Daily Carry for the Brooks Brothers Brigade
Part II
And a few more ideas for the rest of us.
Or at least a review of some old tricks.
Rich “Raspy” Shawver

While part one was a broad overview on how to accommodate necessary equipment with generalizations on what types of things you might want to carry on your person in an office environment. Sure there were a few select suggested item but the idea was rather than an “I got list” that works for me. It was set up to show areas that need to be covered. That is because what works for me in my situation might not work as well for you and your unique situation. That way everyone should feel freer to customize their own kit to fit their own needs. While this will be much more gear specific each reader will still need to fine tune things to meet not only their skill levels but their own special needs. I will still try to stay more to inclusive terms and attempt to explain why such items should be considered as additions to a kit.

Why do we need a kit anyway? Time and Quality. Sure I can improvise something to cut with. A split rock, window glass or chipped flint will produce a cutting edge. A discarded can ripped apart even a metal bar can be rubbed on a rock, the road, a side walk or the side of a building will eventually end up as a fair substitute for a knife. Personally I prefer to put out a well-honed properly shaped blade to serve my cutting chores. Everyone knows, or should know, how to rub a couple of Boy Scouts together to start a forest fire. Or you can bang a couple of rocks together to generate sparks. Far be it from me to imply that these skills are not worthy of being learned. In fact I consider any one that doesn’t try to learn to improvise or practice primitive skills that thinks that they are prepared are seriously lacking in the mental department. These skills are the ultimate backup. Even if you are injured to the point where you can’t do them yourself, you can talk someone else through the procedure. Because there is always the possibility that you and your gear can become separated. The know how stuffed between your ears is always there. If it is not available you have a more serious problem that gear won’t solve. Whereas one of the objectives of this article is to reduce those chances to an acceptable minimum. Yet things can break or deteriorate over time. You did remember to periodically check your gear to prevent this didn’t you? While an improvised blade will work after a fashion it can not begin to compare with a quality knife. Primitive fire starting works but takes a whole lot of time when compared to flicking your Bic. In the right circumstances that time might be critical. The general idea is to tilt the odds as much in your favor as humanly possible. While it is not possible to carry enough stuff to cover every eventuality by being able to supply the basics for most situation makes it easier to improvise and cope with the unusual situations that might crop up.

Along the same lines is the actual quality of gear to be included. What is included doesn’t have to be the latest and greatest techno-dazzle with the highest price tag. But you don’t want to buy the cheapest piece junk either. Something that fails the first time you use it is actually worse than not having it at all because you are counting on it. Something that you are counting on that lets you down when truly needed is no bargain. Good middle of the road quality items can easily serve you for years to come. Second hand items can be had at reasonable prices. They can be acquired at pawnshops or yard sales at greatly reduced prices. It has been through initial trials and survived but you don’t know if it has been over stressed in the past. That is not to say you can not bargain shop. There is no problem with getting something of quality at a better price. The idea is to get the best that you can afford. But just because you can’t get something you want, I said want not need, you don’t want to be in the position of not having what is necessary. Get something of good quality to fill the need for now. You can always upgrade to the best if there is a later. Make sure you do have something reliable for now. Upgrading the components of a kit can be a very good excuse to justify getting the latest toy you desire.

As with all kits of any type they may need to be sanitized because of security rules. When flying or entering government buildings the majority of sharp objects may need to be removed. There may or may not be separate rules set up by your employer. Of course to keep that job those rules will by necessity need to be followed. At least if you do not intend to search for a new job. By building them in modular fashion this can be quickly accomplished. Forbidden items segregated into separate packages so they can be added or removed as the situation dictates.

Regardless of how extensive a kit might be the contents are utterly useless if you don’t know how to use them. So the first order of business is learning how to use everything you are carrying. If you have no idea how to use it is dead weight. No matter how high tech and useful an item could be the cost of buying it is a waste of money. The second thing that is the need to know is how to improvise. Just because a certain product is intended to perform function X doesn’t mean it can’t also do Y or Z. A couple of quart bags originally intended for water storage could pinch hit as vapor barrier socks. Improvisation will likewise allow the use of things found in the surrounding to supplement or replace things that would not fit, are lost or destroyed from a kit. All this takes is an open mind and a little training to accomplish. The business term in fashion today is thinking outside the box. Brother do I hate that term. Who had the right or the ability to put your thinking in a box in the first place? I think a better way to put it is to be able to think in an unconventional manner. Don’t limit yourself to rules imposed by someone else.

While here as in the first part the focus was and is what to have with you at all times it does not intend to discount an office stash. A pack to go mobile or to even a stay at the office kit with water and food is a wise decision. A regular 72-hr kit is the benchmark of choice. Although from recent events 96 or even 120 hours might be even better option. Either a commercial model or one you have put together. As most commercial kits tend to lack items an individual might deem vital. One size does not really fit all. Even if the decision is to buy one rather than build one from scratch. Look at it with the eye to add and remove items to better fit your specific needs. You might also want to repackage a commercial kit into an upgraded carry mode. This could be a better or more compact backpack. It could be a fishing vest or a modular load bearing system similar to those used in the military. But if the situation involves the building that I’m in, such as a fire or a chance of imminent collapse after an earthquake or whatever, unless that stuff is within seconds of getting it into my hands. It will stay where it is as I get out of Dodge. Stuff can be replaced you or I can’t. So the idea is what to have with you something to cover the minimum basics if circumstances force you to run rather than rely on a more complete setup. Remember you could be in a meeting on another floor, at lunch down the block or making a deal across town in someone else’s building not to mention on a trip out of town.

While from time to time I mention a specific brand named product. This is not to say this is the one and only choice. This can be for two different reasons. To start it may be a well-recognized product. It might then be used merely as an example. Because the named item is so well know when it is referred to most people will know what is being talked about. This includes size, weight and general category. The other times might be something that is not as well known but something that works well for me. This may give you a viable alternative or ideas to go in an even different direction to cover your own needs. When I say a Bic lighter everyone doesn’t have to rush out and raise Bic’s stock prices because of volumes of sales. Personally I prefer the Cricket brand but generally use the store special disposable lighters. The ones that come in the 5 and 7 blister pack for 3 bucks. But when I say Bic you know exactly what I am talking about. Also remember most people call bandages Band-Aids. Sure it is a name brand but people use the term as a generic. So do not take anything I say as a product endorsement. The ultimate choice is yours to cover your needs not mine.

