I wanted to share an experiment in EDC containers that looks promising.

I'd been carrying my first aid stuff, handkerchief, lighter, and pen in a simple, zippered nylon pouch. (The fewer the internal dividers, the slimmer the container.) But the problem was that the hard, heavy items would clump up in the bottom of the pouch, making an awkward bundle.

My new idea is ziplock bags. I divided the stuff up between two snack-sized bags, then slipped these inside a quart-sized bag, side-by-side. (All the zippers are parallel. The first snack bag goes in zipper-up, the second zipper-down, so that their zippers overlap in the middle of the quart bag.)

That makes two pouches about 3-1/2 x 6-1/2 inside a third pouch about 7 x 8-1/2.

I fold the quart pouch in half where the snack pouch zippers are overlapping, and that makes a single pouch about 4-1/2 x 7. That's about as big a container as will fit in my pockets.

Pros:
- The bags can be pressed flat, and they keep things in place.
- I can see everything.
- The bag slips in and out smoothly.
- When I dig stuff out, it can all flop into the larger quart bag until I get time to pack it away again.
- I can refresh the container as often as I like

Here's what I'm carrying.

Left front pocket
- 10 ft paracord with a loop pretied in one end
- the day's "visiting knife" usually a folder
- the ziplock bags

Left waistband
- Leatherman SideClip

Right front pocket
- Survival keychain
- Bandanna
- Defense knife

Subgroups

Snack ziplock 1
- 2 two-packs of ibuprofen
- 4 alchohol prep pads
- 1 triple antibiotic ointment packet
- 1 after-bite packet
- 1 2 x 3 gauze pad
- 1 2 x 2 gauze pad
- 2 3/4 x 3 bandaids
- 4 butterfly bandaids
- 2 knuckle bandaids

Snack ziplock 2
- 3 SparkLite fire starters
- 1 plastic toothpick
- 4 Liquid Bandage swabs

Loose in quart ziplock
- Bic lighter
- Liquid Bandage dropper bottle
- Space pen
- hadkerchief

So I'm putting the loose heavy stuff in one corner -- where it would settle anyway, and using the snack baggies to keep the other stuff from joining it.

Survival keyring
- Orion whistle
- Cold Steel Tuff-Lite folder
- Photon Freedom (white)
- BSA Hot Spark
- Striker
- 12 inches of cotton lamp wick

The lamp wick acts as a fob, but my intention is that it could be shredded and used for tinder.

Bear

Few questions...

Two front pockets: two knives... One defense and one folder... Why not combine into a serious blade like maybe strider?

Your only source of light is photon (unless I missed something) . Don;t you find a need to carry something on you that produces more light?

You have one 2by2 and one 2by3 why not go for two of the same?

Just questions... Not busting your raisins or anything...

I, too, like the Ziplocs. To keep them from rolling up, I went to Staples and bought a couple heavy plastic presentation folders, and cut patches to fit in the Ziplocs to keep them stiff. As a bonus, I can cut notches in the ends of the plastic patches and use them as cards to hold thread, fishing line, paracord etc.

I'm trying self-stick business card pouches to stick to the plastic and hold small items like first aid supplies. I'm not convinced that the sticky part will hold up, though.

I think my defense knife is "serious". It's a Benchmade Griptilian (opening hole model). I have two knives because I don't use the defense knife for utility purposes. That way it stays very sharp indeed.

Other benefits... My denense knife is stable which optimizes training and muscle memory, but I get to rotate through my collection to fill the "utility" knife spot.

Don't know why I have two different sized pieces of gauze -- or why I have the gauze at all, for that matter. I've never had to use it.

Finally, yes, the only light in my *pockets* is the Photon. The rest of my gear is in my man-purse, and the flashligt there is either a Fenix P1 or an Inova X1 or a Nuwai Q-III or...

But for walking around the building or through the parking lot, the Photon does the job.

Bear

Can you please post a pic?

Zip-Locs are great because they are cheap. The freezer ones with Easy Zipper are my favorite.

However, the annoyance I found with them is that you can't carry them on your belt or attach them to anything. This might not be an issue for you, which is fine. I used them for a long time and they were fine as long as they stayed in my pack or messenger bag.

One afternoon, on a fishing trip, we decided to go for a walk. I didn't want to carry the Zip-Loc by itself with me since I din't have any large pockets. Since that day, I use a small bike seat pouch by Deuter that has a zipper, and two straps to insert your belt through. Works great! Besides, the pouch is stronger, sturdier and slightly larger than a medium Zip-Loc so it allows me to carry an energy bar, and other items that I didn't carry back then in the Zip-Loc.

You can take a look at Aloksaks if you like Zip-Locs, they are stronger and more waterproof and approved by the Navy... hehe. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm shifting most of my kit into two 'modules' - EDC keyring (minimal for office environment) and a puch designed for a digital camera - fits in a jacket pocket, has a belt loop and will squash into my front jeans pocket if need be. Not huge, but packs a poncho, simple FAK and a few other odds'n'sods. And the pouch cost 89p!

Methinks bigreddog *has* to be english. Nobody in the states says "p" in lieu of "cents". <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> That's a pretty inexpensive camera pouch, even with the exchange rate. I try to put as much gear in my Leatherman nylon pouch as possible... it's unobtrusive and nobody gives it a second look.

Absolutely old chap :-)

Yes, very cheap pouch, bought on a whim, but it does the job. Like Dougs AMK kit, the soft container is much easier on the pocket than a tin, and allows a bit of over stuffing. Conversely, if I take stuff out then it gives and I feel the benefit.

*grins*

Agreed with large metal objects in pants pockets. They tend to wear down the fabric quickly and can lodge themselves painfully at times. I try to go with loose, light, and thin metal tools so they can slip past one another. I go for rounded edges, etc. as well. But I'm really thankful most of all for cargo pants. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />