# Your EDC \[Everyday-carry\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525 "2013-11-09T22:26:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/41 "2013-11-10T14:44:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Straight down the hall, third door on your left, turn in your man card.šŸ˜ƒ > > ETA: all kidding aside, you should just call the thing your cooler. Can I still _think_ of it as my purse? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Longshanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Longshanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Longshanks)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/42 "2013-11-10T15:03:56Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Wallet, keys, watch, glasses, iPhone. Iā€™ve never felt the need for much else. > > I donā€™t have a ā€œbug-out bagā€, either. I donā€™t see a situation where Iā€™ll be evacuating my home without 10 minutes to throw some stuff together. Donā€™t natural disasters ever happen where you live? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/43 "2013-11-10T15:11:57Z")
Like what? There hasnā€™t been a major earthquake in decades, there hasnā€™t been a tsunami in the Med for centuries, the weather never gets worse than fierce rainstorms, and my city is made out of concrete, so no major fires. The only major risk is Scuds and assorted other projectiles, but if thatā€™s the case, Iā€™ll either be staying indoors or evacuating in an organized manner. We have gas masks, if that helps. Besides, I have friends and family. Thereā€™s nothing I need to take that they canā€™t provide me with. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/44 "2013-11-10T15:32:57Z")
Wallet, keys, cell phone, sunglasses and lip gloss. I am obsessed with staying lightweight. If a disaster happens that affects my fortress-like urban DC apartment, we are all screwed anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/45 "2013-11-10T15:52:26Z")
I have a go bag (I think the term ā€œbug out bagā€ is retarded) that has enough stuff that we can stay away from my house for a week without needing anything and probably longer than that if I have a food source. I grab that bag just as automatically as I grab the babyā€™s diaper bag. It has clothes, toiletries, an extra cell phone, first aid items, some cash, etc. And a gun. I donā€™t have it because Iā€™m anticipating a natural disaster or zombies or whatever but because sometimes I pack up the kids to go get milk in town and we wind up in, you know, Utah or whatever on a whim. That gets expensive when you donā€™t have extra clothes, toothbrushes, etc. already with you. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/46 "2013-11-10T20:35:06Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > ā€¦ > ā€¦ > Comb > ā€¦ > ā€¦ Is it a [Tactical Comb?](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SmPgwSs9kAY/T58orML7X8I/AAAAAAAABJQ/8OAzq8Piy9k/s640/blogger-image--1655186209.jpg) eta: for me itā€™s Spectacles, Testicles, Wallet and Watch. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/47 "2013-11-10T21:17:31Z")
> [@Longshanks](#): > > Donā€™t natural disasters ever happen where you live? Sure, but theyā€™re all either of the ā€œgradual enough to actually plan and execute a withdrawalā€ kind, like a hurricane or drought, or theyā€™re along the lines of ā€œso fast and violent that youā€™re better staying put than fleeingā€ like a tornado. What natural disasters are you worried about where you have less than an hourā€™s warning, and where itā€™s safer to flee in that time frame? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/48 "2013-11-10T21:31:51Z")
Where the F are you people keeping all this crap? I carry a wallet, keys, and phone, and even that stuff feels too bulky sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/49 "2013-11-10T22:08:47Z")
I have a plain [LL Bean backpack](http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62115?feat=816-GN1&page=quad-backpack) for work that carries my ā€œEDCā€ items as well as my work heels (I wear walking shoes on the commute until the weather gets cold/snowy, then a sturdy pair of Sorel boots) and any paperwork I might have to carry back and forth, plus my iPad, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/50 "2013-11-10T22:31:12Z")
Wallet, keys, phone. I can carry a gun if I want but rarely do. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/51 "2013-11-10T23:12:06Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Or Katrina, or Hurricane Sandy? Disasters donā€™t have to be The End of the World to put you in a bad way far from help, depending on where youā€™re living and how far you have to evacuate to get away from whatever is going down. Yes, because of all those videos of survivors who said it was all due to their Glocks and MREā€™s that got them through these disasters compared to those stupid people who had buildings collapse on them and/or got swept away by flood waters who cursed the fact that they didnā€™t have a multi tool to get through things. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/52 "2013-11-10T23:58:34Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Yes, because of all those videos of survivors who said it was all due to their Glocks and MREā€™s that got them through these disasters compared to those stupid people who had buildings collapse on them and/or got swept away by flood waters who cursed the fact that they didnā€™t have a multi tool to get through things. Right, did I say that having a go bag or some level of disaster prep is total insurance against anything ever going wrong? Because Iā€™m not sure why I deserved that level of snark. All I meant was that the US has experienced intense disasters that arenā€™t the end of the world/zombie apocalypse level, and that some level of preparation may prove useful to some people. