This is the bag I carry around with me on a daily basis. I don’t carry it everywhere with me, but if it is not with me, it is in my car or at my desk at home or at work so it is always nearby.
I get asked about it quite often so I thought I would detail the contents in a post.
An example of an EDC Mini-Bug out bag
I bought the bag at CountyComm a while back when it was on sale and took a few months to fill it out with gear. As a matter of fact, it appears to be on sale now. I chose this bag due to the size, the abundance of MOLLE webbing, the quality of the construction and of course the price.
Below is a small gallery showing how I have put mine together and what I have put in in it. Please comment up and let me know what you think.
My Man Purse or Murse
Bottom of the bag, more MOLLE straps holding a breacher bar. Even the bottom has MOLLE webbing.
Close up of the breacher bar. The handle is wrapped in 550 Paracord that will be covered in a forthcoming post. Good tool for prying.
Gerber Multi-Tool, a good variety of different tools. Select one that has tools you are familiar with.
Adjustable mini-LED clip on lamp, inexpensive but accessible, aimable light source.
Inova 5 LED flahslight, nearly indestuctable. Machined solid aluminum body that is also fairly watertight. 15 month old son’s hand for size comparison. 550 Paracord lanyard.
Another view, without my son’s hand. Very bright with 5 LED’s. Decent light penetration.
Mini-pry bar with extra long 550 Paracord lanyard. Great for small prying, nail removal, etc.
Adjustable goosneck LED lamp, laser pointer and magnetic base. Good for signalling. Use the magnetic base for fishing iron items out of small spaces.
Grimlock MOLLE carabiners. Great for attaching extra items to the bag.
Contents stowed away… Lots more room available.
Sunglasses. Can be a life saver bright snowy conditions.
325 GB Hard Drive for the geek in me. I have essential information encrypted on the drive in case of emergencies.
Yaesu VX-7r HAM Radio. HAM radios are a tremendously important tool during an emergency, plus they are fun day to day. Includes home made ‘tiger tail’ antenna for added reception.
iPod and earphones. Includes scriptures, Constitution, movies and games for down time.
Alcohol stove, tinder, matches, windscreen stored in waterproof case. Selected for small size and portability.
CRKT Tanto. A full size knife is essential for a number of jobs you might encounter in an emergency situation. Blade style is a personal preference.
CPR mask, Oil, P38 can opener, Inova LED flashlight on a carabiner. Attached to inner loop via carabiner for easy access.
SAS pocket survival manual. Great basic text. Read it BEFORE you need it.
Magellan Explorist 500 GPS unit. I need a manual compass in here as well, but this is a great entry level unit.
Notebook, pen and pencils. You never know when you might need to make notes, leave a message or burn some paper. Ink bleeds in water but pencils don’t. Put a wet notebook in the freezer to dry.
‘The Stick’ multiple angles to dig into little crevices. Mainly for firearm cleaning, but other uses as well.
Solar charged battery with multiple charging attachments for cell phones, etc.
Spare batteries for Inova flashlight
10x Jeweler’s Loupe. Use it it exam small details or to start a fire.
Signal mirror to signal planes, rescuers, or otherwise communicate.
‘Metal Match’. Other than testing I haven’t used it much. We will need to have a fire ‘start off’ to review different firestarters.
2.5X mini-binoculars. Very small and compact.
Razor blades for cutting, trimming, etc. They attach to a knife not currently in my bag.
Carmex, Tylenol and cough drops, you never know when you may need them.
I bought it on ebay from Korea so it doesn’t have a name. It is basically a Li-Ion battery with a built in solar cell to charge it and adapters to use it to charge a number of phones and other devices. It was around $15 IIRC. A similar one is here.
I bought it on ebay from Korea so it doesn’t have a name. It is basically a Li-Ion battery with a built in solar cell to charge it and adapters to use it to charge a number of phones and other devices. It was around $15 IIRC. A similar one is here.
Nice bag! I didn’t see any water provisions ie container, filter or purification treatment tabs. I like the Platypus brand colapsable 1L bags and carry the Kaytaden tabs in my small kits.
I see the CPR mask but no other 1st aid/trauma kit.
