layers, extra socks, emergency blanket, tubular nylon 13. If you don't have a rite in the rain, fuck you 14. Trauma kit and booboo kit 15. Foot powder, toothbrush, wet wipes, electrolytes, can opener, spoon, neon signal cloth 16. FITNESS AND KNOWLEDGE. Without these, you're just an expensive loot drop and will end up digging a death hole

I was a Marine for 4 years (WOPPIE), and National Guard 6 years (HURRAY), 2 tours in Iraq, CQC, Desert Survival, Urban Survival, and Jungle Warfare trained. I just found this channel and he DEFINITELY speaks the truth. Really motivates me to get back out there and train some more. Like my old Sensei told me, “Train to be your best, because you never know when you’ll need to be.” Thanks for your information on where to find quality items for the load outs. Be safe brother. (If you’re still running OP’s) ~Camp Couch

Tip to add: Jump test - prior to a raid we/team would simply do an on the spot jump up and down, and then tape down, remove whatever would give your approach position away. Tip 2 - try and keep things in the exact same locations on your person, during an incident, you can locate your items without thinking as they are always in the same spot - simple but critical. Great video - lots of value - thanks for sharing.

Other survivalist turorials: "Just follow these tips and you'll be king of the wasteland" Garand thumb: "Y O U W I L L D I E"

Although a 12 gauge might be faster at breaching, I have found in my own experience that a battery powered angle grinder is an amazing way to overcome many manmade obstacles. You can insert the blade between the door and the wall to cut the lock, you can quickly make an opening in a fence, remove barbed wire - it's really a very versatile tool in the kinds of situations I'd imagine you encounter in urban survival. I was just a simple mechanic in the navy - I have no experience with CQB, but that's one thing I use in my bug-out bag that I noticed you hadn't covered.

I remember during COVID, Austin Texas was hit with an ice storm and the city lost power for a week…by day 3 it felt like I was going to get shot for my free pizza that they were giving away in a parking lot. Crazy how fast shit hit the fan. I started going out fully armed and ready to engage like a crazy person.

Pro tips from an ex US Army mechanized infantryman, and 20yr PI in an urban environment: you can pull the white string out of a USGI bandoleer, and it opens the pocket up to the dimensions needed to put a 30rd mag in there. So my suggestion, if you are going to carry a USGI bandoleer, fill it with 4x 30rd mags instead of stripper clip ammo. The weight is virtually identical, it's only very slightly more bulky, and the ammo is much quicker to get into action if needed. The safety pin on a USGI bandoleer is so that you can adjust the bandoleer length as needed to sling it snugly around your body. Caffiene pills are your friend anti diarrheal pills WILL save your life Foot powder is your friend amoxicillin (fish mox forte, non prescription) capsules are your friend and can absolutely save your life NEVER stand in windows. If observing out a window, do so from a distance of at least six and preferably 10 feet in the room. NEVER silhouette yourself against the skyline, for any reason, ever. Rechargeable batteries and a 20w foldable solar panel/power pack can greatly extend your window of operational effectiveness. Keep in mind that thermal cannot see through glass. Using your poncho, debris/cover an etool and an OD green space blanket you can make an effective thermal vision blind. There are many videos on youtube showing how. These items also form the basis of an effective shelter system, when combined with a poncho liner. An etool is not just a digging tool, it is also an impromptu breeching tool, hand to hand weapon, and most importantly: A super lightweight portable folding seat. Fritos corn chips have super high caloric density, and are fantastic firestarters. Crush a pound of fritos into little pieces, and put it in ziplock bags in your pockets or pack. A set of basic lock picks and a bogata rake can get you in many doors without being detected. This advice was added by someone else farther down in the comments section Keep a 6x or greater laser range finder monocle on you for target identification surveillance and ranging. Download the free ballistic calculator STRELOK, and figure out the dope for your specific weapon and round of choice. Memorize them to 500 yards. An automatic centerpunch will get you through most glass and windows instantly. A 6" mechanics pry bar is very compact and very strong. You can pry open a shocking amount of urban doors with one. Do not cheap out on this. Get a quality snap on, Mac Tools or Matco prybar. The cheap ones bend and the handles break. Strive for a total loadout weight no more than 20% of your total bodyweight, and 15% is even better. Select your gear the same way an ultralight hiker does. Most US citizens are terribly out of shape and most LARPers will be heat or RSI casualties within 24 hours of the initiation of an actual SHTF situation.

This series is going to be your magnum opus. You are literally guiding an entire generation into being a more effective fighting force. There is nothing more American than this. God bless you and your production team brother

Being from the inner city, situational awareness is a skill most of us are taught so young that it feels you were born with it. I can be in my phone and still know everything going on around me because I do it deliberately, to throw off everyone else. It’s almost a defense mechanism. Just like even if I’m in the center of the dance floor I’m still watching all corner of the room while having the time of my life. I’m extremely observant and I have noticed how I’m already engraining that in my kids. I also find it wild how my 3 year old son is CRAZY observant naturally, which makes my job easier. I’m glad I found your channel. I live in NJ and I’ve been getting heavy into survival lately, even tho I’ve always been into it. I’m finally getting my first gun after passing the requirements and outside studying munitions training daily, I’ve been studying survival craft of all sorts. I feel it in my spirit that something is coming. I don’t know exactly what it when, but I feel it. As a kid when I was heavy in church I always felt I had a special gift because I had vivid dreams that would come true, some of which have saved my life…. I think this feeling is one of validity and id rather be safe than sorry

Very down to earth education. I was a marine for a spell and a lot of what your teaching is extremely important, let's see how many people were listening and how many wish they did.

"be fit, I'm gonna keep harping on it" This is the single biggest take away for me. I have been running daily for a month or so and eating really selectively... Long enough to develop the habit. Weight is dropping, mile time is reducing and my ability to ruck longer is increasing. Keep it up dude, believer it or not, you are inspiring people.

This is one of the best prepper videos I've seen lately. All great points and good gear recommendations. Thanks for revealing your true colors.

This is eye-opening and fascinating… I am new father of 2, and I now feel the need to be prepared; prepared to protect my kids, and prepared for us to survive in an event like one described in this video. Over the next few years, I’ll begin purchasing items to help my family and I be more prepared for whatever we’re faced with. Thanks for putting together a great video for us

Please mike, please give us more like this. These are the best types of videos. We are grateful for the information given.

just a note about those Sawyer filters (which are great) is you can't let them freeze. If they freeze the ice will break the micro-filters inside. If you're in a super-cold weather climate and you have to store them wet, keep your filter on a cord around your neck to keep it warm. Also please keep in mind that while they’re amazing at filtering harmful bacteria and organisms, they can’t filter out chemicals so don’t just go sticking your lifestraw into a puddle under the freeway.

From my hiking experience, coffee filters are great multi-use item. They're sturdier than tissues, cheap, prevalent, and can be used as a napkin, toilet paper, paper plate, kindling, etc. Best part is that most people overlook coffee filters when they raid the toilet paper.

Just started watching the channel a few days ago and really realized how much I lack in training and being ready. Iv enjoyed all the gun reviews as well. Just an awesome channel and plan on soon picking up a few small things I can start doing some basic training and maneuvers with my rifles and stuff to better myself!! Thank again G.T. Really love the channel.

The words to live by every damn day. "If you are NOT FIT. YOU are gonna DIE." - GARAND THUMB