@Jason Hanson
— · 52 videos curated
Escape, evasion, self-defense, home security, survival skills, and grid-down preparedness scenarios.
All 52 videos
Former CIA: I Bought a Revolver I Would Never Carry
Why a former CIA officer chose a Ruger GP100 revolver but argues against carrying it concealed, and what that reveals about modern self-defense trade-offs.
Ammo Box Questions: Self-Defense, Personal Safety, and Emergency Preparedness Q&A
Jason Hanson answers 10 viewer questions on self-defense tactics, personal safety, survival skills, and emergency readiness.
Knife Selection for Everyday Carry and Emergency Gear
Former CIA officer reviews his personal knife collection, comparing price versus practicality for everyday carry, bug-out bags, and survival scenarios.
How Hackers Can Access Your Phone Without a Single Click
Eight-minute explanation of zero-click spyware attacks on smartphones, how Pegasus-style exploits work, and why iPhones remain vulnerable even without user interaction.
Why I Never Put a Camera Inside My Home
A former CIA officer explains the three layers of surveillance cameras and shares practical privacy-protection strategies for home security.
The 1 Rule I Follow to React Faster in Dangerous Situations
Six-minute breakdown of a decision-making framework for reducing hesitation during home invasions and self-defense encounters, from a former CIA officer and tactical trainer.
5 Government Surveillance Tools and How to Protect Your Privacy
Former CIA officer breaks down five surveillance capabilities the government uses and practical steps to defend your personal privacy.
Former CIA: Backup Tinder for Bugout Bags and Fire-Starting Kits
Seven-minute walkthrough on an unconventional but effective tinder source for emergency fire-starting, from a former CIA officer and survival trainer.
Can You Actually Cook a Meal With Nothing but Sunlight?
Eight-minute test of solar ovens as a backup cooking method during grid-down scenarios, demonstrating effectiveness with water and beef.
5 Things I Always Do Before Sleeping in a Hotel Room
Five practical steps to secure a hotel room: reinforcing the door, creating noise alarms, securing windows, and positioning a defensive tool for faster reaction time.
7 Hiking Safety Tips from a Former CIA Officer
Seven practical safety and risk-reduction tactics for hiking, taught by a former CIA officer and survival trainer.
Gas Station Safety: A 5-Second Situational Awareness Protocol
Five-minute walkthrough of situational awareness and personal safety practices to reduce risk of robbery, assault, or carjacking at gas stations.
Concealed Carry Draw Speed Comparison: Hip, Pocket, Appendix, Cover Garment, and Fanny Pack
Testing draw speeds from five concealed carry positions using a shot timer to determine which setup lets you access your firearm fastest when it matters.
Protect Your Grandparents From Common Scams and Identity Theft
Five practical steps to help elderly relatives defend against phone scams, phishing, identity theft, and fake government calls.
How I'd Keep My Family Alive During a Global Famine
Food storage, cooking fuel, backup methods, gardening, and community: a six-minute breakdown of household resilience during serious food shortages.
How to Choose a Quality Firearms Instructor
Seven criteria for evaluating firearms instructors: safety practices, background, experience, teaching ability, certifications, real-world mindset, and student rapport.
How I Choose a Knife I'd Bet My Life On
Six practical criteria for selecting a knife for self-defense, survival, or bugout gear: legal considerations, intended use, grip, deployment speed, blade type, and reliability.
Former CIA: Criminals Can Steal Your Identity After You Die
Three post-mortem identity-theft risks to your family and practical steps to reduce your digital footprint before death.
Former CIA: These 10 Self-Defense Myths Could Get You Hurt
Ten common self-defense misconceptions debunked by a former CIA officer, covering firearms, martial arts, larger attackers, eye contact, and evasion.
Former CIA: What I Pack for Overseas Travel That Most People Don't
Twelve-minute walkthrough of overseas travel gear and EDC from a former CIA officer: hidden pouches, backup cash and documents, water filtration, hotel security tools, and emergency supplies.
Fire-Starting Methods for Bugout Bags: Beyond Matches and Lighters
Four-minute walkthrough of unconventional fire-starting materials for emergency kits, including an improvised option made from household items.
Former CIA: What I Keep in My Car That Most People Don't
Eight-minute walkthrough of a personal vehicle EDC kit including medical, fire-starting, cutting tools, power, cordage, and signaling gear.
Grid-Down Preparedness: Essential Supplies and Stockpiling Strategy
Walkthrough of practical stockpiles for grid-down scenarios: long-term food storage, water, medical supplies, hand tools, fire-starting, and emergency funds.
4 Airport Scams Most Travelers Never See Coming
Four common airport security threats—cash theft, malicious USB charging ports, phishing emails, coordinated pickpocketing—and simple precautions to protect money, devices, and personal information while traveling.
Home Defense Shotgun Setup and Training: Simplicity Under Stress
Four-minute walkthrough on shotgun selection, configuration, and training philosophy for home defense, emphasizing simplicity and stress-tested technique.
License Plate Privacy: When Changing Your Plates Makes Sense
How automatic license plate readers track daily routines and why some people opt for new plates as a privacy strategy.
