Do you carry an EDC bag?

Everyday carry. Do you have one? If so what is in it? If not why not? Let's explore mine and I will answer any questions that you might have.

1. small non-descript brown backpack. Actually a Kifaru E&E

2. seatosummit silite poncho

3. Chris Reeves fixed blade w/ fishing hooks and firesteel inside

4. stainless steel sierra cup

5. Camelback resevoir

6. black bandana

7. 100ft 550 parachute cord

8.sunglasses

9. spork

10. small am/fm radio and headphones

11. baseball hat

12. leatherman tool

13. duct tape wrapped around old gift card

14. 20ft mechanics wire

15. streamlight flashlight

16. lockpick set

17. bic lighter

18. emergency space blanket

19. 4" crescent wrench

20. 2- 1gal ziplock bags

21. 2- 55 gal trashbags

22.first aid kit includes sewing kit

23. dental floss

24. fire piston

25waterproof New Testament

26. snacks peanuts and hard candy

27. occasionally a Glock 19 with three mags

This bag goes with me all the time. If it is not on my person in it close at hand. I feel it can help me to get out of most situations urban or rural. Yes there is no compass in here but I don't really want to go there unless people insist.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

Mine is similar but I included a passport in mine and I keep my netbook and sierra wireless card and a fully charged reserve battery for the netbook.

I also do not keep a lockpick as if I am searched it will be considered burglary tools and you can go to jail. That would not be a good thing in an emergency situation. I know how to make a pick and tension wrench when I need one.

Also my pack has a laser pointer that has been modified to burning level. I also include a couple of MREs.

Your EDC bag is well stocked, well thought out. I have a recyclable JoAnn Fabric bag with a cedar plank, candles, waterproof matches, length of rope, pocket knife, rain poncho and campfire tripod. Next to it is my tent and baseball bat. I've got some work to do. Thanks for the reminder and list.

reply to post by UFOTECH

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Did you alter your laser pointer by using a CD laser? As for my pick set it is well hidden and disguised. It would take a bit more than a quick search to find.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

I could not live w/o my machete.
Also a portable hand held water purifier that tucks away nicely. You can dip one end into a sewage pond and the other into a bottle and pump away.
Don't forget your survival capsules. linywinkywoo.

Very nice thread! Great idea, I have my BOB, and I used to call my pickup the "Survival Truck." It was 4WD with a tool box fully stocked. I bragged that I could drive into the woods at any time and never come back. The truck was always with me, had all my construction tools, generator, survival gear, MRE, machete's matches, etc.

I miss that truck, but I hadn't that of an EDC bag! I will go to work on this immediately.

S and F for you!

reply to post by reluctantpawn

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I don't carry one any longer, but did so when we lived in the U.S. Most of the items or an analogue to them are always in my work van, except fishing hooks, why black bandana? camoflauge? ,lockpick set, emergency space blanket, ziplock bags, waterproof New Testament, Glock. I carry most of those things when I'm out on the sea, except the Bible and Glock. I can never be more than 10 miles from home (due to the weensy size of this place and our house location).

I think you've put together a very good, comprehensive EDC bag. You might want to add a few rolls of "camping" toilet paper -- you know, the little tightly compacted rolls? Medicines, and don't forget Polar Pure or similar water disinfectant. I carry a 3M skin stapler as well as a small surgical kit in my first aid bag.

Carabiners are often useful with the rope, and the large "D" rings of aluminum are lightweight, but strong enough to support the weight of most people.

Nothing like a good, sharp, fixed-blade knife in a SitX. People have all manner of preferences. I favor an old knife used by my Grandfather in the scouts -- similar to a K-Bar. Some sheaths come with a small whetstone.

Compass is a must; whistle/mirror optional.

There reaches a point sometimes where a person has a bulging pack or BOB that is cumbersome to stow or carry, and at that point we have to start over and pare things down. Sure, I'd like to have a full-sized shovel, but have to settle for the wee folding shovel w/pick/saw.

Many years ago, I was a first responder/SAR to various natural and manmade disasters. At that time, I had different bags customized for various responses (chemical spill, SAR, Earthquake, etc.).

Something I discovered about headlamps: Energizer and others make an LED headlamp that shines either white or red. If you put on the red setting, animal eyeballs light up from quite a distance away without necessarily showing your position. NV is nice if one can afford it. Of course, in a dangerous (human danger) situation, the LAST place I'm going to carry a light is on my head

Good job with your preps. I wish more people would take the time to put together a modest kit like this. Doesn't cost much, but pays off in peace of mind, if nothing else.

cheers


edit to add: All LEDs outline animal/human eyeballs, however it's much like the "redeye" in photographs -- it's a function of the angle between the light source and your own eyes. So in order to see animal eyeballs glowing bright red, the headlamp is set on red and must be within about four inches from your own eyes. Red light is harder to detect, if you have to travel at night also.

