What do you carry with you every day? and how?

matthew.Contributor - December 18, 2020

Gear

Something I’ve always struggled with is every-day carry of preps.  Sure I have a few key items that live in my pockets, and a few more that live in my computer bag/briefcase, but beyond that I struggle to bring myself to carry more.  This is largely because I just don’t like the burden of an off-body carry bag or pack, and sometimes when I do carry a pack I forget it places.

I’d love to know what people carry with them every day, and how they carry it.  My list includes:

• On body (in pockets): Full size multi-tool.  Micro multi-tool and micro flashlight attached to key ring. Cash, cards, and ID in wallet.  Leatherman Croc in wallet.  Burta Beeswax (never without!). And of course my phone.
• In laptop bag (which is always with me while I’m work): Water bottle. Basic might-need meds (ibuprofen, cold meds, etc). Mini flashlight. Phone charger. Protein bar. Hand Sanitizer.  KN-95 mask.  Folding knife.  A few assorted band-aids.  (This is all in addition to my computer and work-related items that need to be in there).

I see lots of room for improvement, so I’d love to hear others’ thoughts and ideas.  And perhaps more importantly, how you are carrying every day!

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Great forum thread! What you carry with you in your EDC can greatly improve your life. EDC to me is prepping for the most common and likely things that happen to you every day.

I am in a wheelchair, so I always have a backpack strapped to the back of my chair. (one of the perks of being in a wheelchair). Before I was paralyzed, I struggled with EDC, because I didn’t like to have bulky pockets and it was a hassle to take things in and out of them everyday, making sure they didn’t end up in the wash. So I understand how you feel, and that the majority of your EDC will probably live in your laptop bag. Before I would only carry my phone, pocket knife, chapstick and wallet. My wallet held most of my EDC. I remember having a small credit card sized multi tool (never used), book of matches, small ball point pen ink insert, and a couple other gimmicky things that didn’t help out or get used much. It wasn’t until I started carrying around a backpack that I really was able to carry things around with me. 

In my backpack I have an Altoids EDC tin with things that I most commonly use. I highly recommend making a small tin like this. It doesn’t take up much room, will hold tons of small things that you will need in your EDC, and can fit in any pocket of your laptop bag. 

On top of that tin, I have a small flashlight, stainless steel water bottle, phone charging cable, bit of paracord, a Hyrdoblu sidekick (water filter the size of a pen), chap stick, pen, eye drops, bic lighter, multi tool, some important documents, and more. Having a bag really expands what you are able to carry and have with you. 

 

Gideon, I’m excited to see what’s in your kit, but it is failing to load.  All I see is a spinning wheel and a loading error message.  I can see other kits on the forum, so I don’t think it’s on my end.

 

Sorry about that link not working out earlier. It should be up and working now.

 

I love this EDC! How cool! I especially like the tiny Sharpie. My partner was making fun of me the other day for ordering Sharpies for my mom’s BOB (which I am updating for her for Christmas), but they have so many uses.

I’ve always had trouble envisioning how an EDC would fit into my life, probably because women’s clothes aren’t generally made with the expectation that pockets will be used to hold actually useful things. Once it’s something I have to put in a bag, well, then I’m rotating it among my dog walking/latte-grabbing fanny pack, my work/computer bag, my hiking backpack, and that’s a pain in the butt. But the Altoid tin full of “urban life necessities” makes me feel like the EDC isn’t that far from what I already need to keep on me more or less everyday (keys, wallet, phone, bus pass, migraine meds, chapstick, etc.) and more or less do!

 

They really don’t set women up for EDC do they? If you don’t carry a purse, it becomes very hard. Especially with how small the pockets are on girls clothing, or even the lack of pockets.

Yup! The altoids tin is great. You can easily swap it between bags and even pop it in a pocket if needed.

 

Yep— small pockets, lack of pockets, and pant fits that make loaded pockets look ridiculous: There are many forces conspiring against the EDC for women. Work pants (for fieldwork or the tactical kind) are an exception, but my runner body just drowns in them. It’s not just my vanity talking, either: If you look good in pants like that generally, you can throw on a nice sweater and scarf with them and actually blend in in a professional setting, especially if you’re in the sciences, but when I put on a pair of Carhartts I look like a sloppy, gangly tween with wrinkles and miniature feet and there is just no fixing that with a dignified black cardigan.

