survival training / classes in toronto?

[Cat13]

I think he was referring to the app used to view the book

But a book you can toss into your backpack where an app is limited to signal and/or battery life.
PLUS a book is paper which can be used as firestarter if in dire need.

[Cat13]

but lets say europe and someone tries to mug you, or something like that. knowing some martial arts is better than nothing, right?

Pickpockets are your concern and theres not much you can do but not carry the important stuff in an easy spot. IE wallet in back pocket.

[daught]

If someone wants to mug you in Europe, or anywhere else, they wont slap you with their glove and duel you. They will get you from behind and there will be at least two of them. Or they will pickpocket you. You wont feel it. They teleport that stuff out of your pocket. Whatever you have it's not worth risking your life for, and trust me no matter what training you have you will risk your life in a confrontation with muggers. It's better to keep a low profile, don't look like a tourist. Loose the jewelry and watch. Most people I saw getting mugged in Europe were drunk tourists pissing in a corner.

Same idea applies with bears. Follow the rules to avoid them. If you have to defend yourself against them you screwed up. Many times bears attack people while they are sleeping in their tents. They are there because they smell something inside the tent. A shotgun wont help you much in such a situation.

MEC sells this book:
http://www.rei.com/product/831104/fa...de-4th-edition

It has very good advice from handling a bear encounter to food storage and cooking.

[rideitlikeyoustoleit]

What above post said. I doubt anyone is going to try and mug you by themselves. And if they do, they will probably be armed.
If you`re still interested anyways, check out some security companies and ask if they offer Use of Force training. It`s pretty
handy. They teach you some pretty cool things.

[RetroGrouch]

those joking about hand to hand combat. hey what if you get mugged or attacked while traveling?

Typical paranoid urbanite attitude. You've watched Deliverance and Hostel too many times.

[daught]

BTW firearms are actually illegal in provincial parks in Canada and the US(at least in Washington).

[SkyRider]

Typical paranoid urbanite attitude. You've watched Deliverance and Hostel too many times.

better to know it and not need it, than need it but not know it. u call paranoid, i call planning ahead for unforseen circumstances.

you wear a helmet riding don't you? even if no helmet law, would u still wear it?

[ernyov]

But a book you can toss into your backpack where an app is limited to signal and/or battery life.
PLUS a book is paper which can be used as firestarter if in dire need.

Hence me posting a picture of the book and not a screenshot of the app.

Survival skills are best learned at home and applied out there. I don't take the book nor my iPhone with me, but I do use my app to refresh my knowledge base once in a while when my book is not at hand.

OP, while combat skills are definitely useful, it should be the last of your worries in the scenarios you propose.

Shelter, fire and food will keep you alive.

Edit: BTW, you don't need signal to use the app anyways double face palm right back at ya.

[matthew]

I grew up in rural BC. We didnt get snow days we had bear days. Days when we'd be sent home early or locked in the school while the authorities hunted down whatever cougar or bear was roaming around.

Which part of BC?

[psycho44]

good advice.

now about hand to hand combat. damnit im not learning it to fight a bear? LMAO wtf??? i meant it's good to know in case you are backpacking, not just in the rockies. but lets say europe and someone tries to mug you, or something like that. knowing some martial arts is better than nothing, right?

Martial arts should only be used as a last resort. I think self defense classes would be more appropriate. You should always make it a habit to not put yourself in a bad spot where help is not nearby. If you do get mugged first thought should be how can you run away? If he's in close stomp his feet, kick or scrape his shin, knee his balls, gouge his eyes do whatever it takes to survive. Don't try those fancy high kicks to the head it'll put you off balance and get you down on the ground faster.

If he's got a knife don't bother trying to fight him bare handed. Give him what he wants by throwing it at his feet and hope he tries to pick it up. When he does run!

Having bear mace can come in handy against both bears and human.

[rafiki911]

^ this is great advise and exactly what I was taught when I took my womans self defence instructor course.
Basically if you look like you know where you are going and be aware of your surroundings, most likely you wont be messed with. Also in my knife defence course, first thing taught is you are going to get cut in a knife fight...

