I use this for both in-town and in the woods. Obviously if I know I'm going to the woods for a day I add stuff but this is what is in it at all times:
My $20 EDC Bag
I use this for both in-town and in the woods. Obviously if I know I'm going to the woods for a day I add stuff but this is what is in it at all times:
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."
~~Declaration of Independence
Sorry but that's like looking through a crack in the door. Fifteen minutes is a long time to watch that way without getting a headache..
Wilderness Survival:
Surviving a temporary situation where you're lost in the wilderness
All in all, not a bad review. As you said, it is a $20 bag and the shortcomings you found were easily fixable. Besides, no matter what you buy, chances are you are going to change it up a bit to suit your needs. You also made a good point without actually saying it and that is one should know the limitations of the gear.
As far as the contents of the bag goes, to each their own. If it works for you, then it works for me. A few changes I would make would be as follows:
1) Ditch the pencil sharpener. You can make shavings with a knife and you won't have to dig through the bag to get to it.
2) Replace the flask of Everclear with a bottle of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. It will do everything you mentioned and can't be misconstrued for consumption by LEO/Security
3) Replace the baby wipes with flushable wipes. Flushable wipes can be used for the same stuff you mentioned plus the added bonus of being flushable for the times you get some bad Thai food.
4) Expand the first aid kit a little bit. It was hard to see what all you had, but it didn't look like there were any basic OTC stuff.
5) Replace the butane torch with a standard Bic lighter or two. Takes up less room and you have a backup.
6) Add disposable ponchos. They will more than likely get used before the emergency blankets, but I wouldn't get rid of those either.
7) Add $10-$20 currency, some of it in coin form. This is helpful for the unplanned meter and other small pop-up things that require just a little bit of cash.
8) Peanut butter and oatmeal is a little difficult to eat compared to some granola bars, dried fruit and jerky which would be my preference.
Not a bad set-up to start with. Thanks for sharing.
”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten
Sorry, can't be helped. It's recorded via my phone. The camcorder I have uses tapes [yes, it's that old].Originally Posted by pete lynch
I'm not sure if I said it or not but this is the stuff that always stays in the bag. I will add stuff daily, depending on what/where I plan on doing/plan on going. For instance, if I'm heading out on the nature trail I'll add things like camera, batteries, a big knife, bug spray, waterproofed 9'x 12' canvas tarp, more food & water, better flashlight, boonie hat, different [all leather] work gloves....that kind of thing. They will come out of the bag once I'm home for cleaning/repair/whatever.
I responded to your post in red
Thanks....and thanks for taking the time to watch the video and add suggestions.All in all, not a bad review. As you said, it is a $20 bag and the shortcomings you found were easily fixable. Besides, no matter what you buy, chances are you are going to change it up a bit to suit your needs. You also made a good point without actually saying it and that is one should know the limitations of the gear.
Thank you and yes, one needs to assess 1. what's the intended use; 2. what's its potential use; and 3. What are the limitations.
Since I spend more time in the woods than I do putzing around town, my bags tend to lean toward woods survival, rather than urban. Also, I take geology/geography into account. Where I live in PA, I'm somewhat nestled between two mountain ranges. We have no real earthquake threats [although there is a fault line nearby that rumbled a few years ago, for the first time in a hundred years or so]...but we do have somewhat a real danger from occasional tornadoes in the summer, fast rising water and up to bitterly cold winters.
As far as the contents of the bag goes, to each their own. If it works for you, then it works for me. A few changes I would make would be as follows:
1) Ditch the pencil sharpener. You can make shavings with a knife and you won't have to dig through the bag to get to it.
Eh. I thought about that a dozen times. For some reason, I just can't seem to let it go though LOL. And in actuality, I normally keep a few golf pencils in my bag but I guess I'm out and need to get more.
2) Replace the flask of Everclear with a bottle of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. It will do everything you mentioned and can't be misconstrued for consumption by LEO/SecurityAbsolutely no insult intended toward you because we don't know each other, please believe that - but I don't care what a fellow LEO or some Securitywhatever thinks. I'm not going to pander to some kid who thinks he's a Police Officer...and any fellow LEO - or any First Responder - is going to appreciate the help/back-up if and when they need it.
