I'm making a list...And its a doozy. All the ridiculous things I seen in people's EDC, go bags, GHB and other kits. What have you seen that defies logic or good sense?

TRO

ps my list to follow

Oh jeeze. I am probably going to resemble some of these remarks. Here's one that takes the chaosmagnet Ridiculousness Prize for Bulk and Weight:

My car emergency kit contains a pair of very large Channellock pliers...which I've used at the roadside to fix the hood latch of my car, another time to help pull part of my car off after a wreck so it wouldn't drag when I drove to the body shop, and for "emergency" riding toy repair at a friend's house.

I'd say the Channellocks have earned their place. As have the 10" vise-grips in my car kit (with a set of 5" to keep them company) that I would not drive off the yard without. You would not believe the problems you can solve with those two (farm boy talkin' here).

Same here. Channel lock pliers are part of the "Big 5" that are the core of most tool kits.

Large channel lock pliers
Small slip joint or needle nose pliers
Adjustable large crescent wrench or large vise grips
Bit driver
Hammer


As far as egregious overpacking, it tends to be duplicate knives, lights, fire, and weapons. I've seen way to many EDC's with keychain MT, full size lock knife, a full size MT, keychain light, CR123 tactical light, flint striker, windproof lighter, tactical pen, and a Glock.

Yes, my favorite EDC's have 4-6 sharps, 100' of paracord and a fishing kit..for on campus...

Nothing that I would call ridiculous, my EDC is pocket carry, no room for superfluous gear. I've downsized my carry -- wallet, keys, cell phone, SAK Spartan, folding/collapsible scissors, 1xAAA light. That's it.

Everything else is in the truck, that's a serious kit with lots of redundancy, largish FAK and a real tool box -- but I can't call that EDC. Even what I used to call my EDC backpack is staying in the truck these days. I EDC minimal gear that I use daily, the idea being that in my situation I can always get to the truck.

Honestly, and without trying to spark debate, I'm still sometimes taken aback by the need for guns & ammo for a little run to the corner store, but I get that that's a cultural thing. Multiple knives probably fits into this category for me too, but I have been guilty of that myself a time or twelve.

I try not to judge other people too harshly, but two things that always make me tilt my head and think "HUH?" when I see them in people's EDC are handcuffs and lock pick kits. They just seem too far fetched to me, but to each his own.

Being in western CA, much like northern CA where you call home, carrying a handgun is not an option for me. However, were it an option and I felt the need was real, then I'd carry as a routine, because once you start making exceptions and rationalize not carrying such as, "it's just a 5 minute run to Walmart", that's when you will realize the parking lot at Walmart isn't the safest place. So you carry all the time.

My limited/reduced carry is strictly for the benign environment I'm in now and the limitations I impose on me (I don't go shopping at night). Take the SAK for example; I'd found myself using a Benchmade 710 (awesome 3.9" blade) for utility cutting while out shopping, stuff my SAK Spartan does well with its small blade -- so I traded the 710 for a Spartan. I can add the BM 710 or RSK Mk1 to my pocket easily, but why carry gear that has never been needed in predominantly suburbia, when something more sociably acceptable does the job better. Just because why? Rhetorical Q, but I don't carry a fire kit in SOCAL either; it's all in the truck.

Everybody has their individual carry requirements and it may be situational or simply personal preference; I don't care, why should I judge. That said, the guy who goes hiking with just the gear I carry daily would be irresponsible imo. There are advantages to having a truck or a car with a big trunk, but that advantage does not extend to a hiking path where things can go south very quickly.

$.02, YMMV

the latest -- 100' of climbing rope. and both 265 to 1,100 rounds. (1 bullet = 1 round)

First dumb question: What are 265 & 1,100 rounds?
Second: Why climbing rope? I normally have some type of utility line on me, but why 8-9KN climbing rope

A 10 foot pole.

http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/8298/why-does-everyone-carry-a-10-pole

If I knew when and where there would be trouble, I wouldn't go. Think of it like an EDC habit to always carry a small flashlight, or a SAK or other sharp. You wouldn't, I suspect, think it's weird to bring those things with you for a little run to the corner store.

As much room as there is in the back of my truck, it does not match the capacity of an "extra-dimensional plot space", not even close -- so no 10' pole.

Depends on if you need to climb? Although 100' is a bit of a weird lenght.

265 - 1100 rounds for edc seems a bit much. 1000 rounds seems way too much to actually carry, even if you are front line infrantry.



Climbing rope impact force rating can be 8-9kn, but as far as i know that is not how a climbing rope is refered to.

Because a 6 ft Russian is too heavy <nyuk, nyuk, nyuk>

Seriously, a nose height stave is good for off pavement use.
https://scoutpioneering.com/2014/10/14/scout-staves/

But, I wouldn't consider it an EDC item.

