Getting a small pouch and some smaller/lighter gear helped me out a lot with the problem that you're describing. I keep this pouch in my back left pocket, along with a PT Attitude. It contains:

Fisher Stowaway Pen
Leatherman Squirt P4
P-38 Canopener
Compass
Small glue stick
Duct tape
6feet of cord
Sewing kit in mini ziplock bag
--2 Large safety pins --1 Large button
--2 Medium safety pins --1 Medium button
--1 Small safety pin --1 Small button
--2 Medium Needles --1 Large needle
--Lightweight thread --Heavyweight thread


WIth so many of my toys in this pouch, I don't have much in my other pockets. My key chain has only a fox 40 whistle, PT Pulsar light, and two keys. These and my Benchmade Mini-Griptilian are all that go in my front right pocket. My Left front pocket has only my Zippo and a hankerchief, and my wallet, including fresnel lens, goes in my back right pocket.

This is my Sub/Urban EDC. If I'm planning to be in the woods, than it obviously changes.

Hope that helps,

Chris.

Thanks for the insights.
I think the nailclippers and the pocket knife are for the bottom drawer. I'll look into stronger trousers and different key fobs.
I think organisation is the key (no pun intended), making better use of my wallet, and placement of objects around my person.
As for the suspenders, I have a feeling something might have been lost in the translation. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> On this side of the pond suspenders hold up stockings on the fairer sex, not multitools!
I think you mean "braces" that hold up trousers on us men....all due respect to crossdressers though <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
As for Skian Dubh's, well we were on the multitool business during the crimean war (1854 - 1856):
http://tinyurl.com/3fgfr
Kilts and sporrans....I'll leave to the brave and the hardy, waistcoats however might be an answer...
Time to empty my pockets...
Martin

suspenders = braces
kerosene = paraphin
Drill Rod = Silver Steel
Flashlight = torch
BandAid = plaster
Cold Rolled Steel = BSM

should I go on?

I tried to slim down. I usually wear dress Levis with good pockets. This is what I have now:

Left front pocket:
Burns mission wallet with ETS left-handed small Sebenza, Arc AAA-P flashlight, P-51 (larger brother of P-38 can opener), coins
Fisher Bi-fold wallet with Fisher Space Pen-stylus, frenzel lens, Band-Aids, bills, credit cards and ID

Right front pocket:
Handkerchief wrapped around key ring with keys, Swiss-Tech Utili-key, Photon Micro-light II
Windmill polycarbonate lighter
Fox 40 mini-whistle, ETS modified, white glow-in-the-dark
Vital of Nitroglycerin and aspirin

Back pockets:
Both empty so not to cut off circulation in my legs.

Belt:
Cell phone in pouch
Victorinox Super Timer (Champ + analog watch) in pouch with sharpening steel
-- or --
Leatherman 20th Anniversary Signature Wave in pouch with Arc LSHF-P AA flashlight

Hope this helps.

It has been about 2 years now that I have started carrying a ditty bag. My first one was a multi-pocketed, multi-zippered gift from one of the Native-American gambling casinos here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was green in color and very handy for my everyday stuff. The one I currently have is an Eddie Bauer shoulder bag, brown in color with twice the room, half the pockets and zippers. It is very well made and does not draw the "womens purse" comments my friends used to throw my way when I had the other ditty bag.

On my belt I carry a key holder like the kind popular with the local police which I bought at a law enforcement supply store here for $10.00. The holder has a snap ring for attaching your keys and most importantly, it has a larger leather buffer between the pants and the keys so that the swinging keys do not rub through the pants. For security, I tuck the buffer & keys in my pocket and do not have to worry about wearing a hole in the pocket as they do not reach to the bottom.

Except for the most formal of occasions, I always carry this slung over my head on the left shoulder with the bag hanging on my right side. Convenient as all get-out and not at all feminine looking.

I do however carry my identification and a spare set of car keys in a thin plastic ID case in my right rear pocket.

Bountyhunter

Hey, this dubh (by the way, how do you pronounce that word ???? <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />)
seems to be exactly what I'm looking for !!
A short blade, a screwdriver and a corckscrew : all the essential functions in one package ! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Alain

I used to keep my wallet in my jacket, but in an office environment, that means you have to keep the jacket on you ! If you leave it on the back of you seat or on a peg, you are not sure to find your wallet again at the end of the day <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />
I tried to use a fanny pack, but the I would leave it in a desk drawer, with the same uncertainty ... and when you need it, you don't have it ...
So I am now using a waist pouch, which stays on my belt.

I'm not yet satisfied with my present urban EDC (mainly office/computer work) and will have to change/add a few things, but here is what I carry during working days :



1) The Thiers knife in its sheath goes on my belt (right side) only when I know an office party will take place (then I will be assigned to cut the slicing sausage <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />).

2) The Eichhorn PRT (Pocket Rescue Knife) goes in my right rear pant pocket.

3) The waist pack goes on my belt, left side.

