Assembling my EDC Gear!

[BillMasen]

FB page Log into Facebook

There home web page is here.

http://www.rmnr.org/?fbclid=IwAR0JtUFKr1gFtY_hY8fnPNJR1APGxYFE8TUW9hsM9rRoK9YVyHVsh7ZYjeQ

 

[BillMasen]

Welcome to the Rocky Mountain National Rendezvous Site

In the early 1800s, trade in furs flourished in the American west, based mostly on beaver pelts, used to make the tall, shiny hats of well-to-do eastern gentlemen. At first, the trappers themselves transported these furs from the Rocky Mountains all the way back

to St. Louis, Missouri, where the furs were sold or traded for supplies and equipment needed for the coming year.
In 1825, the traders figured out there was a lot of money to be made by transporting trade goods to the mountains and trading there for the furs. The trappers, whom we call Mountaineers or Mountain Men, were quite agreeable to this, since many of them preferred life in the wilderness and didn’t much care for the long trip back east.
These annual summer gatherings were called rendezvous, and were held at a designated spot known to both trappers and traders. While these rendezvous were intended as a business arrangement, they soon became the trapper’s Christmas, New Years Eve and birthday party; a general-purpose annual blowout and trade fair. These rendezvous came to an end about 1840, due in large part to the depleted beaver population in the Rocky Mountains and the changing fashion in hats. The Rocky Mountain National Rendezvous (RMNR) is an annual celebration of life on the pre-1840 American Western frontier. It is part re-enactment and part living history, based on the

fur-trade rendezvous held in the Rocky Mountains.
The RMNR does not require membership in anything, our only requirement is that participants abide by our simple rules, and join in the spirit of rendezvous. We have access to private land for our events and endeavor to leave them more pristine than when we started. Come and join us if you are interested in the history of the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade era and re-creating some of the most interesting and exciting times in our American Heritage.

​

 

[bigpaul]

as for EDC I consider that is what is on my person on a daily basis.
I do have a bag in the car with other gear but thats my Get Home Bag more than daily carry.

 

[Tornad0Alley]

My nephew went hunting deep in a National Forest using his phone as his GPS, compass and flashlight. On the way back, on a cloudy night, his phone battery died. Pitch black, no compass, no light.

World of hurt. Hopefully lesson was learnt.

 

[BillMasen]

My EDC
If I cannot take it with me, I wont go.
If I cannot travel with it, I don't go
If I cannot enter with it, I turn away.
If I cannot keep it with me I wont stay..

EDC Its All or Nothing.

 

[Nora Michels]

Nice philosophy I suppose, but if I have to go, I'm going whether I have all my gear or not; I can manufacture any gear I don't have from natural resources. No matter how extensive your EDC supply list, eventually it is going to run out and/or wear out over time, and if you can't replace the items as you go, then you'll have to make do with stone-age technology until you can forge new tools from recycled scrap metal in junkyards.

Only thing I can never leave home under any circumstances is my MIND lol. XD

 

[BillMasen]

Ok Nora you can find two boy scouts to rub together to start a fire, I'll just go and recover one of my prepositioned caches

 

[Nora Michels]

...Two boy scouts?

 

[BillMasen]

...Two boy scouts?

Old British joke.

its like the one about a guy being given a new folding knife with assorted tools on it, he asks his friend what the tapered spike is for and is told " its for digging boy scouts out of horses hooves "

 

[Kevin L]

I have had some ideas about EDC and BUGOUT bags.

I have a small, portable solar panel that--in good sunlight--charges a smart phone faster than plugging it into the wall, and I am at a loss to explain it. I ask you to take my word for it even if this doesn't make sense.

In any case, I can charge a 5×7 Kindle of the solar, and carry approximately 1,000 books on 3 thumb drives. It goes without saying that I would have an insulated metal case to protect against EMP, and in a waterproof case besides.

With extra rechargable batteries for the Kindle (and the specialized computer tools), I imagine I could have it operational for a few years at least if I played with this idea.

