As a plumber in the u.s. tank water heaters can have anywhere between 30 to 60 gallons of filtered city water in them at any given time if they havent been emptied. Use the drain on the bottom of the heater and open faucets on the hot side to break the hydrolock. Lightly filter to get rid of harmless sediment.

I swear Garand thumb is slowly becoming a small indie film studio by now

Ok, I am going to share one of my tricks I figured out. If you are in a city and it's nighttime, winter, your cold wet, freezing.... find a POST OFFICE. The lobbies are open for post box customers, and they are dry and well heated. Look in the waste basket for junk mail someone has thrown away. If someone comes in just shuffle the letters etc. around and act like you just picked up your mail. Walk out and away, then go back after they leave. I truly believe this saved my life one BAD WINTER NIGHT. You're welcome.

It blows my mind how many veterans quickly realize how our Government isn't to be trusted and how many of them help the people with learning the things they need to know to be safe and stay out of reach. I have so much love for all of you. You are loved and I support you even if you don't agree with me politically.

2 survival videos back to back?! what did we do to earn this gift

I know everyone likes the gun videos, but these survival/evasion videos are absolutely your best. Would be really cool to see more environments like farmland, open deserts, rural towns, etc.

All is trickier with kiddos. As a single mom, where I go, my little one goes. Would love to see content that caters to survival with children.❤

Growing up in terrible cities in Chile I can say most of the pointers shared in this video are true survival stuff all Chileans need to know. The others are sweet things I didn't know about. Now I'm a more complete city survivalist. Thank you gents

I had an old gangster tell me once while visiting a city. Over the years I've paid attention to the demographics of what he said in multiple city's, and it seems to be universally true. He said always be mindful of change in elevation. Almost all cities are built with the highest end of the city built on the highest ground. Anytime the elevation drops, so does the class of neighborhood. If walking 2 blocks downhill? One needs to start looking over their shoulder. Doesn't matter if it's Atlanta or Cleveland Ohio. Risk increases in the lower elevations.

I’ve heard an interesting anecdote from a police helicopter pilot once. He said if they were looking for a suspect in a crowded urban area, they would go relatively low (still above buildings) and look for whoever pedestrian has not stopped and started looking up. Makes sense, if you are just minding your own business and suddenly a helicopter starts hovering over you, you are going to stop and look like “wtf??”

This felt like the intro to an amazing survival thriller. Props on the cinematography

I'm a lifelong small town boy who recently moved to a big city, and this is invaluable! Some of this I've thought about, but a lot of this is new and good information!

You guys should definitely do a hide and seek/tag style video actually applying the things y'all are teaching. Maybe have Micah, Charles & Admin try to find/capture y'all in a city for a few hours.

In an urban setting the "construction worker" look is a HUGE advantage. I used to deliver to construction sites and I constantly blew past security gates, check points, "authorized personnel " doors (even with alarms) and I was NEVER questioned. It blew my mind that having a hi-vis vest and a dirty old hardhat on was the key to the city.

Thanks you and the algorithm for this video. One of the mottos I follow, within reason, is that "I'd wrather have it and not need it than need it and not have it". Be it equipment or, in this case, the free information you have given. I hope to never have to be in a situation to use this but at least I have this extra to take with me going forward. :)

Loved the example of the elevated bridge hide site; advice I read from a prolific stealth camper was “Go up. Ordinary people never look up.” Staked out on a college campus once, my buddy and I ended up hiding inside a large hollow art installation on the lawn. Among the reasons I think it worked so well was that most people mentally categorize art as “thing that is not touched/is appreciated from a distance”. (it was a giant metal box we did it no harm)

As a veteran who has spent 11years in units across the globe and having a lot of this training officially, I am grateful for these videos. I have several friends who have never been in the military or had a lifestyle that lends itself to being situationally aware. These videos help me refresh and help my friends see ways to think and act. Especially with the world geo political landscape leaning towards world War

Without Charlie, I do not feel as though Mike would have survived this situation. Thank you for your service Charles.

Thanks for the refresher. Completed AF survival in the late 1990's; still have kits and supplies. The urban tips are awesome.

