Craig,

It is hard to reduce bulk in the shoulder bag without making some hard decisions. You may want to prepare additional kits that are staged in your expected spots so that your on-body and carry bag kits are smaller but dependent on these other kits. A car kit, a desk kit, a coat kit, etc each containing either better and more capable stuff then you want to carry, or maybe containing stuff you do not carry.

This time of year my kits increase shelter tools because of our climate (wet). My poncho is still in my shoulder bag, but a tarp, cord and extra plastic bags are in my desk kit along with a good rain hat, fleece pullover, gloves and wool hat. My on-body kit has a storm shelter (tube tent) but I add plastic bags to my vest this time of year in case I do not have my poncho which is in my carry bag. I have a coat kit with plastic bags, hats, gloves, firekit, cord, and hopefully a Sil-Tarp soon.

My car kit is a very well stocked kit, but I park it in a garage that was red tagged at our last earthquake, so I pretty much assume this will not be available to me. My desk kit grows with this season as I am going to evacuate with it hopefully. My shoulder bag contains mostly HAM radio gear and shelter.

I too take the vest approach like MiniMe for my never leave home without it kit. This has evolved over the years to be fairly well balanced with items primarily for shelter and safety. My shoulder bag is communications and better shelter, my desk and coat kit greatly enhances the shelter options.

My urban kits emphasise communications (HAM radio, batteries, antennas) with my family, shelter, water and tools for evacuating or digging in earthquake damaged buildings (gloves, dust mask, goggles, 3' prybar, hardhat) bus maps, city maps, and money.

My wife just passed her Tech HAM license exam....just a few more days until she is on the air for emergency communications both with me and with our local RACES organizations. This was just about the best preparation I could think of for us.