We’ll soon be hitting the open road on a 1,000 mile journey that will take us from Texas to just south of Flagstaff, Arizona for the 2013 Overland Expo.

Running from May 17th – May 19th, the expo is one of the world’s largest events for DIY adventure travel enthusiasts with classes for overlanding, demonstrations, food, music and over 140 vendors of adventure equipment and services.

This is our first year to attend the Overland Expo and I couldn’t be more excited about participating in all the different workshops. From recovery techniques, vehicle marshaling, 4WD maintenance, cooking and overland driving skills, the expo is packed full of awesome!

What is Overlanding?

You may be wondering what the term overlanding refers to. I’ll first say that it’s right up the alley of most of the readers on ITS and that overlanding utilizes principles and skill-sets we advocate and write about here on ITS Tactical all the time. Overlanding by definition to me is all about the journey and the experience.

It’s about getting into off-road capable transportation, whether that’s a 4WD truck, a Motorcycle or even a bicycle and heading to a remote destination where you’ll rely on self-reliance during your extended trip. It’s also a great opportunity to test your preparedness to handle anything life throws at you and sleep under the stars. Just a few things that I’m very fond of in my life.

The Overland Expo

While the expo is just days away, I wanted to put out some information for those that might still be either considering visiting this year, or even making plans for next year. The Overland Expo is divided into two ways to experience the event.

The Overland Experience Package is the attendance package that includes the option for signing up for specific workshops, demos and driving classes. It’s also the all-inclusive package that features unlimited attendance, dry camping, drink tickets for Friday and Saturday night happy hour and even a BBQ banquet on Sunday afternoon.

Day passes are the second attendance package and are a pay-by-the-day option for unlimited attendance on that specific day. While day passes still get you into the exposition to check out all the gear, vehicles and camping equipment, it doesn’t include the option to sign up for driving/riding classes or workshops. You can still attend films, slide shows, roundtables, demos and test drives/rides and camping is available for a fee.

The Overland Experience Package runs $265 for a single person/vehicle/motorcycle and $480 for two people/one vehicle/one motorcycle. Kids under 16 are free. The day passes for a single adult run $15 for a single day, $25 for two days and $35 for three days. One family day passes, which equals one household, run $30 for one day, $50 for two days and $65 for three days.

At gate pricing is available as well, which may be your only option for 2013, as the Overland Experience and Day Passes seem to be sold out. Admission at the gate will run $20 or $40 for a family per day. $35/$65 for two days and $45/$75 for three days.

The Rig

I’ll be driving out to the expo with my FJ Cruiser and look forward to getting in some hard usage. I’ve slowly been adding on to it since it’s purchase a few years back. While I plan on detailing the upgrades I’ve made in a future ITS article, I’m certain it can handle what I plan to throw at it this week.

The basic rundown is a 3″ Lift, Nitto Trail Grappler Tires, Pro Comp Wheels, Baja Rack Roof Rack, Baja Rack Ladder, Baja Rack Accessory Brackets for a Shovel, Axe, Hi-Lift Jack and (4) NATO 5 Gallon Jerry Cans. Plus a few extras in the interior like MPAC Racks and Recovery Equipment.

We’ll be camping out at OE, so if you see my FJ Cruiser, be sure to come by and say hi. The open road and adventure awaits!

Having a break-down on the side of the road flat-out sucks. Maybe you’re driving your lady home, honing your driving skills, or even overseas, the simple truth is that a little bit of car preparation can go a very long ways toward keeping the wheels turning and getting you where you need to go.

You don’t have to be a trained mechanic to ruggedize your vehicle, all it takes is a little bit of time, basic tools and materials that you can find just about anywhere to turn a normal production vehicle into a high speed workhorse ready to tackle your driving adventures.

Battery

Your battery needs to be tied down very securely if you plan on operating at high speeds, over rough terrain, or both. A loose battery will arc its terminals on sheet metal, flex and break its connections, or shift from its location and interfere with other moving parts. Batteries can be tied down with ratchet straps, bungees, paracord, etc.

