What is E.D.C. - Every Day Carry?

E.D.C. or every day carry is the term used to describe the items carried on your person on a daily basis, or the practice of keeping a set of items for such purpose.

Most people these days never leave home without their wallet, keys, and cell phone. This is the most basic of every day carry. But many people see the benefit of adding a few more items to facilitate their day to this list. Perhaps it's a set of ear buds, a pocket knife, or packet of chewing gum. Maybe it's a cell phone charger, a baseball cap, or first aid kit. What ever you carry, it is usually a personal choice and varies from person to person.

Maybe you have a grandmother or know of one who carried a purse that always seemed to have everything in it when needed.  A Mary Poppins bag of sorts. Women can carry a purse, and men sometimes carry back packs. There was even a fad of fanny packs, before they fell out of favor. You can keep EDC to what you keep in your pockets, or you can expand it to the bags and accessories you bring with you everywhere you go. The choice is yours.

The more you bring the more you are prepared for but the more you look like the crazy bag lady. Hauling around a bag or two of heavy rarely used items can be overkill on most days. But having just your cash and I.D. will be a bit too minimalist for most as well.

EDC is not static. It can change from day to day. You might need completely different items on work days than you would need on your day off. Summer vs. Winter can change things too. Anyway you look at it EDC is a very personal choice.

So, what do you EDC? What items can you not live without on a normal day, or a not so normal day? Comment below and share your EDC List and why.

I'll start you of with one of my personal EDC lists.

Basic Day Off of Work List:
Digital Wrist Watch, Credit Card Wallet*, Cash Wallet, Cell Phone with Case, Bandana, Pocket Knife, Pocket Flashlight, Chapstick, Bic Lighter, Fisher Space Pen, Two Hair Ties, and a Eight Foot Hank of Para-cord. (* indicates some smaller items included in wallet not called specifically at this time. Covered in future post)

Later we will dive in to some of the most common items and discuss why to carry it and what can be done to make it better.

What is a Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.) and why do I need one?

The Bug Out Bag or B.O.B. is a backpack or pack of some sort that you have packed and ready in case of an emergency that forces you to leave your home at a moments notice.

When most survivalist talk about a Bug Out Bag they usually are focused on items in that bag that can be used to survive in the wild. Items may include a shelter, ax, water filtration, fishing kit, etc.

There is however another way to look at a Bug Out Bag that is not quite so drastic. Consider a bag you can grab that is prepared for the everyday emergency. Such as a weather emergency that has the local authorities calling for evacuation. Perhaps a friend or family member is rushed to the hospital and you need to get there ASAP. Packing in a situation like this, you are bound to forget a few important things.

Having a bag filled with necessities at the ready, can be very helpful and bring peace of mind. You could start with an Everyday Emergency Bag (an Overnight Bag) and complete a Wilderness B.O.B later, this way you have a choice of what to grab when the need arises.

The term Bug Out Bag is just one term used to describe a prepacked bag you can grab when needed. Some other terms include, Go Bag, I.N.C.H. Bag (I'm Never Coming Home Bag), Get Home Bag, S.C.A.R.E. Bag, Just In Case Bag, or Overnight Bag. Some of these terms are interchangeable but others denote a specific situation or reason to carry it.

No matter what you call it, having something prepped ahead of time in case of emergency is just smart. I recommend starting with an Overnight Bag, a bag packed in case of having to stay overnight somewhere at a moments notice, this figures on staying in a house or building with running water and electric, no social unrest or weather emergency. Things you may include might be a change of clothes, a small toiletry bag, charger for you cell phone, etc.

After you have one of these bags feel free to build a bag suited to whatever emergency you feel is most likely to happen where you are, flood, hurricane, volcano, earthquake, zombies, etc.

Keep your bag somewhere easy to grab, and check it's contents on a regular basis to make sure seasonal items are suited to time of year, items still fit, etc. Consider also packing a bag for each member of your family. Don't forget to include your furry family members, and other pets you would take with you in an emergency.

What would you keep in your Bug Out Bag? What emergency situation do you think is the most common? What should we be prepared for? Comment below and let us know.