Why Disappearing Without a Trace Is Almost Impossible for Most People
A former CIA officer breaks down three behavioral and practical reasons why most people fail to successfully disappear—habits, digital footprints, and discipline gaps.
How Criminals Get You to Give Up Information Without Realizing It
Former CIA officer explains elicitation techniques criminals use to extract information through misdirection, and how to recognize and resist them.
Former CIA: Criminals Know Exactly When to Raid Your House
Six-minute home defense walkthrough: simple alarm systems, warning devices, and reaction protocols to protect your household while sleeping.
Former CIA: Why This Car Gun Magnet May Be Unsafe
Five-minute hands-on test of an under-vehicle gun magnet: setup, what works, why the draw is problematic, and why the creator wouldn't use it.
Former CIA Officer: This Might Be the Worst Ammo Carrier Ever
Four-minute gear critique: why a popular ammo carrier fails and what actually matters for safe ammunition storage and accessibility.
3 Forgotten Bugout Items You'll Wish You Packed
Three overlooked bug-out bag items—mosquito head net, moleskin, utility wire—and why a former CIA officer packs them for emergency scenarios.
How I Bury Guns Where Nobody Would Look
Four-minute walkthrough on preparing, waterproofing, and burying a firearm emergency cache, including ammunition protection and distributed storage rationale.
Five Survival Items I'd Carry Into the Wilderness
Former CIA officer breaks down five compact pieces of gear he'd prioritize in a wilderness survival scenario and explains the tactical reasoning behind each choice.
Former CIA: Are Expandable Batons Actually Effective for Self-Defense?
Five-minute evaluation of expandable batons as self-defense tools, including practical effectiveness, legal considerations, and technique fundamentals.
Former CIA: Home Router Privacy Risks and Network-Level Protection
Why your home router is a privacy vulnerability, how VPNs alone fall short, and how network-level device protection can block trackers across your household.
Former CIA: The #1 Reason the ATF Might Knock on Your Door
Six-minute walkthrough of why federal agents might visit a firearms owner, how to respond calmly, and why legal counsel matters before cooperating.
What Criminals Do After Your Data Gets Leaked
How identity theft works post-breach, what criminals do with stolen data, and practical steps to protect your credit, identity, and family from the fallout.
RFID Credit Card Skimming: How Flipper Devices Work and How to Protect Yourself
Demonstration of how RFID-enabled credit cards can be scanned wirelessly in crowds and how RFID-blocking wallets defend against the threat.
Former CIA: This Tactical Bag Looks Normal… Until You Open It
Six-minute gear review of a gray-man tactical bag designed for bug-out and everyday carry, with durability testing and concealment principles from a former CIA operative.
How to Catch a Liar Before They Even Say a Word
Four-minute primer on spotting deception through baseline behavior, nervous body language, and facial reactions—applicable to personal security and threat assessment.
When Belly Band Holsters Actually Make Sense
Six-minute breakdown of belly band holster use cases, trade-offs, and when a former CIA officer actually uses one versus everyday carry alternatives.
Former CIA: Why Spies Trust Knives When Guns Fail
Four minutes on why fixed-blade knives are reliable backup tools for self-defense, with five practical reasons from a former CIA officer's field experience.
Former CIA: This Knife Carry Could Get You Killed
Evaluation of scout carry and alternative fixed-blade knife positions (appendix, hip, others) for everyday carry and self-defense from a former intelligence operative.
Why the Government Wants Data Centers Built Everywhere—and How to Protect Your Privacy
Seven minutes on data collection by tech firms and government, pattern-of-life tracking, and practical steps to remove your information from data brokers, use VPNs, freeze credit, and keep your address private.
Smart Device Privacy Risks: How Hackers Can Spy Inside Your Home
Nine minutes on three smart-device security vulnerabilities, how they expose your network and routines to hackers, and practical steps to lock down phones, Wi-Fi, and personal data.
Freeze-Dried Emergency Food: Testing Survival Rations on a 7-Day Blackout
Six-minute test of freeze-dried emergency food during a week-long blackout, comparing shelf-stable options to rice and beans for palatability and nutrition.
Your Home Security System Has One Fatal Weakness
Four-minute walkthrough of home invasion vulnerabilities and practical defensive measures including door barricades, rapid-access self-defense tools, and professional training options.
3 Ways to Get Safe Drinking Water When the Grid Goes Down
Three grid-down water purification methods: boiling, purification tablets, and emergency filters, demonstrated by a former CIA officer and survival trainer.
How to Survive a Chokehold Before You Black Out
Three-minute self-defense walkthrough: escape technique when someone grabs your throat, including head positioning and spin-out mechanics to avoid losing consciousness.
How I'd Vanish With Only $1,000 and Make Sure Nobody Finds Me
Seven-minute walkthrough of operational security, evasion, and off-grid survival on a minimal budget: cash handling, burner phones, cheap travel, and staying untraced.
Brass Knuckles for Self-Defense: Effectiveness, Risks, and Better Alternatives
Five-minute breakdown of brass knuckles as a self-defense tool: how they work, damage potential, legal and practical drawbacks, and why a former CIA officer prefers other everyday-carry options.