When i was younger my friend and i went ding dong ditching and accidently ding dong ditched a drug house. Over five men came out with flashlights and guns. Half got in a car, the others took foot and where hunting us down. I managed to lead my friend across town at night without getting caught, jumping fences, ducking behind vegitation. We landed ourselves in a very open lot where a house should be, but had dirt mounds just high enough, as their car turned a corner we droped prone immediately. They saw the lot and got out and looked around, we stayed still and they didnt see us. Got back in their car and continued. We checked every corner, we crouched walked across low brick walls with the foot trackers just right on the other side. We evaded those on foot twice and came across the car four times and stayed unnoticed. When we got across the street from our house we sprinted across and got inside just as they rounded the corner and kept going. Shit was exhilarating, adrenaline enducing, and regrettably i say, i liked it.

The firearms are good, the science is hilariously whimsical but, you can tell by just how collected Mike is in his delivery of these survival videos, that this is his wheelhouse and he feels right at home explaining it all.

people don't realize how much he's actually doing for us. he's literally giving us information that people would pay thousands of dollars for.

This is great, i love it. For years i've been wanting for access to this kind lf guides/info, and thanks to you we got it on YT! Really appreciate it, keep goin!

Being a southern MN resident and saw this exacts situation unfold I cannot put into words how real this is and how fast it gets bad. Appreciate the topic and the tips!

You guys are laying down the prepper stuff and I love it. Actual useful lessons. Please keep it up.

I'm former LEO with a background in digital forensics and currently a private digital forensic investigator in the corporate telecom space. One piece of kit I always advocate for is some type of Faraday container to allow you to keep your phone on you without worrying about signals. If you wanna go Gucci and buy a dedicated Faraday bag, just make sure you test it well. The simplest and best solution I've found is 2-3 layers of aluminum foil. It's better than alot of off the shelf bags and is cheap and readily available.

Your intros are awesome and you, your editor and everybody else outdid yourselfs I haven’t even seen the video and am already loving it😂

Mike Man, I love what you do I've learned more from you than I ever learned in school and I fully appreciate every video I've ever seen of yours please keep up the good work we need people like you a lot more now than ever before you sir and your crew are literal gifts from God!! Mike Jones FOR PRESIDENT!!! YOU GUYS ARE LITERALLY A NATIONAL TREASURE!!! I'M GOING TO KEEP SOAKING UP EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION YOU PUT OUT THERE BECAUSE THIS KNOWLEDGE TRULY IS POWER!!!

Two things to be aware of: 1) if you have scars or tattoos that stand out you can't hide them depending on where they are located. 2) Another thing most of us "never" think to change is footwear. If you are tailing somebody and they change appearance with clothing changes, etc. Footwear is never changed.

a short film where you guys have the protagonists properly displaying all these survival tips to show it within context would be absolutely awesome!

This is going to be the absolute best LARP template of all time. I love you so much.

More of this type, more in depth detail, love it! This is relatable content that translates very well into less urban environments.

This is a near perfect 32 min summary of the GORUCK Constellation event, which is based on Urban SERE following a society breakdown due to massive natural disaster or urban unrest such as widespread rioting. I did that event in Bellevue, near Seattle several years ago. Learned a boat load from subject matter experts. We had multiple learning modules throughout the evening and all night, including improvised restraints and how to defeat them, applying navigation principles to an urban environment, even had to practice them in real time on foot throughout the city. Had to procure food (dumpsters behind restaurants are a gold mine), water, and we were actively "hunted" by cadre as part of a culminating event before sunrise. We also built improvised gas masks (tested our creations on ourselves by getting pepper sprayed in the face point blank by cadre). Be ready to go ugly. Seeing it done is fun to watch...but doing it is totally different. Do this in your own city. For fun, grab a few friends and go to a nearby city and try it.

One thing I learned from walking through NYC is "walk like you know where you are going." Even if you're going the wrong way, keep walking until you can naturally follow the grid and turn around. It's great for not making you a target.

The production value is mind blowing. Well done gents

I get that this might not be the kind of video that gets the most views on your channel, but seriously thank you so much for making them. If something does pop off soon, you can know that countless thousands who watched these videos were helped by you and your guys.

