Do you EDC? What do you EDC?

[Zak33]

Swiss Army every day, everywhere I go. Its the only EDC knife I own.
the others knives are job specific and aren't LC because they lock or are to big or both.

Two wallets. One for cash receipts stamps etc one for cards.
Both phones have torches
Always have a watch on

[Spreadie]

EDC?

Phone, wallet, reading glasses and car keys.

[Saracen999]

Interesting... so most people do indeed tend to carry pretty much the same stuff... and no-one carries a torch/flashlight?

.....

Well, a mini--torch (about 4cm to 5cm long and 1cm dia) is on my car keyring, so .... usually, I have it with me.

I have a couple of other small-ish torches, rather like cheap consumer versions of "tactical" torches andI sometimes take one with me .... at night. Depends why I'm out and where I'm going and, of course, not much use in daylight.

I used to be more inclined to take what I thought I might need, but I ended up looking like I was setting off on a 6-month jungle trek. Now, I'm kinda minimalist, on tne basis that whatever I take, I have to carry. And as I get older, I get less and less inclined to carry unnecessary junk with me.

Of course, I DO have a "useful bits" kit that stays in the car, and a "fix computers" kit with both useful tools and a carefully selected software toolkit too. Most recently, one of those neat telescopic magnetic-tipped pickup tools was added, with a built-in LED torch in the end. Wonerfully useful little gizmo.

But, obviously, I only carry that kit when I expect to or suspect I might need to rummage around in a PCs guts. Which is not often, these days.

It's surprising, looking back, how often some people only ask you round when it turns out that "Oh, while you're here, could you have a look at .... ". So these days, my eyesight coincidentally seems to be too poor if I "didn't expect to need my PC kit and my close-up glasses are in it".

[SUMMONER]

Apart from the obvious I have a LED Lenser K3 mini keyring torch, a Leatherman Brewzer Pocket Tool and a bunch of Kingston SE9 G2 metal USB thumb drives with Falcon4/Hiren's Boot CD and some customised Live Windows/Linux environments on them on my keyring.

Got told off by London Transport Police for having my Gerber MP800 Multitool in it's pouch on the belt 10+ years ago so it now lives inside the small toolbox that I carry around with me most days.

[eltel]

EDC during the week money two phones one tablet keys swiss army knife wallet and FENIX LD10 torch (one phone the tablet and torch are work tools) at the weekend just money and keys

[philehidiot]

Torch I carry on my motorbike kit, which serves two purposes. I wear a high vis in winter and the torch fits into a pocket. I routinely come across fresh crashes and due to my experience and training I stop if there isn't a full emergency services presence (I'm trained in and equipped for immediate trauma care and scene management). So the torch can be switched on in the pocket and it lights up the jacket meaning I can be seen and obviously is useful at a scene for lighting up the cars you're duct taping back together with a copper to get them moving and off the road... that was a fun evening.

The rest of the time I carry a jet flame lighter and use it to make a torch out of the nearest bit of wood and a well timed fart.

I also carry the One Ring To Rule Them All. Comes in handy when the fuzz are out with speed guns.

[TeePee]

The EDC essentials:



Sig Sauer P229 .40.
Zero Tolerance Hinderer 0556CF.
ASP Palm Defender.
Astrolux S1.
Levenger Wallet.

[philehidiot]

The EDC essentials:



Sig Sauer P229 .40.
Zero Tolerance Hinderer 0556CF.
ASP Palm Defender.
Astrolux S1.
Levenger Wallet.

I can't post any of my gun pictures on here. But my Sig looks very similar (It's a CO2 pellet licenced replica. I hate the thing. Honestly it's the worst gun I've ever used and I've used some VERY bad guns). Recently took a picture of my missus on the range firing something very much similar to the below... Now, I love this gun. You certainly can't carry it in the UK though. Rules are you can have it in your own house, on your own land or on private property with written permission. So really it goes with me to the range and back and obviously you have to be sure it's very much unloaded and securely carried. You can't stop off at the supermarket and leave it in the car. The action on it is beautiful and is from a bygone era of real machinists.



Most amusing gun I've ever shot was a (proper, not nitro) black powder .44 revolver. They had to wait until the range was empty to let us shoot as it makes so much noise (proper ground shaker and people do competition shooting) and produces so much smoke...