The second disclaimer is more of an apology to any female executives. Ladies I am sorry if it seems that I’m giving you less consideration than you deserve. Being what I am, I can only view things from the male prospective. That and most survival gear oriented people tend to be men. That is not to say more women should not be involved in taking care of themselves. Or that some of you are not prepared and concerned with improving your situation. The reverse is true I think more women need to be involved and would really like a woman’s perspective especially comments about ways to adapt to different styles of dressing. Also I have seen that your different prospective can produce some unique and inventive ideas. While most of you rarely wear belts with various gadgets strung upon it. It is still more socially acceptable for you to carry a shoulder bag/purse than for a man. A 550 Paracord strap for a bag or a decorative rather than a supportive belt would still supply the cordage just as well as the one a man would wear. I have noted that some belts considered the height of fashion made with macramé. If they are made with the Slatt’s Rescue belt knot, who can say it is not an acceptable knot. While Paracord comes primarily in black and olive drab it does come in several other colors even white. This could then be dyed into any color for fashion coordination. Fortunately basic black is said to go with anything. Believe me I have seen some ladies that carry shoulder bags that are better equipped than the BOB in my car. Some that wouldn’t surprise me if they pulled out a fully rigged M1A1. I also hope this does not sound like condensation. That is not my intent just an explanation of my way of looking at things. My only hope is you will not judge too harshly.

Also here is an apology to all of the readers. I tend to get a bit preachy and easily fall into lecture mode. Sometimes it may seem that I am talking down to the reader although not by intention. At times I often go into boring detail. That is because I don’t know the levels of those reading from the seasoned old pro that knows it already to the newbies that needs a bit more information and all those in between. I want to try to explain things so that all understand the subject. Hopefully I don’t offend anyone or bore anyone to too great of an extent. I don’t claim to be an expert but I am highly opinionated. But hopefully the reader will find this reasonably thought out and helpful to their preparations.

Finally the order in which subjects are covered is not indicative of their importance. The order is as the inspiration strikes me.

In part one I recommended work gloves should be considered. What I should have said in keeping with the tone for the executive was driving gloves. While not quite as rugged as true work gloves they would serve the same function and be more in the proper style therefore draw less attention. If there are special concerns about handling sharp objects or hot ones there are specialty gloves on the market. One is Kevlar gloves that are highly resistant to cutting. Often sold to butchers for dealing with cutting meat rather than fingers. I have even seen a few that are metal made like old style chainmail. Also there are mechanics gloves. These are the gloves NASCAR pit crews wear. These allow them to handle very hot vehicle parts without getting burned. I also mentioned a method of a behind the belt pouch to carry a few longer items. An ersatz money belt if you will. That is not to discount the real thing. There numerous manufactures make the real thing. From ones that replace a belt with one that has a hidden compartment, although these are a bit limited in capacity, to the elastic band kind that fit under your clothing. The second types are large enough to have specific pockets for passports and other important papers besides just money. It may take a while to get use to wearing one. But then again they say you can get use to hanging if you hang long enough. The entire design of these belts is to carry things unobtrusively.

As I recommended a Slatt’s rescue belt I have often seen people comment that sure this is great but if you use the rope for other things what do you then use to hold up your pants. Well if you make a belt that has 50, 100 even 150 feet worth of cord you should be able to cut off a few feet. Take that and use the old hillbilly trick of tying it though the loops and make a rope belt. Anyone ever see Hee Haw? Sure it isn’t fashionable but at this point should this really be a concern where you need to use the cordage. Because there is no real limit to the size or form the Slatt’s knot can take it is not just limited to a belt or strap form of any length or width. You can let your imagination run wild in shape and location where it is carried. One possibility is to make in the shape that looks like a potholder. This could be a square or rectangular shaped and sized to fit a pocket like a liner or as padding. Additionally while this weave is ideal for 550 cord it doesn’t have to be limited to that alone. Any type and size of cordage can use this method to make a compact and controlled package of line. Hatbands work especially well using lighter cordage especially mason’s twine. How about a lap robe or blanket from climbing rope?

Frequently I see people bring up the subject of the difference between urban versus wilderness survival kits. Many urbanites often say, well I don’t need this or that because I live in the city. Or with the caveat that they can get to their home in a given, usually less than a day, short amount of time. Therefore they do not need much or anything at all as they have all their needs covered elsewhere. Anyone remember the old saying about a bird in the hand? What if there is something between the two locations entailing a vast detour? I saw one guy that said he worked only 2 miles from home and all he would need was at home. Then on one day while going home he was stopped at a railroad crossing about half way between the two. As he watched several chemical tank cars roll by. He realized that a derailment and the resultant spill could prevent his easy access to his home and supplies. Then he decided his plans needed some serious reevaluation. Maybe your home was ground zero and you can’t get there at all or if you do arrive have anything when you get there. If the parking structure where your car was parked is no a pile of rubble. Guess what? The BOB in your car is unavailable. These are a few examples to show what I am talking about. I am sure that if the matter is really thought upon you can come up with dozens of more such examples. The rule is if something is not in hand it may never be. With a few exceptions most things that are in a wilderness kit are just as applicable in both places. So let us look at some of these I don’t need items. I will do my best to show where they may come in handy from maybe a different prospective.

Then there is also the case if you commute from the suburbs to downtown. Some of these commutes actually travel through what could be considered wilderness especially to someone city bred. If you travel via your own car you should have a car kit or BOB in place. If such travel is from public transportation you could include a BOB or MiniBob during travel time to supplement your constant carry gear. But this extra gear could be deemed a pain in the butt, left at home just for today or totally forgotten. For whatever reasons what you need to carry constantly are the minimum basics. Maybe a bit more to make things a little easier. That is why most systems are designed in layers. Too much gear will be left behind as an inconvenience from time to time. The longer it is not needed the more frequent it will be considered not worth carrying everyday until it is no longer carried at all.