I'm so glad I found this channel. only the second video I've watched and I'm hooked

Loved this!!! On point with everything definitely subscribing 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🔥

Pattern recognition is key. I've made it out of so many bad situations by seeing them before they came to fruition. Quick edit, most public trash cans have an extra bag under the bag thats in there. A trash bag is great for hiding your bugout bag as well as adding to your urban camo. Augmenting your outfit with bits of trash bag make you look homeless af. A quick critique... don't look at your phone as it will make you look distracted and get you targeted

I’ve never seen a veteran channel more successful than yours, for good reasons! Without being vulgar or coarse, you teach us something that’s actually useful in the most intensely intriguing setting. Bravo Sir! And thank you.

Thank you for the amazing content! Merry Christmas to all!

Flannel Daddy, I've been in the AF for 15 years. Love your videos. I've lived and spent my free time in the mountains of Alaska. What I've been taught for tactical movements has been from the ranger handbook, i.e. danger crossings, reacting to fire, squad movements ETC. but i have not been taught the basics of what's in this video. Id love to learn what i can from you two.

Wearing earbuds while not listening to anything is great for the city. It allows you to ignore people without seeming like it's intentional, it dampens loud city noise, and still allows you to hear everyone around you. Another tool you can use are sound dampeners which are specifically designed to dampen loud noises while still letting through high fidelity sound - and some pairs even look like earbuds.

Would love to see you cover a scenario where you're surviving in/defending a house out in the county, but just outside of a city.

Went from watching non stop videos on fire arms making an idea of what I’m going to purchase or what I want to try at a range now I’m gunna be addicted to these survival and drill training videos to learn about not just good hardware but actual skills

One thing I've learned about filters from the aquarium hobby. Instead of (or in addition to) dirt/sand in your water filter, find some polyester stuffing. It's in puffy jackets, stuffed animals, dog toys, etc. Polyester stuffing can filter down into the microns depending on how tightly its packed. A loose layer on top can filter big particles, and a tightly packed layer under your charcoal can filter out the smallest bits and make sure the charcoal doesn't seep out through the bottom shirt.

I've been hunted down before in a dense urban environment by a dangerous individual. A clearly not mentally sane homeless individual started following me with a knife, including following me onto a bus while I was out to get groceries. The hardest part was breaking initial contact, since it was the beginning of the covid lockdowns there were no crowds I could blend in with. I even tried walking through a mall, but it was so deserted that he followed me straight through it. I kept a normal gait until I got around a corner and then sprinted through bushes and trees and took as many odd paths as I could until I felt like I made enough distance. After breaking contact, the next thing I did was got on a bus and got as far away as quickly as I could. I definitely utilized a lot of the tips this video demonstrates to keep myself safe, including changing my clothing to change my appearance after I broke initial contact.

Went through urban, water, and mountain SERE when I was active. That was easily the best and most realistic training I got while in the Air Force aside from flight school. The instructors for the course are world class and I believe part mountain goat the way these guys move.

Love all this content! New subscriber!!

Honestly one of the things I remember most from my time in is that when I was working nights I had a good understanding of who was out on the flight line with me at least from my own shop because I got pretty good at recognizing silhouettes and gait especially of the guys I worked with. Also got pretty good at being able to see in low light just thanks to always being out there

As a water department employee for my state I live in, finding water from a source close to a water tower will be your most filtrated and treated water during a SHTF situation.

I love the fact that these lessons can be used for people without weapons. Not everyone can afford a weapon, not that they don't support weapon ownership. These lessons can get these people to somewhere safe.

Saved this in my watch later, followed you on tiktok without even knowing you made this, came back to it and just realized

Really great video. at the very basic awareness of your surroundings and reading a situation is very helpful. I was caught up in the London Bridge attack in 2019 leaving a concert- one simple thing we did was just move away from the crowds and just go in the opposite direction - people in crowds tend to act like sheep. Google maps on the phone meant we just took a longer journey but we just got away as far as possible as quickly as possible. Don’t stand around with people trying to film on their phones 🤦🤦🤦

I conducted several tactical and counter tracking courses up here in canada. Teaching how urban tracking takes place would be an awesome topic to include in this. “Track traps” are an integral part of how one tracks an individual who is attempting to escape and evade. For the counter tracker avoiding “track traps” such as lawns, muddy parts of parking lots etc is very important

As a writer, these videos serve a dual purpose. Not only do they help with potential real-life situations, but they also help to maintain the immersion of a story. When the actions of a character are believable.

