With the impending Snowmaggedon bearing in on the Northeast – well, that’s what the meteorologists would like you to think – I thought it was a good idea to do a little winter EDC upgrade to make sure I’m covered no matter what happens.

Winter EDC Upgrade Methodology

I’m fortunate in the fact that I only work twenty-five (25) miles from my house. In addition, my commute is through mostly populated areas – areas with restaurants, hotels, stores, etc – not to mention homes of friends and family. All that means that, even in a SHTF scenario, I only have a 25-mile maximum walk home.

I’ve taken this information into account while planning my winter EDC upgrade. The essential requirements for my kit are (in order): warmth, water, food and shelter. As I’ve discussed, shelter will be in relative proximity no matter where I’m stranded on my daily commute, even if it’s my car for the night, so I haven’t spent much time on it¹. Warmth, water and food is where I put most of my effort.

Main Compartment

During normal weather conditions, I carry the following items in the main compartment of my Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack EDC Bag.

As you can see, it was very light on the warmth department. To preface this section, I have to note that I do keep an eye on the weather. If snow or cold weather is in the forecast, I dress accordingly – warm clothing, proper footing, protective coats and hat/gloves. What is in my EDC kit is in addition to what common sense dictates I should have on me. In order to increase the ability to stay warm, I’ve changed the contents of my main compartment to these items:

• Winter Hat – heat is lost primarily through your head, so this one is a no-brainer²
• Wool Socks – important to keep those feet warm; no one wants frostbitten toes³
• Radio w/earpiece – allows you to keep in touch with folks and also has weather stations to keep up with reports
• Goggles – Ever tried to walk through blowing snow? My eyes will thank me for these
• Balaclava – If it’s very cold, I’ll be able to keep my head and face warm; no frostbite on the nose
• Gloves – Cold hands are never fun⁴
• Glove Liners – Ideal for those colder days
• Fleece Pullover – An additional layer to keep me warm

I’m fairly confident that these winter EDC upgrade items will keep me warm even in the worst of scenarios.

Side Compartment

The side compartment is stayed pretty much the same with a flashlight and compass. I also threw in a pair of iPhone headphones (the ones with the mic) so that I can send/receive phone calls (assuming the grid is still up) while keeping the phone tucked away as much as possible. I’ve found (through numerous snowboarding trips) that keeping my iPhone in the cold reduces its battery life faster than if it’s tucked into warmer areas of my clothing. When I don’t have my work bag on me, my Altoids kit also goes in here.

Front Compartment

My winter EDC upgrade involved slightly modifying the front compartment of my EDC bag. I already had a large folding knife, some tea, a County Comm EDC Kit and another flashlight. The tin that the County Comm EDC Kit comes in could act as a cup for boiling water if necessary. In addition to these items, I’ve added some food – walnuts and almonds. I don’t need much to last me, although I have thought about adding a different water container (one with a cup for boiling water) and a small Mountain House bag for one meal.

Flap Pockets

The flap of the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack has two pockets – one on the top and one on the flap. In the flap, I have a Write In The Rain notebook⁵ and the manual for the handheld radio I carry. I carry my fire kit in the top compartment. I really don’t expect to use it, but if I get stuck in the car overnight, it may come in handy to start a fire both for warmth and state of mind.

Conceal Carry Pocket

Due to the wonderful restrictions placed upon us in the People’s Republic of New York, I cannot legally use this pocket for what it was intended for. Instead, I occasionally carry a larger notebook in it. And there’s always a bandana in there despite the fact that there’s always one in my pocket. I did not change anything on this pocket during my winter EDC upgrade.

Conclusion

I’ve transformed my EDC bag from a warm weather bag to one that will help me survive almost any cold weather scenarios. I suggest you perform a winter EDC upgrade on your gear now that winter has fully set in.

What will you carry? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook!

NOTES:
1. My EDC gets updated slightly if I’m taking a longer trip
2. I also keep a heavy wool hat in my car
3. I also keep a heavy pair of boots in my car – important when you wear dress shoes to work most days
4. I also keep two pair of heavy winter gloves in my car
5. I always have a been on my person

I’ve previously discussed tiered EDC methodology as well as what I consider ‘must have’ EDC items.  Continuing with the EDC series, I’ll discuss items on my EDC Tier 2 list which are commonly considered ‘necessary tools’ in an EDC environment.    These items are on my body 98% of the time and, while I don’t feel completely naked without them, I do feel quite uneasy most of the time I’m not carrying them.

