Best Knife Steels and How to Choose The Right Type (with Comparison Charts)
If you’ve ever owned a knife before then I’m sure you’ve seen that little stamp on your blade with a string of letters and numbers. Those little numbers and letters are actually the primary driving force behind the price and performance you can expect out of that particular knife and,
32 Best EDC Knives in 2020 (Reviews and Buying Guide)
Is a knife a weapon or a tool? That’s been a long common discussion but here at Marine Approved, we have the answer, it’s both! Carrying a knife with you is by far the easiest and lightest way to ensure you’re ready for a plethora of life challenges and no
10 Best Emergency Radios in 2020
The number of natural disasters has been steadily increasing in recent decades and many experts say this trend is likely to continue. From hurricanes slamming into the coast of Florida to torrential rains leaving many Texans underwater, there always seems to be a natural disaster happening somewhere. Unfortunately, these disasters
25 Best Fixed Blade Knives in 2020 (Review and Buying Guide)
Even if you’ve amassed an arsenal of sharp pointy objects over the years, you’ll need a solid blade that can do it all. One blade to rule them all, no matter the situation, challenge, or environment. You need a quality fixed blade knife. You see, seasoned outdoorsman and survivalists all
17 Best Weighted Vests for Running and CrossFit in 2020 (Hands-on Review)
If you’re searching for a weighted vest to increase the intensity of your workouts, look no further! I actually decided to write this page after researching this topic for myself. Other websites were just doing Amazon roundups and you could tell the authors had never actually used a weighted vest
Ultimate Backpacking Checklist (with Printable PDF)
A solid backpacking checklist will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time in nature. Before we get into the list, I want to point out that there really is not a one size fits all gear list. In the gear checklist below, I’ll include all of the items that
15 Best Headlamps in 2020 (Hands-on Review)
One thing I learned in the Marines is that there is no such thing as being too situationally aware, and the first step in knowing what’s going on is being able to see what’s happening. Whether you’re hiking on the trail, running, setting up basecamp, or prepping your gear in
18 Best Air Rifle Scopes for the Money in 2020
The world of airguns is growing steadily every year and for good reason. Air rifles and pellet guns can offer distinct advantages over traditional firearms and for some shooters may even replace firearms altogether. If you’re getting into airguns, you may have run into scopes that are called air rifle
How to Make a Longbow (The Best Method I’ve Found)
Longbows are great hunting and defense weapons. They are simple but very useful and powerful. This guide will take you through the following steps to create a bow. In this guide, you will learn how to make a “hasty” bow, which I define as an all-purpose bow that takes less
16 Best Spotting Scopes in 2020 (Reviews and Buying Guide)
Tracking down your targets and taking the perfect shot is all good and fun, but that process doesn’t come easy if you can’t locate and properly spot your targets first! Imagine having a portable lightweight high powered telescope at your disposal to scan over hundreds of acres? No more sitting
11 Best Utility Knives in 2020 (Hands-on Review)
Whether you are opening Amazon boxes all day, cutting insulation, or even cutting the tough tendons in a piece of meat, having the right tool for the job can make or break your outlook on life. You might be saying to yourself, “why should I care about utility knives?”. Well,
18 Best Hiking and Backpacking Knives in 2020
Any outdoorsman will vouch for the fact that a quality knife is one of the single most important and versatile tools in the world of outdoor sports and activities. A high-quality backpacking knife enables you to set up camp, cut up firewood, defend yourself, clean fish, field dress your hunt
20 Best Compasses for Hiking (All Types) in 2020
Marine or not, being proficient at basic land navigation and understanding how to use a compass is absolutely essential for anyone who plans to venture into unfamiliar terrain. Land navigation is a skill set that requires a lot of practice to become confident. In the Marines, we practiced land navigation
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Every page on our website is written by a former or active duty Marine. We stick to writing about things within our range of expertise! If you want to learn more about us, check out the about page. If you have questions, feel free to shoot us a message through the contact form below.