Take care not to bridge the terminals with metal or any other conductive material, even touching the terminals together with a tool tool can let the smoke out of the wires or ECU. Cover the battery or at least the hot terminal with scrap rubber or plastic, even wrapping with tape will help prevent a catastrophe.

Tires

Standard equipment tires found on most sedans across the world are fairly thin, weak units. The sidewalls of the tires are especially prone to puncture, as the steel belts and other plies are typically found only in the tread section of the tire.

Over-inflating tires to 35-40 PSI will help to keep the sidewalls away from the terrain that you’re driving over, this will also keep a better seal between the tire and the wheel. Do not slide the car overly sideways on rough terrain, as this exposes your sidewalls to rocks and debris.

Specific rally-racing tires are available in a variety of sizes to fit most vehicles, these tires are designed and reinforced to handle very abrasive surfaces and rough terrain. Whenever possible, carry a full size spare and tools. Secure all of these as well.

Lights

Standard white lights found on most cars leave much to be desired. Replace bulbs with higher wattage units when possible. Also, it is important to understand that your headlights were aimed at the factory with other driver’s feelings in mind. In the States, left side headlights are aimed further inboard and down as a courtesy to other motorists, and headlights are in general aimed further down than is practical for expedient driving.

Find a level surface to align your lights against a large wall or even a deserted stretch of road. Rain-X not only works well on windshields but it keeps headlights clean too. Be sure to adjust your following distances on muddy roads.

Underbody

There are many vulnerable parts on the underside of your vehicle that will stop your trip in a hurry if they are compromised. Your radiator and oil pan typically sit fairly low, as well as fuel tanks, pumps and brake lines. With time and materials, you can do an excellent job of protecting these items, but we all know that there’s often no time for this. Scrap metal, thick rubber, plastic or even a road sign can make an adequate skid plate underneath the engine or fuel tank. I have a Finnish friend that once cut a piece from the wing of an old military aircraft in Estonia to fashion a skid plate in a hurry.

Slice small diameter rubber hose lengthwise and use it to wrap fuel and brake lines then finish it off by affixing with hose clamps or flex ties. Secure the exhaust system firmly to the body with mechanics wire or hose clamps at all mounting points.

Drive Time

These few precautions should dramatically prolong the life of a standard vehicle. The more time that you have available, obviously the better you can prepare your vehicle for rough terrain, heavy loads or aggressive driving. Simply by going through these checks, you also make yourself more familiar with the vehicle and aware of its weak points, which will allow you to change your driving style and decisions accordingly. Good luck out there and keep it on the road.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Please join us in welcoming Wyatt Knox as a contributor on ITS Tactical. Wyatt was the 2011 2-Wheel Drive US Rally Champion, former lead instructor at the Team O’Neil Rally School and is now racing internationally as well as doing private instruction and coaching.

So what do you with your old ballistic vest panels? If you have been in law enforcement or other occupation where you get a new vest roughly every 5 years, you probably have a couple of sets sitting around.

A few years ago I figured there had to be a way to use the panels I’d accumulated, as mine were sitting in the closet collecting dust.

Around that time I came across a video and photos of a Schertz Texas Police cruiser that had taken a bunch of rounds to the front from a AK-47.  The article showed forensics photos of the trajectory the rounds took and had the officer been in the front seat he would have been killed.

While attempting to defeat rifle rounds would only be accomplished by an armored vehicle, it doesn’t take much to send pistol rounds through the windshield, windows and doors.  I came up with a simple solution that got my vest panels out of the closet and into my cruiser. We’ll also talk about other ways you could use this concept in the civilian world. The photos presented here are older, but the concept remains the same and I still carry this system with me today.

About “old” Vests

Let’s talk about “used” vest panels before we go any further. What were talking about here are your vest panels that you have cared for, cleaned properly, and maintained like you’re life depended on it (because well, your life did depend on it). I’m not advocating running out to the nearest surplus store and buying panels out of a pile of Vietnam web gear. If that is the route you want to go because you don’t have your own panels then you do so at your own risk.

