I've been lucky with my girlfriend because she doesn't object to my knives and gadgets.

However, getting her and my mother to carry some gear wasn't easy. They both agreed that flashlights would be useful since my mother was locked in an elevator that fell down two floors. The lights went out and they had to be taken out by firefighters. The marshall, after inspecting the elevator told the ten people that were inside that a flashlight and a screwdriver would have been enough to open the door from the inside.

Small survival kits and vehicle kits also seemed to be OK if I made them and they didn't get in the way.

Knives were the toughest. No amount of logic was enough because, even though they don't see knives as weapons they do think they are a guy thing. I found SAKs to be a very good way to get them into knives.

I bought my girlfriend a SwissCard, she carried it and liked it. Then I have her a Midnite Manager, she liked it a lot, too, and found it very useful. Then came a regular sized Huntsman and a year or two after that she started carrying a small lockback I had customized for her (I've found that some women need a "cuteness" factor in their knives). A couple of days ago, she borrowed my Ritter Grip. My work with her is done.

My mother is still stuck in the Midnite Manager stage, but she usually travels in her car where I've placed some trusty fixed blades in different kits.

Anyway, that's what worked for me. Sometimes logic isn't the easy way, and going from no knife to a full sized one hand opener can be a big strech. Try the SAK idea, not even the most anti-knife PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. say no to a SAK. I know they aren't hardcore survival folders, but they can be very useful and are a whole lot better than no knife at all.