Ever since I got my "edc" bag (A walmart hydration pack) I been going back and forth between how empty I should leave it and now how empty I SHould leave other bags for other situations.

My Thought is What if I Needed to throw somthing in it while Im out and about OR add to it for certain situations. Right now its half empty and can prolly fit around a basketball amount of space.

SO whats your opinion? Do you prefer to leave it half empty with mid level preparedness almost empty with bare minimal preparedness or load it up till it bursts?

I fill up my pack with whet I think I'll need and carry a nylon bag folded up inside. If I needed to gather something, I would have the option of ditching something from my pack, or using the nylon bag to carry something.

I try to have the basics covered, and then make seasonal adjustments. Potentially, if it isn't in the bag, you won't have it, but you always have the option of discarding if there is too much. Just how big is your bag?

Frisket... I'm retired, so don't really have an EDC bag...I tried to look at perceptions of threat, and carry probably more than really necessary...

keyring...E01 light, pill fob (aspirin/immodium), p38, brass whistle

wallet..ClO2 tabs, hemostatic gauze 2x2, telfa 2x2, knuckle bandage, 2'duct tape

multitool pouch... LM Squirt S2, Streamlight TacPro 1L, Bic, section of hacksaw blade, ferro rod, needle and safety pins

pockets...bandana, Vic Execuitive, Benchmade Axis lock, Motorola Razr round out with a Ruger LCP for good measure

my GHB is a Blackhawk hydration pack with 1 day of food, 18pack of 1L bottles of water in car, poncho, mosquito netting, AMK kit, FAK, extra socks, nylon shorts/shirt,boonie hat, Sawyer filter bottle and stainless cup, Gatoraid powder,AMK heat sheet and 3mil trash liner, Suunto baseplate compass, Bic, Vic SAK

additionally... I have some of the heavier stuff... machete,Cold Steel SRK, Swiss Ranger stove with Sterno, 3 days food, extra shoes, tarp, e-tool, in the car if I need it as a 3day bag to augment as necessary

I think having the heavier stuff in a separate bag makes a lot of sense... I have a small SUV so space is not really a problem

How do you like that LCP? I haven't tried them yet. My pocket pistol is an old Grendel P-10 with 11 rounds Of slightly modified DRT's. Time to put the old girl to rest and find something new.

My Redwing is fairly decent size and I have a good bit of room left over in it for extra stuff.

I've started to make a habit of carrying an extra bag in my kits that's dedicated for foraging and found treasures along the way. Nothing too elaborate but it let's me be a space hog in the kit.

Snake Doctor...I've had a bunch of pocket pistols over the years... .32 Seecamp, Colt Pocket lite, Beretta .25, and .22, NAA, PPK, Smith 640, 442, Ruger SP101, Wilkinson Sherry....after a P32, settled on a P3AT (early without external extractor spring)... I considered that it was the best platform for a true locked breech pocket pistol... had a problem with the trigger axis pin sliding out, and did not like the way the front recoil spring boss was attached...with the LCP, I like the better extractor and spring boss...accurate enough to run 8" plate rack at 10m with it...carry it in a Sam Andrews pocket holster... though for grins occasionally carry it in a Fobus paddle

I pack what I need. I don't worry about how full/empty the bag is. If a situation pops up where I may want to carry something and space is limited inside my pack I know I have other options available.(Like strapping items to the outside of the pack for example)

You will never be able to predict every situation you may face, but you can always improvise.

I see no problem with having an empty bag in your BOB for carrying something you find along the way. My only problem with that concept would be how well it would carry. A typical lightweight stuff sack that is full of stuff and weighs 20 lbs is not going to be real easy to carry around. But it is better than having nothing to carry the 20 lbs of stuff in.