I do keep a whistle on my keychain, though, and in pre-Covid times I wore my keychain on my person everywhere I went. Since the most likely disaster scenario for me is a significant earthquake, I feel like a whistle is the best thing to have on me at all times. I also have a really good get-home back in my office, so I’m not totally without preps during the day. It’s just not very EDC-ish.

 

I agree, you do need to look good and feel comfortable in your EDC clothes, as you will not wear them as often if you do not like to wear them.

A whistle is a great prep that I don’t see many people carrying. Something I need to add to my own BOB and GHB too. But carrying on your person is an even better idea.

 

I like you approach of what you are most likely to need being on you.  A whistle in an earthquake zone is a good idea.  I see so many preppers, especially young males, that want to go all tactical and have everything they need for a war.  Although I do normally carry a handgun I think carrying things your likely to need makes the most sense.  A water bottle, knife or multi tool, snack bar, hat, etc., whatever is appropriate for the area you live in. I’m also a big believer in the gray man philosophy.  Blend in, go unnoticed and don’t ever draw attention to yourself.

 

I find lack of pockets frustrating. I did try a complaint to human rights commission re discrimination on the grounds of gender, but they didn’t go for it. 

I have a couple of multitools on my keyring – knife, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutter. Currently do not have them with me as I am heading on an aeroplane with carry-on only, so was not able to take them on holiday with me. Definitely miss having them as I do use them. I also keep a USB on my keyring for emergency docs. I did have a torch, but need to replace it.

I have a mini first aid kit in my handbag, probably about 5″ x 4″ x 2″. It contains 1 combine dressing, pair of kindergarten scissors, fabric plaster sheet, 5 bandaid, 4 antiseptic wipes, celox x2, 2″ gauze pad x 2, steri-strips, non woven pads x2, soap wipes x2, burn gel sachet, non adherent dressing, tape, saline solution x2, tweezers, 2 cotton bandages, gloves, fabric mask and a mask frame.

 

What is the fabric plaster sheet for? 

 

I was curious to what a fabric plaster sheet was too Rachel so I did some digging and I believe it is a fabric sheet that you can place around an injury like a sprained finger and then get it wet and it will harden into something resembling a cast. Or in other words a way to make DIY splint. 

Not sure how well that actually works, but hopefully LBV will be able to comment on it later as well. 

 

The mini first aid kit came with standard plasters which have limited use, so I chose to add an alternative. It is actually a plaster but comes in a sheet form you cut to desired size and/or shape. Here is a link so you can see what they are. My friend who is a hair dresser prefers these as they allow her to continue working without having to change it constantly.

 

Sorry – link here https://www.newworld.co.nz/shop/product/5019013_ea_000nw?name=heavy-fabric-waterproof-dressing

 

Plaster is just another name for Band-aid?

 

Thanks, differences between cultures.

 

I carry a compact 9mm in my front pocket and my checkbook/wallet in front of it to break up the outline.  In my left pocket I I have a very lightweight folding knife or a multi tool, an led penlight, a writing pen, and my keys.  My back pocket is my phone in it’s heavy duty case. I carry a decent amount of cash just in case the computers go down and I can’t use cards too. I also have an emergency kit in every vehicle I have, so have access to it pretty quickly normally.  I have felt that I could easily loose the 9mm, as in my lifetime I’ve never needed to pull a gun for defense, but since you never know I still carry concealed.  I have a nice leather bag that I carry when traveling and load several more things in it but for day to day I feel pretty covered now.  
The phone is an amazing tool with gps, flashlight, unlimited reference information, etc.  I laughed at the younger generation for many years being so addicted to their phones but now am as dependent on it as much as anyone. It is an amazing thing to have the worlds knowledge in your hand with 24/7 access.

 

If you don’t mind me asking, what 9mm do you have? I’d like to get a pocket 9mm for my EDC, and could use some suggestions.

