Bare Minimum EDC

I have decided that since I most likely will be in an urban survival situation should one arise, I am moving most of my EDC to a Maxpedition Fatboy to have at my desk and will just pocket carry the following: Leatherman New Wave, small pocket folding knife, cell phone, Surefire E2E and wallet. Even the Ritter PSK seems too bulky to carry in my pocket everyday and is more oriented to wilderness survival than urban survival. Any thoughts on this?

I'd add a whistle and a lighter.

Well, you could shave a little more off by losing the small pocket knife, right? The wave has a blade. You may not want to or need to, but you did say "bare minimum".

You might add a whistle. Urban or wilderness, I think it's useful.

D'oh. I was writing mine while you posted yours. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

And, of course, you can fit several things in your wallet that could help without seriously bulking it up, maybe not all of the following at once, but whatever you feel you might use:

• A foot or two of duct tape, folded flat.
• Bandaids
• Paperclips
• P-38 (can opener)
• Needle and thread. (Weave the needle through an index card, wrap the thread around it).
• Dental floss wrapped around a business card.
• Tinder card (laminated vaseline soaked cotton ball)
• Fresnel lens magnifier
• Credit card sized diamond coated knife sharpener (I have one of these. I like it.)

Maybe wrap the handle of the light with paracord?

"Bare minimum" can either mean number of items, or bulk of items. If you can pack additional features into the same space with very little additonal weight, why not?

Grro's list seems thorough, but a bit too much for minimum EDC.

Don't need the P-38 with the Wave.
Safety pins instead of paperclips. Pin the safety pins to the pocket from within the leg of the pants.
use a small photon LED light on the keychain.
Needle and thread, heavy duty thread wrapped on card and stuffed in wallet, in case of things like zipper failure. chuck the dental floss.
small disposable lighter. Leave the firesteel in the PSK.
Leave the sharpener in the PSK. I don't sharpen my knives daily.
I haven't used a fresnel lens or any other magnifier in months. Nice to have, but not for EDC.
Carmex or Chapstick or... something I use almost daily.
Alcohol swab packet (so many uses).
Bandana
One ziploc plastic bag. I am always needing one when there isn't one around.

There really are so many variables for minimum carry. It depends more on your daily routine, needs, environment. There are some real basics (knifetool, firemaker, clothing repair, first aid) but even with these you can vary quite a bit.

I think you should be getting the idea, though. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

For a long time I´ve carried nearly anything probably needfull 24/7.
That´s supposable uncomfortable, bulky and not at least frightening to "the sheeps" around me.
So I´ve started to cut down extent and bulk of my 24/7-EDC again and again and again ... till I´ve ended at this but it might change within a few day ...:

These items I´ve stored in and wrapped around a waterproof capsual:
- potassium permanganate in a small vial
- 6 doses Ioperamid
- slim forcreps
- roughly 1,000 EUR in cash
- small photograph of my wife
- ferrocerium rod
- small amount of cotton
- 10 small fish hooks
- 5 small slint shots
- 3 small snap swivels
- 2 spare battery for Photon-Micro
- sheath waterproof paper
- Space-Pen cartridge
- SAS compass
- 2 sewing needles
- scalpel blade
- 2 Gerber bags
- 30 waterpurifcation tablets
- 15 cm tubing
- 15 m monofillament
- 30 cm duct tape
- 15 m tripwire
- 2 m paracord

Only the SAS saw-wire I wished to attache I weren´t able to .

This capsual can be worn around the neck or be clipped to the sheath of my EDC-knife together with the Photon.
Alltogether goes with me everywere as it brings only a minimal bulk with it (aproximal 25-30mm in diameter and 130mm long).

Additional to this I´ve sewn spaceblankets & shemagh-sized silk scarfs into every jacket or coat I own and even to some trousers (for those times I went out without a jacket).

I´ve tested it during a few trips during my last holidays and found it quit adequate.

I try to not carry too much either. I have two wallets, one is the normal wallet and one is a key wallet, it has my wife's car keys and keys to my shed and tool/gear boxes locked up in the garage, some band aids and spare cash and a small knife. I carry a leatherman wave on my belt behind the company given pager then in my pockets are my cell phone and spare battery, truck keys and Arc AAA and a pen and a few index cards to write notes on if needed.