EDC Tier 2 – What It Means

EDC Tier 2 items are items I leave the house without only on the rarest of occasions.  These items, for the most part, are on the “No Fly” list meaning I wouldn’t be able to get through airport security with them.  Despite this restriction, these items have tremendous utility and I use them all almost daily.

The five items in this list provide protection, utility, fire, entertainment and data transfer capability on a daily basis.  They include:

Pocket Knife

If you ready any prepper/survival/homesteading blog, you’re bound to run across numerous articles on pocket knives.  They seem to be a mainstay in most people’s base must haves and my EDC Tier 2 list is no different.  I constantly have a pocket knife on me with the exception of when I’m flying.  As I’ve discussed before, I typically carry the Spyderco Endura 4 FFG which is a simple, yet very functional pocket knife.  I use this pocket knife for everything from opening mail at the office to whittling sticks on the trail when I’m hiking.  If you don’t currently carry a knife, I cannot completely explain to you how often you will use one.  Take my word for it – you NEED an EDC pocket knife.

Multitool

I recently reviewed the Leatherman Juice S2 multitool that I carry as part of my EDC Tier 2 kit.  As useful as a pocket knife is, sometimes there are just times when you need more than a blade.  A multitool will give you pliers, screwdrivers, scissors and can openers in addition to other tools.  The functionality is almost limitless and allows you to get most emergency jobs done without carrying around a full toolkit.  I highly recommend the Leatherman Juice S2 for its size and convenience, but any multitool will meet your needs as long as you have a variety of tools contained within it.  If push came to shove and I could only carry either a pocket knife or a multitool, I’d go with the multitool for the simple reason that most multitools have blades built into them.

Small Lighter

Fire provides light, warmth, cooking ability and, possibly most important, comfort.  For that reason, I always carry a small lighter so that I can start a fire if need be.  The small Bic lighters are extremely tiny and can be carry in the fifth pocket of a pair of jeans without knowing it.  For that reason, they are a great edition to my EDC Tier 2 kit.  While I don’t smoke, I have on occasion provided a light for a smoker.  This act usually provides me with a way to start a conversation with a new person.  Meeting new people allows me to network and, in a tough situation, may produce allies or information.

Headphones

Headphones are definitely more of a comfort item than a ‘must have’ in terms of survival.  They have become part of my EDC Tier 2 kit for a few reasons.  First, when travelling, it is much easier to listen to music, podcasts, videos, etc on your smart phone without annoying those around you when you have a set of headphones.  Secondly, I like to keep my phone conversations to myself and the Apple iPhone headphones that I carry have a built in microphone which allows you to have a conversation without holding your phone or talking loudly.  Again, these are more of a comfort item but their small size and utility make them a must have for me.

USB Flash Drive

In my line of work, I’m constantly working between multiple computers.  A small USB flash drive fits easily in my pocket and allows me to easily move between workstations without problem.  I keep some important personal documents on this USB flash drive as well (encrypted, of course, in case I lose it).  These personal document may come in handy in a situation where I’m stranded or unable to get to the original documents.  They include PDF versions of driver’s licenses, birth certificates, bank account records, credit cards  and passports among other items.

Conclusion

My EDC Tier 2 kit contains some very basic items that have a lot of functionality.  While I don’t need these items at all times, I do feel that I need must have them on a regular basis.  I highly recommend building an EDC Tier 2 kit similar to the one described above for your daily use.

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What items do you consider part of your EDC Tier 2 kit? Let me know in the comments.

In case you’re interested, here’s where you can buy any of the items listed in this post:

• Spyderco Endura 4 FFG Pocket Knife ($66 at Amazon.com)
• Leatherman Juice S2 Multitool ($41 at Amazon.com)
• Small Bic Ligther (at any drug store or grocery store)
• iPhone Headphones ($29 at Apple.com)
• SanDisk 8GB USB Flash Drive ($9 at Amazon.com)

Light – it’s the often the difference between getting out of a dangerous situation and running into big problems. Be it fire or pure illumination, light is a key ‘must have’ in most precarious situations. From an EDC perspective, the need for light is almost a mandatory. In order to meet that requirement, I carry the Streamlight Stylus Pro flashlight.