Good thread.

[edit on 3/6/09 by argentus]

reply to post by Jesus H Christ

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I can generally do away with a waterfilter for EDC. However there is one in my Bugout bag.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

What type of water filtration system do you have? I recently got a KATADYN water bottle with carbon filtration. I love it, Used it last week in a puddle that was in the middle of a 4x4 trail. No diarrhea, water tasted a little "carbony" but came out clear.

I also want to add a tip for anyone reading this:

Cheapest and easiest way to clean a Water Bladder:
Water and baking soda shake and rinse x2
Denture Tablet (regular, not flavored) and water, let soak for 4 hours.
Dump water mix out.
Water and a cap full of Hydrogen Peroxide to kill the bacteria that might be left, shake up and drain through the delivery hose to get the crap outta there.
Water rinse x2 or 3 drain through delivery hose.

Sorry for the mini thread hijack, information is too important for me to wait till I have 20 posts to start a new thread.

reply to post by reluctantpawn

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I felt bad being out of range of my bugout bag, so I basically
made my bugout bag my EDC bag.

I have most of what is on your list, and these extras:

lensatic compass & directions

Texsport® Folding Pick/Shovel/saw

strong binoculars 16x

28 ga. galv. steel snare wire

snake/poison kit

knife sharpener

wiki books, survival info, wikipedia backup on DVD-r, wiki taxi to read

non Genetic modified seed packs

Trash bags, heavy duty thick mil, work as water proofing or poncho

water purification USP resublimated iodine 1 oz bottles,
you can't use this if allergic to shellfish thou.

common edible plant list for this region

Good Luck to you all !



[edit on 3-6-2009 by Ex_MislTech]

reply to post by argentus

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the bandana just happens to be black. Perhaps I will do a thread on its uses similar to the one I just did on garbage bags.

I as a rule just don't carry a compass but that is my preference and I don't recommend that others do likewise.

I try to keep minimal things in this bag. It is small lightweight and easily carried. It is also easily overlooked by the public. As I said it is an everyday carry, so it rarely leaves my side.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

reply to post by sourdiesel

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Thanks for the tip. That's one of my primary complaints about my camelback -- difficult to clean, especially after it's been sitting for some time. I tend more toward a SS canteen for this reason.

reply to post by sourdiesel

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I have a Sweetwater filter. It was one of the first to come out, and was purchased way before Katydine bought them out. It has served me well for years. I do recommend that you learn other methods of purification, learn not to be dependent on technology.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

Reply to post by reluctantpawn

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with all due respect, a bic lighter will only last so long and wont work when wet. Include a flint you can scrape with a knife to start a fire...

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reply to post by reluctantpawn

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Understand. You don't want to go hog wild and have a cumbersome bag. I like that many of your items have multiple uses, such as the garbage and ziplock bags. There's your emergency water source, if needed, among other things.

I think it's good for all of us, perhaps even those who fancy themselves prepared, to review our supplies and in particular our response strategy and systems ever so often. With us now in the opening days of hurricane season, I just went through everything last week and wasn't surprised that there were several things that needed tweaking.

reply to post by skeetontheconspiracy

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Look closely at my list. You will find a firesteel in the handle of my fixed blade knife, made by Chris Reeve. I just cannot say enough about his knives. You will also find a fire piston. It uses compression for ignition. It will never go bad.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

reply to post by reluctantpawn

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I purchased a new driver and a 1w IR laser diode. I also use a larger heat sink. I thought about the blue ray but the IR was invisible so I went with that.

I have to use it with dididium glasses with a number 5 tint for safety but they look just like sunglasses so no one would suspect. A close inspection of my laser by someone who knows what they are looking at and I would be busted but it has never happened and I have traveled with it in my checked baggage on international flights where I am sure it received some scrutiny.

It looks for all the world like a normal laser, LED flashlight combo to the untrained eye. It is powered by 3 AAA batteries. It will suck down the batteries in about 20 minutes of use.

reply to post by UFOTECH

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You may have to post a how-to on instructables.com to show us how it is done. It sounds like it could come in handy for those in an urban setting.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

reply to post by UFOTECH

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pardon me for being ignorant, but what is the laser for?

I'm sure he has a real use for it, but my Tim the Toolman Taylor side says, "Because he can!" I would love to have one of those, and I don't know what it is for! I have a lot of cool tools, that I rarely find a use for.