Groo,

That's exactly what I've done. I actually carry two wallets - a slim "L.A. Wallet" from County Comm holds my credit cards, driver's license, registration, and my traditional wallet has money, safety pins, duct tape, needle and thread, masons' twine, a mini ferro rod, tinder tab, piece of hacksaw blade, fresnel lens, space pen refill, 2 small Rite in the Rain sheets, County Comm straight razor, and a cheapy garbage bag. I had to move the credit cards in order to cram this stuff in the wallet. I also EDC a P4 Squirt, a Swissmemory knife, a Ritter RSK, whistle, and a County Comm led light. This is about as bare minimum that I'm willing to go for suburban EDC.

Don't need the P-38 with the Wave.

Good point. I don't EDC a wave, so I forget this.

Safety pins instead of paperclips.

Paperclips are easier to bend than a safety pin. This may or may not matter. I do wonder if they're a little more friendly to security than a safety pin. I haven't tried to go through airport security with a safety pin.

Leave the sharpener in the PSK. I don't sharpen my knives daily.

<img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> This has been debated before. I come down on the side of "It's the size of a credit card, and it works really well. Plus it can turn things that aren't knives into knives quicker than rocks or (most) sandpaper." So why not carry it? But as you said, personal choice and circumstance are big factors here.

I haven't used a fresnel lens or any other magnifier in months

Ah. This isn't for reading. He said "bare minimum". A fresnel lens is about the smallest, lightest fire starter I can think of. Sure, it has some pretty severe limitations (only works in direct sunlight). But you can't beat it for size, weight and reusability. So, if you think you might need a fire, but not right now then this is a pretty good choice, I think, for ultra light weight edc.

Actually, in a city, here's my idea of "bare minimum" edc. "Bare minimum" here, meaning, it's the least amount of equipment you can carry that (a) will make a huge difference in capability and (b) can't be easily improvised on the spot:

• Flashlight

That's it. In a city, and in my opinion, the one thing most likely to happen is to have the lights go out unexpectedly. You can't just make a flashlight out of found parts, and a lighter is a poor substitute. Everything else goes in the "nice to have if you can carry it" category. Even a knife won't get you out of a dark building or subway tunnel. The flashlight will.

(Groo runs for cover.)

I'd say for the bare minimum for city it would be flashlight and leatherman you never know when you may need the scissors to clip a coupon or the blade to trim a hangnail <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I have also had to use mine in a blackout to open electrically locked doors.

Agreed. It was tempting to say "a light and a multitool". But... if you could only have one item... which would you choose? (In a city.)

Actually, it's probably not a qood question. For one thing, we don't have to limit ourselves. Second, there are reasonable scenarios (like yours) that would require two things (light and multitool) to solve.

Ok. Amend the bare minimum to "light and multitool". <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

(This is ignoring, of course, the "hassle factor" from various security checkpoints about the multitool. Just carrying a flashlight is unlikely to attract any attention. The multi tool, blades or no, could be a problem in some situations. So while you might need a multitool, not carrying one gives you maximum freedom of movement. i'm not arguing against carrying one, just sayin'....)

Regarding the fresnel lense being the best firestarter for minimum carry - I wouldn't agree. I think a mini-bic, a match book of matches or even a BSA flint would be better. The limitations of the fresnel lense are too confining to make it a good main method of fire starting. It's true - it's probably the smallest and lightest, but it doesn't have the flexiblity of use the others have. Not so good if you want a fire on a cold, wet night for some reason, or if you need to light a candle at night.

Yeah, knife and light are about as bare as I would ever want to go.

If I am gonna carry only one firestarter, it needs to be something I can use any time, under most conditions.

Good points otherwise, the sharpener and all the rest are easy enough to tote, just not what I think I really need to have. If you got em, tote em.

Safety pins are no problemo through the airports, unless maybe you got a hundred of them, or they are the really big ones. The ones I'd have on me would be just big enough to do a diaper, or hold a hole in my breeches shut. Paper clips do have other uses, but not anything I really need more for EDC (hmm, now I have to think about that, maybe there are some uses I might be overlooking....)

Cash.

Very portable and very useful. Think of it as a tool.