Work in progress I’m sure! like all of my gear! LOL
I agree with Local33 above- find room for a defensive weapon and spare hi-cap mags.
Nice bag! I didn’t see any water provisions ie container, filter or purification treatment tabs. I like the Platypus brand colapsable 1L bags and carry the Kaytaden tabs in my small kits.
I see the CPR mask but no other 1st aid/trauma kit.
Work in progress I’m sure! like all of my gear! LOL
I agree with Local33 above- find room for a defensive weapon and spare hi-cap mags.
Am I the only one thinking this? Where’s the jacket, gloves, hat & disposable cell phone? Dust mask?
And why do you have a scary looking military bag? Wouldn’t a boring backpack or soft briefcase with shouldr strap be much lower profile. You’ll look like a Rambo wannabe with this thing on in public, ESPECIALLY during an emergency.
Am I the only one thinking this? Where’s the jacket, gloves, hat & disposable cell phone? Dust mask?
And why do you have a scary looking military bag? Wouldn’t a boring backpack or soft briefcase with shouldr strap be much lower profile. You’ll look like a Rambo wannabe with this thing on in public, ESPECIALLY during an emergency.
Thanks for all the comments. My bag is meant to be an Everyday Carry Mini-bug out bag. As such, it can’t nor should it be the end all of bug out bags. It is there to give me the tools I might need in most situations everyday and in order to get help me get home or to a bug out location. A fully loaded bug out bag with everything under the sun doesn’t do you any good if it is in the closet at home and you are 50 miles away when an emergency happens. I prefer to go a more modular route, but to each his own.
Since this is something I carry everyday and it is something I tend to leave at my desk once a get to work, it isn’t the best place for a firearm. When I carry, I use a concealed pistol holster that lets me easily hide a compact .45 under a loose fitting shirt. My employer has a ‘no weapons’ policy, so while my bag has a knife, I do draw the line at carrying a pistol to work.
I do have a robust first aid kit in each vehicle and at home. Since this bag is with me or very close by, I figure that I will be A) somewhat near my vehicle or B) At or near home. For my purposes, anything more than the CPR mask and a couple band aids and aspirin would be redundant. While redundant is good, in this case minimalism is better.
As for the aesthetics of the bag, I suppose that is up to each person. I have been carrying this bag for nearly two years now and haven’t noticed anyone glancing askance at me. In fact, when people do notice it, they tend to want to know more about the individual tools, etc., hence this post.
Thanks again for the interest. Please be sure to comment if you have any other questions.
Thanks for all the comments. My bag is meant to be an Everyday Carry Mini-bug out bag. As such, it can’t nor should it be the end all of bug out bags. It is there to give me the tools I might need in most situations everyday and in order to get help me get home or to a bug out location. A fully loaded bug out bag with everything under the sun doesn’t do you any good if it is in the closet at home and you are 50 miles away when an emergency happens. I prefer to go a more modular route, but to each his own.
Since this is something I carry everyday and it is something I tend to leave at my desk once a get to work, it isn’t the best place for a firearm. When I carry, I use a concealed pistol holster that lets me easily hide a compact .45 under a loose fitting shirt. My employer has a ‘no weapons’ policy, so while my bag has a knife, I do draw the line at carrying a pistol to work.
I do have a robust first aid kit in each vehicle and at home. Since this bag is with me or very close by, I figure that I will be A) somewhat near my vehicle or B) At or near home. For my purposes, anything more than the CPR mask and a couple band aids and aspirin would be redundant. While redundant is good, in this case minimalism is better.
As for the aesthetics of the bag, I suppose that is up to each person. I have been carrying this bag for nearly two years now and haven’t noticed anyone glancing askance at me. In fact, when people do notice it, they tend to want to know more about the individual tools, etc., hence this post.
Thanks again for the interest. Please be sure to comment if you have any other questions.
Nice Bag! I never thought of the harddrive, but that is a darn good idea. And the ham radio is a must! I have a small ICOM that goes from 6 to 80 meters that can be run off of a few rechargeable AA Batteries.
