I changed jobs and started commuting on the train for the first time in twenty years. I spent some time trying to figure what I could carry to improve my chances without needing a wheelbarrow for my laptop bag. The most likely threat would be some form of mass transit disruption, perhaps something that would keep me on the train overnight.

1) I'm more thoughtful about what I wear. If the weather's questionable I may bring a rain shell, an extra fleece, or something like that. My shoes are suitable for long-distance walking. I'm a lot more likely to wear a base layer when it's cold, too.

2) Water is life. The heaviest addition to my EDC when commuting by train is a 32-ounce Nalgene bottle. I always fill it before leaving home or the office.

3) My first aid kit isn't as big as the one in my car, but it still makes up the largest part of my EDC after the water bottle. I have OTC meds to keep working and bandaids for boo-boos. The bulkiest component is North American Rescue's Patrol Officer's Pocket Trauma Kit. It's not as good as the trauma kit I carry at the range, but it's way better than nothing.

Other survival items include:

* A 2-person Heatsheets thermal blanket

* A pair of mechanic's gloves

* Contractor bag

* Dust mask

* Bandanna

* Whistle (a Fox 40 Micro)

* An extra CR123A battery for my EDC flashlight (a Quark 123)

* An iTP EOS A3 Upgrade, which is an excellent AAA flashlight

* A Fenix E01, the world's best extra AAA battery holder

* a Prism kit to turn my Quark 123 into a headlamp

* A small amount of duct tape

* A small package of Cottenelle wipes.

* Four quarters wrapped up in a rubberband

* a Countycomm split-pea lighter

* Potable Aqua tablets

While they weren't added for train commuting, my EDC knife is a Ritter mini-grip and my laptop bag also contains a Leatherman Wave.

Other than having more flashlights than can be reasonably explained, I'm certainly open to suggestions on how I could improve upon this. I don't want my bag to get a lot heavier, though.

As part of your planning and which ultimately determines what to have in your kit is the question: What events would prevent you from getting home and where would you go if there was no home for you get back to?

For example. In our everyday routines, we are seldom more then an hour walk from home and usually there are no natural or manmade obstructions that would slow or stop us from getting home. There is no threat of flood (home is too high up and miles away from the biggest river and creeks.) There is no fear of tornados, hurricanes or major snow storms where the city is paralyzed for days or weeks at a time.

That said, we do live in an active earthqauke zone and after a few thousand years of relative inactivity, we are almost ripe for a major quake. Experts say it could happen at any time, meaning any day or in the next few milleniums...and I am sure there is room for error in their calculations.

I work less then a 45 minute walk home and my G/F's walk home from is even less then that and is on my route home so I would head there first.

If we had to evac on foot from home to another area, such as a family or friends home, again it would not take that long on foot and it is fair to say that it would be faster then driving depending on the circumstance.

With the all the above in mind, nowadays I don't carry a lot of EDC other then a flashlight with extra batteries, water bottle, folding knife, various bandages, a few OTC meds, some loose change, small pack of diaper wipes, extra pair of socks, and probably a few other odds and ends which escapes me right now. This all fits into a small pack which I take to work everyday as I use it as my lunch carrier also.

In the event there was a major disaster, the trunk of the car (which I drive to work) always has hiking/camping gear, clothes, backpacks, first aid, extra food, water, shelter that we could press into use when required.

For none everyday routines where we could be hundreds of miles from home, distance, weather, terrain and environment plays a bigger role in planning and is probably best suited for a separate thread.

Semantics. . . What functions does an urban kit need to perform? Do you travel by car, subway, bus or bicycle? Are there elevators in your travels? Will the survival kit be EDC (implied) or will/can it be stored at work in a high rise office? If there is a car in your daily commute, a duffel can carry a huge kit for all sorts of urban/suburban/wilderness contingencies.

I'm not sure the question regarding natural disasters is relevant; an EDC kit might be a little different if you are in earthquake country (SOCAL) as opposed to tornado country (Mid-West) during the season -- but I suspect a lot of similarities.

Big knives are out, but are multi-tools in? Personally I like a locking folder in addition to a multi-tool. I use the folder more, but a good multi-tool has so much potential I carry one in my EDC back-pack even though I rarely need it.