Specifications

Before we get into the pros and cons of this flashlight, let’s lay out the specifics of the product (from Streamlight website):

• C4® LED technology (50,000 hour lifetime)
• Unbreakable and scratch resistant polycarbonate lens
• C4® LED (white): 1,033 candela peak beam intensity; 48 lumens measured system output; 6.25 hours runtime
• Powered by two “AAA” alkaline batteries
• Push button tail switch – momentary or constant on operation
• O-ring sealed, shock proof and drop-tested construction
• Water resistant per IPX4; in accordance with specification EN 60529:1992
• Tear resistant nylon holster
• Unbreakable pocket clip
• L x D: 5.3″ x .6″ (134 x 15 mm)
• 1.64 oz (46.9 g)

The Pros

There’s a lot to like about this little guy.

Size & Weight

The Stylus Pro is a just about the size of a thick pen and doesn’t weight much more. That makes it very easy to carry and allows it to be comfortably tucked into a shirt or pants pocket. The addition of the strong pocket clip makes it stay in place very nicely.

Tail Switch

The push button tail switch makes momentary use very easy. This trait is great if you’re trying to signal people (Morse Code, etc) or if you are in a situation where constant light may give away your location.

AAA Batteries

One of the greatest things about this handy little flashlight is the fact that it runs on two (2) AAA batteries.  Other flashlights run on harder to find battery sizes like a CR123A.  You can find AAA batteries anywhere which makes this flashlight easy to run.

Lumens

This handy little flashlight pumps out about 48 lumens of light with a full battery load. While that is not, quantitatively, as high as some of the high performance lights on the market, it’s more than enough for most EDC situations. It’s important to remember that this type of light is being created only by two (2) AAA batteries. This performance item is not something that can be described well – it must be seen to be fully appreciated.

The Cons

There is only one thing I don’t like about this flashlight and that is the ability to put it in constant mode. The tail switch, while great for using in a momentary setting, has a very high actuation force needed to switch it to a constant mode. Likewise, switching to off requires high pressure to turn it off.

Overall Impression

Despite the tough actuation pressure to turn it on or off, I highly recommend the Streamlight Stylus Pro. Its small size and solid construction make it a great EDC flashlight. I keep this flashlight in my EDC bag only because I always have that bag with me. When there are situations where I don’t have my EDC bag, I have no problem carrying this flashlight in a pocket.

I highly recommend the Streamlight Stylus Pro if you’re looking for a good quality, inexpensive flashlight. You can find one for around $20 on Amazon.com.

Are you a Streamlight Stylus Pro user? Do you want more information on this great little tool? Give me a shout in the comments below and I’ll be sure to respond!

Everyone knows that anything can happen at any time, especially on the road.  Whether you’re with your family, your fishing buddies or taking a Sunday drive by yourself, you need to be prepared for anything that may come up.  With that fact in find, we’ve compiled a list of must have automobile EDC items to keep you ready for any situation.

Tire Blowout

• Spare Tire
• Car Jack
• Flashlight
• Wrench/Socket Wrench Kit

One of the most common things that can happen on the road is a tire blowout.  Whether it happens to you or you pass by someone else with this problem, you should have the above tools on-hand to get yourself back on the road as fast, and painlessly, as possible.  The spare tire in itself is pretty self-explanatory.  The car jack (this 2-ton Craftsman model should be sufficient) is necessary to lift the car high enough to take the tire off and replace it¹.  A good socket/wrench kit is needed to take off the nuts that hold the tire in place. An Ace Gear 30 piece socket/wrench kit should be sufficient for any vehicle.

Locked Outside Your Car

• Spare Key

An extremely common emergency with a rather simple solution. A spare car key, usually placed on the underside of the vehicle, will work just fine for when you accidentally forget that you left your keys are in your car.  Also, if you car is equipped with a keyless entry feature (usually a numeric keypad of some kind), be sure to know the combination so that you may gain access quickly.

