# EDC (Everyday Carry)



## ericjohn (Dec 21, 2013)

For those out there who don't know, there is something that plenty of  people do on a daily basis-they EDC.  There is even a forum about it EDC stands for everyday carry.  It is a item or set of items that a  person carries with him or her everday, everywhere.  Some do it for  their jobs.  Some do it for their hobbies.  Some do it just to be  prepared. Some do it for all those reasons.  Items that may be carried  are things like: a flashlight, a pocket tool or knife, a mobile device, a  PDA (yes the electronic device this time), netbook/tablet, pens/papers  and medication.  Someone might carry some or even all of these There are  additional items that are not in my short and quickly fabricated list.   I EDC.  I don't/can't necessarily carry all of those, but I do carry  some.   What I can't keep in my pockets; I carry in a Swiss backpack  (that I got on clearance for $25.)  I hardly ever pay retail price for  the items I buy.  

This is about what I carry and have carried.

Ever since the age of 7; I always had an EDC bag.   It's one of my quirks.  

Ever since the age of 18, I always had a flashlight on me-even when I am  sleeping.  I have always been drawn to flashlights-ever since I  remember myself.  AND Just for the record, I have a childhood memory so  vivid that I remember events before the age of 1...Back to  flashlights...I carry them because I like to be prepared and I think  they are so cool.  The rest of the world would too if people would brand  and label each other so much.  From the age of 11 to 18 I was conscious  of what people might say or think if they knew I carried a flashlight.   Then I made up my mind that I would carry one anyway.  I have never  once been insulted for having a flashlight in my adult life.  In  elementary school I was slightly harassed, but that is a different story  for another day. There is a forum for those who like flashlights.   We are called flashaholics, by the way.   I especially like to bring  my flashlight with me to the movies.  Thugs  and gangsters have been  known to place HIV contaminated needles in the  seats as an initiation  ritual, so I always check the seats.  Not to  mentioned, there are  plenty of people who are either impressed or get a  good laugh when I  light up the dark room

For a while I carried a knife:  My soon to be best friend and I were  volunteering at a local rodeo, cooking hamburgers among other things.  There was a bag of frozen potatoes (curly fries) that needed to be  opened.  He handed me his knife and I proceeded to open the bag.  Not  being used to knives at the time, I accidentally slit my finger and bled  slightly.  This made me realize that I could protect myself with a  knife, should the situation ever arise.  The fact that I was 18 meant  that I could now legally carry a knife.  A few days later, I was in Wal  Mart and was looking in the hardware department at the razor knives.   None of them caught my attention and I only had a $10 bill on me.  (I  didn't have a checking account or credit card either.)  I decided to  check out sporting goods.  After looking at the knives under the  counter, I almost gave up.  They were either not big enough or out of my  price range.  I went look at the camping supplies and there I saw it,  hanging on a hook in a carded package.  It was Winchester pocket knife  with rubber grip and ~ 2.x inch, surgical blade.  I saw the price; it  was only $7.xx.  I called my friend and he told me to get it.  There was  a girl at church whom I had a crush on.  I wanted to go out with her  and be able to protect her, but nothing ever came of it.  I still  continued to carry the knife, except to school, of course.  Everywhere  else I went, however, rest assured I was carrying.  Whenever I held it  in my hand, I felt such a surge of power.  I no longer carry knives  since I am frequently in places that are weapon free zones.

I carry a portable radio scanner in my backpack, in case I decide to go  chase (just watch) trains.  People who do that, by the way, are known as  "foamers."  Not everyone knows what a radio scanner is nor do they even  know such a device exists.  There is a forum, by the way, for scanner  listeners but that is not what the bulk of this is about. To be brief a scanner  is a radio that can intercept people having a conversation of most two  way radio systems.  This means that in most cases this device can  intercept police, fire and ems communications , railroad operations (my  personal favorite), aircraft, business band (like Wal Mart employees  talking about customers on their walkies), mariners, and even children  at play.  It is also capable of picking up the government funded weather  broadcasts when I cannot get weather information from any other source.   Yes, there is such a service available [AND FREE] and people in  general are not very aware of it.  http://nws.noaa.gov is their website.  

