Off-Body Everyday Carry

Life comes at you pretty fast, as Ferris Bueller once said, and sometimes, you’re just not prepared for the speed at which it comes at you. I live in a portion of the country which regularly gets pounded by hurricanes, so I have learned to have a “go bag” ready at all times in case I need to evacuate my home. 

But if you haven’t noticed, the world hasn’t ended yet. However, all of us face the trials and tribulations of everyday life, and one of those problems is dealing with being stranded away from home. The last time this happened to me was on a business trip, where I had to stay overnight on the floor of a major airport. This sort of thing could also happen because of a sudden storm when I was away from home, an unexpected car breakdown or any number of other reasons. Either way, the result is still the same: You need to stay overnight in a location not of your choosing, with what you have at that moment. 

Game on. 

Get Your Priorities Straight

So what sort of gear are we talking about here? Well, when it comes to prepping, I like to base my priorities on the outdoor survival Rule Of Threes:

• You can last three minutes without oxygen, which includes traumatic injury
• You can last three hours in extreme weather
• You can last three days without water
• You can last three weeks without food.  

Enter The Modern Urban Survival Kit, or MUSK for short. This is a small bag that’s easy to carry and blends in with your surroundings and aids in carrying your everyday carry gear as well as provide you with a means to carry emergency items. The last thing you want to do in times of uncertainty is stand out from the crowd, so we’ve chosen the Elite Survival Systems Sentinel bag as our starting point. Waist packs and sling bags are a growing trend these days, and this bag lets you carry things like earbuds, charging cords and a spare battery for your phone, as well as the other gear we’re about to mention. 

Life is a contact sport, which is why we’re adding in a Coleman All Purpose Mini First Aid Kit. You’ll need to pull out the razor blade that’s inside if you fly with it, and maybe consider tossing in some pain relievers, antidiarrheal meds and some antacid for non-emergency medical situations. Also consider adding in a small tourniquet like the SnakeStaff ETQ for more traumatic injuries. 

Shelter isn’t that big of a deal in an urban environment. After all, the definition of “urban” is that there are buildings nearby. Add in enough cash in your MUSK to get a decent hotel room in your zip code, and you’re set for the next 24 hours. Sudden torrential rain storms are a thing, though, as are blizzards, so having a small disposable rain poncho or a mylar emergency blanket is a good idea. 

Stress-Free Prepping

Now that we’ve taken care of the first 24 hours, let’s look at some things to make your life easier as you try to return home. Potable water is all around you, but carrying it with you can be a pain, especially if your goal is to be low-profile. There are small, detachable water bottle holders out there which let you keep hydration at hand without making you look like a dromedary on the loose. 

On-demand lighting is another essential of modern living, so we’ve added a Streamlight Pro-Tac 2L-X to this bag. In addition to this, you’ll probably want a small battery-powered headlamp as a task light. For a blade/multi tool, we’ve chosen a Victorinox Tinker Swiss army knife. It lacks the pliers and 55 different screwdriver tips of other multi tools, but it doesn’t scream “Tactical!,” and we’re going for low-profile here. It goes without saying that this item will have to stay at home when you go on an airplane. 

Speaking of which, you’ll note that there is no mention of carrying a pistol or other defensive gear in the bag. That’s because, if it at all possible, those sorts of things should be on your person, not in a bag, where they are ready to go at a moment’s notice. 

What other gear should go in this bag? A battery and cords to recharge your mobile phone is a good idea, and travel-sized personal hygiene items are a must. Waking up on the floor of an airport departure lounge is awful. Waking up there without a toothbrush and deodorant is even worse.

Ask me how I know this. 

A bandanna or a handkerchief has a thousand uses. Always have one handy. For those who wear contacts or glasses, a backup pair of eyeglasses is great to have with you, and for those who don’t need them, carry a pair of sunglasses. Other than that, throw in a small protein bar for when you get hungry and some gum or mints to take care of bad breath, and you’re set to live your life as comfortably as you can when the world throws a curveball at you.