 

There is no doubt that for everyone where it’s allowed to carry concealed each has their own opinion on what’s best.  I say that whatever you are comfortable with is right for you.  My 9mm is a S&W MP.  A lot of people call it a woman’s gun, because it’s slim and compact.  That’s exactly why I like it for carry, small and light.  I actually have a Taurus 380 ACP that I’ve been carrying more lately.  Even though it doesn’t have the punch of the 9mm it’s likely enough if I ever need it and it fits into my pocket a bit easier than the S&W.  My hope is if I ever do need to pull a gun defensively when I chamber a round and point it at someone that’s a threat they will leave and I won’t need the knockdown power anyways.

This brings up another very personal choice.  I never carry with a round in the chamber.  Yes, I have a safety, but I never use it.  By not having a round chambered I am 100% certain that I will never have an accidental discharge. Some people say they want to be able to QuickDraw and have the advantage, but as I pointed out above, I really don’t want to have to shoot someone.  I’m hoping the racking sound will make an aggressor think twice about continuing.  If they don’t then the quarter second I used up hopefully won’t make a difference.

 

That looks like a great gun. Sure it isn’t a full sized .45, but it allows you to bring it with you more often and in different scenarios that a full sized gun would not.

Racking your slide can have a bit deterrence on the bad guy. We hear it in every action movie a dozen times, everyone knows what that sound means.

My grandparents were just out running errands in the middle of the day when a punk kid started to follow them. They walked faster, took turns, and tried to get away from this kid but he kept following. He closed the gap and got pretty close to them. My grandpa pulled out his gun and without even flashing it to the kid, he just racked the slide to get ready for what was coming. The kid heard it and took off running. 

My grandparents then called the cops and talked to an officer. The officer couldn’t do anything about it, and actually got after my grandpa for racking his gun saying that he could have intimidation charges placed on him. 

I still would rather keep my family safe than worry about intimidation charges, so I do have to disagree with the officer in this particular case. Though don’t be waving guns around at someone who cuts you off in traffic, only when you truly feel like your life is in danger.

 

I agree with worrying about civil charges being a lot lower on my list than being attacked.

 

I mean no disrespect, but pocket carry is just not a great idea unless it’s the only way you have available to carry. There are a lot of issues that can arise with it, and a lot of limitations that go along with it. For starters, its not that safe, especially if carrying the gun without a holster. Even with a soft holster it is still much easier to have an ND inside a pocket than with an IWB holster. I understand you mitigate this risk by carrying on an empty chamber, but that leads me to the second problem, it’s slow. When the gun is carried inside a pocket, it can move around a lot more than when locked into a holster on the belt, and that makes for an inconsistent draw, as the pistol is rarely in the exact same place every time you go to draw. That combined with snagging and the generally slower motion of having to reach into a pocket just makes for an overall clumsy process that poses a risk of you fumbling your weapon should it snag when drawing from the pocket, as is prone to happen in a high stress situation. Adding in an unchambered weapon to the equation only adds more problems, as now you have to defeat not only the previous issues, but remember to chamber a round, and not induce a malfunction while doing so in a high stress state. While this may not be so big of a factor in a situation where you just want to “scare” someone off, in an unsuspecting attack those precious seconds make all the difference. Remember, bad guys will try to strike you when you are at your most vulnerable. Ex: loading groceries in the car, fumbling with your keys, tending to a child, you are most likely to be attacked when you are in a vulnerable position, and have just a split second to react, and in that situation you don’t want to be worrying about things like fumbling your gun around in your pocket. 

Sorry for the long rant, just wanted to put this perspective out there for others to see. If pocket carry is what you are most comfortable then by all means do what you’re comfortable with, no one should be carrying a weapon they don’t feel confident in. But for anyone new to firearms or EDC in general I would not advise pocket carry for a firearm. A well made kydex IWB holster is your best option. If you watch a lot of the top instructors in the industry you will notice they almost all carry AIWB, and there’s good reason for it.

