E.D.C. - part 2

Many useful items

In the first part of this guide we talked about the essential to carry every day: a minimal list, compatible with any clothing and every season. Now let's talk about the complementary pocket in which to put the other items that we could need with frequency.
I have developed the set illustrated in these two articles for everyday life: small and light enough to be transported to any bag, shoulder strap, backpack, even in the pocket of a coat.

It's not a Bug Out Bag, a Grab Away Bag, or a Get Home Bag if you're familiar with these terms.

Modularity

Make a list of the items we think useful, divide them into two groups: those that can always serve, and those needed only in certain situations.
Our EDC kit will only consist of what we deem indispensable at all times, while what only serves in specific situations will be part of other dedicated kits, to add to this only when needed. If you do not know how to use an object, or if it is only useful in situations where you never find it, it does not go in the EDC pocket.

Include a card with your contacts: if you lose the kit, someone may return it.

Once the pocket is fitted, according to the situation and available space, every time we will decide if to add a medical kit, necessary for personal hygiene, outdoor accessories and so on.

Let's now see the content of my pocket.

The right object

Usually the same item is offered by various manufacturers, with dimensions, quality and price variables. The priority is that everything must be reliable, able to run without periodic maintenance.
Finding the ideal one can take a long time, but it is not the case to get caught up with anxiety. Let's start by inserting what we think useful, and if something isn't good enough, replace it with a better version.

Packing list

Left side:
1- 3 meters of American tape wrapped on a plastic card.
2- 2 patches.
3- Plastic Bag, to protect documents and phone from rain or sand.
4- 2 folded A4 sheets.
5- 2 paper handkerchiefs.
6- 2 condoms: in addition to the intended use, they lend to many others.
7- Sewing Set.
8- Super glue.
9- 2 meters of paracord.
10- 2 zipties.
11- 2 Aspirins: great first treatment of most of the discomfort.
12- Oki, anti-inflammatory (ketoprofen lysine salt).
13- Aukey USB / Micro-USB 1 meter cable, with Aukey Micro-USB / Type-C Adapter.
14- Samsung USB Charger.
15- Disposable disinfectant wipes: great for both small cuts and for cleaning your hands.
16- Latex gloves, helpful for first aid, or for not getting dirty.
17- Skullcandy cellular phones, insulating, ideal even for flying.

Right side:
18- Tappi Surefire Sonic Defenders EP3. Adjustable to a maximum -24 Db reduction.
19- Bic Pen: Economical, Reliable, Great as a back-up or to loan.
20- Insulating tape without the central part to reduce bulk.
21- Lexar JumpDrive S45 64GB USB 3.0 key.
22- Aukey car adapter with dual USB output.
23- Victorinox ratchet kit, with additional bits.
24- Small box with screws, nails, paper clips, dumbbells.
25- 45 centimeters of iron wire.
26- Piece of iron saw blade, 17 cm. Enough to cut a screw.
27- Nitecore F1 Battery Charger / Powerbank with 1 Rechargeable CR123 Olight Battery.
28- Victorinox oil.
29- Lionsteel Nyala pen.
30- Double clip clip-on spring.
31- Screw with nut.
32- Stabilo permanent marker.
33- Bic lighter: cheap, reliable, does not lose gas over time. Semitransparent to see the content.
34- BurrocacaoLip balm: bloody lips are not a good business card.

Weight: 661 grams, including organizer
Dimensions: 195 x 140 x 65 mm

Special items

In the list there is a screw with its nut (31). I use to create a "T" handle on the Victorinox ratchet when I need to apply more force.
The clip-on spring (30) is useful as a tripod to stabilize the smartphone on disjointed surfaces.

Periodic check

If we have chosen the right objects, we will end up using them. That's why it's good practice to note the content of the kit in a check-list: periodically we'll make a check by replacing what we've consumed or lost.
If something is never used, or it is unreliable, it must be removed to gain valuable space. For example, for a period in my kit there was also a cheap power bank: it was unreliable, so I replaced it with the Nitecore F1. And again, my kit included a Nitecore Tube torch, but the smartphone proved to be sufficient as a back-up light.

Part 1 →