I've read the Les Stroud Survive book and it's pretty awesome. http://www.amazon.ca/Survive-Les-Stroud/dp/0002008866

Not sure where you are travelling but when ever I go to Greece with my father we do a lot of walking in not safe areas where there is risk of being attacked by stray dogs and or undisirables. First thing he does when we arrive to the Town/Village is find a nice solid walking/beating stick. If I were travelling alone I would definately buy a knife as well.

[toshison]

SkyRider,

Going solo in the Rockies, surviving off the land itself is drastically different than backpacking in Europe.

So advice for each of those activities is going to be mostly different as well. The only common theme of advice I could give is that you need to know what you are up against. Do your research and you will know what you need to know.

Going solo in the Rockies, you will need to know certain survival skills and you will need to carefully plan. If you aren't an experienced backcountry camper, you might want to warm up to it and start out with some small backcountry camping trips in Algonquin or something like that to get your feet wet, so to speak.

Backpacking in Europe is different altogether. You don't need anything more than some street smarts and common sense to keep you relatively safe and having fun. You don't even need an itinerary or to even plan a whole lot in advance as its very easy to hit the ground running if you have travelled independently before. If you want to minimize risk, its best to know whats out there by doing research, know the common scams (which are usually petty scams to separate you from your cash and not hostile muggings) and always stay in control and know your limits.. From my backpacking experiences, the people that usually get into trouble are the ones that don't exercise good judgement and put themselves in the line of unnecessary danger.

Learning basic self defense is beneficial for everybody but don't kid yourself into thinking a few months of martial arts is going to do much for you on the road. If you are not conditioned to think clearly and relax when your adrenaline is pumping and danger is present, you will probably revert to instincts over training. Or your limited skills might just give you a false sense of confidence that will have you in even more trouble...

Street smarts and conflict avoidance is always the best route.

[nightrider]

Google "us army survival manual fm 21-76" and you should be able to find the pdf download or just buy the book. I've only read a bit but it's a fun read so far.

Sounds like a fun trip.

[jc100]

If someone drops ketchup on you...or small kids rustle newspapers under your nose....you are being robbed.

[SkyRider]

If someone drops ketchup on you...or small kids rustle newspapers under your nose....you are being robbed.

that is so lame. to be more successful they should at least, drop some hot titties and booties on their victims.

[daught]

that is so lame. to be more successful they should at least, drop some hot titties and booties on their victims.

They're busy in the strip clubs

[mat2312]

BTW firearms are actually illegal in provincial parks in Canada and the US(at least in Washington).

Not sure about the US but some Ontario parks are firearms friendly as they have hunting areas.

[Cat13]

Same idea applies with bears. Follow the rules to avoid them. If you have to defend yourself against them you screwed up. Many times bears attack people while they are sleeping in their tents. They are there because they smell something inside the tent. A shotgun wont help you much in such a situation.

Bears will attack for three reasons. Reason A: You scared it. Reason B: You spotted a baby and mommy feels threatened. Reason C and most common: You have gotten between it and food. Either it smells food and you are there or you interupted it hunting or any variation. Thats why you always hang food from a tree or keep it in a airtight container and discard scraps far away from where you are sleeping.

Edit: BTW, you don't need signal to use the app anyways double face palm right back at ya.

I know you don't need signal. But you do need battery power which was my point. Enjoy that face palm on day two of being lost and your hearing the search helicopters moving farther and farther away.

Which part of BC?

Sooke which has developed ten fold since I left but heck my mom was even telling me last night about running around and moving her strawberry plants inside so the deer that was roaming her front lawn didnt eat them.

We camped about 45 min inland from Port Renfrew. Theres a couple lakes, Lizard and Faerie. Faerie was where our run in with momma bear was. Lizard is now developed into an actual camping spot now. Used to just be a path off the road and some homemade fire pits with large rocks gathered. But I loved catching the salamanders that are abundant in the water there.

^ this is great advise and exactly what I was taught when I took my womans self defence instructor course.

Where did you get your training? I wouldn't mind a self defence class.