I have also seen a water purifier that works electronically with high-intensity ultraviolet light to sterilize the water. This unit is small, rechargable (from the panel), and good for about 5,000 gallons or more. I have also seen small, rechargable LED flashlights that were also waterproof.

I know that electronics are vulnerable, perishable, and difficult to fix under primitive conditions, but--in my scenario--do you think that the benefits exceed the liabilities? I'm talking about adding this stuff to an existing bag, not using the things as a substitue for, say, a hardcover advanced survival manual and Halazone tablets.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Roninsensei]

I’m seeing too much technologies on a survival list. Also a fair amount of meh gear. Real compass or nothing. Expensive knife made of quality steel or nothing. Sorry but I have learned to hate Swiss Army knives. To many times the blade has folded onto my hand or finger. Get a good knife not a crap push dagger. Also you have to be practically humping the person to use a push dagger of any kind and it severely limits your ability to use it, self defense or other wise. Sorry I’m not trying to be a Debby downer but as someone who trains people to survive life threatening situations I’m seeing a lot of mistakes. Common ones but still mistakes. The real question is “What is your life worth?” Is it worth a 10.00 dollar budk knife? This isn’t me picking on anyone. I say this to all of my students. I am now saying it to those of you that haven’t had me say it too you. Get a good knife and get good training for the use of it. Kali or Escrima are a great start. Get a knife for survival and one for self defense. A karambit is NOT a fighting knife it’s a knife of surprise and assassination. If the bad guy has a blade the last thing I’d go to is a karambit. Also OC is completely effective as a deterrent. The first thing I recommend is spraying yourself with it and then you’ll learn 2 things. 1 yes it’s effective and 2 you need to know it’s effect in order to fight against it because others can and will use it. I’ve been sprayed probably 80 plus times. It burns every time however I have learned to ignore most of the psychological trauma of it through training. Or ignore me and learn it the hard way out there. Also if you think your gun will get the job done you may learn the hardest way that it won’t. Gun is a distance weapon. Only really useful past say 8ft. Anything else is OC and a blade and some good old fashioned Judo and Jujutsu. I’ll tell you I’ve used the OC, martial skills and the Knife waaaaaay more times than I ever have the gun. Hell a knife was pulled on me a bit ago, 2 hits with the OC and it was over. Also a month ago a knife again was pulled and the threat of OC was enough to make him give up. PLEASE GET BETTER GEAR AND TRAINING. survival skills are a great start but if you never made it to the forest alive than they are for shit. Lol

 

[Roninsensei]

Kevin. My solar charger works the same. I have no idea why either. Lol. I think your additions sound reasonable if you have all the important things already. Having a phone be a back up to a compass is an ok idea. Rechargeable batteries are great. I’ve moved into enlopes and I’m super happy with their performance. My flashlights and all the other battery things I own accept for phone and tablet run on AAs and I recommend everyone move to that format.

 

[Nora Michels]

@Roninsensei : Thank you so much for sharing! I've actually been super conflicted on what kind of defense blade I should go for. I really do like the karambit style knife though for it's curved grip and finger holes that doubles as a blunt striking weapon and prevents your hand from slipping down the blade, unlike a balisong for example which pretty much have little ramps to guide your hand down the blade as soon as you try to stab something lol. Just seems like I want a defensive blade that quickly deployed and hard to drop or disarm. Also, switch grips and you go from assassin mode to stab and slash mode; it's an incredibly versatile knife; using the top finger hole to flip it has also come in handy in the shop when I need to reach for a tool under the truck that's just out of reach lol; like a raptor claw lol. It was originally based on a Tiger's claw actually; one of the most effective shredding instruments found in nature lol.

I've also been looking at the KA-BAR TDI Law Enforcement knife; looks like a little messed up karambit sans the finger holes, and has a funky looking sheath. I've read a lot of reviews on it and watched a bunch of videos about it, and I really really like the rapid deployment of it. But it was kinda pricey, and the push dagger looked like it could be just as quickly deployed and more easily used in the heat of the moment when my body's being pumped up full of adrenaline.