Nice Bag! I never thought of the harddrive, but that is a darn good idea. And the ham radio is a must! I have a small ICOM that goes from 6 to 80 meters that can be run off of a few rechargeable AA Batteries.
I have actually been looking at those smaller laptops (the EEE PC)to put in my bag. You should check them out, they seem like a great option for your EDC bag, they are really tiny, the batteries last for ever, and I think you could even use your solar charger with it.
They seemed like a good way to store a bunch of survival information.
I have actually been looking at those smaller laptops (the EEE PC)to put in my bag. You should check them out, they seem like a great option for your EDC bag, they are really tiny, the batteries last for ever, and I think you could even use your solar charger with it.
They seemed like a good way to store a bunch of survival information.
Great bag you can tell you put a lot of thought into it. I would add a few heavy duty XL trash bags, one gallon size food storage bags and and some water tabs.
Great bag you can tell you put a lot of thought into it. I would add a few heavy duty XL trash bags, one gallon size food storage bags and and some water tabs.
Great posts my friends. To each his own is correct. I am glad we are free, for the moment, to discuss such things in an open forum. Good luck to us all and I hope to see you all on the other side of this administration.
Great posts my friends. To each his own is correct. I am glad we are free, for the moment, to discuss such things in an open forum. Good luck to us all and I hope to see you all on the other side of this administration.
What kind of solar battery charger is that?
I bought it on ebay from Korea so it doesn’t have a name. It is basically a Li-Ion battery with a built in solar cell to charge it and adapters to use it to charge a number of phones and other devices. It was around $15 IIRC. A similar one is here.
What kind of solar battery charger is that?
I bought it on ebay from Korea so it doesn’t have a name. It is basically a Li-Ion battery with a built in solar cell to charge it and adapters to use it to charge a number of phones and other devices. It was around $15 IIRC. A similar one is here.
No way I’m the only one thinking this….where’s the gun?
No way I’m the only one thinking this….where’s the gun?
Nice bag! I didn’t see any water provisions ie container, filter or purification treatment tabs. I like the Platypus brand colapsable 1L bags and carry the Kaytaden tabs in my small kits.
I see the CPR mask but no other 1st aid/trauma kit.
Work in progress I’m sure! like all of my gear! LOL
I agree with Local33 above- find room for a defensive weapon and spare hi-cap mags.
Nice bag! I didn’t see any water provisions ie container, filter or purification treatment tabs. I like the Platypus brand colapsable 1L bags and carry the Kaytaden tabs in my small kits.
I see the CPR mask but no other 1st aid/trauma kit.
Work in progress I’m sure! like all of my gear! LOL
I agree with Local33 above- find room for a defensive weapon and spare hi-cap mags.
Am I the only one thinking this? Where’s the jacket, gloves, hat & disposable cell phone? Dust mask?
And why do you have a scary looking military bag? Wouldn’t a boring backpack or soft briefcase with shouldr strap be much lower profile. You’ll look like a Rambo wannabe with this thing on in public, ESPECIALLY during an emergency.
Am I the only one thinking this? Where’s the jacket, gloves, hat & disposable cell phone? Dust mask?
And why do you have a scary looking military bag? Wouldn’t a boring backpack or soft briefcase with shouldr strap be much lower profile. You’ll look like a Rambo wannabe with this thing on in public, ESPECIALLY during an emergency.
Thanks for all the comments. My bag is meant to be an Everyday Carry Mini-bug out bag. As such, it can’t nor should it be the end all of bug out bags. It is there to give me the tools I might need in most situations everyday and in order to get help me get home or to a bug out location. A fully loaded bug out bag with everything under the sun doesn’t do you any good if it is in the closet at home and you are 50 miles away when an emergency happens. I prefer to go a more modular route, but to each his own.
Since this is something I carry everyday and it is something I tend to leave at my desk once a get to work, it isn’t the best place for a firearm. When I carry, I use a concealed pistol holster that lets me easily hide a compact .45 under a loose fitting shirt. My employer has a ‘no weapons’ policy, so while my bag has a knife, I do draw the line at carrying a pistol to work.
