I unpacked my EDC backpack : Am I carrying too much?

[plastic-ninja]

I'm still off sick.6 weeks now and feeling much better so am very bored.
Today I emptied my Lowe Alpine EdgeXL 22 daypack , which is usually with me all the time.
The idea is it should contain all the essentials BUT :yikes:

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I can't help wondering if I'm carrying too much stuff.
Any comments should be entertaining.
Cheers , Simon

 

[copper_head]

All depends Simon, what do you do? If it's your edc for working outdoors or in remote locations then yeah not ti extravagant. If your taking it on your office commute or down to Tesco's, then maybe!

Come on you know you want to give us a list of contents

 

[plastic-ninja]

The contents of the sack itself are:
Montane Ultralight smock.
Sea to Summit cordura duffel
Sea to Summit cordura tote bag
Keyring with peanut lighter and whistle
Belt pouch containing pen,pencil,Thiers folder pictured below it.
Fallkniven dc3
2 Rob Evans neckers. One is a gift for a friend to deliver when I get out of plague house!
Space blanket and Jacket in same material.
Wilmas Nordic Summer (Mossies are such a problem here right now!)
Lifesystems light & dry FAK
Extra plasters for immediate access.Green pouch contains the plasters and analgesics.
Camera & case
Binoculars & case
Recta compass
tiny Silva compass & leather pouch
Lens brush
Bungee with cordlocks for emergency laces , tiedowns, lines etc
Silverpoint torch
Petzl headtorch
Red strobelight & batteries

In the Orange StoS drybag:
BCB matchless firelighting kit in tin
In silver tin are Razor blades, tin opener, snare wire and tinder.
Helios gas lighter
2x StoS webbing straps
Long piece 40" of cotton wick for lamp or tinder
3m of 5mm accessory cord
Fig9 thingy
Trespass map compass
Whistle
Single edge razor blades.
All this fits in the orange bag which goes into the neoprene black bag.When I'm in the canoe the black bag is attached to my PFD

I was surprised there were so few sharps until I remembered that there is a Spyderco Honeybee on my keyring and a Trevor Ablett folder always in my pocket. 3 compasses though? I need to go through at regular intervals and have a clear out I think.
Cheers , Simon

 

[presterjohn]

If all that is on your back whenever you leave the house then I think you have issues frankly. If that pack is for a day out in the woods or similar then it looks like a nice set up. Personally I would lose some of the sharp stuff. If things go wrong you are more likely to need an extra layer of clothing than multiple blades.

Now I have read your next post I can see why you have the extra knife!

 

[Albus Culter]

Yep - need a list of whats there and why you carry it.

Ps You can never have too many knives, especialy in Tesco's

 

[plastic-ninja]

Come on you know you want to give us a list of contents

You read my mind!
I have a 5 minute commute to my bakery but do get out & about regularly.But yes, a bit excessive
Simon

 

[Shambling Shaman]

It's way to small for an EDC!

should be 70l minimum......


I do need to re-do mine and you have given me a few ideas

 

[plastic-ninja]

Most of the day it is in the back of the Jeep.
If I'm going out on private land I'll take an axe too.!And my Satmap and my iPhone so another 2 compasses and 2 GPS devices and another camera!
My main problem is I forget what is in there and more stuff gets put in on top.
Should never mix kit junkie and chaotic brain!
Simon

 

[Karl82]

You should carry as much or as little you feel you need.


Sent from my Baobab Tree.

 

[Marshall]

All depends Simon, what do you do?(...)

^ Exactly.

For me it's too big. Looks like a big survival kit.

For example - it's my EDC/Survival kit:

1st part (EDC):

2nd part (first aid kit):

​

 

[plastic-ninja]

I think one of the problems with this bag was that it wasn't at all heavy as all the kit is lightweight.
It made me think that I was hardly carrying anything!
I am going to have a look at my overnighter pack tomorrow and be brutal with the pruning.
I love lightweight kit but it just tempts me to carry more than I need.Maybe I should switch over to
MOD surplus for a while to make me appreciate what I have already.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Squidders]

Blimey that's an assortment of nick-nacks!

If you carry that for a 5 minute walk, I submit to you that any event significant enough to prevent you from walking 5 miles back to get something you need renders what you have in the pack of little use.

On the flip side a small backpack looks far more sensible in town than a tiny little man bag.

Regardless of opinions here, if carrying it doesn't bother you, what is your motivation for thinning it out? Is it what you think or what others think of you driving the minimalist within?

 

[plastic-ninja]

I was just surprised that I had duplicated (or triplicated ) so much by not really knowing what was in there.
I can't think of any emergency which might necessitate the use of 5 compasses or that many blades.
It was a bit of a voyage of discovery & quite an entertaining half hour.
And no , I didn't just put it all back in!
Simon

 

[rik_uk3]

Do you know something we don't, did the Mayan's get the date wrong by a couple of months?, has David Icke come out with a prediction?

Then again as its usually in your car it matters not whats in the bag really

 

[big_swede]

You should go and talk to somebody.

 

[Willowisp]

Hi Simon,

I agree with some of my previous posters: if the weight and volume doesn't bother you too much, then just keep the stuff with you and have fun.
If you want to strip down seriously, best to start with getting rid of the double or triple kit, and then see how it goes.
For some of the stuff I don't see the point in an urban environment (the binos for example). But if you consider this to be more like an emergency BOB or "get home bag" it's quite okay imho.

 

[JAG009]

Carry what you want to carry Simon if your happy carrying all that stuff and more if you want ,,who are we to say its wrong ,,,Go for the full Bergen if you want ,,as long as your having fun

 

[Gray]

Personally I wouldn't carry so many blades. For me, a small folder should be enough for edc. At the end of the day, its up to you what you carry as long as its legal

 

[John Fenna]

A few too many compasses I feel - and no hat, gloves, scarf, warm jacket, flask, brewkit, sitmat or map!

 

[tomongoose]

I would keep one compass and get a button compass as a back up and leave the other two behind just keep one fixed and one folding knife. I would get rid of the bungees and straps and replace it with a length of bankline or paracord and I would stick a metal cup in the mix but other than that its very good