Monday, January 29, 2018

Pocket and Man-Bag Dump, January 2018 Edition

I have a blog post in mind that would benefit from a fresh pocket & murse man-bag dump. The last one I did was posted was in June of 2017 and there have been enough changes to warrant an update.

If you're not sure what a bag / pocket dump is, and you're curious, here's a good place to start.

First off, an overall pic:

Keychain

  • USB Keychain Cable
  • P51 can opener with binder-clip to keep it closed
  • (2) paperclips, including a tactical black one!
  • Tweezers. Added after a couple of run-ins with ticks
  • Nitecore Tube flashlight. Bright and USB rechargeable. Dare I say, the perfect keychain flashlight.
  • My house key. Yes, there's one real key on my keychain.
  • A large safety pin
  • (2) pill containers holding useful meds
  • Whistle
  • Derma-Safe razor blade, the best utility blade ever

Not shown: two small rare Earth magnets that can be used as be used as an indestructible compass. They're stashed in one of the pill containers.

Other Pocket Items

I continue to use my wallet to hold a bit of cash and some utility items, but that's it. If I lose my wallet I'll be without my Ikea tape measure, but I won't be without my identity. Here's what's in my wallet:

  • Dummy Cards, including an already used Amazon Gift Card and an important looking Kinkos card
  • The card with a beach scene on it is a mirror
  • Couple sheets of stickers
  • Fresnel lens
  • Ikea paper tape measure
  • Strip of duct tape
  • Band-aids
  • Wire twist ties
  • Plastic bag (last used to avoid a motion sickness catastrophe)
  • Some money!

On to the bag, which is new for me. The lightweight Wsdear crossbody bag served me well, but one of the zippers eventually ripped on it. I would have probably bought it again, but Amazon has it as unavailable.

I'm giving a small'ish Nicgid bag a try. So far, I'm liking it. It's smaller than the Wsdear, but fits my stuff well (maybe too well?). I like the beefy zippers, which feel like they're going to hold up. Both bags have a large flat pocket on the bag to hold my phone, and a smaller flat pocket on the front which I can slip my money clip into.

Here's what's in the bag:

You can see that I've standardized on 4x6 inch, 6mil ziplock bags to store things in. I'm mostly happy with this, as it keeps items organized and the clear plastic allows me to quickly check contents. Also, as the containers pick up dirt and debris, I can toss them. The big catch: these bags all appears to have pin-hole openings near the top, which mean that they aren't fully sealed (which defeats the purpose of the zip lock nature, no?).

Everyday Stuff. Most of this stuff is boring, until you desperately need it, that is.

  • A-SPAN Street Guide. I hand out to folks when they ask me for money on the street. A-SPAN does amazing work to help those in need locally, and helping folks connect with them is far more valuable than spare change.
  • Keys
  • Flip & Tumble shopping bag. The greatest shopping bag ever.
  • Extra cash
  • Hair rubber band
  • Sun glasses. Broken, so I expect I'll replace these soon with another cheapo pair.
  • Tissues
  • TIP Flashlight. Super bright and rechargeable via USB.
  • Hand sanitizer with a kick
  • Twin Sided Sharpie
  • Buff. If it's hot or cold out, the Buff can save the day. Works as a sleep mask in a pinch. Lets me rock a headband when my hair gets too long.
  • Snacks. Compact, yet designed to give me a burst of sugar or fat on demand.

First Aid. For the level of first aid I'm trained at, basic meds and tape are what it's all about. Whether you're in the woods, or at a movie, over the counter meds at just the right time can be enormously helpful. And tape fixes everything else. New since my last pocket dump are a SWAT-T Tourniquet and ear plugs. I realized I needed to add ear plugs when the last three events we've attended with music left me wishing for them. Given the life saving nature of tourniquets and the versatility of a SWAT-T, it was a no brainer to carry one.

  • SWAT-T Tourniquet
  • CPR mask
  • Aquphor and various others meds
  • Ear plugs.
  • Pair of Nitrile gloves
  • Tape: small lengths of KT, Leuko, Duct and Gorilla.

Electronics. My smart phone is the answer to so many emergencies, from dealing with a down server, to 'surviving' a lengthy waiting room experience. I've found that having a handful of extras make it that much more useful. The keyboard turns my phone into a laptop; the headphones turn it into an entertainment center; and the Software Defined Radio turn it into an emergency command center. The battery and various cables keep the whole setup charged.

Hiking. These few items are the core essentials I'd take on any outdoor adventure. Most of these items cross over to more civilized uses as well. The lighter is just as useful for starting a campfire as it is for lighting birthday candles; the tea bag is just as handy in a hotel room with a coffee maker and no provided tea as it is on the side of a mountain.

  • 1x1 meter sheet of parachute material. Uses include: sit pad, signal panel, triangle bandage sling and anything else you can think of that involves a sheet of fabric.
  • Heat sheet emergency blanket
  • Heavy duty aluminum foil
  • Large sewing needle
  • Water purification tablets
  • Lighter
  • Heavy duty fishing line, which serves as cordage
  • True Liberty oven bag. I used to carry a 1 cup container, but found that it regularly raised alarm at x-ray security checkpoints. The True Liberty bag is far more innocuous, but can still be used to collect, carry and cook stuff in.
  • Tea bag. Among other uses, this is a nod to this if-you-get-lost strategy

So there it is, a run-down of what's in the old pockets and bag. Any questions?

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