Injury

• First Aid Kit

There is always a chance of injury when on the road, whether occurring while driving or while on a trip. It is important to have an up-to-date First Aid kit available, should the need arise. A standard American Red Cross kit or a AAA model would be more than efficient to tend to any wounds that may arise. Any major injuries should be tended to by a doctor at the nearest hospital.

Crashing Into A River

• Glass Cutter

While many think these situations only occur in movies and TV shows, crashing off of a bridge or falling into a river happens more frequently than one would expect it to. Due to the pressure the water creates on the vehicle, being able to apply force strong enough to break a window can be problematic at its minimum, fatal at worst. This is especially true if water has entered the vehicle. A glass cutter would save any life when used efficiently. Kolbat makes a quality glass cutter and comes highly recommended.

Running Out Of Gas/Oil

• Spare Gas Can
• Spare Oil Can

Sometimes when on road trips with friends and family, especially out in the middle of nowhere, you simply just run out of gas or oil. Whether gas stations just ended up being few and far in between, or you just forgot to take care of that oil change, you need to be ready for such an occasion. A spare gas can or spare oil can will remedy this issue without a hitch.

Miscellaneous For The Odd Situation

• Bottles of Water
• Spare Clothes
• Hygiene Equipment
• Bungee Cords
• Utility Knife
• Flashlight
• Flares

When all is said and done, there are situations that can arise that one simply just can’t account for. It is important to have certain things on hand to deal with these events. Such as bottles of water in case of a heat/dehydration emergency or spare clothes if yours get soiled or ruined. If stranded in an unknown area for a prolonged period of time, hygiene equipment will be necessary should you have to go to the bathroom or have other needs. Bungee cords are needed if something breaks and you need to strap something down. A utility knife can be used for defense, cutting something, or opening a can of beans if the need calls for it. Finally a sturdy flashlight, such as a Maglite model, is needed when things get dark and you need help to see. Flares will work when all else fails and you need to signal the nearest authorities and call for help.

Conclusion

With all the above equipment on hand, you should be more than ready to handle any emergency. Whether by yourself, with your drinking buddies, or with the family, you will be prepared for any situation. Everyone needs to be well prepared for anything, and no one will doubt that you have the situation under control.

Editor’s Notes:

1. While the third-party car jack is convenient and easy to use, most vehicles come with a OEM jack that is designed to work with that vehicle.  Limited financial funds may be better spent elsewhere if your vehicle already has a OEM jack.

Think we missed something?  Be sure to let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

photo credit: aaron_anderer via photopin cc

If you’re like me, then each item in your EDC kit has a level of importance associated to it.

Some items you can survive without, but others are “must haves” that you will always have with you.

In my last post, I talked about this overarching tier approach. Today I want to expand specifically on my Tier 1 items.

EDC Tier 1 – What It Means

Plain and simple, Tier 1 items are the core components I won’t leave the house without.  It doesn’t matter if I’m going on vacation a few states away with the entire family or down the street to pick up a gallon of milk.  These items are ALWAYS on my person.

The four items in this list provide the most basic of essentials to me: purchasing power, communication, navigation and safety/protection.

The list is short, but distinguished:

Cellphone

Being the technology-obsessed person I am, I never go anywhere without my cellphone.  I’m currently running an iPhone as you can see in the picture above. My cellphone provides me with many different assets including communication, navigation (compass, maps, etc) and information access via internet hookup. It also acts as a camera if a situation needs documentation and a flashlight in emergency situations.

Keys

Obviously, my keys provide me the ability to operate my vehicle. They also ensure that I can lock/unlock my house.

In addition to my keys, I also carry a ResQMe Car Escape device.  This item is crucial for any possible situation where you are trapped in your car.  It provides you with the ability to break glass and cut a car safety belt.

The final item on my keychain is a bottle opener (thanks to Jack at The Survival Podcast).  You always have to be prepared to open an adult beverage or two!

Also, remember that keys can be used as a defense item in a pinch.  Imagine getting punched by a guy with keys sticking out between his knuckles.  I doubt that would feel good.

Wallet

The cash (you always carry cash, right?) and credit/debit cards I carry allow me to purchase items I may need (water, gas, food, medicine, etc).  I also have ID and a AAA card on me. You never know when you’re going to need any of that. No more needs to be said here.