"Why climbingrope?" That's easy.

Some years ago I did field work in Canyon de Chelly, AZ. It is a vertically walled sandstone canyon with spectacular archaeology. My EDC pack invariably contained, at a minimum, 120 feet of 9mm climbing rope, usually with a swami seat and a couple of carabiners. This was standard,even if no climbing was contemplated. In that kind of country, the need to climb,safely, would be thrust upon you in all sorts of strange ways -lots of war stories.

My SAR pack came to hold about the same minimum amount of gear, but that is a somewhat different sort of situation.

Yesterday, I was a tour guide for a group and I stuck about 20 feet of 8mm cordage into my pack, along with somewhat more FA gear than I normally carry. As Sam Gamgee (LOTR) says, "you always need a bit of rope...."

So I give a ride to this guy carrying a long pole. I asked him if he were a pole vaulter.

He replied-

"No, I am not Polish, I am German, but how did you know my name was Walter?"


30 meters of 8mm climbing rope (about 100 ft) is a standard size for skiing and glacier travel when going light. I also like it for 3rd class terrain and early season
crossing of hard packed snow gullies.

REI glacier rope

One time, in this forum, a person asked why I carry a 2D MAG-LITE in my bag.

I need to carry a 2D MAG-LITE because . . . a 3D MAG-LITE just would not fit.

Seriously when it comes to flashlights, I'm old school. Flashlights must be American made and run on D cells.

I also like the fact I can get 168 lumens with a run time of 80 hours on three cells.

Jeanette Isabelle

I agree on the maglites! I still carry the mini mag light alot.

Maglites were great in their day (70s and 80s) and I was really glad to carry a dependable light then, but they have been eclipsed now by brighter and lighter products.

When I really, really need a light, I can care less about where it was made....

I agree that Maglites were SOTA in '85 but obsolete now. My preference is for CR123a batteries. But by and large, lights is one area where American made lights do hold a huge edge over the imported ones (meaning Chinese). There are some good Chinese brands but if the light simply has to work no matter what I will choosing one made by Malkoff, Elzetta, Peak or (in a pinch) Surefire (with the latter being the last resort).

latest - Guy needs a new backpack because his FAK was working through the corners...He was EDCing a full size industrial kit -- the metal kind you mount on the wall...

Good grief! Even when I was guiding for the Sierra Club, I was still able to fit the FAK inside of a gallon bag. And, that included a malleable splint and a Sawyer Extractor.

There/s a case to be made for gardening equipment and funfetti....

https://youtu.be/-hVWEefD5ag

qjs

saw a pack with a full sized roll of duct tape...again

My nomination for the worst carry: We were evacuating a fall victim, drunk as usual as the autopsy later revealed, and as were carrying him out, a party descended along the slope - two guys, each with a case (24 cans) of beer - headed for the party! We weren't called back to the area, so presumably they survived.

This was at Tanque Verde Falls, Tucson, AZ - many years ago, but the pattern continues to this day, so I understand.....

haha! That brings back memories...

I ONCE did a portaging trip through Algonquin Park with a friend who insisted bringing two 24s of canned root beer - in one of those old metal Coleman coolers from the 70s that weigh 82 pounds.

As we packed the car for the trip, he thought it would be prudent to go through my pack to make sure I wasn't taking too much unnecessary stuff. It was a classic Venus and Mars stand-off, and I didn't even know about the cooler of pop yet. Needless to say, we never trekked together again.

Root Beer addiction can be very ugly!

Truly! That was a pretty hairy situation. LOL!

It's kind of like the hurricane kits I see all over the internet including road flares. What the heck for?

It's for when a person needs to flee and ends up stranded alongside the road. Hurricanes need to be able to see stranded motorists so that they can slow down and give the motorists a wide margin as it passes by.

Now do you see how practical these kit designers really are?

Jeanette Isabelle

A Costco sized bottle of ibuprofen. They never bothered to subdivide and/or put it in a smaller container.

A pill container is great. 1-4 doses of OTC meds. ( I once traveled with a guy who carried a full sized bottle of shampoo...)

Reviewing others various "kits" 6+ sharps.
Probably 4 pounds of knives. And often neither water nor a jacket.

I met a hiker that was planning to carry 60 days worth of food. In his pack.

Gee, that's only 120 pounds or so......

And a hiker who could get everything into his pack...except his guitar.

20 - 30 pounds of EDC...

Co-worker went all the way to the us. Tried to do some hiking with a 50 pound backpack and a 10 pound tent in one hand and the food in the other. Did warn him before the trip...

Also had a weekend when somebody had more than twice the amount of stuff with him, including a 50m roll of ducttape...