I do have a robust first aid kit in each vehicle and at home. Since this bag is with me or very close by, I figure that I will be A) somewhat near my vehicle or B) At or near home. For my purposes, anything more than the CPR mask and a couple band aids and aspirin would be redundant. While redundant is good, in this case minimalism is better.
As for the aesthetics of the bag, I suppose that is up to each person. I have been carrying this bag for nearly two years now and haven’t noticed anyone glancing askance at me. In fact, when people do notice it, they tend to want to know more about the individual tools, etc., hence this post.
Thanks again for the interest. Please be sure to comment if you have any other questions.
Thanks for all the comments. My bag is meant to be an Everyday Carry Mini-bug out bag. As such, it can’t nor should it be the end all of bug out bags. It is there to give me the tools I might need in most situations everyday and in order to get help me get home or to a bug out location. A fully loaded bug out bag with everything under the sun doesn’t do you any good if it is in the closet at home and you are 50 miles away when an emergency happens. I prefer to go a more modular route, but to each his own.
Since this is something I carry everyday and it is something I tend to leave at my desk once a get to work, it isn’t the best place for a firearm. When I carry, I use a concealed pistol holster that lets me easily hide a compact .45 under a loose fitting shirt. My employer has a ‘no weapons’ policy, so while my bag has a knife, I do draw the line at carrying a pistol to work.
I do have a robust first aid kit in each vehicle and at home. Since this bag is with me or very close by, I figure that I will be A) somewhat near my vehicle or B) At or near home. For my purposes, anything more than the CPR mask and a couple band aids and aspirin would be redundant. While redundant is good, in this case minimalism is better.
As for the aesthetics of the bag, I suppose that is up to each person. I have been carrying this bag for nearly two years now and haven’t noticed anyone glancing askance at me. In fact, when people do notice it, they tend to want to know more about the individual tools, etc., hence this post.
Thanks again for the interest. Please be sure to comment if you have any other questions.
Nice Bag! I never thought of the harddrive, but that is a darn good idea. And the ham radio is a must! I have a small ICOM that goes from 6 to 80 meters that can be run off of a few rechargeable AA Batteries.
Nice Bag! I never thought of the harddrive, but that is a darn good idea. And the ham radio is a must! I have a small ICOM that goes from 6 to 80 meters that can be run off of a few rechargeable AA Batteries.
@Off Grid Survival Agreed on the hard drive, but I’m a severe geek also :)
We’ll have a post in the future about ways to securely store your data on that drive, so it’s safe too.
@Off Grid Survival Agreed on the hard drive, but I’m a severe geek also :)
We’ll have a post in the future about ways to securely store your data on that drive, so it’s safe too.
Very cool, I look forward to seeing it.
I have actually been looking at those smaller laptops (the EEE PC)to put in my bag. You should check them out, they seem like a great option for your EDC bag, they are really tiny, the batteries last for ever, and I think you could even use your solar charger with it.
They seemed like a good way to store a bunch of survival information.
Very cool, I look forward to seeing it.
I have actually been looking at those smaller laptops (the EEE PC)to put in my bag. You should check them out, they seem like a great option for your EDC bag, they are really tiny, the batteries last for ever, and I think you could even use your solar charger with it.
They seemed like a good way to store a bunch of survival information.
Great bag you can tell you put a lot of thought into it. I would add a few heavy duty XL trash bags, one gallon size food storage bags and and some water tabs.
Mike
Great bag you can tell you put a lot of thought into it. I would add a few heavy duty XL trash bags, one gallon size food storage bags and and some water tabs.
Mike
Great posts my friends. To each his own is correct. I am glad we are free, for the moment, to discuss such things in an open forum. Good luck to us all and I hope to see you all on the other side of this administration.
Great posts my friends. To each his own is correct. I am glad we are free, for the moment, to discuss such things in an open forum. Good luck to us all and I hope to see you all on the other side of this administration.
Very nice!!! Interesting
This is cool! And so interested! Are u have more posts like this? Plese tell me, thanks
How did you make you tiger tail?
Just came and read, this is wow! I was seek from many blogs, but here is the best, I love it.
Can you put this on a scale and give me an approximate weight with the the things that you have listed above?
I would also include a clean cotton bandana, stored in a small zip-lock plastic bag