I've given up on the whole "prepared for an emergency" thing. I just try to be better prepared for everyday life. I did this not because I disagree with the principle, but because my pockets are finite.

So. I carry:

• Flashlight
• Knife
• Fox 40
• Cellphone

That's it. There are a few odds and ends in the wallet, but mostly because they take up zero space (bandaids, P38). I'd toss the whistle too, if not for the fact that it weighs almost nothing and Doug makes such a strong case for it.

I think this is the 80/20 rule in action. I rarely find myself wishing I'd carried more. I do miss a screwdriver occasionally, but not enough to carry a multitool. Are there situations where I'll wish I'd carried something else? Sure. Are there situations where what I have is enough, and way more than non-ETSers? Well, yeah. :-)

Let's go absolute bare minimum. What's the one thing you'd want to have in an urban environment other than a wallet (and the normal contents therein) and a cell phone?

I'd want a flashlight.