Absolutely amazing video. One of your best!!!

I don’t live in cities, but no many people who do, so thank you for this video, and the other content that you have been putting out recently!!!

Coming from a person who ran surveillance for a fairly long part of a career, I think you guys covered a whole lot in a short time. Be the gray man in a colorful world. Like you illustrated, wear natural color and common garments. Even camo can stand out. Don't stand out. I can add some points. If you wear glasses, once you break contact, take them off as you change appearances. This includes sun glasses. If businesses are open, go in one door and act as if you are shopping (good time to change into or out of an outer layer), walk around and out of another exit if possible. If you need water, drink and fill container in rest room while looking natural. If you need supplies, go into a service station snack area or 7-11 and buy them with cash. If the power is on and they are open, realize you are on camera so just act national...don't try to avoid the camera. Ignore it. Get a good liter water container and energy food. I used to get Corn Nuts, Jerky and M&Ms. Between them, I was good for a long time. If you have a EDC pack, I wore a ball cap and weather depending, had a wool cap or other ball cap and a long sleeved shirt or jacket besides what I was wearing. I also had a book and sometimes I would just stop and read for a few minutes while watching or casually look around (we no longer have as many newspapers as in the past. I guess a tablet or ebook reader would work. I also had a small 8x binos so I could find a shadowed area to observe if necessary. I once need a refill of water and simply used a yard hosebib to fill a canteen. Watch the homeless. They can give us lessons on "being" around and not raising attention. They can show you how to use cardboard to keep warm if it gets cooler at night. If asked, they can also give you ideas on where to get food. I suggest no more than three people in a group. If four or more, separate into two groups or smaller than what is expected. Walking separate is one thing but in our society you can even be together and seen natural if one person wears ear buds and nods to the "music." Great topic.

Mike took one look at the state of the US and said to the crew "gun stuff is fun but we have a huge calling right now"

Great production. And it's great that the guys never had to escape a city and I wish no one will ever have to...

This is an excellent video; i am from/still in Chicago. Sone things i do on public transportation - -Use ear buds -Use windows to check my 6 -Pull out phone, hold it up selfie/tik tok style and use that for 6 check -Dress down. Way down. -Avoid walking in straight lines at times (6 check) - Keep zip ties and medical supplies in all bookbags -Act like a drugged out zombie (late night) -Keep stuff to change appearance/wear layers (med mask, painters hood, skull caps in winter) - avoid crowds when possible - fall into crowds if needed That is just from riding CTA.

This is the content we crave. Stay this course Mike, seriously.

We really need some SERE challenges hosted & played by the crew & other guntubers. Better than anything Hollywood has produced in eons, and actually educational.

Mike and Fife I like the fact that you leave the "military speak" out and talk to all of us as Average Joe's trying to help us . . . Great video and great content 👍 😊

You helped me realize that my posture is showing people that I'm not interested in sticking out. Apparently, I'm naturally inclined to blend into the crowd. Very few people talk to me daily and I think it's partly because of my posture. Funny to think that such a small thing can influence peoples reactions.

14:00 "going against the water" great advice. It also lends towards how you behave as well: act like you're part of the unaware group. If someone says "THAT'S THE GUY!" and points you should turn to look in the direction they're pointing as though they aren't indicating you.

The woods video and the urban video back to back are very important. Those of us who live in rural areas most likely travel to urban communities for work. So when the SHTF while we are at work combining these techniques may be our only hope of getting back home to our families. Thank you for giving everyone the basics and at least a chance for survival.

As always insightful video, I'm curious as a watcher from southern Arizona I'd love to see your pointers for survival and evasion in a desert environment

17:57 Have a small, inexpensive tool called a silcock key in your emergency bag. It's a t-shaped tool that will allow you to access water stored in buildings. Look for those water spigots sticking-out from the sides of buildings. The ones maintenance people use to hose down sidewalks, water the flowers, etc. They have an odd-shaped fitting that will defy most attempts to access the water... unless you have a silcock key.

Couple of things to add, as a native Chicagoan for 20 years. The closest major city you live near or in, have key markers or simply know the direction and distance of the city limits from downtown, so you always have an idea of where to go, even without knowing how to get there. Also, make friends, know family member locations across the city and the immediate suburbs surrounding it. Somewhere to lie low, or if they're not home, somewhere you know you can reliably acquire sustenance.