TRo

10 fish hooks? Gee... <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Maybe building a 10-hook rig is what you had in mind! Just teasing you a bit, but I think 10 fish hooks is way overkill for an EDC kit!

> Paperclips are easier to bend than a safety pin.

If you have a pliers-based multitool, it probably doesn't matter.

I carry both on my keyring. Safety pins are the most useful as-is - working with cloth eg to fasten a bandage or improvise a sling. Paper clips are longer so are a bit more useful for straightening and then bending into shape.

That still sounds like a lot to me. I have a Photon Freedom instead of the Surefire E2E; it's much smaller but gives out enough light for most purposes. The Leatherman also sounds quite big.

I'd add a good whistle, which is small and light and useful if you get stuck in an elevator for hours. You can shout yourself hoarse otherwise.

Your keyring is a good place to put stuff. Don't forget a whistle.

Bare minimum?

Wear good shoes and tools are keyring based for me.

Photon II and SAK Classic on my keyring.
+/- Whistle
+/- BSA HotSpark

Cellphone? IMHO, it's the single most important component of urban EDC gear, followed by a flashlight. (My cell phone has a built-in led light which is used by the camera for self-portraits. Not very powerful, but nice to know about in a pinch.)

All that being said, I carry several pounds of gear in my pockets, so the notion of a minimal EDC is alien to me.

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

you´re probably right but they fitted so I can´t stand to leave them out ... It´ll be never finished ...

1. I wouldn't bother with the Surefire E2e and that's even speaking as a flashaholic (CPF member). A Photon II-type light should be enough for most situations, and you can carry several spares in almost no space. The more expensive Photon Freedom has tremendous runtime at its low output levels, and comes with a convenient clip for handsfree use. Countycomm also now has some very low cost, tiny clip lights.

2. I haven't felt a need for a large multi-tool either. I'd go for a small SAK (Victorinox Tinker maybe). If I want pliers I'd rather have a mini vise-grips along with the SAK, than a multi-tool.

3. Two words, duct tape. Useful for all kinds of electrical and other repairs.

4. I'd add a small radio (AM-only is fine) to get news about what's going on. I have a tiny one (one piece earphone AM radio, maybe 0.5 ounces, runs on watch batteries) that I got at Walgreens for about $5 that I keep in my belt pack. Main disadvantage is no speaker. Countycomm makes a fairly small $5 2AAA AM-FM radio with a speaker if you don't mind the larger size. Keep in mind that in a city-wide emergency, your cell phone service will probably be overloaded or out of commission.

5. You're right about the Ritter PSK being for wilderness use. Not much in it is that useful in a city, so I'd leave it. I also wouldn't bother with much firestarting stuff. In a city, fires are more likely to be the problem than the solution. I'd put at most a mini-Bic in the kit and leave it at that.

6. A ziploc bag or two is good for carrying water, and may as well have some purification pills in case your water sources aren't so good.

Depends on how far you are from your office, home or car. (Where you may have different gear.) I normally don't travel to far from my car so I have a SOG folder in my pocket and some matches on my keychain. I`m normally within 1 to 5 miles of my house, river, or parents house so I don't EDC much. (I work from home.) When I go away I normaly am going away for atleast a day so I have that gear + my bathroom bag becomes my 'kit' as it's stashed with a bunch of useful goodies.

Bare minimum?

I once rode a waterbike (don't know what they're really called) with my sister. It was a spontaneous invitation. We were on the beach. All I had on me at the time for some reason were my swim trunks. You know the tiny pocket swim trunks have? I stuffed one of my tiny Schrade Old-Timers in there.

The items I normally always with me are my Inova X5-T, Sure E2e, one of my SAKs, and lip balm.

I have yet to try getting my EDC lanyard through a security checkpoint. It contains no sharps except for an Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper.

-- Craig

Since I'm retired I probably have a little different situation than most of you. When I go "walkabout" I'm never more than a few miles from home so I carry the bare minimum: cell phone, pepper spray, whistle, CS XL Voyager, SAK, mini Bic, a few band aids & a piece of moleskin for blisters. I reckon maybe my Irish Blackthorn walking stick would probably count too! YMMV
gino <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have seen several posts about sharpeners and wanted to leave a note here. I took one of the Lansky sharpeners that is in a plastic V shape with two rods in it and removed the rods and carry one in my PSK and one in my wifes. I have used them and they work fine and they are almost nothing to put inside a PSK.

