What’s in your pocket?

We all like to talk about bug out bags, but what if you don’t even have that? What do you carry in your pockets during normal day to day life?

Most of us carry a wallet. Does it have any cash in it? It’s easy to get used to debit cards for most of what we buy. However, when the grid goes down and cards don’t work, cash is king.

How about your key ring? Anything extra on that? Mine has 3 tools besides my keys: metal match, P-38 can opener and a flashlight.

The metal match is used all the time for lighting propane or gas stoves and lanterns. If starting a campfire, a tinder bundle to catch the sparks works really well. Being able to put together a tinder bundle from available materials is a good skill to have and practice. I like the fact that there is almost nothing that can go wrong with this tool. Drop it into water; pick it up and it still works.

P-38 can openers are probably one of the world’s best engineered inventions. Mine gets regular use and I’ve carried the same one for a couple decades. In a pinch, the back of the can opener makes a serviceable flat headed screwdriver. Oh yeah, it does a pretty decent job of opening cans.

My flashlight is a small LED unit that uses a single AAA battery. Now I’ve got many flashlights that are much better than this one, but this one fits on my key ring. Unlike the others, this one I always have with me. It’s surprising how often it gets used.

I carry a multi-tool, my favorite is a Leatherman Skeletool. It’s a good balance between function and size. I would not want to carry anything bigger. (I’ve got all that junk on my key ring after all) Sometimes I’ll carry a micro multi-tool instead of the Skeletool.

If I’m going to conceal carry, I’d most likely carry my Ruger LCP. It’s a tiny gun, but I would not want to be shot with it. Unlike my other handguns, this one is small and light so it’s not a big deal to haul it around. Better a small gun that will be carried than a big gun that stays home.

One thing I don’t carry on me is a paracord bracelet. They are a good idea, but I’ve never been comfortable wearing something on my wrist. Even wristwatches never worked for me. All my life I’ve worked with power tools and machinery, so I avoided anything likely to get caught in the gears. Too bad, as a good bit of rope is nice to have. That way you don’t end up using your boot laces like I have to do.

My normal pocket carry certainly doesn’t provide all the goodies of a bug out bag. It does provide a lot of useful stuff without much weight and bulk.

-Sixbears