It contains the following items :



- 1 white and 1 red Photon3s are hanging from the pouch (with quick remove devices)
- FAK (red box)
- PSK (blue box)
- Surefire 6P
- "space" blanket
- a few feet of "paracord" (or something similar)
- Leatherman Juice C2 (only because there is a corckscrew - see the "office party" bit above ... <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> )
- ballpen
- flat plastic whistle with laniard
- money (coins and notes)
- various cards (credit, ID card, metro tickets, aso...)
- various papers (driver licence,phone numbers, ...)
- various keys (car, gun case, appartment door main key...)
(all other keys (appartment, cellar, parking lot ....) stay in the glove box, in my car, or my rucksack when cycling ; I only keep car and main house key on myself, just in case some jerk breaks in my car : without the main key, he won't be able to do much damage)

FAK



This box, I open it several times every week, for my own use or for co-workers.
Not a "true" FAK ; it is designed more as an every day useful medicine cupboard :
- paracetamol
- plasters (band aid) in various designs
- condoms (remember ? "urban survival" ..... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)
- disinfectant
- healing ointment
- lips protector (also very useful as healing ointment ; I use it on each and every small
cut I can get ; prevents dirt entering and hastens the healing)
- eye lotion
- mint candies (useful when I get an -little bit- upsetted stomac)

PSK



This kit is never (or rarely) opened ;
- small Bic lighter
- Sylva (Brunto in the US ?) wrist compass
- survival mirror
- some safety pins
- sewing kit
- piece of blank paper sheet
- ball pen lead
- small help sheet, with knots, morse code, etc...
- small fishing kit (from a Victorinox SAK pouch I had several years ago)
- Euro notes
- plastic (Ziplock) bag
- spare cells, for the Photon 3 and the Surefire 6P
- magic candle
- bits of drinking straw, stuffed with cottonwool and vaseline
- sparklite
- fresnel lens
- water purifier pills
- some layers of yellow duct tape are on the outside of the PSK container

Now that I have open it, I will move the sewing kit and some safety pins to the FAK (there is still some place available in the red box), as it may be useful on an every day basis.

I would prefer to get a nice leather belt pouch, for the Surefire 6P and an original Leatherman PT.
That would lighten the waist pack.

I replaced my previous Emerson mini-CQC7B with an Eichhorn PRT, thinking it would be a less "offending" sight for co-workers, when I use it for everyday tasks. But I still get some "curious" looks ...
so I guess I will (maybe ..) get a simple SAK for every day use and keep the PRT or CQC7 hidden.
Not sure ... a one hand opening knife is so useful ...

Oh ... I forget to say that I don't carry anything in my pants pockets (except for the knife in the back right pocket) : no bulges, no holes ....
In my jacket pockets, there are only disposable tissues and gloves (in this season)
Ooopss... I forget the (hated ...) portable phone ... yeah ... this one goes in a pocket when I have to ... sure, I could buy a belt pouch for it, but I don't want it on my belt ... well, maybe I will have to ...

The only problem with the waist pack is when I go to the cinema : the seats are a bit narrow .... so, I just shift it a bit, in front of me and it's OK


Alain

Skain means Knife or dagger in English and Dubh means black.
I pronounce it "skee doo" or prehaps "skeen doo".
To be quite honest the Gaelic language is beyond me, so unless you speak the language you'll probably lose some of the more subtle nuances of the pronounciation. Its also mean't to be a very hard language to learn.
The people I have known who spoke it, always mixed in English, as English has a larger vocabulary, and is easier to get your tongue around!
Not really surprising only 5% of the population speaks it, and most of those people are from the Western Isles of Scotland .
I digress, I should be talking about preparedness!
Martin

Thanks !!!


Alain

Alain,

Thanks for the informative post. Although I could scale the pouch dimensions from some of the known-size items in your images, would you mind measuring your pouch and posting the height x width x depth? SI units of measure are fine.

I do something similar to what you describe with the vast array of keys we seem to be burdened with. Keys do great damage to pockets, are heavy, and sets become bulky. Some keys can be duplicated in an aluminum alloy, but that merely addresses the weight issue.

EDC has become a journey rather than a destination for me.

After a lifetime in the military, where voluminous pockets, sundry pouches, bags, packs, etc. were the norm, I find EDC at work and around town to be perplexing. On a given day, in the space of a couple hours or so, I may find myself in randomly sequenced circumstances ranging from a suit to a muddy & busy construction site to a still-hot, filthy, dripping, stinking, dangerous, burnt up building to a normal office or meeting and other peculiar environments I choose not to describe. Nothing save what I can discreetly carry in my "core" pockets is suitable/acceptable in all of my "normal" daily environments.

A day at work has no set hours, other than the traditional core business hours, as I am on-call 24/7 for many matters that I either may not or choose not to delegate to one of my subordinates. This means that certain items that I might otherwise simply stow in my work vehicle (a sedan) must be duplicated (at my expense) in my personal vehicle (a larger, much more versitile vehicle) AND means that whenever I go somewhere in a personal vehicle, I choose to take my large vehicle instead of one of the more economical family choices in my driveway.

Extremely comfortable afield in nearly any environment or circumstance, I find the daily non-routines frustrating in terms of readiness. I carry and rely on the smallest useful PDA (Palm T), yet risk it because wrapping it in any protection vastly increases its bulk. My issued cell 'phone is a critical 24/7 item that is only turned off when I am in church, and while fairly compact as those things go, it is not a chic and sleek business executive micro 'phone. (Normally the sole item on my belt - it can go into a pocket, but it feels bulky there and interferes with reaching anything else in a pocket.)

The good thing is that I enjoy my job and the people I work with - it is very interesting and satisfying to me. But the randomly diverse environments, circumstances, and socially acceptable attire make EDC a continuous challenge. Everytime someone posts specific information, such as your post, I pick up at least one tidbit that either merits adoption to my circumstances or triggers me to think of a new or revised element to what and how I stay equipped. Urban EDC is a challenge!

Regards,

Tom