I've made up a few little keyring collections of gadgets. What I've been EDCing lately is:

- Bandanna
- Handkerchief
- Leatherman SideClip
- SAK Huntsman
- Benchmade Griptilian (large)
- Keyring with:
- Streamlight Key-Mate
- BSA Hot Spark
- REI aluminum tube whistle

Each of the keyring devices is on a separate ring, so I can get unclip and use the striker without having to work it off the ferro rod ring.

That's my pockets, and is my minimum EDC. The rest is in my shoulderbag.

Bear

My bare minimum is actually: Photon on a Leatherman Squirt......that's it!!!!

My brain!

Greetings,

I am new to the group and thought I would share my ideas of minimalist EDC options.

There are many different ways to look at preparedness. Some do it for peace of mind; others do it as a hobby/challenge. I take more of a Zen approach to the whole thing. I don't try to prepare for every possible disaster or trouble. I follow the old 90% rule and look for those problems that are most likely to occur, and that I can personally deal with to improve my odds of survival. You could say I follow the KISS philosophy (Keep It Simple Survivalist). Many folks in this group I will affectionately refer to as followers of the KSS philosophy (Kitchen Sink Survivalists). These folks plan for every possible outcome and have a tool, gizmo, or gee-gaw to assist in this quest. When I start preparing from a hobby standpoint, I start sliding to the “dark side” (KSS). When I sit down and try to be a bit more practical I can come up with some basic/inexpensive solutions that meet my personal and unique needs.

Here are some examples:

Back when I was part of the rat race with an office job in the city, I had a certain set of requirements. I met this need with a simple layered approach. I carried very little with me as an EDC. Just a wallet, a keychain light and knife. In my wallet I printed up business card size lists with phone numbers and e-mail addresses that might be important in an emergency. I have calling cards from AT&T, Sprint and MCI. I have found that after a crisis (Here in the Puget Sound, Mother Nature likes to shake things up a bit) I can usually get calls out on at least one of the cards. Same result when trying to call family in So Cal after the ground shakes there. I always carry some cash, a credit card, an ATM card, as well as two band-aids in the wallet. That’s it. The sole job of my EDC is to get to my next layer, my “Office kit”.

I had a small military tool bag in my office desk drawer with more survival goodies. The tool bag has a shoulder strap so my hands are always free. The bag contained items such as water, food, a dust mask, a larger flashlight and other basic tools. In an emergency if I can’t get to my office, I am probably already under a pile of rubble and severely injured or unconscious. Either one of these can make accessing or using an EDC difficult to impossible.

My next layer is a car kit. More water, more tools etc. Nothing fancy or complicated here. Just enough to get to home in the burbs. I have a few things in my car kit that can easily be overlooked. A good set of maps. (I have maps for state, region, county, and city), and I also have more cash. With a wide spread power failure ATM and credit cards will be useless. Cash sometimes talks. I carry an assortment of 1s, 5s, a couple of 10s and a 20 dollar bill (something to please everyone) I also carry a roll of quarters. If the power is up, lots of useful goodies are available via vending machines with a roll of shiny US tokens, also good for payphone calls. The car kit gets me home (on foot or on wheels) At home, more water, more goodies, etc. You get the picture. EDC> Office kit> Car kit> Home kit.

These days I play Mr. Mom and have different requirements. My EDC is still pretty much the same. Sure I have more knives in my collection to rotate through my EDC. I have added the low end military Fisher Space Pen to my pockets (cool factor). I used to use a Photon LED light, but after cracking the exposed LED on my personal light, I decided I could do better. I changed to an Inova button cell LED light. It seems to have a better primary switch, it has a much better “stay on” switch, and the LED is fully recessed for protection. It also doesn’t have any fancy strobe or SOS circuitry to go bad (keep it simple, baby). I have been suffering from a flashlight jones recently and felt the unnecessary need to upgrade my Inova to a Gerber Sonic AAA LED light. EDC: Wallet (with minimal goodies), flashlight, and knife. That’s my EDC. (Side note: If I could afford a cell phone, it would immediately be welcomed into my kit.)