A little real world experience I’ll share: Background: I had taken a contract job on a specialized subcategory of environmental cleanup. The company flew me in and set me up with housing. I knew nothing of the area. We had company trucks to drive but each was assigned to be shared by a 4 man team. I very rarely got the truck as team lead was a SOB. Situation: the area we were lodging in was a ghetto and I stuck out like a sore thumb. Also they paid per diem in paper checks that had to be deposited at an ATM. The area had bullet holes in everything and minimal police presence. Solution: I noticed the most skin tone diversity among the homeless. As such I got and kept a set of clothes very dirty carried a piece of cardboard and took on a shuffling (drunk/hungover) walk mostly looking downward. As result I was instantly invisible. If you can blend with the homeless not only will nobody see you but everyone, even small groups of gang members, will actively avoid you on the assumptions that you’ll stink, be mentally ill, and ask them for money. I did this for 18 months, even carrying my dirty surplus jacket in a bag when I’d go places so I could jump in and out of homeless guy character

"how did you get here?" "honestly, i don't know" thats wild. this is my favorite channel on yt.

Finally! Manual for crazy vault dwellers! Thank you a lot!

Great information and love the channel. As a former plumber, an often overlooked source of "clean" water are in water heaters. Residential garages typically will have 40-60 gallon tanks and restaurants and commercial buildings 100-200 gallon tanks. Be equipped with a crescent wrench or small plyers to open the drain valve.

One thing that I think is important to mention as an urban explorer and general vagrant. Sewer systems and water systems are amazing. They are not a gross as they seem and during the summer or dry season they are pretty safe. You can get out of a city fast and undetected in a water system . You can get lost but you can always find a manhole and peck out to get an idea of where you are. I are made maps and I know of others who have maps of there city’s underground. You can navigate. But when it rains no drains you will drown. Also subways go on for miles and have many abandoned areas and connect to a whole world of underground electrical rooms and such have a high vis on or mimic the uniforms of workers you have seen you can navigate the city and get out underground in many different ways.

this video was so good. this channel has become so crazy

A lot of good information being shared here which is good to see. If you are stranded in a City for whatever reason, here are some tips that may help. I picked some of these tips up myself from real life experiences or were shown by others, whom, like myself have lived and travelled around the world in many cities for over 30 years actively. Movement - Moving with the heard and adapting your presence and demeanour to the surroundings and local customs including the time of day, is key when in built up areas. This can vary between country to country, precincts and districts such as the CBD, Red Light Districts, High Density Residential, School Zones etc. This also includes what day off the week it is and what activities would be occurring at that particular time of day or night. Moving with a sense of purpose, looking relaxed and confident is also key. There are always side and back alley shortcuts, between buildings to remain discreet, if you are in a grid type system and want to move between larger open roading corridors more stealth these shortcuts are gold. Cycling routes and walkways will lead to parks and routes in and out of the City and become less stressful ways to keep moving relatively unnoticed. Shelter - Can be found just about anywhere. Fast food joints, hotel lobbys, churches, rooftops, stairwells, carparks, schools, loading docks, food courts, even on the train or bus an hour here a few hours can make all the difference. Keep moving. Sometimes it is safer to sleep / rest during the day and looks normal for example in a park or in a library. Food - Food and water can be found anywhere when you really want it. Its amazing how many fountains and taps are in parks and along walkways at the back of buildings and cafes. Fruit trees and community gardens are a great source of food as is any wild food like berries etc. Dumpster diving you can find loads of items that will keep you alive and majority of the discarded items will be in packaging. Depending on the country you are in you can visit community shelters for food and medicine and even showers and sanitary services. If possible and you are able to pack a kit. I would recommend light but warm gear, example hooded Goretex and clothing that will keep you warm and covered from bugs at night. The amount of times I have slept outside or had to roam from getting lost or missing the last, plane, train or automobile and had to pull an all nighter or two even for weeks on end with no phone or wallet by myself and made it home safely has all been from applying the above. I hope this helps in a survival situation, freedom camping or travelling on a budget.

I live in Minnesota, and my Father was active police for the Federal Reserve during the 2020 riots. This video means a lot to me. Thank you, Garand Thumb.

