What Do You Carry?

Okay, all fun aside; let's get back to reality.

In my insulated coffee mug I have some sachets of instant coffee (decaf) and some sugar packets and some creamer packets. I put them in the old style pleated plastic bags so I can take them out as a group and make some coffee, and then put them back again after I'm done.

If it rains I have a jacket/shell to keep the water off. Sometimes I just put it over my pack, depends on how far I have to go and how cold it is. Down in the bottom of my bag is some freeze dried food, not a lot, but enough to make a meal if I get hung up somewhere on the road or the way home. There's also some chicken noodle soup to warm up.

It's nice to know you can survive a day or so with not that much weight or bulk.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

My debit cards and my Bic lighter,always prepared

Just my faith in Jesus.

When I walk out the door...

Pen
Pocket notebook
cell
Thermos full of coffee
Auto-sealing full coffee mugs (2 ! ... I'm an addict)
8 in android tablet in case
wallet
Keys
Swiss Army knife (medium size)
S&W M&P Shield 9 w/ CT Can't carry this at work, so it gets locked up and stashed.

I work in the middle of no where, so I always have a back pack with me. In addition to the equipment I need for my daily duties, I always keep a few things that I have found needful over the years.

Leatherman
rain poncho
leather gloves- in the winter they are insulated
sanitation pack (paper towels, hand wipe, toilet paper, small plastic bag)
extended battery for cell phone
ear buds
charge cords
small selection of tools (screw drivers, small allen wrenches, small adjustable wrench)
Flashlight with xtra batteries
Insulated welding helmet liner that i have modified with elastic and velcro to wrap around most of my face (it's Montana)
First aid
small sewing kit
Advil
Bug stuff
sun screen
emergency blanket
emergency fire starting supplies
emergency food kit (tea bags, a couple energy bars, a pouch or two of freeze dried food, a few pieces of hard candy, salt and pepper)

My back pack is NEVER out of reach. I learned that lesson very early in my career.

a reply to: Montana

Gloves are always a good thing to have. I neglected to mention always having a pair of gloves, either in the car or in my pack. Heavier gloves in winter of course (usually leather and lined). One thing I've been meaning to add and should is a reflective vest. I don't get break downs on the road very often (at all), but you never know, and at night being seen could be a life saver. It's not like I don't have enough of them, I have several at work, we have to wear them when we go out on the airfield.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

A reflective vest is part of my work supplies in my backpack.

When not at work my backpack doubles as an emergency bag in my pickup. Along with a tarp, wool blankets, extra shoes, a change of clothes,full rain suit, rope, road flares (also known as Dad's campfire matches), compass, maps for a large area around home, more tools, more food, more first aid, water bottles and usually a .22 rifle w/ammo for both it and the Shield. A High-Lift jack and a chain.

It only takes one breakdown in the mountains to teach most people to carry the basics in every rig and to check the spare tire regularly.

a reply to: Montana

Yep, grew up in western Wyoming so yeah, I'm intimately familiar with the drill. Doesn't really even take an actual breakdown, just an 'almost breakdown' when it's -30F will get a fella to thinkin' "what if...". An actual strand, stuck or breakdown can cost a fella his life if he's not prepared.

ETA - Busted a starter on my Blazer once way back in the Gros Ventre range (literally broke it off on a big rock). Instant engine out, and no work-ee after that, just dead as a door nail. It was so friggin' cold the whiskey in the bottle under the seat was thick like maple syrup! Dark as the inside of a cow out too. It sucked, but had I not had some serious cold weather gear and supplies with me it could have been disastrous.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I hate rocks.

I always bring my pocketknife, pen and mini LED flashlight.