Properly cared for ballistic panels will last for years if maintained correctly. I’ll give two examples: A few years ago one of our firearms instructors took his old issued vest (from the mid 80s’) to the range and it stopped everything it was rated against. Our training section also had an old vest they used during knife defense classes that they tried to sick a ice pick through. The old vest stopped it every time.

The Concept

All we’re doing is making a bag to hold the ballistic panels. That’s it. It doesn’t have to be fancy or made out of 10,000 Denier Cordura with quadruple stitching. It should at the very least have handles to make it easy to carry and stitched well enough that it wont fall apart if you need to use it.  As you can see in the photos of the bag I have, there isn’t much to it.

This bag was made by a local Sailmaker. I took my ballistic panels in and gave them a basic idea of what I wanted done. I lucked out as they did a fantastic job with a heavy Cordura type material and heavy stitching. I had two sets of handles made; one set for the top and one set to hold like a shield. The top is secured with heavy Velcro to keep it closed. As you can see in the photos I have both my panels in the bag. Two panels might be an overkill but in this case more might be better because having to deploy it means the crap has hit the fan.

Uses

This idea is pretty simple and can be used in multiple ways.  From throwing it up on the dashboard, holding it against a door, or tossing it to someone pinned down. I keep mine on the passenger seat in my cruiser or take it with me when doing surveillance.

You could keep it at the office or classroom (if you’re a teacher). During the Virginia Tech shooting, students and teachers attempted to hold the doors shut with their bodies. Cho shot through the doors because he knew victims’ were behind them. If I were to design one for a school setting I wound have two separate panels that folded out to give you extra height protection. In effect a soft shield.

There is no reason you couldn’t apply those same ideas at home. Also look at the news footage of the recent tornadoes. You could use this as added protection against flying debris for you or your family while your in your safe room. Think outside the box.

Make one with adjustable handles and you could hang it behind the seat of your cruiser for extra protection.  Yes, officers miss guns on prisoners and yes prisoners can slip their cuffs to the front.

You could also keep it in your TFDV (tactical family deployment vehicle) to help protect your family if the need ever arises. Everyone else has a swagger wagon right? Looking at the recent article on SSG Peoples who confronted the bank robber in Sarasota Florida, he surely could have used something like this.

Bad things tend to happen quickly and without warning. You may not have time to deploy this concept in certain circumstances, but having something like this at your disposal could come in handy. It surely beats having your ballistic panels siting in your closet or garage doing nothing for you.

Please leave us your thoughts and feedback in the comments below. Stay safe out there!

So how many of you tactically park, that is pull forward or reverse into a parking spot?

If you don’t, I’d like to give you some reasons to consider getting in the habit of doing so and thinking defensively about the way in which you stage your vehicle.

The primary reason to park in this manner is that it just makes sense. Yes, it takes a bit of time to reverse into your driveway or a parking spot, but the benefits far outweigh the time it takes.

Increased Field of View

When backing out of a parking space your field of view is severely limited looking through a rear-view mirror and can cause you to miss oncoming traffic, people walking, etc. I basically live on a T-intersection and when backing out of my driveway I wind up looking like my motions are being fast-forwarded trying to keep my eyes on all three different paths of traffic.

It’s essentially the same pulling out after backing in, but I have a greater field of view and better use of my peripheral vision, which is truly beneficial.

Head on a Swivel

Something I always repeat to myself no matter where I am, is “keep your head on a swivel.” This mnemonic device helps me stay focused and always watching everything. This goes for whether I’m at a restaurant, walking my dog or driving a vehicle. I’m always trying to stay aware of my surroundings and possible threats, but at the same time not drawing attention to sporadic movements.

I take this same approach when driving and feel that by tactically parking, I gain an advantage of being more aware of what’s around me at all times and facing any possible threats. There’s just something you loose when backing out. Make yourself back into your driveway or parking spot next time you come home, you’ll see what I mean when you go to leave.

Egress & Evasion

The last and definitely not least important reason to tactically park is simply being able to quickly leave your location. It’s tremendously faster to jump in the vehicle, start it up and immediately pull out, rather than having to reverse out into traffic. Not to mention safer.