You might find it ironic that in the UK, we can have 30 round magazines and no one has a problem (although we can't have full auto).

EDIT : You may also find it amusing that we can't carry a Kubotan in the UK as it's an offensive weapon. During my training we were told you CAN carry one if it's part of a keychain because you can say it's just to help you find your keys. Obviously this upsets the balance and when you get sweaty palmed in the heat of a fight it can lead to slippage. As a result, I always recommend a steel barrelled pen which can be used to take notes about your attacker so you might provide a better description to officers later when they come to see you in hospital. We are a nation of laws and carrying anything for self defence is an offence in itself.

[Ttaskmaster]

Swiss Army every day, everywhere I go. Its the only EDC knife I own.

Which one do you have?
I periodically look through the available models, but can never find one that isn't half-full of redundant functions, which renders the purchase a little pointless for me.

Depends why I'm out and where I'm going and, of course, not much use in daylight.

^I hear that from a lot of people who are prone to dropping things under desks or car seats, before then asking to borrow mine!
Many phone torches are just too awkward to get into certain spaces.

[Saracen999]

Which one do you have?
I periodically look through the available models, but can never find one that isn't half-full of redundant functions, which renders the purchase a little pointless for me.


^I hear that from a lot of people who are prone to dropping things under desks or car seats, before then asking to borrow mine!
Many phone torches are just too awkward to get into certain spaces.

Oh sure, but I don't regard that as EDC.

My car has a rechargeable torch as standard in the glove box. And my desk (or rather, all three desks) have at least one torch permanently, for that reason. I say at least one, because my PC desk, where I build or take 'em to bits has :-

- a small 'tactical' torch - extremely bright, at least for indoor use, with Cree LEDs, and
- that magnetised, telescopic 'retrieval' tool, with LED torch in the end, and
- illuminated magnifier lamp.


So, when at desk or in-car, I'm covered. My EDC is about when I'm out, possibly having gone by car.

[Ttaskmaster]

So, when at desk or in-car, I'm covered. My EDC is about when I'm out, possibly having gone by car.

Mine covers all the above, particularly since it's usually when I'm at someone else's desk, car, tent, tank, boat engine, oscilation-overthruster, or whatever, that I'll have the need and thus far away from my own and any kit I'd require.

[Saracen999]

Mine covers all the above, particularly since it's usually when I'm at someone else's desk, car, tent, tank, boat engine, oscilation-overthruster, or whatever, that I'll have the need and thus far away from my own and any kit I'd require.

But then, that's when I have my EDC with me.

Caveat - not having EDC, or PC-EDC with me may well be a conscious decision.

[philehidiot]

OK, I'll bite:
Wallet
Phone
Headphones
Leatherman (I have three. Which one depends on the legal and practical circumstances)
Meds (pill box of various doses of painkillers, anti-emetics and beta blockers)
...and round my neck a medical alert dog tag flanked by a bit of spitfire and a bit of WW1 shell. Because I'm odd.

I also EDC my heart, lungs, kidneys and so on. Having them readily available at all times allows me to abuse them as required.

On the bike I also carry:
Torch
Ear plugs
Visor cleaning kit
Emergency trauma kit (little first aid kits are pointless, this one will save your life)
Alarmed disc lock

[Ttaskmaster]

...and round my neck a medical alert dog tag flanked by a bit of spitfire and a bit of WW1 shell. Because I'm odd.

How useful are these tags?
I used to have something with ID, NOK details and blood type on (because, Biker), but was informed by several paramedics that they don't even look at such things...

Emergency trauma kit (little first aid kits are pointless, this one will save your life)

You being a medical professional, I'm curious about the contents of this, and how big/small it is...?

I generally keep a small "scuffs and scrapes" kit (plasters and meds, burn gel, couple of small dressings) for my pockets, and a larger more comprehensive one for my bag, on the basis that if the situation needs full on stuff like splints, tracheotomy/intubation/haemorrhage sets and defib, then I ought to be calling for a medevac/ambulance!!

[philehidiot]

How useful are these tags?
I used to have something with ID, NOK details and blood type on (because, Biker), but was informed by several paramedics that they don't even look at such things...


