Many people have heard of events in the past when people have been stranded in bad weather or unforeseen events that leave us stuck with only the basics we keep on our person, or in our day packs. All too often, many people are caught unprepared and lack even some of the basics to manage comfortably through 24 or 72 hours.
The first layer of being prepared is the everyday carry (EDC) items that you can layer and keep on you at any point in time. Whether it is a few dollars in everyday cash, Chapstick, a small keychain or pocket flashlight (other than your phone), a lighter, a pocket knife, and small multitool, a pen with a pocket-sized note pad, even pocket-sized travel tissues. all of these things can easily be paired up and clipped on a belt loop with your keys, and stuffed in a pocket. Having these simple items on you at any given moment can help solve a multitude of everyday complications if you have them with you. As the adage goes, proper planning prevents poor performance.
On top of having these items on you at a moment’s notice, there are a few more items that can easily fit into a daypack, or even one of those small bags that we all have received as a promotional gift or even if one chooses to do so go out and get a dedicated everyday carry bag of one’s choosing. Carry a cutting tool of your choosing that fits well in your hand, is comfortable for you to use, and you are experienced in using that you know you can trust to have with you at those moments when old Murphy stops by to visit you and brings his infamous Murphy’s law.
Next, a combustion device is also a matter of personal preference. I have a few different options depending on the day and situation. One that I have carried every day, and still do is a Zippo Lighter in my pocket, making sure to refill and top it off once a week. Additionally, stormproof matches in my bag as a backup always as well I keep a rechargeable arch lighter, as a third option. The last resort is a ferrocerium rod also referred to as a farro rod in many cases. These can be a great source of a spark, but they do take practice. I will write more on last resort and Bushcraft-style stuff later.
This brings up another critical Item. Keeping a rechargeable arch lighter can be great too if it lasts This is where the multiple function solar rechargeable battery backup comes into play. Having a small solar recharging battery back can recharge with wireless headphones, phones, and even tablets if you carry one with you regularly and you make sure to get one that will change that as well. This is a complex topic, and I will go deeper into it later.
We all know it’s no fun being left out in the dark. This is where a lighting source can be a great thing to have with you. There are a multitude of options, that range in cost for a light source, but remember you always get what you pay for. This is nothing wrong with starting with a cost-effective small light. However, make sure to have rechargeable batteries with you, and this circles back to having a portable charger that can connect to your battery backup or solar charger. This is an in-depth topic, and I will go more into that later in another post.
Another key is a small weather AM/FM radio that you can go to for local information, weather, and even news to find out what is going on around the area you find yourself in. Another point is making sure that whatever light, and radio, you decide to select can be charged off your solar backup battery, as well as have interchangeable replacement rechargeable batteries in your gear bag. Most emergency radios today do have a solar panel on them or a hand crank that can recharge the internal batteries as well as can recharge a mobile phone as well. There are a lot of options in this field, and I will continue to post on this later.
Another piece of essential gear is a Poncho, rain gear, and a tarp. The reason I suggest a poncho as well as a tarp may sound redundant to many people and may be seen as unnecessary but there is a method to the madness. In many cases, in spring, summer, and even winter having the ability to make a shelter or to even protect gear outside of a vehicle, as well as protect supplies you have been able to forage in an emergency can help a lot. For example, having a poncho to wear while raining you can use the tart to cover gear, use it as a windbreak if you need to do things in or around a vehicle, or even make a shelter in the worst-case scenarios as well while not giving up your poncho which is protecting you from the elements. I will continue posting on this in a future date in other posts and go further in-depth
This brings up another piece of critical gear to keep with you in your bag which is cordage. The market is flooded with different types of cheap ropes that you can find almost anywhere. The reason many in the bushcraft community as well as others like parachute cord (paracord) is because it is nylon, mildew resistant thing, lightweight, multipurpose, as well as strong. Keeping 50 feet of paracord in your bag does not take up much space. It takes up about the same amount of space as a 16-ounce plastic water bottle. With paracord, you can replace broken shoelaces, and tie down a tarp as a makeshift shelter, to name a few jobs this works well at. I will cover this in more detail in future posts to keep a close eye out for that. In many cases, having a reusable emergency blanket can be helpful as well if you live in an area that gets cold. There are the smaller lightweight disposable emergency blankets, but they are fragile and are one-and-done. It is helpful to keep a few of these with you to help others in emergencies and not lose your good gear. In addition to this, keeping a blanket, poncho liner of your choice can also be a great asset in an emergency as well. I will expand on this in future posts as well.