...but your advice does carry merit. Perhaps I'll just make a vinyl label that says "sterilizing/cleaning alcohol," slap it on the flask and be done with it. My main concern about iso is that it's shipped and distributed in a plastic bottle. I've had those types of bottles fail on me before [different contents, different circumstances]. They are easily punctured, the threads can fail and the [hard plastic] caps split. I've had plastic alcohol stove fuel bottles get squeezed in packs, leaking the fuel everywhere. The metal flask can take a better 'beating' than a plastic bottle, not to mention it's specifically designed to carry alcohol...which is the primary reason I've turned to using it.
3) Replace the baby wipes with flushable wipes. Flushable wipes can be used for the same stuff you mentioned plus the added bonus of being flushable for the times you get some bad Thai food. They are the flushable type...they just aren't brand name. They are alcohol and scent free as well.
4) Expand the first aid kit a little bit. It was hard to see what all you had, but it didn't look like there were any basic OTC stuff. Yeah, when I revamped the bag [about 4 hrs earlier than I made the video] I inadvertently knocked the other items off the dining room table and they never got in the bag. They are there now though, those items included a Leardal Pocket [CPR] mask, Israeli Battle Compression dressing, 2 Adventure Medical Kits [trauma with quick clot], CAT Tourniquet [aside from band aids, tape, soap, steristrips and tweezers. I knew I was missing something when I shot the video...I had to go back and look LOL.
5) Replace the butane torch with a standard Bic lighter or two. Takes up less room and you have a backup.I actually purchased that torch for that specific purpose. The Bic lighters around here are too opaque / thick walled to see the fluid level. True the ferro/wheel will still work without it but I like the torch because it adds the element of soldering or desoldering pipes or heavy gauge wires [if needed].
6) Add disposable ponchos. They will more than likely get used before the emergency blankets, but I wouldn't get rid of those either.I normally use lawn and leaf garbage bags but I used them, ran out at home and didn't resupply them yet.
7) Add $10-$20 currency, some of it in coin form. This is helpful for the unplanned meter and other small pop-up things that require just a little bit of cash. Truth. I'm waiting for plastic coin tubes from Amazon for just that purpose. I saw that one on another YouTube [forget who to give the credit though] and thought it was a really good idea. I normally keep cash on me at all times [normally $100 in misc. bills] but you are right....coins make sense [just haven't gotten there yet].
8) Peanut butter and oatmeal is a little difficult to eat compared to some granola bars, dried fruit and jerky which would be my preference.
True. But anything you eat requires water to help digestion, more-so for dried/smoked meats like jerky because of the salt content. The oatmeal can be prepared with cold water and the peanut butter is protein. What I'm lacking in this bag is a metal container to boil water...so I've been throwing a soda can in the bag so I have at least something to heat potable water. My nestle kit is in that big bag I showed [when I was talking about the straps] and haven't gotten around to ordering a new one for this bag. I'm looking at the Stanley Adventure cook set [24 oz] on Amazon for $15. Looks very promising
Not a bad set-up to start with. Thanks for sharing.
Last edited by druid; 09-19-2015 at 02:14 AM.
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."
~~Declaration of Independence
Use the phone and next time turn it sideways for recording video.... that will fix it.
Last edited by Wise Old Owl; 09-19-2015 at 09:28 PM.
“There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
+1 that will do the trick!
”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten
I bought a canvas messenger bag for around $20, and although its not military grade, it works. It holds everything I need for a get home short hike bag and it is very comfortable to wear. I put an extra shoulder pad on the strap and everything was good to go! It holds all of the essentials and isn't near as obvious as a backpack!
You can't ask for much more than that. I've said it as a statement, a surprise, a question and as an exclamation.
I know I'm a little late on this one, but, I bought the Stanley cook set at wall-eyes for $13 bucks (i live less than 2 miles, I can walk) and it works really good.
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