Water purification: There are all kinds of sources for water in a city. My comment is that’s what you think. In many disasters electrical power is usually one of the first thing to be lost. No power means no pumps to supply water. The city water pipes could be damaged or the system contaminated. Turn on a tap and you get a gurgle and a hiss instead of clean water. What about fire fighting stand pipes? Sounds like a plan doesn’t it. That is unless it is treated to prevent rust, growth or freezing. Toilet tanks? Most new commercial buildings no longer use tanked toilets. Breaking into an apartment? The current residents might not look too kindly on that. And then only if the tank doesn’t have one of those million flush systems. And even if it is no longer visible a previous use of such products can still leave lingering contamination. Water from the bowl? Only with some serious purification. And for me only if I’m really, really desperate. I see the guy in the back waving, jumping up and down and saying I know, I know. I’ll just stop at the local Bodega on the corner. First with no power it might be closed. Even with it open how many others will have the same idea? Will there be anything left? And what little might be available at what price will it be? The only safe source I can see around an office are those 5-gallon water cooler jugs. Then only if available, are not empty or been spilled. So just to be safe some method to purify it would be advisable. So I think some method should be available just to be on the safe side. You can boil, there are various sized filtering systems and chemical methods available to do the job. One that I have seen is a plastic squeeze bottle about a litter or quart in size and the cap assembly is the filter. Fill the bottle with suspect water and either squeeze it into another container or drink straight from the bottle. This would be about the right size to fit in a briefcase. When not in use it could hold other items of a kit to keep them together and somewhat concealing what they are.

Along with a way to clean it you need to carry your water. Some suggest that there are all kinds of plastic containers in every trash can on every street ready for the picking. Many of which are already beverage containers. The problem I see with this is you have no idea what person used it last and what they may have left behind. Even if it isn’t some horrible disease what about the flu or a simple cold virus. In a disaster even something normally minor could easily complicate things. Thus reducing your abilities to cope with the situation you are involved in. Haven’t you got enough troubles as it is? I would rather carry my own container to be on the safe side. A couple of food grade ziploc type bags to hold water takes up very little space and weight is insignificant. Using quart-sized bags will give you a measured amount for using purification tablets. That generally specifies a quart per tab. These could easily be carried in the pockets of a suit jacket. Another choice is those plastic oven bags. As they can withstand higher temperatures and are somewhat thicker they are safer for hot rock boiling. But they have no closure built in. Although they could be shut using a twisty tie. A permanent marker can be used to mark any bag to act as a measuring device of volume.

Fishing kit: Well maybe not in the city. But fishing line is cordage and can be used to tie things up. Hooks can be straightened and with a couple of minor modifications could be used as a field expedient sewing needle. Sinkers may not really have to many other uses except as weight. While some city parks may have fishponds you may not want to catch and eat the fish in them. Using the right techniques pigeons and other small birds can be caught. Think what roast squab costs in a fancy restaurant. But you could also do some dry land fishing. By that I mean you drop something into an area you can’t reach. Such an item might be hooked and retrieved with hook and line. Then the weight of the sinkers might be helpful in stabilizing and controlling the line. A weighted line is much easier to swing into position.

Another method of dry land fishing that is in my gear is a rig for is fishing for metal objects such as knives. What I carry is one of those metal extendable pointer type rods with a magnet on the end. The particular one I have is rated to lift 10 pounds. It collapses to about 7 inches but extends to about 30 inches. I have modified it by using epoxy to add a small screw eye to the end. That way, if the object even farther out of reach I can attach a line to it for even more distance. If the concept were to be used in a PSK, where the rod would be too long to fit. The magnet itself can be removed and a method such as the eye attached for an even smaller package. Additionally such a magnet can be used to magnetize small bits of metal such as a sewing needle to improvise a compass. In case you didn’t with those in your sewing kit to begin with.

Snare wire: While you may not see the need to set snares to catch critters for lunch. The wire is still wire and can be used for mechanical and electrical repairs. Especially in situations that are too hot for other types of cordage like a vehicle fix.

Signal mirror: OK, in this case maybe you won’t be trying to signal a plane for rescue. Then again if you are stuck on a rooftop during a flood it might very well signal in that rescue chopper or boat. But it is still a mirror. You have a cut on your face or other difficult to see spot. You pull out your FAK. First you need to clean it then bandage it. All very difficult to accomplish if you can’t see what you are doing. A simple mirror might just aid in the operation. Another that might be particularly apropos to the city is you are skulking down side streets doing your best to avoid trouble. You hear something around the next corner. With a mirror you could peek around said corner with minimal exposure. The decide whether to backtrack or proceed. If working in a group you could use it to flash signals but I suppose a flashlight could do that also. But then again it is extra runtime on your batteries and if the sun is shining its free. Others might not notice a simple glint or two of light from a mirror signaling your companions. Your friends are looking for it. And even if seen they might assume it is a natural phenomenon rather than someone signaling. Therefore ignored.

A compass would fall under the heading of not a very high priority item in the city. But city streets don’t necessarily run to straight lines and grid patterns. While there are landmarks if high building just like trees in the woods surrounds you the inability is to see those landmarks could be critical. Throw in the power being out you can’t see very well or far after dark. You must also remember that things will look different when walking through an area rather than driving or using public transportation. And what if you have to deviate from your normal route? Detours should be expected and planned for. It could be very easy to get turned around. A simple compass might get you back on track. You don’t really need an orienteering compass because you will have to follow the streets but knowing north, south, east and west can tell you to turn right, left or go straight at the next intersection. It will keep you headed at least in the general direction towards your goal.