Since I don’t have an office any more, the office kit is a bit redundant. When I take the kids on outings I usually carry a small daypack. In the day pack I stash water, a first-aid kit, and a small survival pack (in a Maxpedition pouch). I’ve used up enough bandwidth today, so I’ll share the contents of these ZEN kits at a future opportunity. Again, the function of these kits is to get me to my car. My car kit gets me home. My home kit keeps me fed, watered, and safe. Some will see my approach as more of a sieve than a solution. That’s OK. There is no “one size fits all” solution to preparedness. My option may appeal and assist some that have limited time, finances, or energy to create an “Ultimate Survive-All” solution.

Thanks to all for the great info in this forum.

Cheers, TR (aka pizzaman)

Your approach seems pretty well thought out, and that is the approach I am going to use for the most part. The cell phone I have is one of those pay as you go cell phones, mine from cincinnati bell, which I discovered is not truly nationwide on my recent vacation. It was useless in Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas. I should have stayed with tracfone, they are truly the only nationwide pay as you go cell phone. I do like the idea of multiple phone cards however, as in 9-11, new york cell service was out when the towers went down. The phone cards might have been useful in that situation as well.
Thanks for the ideas pizzaman!

Are you using the phone cards as long distance cards for a landline phone? I didn't quite understand that part.

Welcome to the forum. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Good first post.

> In an emergency if I can?t get to my office, I am probably already under a pile of rubble

A whistle might be useful then, to let rescuers know you are alive and help them find you.

> I used to use a Photon LED light, but after cracking the exposed LED on my personal light, I decided I
> could do better. I changed to an Inova button cell LED light. It seems to have a better primary switch,
> it has a much better ?stay on? switch, and the LED is fully recessed for protection.

Photon have improved since then. They do a "covert" model, which has a recessed LED. I think the switch on the Freedom model is fine.

My minimum urban EDC would be:

Torch, eg Photon Freedom.
Whistle, eg Fox 40.
SAK or Multitool, eg Vic Rambler.
Money.

In practice I carry a bit more. It ebbs and flows, and currently is at a high point and may get cut back soon.

Even better- there's a special Doug Ritter version of the photon freedom. In addition to the recessed LED (mostly to prevent side scatter), it's also painted yellow so it's easy to find when you drop it in the woods.

Welcome Pizzaman - I'm looking forward to hearing about your other kits.

Mine is almost the same lately, Leatherman Micra and the Inova.

SInce we are talking "bare mininum" here, I'll make a bold statement and say, lose the Wave, but keep the small pocketknife. Let the flames commence! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I can't always take my Wave or SwissTool everywhere. Most of the time they are really overkill for my needs. I usually carry my Victorinox CyberTool 41 or SwissChamp. And I can take a smaller SAK nearly everywhere. Either my MiniChamp or Executive is always in my pocket.

-- Craig

That's in case your cellphone battery has died, or you can't reception, but you can get to a landline, such as a payphone, and you don't have sufficient change to make a call. Personally, I always carry a phone card. I never use it, but it's always in my wallet.

-- Craig

That is exactly what I have done, moved the wave to the maxpedition fatboy along with the surfire e2e in the briefcase and going with the smaller pocketknife and a peak 3led light on the keychain for edc

I have been thinking about carrying a Leatherman Squirt P4 with pliers and my Micra with scissors in place of the PSTII. That would cover almost 95% of my needs.

What What What!?!?!?!?!? How dare you?!?!?!?!?

No no.. I'm kidding. I have made several attempst to EDC my Wave and failed on all counts, although I've found that it's not too bad with the pocket clip. I may try again some day but currently it resides happily at the ready in my family BOB in the office closet, which I think is the perfect place for it. The vehicles and the garage have tools. For bugging out the Wave is the perfect "little toolbox".

For what it's worth my bare minimum EDC is a [color:"green"] firestarter [/color], a [color:"green"] flashlight [/color] and a [color:"green"] knife [/color]. What I carry changes from time to time as I continually search for the perfect tools for my purposes but the one thing that never changes is that simple 3 item list of bare minimum EDC.

Firestarter
Flashlight
Knife

>Are you using the phone cards as long distance cards for a >landline phone? I didn't quite understand that part.

