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#247139 - 06/16/12 10:30 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: KI6IW]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
ireckon... it's really hard to light an Arturo Fuente Opus X Double Robusto with a LMF firesteel... smile

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#247208 - 06/18/12 06:50 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: ireckon]
Denis Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/09/09
Posts: 631
Loc: Calgary, AB
Originally Posted By: ireckon
Wow, Leigh, are you carrying a purse/man bag or something? I carry one, but it seems like most men don't.

This is key for me, I don't really consider something to be an EDC item unless it's actually on my body.

This is especially true of the context we are talking about here; a true emergency during the work day isn't necessarily going to happen when I'm within arms reach of my bag. I might be out at the coffee shop, in a meeting room, on a different floor, running a quick errand or any other of a multitude of reasons that I may not be at my desk.

That's not to say I don't have a backpack that supplements my EDC which is available when I'm at my desk, but I realize that there is a decent chance that if something bad happens I may not have access to it.

Based on this, I think the initial list of flashlight, whistle, knife (or multi-tool) and bandanna (or, my preference, a Buff) is a good set of things to have on your person at all times. To this I'd add your keys and either money or transit fare to ensure that if you had to evacuate your workplace before going back to your desk that you could still get home easily.
_________________________
Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen

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#247209 - 06/18/12 07:16 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: KI6IW]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
might be a good idea if the bandana is made out of Nomex or other fire retardant cloth... IIRC back in my Scout days, we made a fire resistant solution of borax and boric acid to coat the cotton tents we were then using

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#247217 - 06/19/12 07:25 AM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: ireckon]
Leigh_Ratcliffe Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/31/06
Posts: 1355
Loc: United Kingdom.
Originally Posted By: ireckon
Wow, Leigh, are you carrying a purse/man bag or something? I carry one, but it seems like most men don't.

Anyway yes, it's more than 4. However, I think the idea here is the top ranked 4 items without compromise for an urban environment. I'm thinking a lighter is not in the top 4 for an urban environment. I personally do not even consider a lighter to be a necessary survival item to carry for urban. For those who think otherwise, please explain how a lighter was an essential part of your survival in an urban environment.


In answer to your question:

Quite a large percentage of our readership live either in an environment where earthquakes are a daily fact of life, or there are other environmental factor's that make the ability to make fire essential. To me, the cost in terms of convenience is outweighed by the value of fire.
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#247218 - 06/19/12 07:34 AM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: Leigh_Ratcliffe]
Leigh_Ratcliffe Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/31/06
Posts: 1355
Loc: United Kingdom.
Originally Posted By: Leigh_Ratcliffe
Only four?
No way, and I mean No Way.

Cellphone. Be smart here and buy a high end smartphone. I've loaded compass, GPS and Swiss Army apps on mine. Very useful. Also make sure it has a torch function.

Key's. Two set's here. One to use and one lanyarded to you. Saves you a horrendous amount of grief if you loose/mislay a set

Cash money. How much is up to you. Take it as a given that the ATM always goes U/S at exactly the wrong moment.

Multitool. If it's a no-no for work, go work elsewere.

Torches. Always carry two. One to use, and one to not use. That way you always have a charged torch.

Lighter. The good old disposable Bic is first choice here. Again two. As above.

A small tin with basic med's, plasters etc is always useful.


Ok, clarification. These are the item's that personal experience has taught me to carry.

Two is one, one is none. A good rule to work by.

Two sets of keys because that's common sense.
The torches are decent quality single cell AAA.
I use Bic's because they are by far away the most robust small, light, easily obtainable lighter on the market.
The Ouch kit stops me bleeding all over my desk. For some odd reason people find that distressing. Peculiar, but there you go. whistle



Edited by Leigh_Ratcliffe (06/19/12 07:34 AM)
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#247219 - 06/19/12 07:42 AM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: KI6IW]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
Leigh, I was sincerely wondering how you carry all these items on your person. Do you carry them in your pocket, or do you carry a purse/man bag always, even while going to the other floor to get some coffee?

I personally carry a man bag always, even while I'm sitting at my desk. It's a small bag. I hate carrying stuff in my pockets. All the stuff I want on me won't fit in my pockets anyway. So, man bag it is. Plus, I don't have to unload all my items at the end of the day, only to reload the next day in new pants.
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#247221 - 06/19/12 11:12 AM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: Leigh_Ratcliffe]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted By: Leigh_Ratcliffe
Originally Posted By: Leigh_Ratcliffe
Only four?
No way, and I mean No Way.

Cellphone. Be smart here and buy a high end smartphone. I've loaded compass, GPS and Swiss Army apps on mine. Very useful. Also make sure it has a torch function.

Key's. Two set's here. One to use and one lanyarded to you. Saves you a horrendous amount of grief if you loose/mislay a set

Cash money. How much is up to you. Take it as a given that the ATM always goes U/S at exactly the wrong moment.

Multitool. If it's a no-no for work, go work elsewere.

Torches. Always carry two. One to use, and one to not use. That way you always have a charged torch.

Lighter. The good old disposable Bic is first choice here. Again two. As above.

A small tin with basic med's, plasters etc is always useful.





I can see how you can easily carry this. I don't always have the FAK on my person but everything else is easy to carry. A add a bandana in one pocket too, which can address the FAK needs in the short term, depending on the issue.

