urban scenarios: enhancing comfort & mobility

I'm glad to see the new urban sub-forum here at ETS. Thanks in advance to Doug and our new moderators.

Like many aspects of life the things we do to enhance survivability must take context into account, and the urban environment presents a different though related context to the wilderness environment. When it comes to equipment one of the big differences is that in the wilds we typically wear and carry purpose-designed gear, and we don't care what others may think of that gear or how it looks. In an urban business environment that approach likely changes.

We've already established that the urban scenario likely involves being on the move. With that in mind, here are a some ideas to improve personal comfort and mobility.

- Choose shoes that provide comfort and support but maintain needed appearances, i.e. Rockports. For ladies who must wear high heels a spare pair of real shoes is critical. I've read accounts from 9/11 survivors who reported seeing piles of high heeled shoes tossed aside in the WTC stairwells.

- Choose undergarments made of tech fabrics or the new no-itch wool blends. For guys with beefy legs (like me) the synthetic boxer briefs prevent chafing on the inner thighs from hours of walking.

- High quality waterproof/breathable outerwear is available from many top tier makers in lightweight, urban-neutral colors.

- Select bags & briefcases that offer comfort when carried for hours, not just during the walk from the car to the office building. There are some briefcase & shoulder bag designs that have backpack straps which hide away behind the back panel.

More ideas?

Hey Glock a roo. Good point on being clothing aware. From a personal point of view, I wear Ex Officio boxer briefs from REI. A tech fabric that is super comfy. (Sorry if TMI) but I got them for backpacking and now all I use.

Sensible shoes are so important. I gag seeing people use flip flop shower shoes as daily wear items. Especially when the asphalt is 140 degrees like will be today (okay all month and next month, last month too).

Perhaps its just the 'preparedness routine' in me but I rarely am not in a pair of good shoes if for nothing else than to know if I have to run, I don't have to stop and pick up a flip flop. Maybe its the scene from Die Hard with all the glass on the ground that did that, lol.

After 9/11, a lot of people who work in DC began keeping sneakers at work (many probably buried in credenzas now). Some of us added a backpack with essentials such as a flashlight. I would advise those who could face a longer hike to keep a small backpack in their office that contains supplies appropriate to the season, including:

sneakers + socks
waterproof parka + hat
map (may take a different route walking than when driving)
cash
waterbottle(s)
flashlight/headlamp + batteries
small radio (you'll hunger for news)
pen and paper (small moleskin is great)
eyeglasses, if needed
energy bar
First Aid
cotton bandannas (many uses)
knife-Leatherman
pepper spray


Obviously in winter this should include warm gloves, hat, etc. In summer I'd want powdered Gatorade in there.

NYC Probably started the woman's "Running shoes to work" trend, with the Subway strike of, what was it, 1978 or 1979? LOTS of people had to walk part of the way, and you saw lots of women wearing dress clothes with running shoes. I know my wife, who takes the subway, basically has 4 pairs of shoes at work (basic colors/styles) and wears sneakers in/out

Same story here, comms. I got a pile of the Ex Officios on sale from REI for hiking then went with them full time. I'm with you on the shoe thing too. When I see people in public wearing flipflops I know they haven't really thought things through.

LOL. Most of the young women I saw in Brisbane AU wore flip flops anytime they had to walk somewhere, go figure. They'd wear heels in the office, then switch to "Thongs" (Aussie for flip flops, I don't know what they call G-Strings there).

I'm willing to go there and look into the matter...purely for linguistic reasons, mind you.

Wait, can I still say things like that as a moderator?

-Blast

Sure; but you have to admonish yourself, and lock your account if you persist.

On-topic; I have to wear impractical clothing to work (dress casual) so I make some allowances. I keep comfortable clothing in the car, along with a pair of well-loved hiking boots and good socks. I don't have the same urban escape complications now that I live and work out in the sticks, but I don't want to walk 15 miles home in Oxfords, either...