 

No disrespect taken, part of a discussion is hearing others point of view.  Everyone has their own ideas and whatever works for yourself is great.  I do agree that it takes a bit longer to pull from a pocket, but I also feel it’s more secure than most holsters.  I remember a FBI guy dancing at a party and his gun fell out on the floor and actually discharged.  It made the news for a while as it was on film.  Anyways, the whole not chambered thing is the only way to guarantee you will never have an accidental discharge.  If I was in a more dangerous situation I would carry differently, but for everyday this is enough security for me.  As I said earlier, there is no right or wrong here, just what one is comfortable with.

 

This is the Way – Those are some great things to think about with pocket carry. I’ll definitely try and do iwb carry, and rely on the pocket carry as a last resort if no other ways work.

 

One of my ideas is to consolidate items to both have less inventory on my person coupled to less weight.

If I carried a multitool, it would be a model with a blade so as to eliminate a folding knife.

 

I love my multi tool and have carried one for many years. The only downside is it’s really heavy. I recently got a SOG folding flip out knife with a lock.  It’s some kind of plastic composite and is feather light.  Just for comfort I’ve been choosing it over the multi tool more and more lately.  That and the fact my belt pouch for it self destructed.  I don’t know much about the SOG as I found it in a parking lot.  At least the price was really good!

 

https://www.knifecenter.com/series/sog-knives/sog-multi-tools

Doglover,

See if your model is at above link.  Being lightweight is a key feature so it’s worth identifying  for others needing light weight.

Knife Center is the nation’s largest web only – no walk in to buy – knife store.  They also carry related field stuff.

Fredericksburg, Virginia is now the southern periphery of metro Washington, D.C. 

 

I love multitools! I used to carry one on me at all times pre-9/11. After 9/11, I’d forget that I had it on me until I was about to go through airport security. Lost at least one that way. But, I hardly ever fly anymore (that was true even pre-Covid) so maybe it’s time to get another…

 

The multi-tool I carry is a Leatherman Skeletool CX.  It is rather minimal and slim enough to easily sit in my front pants’ pocket- it’s lightweight and perfect for every day carry.  What I particularly like about it is that I can extract the blade with one hand- in many ways it feels more like a folding knife than a multi-tool.  The blade locks and is strong, on average I use it multiple times a day.

https://www.leatherman.com/skeletool-cx-19.html

 

I’ve never seen a leatherman skeletool CX before, but It is really appealing. The knife, pliers, and screwdriver are the tools that I use the most on my multitool. 

I might have to pick me up one of them.

 

I’ve been carrying the Skeletool for a while now and it’s great. The article The Prepared did on multitools said it’s “less of a multitool and more of a ‘high-end pocket knife that happens to have pliers, a bit driver, and some other tools.” Which I absolutely agree with. It’s only slightly larger than other knives I’ve carried, but with much more utility.

The only real downside about it is the ergonomics are not fantastic. It’s always slightly awkward to use any of the tools because the handles never quite fit right for the task each of the tools performs. For light use this isn’t a problem, but if you’re ever needing to put significant pressure behind a cut, squeeze super tight with the pliers, or crank down with the screwdriver it’s going to be uncomfortable 

Basically it’s the prime example of “jack of all trades, master of none”. It’s great when you want to do just about anything, and are ok with not being fantastic at any of the things.

 

Good evening Grant,

A flow chart allows for the correct comparison.

If the Skeletool can meet one’s basic requirements, it is on the chart in “Go” stream.

Can other tools such as a slip-joint pliers, a needle nose pliers and a sturdy, full size  knife, be carried during a foot evacuation ?

The flow chart will be labeled “light use tool with portability”.

 

My truck is fully stocked with survival gear and a get home bag.  Only thing I keep on my person all the time is my iphone and my Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Covert auto knife.  That knife gets used multiple times every day at work and on the farmstead.  Best knife I’ve ever had and being auto, sure makes it convenient.  Rarely am I anywhere where I feel even a little threatened but in those very few cases, my hand is in my pocket, blade unlocked, holding the knife with my thumb on the release.

Folding knives are certainly handy but IMO you need one that can be deployed instantly.  Not everyone can have or wants an auto knife but they make plenty of quick opening knives, even a non auto version of this knife, which can be opened with a flick of the wrist.

