Knives: I have way too many of these, but the following are the most valuable to me:<br><br>Backpack kit: Cold Steel SRK, Leatherman WAVE, Benchmade 710. <br><br>The SRK is deal because it's a cheap, incredibly strong knife, the sharpest I own. The sheath is designed to hold securely to the belt, but can be removed quickly when needed. This can be important when traveling in populated areas. The SRK is perfect because it is at once both eminently usable and "ditchable."<br><br>Everyone knows the Wave is great, I have 2, another one in the briefbag. The newest ones have strengthened pliers and a notched serrated blade so you can differentiate it by touch. <br><br>Next to the Sebenza and the Mission MPF, the Benchmade 710 is the strongest folder out there. <br><br>All three of these knives have no fetish value for me, either I have duplicates or their toy value has worn off. This is important since I won't want to keep taking them out and playing with them, so they stay in the kit when I really need it!<br><br>My EDC knife as of now rotates between a Chris Reeve Mnandi, a John Kubasek Damasteel folder, and as of this weekend, a CRK small Sebenza NICA tanto point. In an alert or post-quake period, I suspect I'd carry the Sebenza full time. It's the only folder I have, apart from the 710, that can shred a large postcard in 2 secs. It also looks like it could go through a car door. Now I understand why people are nuts for these. I also have a small SOG Jetedge I no longer use. It's well made enough, but I wouldn't recommend carbon fiber as a knife handle material.<br><br>I also have a Pro-Tech Runt, a street-legal switchblade, in a small tin I keep in my desk with a wire saw, 24 feet of paracord, a Swisstech tool, an Inova keyring light, a dust mask and a pair of nitrile gloves. The Runt has a less than 2" ATS-34 blade that's like .15" thick. This also stays in the briefbag sometimes. <br><br>Then there's the Utilikey on my keychain. My current outdoor day trip knife is the Mission MPF. <br><br>Pens: I replaced the stub pencil in my Penrith PSK with a Fisher Space Pen refill. I also keep a Space Pen in the backpack. My "work" pen is a Lamy 2000 set, nice but no crisis value. <br><br>Lighter: Vector KGM Viper, one in pack with firelighting equip., one in briefbag. I highly recommend these. <br><br>Compass: Brunton Eclipse, in backpack<br><br>Flashlight: Princeton Tech Impact in backpack, Inova X5 in briefbag. Mini-Mag AA in home storage. <br><br>Watch: Omega Seamaster GMT, mainly a status bauble but very tough, usable as a solar compass, etc. I also have a Seiko Military automatic as a spare - maybe I should move it to the pack...