A whistle. Very simple. The earth moves. Your building breaks. You are pinned in the wreckage. The next day you hear searchers nearby Unfortunately the only sound you can make is a hoarse croak. As you have already screamed your voice out calling for help. They move on. But a tweet from a whistle. “Nuff Said

Fire: The comment that who would ever need to make fire in the city really burns me up. “Pun intended.” Think of all the things a fire can do for you. Boil water to make it safe to drink. Cook food to make it taste better and kill parasites. Keep you warm. Hold back the night. A friendly fire can be a real comfort when things are going badly. Sure there are times that a fire can announce your presents to the wrong people. That is a judgement call. But without a way to start one easily you are already a couple of extra steps behind the curve. And there are many other reasons to be able to start a fire. Think how many times you have seen in cop shows and movies a group of homeless gathered around a burning barrel to warm themselves on a cold winter’s night. This happens all the time in the heart of most cities. Remember you might be able to shelter in a building in an emergency. If the power is out, that building could get very cold and you with it.

Just because a kit is primarily for use in an urban area doesn’t mean the basic necessities of life have changed or can be ignored. You will need to think long and hard what to leave out of your survival kit as you would in what you need to include. Maybe a particular item won’t be used the same way as it would in the wilderness but it could come in handy in an unconventional manner. So it helps to look at what the experts have recommended then modify it to fit your individual requirements.

And there is also at least one person that says what about cell phones, cash, phone cards, credit cards, important numbers and public transportation schedules. While an urban warrior might want to have backups to some of these items in their kit these are normal items that they would carry to deal with regular day to day existence wherever they are. Would a second cell phone get any better reception than the first. The backups would be something like some extra cash, credit card or a phone card kept separately for emergencies. While these extras might be considered as part of an urban survival kit and could be very useful in common every day personal emergencies. They are fine if general services are up and operating and thing are business as usual or as near normal during the crisis at hand. In major widespread emergencies most fail to realize or comprehend that things will not be normal. Many expected services will be out or limited and spotty at best. This would render many of these modern conveniences moot. If you keep an emergency stash of cash it is better to keep it as assorted smaller bills rather than a couple of large ones. The biggest reason is price gougers along with the extra high prices may refuse to make change. Saying, take it or leave it at whatever the size of the bill. This could greatly deplete your supply rather quickly.

Let’s look at a few things that might be especially unique or at least would be more useful to a person in an urban environment rather than some one in the wilderness. In the urban environment there will be more things of a mechanical nature to deal with.

Pry Bar: While there is nothing that you could carry that could move a slab of concrete weighing tons. What you have might be able to pop open a jammed doorway or break a window giving you a way out. Such devices come in various sizes and uses. The smallest practical one that I am aware of is called the Pocketwrench II. This is a 4-inch long slab of metal about an inch wide. Small enough to slip onto a key ring and thus into a pocket. It has a tapering hole with notches along one side. This is to act as a wrench for various sized nuts. It works but not real well. The other end is thinned to work as a standard screwdriver. It also has a hex shaped hole designed to fit the slip in bits of magnetic screwdrivers. It also has English and Metric measuring scales engraved along the edges. Unlike most knives and similar devices the instructions claim that it can be used as a pry bar. The next size in scale and level of kit would be the 9-inch to 1-foot models. These would be practical and fit into a briefcase type kit. The final level would be 2 to 3 foot long models added to an office drawer or locker type stash. As a means of saving weight but at a higher cost there are ones made of titanium. Anything bigger than a 3-foot ply bar would probable be impractical in most cases from both a storage aspect and the additional weight not be very portable. This would cause them to be abandoned anyway. Then there is the ultimate. As sort of multitool of forced entry and rescue work. This is the Biel Tool. Not a bad package at 15 inches long and 3.3 pounds. The Pocketwrench II might pass security while others especially the Biel Tool would not.

Goggles: Especially in an earthquake or building collapse type scenarios, frequently there will be clouds of dust, smoke and other particles in the air. Did anyone see the pictures and tapes of the clouds of dust and debris filling the streets when the towers collapsed? Some form of eye protection could be extremely beneficial in operating in these situations. Even the smallest piece of grit in an eye can be very painful. Even if it doesn’t cause total loss of sight even some partial blurring can reduce your effectiveness when dealing with the situation that might confront you. Even wrap-around sunglasses might be of some use as protective lenses and are better than nothing. Although dark lenses can be of some help in bright light they would be a hindrance in low light environments. There is also the possibility of interchangeable lenses and for those that wear glasses for vision problems there are clip on and slip in devices to adapt to different light conditions. Depending on how bad your vision is you might want to make provisions to include a spare pair. Being virtually blind will not improve your chances.

Dust Mask: In disaster movies and even more so in real life footage of earthquakes and other disasters they show thick clouds of dust and smoke obscuring vision and making it very difficult to breathe as mentioned about goggles. The first step along this route would be the dust and painting masks sold at most home improvement stores or surgical masks. Kind of like a shaped coffee filter that fits over the mouth and nose with an elastic band to hold it in place. In fact in an emergency something similar could be fashioned from a couple of coffee filters from the office coffee station. One or two of these masks could easily folded and stuck in a wallet. But my wallet is already too full as it is. But in part one I recommended a second wallet that is dedicated to survival gear. Now this next part is going to get people screaming at first look. Please read it all before hollering. These dust masks can be a slight measure of help in a fire also. No it won’t supply oxygen or filter out toxic gases. But what it will do is filter out particles in the smoke. It will not be much but it will make breathing just a little easier. Even that small advantage could make the difference between getting out or not. Besides it is better than nothing. If your biggest concern is fire and smoke there are several products made for evacuating from fires. Usually a hood with a filter that compacts into a flashlight sized package. One such is the EVAC8 unit. These would conveniently tuck into a briefcase. To improve chances during a fire remember heat and therefore the smoke rises so the air near the floor will be marginally better.

We need to take a step back and define a few terms. So we are all on the same page. There are a number of abbreviations and acronyms that seem to be misunderstood and used in the wrong context. While naturally the size of kits will vary from individual to individual there are accepted groupings or classifications of what generalized terms mean.

EDC or Every Day Carry: This is not a size category. It is what you load up about your body when you get dressed and with a few minor exceptions of special occasions such as fancy parties or the like you carry each and every day. For the office type this would include what is carried in the pockets and the elements included in a briefcase system. As the briefcase is normally in hand or within easy reach at all times except when visiting the washroom. Guess what? Mister Murphy says that is when the trouble will happen. So take it to the loo with you. But would not include the office stash because you might not have time or the ability to get to it.