Yes indeed. I don't have a cell phone. I have found that after an earthquake, or just busy phone times (Mothers day, etc) one phone service, such as AT&T may be busy, while another like MCI gets me through. It just provides more options to get through during times of system overload.

The cards can be purchased at places like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc. The rates are down to 2.8 cents per minute. The cards can have more minutes added via phone line and your credit card. I may let my AT&T card lapse since they started adding a "re-charge fee" (what a rip-off). I even dropped long distance service on my home phone. This alone has saved me at least $5 in monthly fees and taxes. All long distance goes on the phone cards for me.

If you don't want to bother with the cards you can get the access codes for the different long distance services (this was my old secret before getting the calling cards to save money). These are numbers that you can dial on any phone to access different long distance services.

Dial the access code then 0+ phone number to use your own local phone card.
Dial the access code then 1+ phone number to charge to the phone you are using.

Some access codes:
Allnet -10444
American Network/Savenet - 10311
American PTT - 10278
American Telephone Exchange - 10050
Amptelco Systems - 10267
AT&T - 10288
Com Systems - 10266
Comex/Chinamerica - 10788
CP National - 10276
Escondido Telephone Co. - 10441
Express Tel- 10700
GTE Sprint -10777
ITT .-10488
MCI - 10222
Republic Telecom -10001
SBS - 10888
Standard Information Services - 10747
TDX Systems - 10223
Telesphere Network -. 10555
TMC Long Distance - 10007
U.S. Telecom - 10333
Western Union- 10220

Many of the long distance companies also have "800" access numbers that can be used in the same way.


I don't even bother to carry the calling cards anymore (too much weight?). I use PrintShop to print up business cards on card stock or any suitable heavy paper. I get 10 cards to a sheet of paper. I use a paper cutter to cut out the cards for a professional result. I use Rubber Maid clear shelving paper for a low cost laminate. On each card I have the calling card numbers, all emergency and family phone numbers as well as important e-mail addresses are on the cards. There are times that the phone lines may be down, but the WEB is up. I also keep the passwords to my home e-mail addresses on the card. This allows me to check my home e-mail from any functioning computer on the net.

I keep one of these cards in my wallet, and another goes in my wife’s wallet. One card each in each of our personal preparedness kits (my wife’s at her work, and the kids in their kits at school). I update the cards annually or as needed.

Hope this helps. TR

Neat tip. Thanks!

Your post was quite interesting. It made me think a great deal. I work across the street from my house which is next to a big hospital. I moved there when I started working with rattlesnakes as a hobby. I live next to the lifeflight helipad and I get ambulances and helicopters all night long. I personally loved the commotion but the wife is getting tired of it after four years. I ain't moving though she might. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I decided tonight to downsize in a major way. I went so minimal since I can make it home in about 45 seconds if I need to. The only thing I am not really ready for is an explosion that would level my house and that is unlikely. If it does happen I am not concerned about too many things as long as the family is not home. I hope to be posting before and after pics of what I had then and what I have now.

I would also add a question. Are we talking bare minimum in terms of size, weight, or functionality?

For instance, many here would consider the Photon to be a minimum lighting standard, but I can't see with it unless my environment is pitchblack. As soon as dusk sets in I have a flashlight at the ready.

My own personal lighting EDC minimums are the Inova X5T for LED and the SureFire E2e for incandescent. I am never without them, even in my dress suit. It takes a bit of doing, but I manage to cram them in!

Many here don't leave home without the Wave. I too, carry it in my briefcase, but not on my person. I carry my MiniChamp and any one of my small locking folders in my pockets. There's not much I need to open in suburbia that the MiniChamp can't handle. On the other hand, should I need to break down one of those huge heavy-duty cardboard boxes, the Wave's blade would come in handy.

-- Craig

basically talking size and weight here, I don't want to give up functionality, otherwise I would carry a scalpel blade in my wallet for a knife and one of those bobber led lights, but I don't want to go so sub-miniature that it is ridiculous. I am over 50 after all, I have to be able to see the stuff I'm using!

I was thinking much the same thing, but the Squirt's pliers seem frail to me. They don't look sturdy. Can anyone counter that? Does anyone have experience where the pliers took much more stress than they should be able to?