 

Your knife looks like it has had some good love over the years. I love Gerbers, they last long, are not too expensive, and have a lifetime warranty.

 

Matt, only addressing the “and how?” portion of this excellent thread topic;

Here,too, I avoid bags and packs (“Avoid” but sometimes must use. My destiny not completely under my control.)

My method as to how to carry everyday stuff uses as the foundation the – cargo vest -.

Today, when going out for a few local errands, on top of shirt will wear a cargo vest and then jacket. If a day trip in adverse weather: 2 cargo vests before jacket and over 4 pocket shirt.

It’s a modular system I’m using.  Just for clarity, to go beyond every day carry matters, …

If I’ve got to get outta here dues eg hurricane, on top of long sleeve wool “T-shirt” equivalent (even in summer) a cotton vest outfitted with my documents, eg CDC 731 immunization record booklet, laminated copies of proof of ownership items on me…….

Another vest between 4 pocket shirt and jacket has medical stuff to include extra glasses, regular and sun, both in PVC cases.

……

A pouch on belt has a bottle of hand sanitizer with pump handle ready for use without removing from belt pouch.

…..

Following continuity only to clarify my modular system from every day carry to might not be returning here; …

A riggers belt with pouches of stuff on top of my field jacket.  Next is load-bearing suspenders with load of pouches.

A flight bag is ready with some provisions.

Back packs are avoided to the max.

 

Bob, your setup sounds interesting. I’d love to see some pictures of your vest and load-bearing suspenders, and how you have everything setup.

 

Don’t have pictures since I allocate my web time mostly to narratives.  Have some eye infirmities.

The vests are basic ones from the stores like Cabela’s, Pro Bass, a couple of Army ones accumulated over the years.  They are all stuffed with containers of stuff eg DDS kit, signaling mirror kit, and ziploc type sturdy plastic pouches for appropriate items.

The only modifications are:

–  adding a back pocket if not coming with one.  This is for a large pad of all weather writing paper and maps,

–  sewing on some Velcro fasteners to keep lanyards in place when running.

I have a couple of load-bearing suspenders.  One is from the forestry industry.  Another is US military (pre-Moly era).  Set-ups for them are dependent on season, weather and anticipated perils.  I left hurricane season here  3 weeks ago (officially speaking) and now rigs are ready  for the cold weather. Two different types of extreme cold weather, anti-vibration gloves dangle from whatever rig I vacate premises with.

 

What I actually have on me is very limited.  At work I can’t really carry anything, so I’ve got a Casio F-105 on my wrist and a pen in my pocket.  In normal life I usually have a folding knife in my pocket and a slightly fancier watch.  I always have a phone with downloaded maps of wherever I am.  My compromise is consistently having more stuff in a smallish Pelican “micro case” (1040) that is almost always within reach or at least nearby.  It’s easy to throw in whatever bag I’ll have with me, or at worst leave in the car.  I started with the Altoid tin idea but I’ve found the larger size easier to deal with day to day.  A smaller Pelican box would also work, but I like that closing it doesn’t involve solving a puzzle.  It spends a lot of time in a bike bag so there is some vibration damage to the box and contents, but considering the miles on it, it’s not too bad.  There is some survival stuff, but it’s mostly just small things I often need and sometimes forget.

Contents:  USB drive, 4″ USB cable, Olight keychain flashlight, multitool (old gerber slide-out), bic lighter, spare contact lenses, floss, small zip-ties, a push-pin, paracord bracelet, flint, moleskin, bandaids, alcohol pads, OTC cold and pain meds plus a couple days of an Rx med, chlorine tabs, a few index cards (one with family phone numbers).  There should be a $20 and some quarters for parking but those don’t last long.

 

I like that Pelican case. I might have to upgrade my altoids tin!

 

One other thing I forgot to mention that I carry every day is some cash.  I’ve always thought that in a case of the internet down your credit cards would become useless plastic.  I have some cash to be able to fill up a tank of gas, get a meal, or other things to help me make it back home.  I actually had to use some of it two days ago.  The dollar store was having IT issues and it wasn’t taking my debit card.  After three try’s I pulled out some cash and was able to get my stuff and head home.  I carry cash in two places, some in a pocket of my wallet and some inside the case of my cell phone.  