This may sound odd, but having a cotton material item, like a shemagh can help protect you from the wind, direct sun exposure, as well as be used to bundle up smaller gear items to keep small items from getting lost. Not to mention, this can also be used in many more ways that I will go more in-depth with later in a more detailed post
Another item that many people seem to forget to keep handy is cargo tape. I understand, that keeping a large bulky role of cargo tape like Gorilla tape or duct tape is not the most convenient thing to keep with you due to its size and odd shape of it. However, with a little ingenuity, you can solve that problem and keep some handy with you in your bag. We all get those random gift cards or have an old back or credit card that we shred and get rid of. What I would suggest doing before shredding those cards, is take some parchment, or wax paper wrapping it around your card leaving a slot that you can slip the card out of, and start to wrap the card in cargo tape. I would suggest keeping about 10 feet or handier and guestimate how much that would be wrapped around the card. I think it is about one-quarter of an inch thick on both sides. This would give you a small emergency stash of cargo tape. This can be used to patch a poncho, even used to secure a bandage if needed. This Is a great multi-use item, and I will go into more detail on this in a later post.
In an era of the smartphone, and Global positioning systems many people have forgotten how to use, or even keep a compass handy in the case of an emergency. Since the raise of COVID, many more people have turned to road trips, and outdoor activities and have found themselves in areas where there is no mobile phone coverage available. Getting a compass and learning not only where you are, but also having paper maps of your area as well as the area you will be traveling through as an emergency backup just in case you lose mobile phone reception. Keeping items like these handy that you can drop in your bag and keep with you can help you figure out different ways to get to a destination, even find a way around traffic, construction, and even learn the layout of a city. With your map and compass, it is advisable to keep your notepad handy in case you need to write directions, notes, or written communication not relying on your smartphone. This is a complex topic, and I will post something later in greater detail. Keep an eye out for that in the future.
We have all seen or been in a situation where we have lost a button, ripped a shirt, or had something clothing-related fail. Being able to make small simple repairs can be great and can help extend your gear in situations where you have no other option. In addition to having a sewing kit in your bag, keeping a few paper clips can be handy as well. We all know that it is always in those random times where y the pull tab on a zipper breaks, or we know someone that it has happened to and it is usually the worst possible time and place, and an emergency sewing kit, there are small kits available at dollar stores or online and you can always hit a fabric store and select small spools of thread that match the typical clothing colors to match what you typically wear. Once again, this is a more in-depth topic, and I will go into greater detail later on this as well.
The greatest struggle for most people around the world is clean drinking water. Being able to collect and purify water is something vital to life for everyone. Depending on the situation you find yourself in. Having a single wall stainless steel 32-ounce bottle can be a container for acquiring along with having a water filter pump or point of use straw type of water purification can be extremely helpful. Additionally, having a second container to store purified water in can greatly improve how much water you can collect, purify, and store water. There is a multitude of methods to purify water, and we will get to those skills in a later post as well. I think we all can agree that accidents do happen to all of us, and therefore it is always helpful to keep a personal first aid kit. Everyone is different and has different needs when it comes to a first aid kit. No matter what it is or when having the simple fixes like a bandage, even antacids allergy medication, pain medication, or any other simple medication to help an individual make it through the say. Having these simple things on hand and readily available in a backpack or bag can be a way to handle your minor medical emergencies, or even pay t forward and help a member of your community. There is no need for the everyday person to carry around a tunicate, or airway tools with them. Coming from an EMS background, those things in the wrong hands can do more harm than good. Once again, this is another complex subject that we will jump into shortly.
21st Century Renaissance Man 