Let’s get something straight here folks, we know that not everyone has the luxury of spending 5-6+ hours per day on their preps, and an endless bank account to boot. Which is why at survivethewild.net we’re all about working with and getting the best information to those who are working the 9-5 grind while preparing as much as they can for their families.
And in this article we’re going to break out some simple life hacks that will give you peace of mind no matter whether you’re at home or at work. And that’s the most efficient EDC (every day carry) kit for the desk jockey who’s looking to become a survival junkie!
We’re going to go over the situations in which a well thought out EDC kit could save yours and your families lives. Then we’ll go over the basics of an EDC kit and why you need to have one on your person, in your car/on your bike, and at work. Finally we’re going to go over the situational necessities of each EDC kit, and why you can’t just repeat the same one for each setting.
Why A Well Thought Out EDC Kit Is Necessary
It’s a little cynical to think about how much could go wrong every day. From the time you wake up, your drive to work and the eight hours you spend there, there are countless opportunities for things to get catastrophic!
One possibility is an overnight societal breakdown that floods your neighborhood with looters and thugs. Do you have everything that you’ll need to survive and defend yourself in an easy to grab kit that can be stored in your pockets and on your person to travel light? If not, you need to figure out an EDC kit for that.
If you live in California and an earth splitting earthquake leaves you trapped in your car in a precarious situation. Where even if you get out of the car you’re not sure if you will be able to face the city. Or maybe it’s a flash flood in the green and rugged mountains of Tennessee that’s swept your car off the road, against a tree and is swirling all around you. But wait you thought ahead and have all you need in another easy to grab and go kit so you can make it out! If not, you need to figure out an EDC kit for that.
And now let’s imagine you actually made it to the workplace today, you’re clicking away, or whatever you do. And there’s a fire in the building that’s growing rapidly, closing off your exits in seconds. Thankfully you thought about this situation, calmly reach into your desk drawer to grab a few items to help you out of this situation, and assist your co workers to safety! And guess what, if you don’t have this then you need to figure it out!!
There’s so much that can go wrong on a daily basis. That’s not to say that you should live in fear, but that you should manage the risks by having tools that will help you available to you to overcome said disaster.
Basics Of The EDC Kit
The main thing to keep in mind with an EDC kit is that you’re putting something on your person or in your pockets that is part of your “get home” kit. So these items need to have a purpose, no matter how small.
So if you have a key ring you can add a multipurpose tool to it like a window breaker or lock pick. If you wear a belt everyday you can replace it with a paracord belt so that you’ll have more utility from it. Think in terms of usefulness and not style.
To know what needs to go into the EDC kit you need to know what you already have on you and around you daily. A simple pocket dump while at work, in the car or once you get home will answer this question and you can see what you’re working with.
If you’re like most people you’ll have the typical keys, phone, wallet, belt and maybe a watch (that’s usually a step ahead of everyone else though, so good job if you wear a watch). And there you have it, your EDC kit! Bet you didn’t even know you already had one 😉
Now with a few simple tweaks and substitutions we can take you from not prepared to fight your way out of a wet paper bag, to the most prepared person in a 5 mile radius!
Situational Necessities Of An EDC Kit
It’s not hard to understand that what you’ll need in your car to survive is different from what you’ll have at home. In your car you’ll want to have something like a spring-loaded window breaker, and thankfully there are companies like survivallife.com that give these bad boys away with only the cost of shipping and handling.
Now let’s think about what you’ll need to have a correct home EDC kit, and remember this will be something that is comfortably worn on your person or within close reach.
A gun should be the first thing on your list since it is your own home and there’s no concealed carry permit required. So check! The gun of choice for most people is the Judge that uses 510 shotgun shells. Next you’ll want an LED flashlight that is also durable, just in case you need to take it in a rush. Then you’ll want the paracord bracelet for an emergency of course. All of this should be along with your phone, keys, wallet and other valuables. Since you’re at home you don’t need that much with you, because it’s all there.
Now for the car
A window breaker is the first thing that should be within reach, the last thing you want is to be trapped in your car as it sinks deeper in the water. Next you’ll want to keep a gun in your car, and in most states there should be a law that determines if your car is an extension of your house. Paracord bracelet comes next obviously. Then we have your phone, keys and other necessities. Your choice survival pocket knife should be in the glove compartment also.
You can go a little further and keep a small bug out bag in your back seat, but that’s completely up to you. It is a good idea for most people, whether you’re a prepper or not, to have something like this in case of emergencies.
A notepad is a good idea to jot down repetitive sights on the way to and from work every day, this will help you establish a baseline so that if something out of the norm happens, you’ll notice right away!
Finally Let’s Talk About Work
The last place you want to be most days is where you spend most of your time, so it makes sense to have preparations in place. And getting a gun into work isn’t always allowed, which is silly because the gunmen who shoot up workplaces don’t tend to follow those rules, but that’s beside the point. So you’ll need something as a weapon that is more subtle, we suggest a monkey fist made from paracord. If one of these are done right you’ll be able to break windows, defend yourself and take care of business with it.
Having a multitool isn’t a bad idea as well, now we’re not saying to bring in a Crovel to set up next to your desk, but a multitool window breaker that fits in your pocket is more along the lines of what we’re looking for. And the paracord bracelet, phone, keys and what not as well are a good idea.
It would be a good idea also to keep a journal at work to log daily activities, just to keep yourself sharp and set up a baseline of emotions, tensions and general mental states of those in your workplace.
Conclusion
This has been an amazing time together, I hope you learned the value of an EDC kit and how it could save your life one day. The EDC kit is the most valuable thing you can leave the house with every day, so make sure whatever you take with you has purpose in any situation and not just a space taker.
About the Author: My name is Cory and I’m the admin of survive the wild. I grew up in the heart of Texas outside Waco (yes wacko Waco), with a family of marines. The only thing that hindered my joining is a hearing impairment that disqualified me from being in infantry. But I’ve trained and interacted with them my whole life, discussing military strategies, the state of our nation and of course prepping as our right and duty. I also work with retired firemen and EMTs who are avid preppers. And the added benefit of their medical expertise helps to give insight to areas that I’m not exactly an expert in yet. Which is why I have this site and choose to share my learning with others. I hope you find this site helpful for your situation and that you’re able to help others by sharing as well.