On my person:
writing ball-point pen
bolt action, cannon-style tactical pen
victorinox Swiss army "manager" pocket knife
Ruger LPC, spare magazine
credit card pocket knife
phone
wallet
miniature notebook
glasses headband

In my vehicle: (Pick-up)
phone charger cord
8 oz bottle of hand sanitizer
cliff bars
comb
old pocket knife
homemade first aid kit inside a Christmas cookie tin
fishing tackle box, collapsible rod
50' of tow rope
assorted tie downs
folding shovel
open pack of 16 water bottles
tire iron
walking stick
rain Pancho & bush hat
jumper cables
"roadside auto repair" flat toolbox

a bag. what is in it changes.

usually there is a parfume, maybe a lipstick, keys, phone,credit card.

originally posted by: Damla
a bag. what is in it changes.

usually there is a parfume, maybe a lipstick, keys, phone,credit card.

The parfume, if it is anything like perfume, can be used as an accelerant (in place of tinder) when you are trying to light a fire but didn't think to pack matches or a lighter in that bag of yours.

The lipstick could be used to write a message on the windshield of your car, if you had to abandon it and proceed on foot.

The keys can be palmed with the ring in the center of your fist, the keys protruding out between your curled-up fingers. It makes a decent "knuckle duster/brass knuckles" for defending yourself. One automobile key can be held like a knife and used to gouge at an assailants eyes or groin.

You can remove the battery from the phone, and find a piece of paper/foil, like a gum wrapper. hold the aluminum side to the +/- poles of the battery. Since the foil paper is not a good conductor, it will get hot... and eventually catch fire. With a bit of luck, you could start a campfire....

The credit card can be used to open some door locks on building interiors where the bolt is not a true deadbolt, but is wedge-shaped. You put the card in the door jamb, just above the lock, and try to "hook" the bolt from behind. If successful, you can force the door open--but be careful! the door will remained locked, and will re-lock if you allow the door to fall shut again.

Maybe you're better prepared than you thought.

The only thing that is pretty much a 100% guarantee to have on me is my Benchmade 940 and my watch.

In the "usual" range is phone, keys (with rechargeable LED light, 128gb thumb drive, on a pocket buckle), and guitar pick. Occasionally the wallet.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

pah - flyweight - PGMP15 . [ wonders who will ID the refference - without googling ]

a reply to: Serdgiam

Benchmade? Nice! I'd love one, but would probably spend half the price on something like the Mora Garberg and the rest in other stuff. It'd still be cool to have a high-end knife.

Nobody's mentioned....pocket sand.

Just picked up a Kel Tec Sub 2000, folds up and fits in my backpack just fine. May be in a checked case since its classified as a long gun, so could travel with me if need be. Still working on my plane checked/carry on kit. It would be one hell of a GHB due to being just about anywhere in the US for work.

am seriously researching the possibilities of pocket sand.

carried in a small pill bottle, instead of a bag that will leak. It turns out that pocket sand is also a euphemism for street drugs that leak from their baggie inside the carrier's pocket at a party. After the possessor overcomes the initial shock at losing quite a bit of value in drugs, he or she quickly decides to snort/smoke the contents of that pocket; including lint, etc.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I love my benchmades..

The reverse tanto is my favorite blade design as well. Just fantastically useful across the board.

I've gone through a ton of knives in my life, but none have stuck around like my benchmades. They seem to have the uncanny ability to be found after they have been lost too

a reply to: Serdgiam

Benchmade is one of my 2 "go to" knife makers, with Spyderco being the other. Although I carry my Ken Onion "Needs Work" Kershaw more often than anything, just because the blade is shaped for my daily use.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

What I like about spyderco is they are willing to do some pretty "out there" stuff, and do it well rather than as a gimmick. Plus, they are local and that's a thing for me.

I love my clipit rescue as a camp knife. There aren't too many smaller folding blades that can serve that task.

Have you tried a reverse tanto? I love the looks of a standard tanto, but it definitely isn't without its drawbacks for daily use. I feel the reverse tanto eliminates those completely. They don't seem particularly common, but I suspect they might catch on at some point. Its a fantastic design. Of course, there are bound to be a lot of variations, but the benchmade 940 reverse tanto is easily the best blade shape I've come across for my daily use.