Daily Carry System Essentials

[watchman]

Here's my daily carry system.  Outside of a firearm, is there anything else you carry that you find useful that I ought to add?
Wallet/Keys/Cellphone
Handkerchief
Folding tactical knife concealed inside my beltloop
Small leatherman (pliers, sciscors, tweazers, drivers, nailfile, pick, openers)
Small 5"x3" camera case containing: paper tablet, pen, flashlight, spare battery, variety of bandages, eye drops, whistle, chapstick, antibiotic, alcohol wipes, burncream, small zipties, paperclips, sunscreen (yes this does all fit in a 1x3x5 case).

[Alex Haddox]

Great list!

How do you carry all of that?

With the few items I carry (cell phone, kubotan, folding knife, flashlight), my pants tend to fall down when I take a piss.


The one additional item is a Throw-Away Wallet (money clip variation).
http://www.alexhaddox.com/taw.shtml

[watchman]

It's surprisingly compact Alex.  My space restrictions are greater than most people too.  I cannot wear cargos and started fighting sciatic (spelling?) nerve issues in my leg so I quit carrying my wallet in my back pocket (which fixed it).

Right pocket: keys (small leatherman on keychain, roughly the size of 2 AA batteries) and camera case
Left pocket: wallet and cell phone
Rear pocket: handkerchief
Folding Knife concealed under my belt.

The key is maximizing how small the items are.  That 1x3x5 camera case holds everything (Caselogic $7 at walmart).  The maglite I have is about the size of a AA battery and takes a AAA.  It works really well though and I use it surprisingly often.  The paper tablet is a bit larger than a couple of credit cards.  I cut down a regular bic pen to fit the case.  The sunscreen, burncream, bandages, alcohol wipes are all flat and came out of a first aid kit.  If I cut out the rape whistle and chapstick (which would be the first things to go) the entire package could fit in a case half this thick.

[NS2]

Why do feel the need to carry a leatherman on your person.  Do you encounter many life or death bolt tightening situations? 

[watchman]

I sell furniture retail.  I open, repair, assemble, pack trucks, 10+ times a day.  Often off-site.

[NS2]

Sure.  So wouldn't the tools to do that work be part of your work toolbox?

Perhaps I misunderstood.  I thought this was about defensive type items.  My mistake.

[combat diver]

Never know when you need something to open that cold frosty beverage before the end of the world... 

Seriously, I carry my Gerber tool everywhere. I have used it for a road side repair, adjust the optic on the ar and so on... If the space allows for it, why not?

[NS2]

If the space allows for it, why not?

Because ounces = pounds

and

pounds = pain and a loss of mobility.

[combat diver]

Ok, fair enough, your right, but what he is carrying in a 1x3 pouch and the things in his pockets are not gonna put to many pounds in there . For me the few ounces the tool adds will be worth its weight in gold when it is needed. If the weight becomes that much of an issue when the SHTF he can dump ounces other places.
-Pat

[watchman]

Yes, my primary focus is adding personal self-defense item(s) at this time.

But I try to defend against more than just the dangers and problems that take human form.  There are going to be about 1000 non-life threatening dangers/problems you'll face for every catastrophic life or death one.

Weight and mobility is huge factor for me.  I am working with a customer one minute, moving a sofa the next, pulling up carpet in someone's house after that, and unloading a freight truck after that.

My system weighs very little outside of the little leatherman (which on second look is gerber brand by the way).  The additional size and weight of the whole system is about a pound (excluding wallet and cell phone) and about a two wallets thick.

[TravisLeibold]

The Asp Palm Defender OC sprays are very compact, low profile, and cool. The longer ones might make for an excellent Kubaton as well. Can't say for sure as I haven't learned that yet...

[Devereaux]

You mention antibiotic. I presume you are talking an ointment. Since you anticipate that, ?why don't you also have a small bottle of either ibuprofen or naproxen.

[jmstevens2]

Not to mention the obvious for everyday carry. My Glock or 1911 and spare mags.

[spector4]

I agree with one of the previous post that you might think about a small pill box with with naproxon or some other pain reliever.

[watchman]

Good call.  I may swap out the chapstick and rape whistle for a small pillbox.  Ibuprofin, tylanol, pepto...what else am I forgetting?

The kubaton/pepperspray are still in my thoughts but I honestly will be reaching for the folding tactical knife in tucked in my waist before the kubotan IMO.  It could function pretty effectively as a kubotan anyway but is very accessable (not deep in my pocket) and I can open it one-handed if necessary.

[Daeglan]

keep the whistle

the ability to be able t be heard when trapped is invaluable.

[nicktheww2fanatic]

Emptying my pockets/belt/boot....

Wallet (duh...)
Becker BK11 (fixed blade knife)
Gerber 600 (multi-tool)
Springfield Loaded 1911 (in a Crossbreed Supertuck)
-2 Spare 8rd Magazines
Droid X
S&W 442 (in a Gould & Goodrich B716)
-Speed Strip w/ 5 rds.
16GB Flashdrive

[jmstevens2]

Good call.  I may swap out the chapstick and rape whistle for a small pillbox.  Ibuprofin, tylanol, pepto...what else am I forgetting?

The kubaton/pepperspray are still in my thoughts but I honestly will be reaching for the folding tactical knife in tucked in my waist before the kubotan IMO.  It could function pretty effectively as a kubotan anyway but is very accessable (not deep in my pocket) and I can open it one-handed if necessary.

Depending on your climate it may require some thought. Humid south in the heat for example, if the container is not waterproof they will get wet and melt together. Pacific northwest, etc.

[watchman]

Thought I'd add some visuals.