This goes for whether you may have to leave during an emergency situation where seconds count, or could even be for those situations you see in the movie where a Zombie is chasing you. Seriously though, next time you park somewhere start war gaming it. “What would happen if I had to leave in a hurry?” “What if I was being chased? When you start thinking this way it will be a no-brainer that you should tactically park.

One thing you won’t or should never see in Secret Service or PSD work is backing out with a VIP. It’s like walking backwards into a room to clear it, you’d never do that would you? Always face potential incoming threats.

Notes

Give it a shot and try to get into the habit of tactically parking. Don’t become lazy about it either. After using the technique for awhile it gets easier, trust me. You’ll stop even thinking about it and just do it naturally.

By using this technique you’ll occasionally have to park further out in order to find a spot you can pull through in, but hey, walking never hurt anyone!

So how many of you tactically park and what are your reasons for doing so?

One of our readers recently emailed us over the details of something alarming that we feel everyone needs to be aware of.

An ABC News 20/20 investigation set out to expose the hidden danger in what is being referred to as a tire’s shelf life.

Tire rubber dries out after six years, but many American companies, such as Sears and Wal-Mart are allowed to sell expired tires long after they wear out. “New” tires on sale at these retailers can be up to 12 years old!

If you want to know the age of your tires, look for the Department of Transportation number hidden on the inward sidewall. At the end of the number is a four-digit sequence that shows the week and year the tire was made. (Most newer tires now have this number on the outward sidewall)

Tires with the notation 3502 were made in the 35th week of 2002. If you only see three digits, get new tires immediately; your tires are from the 90′s and are way past their effective lifespan.

Check out the video below for the lump in Rubber Manufacturers Association Member, Dan Zelinski’s throat at the 4:58 mark. He doesn’t seem very confident in saying that there’s no scientific information to support the shelf life.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Bill!

In Tactical Driving the ability to perform a quick, calculated turn is an important skill, but what about while your vehicle is in reverse? Enter the J-Turn… This little maneuver can be traced back to the prohibition days when bootleggers called it the moonshiner’s turn. Can you picture those old cars performing a J-Turn? It must have been quite a sight!

While the terminology is somewhat confusing, the bootlegger’s turn is a different maneuver that is performed while the car is facing forward, the J-Turn is done while in reverse. We’ll be covering the bootlegger’s turn in a future article.

The J-turn’s end product is your vehicle maintaining its course, but turning 180 degrees in seconds. You’ll end up pointing forward without loosing too much of the vehicle’s momentum. It’s important to know how your vehicle operates, and its limitations… please refer to our introductory article on Tactical Driving.

Let’s go over the steps to complete a successful J-Turn

Automatic Transmission

1. Start with the vehicle in reverse and remember “when you reverse, things come from behind you“
2. Make sure you have plenty of room on both sides of the vehicle, from your starting position, to where you want to end up
3. Accelerate the vehicle to a speed of 30-35 mph and don’t let off of the gas
4. Position your hands at the 2 o’clock and 8 o’clock position on the steering wheel
5. In one quick motion come off of the gas and turn your steering wheel counter-clockwise at least 1/2 of a turn (more is better)
6. This will turn the vehicle very sharply to the driver’s right
7. While the vehicle is almost through the 180 degree turn, use another quick movement in the opposite direction of the turn to bring the vehicle’s wheels back in line
8. Quickly put the car into drive and accelerate

If you don’t maintain the required speed, or turn the steering wheel sharply enough, the vehicle won’t complete the turn.

Manual Transmission

The directions are exactly the same as above, but while selecting first gear to make your getaway, you’ll need to double clutch

1. Press the clutch in
2. Shift to neutral
3. Clutch out
4. Clutch in and shift into first

This adds more of a challenge to the maneuver, but if you practice the double clutch it can be done easily

Here’s a YouTube video we put together showing the J-Turn

Check out our YouTube channel for additional instructional videos on the J-Turn

Hit us up with any questions you have in the comments, and stay tuned for more Tactical Driving articles!