Copy that. I'm 44 and my focal length is changing all the time. Most of the time I can fool myself into thinking I'm still 24, until I have to read/see something close up. I can't fool myself when I'm using my bifocals!

-- Craig

I should be so lucky -- bifocals -- I'm in trifocals already!

I carry in my pockets a butane lighter, a folding single blade knife and in a little change purse some change, a roll of monofilament some small hooks, weights and swivels and a folding pair of scissors.
In my keyring I carry a small Solitaire flashligt, a P38, nail clipper, and a SAK that has a blade, can/botttle opener, corkscrew with a small screwdriver for reparing glasses, tooth pick and small twitzer. In my wallet besides the regular stuff I have s small metal heliograph (metal mirror) with a sighting hole attached to it with a piece of cord, some bandaids, and a needle with thread threaded to a calling card.
The last thing I always carry is a cellular phone. I am going to prepare a little ziplock bag with Vaseline impregnated cotton and keep it in my pocket.I am going to add a device that I bought at Wallmart that consist of a plastic wistle with a manifiyng glass, compass and thermometer. I love this forum!

I thought we were talking minimum functionality. If you don't care about functionality, you can get very small indeed. There is a core essential functionality which I won't sacrifice for the sake of convenience, and that's the minimum I'd feel comfortable leaving the house with.

By functionality, I mean you can have a really nice can opener like the one on the Wave, or you can have a smaller one like the P-38. One is easier to use and handier than the other, in my opinion.

-- Craig [trying to mix it up a bit!]

Yikes! You win. I know when I've been bested. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

7k7k99,

I think you are on the right track. If you have a good kit for your car and you have a good building escape kit at the office then you only have to cover going from your car to your place of work and trips at lunchtime. You could be in a business and the lights go out. There could be an explosion and you would have to work to get back outside to your car. A cell phone, whistle, light, LeatherMan Wave, small compass, Band-Aids, and maybe a bandanna and water bottle seem like valuable items. I do not see the value of fishing and fire starting items in this situation.

Which Wave tool did you use to pry open the doors? I tend to gravitate toward the SwissChamp, myself.

-- Craig

Post deleted by Chris Kavanaugh

They were not very secure doors, were a retrofit to existing doors. Basically yhe company that installed them removed the striker plate from the frame and installs their own with a soloniod which releases and then a card reader on the wall in front of it. I found that there was enough of a gap in their release system I could slide the knife blade inside and push the lock open. I could only move it a little bit at a time so I would pull out on the door to hold it in place while I moved the knife blade back to get another grip on it. Came in handy with all the power outages or if I left my card at home.

I tend to agree. I'd always carry a survivak kit in the wilds; but not the wilds of New York. There are more useful tools for the urban man -- lights, cash, maps, cellphone, gloves, etc.

Teacher ro

I travel a lot by public transport. So: Tool, SAK, Torch(s),lighter, Cellphone, Wallet, E.D.C. keyring ( whistle, photon-light, compass). Good Book!!! Water and a warm layer. Something to sit on as well. Umbrella. Sunshade& shelter from the rain.

I have to agree with the layered approach. If I tried to nail down everything in an ultimate EDC, I'd probably be a case for the men with butterfly nets and white coat.

I'm just starting with the emerg prep/survival plans and am just starting to prepare my kits. I'd suggest a few band-aids with alcohol cleansing pad/anti-biotic creme. Preventing an infection (particularly if soap and clean water not available) is less painful than treating and curing one.

- Brian, from Texas

I have to wholeheartedly agree with Lazermonkey! Your Brain is, and should be your first, and foremost EDC carry tool! Being an ex Paratrooper and an Ex DOD Police Officer, I learned a saying from Uncle Sam's Misguided Children, that should always be kept in mind, no pun intended, "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome!".....No tool or implement that you carry is worth a hill of beans if you do not use your Brain! Carry On Lazermonkey!.....Krell

I have to agree with Craig! I'm over 50 also, and a Disabled Veteran. In my case, I have to be able to deal within the limitations of spinal nerve damage from a broken back and neck. So there's another consideration to bear in mind, besides "Functionality".....the ability to use and apply what you do carry. Krell