PSK or Pocket Survival Kit: This is probably the most misused term of all. Some think it means a Personal Survival Kit. Using the term Personal is just too vague a term. All kits tend to be rather personal. It could be anything from a bare minimum kit to fully equipped transportation. This is a kit that covers most of your basic needs except things like shelter. Why not shelter? Because of the size. By its very name it is designed to fit comfortably in a POCKET. The standard worthwhile shelter item is a trashcan liner or emergency space blanket there individual size alone is about as large as a good PSK. I have seen that people start out with a big sheath knife like a Kabar or Becker as a PSK. While I have seen a number of PSK’s of excellent design made to be attached to such a knife sheath making a system one could hardly say that a knife like that would fit comfortably in a pocket. The other is that they start with a Pelican hard case. While these are excellent products even the smallest one they make is far too large. While it might just be able to be shoehorned into the cargo pocket of a set of BDU’s. One could hardly call it something that fits comfortably or unobtrusively into a regular pocket. So it really can’t be called a PSK. These are more along the lines of maxi kits. It seems that standard for these kits across the web are the Altoids mint tin. These tins can hold the minimum number of items to cover the range of needed areas to be covered in at least at the most basic level. The tin can easily and unremarked be carried in a pocket. The tins are specifically designed to conveniently slip into a pocket so that people will carry the mints with them every where the go using more of their product.

Now as to the different sizes. While these are generalizations not hard and fast rules. They are frequently used so that everyone knows what others are talking about. Even the names are not that critical but do give a general sense their place in the world. They give the concept of how the different levels breakdown. There is somewhat of an overlap as exact size is not that critical. A small mini might be an over large micro or visa-a-versa.

Micro: These generally range in size up to about that of an old-fashioned pocket watch or maybe at the upper end a snuff can. While there can be and are some exceptions, most micro kits are single function item or group of items. A micro fire starting kit might contain not only something to start a fire but with the addition of some form of tinder. One of the common containers used to make up such task dedicated kits are film canisters. A multiple micro kit would be like those several in one function match cases. That holds matches but the container incorporates a whistle, a compass and a mirror as part of its structure. Micro kits can be as simple as a knife in the pocket. Especially a gentleman’s pen knife, a SAK or multitool. These can be the full sized versions or if incorporated as part of a kit can be replaced with the smaller versions such as the smallest SAKs, the Leatherman Micra or the SOG equivalent. The concept of micro kits is that several can be scattered around your person. Many such items can be something that attaches to a key chain or neck chain. That small LED type light on your key chain is a micro kit. When several micro kits are combined they can constitute a full function kit. The idea is that each being smaller in size they can fit in more places.

Mini: These are normally multi or full function kits of a minimal nature. Call it from the Altoid tin up to about a 200 page or so paperback book designed to be tucked into a back pocket. That is why they are often called pocket books. This is the class that the PSKs fit into. Although these can fit into a pocket they can also be carried in belt pouches or as in the above example attached to or included into a larger system. There are hundreds of such kits posted on web sites and on many different discussion boards. Many even include pictures. From the new guy saying here is mine, how can I make it better? To the one-up-manship of mine’s better than your is. It is truly amazing the thought that goes into the good ones and how extensive and how completely some of these kits cover the minimum basic needs. About the only thing missing is sheltering items. As they are too large.

Maxi: These range in size from a thicker paper back to a hardbound book say a Harry Potter novel. I figure they are so famous that everyone has at least seen one in a store to know the size. For the old timers in the crowd that remember, about that of a cigar box. This is where the larger and the more convenience minded items are included such as sheltering components also food items of a useful nature. True some commercial PSK and mini kits claim to have food this is a tea bag and sugar packet, a piece or two of hard candy or a couple of bullion cubes. Not really food, but just enough to claim that they do. Sure you don’t have to have food in a kit but some hard candy or a power bar or two can be a real psychological lift in trying times. This is the class that we are trying to equip our urban warrior when the portion included in the briefcase is part of the overall system.

There are larger and much more extensive kits such as BOB’s or 72-hour kits but this fall more into the category of office or vehicle stashes which is a different subject as they may not be accessible. If you can afford it. It might not be a bad idea to have 2 one in each place. The concept of cashing can also be use for this. A BOB or even several can be kept in rented storage lockers in bus, subway or train stations. These kits would be where more extensive equipment, food and water stocks would be held. Several of these placed in different compass directions from a place of work would greatly increase the odds of having at least one accessible regardless of the disaster. Much of the gear in these would be more comfort items beyond absolutely necessary survival gear such as sleeping bags and mats or changes of clothing and shoes. Most of these would look much like standard camping gear.

The purpose of this is to build and carry everyday a sort of maxi kit or maybe a maxi kit plus. Rather than one all-inclusive kit the idea is a modular system. This way while some things can be lost. Much of the rest of the system is still retained. Remember there is the possibility of security concerns depriving you of certain items?

Once all the gear is selected and collected it is time to figure out how and where to carry it. The typical 3-piece business suit starts off with a number of pockets to begin with. But that is not all on the matter. Additional pockets can be added and concealed at home with a little fabric, a needle, some thread and some practice sewing. Or if in a high enough salary bracket a little extra cash to the tailor. Various unobtrusive pockets of desired size and location can be included. These can fit almost anywhere and be of any practical size desired. An example would be a long thin pocket along the hem of a jacket or skirt. A trash can liner or emergency space blanket folded into a long thin roll placed here would go virtually undetected short of a strip search. You could make one that hooks or snaps to these hemlines. That way when you change to a different outfit you can easily transfer this gear.