 

Along with the cash, carry some quarters, perhaps 12-16.

When even on a short haul trip, laundramats have 2 payment methods: a debit card or coins.  When cards don’t properly work even with electricity in place, the traditional coin machines will.

 

I love carrying cash and try to use it for most of my purchases. There have been those rumors going on for years that the US government will stop printing cash and we will have to solely use credit/debit cards, I hope it never happens, but could see it as a possibility within the next 50 years.

 

After the Tree of Life and El Paso shootings I started carrying a CAT tourniquet and a clotting sponge in my purse (I’m medical, and at least I can help someone before EMTs arrive). I need to toss a multi tool in there – thanks for the idea. 

 

What do you do when you run out of water?  This is for short term right? Not a bug-out

 

If you run out of water the first priority you should have is to find some.  Don’t wait until you’re really thirsty as it can and will impair your judgment much more quickly than most think.  24 hours without water, especially when your very active, and you start having difficulty with both stamina and clear thought processes. You also need to make sure you don’t drink questionable water without proper treatment first.  During an emergency is the worst time to get sick. Diarrhea and vomiting kills more people worldwide than most could imagine. I have multiple water filters from life straws to pump types and Berkey gravity feed ones.  Having a supply of water on hand is good but having a way to purify it is much better.  

 

I’ve enjoyed the HyrdroBlu Sidekick filter for my EDC. It is the size of a pen and I always have a way to drink questionable water.

I get headaches, dizzy, and weak when I don’t very much water in the day. I agree with you that it is so critical, and even though you can survive 3 days without it, just a few hours without will make you miserable and put you at risk.

 

There are lots of different brands and styles of filters out there and everyone has personal preferences with them.  All I am sure of is you can’t have too many water filters.  I’ve seen so many preppers that overlook this single most important prep.  

 

I live in the city and don’t typically stray more than a couple of miles from my house so I have three levels of EDC. The first is when running errands or  walking in the neighborhood. That’s a Pelican 1910 pocket flashlight, a pocket knife with a 2 1/2” blade, a couple of hundred dollars in cash, a clean handkerchief, 2 band-aids and 2 steri-strips, a plastic toothpick and a charged smart phone with multiple apps. Level 2 is if I’m just going for an hour’s walk in the woods or a nearby neighborhood. That’s a small fanny pack with: an 8000 mAH power bank and cords, a whistle, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, 2 protein bars, a flat first aid kit with: 2 2”x2” gauze pads, alcohol pads, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment packets, band-aids, steri-strips, Benadryl tabs, and 4 chewable baby aspirin; a flat pint bottle of water and a bandanna.

Level 3 EDC is when I’m out of the house for hours, or on a trip: That’s a small backpack with a wide variety of back-up: small towel and 2 bandannas; sunglasses; baseball cap/woolen knit cap; gloves (winter); 3 meal replacement bars; 6 oz nuts; pint bottle of water, emergency water packets; 20 feet orange paracord; whistle; carabiners; clips; dozen assorted length zip-ties; 2 small rolls of duct tape; steel spork and plastic fork, knife and spoon; retainer for sunglasses; clip-on retaining cord for cap; sunscreen and 30 SPF lip balm; 5.11 ATAC A1 flashlight; headlamp; powerbank for phone; extra batteries; eyeglass repair kit; Leatherman; Rite in the Rain notebook with Fisher space pen, Sharpie, pen and pencil; facial tissues; hand sanitizer wipes; bottle of hand sanitizer; KN95 mask; gum; earphones and charger/cord for phone; eyemask and earplugs; small sharpening steel; lighter and waterproof matches; Mylar emergency blanket; Mylar poncho; toiletry kit in small case: nail clipper and emery boards; plastic toothpicks; Q-tips; assorted safety pins; small bar of soap; 2 band-aids with antibiotic packet; cortisone packet; 2 packets of Alka-Seltzer; 2 Pepto-Bismol; 3 hard candies; 6 caffeine pills; 4 Sudafed pills; 2 Claritin; 2 Benadryl; 6 Imodium; prescription meds; travel toothbrush and toothpaste; dental floss; Fenix E01 mini-flashlight with 2 AAA batteries; small tube of super glue; sewing kit; tube of Advil; 2 paperclips; eyemask and earplugs; extra cash; pen. First Aid Kit: hand sanitizer wipes; wound wipes; alcohol wipes; gauze pads; Celox hemostatic granule packs; compressed gauze pack; SWAT-T tourniquet; vinyl gloves and KN95 mask; CPR mask; band-aids; steri-strips; moleskin; burn gel packet; antibiotic packets; aspirin; safety pins; laxative pills; Benadryl. Also, when driving I carry a full emergency bag in the trunk as well as a full EMT jump bag (certified EMT).

