I got annoyed recently when I wanted to leave the house and noticed my bag was half full just with stuff to deal with weather. In Tokyo, I usually carry an umbrella with me, maybe sunscreen, sunglasses, a mini towel etc. Others have fans, “neck fans” (not sure how they are called). Maybe a water bottle also counts.
All of this is “weather stuff” for me. I asked a friend what she carries around, and we started to think about some other categories as well. So I wondered how much of the stuff we carry around is actually about the thing we want to do wherever we go, and how much is just to cope with the environment? Also, I would be curious how this looks like in other places around the world. Things probably vary by gender, age, season as well.
Some categories are:
- weather stuff
- personal hygiene stuff
- safety stuff
- not being annoyed by others stuff
- infrastructure fail stuff (e.g., preparing for when trains get delayed)
As an American who drives a truck, this is moot. I have a full set of clothes, winter outer wear, a jug of water, a canister of peanuts, a blanket, a shovel, trauma sheers, a leatherman, a sun hat, to walking poles, a Midwest level scraper/brush, an air pump for my tires that plugs into the lighter, full spare, spark plugs, an extendable magnet, 10k lumen light that plugs into the cigarette lighter to charge if need be, tweezers, nail clipper, eyeglass repair, a paper book of maps for all 50 states, and a spare toothbrush.
Probably forgot some things. My truck is essentially my purse.
This is one thing I miss about having a truck. All the room for bugout equipment. I downsized recently, and had to greatly downsize my kit too.
Or just stuff in case you get stuck in the snow. Probably not needed with a truck, but, habit to always have that stuff.
“I didn’t really relate to that song, y’know, because I had different things in my Jeep, than he had in his Jeep.”
We have all of this in a Honda HRV, the smallest Honda you could buy at the time.
I also haul wood in it with the seats down and hatch tied down.
No qualms if you use your truck, they have a purpose. Just want non-Americans to realize we don’t all go down that road.
That should keep you safe on the way to Walmart.
Have you ever been outside of Los Angeles? Some places in America, this kind of kit is worth the insurance and peace of mind.
I’ve never been to Los Angeles or any other place in the US for that matter. I was just trying to be funny.
I was too. Let’s call it a draw?
OK, fine. But I’m not kissing you!
Bro’s got the whole Walmart in his truck.
Lol, it’s not a dodge RAM. To be fair, I travel for work sometimes. And I do haul in my truck, complete with added trailer which is a piece of rural living. I’ve never rolled coal or gunned it on a residential street.
it’s not a dodge RAM
They said Walmart, not the liquor store.
I also drive a truck with the same stuff as you under the back seat. I use it to haul stuff and work around my buddy’s ranch on occasion. It’s not diesel so I couldn’t roll coal with it if I wanted to (nor do I want to).
I need a trailer rarely enough that I’ll rent one if I’ve gotta haul more than will fit in the bed.
Wait what? Are you some kind of librul?
If I’m generally our and about, phone, wallet, keys, phone charging cable, a pen, anything else I need can be acquired as I need it.
It’s also functionally ECD is my backpack, mainly because I use it to carry my laptop with me wherever I’m likely to need it, like work, or class, or to carry a bunch of stuff like MtG decks for an MtG event, or clothes if I’m spending a night at a friend’s house.
I live in the US and its very car centric here. It’s rare that I’m ever more than a few minutes away from a source of water or food, I keep an umbrella in my car, it has AC to keep me cool, if it’s chilly out I wear a jacket.
Very far north in Scandinavia:
Keys left pocket. Phone right pocket. Earbuds right pocket. Wallet (debit card and ID really) right leg pocket.
I check the forecast in the summer, if rain during the day then put on jacket. Peak temp 20°C or above use shorts.
In the winter I check temperature. +5 to -15 thin gloves -15 to -30 thick gloves. -30 to -40 carefully consider if I have to go out. -40 or less: take a picture of the thermometer and send it to people in the south to make them feel better about their life choices.
I don’t have any pockets on most of my outfits, but I have a holster on my left hip that holds my phone, my book reader, my wallet, my keys, and a glasses wipe.
I read a lot. But there’s also Slay the Spire on my phone.
(Also I guess I have bluetooth conductors basically permanently attached to my head so I can have music whenever I want, and a d20 ring on one finger, a wrist watch on a wrist, a pair of glasses to match an outfit, a pendant for the same, a hair tie in my hair, and a meter for a study. This is all automatic stuff though, and I just have this while I’m in my house.)
I have a backpack which I take with me. Umbrella, something to drink, my wallet, keys, tissues, my swiss army knife, a spork, duct tape, deodorant, a reusable shopping bag, a lighter, pens, sometimes a USB power bank and depending on where I go (and how long the train ride is) a laptop or a nice book. And like 10 other small things that accumulate since I last tidied up.
Phone, ereader, wallet, car key, AirPods
I use a neck fan at work, but I definitely don’t need one outside that. I have plenty of emergency stuff in my car, and more in a backpack I sometimes bring (usually to carry a switch or steamdeck, sometimes a laptop).
Keys, phone, wallet, pocket knife, mask (in the winter)
I drag around so much stuff my knees ache.
Phone, wallet, keys, small ballpoint pen, watch, sunglasses and bt earbuds.
Sunglasses are magnetic and clip on to my glasses.My musts for going to work, which is about the only place I go really…
-Earbuds -contact lens case -glasses in case my contacts have an issue -eyedrops -blood glucose meter (am diabetic) -spare AM medication dose in case I forgot -gum -umbrella -water bottle
I usually have all this in a backpack. Sometimes I’ll have my switch with me, too. Or a book. Depends on my mood.
Phone. Wallet. Keys. MP3s.
Saying my college roomie used before he left the room. It stuck with me. MP3 players weee popular then. So I just use MP3s to mean headphones
I always carry around a backpack with:
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- wet wipes
- hand sanitizer
- powerbank
- notebook
- pen
- umbrella or rain jacket
- chewing gums
- sugarcubes
- water
Phone,keys, wallet generally. If its going to rain I bring an umbrella. If its hot I put in cream. If im bringing a bag I bring a bottle of water
Since I’m in the US where public transportation is next to nonexistent outside of maybe 5 cities, I (and the overwhelming majority of Americans) are cheating since we can EDC a hell of a lot of things in our cars. My pockets have 3-4 items max, but I consider my vehicle my home away from home, and if I’m away from home more than a night I pack her to the gills.
The clothes I’m wearing, wallet, phone (sometimes a second), and usually keys as well. Depending on outdoors or not, sunglasses.
Unless I’m doing something specifically the would require more, that’s about it.
