Being a full time college student on a campus with over 60,000 currently enrolled students, I thought I should post up a picture of what I carry to class. I used to use just a shoulder pack (messenger bag), but realized a pack is much better and more comfortable. Especially on the half mile walk to my classes from my apartment.

This isn't a full bug-out kit, as I have to try and keep weight down as much as possible (I pretty much spend the entire day with this bag, five days a week). The basic idea is just to get me back to my apartment and vehicle, as well as take care of any normal daily needs.

Anyway, here we go:



The bag as it sits, the side pocket on the right has my nalgene bottle. I don't carry a big one due to weight and because there are water fountains all over campus. (so I usually use those before I crack open my bottle)



The contents of the front small pocket (minus the nalgene). Protein bars, umbrella, pocket notebook, digital recorder, Surefire spares carrier (four spare batteries and bulb for flashlight).



The next bigger pocket with everything in its place.



Contents of the bigger pocket. CPR shield, 10 plastic bags, N95 mask, orange bandanna, belt case with bit kit for leatherman, case with ear plugs and benadryl, jute twine, flat Fox 40, mini-Bic in case, surefire E2e, Leatherman Kick, police search gloves (cut resistant kevlar), diamond knife sharpener, radioshack mini-screwdriver kit, pens, pencils, Industrial formula sharpie, high lighter with built in post-it flags.

The largest pocket in the back just holds my books, notebooks, and my day planner.

This bag also supplements my pocket EDC:

Looks like a lot of good gear, but you only carry it to get you back to your apartment, which is only a half mile away? Seems like overkill for that...

I am also a full time student at a university around that size. My backpack and contents are pretty close to the same thing. Generally speaking yours looks like a pretty good kit, that is if you have a good PSK and FAK in the bag (I may be missing something in your post).

I carry a fairly complete midsized Atwater Carey FAK and a PSK in my side pockets of my backpack. Details can be seen here: My EDC/Backpack kit

Is that some kind of twine in your kit? If so I would switch to Paracord...IMAO. I understand how you feel when setting up your backpack. Sometimes my bag (Targus Matrix) can weigh close to 40lbs with all my books!!! My backpack is primarily carried for school materials after all and isn't a BOB just like you said.

I hope my rambling is helpful

Do you need the Leatherman Kick and the Charge? Two Surefire lights? You could probably get by without the Kick and one of the Surefires. BTW, nice Benchmade 705. I'm trying to lighten up and not duplicate stuff that I rarely use. YMMV

I agree. I would ditch one of the Surefires and maybee the spares carrier and I would add a PSK and small FAK.

You forgot an important item..the pocket protector...kidding.

oldbaldguy, his apartment may not be standing when he gets back. or access to his apartment may be blocked.

that being said, get rid of your nutrition bars. they are junk and not worth the weight, space, or taste they occupy.

in fact don't pack anything that can melt.

nuts are far healthier for you than all that crap in nutrition bars, which are all fluff and advertising.

Being a personal trainer, I can tell you they are absolutely worthless.

No first aid kit or PSK. For first aid the benadryl, bandanna, CPR mask (with gloves), and few bandaids in my wallet cover pretty much everything. If I need more than that it's time to get back home or call the medics. As far as the psk goes, I'm putting a little something together. Really though, I could just add some fish hooks/safety pins, water purification tabs, and duct tape to have pretty much everything covered.



There's a few feet of paracord wrapped around the whistle for the heavy stuff and I think I will add some more. The twine is great however. It covers most situations where string is needed and it can be used as a firestarter, while being light weight and taking up little room.



I forgot to mention, I don't carry the charge everyday. Usually it's just one or the other depending on what I'm doing. As far as the surefires go, the single battery e1e-ha with KL4 (LED)head stays in my pocket even when I don't have the bag. It's my go-to light.

The E2e has two advantages though, it's noticeably brighter (two battery) and it throws much better (especially in smoke). However, the battery lasts longer in the E1e, it's cheaper to use (since it only uses one battery), and I don't have to worry about bulbs burning out or breaking since it's led. They're just different enough that I wouldn't really want to carry just one or the other.



Makes sense. Before powerbars and such got big I used to hike with a mixed bag of nuts, m&ms, and raisins for snack food. I think I might go back, it would probably be cheaper.


By the way, did I mention my university has it's own functioning nuclear reactor on campus.....yeah, I'm pretty screwed.

Yikes!!!That can't be good

I like most of what I see.

I agree with RAS, two Surefires and two fullsized multis? I'd drop one of each, but add a second flashlight that ran on AAs or AAAs. I'd like to see a second N95, a couple more pairs of nitriles, a FAK and a contractor bag though. Keep the jute, add some paracord when you get the chance.

What is on your thumb drive? I'd like to pimp one of my favorite opensource projects, Portable Apps- Firefox and OpenOffice portable for everyone, and Notepad++ and PortaPutty for anyone in a technical major.

No calculator?