 

Sounds like an awesome kit! I would love to see these different levels laid out using the kit builder. You seem to have everything in your level 3 kit.

 

Thanks. There are other great ideas in the thread, like water purification tablets or a military issue can opener. But I subscribe to the theory of having the most focus on the most likely potential problems- hence the band-aids for a cut or nail clippers for a broken nail or ibuprofen for a headache. Having what you need when you’re out of the house converts an emergency into a blip of annoyance. You deal with it and move on. The 60l duffel go-bag in the car takes everything up yet another level with more supplies and more backup and redundancy, plus a car kit and an EMT jump bag. Pretty much prepared for almost any foreseeable event. And of course the home preps are even deeper and broader, well informed by this terrific site.

 

Thank you for those kind words, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the site. 

I have the same prepping mentality that you have about having a bag in your car for those everyday big or small emergencies. I’ve been able to help so many with those little things that they need with my kit.

 

My EDC:

IFAK (light version) & trauma kit, cash, flashlight, protein bars, pandemic gear (mask, additional filter, hand sanitizer), knife, portable battery bank, and a black hole bag (Faraday cage). I also have my CCW and 2 spare mags.

 

What do you keep in your black hole bag? Is it there for EMP protection?

 

I’ve got two EDCs: one is a sling bag that I carry with me whenever* I leave my home. The other is a collection of MOLLE pouches on a belt that I take with me whenever I do work with my unhoused neighbors (which I do 1-3 times/week).

Here’s those kits as screenshots, happy to share full links on request. If y’all have any feedback or questions, please let me know!

First is sling bag, second is belt:

 

comment so that i can get a deep link to this EDC

 

Good morning Lowell,

My procedure is the same: 2 EDCs as per what’s described above.

Re feedback / questions sought;

Questions:

Ref Hand Sanitizer Purell … Scented Variety,..; Is there a specific reason for the scented variety or just availability of a good product ?

Not listed but am seeking any field use info re “Leatherman Raptor Shears. They have the ring cutter, seat belt cutter and O2 tank wrench. My inquiry based on premier effort to reduce weight and inventories of loadouts.

Comments:

For my area and my specific responses, we’ve got a rule to never use a visible pouch of any sort with the First Aid cross symbol on it. There is competition from Red Crescent Society and our profile is kept neutral.  

………

Mega compliments on helping neighbors.

 

 

Thank you *so* much for your response Bob!

– it’s been a bit since I ordered the sani, but I think you’re right that availability was the sole motivator here. It’s not even filled with scented now, because I refill from a big jug of generic sani. I just wanted the small container for edc; I tried some generic “toiletry” tubes but couldn’t find any that would keep from leaking after getting knocked around.

– I haven’t used the Raptor shears yet, but my main motivator was that it combines the vehicle escape tools into the shears, which I figure would be useful if I was in someone else’s vehicle. That’s a good point about weight tho, it’d probably be lighter overall to have “regular” shears and a small spring loaded vehicle escape tool. Damn.

– so far I haven’t had any issue with the red cross patch on the FAK, but I’ll let you know if that changes! Fwiw, the FAK pouch I use for my sling bag is the same as my belt, but the patch wasn’t in the box with the pouch I ordered for my belt 🤔

– thank you again for taking the time to write this out 💝

 

Good morning Lowell,

Well received and a thank you also for reply.

