Everyday Carry: The 5 Dumbest, Craziest Mistakes People Make (Do No. 4 And You May Lose All Your Gear)

In a way, our everyday carry kit is our bodyguard: It’s always with us to keep us safe. But even bodyguards make mistakes, and the EDC is one aspect of survival that needs to be fine-tuned.

One way of adjusting your EDC is to look at all the possible mistakes you can make — the topic of today’s article. So let’s see them!

Mistake No. 1: Carrying Too Much Stuff

Should you really be carrying a personal water filter with you all the time? Not unless you have a large purse or a belt pack and you’re in a rural or wilderness setting. The reason you’d want food and water in a get-home scenario is that it could take you hours or even more than a day to come home — if the roads are blocked, for instance. But your personal water filter can be stored just as well in a get-home bag, and there’s no need to have it on your person all the time.

Articles with EDC items lists have way too much stuff in them, and it’s not the authors’ fault: They’re giving you all the options so you can then make your picks. But it’s up to you to choose the items that apply to the emergencies for which you’re preparing.

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As I said, the starting point is you listing the emergencies you want to prep for and THEN figure out which items to purchase. Never buy something just because it’s on a list inside some survival article.

Mistake No. 2: Carrying Items That Are Too Big

Why carry a mini flashlight when you can carry a micro-flashlight and keep it on your keyring? Why carry a small multi-tool when you can have one that fits in your wallet?

Smaller items are easier to keep in your pockets; the issue is getting quality ones. It takes more work and higher quality materials to squeeze the same durability and functionality into something smaller, and that will reflect in the final price. But with proper research, you’ll be able to find the items that will not fail you in an emergency.

Mistake No. 3: Not Checking Gear Periodically

Just like your get-home bag or bug-out bag or your stockpile, your EDC items also need to be verified to make sure they’re working. When was the last time you turned on the flashlight on your keyring? Since virtually all smartphones have flashlights, you probably use that instead of your actual flashlight.

In addition, you may want to check your lighters, emergency radio, space pen and even your multi-tool to see if they all still function properly.

You’ll also want to make sure that you have enough cash and change for emergencies and that you are familiar with the vending machines in your area. If they don’t take the types of bills and change you have, then you won’t be able to get that bottle of water or that energy bar.

Mistake No. 4: Talking About It

The more thought you put into your EDC, the more you’ll feel the need to brag with it. Even if it’s just you wanting to use your micro multi-tool to open up the drink bottles before the waitress gets a chance.

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Don’t do it. You don’t want to be labeled a prepper and be ridiculed. In addition, the odds of people asking you to let them borrow some of your gear will increase and, if you ever loaned anything to anyone, then you know sometimes, they keep that item for so long you have to borrow it back!

Mistake No. 5: Not Seeing the Phone as Part of EDC

You’d be amazed at what your smartphone can do for you besides allowing you to call people in case of emergencies. Check the list below to see why your phone may be the most important item in your kit:

• Some of them have AM/FM radio that will allow you to hear the news even when the phone lines are down.
• You can download a number of free survival apps that you can use in offline mode (the SAS survival guide, a compass, offline maps, first-aid apps and so on).
• You can download books, ebooks and save blog articles using the Pocket app.
• You have a flashlight.
• And you can even use them as signaling mirrors.

In addition, you can find on the market the so-called rugged phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active, that are shock and water resistant.

Have you made any regrettable mistakes with your EDC? Share your experience with a comment below:

Learn How To ‘Live Off The Land’ With Just Your Gun. Read More Here.