 

[Roninsensei]

A wharncliffe or tanto or recurve are fighting knives. I’m aware of the Karambit and its history. I’ve taught Kali/Escrima for years. I promise you it’s not a great fighting knife. Give me the Warcraft tanto any day over any karambit. Or the Ronin 2 by spiderco over a karambit. Or the vaquero voyager by Coldsteel. These are fighting and killing knives. If price is an issue than tell me your limit and I’ll find you something in your price range. If it’s not than save up and get a better fighting knife. If you want mixed use than I can help there as well. Believe it or not most military knives aren’t designed for fighting as much as survival and multi use. There are cheaper well made knives. I can find them easy. Stay away from BudK please, it’s all Chinese crap.

 

[bigpaul]

an EDC knife does not have to be a fighting knife, I carry a lock knife that will do most things, I'm not carrying a huge Bowie knife in a normal EDC situation, thats for after SHTF.

 

[Nora Michels]

@Roninsensei : About 30-40 bucks would probably be the max I could spend on a defensive blade; fixed-blade because a folding defensive blade just seems kinda stupid lol. Ideally with some kind of handguard and a grooved handle. Oh, and all black blade and handle; I'm picky like that lol.

I'll have a KA-BAR survival knife in my purse/second line gear, but I figured on saving that for bushcraft activities and having a smaller defensive blade on my belt that looks good with the rest of the stuff lol; don't need a regular EDC blade because my leatherman has a perfectly fine knife on it lol.

I also probably don't even really need a defensive blade because my dad had me in martial arts classes since I was eight lol. Hence, I figured I could just go the small-cheapy-inch-long-push-dagger route simply to add the benefit of stabbing my opponents in melee combat whenever I punched them; something tells me they'll get all tuckered out long before I do, what with the increasing blood-loss and all lol.

 

[BillMasen]

I have had some ideas about EDC and BUGOUT bags.

I have a small, portable solar panel that--in good sunlight--charges a smart phone faster than plugging it into the wall, and I am at a loss to explain it. I ask you to take my word for it even if this doesn't make sense.

In any case, I can charge a 5×7 Kindle of the solar, and carry approximately 1,000 books on 3 thumb drives. It goes without saying that I would have an insulated metal case to protect against EMP, and in a waterproof case besides.

With extra rechargable batteries for the Kindle (and the specialized computer tools), I imagine I could have it operational for a few years at least if I played with this idea.

I have also seen a water purifier that works electronically with high-intensity ultraviolet light to sterilize the water. This unit is small, rechargable (from the panel), and good for about 5,000 gallons or more. I have also seen small, rechargable LED flashlights that were also waterproof.

I know that electronics are vulnerable, perishable, and difficult to fix under primitive conditions, but--in my scenario--do you think that the benefits exceed the liabilities? I'm talking about adding this stuff to an existing bag, not using the things as a substitue for, say, a hardcover advanced survival manual and Halazone tablets.

What are your thoughts?

you can buy rucksacks with Solar panels built into their outers so you can charge kit as you walk

 

[BillMasen]

I agree with sensei, KISS Keep It Simple Stupid, technology should be a useful aid but never the primary tool, anything with circuits, batteries or processors is dreadfully vulnerable

 

[bigpaul]

Too much emphasis on technology and not enough on skills.
an old prepper friend of mine was always fond of saying " if technology is available use it to get to a place and point in time where you can live without it once it fails".

 

[Roninsensei]

BP carrying a knife where you’re at is not allowed anyways, right?
30 to 40 dollars isn’t much. You need to save more. Why is it that people will spend hundreds on a gun but get real cheap with the one tool they’ll use a million times more?!
Consider any of these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010T5TUV0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A4ZSBADJP7DJM&psc=1https://www.bladehq.com/item--Cold-Steel-Medium-Warcraft-Tanto--93970https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-P...610144211&sbo=RZvfv//HxDF+O5021pAnSA==&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-M...keywords=Mini+tac+Tanto&qid=1610144330&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF...&qid=1610144762&sprefix=Schf63,aps,223&sr=8-1