Love seeing this, almost feels weird seeing them in an urban environment compared to most videos.

I have shown my kids alot of these tactics using GTA V. Thank you for this. I learned alot of this in SEAR training.

I did end up having to evade someone through empty streets at night. Distance, uncertainty, camouflage. I turned the corner, put distance between us, climbed through some bushes onto a separate block, and ran back in the opposite direction. I took a breath in a stairwell directly underneath a porchlight, thinking I might be seen, but I stayed still and watched him stop, look around, and run right past me. I stayed put and watched him until he was far enough then I turned and ran back in the other direction, using google maps to guide me to a main road where I was able to hide and wait on an uber.

On behalf of the thousands of people who watched this, I thank you for teaching us these life saving skills. This is by far some of the most interesting content on UKposts!

Mike, these videos couldn't have come at a better time considering the state of our country, very well thought out and presented. I hope there will be more.

Luckily I don't live in or near an urban environment, but this is still really useful knowledge. Good job, gentlemen

This ismwuch imoortant information. I need to find more videos like these. Ever since covid this has become not an option to know about but a must. Currently building up my survival knowledge,skills and equipment.

The part where you guys talked about initial assessment after breaking contact, is a good reason why having an edc setup on you at all times can really help because then you have a good essentials kit already on you and then its just assessing what you will need before meeting family and getting where your main kit is or etc..great video for everyone even if your like us in a very remote area. You never know where you might be when the crap hits the fan❤🤍💙

No way, we got 2 urban and rural surviving videos in a week?. Awesome

Mike, I've been critical of your work in the past....maybe unfairly critical. For a majority of the population, this is the most important video that you've ever done. This WILL save lives. Thank you.

I love these videos! Think you could do a winter evasion/survival episode?

Legendary, S/O to the cameraman also felt like I was watching a Netflix Special 😮💯

We used to train evasion in downtowns or smaller cities and start tracking recruits. Identifying people by their tattoos made it so easy. The more tattoos, the more my job was easier.

The thing I like about these escape and evasion videos is, its not about crazy expensive high tech gear and weapons most people can't afford. Probably not as good for your bottom line as placed product vids, but a lot more valuable. Thanks for making them.

Ugh, I'm so glad I'm not completely inexperienced in understanding what you're conveying. I grew up in an urban environment surrounded by substance abuse. I've been exposed to violence and am familiar with criminal rhetoric. My ability to adapt and blend in is very good. My job title is butcher, and my culinary skills are on par with a chef's. I'm accustomed to handling knives and I'm aware of the body's vulnerable areas. What I've learned from UKposts includes the theory of various weapon systems, such as pistols and automatic rifles, as well as emergency medical care. I hope I never have to put my skills to the test, but I want to be as prepared as possible to handle emergency situations. Thank you for your content! It's not available in Sweden because my country is incredibly trusting and relies on being saved by the authorities.

Please keep up the good work with posting videos that civilians can use in a shtf situation.

As someone who grew up and still live in large cities, the behavior and mannerisms is pretty spot on. For me, these come naturally, with posture, walking, especially the earbuds. It's pretty funny listening to the way they're teaching it. It also probably explains why whenever I venture far from the city, people start to look at me kind of weird, since it's a bit obvious I'm a city rat.

Thank you Garand Thumb for showing everyone how to put themselves in a situation on how to survive. Also when I first started to watch your videos way back, you were the one who inspired me to get in shape and protect the ones I love. Keep doing what’s best.

If anyone's interested in learning what an actual bugout situation looks and feels like from a survivor of a brutal urban invasion, I'm a mid-forties Croatian who grew up in Vukovar (if you know, you know). I now live in Melbourne, Australia, and I see a lot of these American-made SHTF videos, and none of them will teach you how to stay alive.

NVIS on 80 meters is great for a 300 mile radius. The only downside is the antenna length. However, you can use two hamsticks mounted back to back as a center fed dipole. Due to the low noise floor on NVIS you can use a very low power radio. Also, it requires a General class or above licence.

A few points, for water in an urban setting a universal silcock key will open those outside hose connectors on buildings ($11) and a couple of life straws can also add a lightweight way to purify water. If you do decide to use sewers or canals you can wrap some chicken wire around your shoes to avoid slipping.