Watch

This item is probably the most ‘aesthetic’ item out of the group, but it still serves multiple purposes. I’m obviously able to tell time with it.  By wearing a watch, I have a backup (redundancy is key) to the clock on my cellphone which has become my primary time keeper.

Also, this particular model watch has a tachymeter on it. I’m not going to get into the specifics of what a tachymeter is (you can read about it here) other than to say that it provides me with the ability to measure speed and/or distance.

Finally, a non-digital watch gives me the ability to find north via the location of the sun.

Conclusion

Overall, my Tier 1 EDC kit is pretty basic, but contains a handful of items I could not and would not leave the house without. Functioning, and getting home, without these items would be incredibly difficult.  The best part about this kit is that it can be worn on your body at all times no matter what kind of clothes you are wearing.

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What are the items you can’t leave the house without? Let me know in the comments.

In case you’re interested, here’s where you can buy any of the items listed in this post:

• Storus Wallet/Money Clip ($20 at Amazon.com)
• ResQMe Car Escape Tool ($10 at Amazon.com)
• Fossil Decker Men’s Watch ($70 at Amazon.com)

Let’s get one thing straight: everyone’s idea of EveryDay Carry (EDC) equipment is different.  EDC is as personalized as the clothes you wear and the thoughts you think.  Rather than spending time reviewing my EDC, I’m going to use this article to talk to you about my EDC Methodology.

Tiered EDC Methodology

I follow a four tier methodology when it comes to my EDC kit.  Each tier builds on the one below it and provides more protection to the “what if’s” that may arise during the day.

Before anyone calls me out on it, I fully admit to getting this idea from TheUrbanPrepper and adapting it for my own needs.

Let’s break down the tiers:

Tier 1 – Absolute Must Haves

The items that fall into Tier 1 are the items that I would feel naked without.  I carry these items on my person and will always have them on me.  Items that fall into this category include: keys, watch, wallet (w/ID, credit cards and cash) and my cellphone.  Not having one of these would put me at a severe disadvantage with just getting around.

Tier 2 – Necessary Tools

I carry these items 98% of the time and they are also always carried on my person.  For the most part, I feel naked without these items as well.  My basic differentiation between the items in this tier and the items in Tier 1 are that this is my “No Fly” tier (with a few exceptions) meaning these are, mostly, items I wouldn’t be able to get through airport security.  Items in this list include: a knife, a multi-tool, small lighter, headphones and a USB drive.  The last two items can obviously be brought on a plane, but I don’t feel absolutely naked without them, so they fall into Tier 2.

Tier 3 – “Full Pockets”

The items in this tier are important to have on you, but can fill up your pockets pretty quickly.  Typically, I will assess my trip and carry some part of this tier at all times.  When the weather is colder and I have a jacket, I’ll carry most of the items in this tier simply because I have the pocket room.  Items in this tier typically include: an Altoids survival kit, pen/pencil, small notebook and a mini medical kit.  I can get by not having all of these items all the time, but I do try to carry as much of them as possible.

Tier 4 – EDC Bag

My EDC bag is far from ‘tacticool.’  In fact, it’s an old O’Neill surfing backpack.  While the bag itself is nothing special, it does carry all the extraneous EDC kit I need including: a laptop, laptop power supply, a larger notebook, various pens and pencils, additional headphones, paperwork for work, a handheld GPS, a water bottle, extra gloves and hat (as weather dictates), a Tool Logic ICE Companion and various other items.  I’ll be doing a full EDC Bag review later in this series.  Just know that my EDC Bag is typically with me and is modified daily for the adventure du jour.

Conclusion – Planning Is Crucial

I can guarantee that the equipment you need every day looks nothing like the equipment I need everyday.  That doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from how I derive my EDC.

The important step here is planning.  You need to really think through what you do each day and what potential problems you could run into.

For instance, I drive back and forth to an office job five days a week.  During the week, I don’t spend much time outside so my EDC kit doesn’t need to contain a lot in terms of outdoor survival items.

Instead, my EDC needs to concentrate on ‘surviving’ the commute and any trouble that may come my way during that time.  I also must make sure I carry all I need for the office.  I do tweak my EDC on the weekends to accommodate where I’m heading and whether it’s solo or with the family.

As you can see, a little planning let’s you figure out a top-level approach to your EDC.