My BOB gun is limited to a knock-down .22lr and 16 rounds in 2 mags. I don't need anything more than that in a 30 lbs pack. Its primarily for food retrieval not "personal protection". Canucks are a lot less concerned about societal breakdown.

If you want to be entertained, Sootch00 put together a video about a neighbourhood/family group that were planning their 72-hour bug out exercise. What astounded me the most was all the still packaged stuff everyone carried. In other words, they bought a bunch of "survival" stuff but nobody tested the equipment out. Group Bug Out Night

One has to have their priorities, eh? 2 flats of beer > my yearly consumption! Yeah, seriously. I know a couple of brothers who went out for a weekend of 4x4ing - just between the 2 of them they had 4 flats, and lo & behold, they ran out of them and had to break out the hard liquor.

I probably should just let this slide but since someone else mentioned it... You could substitute "seat belt" for gun and the meaning would be the same. Just as you're just as likely to need a seat belt on a short drive as a long one (per mile driven at least) and since you can get injured or killed during a short drive, I would submit it makes sense to consistently wear your seat belts- every time, no exceptions. I buckle up to move my car to the other side of the street. To me the same goes for a sidearm. If I knew for a fact when I would need the gun I'd simply stay home that day! But since robberies and assaults are seldom preceded by written invitation in advance, I tend to carry my sidearm everywhere it's legal and practical to do so.

Thanks, Roar! I'm going to check that out. Sootch has some great stuff on his channel

hahah! I hope they made it back ok!

I guess it's just a matter of having different perspectives on the world. Bygones.

One of the great things about ETS is the genteel discussion of controversial topics, like the need for firearms.

My personal perspective - I am a firearms owner, and I enjoy recreational shooting and reloading (just as much fun as shooting, IMHO) - in most situations, weapons and ammo are not necessary and their weight and bulk can be used for more useful items - this is especially true if hiking or backpacking.

There are two occasions in my adult life where I was really glad I had my 357 handy. The rest of the time it was just a nice recreational device.

Circumstances and environments vary and what works for one situation may not go in another.

In a recent newspaper, there was an article about "good guys with guns" and the assertion that their presence at a crime scene actually impeded detention of the bad guy. Google "good guys with guns" and there are many articles, some with interesting stats, that make thoughtful reading....

The good guys can pose a problem in many situations. About a year ago we had a news paper article were an older gentleman defended a poor girl from a person who was molesting her. Though luck for the gentleman: a plain clothes LEO was making an arrest on a criminal (the girl, resisting arrest). The gentleman got in trouble for assaulting the LEO, impeding the arrest and trying to help a criminal to escape.

I don't have hard statistics at hand but my understanding is that this sort of situation is much rarer than civilians with guns helping law enforcement, in the USA.

I do not have hard statistics either. I may not be a really common problem as the case is fairly old by now and it made it beyond local press. It´s just a reminder to carefully judge a situation before intervening.

Always good advice.

Well, there's no one in my household but me and I'm well versed in gun safety so I'll take my chances. Some folks are "gun people" and some are not, nothing wrong with that. I have a hard time imagining going hiking or camping without a firearm! Just how I was raised, I guess.

I am so sorry guys, my intention was not to start this debate, but to illustrate that what one person deems unnecessary, can be primary by someone else, except two cases of pop on a portage trip. LOL! You know what, I expect that good old Darren was probably much happier carrying that heavy cooler on that trip than he would have been without. He'd have been a bear without it and heck, I didn't have to carry it.

We can be pretty judgey around here sometimes. Personally, I've thoroughly benefited from your advice over the years. I used to be the Queen of over-packing, and though I still usually pack more than I need, I am much more focused and realistic about it. My pack weight has reduced significantly and my back thanks you for it!

I'm often questioned about my lack of a firearm. Gear lists always get questioned about it. I've even been called irresponsible by internet people not of our ETS family, for taking my kids hiking and camping without a gun. Some of you wear your guns like underwear, and probably put your gun on first, but that's just not something I understand. Canadian and American societies are very different in some respects, and I try to respect that.

I have to say though, the guy in that Sootch video called Doc something or other, had guns and ammo but no FAK in the BOB for himself and his 4 year old daughter. I think he said his wife didn't have food in the BOB for her and their 8 year old son, but guns and ammo were there for sure. That makes me scratch my head. FAK is at the top of my packing list for emergencies. I know nothing about guns or gun ownership, but don't ya'll usually have some sort of trauma kit in your range bag?

Furthermore, there's a scene in The War of the Worlds movie with Tom Cruise, when a panicked crowd steals his minivan and threatens his kids that scared the crap out of me. It was a pretty far fetched movie but that scene was something that I can envision happening very easily should TS truly HTF.