I had a dream of a cool urban survival item. A briefcase designed to function as a first aid kit. It was not an ordinary briefcase, modified or otherwise, it had compartments designed to hold first aid supplies. On the outside it looked like any executive quality, hard leather bound briefcase which would blend in perfectly in any business district. There was even some room for additional survival gear you wish to add.

Jeanette Isabelle

What would stop you from using a plain old briefcase and add in a first aid kit and survival supplies? I actually carry a briefcase to work everday as I actually need it for documents and such.

I carry my lunch, umbrella, some first aid supplies, water, and other things that I generally can't carry on my person in a corporate environment such as my Leatherman Wave.

I guess my question is, what added benefits would your design be? And would people want to carry a briefcase that is just full of those things and served no other practical purpose?

I like the idea of a bag that you are bugging out with as seeming to be something plain, instead of hoolding worthwhile supplies. Maybe something that looked like this https://www.manhattanportage.com/catalog/Laptop-Bags/Commuter-Laptop/259
But was fitted out to work like http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_...kitNO=0100-0465

Something specific to bug out with is one thing, but for an EDC, I can't see it.

A briefcase by itself, empty, packs a hefty amount of weight. I wouldn't see that as an optimal approach. A backpack is more ideal as it provides a method for carrying it without taking up one of your hands, which would be crucial.

Briefcases also imply something of value in them by their very nature. Backpacks, not so much.

IMHO

Compartments in a first aid kit keep first aid supplies organized and in place. Rather than having everything thrown together, which is a wasteful use of space, specific purpose compartmentalizing saves space.

Jeanette Isabelle

Once again, what is the overall benefit... I can put an organized first aid kit into my briefcase now and still use it as a useful briefcase. Very organized and noth "thrown together". A typical briefcase has organizational pockets.

Why would a business person lug around a briefcase that only contained first aid supplies and survival gear?

Just looking for a good justification for it...

If you are in a survival situation, no one will care that you are carrying a P.D.A. and some documents. When they see your briefcase, that is what they will think.

Jeanette Isabelle

Again... in a survival situation, I sure don't want one of my hands full with a briefcase... The briefcase is only usefull if I have it with me the day the survival situation happens and is not practical to carry on a day to day basis.

Briefcases equate to money equate to something worthwhile. In panic situations, a lot of the populous degrade into looting. Here I am in business attire carrying a briefcase. You can bet that the mob would want it.

Those pockets, if not used for their intended purpose, would only take up valuable space. This is not meant as EDC as you normally won't use its contents on a daily basis. If you have any bug out plans which involves a city, it would be a good item to have access to.

Jeanette Isabelle

Good point. However I think a back pack just screams "survival gear."

Jeanette Isabelle

Maybe to people in this forum, but I would think in a modern, urban setting people would just think "books & computer". Most people don't carry survival supplies and they are shocked when they encounter someone who does. I doubt in an emergency they would suddenly start thinking anyone with a backpack is carrying survival supplies.

Here's an example. What do you think when you see a man wearing a waistpack in the front of his body? The average person probably thinks "dork" but I bet a lot of pople here think "concealed handgun".

-Blast

From my observation, the traditional briefcase in the city is becoming more rare, and backpacks more common. Small daypacks anyway. Today, if you are carrying a daypack you won't even get a second look.

When possible, I tend to go with a computer bag, but often I carry a briefcase.

Backpacks are definitely more common place and don't get a second look.

I think that it depends on the backpack. If you were walking down the street with a heavy laden 80L expedition pack...you might become a target to be mugged for food, water, tools, etc. If you had a courier bag or a book bag, then you'd blend in fine.

I've been contemplating moving my BOB to a book bag for this very reason...unfortunately it's full of pockets and notebook sleeves and water bottle holders so fitting in the big stuff I'd want to bug out with isn't that practical.

Worse yet is the other end of the spectrum. I know people who think looking 'tactical' = being prepared...in the case of a bug out situation those are the people who are going to have a hard time blending in.

I usually think "dork with a concealed handgun"...

Hey, you've described the old soft-sided Trager briefcases I keep in the corner of my office and at home, each holds a bulk volume of basic medical supplies (kerlix, triangle bandages, 4x4s, ABD pads, gloves, masks, scissors, cheap rain ponchos). The only thing that qualifies them to hold medical supplies is an expandable middle that hold alot, and some outer pockets for some incidentals (splinting materials and a first aid reference mostly). They look something like this, only more beat up. http://www.bagsbuy.com/trager-540r-everyday-expandable-brief/22324/22324 They're reasonably water resistant and they were free, about 10-15 years ago I bought them to hold laptops, but since retired them. I can sling them over my shoulder and move, alot easier than the plastic box I used to keep bulk supplies in. So I filled them up with stuff I may need after a 9.0 quake, something I can grab and go outside and start tending to people. Enough for probably 30-50 wounds at the moment. It looks nothing like a medic bag, but I'm not a medic. And its not a well-rounded First Aid Kit, I have one of those separate to rely on for medical essentials. I work in the middle of what will likely be a mass casualty area. I bring supplies to where we can expect wounded, and if they're used up I don't really care about getting the bag back. I would probably be alot pickier if I bought one of the fancier $85 medic bags purpose built to zip out and expose the innards.