What is your every day carry? --part four has some great ideas for urban carry. Your post in that thread is a very good urban kit IMO.

Most important items to me are:
1. Water
2. FAK
3. Flashlight
4. Knife/Multi-tool
5. Whistle

chaosmagnet... my GHB/RON (remain over night)scenario is for two nights so I included a couple of meals, snack, and cocoa/tea drink, ... but minimally an MRE entree with heater, (I settled for a foil pouch of tuna, and ramen noodles /instant mashed potatoes in a ziploc bag to cold soak if necessary, but a MRE heater and beverage bag would be better (I have a nested metal cup and parafin heater)... I think at least a couple of PowerBars, some EGR powdered drink packet....insect wipe or spray, mosquito head net as I live in Florida..dedicated boonie hat or watch cap depending on season...safety glasses or goggles if appropriate.. a cheap PVC poncho to go with the heatsheet and contractor bag

Chaos -- Nice set-up. I'd add food ( bars of some sort)
Paper records ( map, bus sched/map, phone numbers) Tiny radio?
Assumed: cell phone, cash, amusements.

i live in a small city, work in another, and often teach in a third, major city. the distance between the three is probably 70kms one way. home is seperated from the others by rural area. even though there is public transit, i prefer to commute by my own car, unless i don't have an option. (and i'm really uncomfortabble with that.)

we've already discussed edc in another thread. additionally, when i'm in the city, i try not to be far from my car. the scenarios i plan for, other than bugging in at home, are waiting out a storm or major accident and getting home. my edc will hopefully get me to my car from wherever i am, and i keep a backpack in the trunk that's designed to help me wait it out or get home. it's stocked with water, shelter, first aid, fire, heat, light, food, navigation, signalling, change of clothes, etc. my goal is for my son and i (my commuting partner) to be able to survive with it for at least 72 hrs.

he's got a pack in the trunk too, though less stocked (i.e. heavy), and we both dress in layers for the worst case weather in our area for the season. we also wear footwear suitable for hiking long distances. if i'm not wearing the appropriate clothes and/or footwear, they're in my pack in the trunk.

I forgot to mention the protein bar in that list but these EDC items will get me through every situation I have come across. What about situations I have yet to come across? What if I can't access my car and I have to walk half-ways across the county to get home? I wear suitable footwear so that is not a problem. We could have wide-scale power failure, which means stores close, and all I have on me is a half-liter bottle of water and a protein bar. I don't think that will be enough if I can't get to my car so yes, my survival kit would have to be on me.

Storing stuff at work is not too difficult but I often have to take D.A.R.T. to go to appointments so any sort of storage in that regard is out of the question.

As for why there could be no home to go to, I live in Tornado Ally which can take out an entire section of town. There go two alternatives. As for any other alternative, last year my family and some friends checked into a hotel due to the snow storm and widespread power outage. A bunch of people had to pack inside one car which left little room for gear. I packed my bag with what little extra food and water I could.

I realize that this post is disorganized but I hope this answers everyone's questions.

Jeanette Isabelle

Where to start . . . It isn't a question of having only one kit and that kit having to answer all requirements; I view my various kits as somewhat inter-related, comprising multiple layers, each of which has more capacity, but will also be more difficult to carry.

There's my EDC pocket carry and then my EDC backpack. Then there's the truck's 96 hour kit which includes a GHB take-away walking kit. If I'm at work and I walk into the parking lot, I have the combined contents of all those various kits available. There is redundancy, but what's really wrong with that . . .

After I return home my kit expands even further. No kit is perfect, each layer can be improved with additional resources, limited only by your ability to carry it. That is why having multiple layered kits is the way to go. Each layer up provides more resources; each layer down allows greater mobility. You need to decide which level to go with depending on your current situation. $.02

Another think that strikes me as I read Jeanette's quote above is that at which point in an emergency will an Urban Kit fail and items from a Wilderness kit rule? If electricity is out over a wide area and water is an issue, my thinking is that something more inclusive than a strictly urban kit (which implies civilization and conveniences like running water and electricity) may be necessary.

Parts of a wilderness kit (water filter) come to mind and may be critical survival items in a post disaster urban setting. The GHB in my truck kit has an MSR mini-works water filter.

Big Red!