Umm, back from Aussie land---

Shoes and boots: not only comfort for walking, but consider waterproof and insulated depending on your climate. Mr. Murphy will see to it that when you are walking, it will be raining or snowing and there is nothing worse than walking in cold/wet shoes or sneakers. Frostbite is not to be fooled with.

And +1 on flashlight/headlamp. Not only while walking out, but the real problem is being in an interior room deep inside the office building and the power goes off. Hope the batteries in the emergency lights still work... if not, you will need that small EDC light in you pocket to find the rest of your gear.

Mole Skin / Blister Pads! Are a must have.

+1 I carry two Band-aids in my checkbook. Very useful

Very happy to see this new forum.

My backpack BOB is in the car about 50 yards and 5 flights of stairs from my current office. All the stuff mentioned and more lives in the BOB.

I agree the clothing thing is very important. I, too, wear Rockports nicely polished most of the time and am transitioning to REI tech undergarments.

My job requires suits or sportcoats and slacks, dress shirts andties, and dress shoes fairly often. Some places security allows in my EDC; some let me stash it at the door; and some ban it from the building. My wallet has non-metallic mini-PSK supplies.

High heels are indeed useless for much walking, but there is another type of footwear that is inappropriate for long-distance walking or running....

Cowboy boots. Ever tried running in those things? And you can't just kick them off, either.

Really? I've never tried, can you setup a video and show me... Hehe.

I think broken in shoes are key, way better than new ones just waiting for a long journey at once

Interesting place to put them.

I don't actually even carry my check book... debit card, and credit cards (earn points/$/etc)

I'd like to volunteer as a research assistant.

While not practical, depending on trends they may be fashionable in the summer months.

Jeanette Isabelle

At a minimum you might need the following ...

A small backpack (like a college backpack)
A pair of tough, comfortable sneakers
A couple of pairs of socks
A warm fleece jacket
Maybe ... a spare pair of jeans or sweats
A flashlight and batteries
A quart of water
Some energy snack bars

That combo of stuff should get you home ... even if you have to walk for many hours. Everything fits into the small backpack, and can be easily kept in some corner of your office.

I've been trying to tell the people in my company in Los Angeles to get this kind of gear together. Guess how many have actually done it? I bet less than 1% !!!

Pete

My workplace allows for some innovation on my part. My office space isnt mine. We have a group of desks where it is a first come, first served deal-you get whatever desks are available, so keeping anything in drawers doesnt work. So, I simply take a small daypack with my laptop with me. I have my lunch for the day (usually food I dont have to heat up-granola bars, tuna fish, crackers, dried fruit), a water bottle, a ziploc with bandaids & alcohol pads, a flashlight, one of those little packets of Kleenex, pens, pencils, notebook, so Triptease line, Advil and Tums. Thats in addition to my pocketknife, leatherman, bandana, wallet, 2 lighters, a flashlight, my P38, my Blackberry and some paracord I carry on me. Its enough to get me to my jeep, or out of the area, if needed.

Blast, LED... thongs/g-strings are called 'tangas' in Australia.

Just in case you ever needed to know.

Sue

comfy shoes
jacket
money
bus schedule
tiny radio
lots of friends

Gatorade drink mix packets are actually rather bulky. I know, I packed a 3-week supply for a volunteer trip to Ecuador, and they took up a lot of space. Recently I discovered Propel drink mix packets in the grocery store and Walmart, stocked near the Iced Tea and Crystal Light mix. Because they are non-sugar, they are much smaller and lighter, but still provide some vitamins and electrolytes. They also don't gunk-up the plumbing on sip-style bottles.

I tried some of those propel and others and while they are non sugar they all had nutrasweet or some other artificial sugar, they all gave me a bad headache like when a restaurant brings out diet soda by mistake.
I found packets of country time lemonaid and the single bottle packets of gatoraid are the same size.