Since I’ve already shared what you can always find in my truck, here’s what you can always find on my back in my everyday carry.
I’ll admit it, I’m a gear junkie. From SnowPeak sporks to Triple Aught Design everything I’ve probably got it in one of my overflowing closets, so some of you will probably be pretty surprised when you see what I carry in my “go bag”. Many of you who are substantially more tactical than myself will most likely cringe after reading this. You’ve been warned.
The Bag: GORUCK GR1
You can’t have a “go bag” without having a bag, so I decided on going with the GORUCK GR1. Why? Why not is the real question, this thing is built like a brick shit house, doesn’t scream tactical, and I can carry it from the office to the trails. You’ll usually find it sitting next to my desk carrying a laptop, but when the weekend rolls around I swap out the work gear and hit the road.
Tools: Victorinox Mountaineer – Leatherman Wave
I’m a little old school so I always carry a Swiss Army knife, plus it has a corkscrew and you never know when you need to open a bottle of wine. I also keep a Leatherman in the bag because a pair of pliers is usually the tool you always need, so between the two I can open any alcoholic beverage that might come my way.
Lights: Black Diamond Icon – NITECORE MT21A
The rule of lights for trucks also applies to “go bags”, the more you have the bigger than man you are. I already see you guys yelling at me for not having a Surefire in the kit, well I’ve got one word for you. CR123 (pretty sure that’s one word). I love my Surefire, but if I run out of batteries it’s a lot easier for me to find a AA somewhere (and at a reasonable cost), plus my Black Diamond Icon headlamp uses the same batteries so I only have to carry one set. Everyone should carry a headlamp, it’s the best piece of kit, and it keeps your hands free, you should also get the biggest one you can find (see rule of lights for trucks).
First Aid: Coghlan’s Trek First Aid Kit – Advil – Sunscreen
Here we go again, now you’re yelling at my choice of first aid kits. Let me remind you though that my daily commute doesn’t take me though combat zones, and the most common injury I’m going to come across is a paper cut. It’s got the basic band-aids, antiseptic towelettes, and some gauze, if I need anything more I’m taking myself to a professional.
I also pack a few packets of Advil for sore muscles and hangovers. I also carry some sunscreen in the roll on variety, I find it easier to apply on the fly, and you don’t have to worry about a bottle leaking all over the rest of your kit.
Extras: Batteries – Hearing Protection
I’ve always got plenty of AA and AAA batteries on hand. AA’s for the flashlight, headlamp, and TV remote, and AAA’s for my TI-83 Calculator. The Hearing Protection is what I probably get the most use out of, they’re cheap and you never know when you’re going to take a quick trip to the range, or take a nap under your desk after that 3 drink lunch.
I know this probably wasn’t the “go bag” all of you were expecting, and I’m sure there are plenty of you screaming about me not having an AT4 and 500 rounds of 5.56 crammed into my kit. Yet this is the stuff that I find myself using the most on a daily basis and I never hesitate to grab my bag on the way out the door.
Let me know what you guys carry or what you think I can improve on in the comments below.
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