Back in the late '60s, I designed a kit such as dreamed by JI. It was based on the hard sided, large, but lightweight American Tourester briefcase then in vogue. It was used, for many years by our local volunteer ambulance corps. I first decided what supplies were to be carried. Then I took the case and the first aid supplies to the shop teacher at the Middle School. We worked out the interior arrangement, which he framed out in lightweight wood and he added a clear plastic latching lid for both sides. It was very efficent and easy to work from,especially at car accident scenes.

When I was commuting to an office job I kept a few EDC items in my leather briefcase - a FAK, a neck lanyard with whistle, knife and bright LED light, mini prybar and a face mask. They were flat enough to be unnoticeable in an inside pocket, and the main thought was to have the minimal stuff that would get me (and others) out of the building in case of fire, earthquake, etc.

I still kept a BOB and other stuff in the car. Always have a Delica 4 in my pocket along with wallet, keys and photon light.

Jeanette Isabelle's initial post about a custom survival briefcase reminded me that women's clothing typicaly has no pockets. Even EDC must be a bit more of a challenge, so a custom briefcase or equivalent may make more sense for women.

Blending in: for EDC develop a pocket system or carry what people in your profession normally carry. Students, support technicians, etc. usually have packs, bags,and cases. Business types have briefcases: soft-sided, hard-sided, shoulder strapped, even rolling. Everyone carries a shopping bag or box from time to time.

If it is BOB time, change into your travel clothing - with which a modest backpack should look appropriate. You are just a student or casual traveler who uses a backpack rather than some other kind of "luggage."

To expand on Dweste's point - I use a modular system of pouches and packets, the smaller and most basic of which can move from bag to bag (the pockets of the leather briefcase, a hip pack, pockets of a larger pack, etc.) Makes things really flexible for day-to-day use across a variety of situations.

yeah, at my school, the girls have to wear skirts (uniform) and so they end up putting their cell phones and stuff in their socks (they wear knee socks), doesn't look all that comfortable...

The similar approach could be used for the exterior conversion. I saw a very lightweight collapsible backpacks which should fit an average sized briefcase with almost no additional weight (just nylon sack and shoulder straps). So, one could free his hands and/or blend with the environment as required by situation.

I've found that I could pack much more stuff in such a bag if I organize items in tall flat packs to better utilize the top side of the bag. Also they are stretching quite well, so a hard box placed in the external pocket or inner compartment could help to pack more.

Long ago I carried my smokes (that was of course before I quit) in my sock, but they were not knee socks, that's for sure. The hard packs were a little uncomfortable, but at least the coffin nails didn't get squished...

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Thanks, Raspy. Good job. We need all the help we can to think things through and consider alternatives.

Depends on how old you are.

I see someone under 25 with a daypack or small ruck, and I think "student". Most people see my Maxpedition Jumbo, and they see a geek with a man purse- a lot of cops give me a knowing nod or wink, because it was designed with the option to have a holster in it. They don't know there is nothing in that will go bang. :P But when I go in the Gear Exchange or EMS, some asks me who makes it.

Oh, and OBG, you think "dork with gun" when you see a fanny pack becuase you used to be a cop. :P Your brain isn't that of a normal person.

I second that motion, OBG doesn't think like a normal person (:
Yeah!! People think im a student!! Hehe!!

"...Your brain isn't that of a normal person..."

You are not the first to say that. My mom said it a lot when I was a kid...

A woman can carry a bag like this https://www.oregonsewn.com/rainstone_shoulder_bags.html
and people would just think it's a purse. But they hold a lot of stuff. I have a regular one and a large one. The larger one can hold about as much stuff as an overnight bag (what I've used it for), but I have to watch the weight. The cast iron dutch oven makes me list to port.

Sue

Holy Smokes, that is one pricey (but good looking) bag. You could do the port and starboard thing, but most sailors don't recommend it...

From port to starboard = an eskimo roll, one thing I hope never to experience.

Sue

I tried doing this last night with the BOB I'm formulating in another thread...it's full (tight full) without the sleeping bag even though it's about the same size on the outside as my German military rucksack. The difference is the ruck sack is just one big empty pocket. The other issue is that compression bags, stuff sacks, etc, don't go flat...and because everything is in a kit, the little pockets and flaps are dead weight.

The best pack for the job so far believe it or not is my Mountain Hardwear scrambler even though it has the smallest internal volume....I'm learning that shape is every bit as important as volume. I wish there were compression bags which compressed stuff flat like a book for the specific purpose of jamming soft goods into book bags.

By the way, I have 2 vacuum zip lock bags in my messenger bag with small soft things compressed really flat. It's a new brand, which I've recently discovered at my local SafeWay: "Reynolds Handi-Vac". They have a gallon and a quart sized bags available. http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/handi_vac/en/home.asp
Quart sized bags holds the vacuum really well, but after about 1 month of EDCing I had to deflate them one more time.

Actually, I was thinking of the military, Navy in particular, where port-starboard refers to a lot of double back shifts, with very little time off, and even less sleep. Sometimes hot bunking blended in, just for fun...

That's normally General Quarters Condition III (GQ CON III) which is normal wartime steaming.

Half of the weapons mounts are manned and ready, half of the Damage Control Teams, and DC Central, are manned and ready, and the same thing is true of the CIC or CEC (as the case may be).

Everyone is standing 6 hrs on watch & 6 hrs off watch.