What Would You Bring?

Mom and I are members of a gun club which meets the fourth Friday of every month. As of the time I write this, January's meeting was yesterday.

As I was brushing my teeth, Mom reminds me that we should have left two minutes ago. I did not have a few seconds to gather my usual gear. What I could grab as I walked to the door was all I could use. I grabbed my EDC bag in one hand and a jacket in the other. I did not get the chance to put my jacket on until after the car was moving.

Have any of you been in this situation? You could only take what you passed by as you quickly vacated the house? If so, what were you able to grab?

Jeanette Isabelle

In this situation, EDC seems fine. No abnormal situations or scenarios, so EDC should be good.

By grabbing my EDC bag, I had most of what I needed in one hand. However, I did not have everything. I did not have a bottle of water (other than the emergency water I have in my bag) nor my cell phone.

Jeanette Isabelle

Everything I always carry is in my pants pockets or attached to my pants. This includes cellphone, knife, firearm, flashlight, wallet, and emergency meds. I will pick up keys if I'm driving but not otherwise (our house has electronic locks so I don't need a key to get back in). The two other things that I pick up 95% of the time when I leave the house are my sunglasses and my "little bag", which is about a 5x9x1 neoprene pouch that holds my Kindle PaperWhite eBook reader, my Kindle Fire tablet, and a small MP3 player and earbuds (i.e., all my entertainment stuff). About 75% of the time I will also pick up a water bottle (actually it's a 1 (1-1/2?) quart thermos that is always loaded with ice and water). If it's cold out I'll grab a coat - which always has a hat and gloves shoved in the pockets. I never have to remember to pick up my coffee mug, because that is permanently attached to my hand.

Funny you mentioned the gun club, because I *do* have a go-bag for that. Loaded with my favorite target pistols, ammo, targets, hearing protection, glasses, range tools, etc. Usually I plan ahead and pack up all the different things I'd want to shoot, but I have the go-bag for when a friend drops by unexpectedly and says "let's go shoot". I can just grab my go-bag from the safe and be out the door, ready to have fun, in a few seconds.

Hmmm, we may have different ideas regarding EDC. Is your EDC gear for emergencies only or for using as you go? My EDC is for using throughout the day, not just for emergencies.

This is one reason I switched to pocket carry for most of my EDC; I carry all that user gear separate, not in a kit. I have a Klean Kanteen (SS water bottle) that I use for drinking; emergency water is in a 3 gallon jug in the truck.

My cell phone is part of my EDC gear. It all sits together: wallet, keys, cell phone... so when it’s time to go all I need do is grab it and put it in my pockets, along with the other gear that stays in my pockets.

It seems that rather than asking what other folks would take, you might want to rethink how you are organized before receiving the 2 minute warning. Organization happens when you return from a trip, not in the moments before you need to leave again.

Just my $.02, YMMV

First; well done on not being late. It's an unforgiveable habit. The only person in my life I've left a message for saying 'Never contact me again' was someone who was always late and thought it funny. If I ever hear the words 'I decided to be fashonably late' (I'm told it does exist) they are getting the door fashionably slammed in ther face.
But really 2 minutes? For a meetng that would have started without you? It is occassionably forgivable. If like me, at your first work fire practice, you picked up your disposable pens and then walked out into the snow in your shirt sleeves leaving the laptop in your sac, you soon learnt it's not that good an idea. Take the minutes and pick what you need.
Good thinking on the bug out bag.
Another thing amazes me is the people who train with weapons they only see in classes. Time well wasted if it's not with you all the time. If someone home invaded you NOW, or you saw a child on the street being dragged into a car through your window NOW. What would you have in the fight?
qjs

True. Other than when naked in the shower, I always have everything on my person.

Keeping a cell phone in my pocket can get a little uncomfortable. I can't imagine how it would be to carry some of the items you listed all the time.

Jeanette Isabelle

I covered this subject some time ago in another thread; experience has taught me what to carry in my EDC bag. Most items cover minor emergencies I run into from time to time. It also has things I use every time I leave the house.

Jeanette Isabelle

Ha! Well, my cellphone is a small flip phone, my wallet always seems empty , my flashlight is a 1xAAA, knife is medium sized, and firearm is a sub-compact with single-stack mag.

I do wear a stiffer belt (Wilderness 5-Stitch Instructors Belt) to keep my pants up though!

And yet you forgot your cell-phone. Just sayin’...

My vest with the EDC-stuff weighs about 2kg. How about that!

I use my cell phone more at home than I do on the road. Therefore, I keep it out so I more time to answer it before it goes to voicemail.

Jeanette Isabelle

A great reason to keep a kit* packed.

* includes edc, a work bag, jacket kit and car.

This is the principle of the "go bag."
Pre-packed and ready to go.

I keep mine in the trunk(s) of our two cars.

This tread is a good reminder to keep bags packed. (edc, work and camping bags.) And mark them with a tag so others can find them.

Each of our vehicles contains a kit with the basics (water, shelter, knife, fire, 1st aid, assorted tools). My vehicle also contains a permanent set of hunting gear (ear & eye protection, butchering kit, etc. I love Texas!). There are two shoulder bags next to the front door, one is my foraging kit, the other is my day hike kit. Depending on where I was going I'd grab one of those.
-Blast