 

Love how organized you are Lowell. One suggestion I have, since you are so organized, is to put expiration dates next to the medications on your chart. That way you know when to rotate through things.

Want to come organize my emergency supplies? 

Do you have neat organized lists for things other than your EDC?

 

Hi Liz!

 I’m so glad you asked — I do actually have a separate view for just that!

I’d love to help you with organizing your emergency supplies! Where would you like to start?

I do have lists for more than EDC!

Here’s my [very much in progress] GB:

and in-progress car kit:

 

You had mentioned you might be able to share the links to these documents? I’d love to see them and tailor them to my kits if you don’t mind sharing. 

I like how you have broken it down by which pocket something is in or which part of your car it is located at.

 

Yep sure can! Will u pls email me at [email protected]? 

 

Thank you Lowell. I just sent you an email.

 

The Sog I found is the light weight knife.  My multi tool is a heavy beast…. this link is the knife.  Super impressed with its light weight and still seems solid.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SOGFLA1001/sog-fla1001-flare-assisted-folding-knife-satin-plain-blade-black-grn-handles

 

A light weight knife can be good to make if feel like it isn’t even there. I think a heavy multi tool would just pull my pants down.

 

Another Skeletool CX fan here.  I especially like the folding knife.  In some situations I will supplement or replace the CX with a Wave +, with a Bit Kit, Bit Kit extender, and a four inch adjustable wrench, all in the standard nylon pouch.  My pants stay up.

I am beginning to add the lightweight version of the Buck 110.  My keyring has keys (!!), a flashlight, and a SAk Classic, mostly for the tweezers, toothpick, and scissors.

Away from home, usually doing field work, i have a backpack with the Ten Essentials, water, snacks, FAK, et.c.

 

I have the bit kit with my Leatherman Wave, but have not heard of the bit extender. I’ll have to get one of those now.

 

For those not mechanically motivated when in evac mode, there is a cousin Leatherman product that’s a must have for some.  It’s the Leatherman “Crunch” model.  It has a vice grip feature and, circumstances dictating, (includes user having had some emergency field dental courses) a tooth extraction can be accomplished.

 

There’s even a ratchet attachment now – just picked one up at REI to add to my Wave pouch

 

I hadn’t seen the vice grip option yet.  Great idea.  As I stated above I recently switched carrying a multi tool for the lighter knife when the belt pouch self destructed.  I got motivated and found a leather belt pouch on Amazon. It has multiple spaces for the tool and a flashlight.  I’m looking forward to trying it when it arrives. I missed having the multi tool with me.  None of the functions are perfect compared to a full sized tool, but having it on you when you’re on a roof or any inconvenient place is great.  It’s saved me many trips back out to the van for a tool countless times.

 

Could you link to that leather belt pouch you got on Amazon? I’d be interested in seeing what it looks like and if it is something I would like to get in the future.

 

This is the pouch.  I would have posted it with the original post but use different devices and it wasn’t on this one.  I will review it once it arrives but liked the look of it a lot.

 

 

That looks like it would hold everything in there pretty securely. Looks like a great find! Hope it is as nice as the picture makes it out to be.

 

I finally got the pouch from amazon. Forget the prime delivery promises. Between the pandemic and the holidays things are really slow right now.  The pouch was smaller than I thought so it isn’t as practical as I was hoping.  The multi tool holder part is good, but the other two parts are really tight squeezes.  I am carrying a sharpie marker and an led pen light.  I use all three things daily with work anyways.  As far as a rating, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5, so not great but not bad either.  It is nice to have a multi tool on me every day again at least.  The nylon holder on my old one self destructed in weeks. At least this is heavy leather and will likely last a good while.

 

Hopefully I will actually get the pouch one day, lol.  With the holiday and backlogs most of Amazon’s stuff is slow to arrive right now.

 

Thanks for the update. Sorry it wasn’t as great as you expected it to be, but hopefully it meets your needs

 

There really is a ratchet attachment!

That is kind of funny looking, but it would be very helpful. The wave is pretty bulky and hard to get into tight spaces, so this extension that ratchets could be very helpful in some situations. 

NazSMD – Have you had a chance to try it yet?