I carry my Asus Eee PC (that I have had for almost 5 years, Praise God)  in my backpack if I know that I will be away from home for a while.  I  never know when I am inspired to write (or read) something or if I am in  the need of any information (God bless the inventors of WiFi.)  I have  been wanting an iPod touch for years now especially since a character in  one of my stories uses one.  

I carry a TI30XA calculator for in case I need to do figuring that goes beyond pencil and paper.

Hopefully, you get the point.  It would be a wise idea for everyone to  take part in this activity.  If I ever need to leave for any reason; I  just grab my backpack and go.  This is especially good since I live in  hurricane prone Louisiana.  If there is any other disaster (natural or  man made) and evacuations are ordered; I am ready to go at a second's  notice.  This is a part of my world-and the world of plenty other people  who I have come across.  Maybe someone will take this advice to heart.   If I have caused just one person to start edcing, then I have made a  difference.


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## The Tourist (Dec 21, 2013)

I believe in the "trinity of survival."  That being, a flashlight to see, something to make fire, and something for cutting.  I also carry a "BOB" pack (known as a 'bug out bag') for my truck with spare batteries, matches, paracord, etc.

For a pocketknife I've been carrying a Boker Squail or a Schrade SCHF14.

For a CCW firearm, I vacillate between a SW 360PD and SIG Sauer P238.  We have a nagging zombie problem in my county.  If they're in a crosswalk you can't run 'em down, but you can shoot them in an apocalypse.  Sheez, liberals...


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## Pandora (Dec 22, 2013)

:smile2:

Max Factor # 225 Citrine, very rare, discontinued, ebay to the rescue. 

Interesting thread ericjohn, thanks for sharing.


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## The Tourist (Dec 22, 2013)

Pandora said:


> Max Factor # 225 Citrine, very rare, discontinued, ebay to the rescue.
> 
> Interesting thread ericjohn, thanks for sharing.



Please tell us there's a little knife in lipstick case--I mean, you and I have walked the same streets in our lives.

I'm glad ericjohn started the thread, myself.  "What's in your pockets?" is a common forum topic in some forums, and I'm glad we started one here.


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## Pandora (Dec 22, 2013)

Yes we have. I like the thread too, good point too to be prepared. I'm kind of a crazy lady, I carry a small purse with nothing in it.
Well except a kleenix pack, my lipstick, ID and mad money. I must be totally unprepared but if it gets snatched I'd be pretty upset about the lipstick,
I had to hunt that down and pay for shipping.


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## The Tourist (Dec 22, 2013)

Pandi, go back and take a look at the picture I posted of the three items--the little flashlight, the waterproof match case and the money clip.

The reason I sell that clip is that it's the only one I've seen that has a real knife in it, not some glorified nail file.  It's real-deal Japanese steel, that one is polished.

It's made by *Mcusta* and you might like to research it.


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## Pandora (Dec 22, 2013)

I googled, it looks like something I could hurt myself with . . . ha!


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## The Tourist (Dec 22, 2013)

Pandora said:


> I googled, it looks like something I could hurt myself with . . . ha!



Well, it's designed to hurt others.  I'd brush up on those old Milwaukee knife skills, you represent us cheeseheads, ya' know sure by golly.

No, the knife blade locks open, it's a real knife.


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## Pandora (Dec 22, 2013)

It looks very real der hey . . .


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## The Tourist (Dec 22, 2013)

Pandora said:


> It looks very real der hey . . .



Well, yeah, don't ya' know hey.  But first you have to go down by the viaduct, where the street car tracks bend the corner around by the old bubbler.  Viaduct?  Why not a chicken, aina hey?

Too many years on Villard.


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