While modern electronics, especially the mandatory cell phone, are constantly getting smaller. And most are now designed to clip to a belt. There are still pouches designed to hold phones, PDAs and other modern marvels of the urban jungle. Many of these have additional space for accessories and such. The idea is that the such stuff is your personal survival gear others would have no knowledge of what you have unless you let the cat out of the bag. And who would even question a second cell phone pouch? One phone is for normal use while it would be assumed that the second is a hot line to the boss or maybe a private line to the family. Then as mentioned is the briefcase. The symbol of the cooperate worker. This can be the old style hard case or the newer soft-sided laptop cases. Many of the older ones have more than enough extra space to include items too large to fit into pockets. And the soft-sided one are often even larger. In addition to space for a laptop they have pockets for spare batteries and other accessories. Plus room for hard copy, pads and files. There would be nothing wrong or remotely suspicious if one of these just happen to be dedicated to something else. Meaning some survival equipment. Who would know or even suspect unless you told or showed them. Having such a case at hand would arouse more suspicion by not being there than having it everywhere you go. Now there are even belt pouches or waist packs that are coming into fashion.

The next problem is where and how to tuck these various item around your body in an unobtrusive manner. There is also the need to organize the equipment in such a way as to be able to locate each can be easily located when needed. It will be a real pain to have to dump everything whenever you need to find something. First if you just randomly stuff things in various pockets they will naturally mix and gravitate to the bottom of the pocket in a jumble. Other than making things hard to find it leads to saggy and bulging pockets. If you are suffering from corporate spread it becomes even more noticeable. You have enough bulges to deal with already. Outside of ruining your fashion image it announces the presents of the gear that may raise possible awkward questions from co-workers. One way would be to limit the number to one or two items in each pocket.

Also consistence of placement is an additional key to proper storage. Even with a different outfit placing the same item in the same location or as close as possible allowing for the new having a slightly different layout. If you carry a lighter in the right front pocket you should carry it there in every outfit you wear. That way in an emergency you know exactly where it is. When you needed it under stress reaching for it is automatic instead of searching for it in a panic. You should also prioritize the equipment you carry. This priority, within the limits of size dictating placement, should direct the location it is carried. The more important an item is the closer to you it should be placed. That if something is lost it is more likely to be the least important item. If circumstances force you to abandon things the more critical items are the last to go. Suppose you fall into deep water and it is a case of shed some of your load or sink. Logically in such a case the jacket would be the first to go.

There is a solution to this and several other potential problems especially moisture. The answer is plastic bags. The bags I speak of are similar to Glad and Ziploc Baggies as they have a sealing closure. While the commercial bags mentioned only come in pint, quart, half and full gallon size. There are available other bags with a myriad range of sizes. These come in as small as 1 X 1 inch appropriate for holding single postage stamps to ridiculously sized ones. Some of the available sizes are in just about any desired dimensional combinations in inch and fractional inches. Also the ability to seal the bag will help waterproof the contents. Just remember that they are thin plastics. They can easily be punctured from rough handling; protruding edges packed inside or eventually from friction of normal every day wear and tear. Inspect them on a regular basis to be on the safe side.

One caveat is these bags are not food grade like the commercial ones found in the supermarket. Therefore should not be used to store food that is not packaged in some other manner or for water storage. You don’t know what it might be contaminated with. While probably not fatal, it might not be very good for you. You could store a few power bars or bouillon cubes in their wrappers to keep them together and protect them from water damage.

This range of different sizes would allow you to size the bags to closely fit your pockets tightly. By filling the bags and squeezing out the air these would minimize the bulges by forming a flat package. By sizing them to closely match the pocket’s dimensions, at least in width, will keep the packet upright in the pocket. If tightly compressed by removing the air they will generally hold the contents in their relative position within the pack.

Most sizes desired can be found on the Internet. Unfortunately most manufactures only sell in quantities of 1000’s and 10,000 sized lots. That would supply you and all your friends for many, many years to come with plenty left over. Another source is flea markets and the like. Usually there is a stuff merchant that buys these baggies and breaking them into smaller lots. 50’s and 100’s for the smallest bags and lesser quantities for larger sizes usually for only a couple of bucks per bundle. Of course you could buy these large quantities available. Then use what you need with a few spares. Bundle them into small lots and sell them. I understand that E-Bay works for this kind of thing. You might recoup your entire investment or even make a profit.

Here are a couple of possible options for the use of some of the smaller bags to spur the thought processes into more ideas. Frequently a couple of cotton balls or lint are put in a kit tin to act as tinder and to quiet rattles. Suppose you want to add a few petroleum jelly coated cotton balls to your Altoid tin PSK as fire starters. By themselves that would cause a heck of a mess. A film canister would take up to much space if it would even fit. But a few in a bag about the size of postage stamp. The bag takes up little extra space and protects the rest of the kit from being coated with grease. They also come in handy in fishing kits. More on that later. Another packaging method for maybe a single cotton ball or other small items in a kit is plastic drinking straws. The item or group of small items is placed in a short piece of straw. The ends are then folded over and either glued or heat sealed shut. In most cases one end is sealed prior to filling. These can be almost any lengths needed to accommodate the item or the space available in the kit container.

Well we now have various pockets, pouches and briefcases to hold emergency gear. We also have bags and tins to keep things organized and in compact packages. Also to keep the equipment that is being carried unobtrusive to those around you. Briefly mentioned is placing items on a key ring. If your ring is already full of keys there is nothing wrong with having a second ring that is dedicated to tools of the trade just like a second survival gear dedicated wallet. Two things that ride on my key ring are a 4-inch crescent wrench and a Craftsman 4-way pocket screwdriver. It is a disc about the size of a 50-cent piece with 4 different blades around the edge. Many also talk of stringing few items; Ranger Rick sells such a system, on a necklace such as a neck knife. Personally I do not care to have something hanging around my neck. This stems from my training as a navy electrician. Before working on high voltage circuit we were taught to remove our dog tags to prevent them from slipping out and giving us a shock. Also the potential of it getting hung up for a choking hazard doesn’t set well with me. But such an option is again a personal choice. Do, as you like. Just be sure any such necklace has break points to avoid the chance of hanging. I guess it is time to see what to include in our kit and where each thing or actually category of object should be located. Some has already been discussed in the section about the perceived differences between urban and rural kits. So let’s start with the basics.