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/53 "2013-11-11T01:19:38Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > 45ACP 1911, one of several > Keltec [P32](http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/p-32/pistol/)or P3AT > Benchmade [AFO](http://www.sogknives.com/flash-ii-tanto-partially-serr-black-tini.html) > SOG [Flash II](http://www.sogknives.com/flash-ii-tanto-partially-serr-black-tini.html) > Leatherman [Squirt](http://www.leatherman.com/91.html) > [Whistle](http://www.campsaver.com/40-micro-emergency-whistle) > Butane lighter > Handcuff key > Sharpies > Pens > Small notepad > Green laser pointer > Surefire E2D [flashlight](http://www.surefire.com/illumination/flashlights/e2d-led-defender-ultra.html) > ASP baton with [BAC cap](http://www.bustacapinc.com/) > Nitrile gloves > Wallet > Comb > Cell phone > > Thatā€™s just my pants. > > My truck carries a [box](http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/15829.20800_A_4.jpg)of advanced First Aid and rescue [equipment](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/th/content_26/Q1_2010/stanley_B000V29B7K_3-L.jpg). > > More and different stuff as the situation dictates. Jesus, are you expecting Armageddon? Letā€™s see, my purse contains my phone, my keys and my wallet, obviously. Then I have my lipstick and lipgloss, a small make-up mirror, mini-pill container, travel-size hand cream tube, um, gum and/or mints, a comb, an emery board and nail clippers (in case I break a nail). Some pads, a pen, and my winter gloves. (I need a new purse, this one is getting worn out) ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/54 "2013-11-11T01:45:33Z")
My everyday carry changes depending on the day. For work my bag has the usual vitals (wallet, two sets of keys, glasses) plus my iPad, phone, and earphones. On weekends the purse has just wallet, one set of keys, and phone. Thereā€™s lots of other miscellaneous stuff in both bags, of course, but nothing Iā€™ll turn around and go home for if I forget it except the wallet, phone, and keys. Iā€™m definitely not worried about apocalypses, zombie or otherwise. The catastrophe Iā€™m most likely to encounter would have me stranded away from home, but still in dense civilization. And I wouldnā€™t carry a weapon because Iā€™m not scared of my neighbors or the vast majority of the people I encounter as I go about my business. I like my rose-colored glasses. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/55 "2013-11-11T01:54:18Z")
I now feel woefully unprepared. I carry a purse with my wallet, a cell phone, my reading glasses and sun glasses and a small zip bag with lip gloss, lip balm and hand lotion in it. Oh, and I usually have an extra matchbox car for my son, a small toy for my daughter and possibly a snack for each and a pad of paper and a pen. The only things I feel naked without are my wallet and phone. It never occurred to me to carry a gun, though I do own a small hunting knife (which I never carry). Then again, Iā€™m not a gun or weapon enthusiast - the only reason I have the knife is my high school boyfriend gave it to me as a gift. For those of you who carry a gun, have you ever needed it or used it? ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/56 "2013-11-11T02:04:43Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Yes, because of all those videos of survivors who said it was all due to their Glocks and MREā€™s that got them through these disasters compared to those stupid people who had buildings collapse on them and/or got swept away by flood waters who cursed the fact that they didnā€™t have a multi tool to get through things. If a building collapsed on you or floodwaters swept you away, how would a Glock help? Shooting God? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/57 "2013-11-11T03:10:36Z")
Wallet, keys, phone, and a good quality folding pocket knife (currently a Spyderco Caly 3). The knife is a tool, not a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/58 "2013-11-11T03:46:37Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > 45ACP 1911, one of several > Keltec [P32](http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/p-32/pistol/)or P3AT > Benchmade [AFO](http://www.sogknives.com/flash-ii-tanto-partially-serr-black-tini.html) > SOG [Flash II](http://www.sogknives.com/flash-ii-tanto-partially-serr-black-tini.html) > Leatherman [Squirt](http://www.leatherman.com/91.html) > [Whistle](http://www.campsaver.com/40-micro-emergency-whistle) > Butane lighter > Handcuff key > Sharpies > Pens > Small notepad > Green laser pointer > Surefire E2D [flashlight](http://www.surefire.com/illumination/flashlights/e2d-led-defender-ultra.html) > ASP baton with [BAC cap](http://www.bustacapinc.com/) > Nitrile gloves > Wallet > Comb > Cell phone > > Thatā€™s just my pants. > > My truck carries a [box](http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/15829.20800_A_4.jpg)of advanced First Aid and rescue [equipment](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/th/content_26/Q1_2010/stanley_B000V29B7K_3-L.jpg). > > More and different stuff as the situation dictates. Holy crap, I donā€™t think the 1960s Batman Utility Belt had half this stuff. What, no fire extinguisher? No hand grenades? Personally, wallet and keys. And if I have a cold, tissues. Maybe some coins. Sometimes a cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/59 "2013-11-11T03:55:44Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Right, did I say that having a go bag or some level of disaster prep is total insurance against anything ever going wrong? Because Iā€™m not sure why I deserved that level of snark. All I meant was that the US has experienced intense disasters that arenā€™t the end of the world/zombie apocalypse level, and that some level of preparation may prove useful to some people. FWIW the U.S. government [agrees](http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit) with you on that. Iā€™m still playing the odds that while those sorts of disasters are only rare, thse occurring without some warning are rarer yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525/60 "2013-11-11T04:05:53Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > FWIW the U.S. government [agrees](http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit) with you on that. The CDC agrees on the [threat of zombies](http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm) too. šŸ˜ƒ (OK, theyā€™re really using the motif of zombies as a way to show how to prepare for both shelter-in-place and evacuation types of disasters, but heyā€¦) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-edc-everyday-carry/673525.md?page=4)