What is an EDC? Well in normal cases, think of Grandma's purse. When I was a kid, if you needed something, grandma had it. I think she was prepared to go on a game show at all times, remember the one where they asked if you had some item? If you bust a seam on your pants, grandma had needle and thread. If you lost a button, grandma had a safety pin. She had hard candy, tums, change for the phone, whatever you might need.
Today, we have to carry that a bit further with the instability of our nation the way it is. I've heard a lot of people talk about their EDC's, so I thought I'd post mine.
In the first photo, are the individual items. I always carry a scarf. Scarves have a multitude of uses. It can cover your head and keep the sun off of you, it can be wrapped over your mouth and nose to keep smoke out, or wrapped around your neck to absorb sweat (good for Texas). It can be used to alter your appearance. It can be used as a sling or a tourniquet. You can also use it to carry things. I'm sure there are other uses, too, that I'm not listing. I always carry a scarf. Particularly now, while I'm going through chemo therapy. If something were to happen to my wig (it's synthetic, so it could melt) I would need head protection and wouldn't want to look vulnerable.
Another thing in the above photo is a pad of paper and a pencil. I have a knife on me, so I can sharpen a knife. Pens are known to leak, explode, etc., even though they have their uses. The thing that looks like a pen is actually pepper spray. That use is obvious. The paper can be used to start a fire, leave notes, take notes, or pass notes when you can't speak.
I have an old Stanley staple gun case that has several items in it. I will list them individually with their uses
Paint stick, broke in half: Kindling, splints, can be sharpened into a spear to hunt or for traps.
One half is wrapped with 500 cord: There are a multitude of uses for para cord. I have about 15 feet (I'm 5'5 and I measured by stretching my arms to full length 3 times). Para cord can be separated into smaller cords and the individual cords can be used as well as using it whole
Lighter: Obviously for lighting a fire, for seeing, lighting a torch, etc. Setting a signal fire, though in an urban situation, I won't need that.
Combination whistle/compass/thermometer/magnifying glass: I got it for the whistle...signaling. I (unfortunately) navigate by landmarks like most women, not by direction. I guess that means I should include a scale map. The magnifying glass would help if I lost my glasses, or to start a fire if the sun was out.
Fishing tool: This has screw drivers, a blade, a saw, pliers, and will measure up to 5 inches. I think the uses for that is pretty obvious.
2 Pairs of gloves, each wrapped with a pony tail holder: The gloves are obvious, to protect your hands in case you have to deal with someone bleeding that you don't know. The pony tail holder is just an extra tie down or fastener.
Plastic bag with sport wrap in it: The bag can be used to hold water, leave a note in a watered environment, store small things you find that you may need to keep, etc. The sport wrap is that stuff that sticks to itself like you get at the lab when you get a blood draw.
Square of tin foil: A square of aluminum foil folded down into a small square. This can be used to cook in an emergency, to signal, lots of uses.
Sewing Needle: I've attached the sewing needle to the square of aluminum foil with duct tape. Both are of use. The duct tape is obvious: Duct tape fixes everything. The sewing needle can sew clothes or stitch up a cut. Though I'm not sure I could stitch myself unless there was no one else available and it was an EOTWAWKI situation.
Plastic bag with medical supplies: I'll go into detail on this in the last photo.
3 Tampons: No, not for me. I'm post-menopausal. This is actually a cheap way to filter water. It doesn't get rid of bacteria, but it will strain it. But if I'm desperate and need a drink, I'll drink from the creek. You could also filter water through the tampon, then boil it up in an aluminum foil bowl.
Flashlight: OK, another obvious thing. This one is wrapped in Duct tape as well, just another way to have more duct tape...can you ever have enough? I could unwrap it and wrap a hose leak on my car enough to limp home maybe.
Coffee sleeve: I don't know why I threw this in there...coffee emergency? It just seemed the right thing to do. It's cardboard, flat, but expands to a circle, just seemed smart. Use it like a pot holder?
Now for my medical plastic bag:
Travel bottle of shampoo: Right now I don't need it for my hair (don't have any) but I might need to wash something or could use it to wash my hands.
Steri-strips: In case I can't sew up myself, I have steri-strips to close a wound.
Dental floss, removed from container: Takes up less room without the container, and I have a knife to cut it. This is used for sewing, clothes or skin, for fishing line in case I'm really out in the boonies, to lash things down/together, etc.
Fingernail clippers: Besides clipping my nails, fixing a hang nail I could use it to cut small things. It also has a nail file on it. Sorry, don't know how to pick a lock with a nail file.
Alcohol prep pads: Besides medical uses, I believe it would help start a fire, if you're careful. You could sterilize a tool, like the sewing needle. Or sterilize a wound, ouch.
Non-Aspirin pain reliever: Pain, inflammation, fever, doesn't thin the blood.
Plastic bag: Once again, it carries all the supplies, but if needed it can carry other things, including water.
Aspirin 2 packs: Pain, fever, inflammation, blood thinner.
Gauze pads: Wound control, fire starter.
Little bag with cotton swabs and bandaids: Bandaids obvious medical reasons. I suppose you could use the cotton swabs for fire starters, too. Just always have them on hand.
2 Gold $1 coins: Money, distraction, etc.
2 "finger cots": Putting on fingertips in case of injury, or I suppose if you needed some protection. I don't know if they'd hold any water or not. I may at a later date throw a condom in this kit. It's supposed to hold water.
P38 can opener: I'm not carrying any cans, but if SHTF, you can bet I'd stop in and grab something to eat if it hit when I was far enough away from home.
Extra pills: I have my daily pills for two days, plus pepto pills, ibuprofen, and (don't ask me why) salt and pepper packets.
Small items in rolled up duct tape: Once again, more duct tape. Inside are 3 pennies, paper clips, safety pins, tweezers, Emory board with more dental floss wrapped around it: Basically a fishing kit, I suppose you could jump something with the copper in the pennies, another thing I don't know why I threw in. But, you could bend the safety pins into hooks, or just to keep the scarf on.
Small bar of soap: travel size, in case I need to wash my hands, wash something else, etc.
So, that's my EDC. I keep these items, most of it inside the Stanley bag, in the center compartment of my purse. The pad of paper, pencil, pepper spray and scarf are loose. Yes, I carry a fairly large purse. I was considering putting a backpack in my car with a spare pair of hiking boots, in case I'm not wearing comfortable shoes, and to throw my purse in to carry on my back, instead of as a purse. In my car, I always have a military blanket (wool) and a jacket as well as a couple bottles of water and the grocery bags I always carry. I keep a cigarette lighter operated air compressor for flat tires, and an emergency took kit.