Sharp objects: One of the first needs is something to shape the world around you. One of the most important needs is to be able to manufacture the tools you may need. This includes the ability to sever material to free you from entrapment and to trim cordage to usable lengths. For PSKs the old standby has been the single edge razor blade. True not much but better than nothing. There are a few other possibilities. There are utility knife blades without the handle and those that you snap off small sections to keep a sharp edge. There are Exacto blades and something most don’t think about surgical scalpel blades although they are coming more into vogue. Maybe you could cadger a couple from your friendly physician. You can also have the choice of a saw blade in the form of a jigsaw or jab [the best known is the Sawzall] saw blades. Of course these blade only options you should improvise some type of handle to make them more effective.

This is probably the area where you have to be the most careful about quality. There are far too many cheap knockoffs on the market. Those 1.98 mini knives are a complete waste of time.

The next step up in the sharp world is penknives. These can be the simple gentlemen one or two bladed styles. This can be improved even more using the smaller SAKs [Swiss Army Knife] with little difference in size but having a few more functions. There are also the mini multitools like the Leatherman Micra and the SOG tool. These can be slipped in a regular pocket loose, a watch pocket or hooked on a key ring. They are even small enough to slip into an Altoids tin kit.

Going even larger you have the regular sized pocketknives, folding lockers and most of the multitools. This is where knives reach the level of serious working blades. With any of these knives it is best to go with one that has at least 2 blades. That way if you try to pry with the main blade and end up breaking it you have a second one as a built in backup available. While some regular pocketknives start adding multiple features. The SAKs are the standard of by which multi function capacity is measured. While many of the tools on SAKs and multitools are nice to have and maybe more useful in day to day use. Although in the urban arena a multitool might be even more useful. The various tools might enable greater manipulation of mechanical structures in the city. Which could be helpful in any emergency. Probably one of the most useful features other than the knife blade in an emergency situation it a saw. As it has the capacity to shape wood at a faster rate. Also a file can be very useful. As it can be used to sharpen other knives. There are some real monsters in this category in particular ones like the Swiss Champ. I would tend to shy away from these. While they have tons of functions they are so thick they become awkward in all but the very largest of hands. They are almost like two regular knives stuck together. This will cause difficulties. The loss of precision when making fine or delicate cuts. When making heavy cuts this lack of control can lead to slips damaging the work and possibly causing injuries. Personally I’d rather carry two smaller knives that split the number of tools between them. They would not weigh much more and quite possible less. Furthermore they would be easier to use and much easier to store than one huge assembly. I have even seen some SAK wanna bes that have a fork and spoon included.

Knives that fit into an even larger category are the sheath knives, machetes, Bowies, the kukris and small belt axes. While these lager knives and chopping tools might be nice to be includes in larger kits such as an office stash or BOB. They are not really practical as part of every day office carry. But, if you insist that one is an absolute must. It would be best to include them in the briefcase portion of the kit or as part of the office or other place stash. Anywhere on your person would be way, way too obvious. And carrying something that obvious will get you talked about by the other office PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER.. Such talk could eventually involve the PTB’s. Unless you are the head honcho and set the rules this could lead to bad consequences. It could lead to banning of specific items, baring you from carrying or stashing any gear or even the loss of employment.

When selecting a knife you are faced with a staggering number of options. For a knife with ancillary tools you need to select the combination that best fits your perceived needs. But since the primary purpose of a knife is to cut things. The first concern in choice should be based on the blade or blades it has. When choosing a blade there are a number of different shapes to chose from. Each person has his or her own favorite design. Normally the choice for a primary kit selection should be based on a design that is more multi-functional rather than something exotic. Once the general shape is selected the next interest is the edge. Here there are two basic ways to go either straight bladed or serrated. Then there are some that are half-and-half. I would say that that if it has 2 or more blades they should be one of each style. That way you have the best of both worlds. Aside from what is included is the choice of material it is made of. While some are better than others are in general any made by a reputable manufacturer should be of decent quality. This is acceptable for now. You can always up grade to the super deluxe later.

Sort of in the knife category are locking pliers. Vice Grips if you will. One friend carries a 5-inch pair daily. Another such option is the Leatherman Crunch. These are collapsible locking pliers that fold down into a package the size of most standard multitools. Plus they have a couple of extra implements included. While they are not as robust or work quite as well as a dedicated pair they are more compact.

Being a belt and suspenders type of person I would recommend at a minimum a small SAK or mini multitool and a larger sized locking blade SAK or Multitool, maybe both. And I have no problem with adding some sort of cutting edge in a PSK. If you are like me that means that you will be carrying a couple of more sharps just on general principle. You might also want to consider some form of sharpening method.

Fire: As previously stated is a critical skill. If asked, most experts will state that if fire is not the number one priority it will at worst falls in as number two. While in all cases fire might not be needed. But when it is it can mean the difference between life and death. The primitive methods of fire by friction are the ultimate backup. These skills need to be practiced along with the how of building fire structures. So that when you need it, that it works right the first time. Remember to practice sometimes in adverse conditions such as when it is pouring down rain. Because Mr. Murphy always says, “ Thing will not be in your favor when the chips are down.” The idea of the kit is to make things go as easily and as quickly as possible.

Flint and steel comes in two forms. The old fashioned method while nice tends to be a little too bulky for inclusion in kits. While flint is the best other rocks can be substituted. There are the high tech modern fire rods called flint rods. These come in 3 basic forms. The Swedish fire steels consist of the sparking rod with a molded plastic handle. While nice that handle takes up too much space for my liking. Then there are the magnesium fire starters found in every discount joint. They have a flint rod along one edge and a huge block of magnesium. The magnesium is meant as a hot burn tinder to be shaved off. Again nice but these things are relatively huge. There are a few called fire spikes that are a compromise that I think is the best of both worlds. They have a flint rod with a small amount of magnesium wrapped around it. They are about 3 inches long and about the diameter of a pencil. Instead of a handle they use a bead chain or key ring, ring threaded through a hole at one end. While not as convenient. With a little practice, tensioning can be used to hold the rod fairly ridged. It is oft stated that the magnesium shavings are hard to keep together. One solution is to take a small piece of waxed paper folded into a wallet or kit. The waxed paper when unfolded can form a pocket to hold the shavings together. It also burns well giving an improvement as a tinder/fire starter. There is an additional flint and steel method. In essence it is the sparking assembly of the Zippo type lighters without the lighter wrapped around it. I had kind of forgotten the Gerber Strike Force. It combines a sparking rod and a scraper in a single package. The ability to use it one handed is a very nice feature especially if injured. But as an every day carry item it is just too bulky and big to be seriously considered.

