Todays post was inspired by an exciting early birthday gift from my best buddy Mike!
I have been perfecting my EDC (Every Day Carry) over the past year or so, and have got it down to the bare essentials, for the most part! I had been using a small canvas drawstring bag for this purpose, but my present blew it out of the water!
The gift had multiple parts, but the main aspect that will drastically change my EDC and what I bring/carry is the Tactical Water Bottle Pouch I got. It is composed of two pouches, the main pouch being for a .5 liter stainless steel water bottle, and the other is a small utility pouch. This setup is perfect for an EDC bag, and I will explain my reasoning for this in a bit hehe!
side view
Front view
standing up with my Leatherman sheath attached
The idea behind the EDC is that you carry, on your person, everything you would need to survive for a few days time. The stainless steel water bottle can be used as a container for drinking water, for cooking, boiling water, or as a club to hit bears with ahahahaha! jk I haven't yet got a bottle that is the right size for this setup, and basically that is all that I need to get in order to have everything I need!
Listed below are the items that I put in my EDC. I put things together that make since together, all into three tiny ziplock baggies. The baggies and misc. items go into the front and smaller pouch, while the water bottle goes, well, in the water bottle pouch obviously ;-) :
Baggie #1: Fire, lighting, navigation, hardware
- 6 AAA Batteries
- Candle
- Swiss Army Knife (Standard, Small)
- Matches with striker
- 3 Wetfire fire starting tinder bundles (thanks Mike!)
- Magnesium Fire Starter with Flint
- 2 Safety Pins
- Compass
Baggie #2: Medical
- Tylenol
- Heartburn pills ( A must for me hehe)
- 2 large gauze pads
- 2 large adhesive bandages
- 3 small adhesive bandages
- 3 small round adhesive bandages
- 2 antiseptic topical wipes
- 2 Tylenol Simply sleeps (great if your sleeping on the ground and can't fall asleep)
- Waterproof Adhesive tape (small roll I rolled around my lip balm tube)
Baggie #3: Sun protection, water treatment, bug protection, misc.
- Small role of duct tape
- Lip Balm (spf 15)
- SPF 50 sun block
- Bug juice
- Potable Aqua water purification tabs
- Disposable contact lenses
Misc. things that arn't in a baggie:
- Small fishing kit (inside a film canister)
- Needle with large eye (inside film canister as well)
- Black Diamond Headlamp
- Space Blanket
- Leatherman Skeletool (thanks Mike!)
The Baggies, Knife, Headlamp, Fishing Kit, Space blanket, and a mug that
I will use in place of a stainless steel water bottle till I get one the right size!
For a person who backpacks often and likes to have his kit under 30 lbs, this setup should be excellent! It allows me to have everything I need to stay alive if for some random reason I should become lost, hurt, or stranded! Many people go into the woods with a gigantic First Aid kit that they bought at REI or some sporting goods store. They also, in turn carry way too much sunblock, bug spray, and other essential items. The key is moderation people!!!!!!!!
Take the time to think about what you would need and therefore use in an emergency situation! Say your pack slides down the mountainside, or gets washed away in a river, or worst of all, a bear tears all your gear to shreds and you are left with a pile of junk! An EDC keeps you protected from all of these scenarios, and is something you should keep ON YOUR PERSON, at all times. The bag I have can attach to any backpack, worn on the belt, or strung on paracord and slung over the shoulder. It doesn't need to be bulky, and any small bag, fanny pack, and the like will do. I feel that I have nearly everything I need, since I have taken the time to think about quantity, time, and necessity. If I get cold, I can start fire three different ways. If I need clean water, I can purify it by chemical or boiling. If I need shelter, I can string my space blanket up on some parachute cord. If I get hurt, I can improvise a sling or bandage from a t-shirt and paracord, and I have basic bandages and disinfectants for minor injuries. Repairing gear is as simple as getting my needle and some fishing line or dental floss. And of course, my Leatherman Skeletool is a great addition, giving me a cutting tool, pliers, and a screw driver (not needed in the back country but good for Urban survival). If I should need to cut my arm off like that guy in that movie, it shouldn't take all day HAHAHA! jk
Things to add:
- 50 ft. of 7 strand parachute cord
- BIC lighter
- .5 liter stainless steel water bottle
All in all, I love my new setup for my EDC, and can't wait to take it out wherever I go! I plan to just keep it in the car, carry it on day hikes and backpacking trips, and in general take it with me wherever!
If you haven't made one of these kits before, now is your chance. Most of the stuff in the kit you can find around the house already, and the only real work put into making it is figuring out what is necessary and how much is too much! Play around with your kit and don't forget to have fun!
Till next time.....
Andy
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