You being a medical professional, I'm curious about the contents of this, and how big/small it is...?

I generally keep a small "scuffs and scrapes" kit (plasters and meds, burn gel, couple of small dressings) for my pockets, and a larger more comprehensive one for my bag, on the basis that if the situation needs full on stuff like splints, tracheotomy/intubation/haemorrhage sets and defib, then I ought to be calling for a medevac/ambulance!!

The alert tag has saved my skin. I got ill and they sent out an ambulance with two technicians who couldn't do much except ferry me to hospital or shock me if I dropped dead. They then saw my alert tag (it's a screw open one which had a carefully folded bit of paper inside), shat themselves and realised what they were dealing with. They then called for a specialist paramedic in a rapid response car who could administer the treatment required to stabilise me before taking me to hospital (they also stood there commenting on how I was going further and further downhill and decided to ask me how I was feeling. They got a response laced with as much sarcasm as I could muster).

I have attended numerous crash scenes and if the patient is conscious, then fine they'll tell me. If they're not, the odds are I'm going to do some kind of examination which will reveal the tag, which I'm going to look at. If it's straightforward and the tag is for blood type, NOK, etc I'd argue that is useful for when you get to the emergency department and they'll see it there during the primary survey (where they cut off your clothes and examine every bit of you) and it may mean they can just get you the right blood there and then rather than going O- which may be in short supply. Will it save your life? Well, if you are diabetic, end up in the ED and that takes them straight to a diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis rather than messing with the differentials.... yes. So the paramedics may not look at it but I guarantee you, when you get to hospital, I want as much information about you as I can get to guide me down the right diagnostic path as fast as possible.

My trauma kit is actually quite small. It is aimed around a couple of central themes, protecting me whilst I'm treating someone and also only really being stocked for things which I'm likely to be able to manage at the roadside and can't wait for an ambulance. For example a neck brace is useless as I can hold the neck in place and if I do that right, they're not going to drop dead before the ambulance gets there. Therefore I have a few simple plasters and some tape and some basic dressings, just for basic first aid stuff as, you never know, I might burn myself whilst effecting a roadside repair or something. My focus is maintaining the airway in patients with depressessed consciousness and controlling severe bleeding.

The major trauma kit consists of:
2x combat application tourniquets - these can go over clothes, be applied one handed and are an amazing invention.
2x first field dressings - these can be used as pressure dressings to slow down bleeding.
Celox A - this is a haemostatic agent which causes clotting even in extreme circumstances. I used to get sponges but they got too expensive for stuff that went out of date before being used and packets of granuals are a nightmare if it's windy or if the blood flow just flushes it out. Celox A is designed for penetrating wounds and is the granuals in a large, sterile syringe which allows insertion into the wound, controlled application and then a field dressing to go on top to seal it all and let it do its magic.
Basic airway adjuncts - these sit in your mouth and keep your airway open. They're great as when you get conscious enough to maintain your own airway, you'll spit them out and they're not invasive. Great for patients who don't need full on airway management but where it is compromised.
iGel - proper airway for those who might otherwise need an emergency cricothyrotomy. Goes down the gob and surrounds the airway and keeps it open, prevents puke getting where puke shouldn't get and allows drugs to go down it. When I get this out, you don't wanna be on the receiving end.

Other stuff is a CPR facemask, hand gel, light sticks and some tough cut scissors.

As for the tags, if you're a biker I'd have one and if you have any life threatening chronic conditions I'd have them also, even if it just directs them to a long note in your wallet.

[TeePee]

The major trauma kit consists of:
2x combat application tourniquets - these can go over clothes, be applied one handed and are an amazing invention.
2x first field dressings - these can be used as pressure dressings to slow down bleeding.

My Medic training is pretty limited, but CAT's are fantastic. Make sure you have a marker pen. Also, you can wear the Velcro tab out of the side pocket of your 511's for the ultimate in poser chic.

If in doubt, add tape.

On a more serious note, there may be an opportunity for a thread for recommendations of first aid training courses. I imagine most people have had some CPR training through their employment, but I can see some might be interested in taking that further. Any chance of a write up, Phil?