My work EDC is similar:

(Wrist) Digital watch
(Wrist) Paracord bracelet
(Belt) Leatherman - maglite solitare , ferro rod & striker, cotton balls and jute twine (all in LM sheath) *I often carry a spare AAA for the light instead of a ferro rod in an urban vs wilderness environment
(Belt) Cell Phone - cash, ID and bank card in carrying case
(Neck) Photon - on paracord lanyard around my neck
(Pants pocket) Mini BIC
(Pants pocket) Bandana
(Pants pocket or belt) Keys - home/office/jeep/hubby's tuck on paracord lanyard with SAK, fauxton, fox40 (these sometimes get left at my desk but not the key to my Jeep. It gets detached an put in a pocket if the key chain is left behind)

One extended corporate fire alarm in the middle of winter taught me to keep the basics on me, including a sweater in cold weather.

Why a bandana? Think smoke/fumes, blood/bodily fluids, other first aid, improvised hat, signalling....

Why fire? Mostly habit I guess, when it comes to urban carry, but I do use it for things like melting the ends of my kid's broken shoelaces, a quick light source, lighting candles, etc.


Edited by bacpacjac (06/19/12 11:51 AM)
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#247223 - 06/19/12 01:18 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: KI6IW]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
FAK in wallet...I carry a tri fold nylon wallet with velcro closure, so is somewhat adaptable...I've pared the contents to....
water pouch (vacuum sealer bag)
4 water purification tabs
sealed 2x2 bloodstopper gauze
2 2x2 non adherent pads
2 cloth knuckle bandaids
2' duct tape

without adding too much bulk

a 4 x 2 1/2 x 1 generic multi tool pouch holds small Leatherman,Streamlight 110 lumen, fire steel, hacksaw blade, needle, safety pins...slightly wider or thinner material and the Bic would fit also (was replaced by the Streamlight)

key ring...P38,Fenix E01,brass whistle, and a pill fob for aspirin, immodium, ibuprofen

I carry a larger axis lock Benchmade in front pocket, and older Motorola Razr phone on belt...

the additional multi tool pouch is not too obtrusive in a workplace...much less than a pocket clip from a folder would have been in a public high school

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#247224 - 06/19/12 04:09 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: Leigh_Ratcliffe]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
Originally Posted By: KI6IW
I am looking for the original source for this information. IIRC, it was New York City, post 9/11. The items were a flashlight, whistle, bandana, and knife. I think it was discussed here, but search and Google site search did not find it. Any help is appreciated.

cool. . .so where am I working today? I agree with Leigh; the list is way longer than four. If that is the limit for this academic discussion, then I reserve the right to have a different list of four things for each of my various work environments and some gear is assumed and not listed.

I get the impression that some peeps live in normally very safe office environments where a paper cut is a big deal. My typical carry has way more than four and it isn't necessarily my decision. To get down to four I'd need to dump stuff required for the job; even then some things are assumed even though they aren't listed. Is this like four things in addition to wallet (cash & ID), keys, locking folder and cell-phone?

I don't work in an office environment and I typically carry a lot of stuff.
Depending on where work is today I may be carrying/wearing or have ready access (within arms reach) of:
Flying:
* Nomex flight suit
* Aviation survival vest
* flight bag which contains:
-- radio headset (attached to both UHF and one VHF radios)
-- ear plugs (under the headset)
-- leather/nomex flight gloves
-- multiple LED flashlights
-- multi-tool

Not flying:
* leather gloves
* ear plugs + outer ear muffs
* multi-tool
* 1xAA LED flashlight

My truck and its kits are a short walk away in the parking lot.

Folks concerned about which four items to carry should think about whether their work environment is safe wink My work environment is not inherently safe and no one calls OSHA cool

Stop worrying about arbitrary lists and just carry what you think is appropriate for whatever likely possibilities. When whatever hits you will wish you had a lot more.
_________________________
Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.
Okay, what’s your point??

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#247225 - 06/19/12 04:34 PM Re: Four Things to Always Have With You at Work [Re: bacpacjac]
Denis Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/09/09
Posts: 631
Loc: Calgary, AB
This is what I consider my office/urban EDC:
  • Front right pocket: Leatherman Skeletool CX
  • Front left pocket: keys w/ slimmed down Fox40 & Fenix E01
  • Rear left pocket: Buff
  • Rear right pocket: wallet w/ band-aids (one large, a couple regular), duct tape, spare house key, P-51, safety pins, magnifying lens, extra transit ticket
  • Belt: iPhone
  • Wrist: analogue watch

I am usually in corporate office environments and the only aspect of this EDC which is somewhat uncommon, but noticeable is the Skeletool clipped to my pocket.

For carrying my keyring in a non-obtrusive & comfortable manner I've started looping a small, black lanyard around my belt with the keys clipped to the end on a small carabiner. It is barely visible, unlike my old method of clipping the carabiner to my belt loop, but is still comfortable because it keeps things from laying in a bunch on the bottom of the pocket.

Also, fire is conspicuously missing from this list. I used to have a mini-Bic in a pocket too, but am considering getting a split-pea lighter to add to the keyring.

And while I have some redundancy and additional items available in the backpack I take to & from work I don't consider them to be EDC items because they are not always with me.
_________________________
Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen

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