There are the solar methods. Sure it requires the sun to be shining and it may not be. There have been over the years several toys to do this. In fact I use to have a solar cigarette lighter. But the main item that I think should be considered is the flat plastic Fresnel lens. While it can come in many sizes he best for a kit are the ones about the size of a credit card. These can be easily slipped into a wallet. As a fire starter only it might not be worth even its minimal size and weight. But being a magnifying lens it can be used to read fine print or to get a closer look at almost anything small. This multiple capacity does make it worthy addition to your supplies. .

Matches and every official kit list from the experts include matches especially strike anywhere types. Although these are getting harder to find. The king of matches are the lifeboat matches. There are also regular stick and finally paper matches with striking strip. Although I wouldn’t consider paper one except in the very smallest of kits. The first problem is that they are all very moisture sensitive. They can be somewhat waterproofed by sealing in plastic bags or dipped in paraffin. I have heard that you can also do this by coating them with Thompson’s Water Seal or the like. I don’t have any idea about the long-term effects. I do know that matches deteriorate over time with paraffin or just plain. The biggest hit I think though for matches is the number of lights per volume. 3 maybe 4 matches give you the same volume as a flint rod. This works out to 4 or 8 lights if you split matches versus 50 or so with the rod. And when compared to hundreds if not thousands of fires from a butane lighter the 20 or so matches that would fill the same space doesn’t even come close. So I tend to consider matches as a non-starter when it comes to kits.

The venerable Zippo and other like products are nice for daily use for a smoker. They are a rather poor choice as part of a kit. This is not to say they are a bad product in their designated field of use just not a good fit in this case. If used regularly as in smoking they need to be refueled every few days. Even if not used at all the fuel rarely lasts more than a couple of weeks if that. Suddenly finding that it won’t work because the fuel has evaporated is not something you want in an emergency. There might be some way to seal one up to retain fuel but nothing I know that is very practical. Such a lighter and a can of fuel might work for something larger as a BOB or storage stockpile but that is not what we are building at this time. The only other real problem is the expense of loosing one. Other than running out of fuel at an inopportune time loosing one is the only problem I have ever had.

The best choice for a fire-starting source in a kit is the butane flint striker based lighter. It is the most compact unit available. The smallest are the mini Bic lighters. Unfortunately for those that don’t like the Bic brand they are the only one’s that make these minis. These are about ½ the size of standard units in this line. It is capable of several hundred fires. The full sized models are capable of even more. For regular use I personally prefer the Cricket electronic lighter. But in an emergency kit, any of flint ignited is the best choice. This is because that even if the butane fuel is exhausted the metal flame shield can be removed and the flint and wheel can still generate sparks ala flint and steel. One of the things that some people say against these lighters is that they can leak away their fuel in storage. This problem is more a matter of incorrect storage rather than a design flaw. Many try to pack them so tightly into mini kits that the fuel release lever is depressed. I have just recently found several in storage that have been there for at least 5 years. These were of several brands from top of the line disposables to a couple of the cheapest store brands. The ones that come in the 5 and 7 packs for a couple of bucks. All still worked as if new. Butane lighters do have a problem. That is their reaction to cold temperatures. Probably the time when they are most needed. When it gets cold enough the butane is slow or doesn’t evaporate. Since it is the gas generated that actually burns. No gas means no fire. One reason to have backups. But if kept in inner pockets, Body warmth will normally keep them functional. Unlike most fire sources they are not greatly affected by water other than that when wet the flint will frequently not spark. From experience I have found that a couple of shakes and blowing strongly into it followed by a few spins of the wheel has always rectified this difficulty. The ones that have see through bodies are especially nice as you can view how much fuel remains at a glance. To those with the concern, Yes there is a slight explosion hazard with butane lighters. If they get hot enough the resultant pressure could rupture the case. And if there were fire present the gas cloud would ignite. Generally if the lighter is lit long enough to build up anywhere near this heat level it would be too hot to hold onto. The odds are so slight that it is not a real point of contention.

My recommendations for the fire components are as follows. If you use a lighter on a daily basis such as a smoker carry what ever is your favorite method. For your kit carry an unused disposable lighter as a backup and emergency source or solo if you don’t need one day to day. Also one of the middle sized fire spikes. The ones without the handle and a minimal amount of magnesium along with its striker. As a last resort method slip into a wallet the credit card sized magnifying lenses. Finally the knowledge and practice of primitive methods as a last resort.

Along with a way to start a fire you might want to include one or more methods to extend the start. Some have mentioned that they carry a chunk of fat wood on their key ring to be shaved as tinder. While on the surface it seems a fair idea. I think it is a bit limited for the bulk involved. But if it is a good luck charm to you far be it from me to deny it to you.

What has sort of become the standard, as a carry along tinder is petroleum jelly coated cotton balls. 3 or maybe up to a half dozen can be stuffed in a zipped plastic bag about the size of a postage stamp and tucked into a PSK. As an aside the grease can be used as a lubricant in other situations. I say coated rather than soaked as most do. You can put too much on the cotton as many newbies frequently do on their first try. I heard one guy say he tossed about a hundred cotton balls in a bag with about a half a pound of petroleum jelly. The end result was about a hundred blobs of grease. Depending upon how you intend to light them the amount can be very critical. If the intent is to use sparks you need at least a small amount of the cotton that is virtually dry to catch the sparks properly. Therefore coat them sparingly.

Some people say that because of their frugal nature they use dryer lint rather than purchase cotton balls. This is a fine idea depending upon the cloths that contribute