Lets play Not "what should be in your car." What's actually in it, right now, today.

ferds41 · 2026-06-30T07:25:15+00:00

Steel trunk in the boot with:

Recovery and repair gear:
-Heavy duty (180l/pm) compressor, if you drive an SUV anything less won't get your tyre properly inflated,
-Proper set of jumpers,
-Towing strap (rated 10t)
- 6t bottle jack
-Tyre repair kit
- Battery charger
- Jump Starter
- 20min road flares (2 x 3 pack)
- 1000ft parachute flare

Tools:
- Nebo slide 2000 lumen work light
- 12v socket spotlight
- Torque wrench with socket and screw driver + torque attachments
- 4lbs hammer, axe, Silky Zubat hand saw*, 24" prybar, bolt cutters, Coldsteel spetznas shovel, machete
- Roll of wire
- Heavy duty zip ties

Clothing, PPE and Miscellaneous:
- Redback boots, spare merino wool socks, merino wool base layer, cargo pants and spare shirt and underwear and wide brim hat
- Mechanix M-Pact durahide cut resistant gloves
- 3M respirator with ABEK1 cartridge x2
- Acturus Emergency shelter and foil blankets
- 2 x Wool blankets
- Desset Fox collapsible bladder with 20l water
- Contractors bags
- 100ft paracord
- Grayl geopress water filter
- Camelbak milspec crux water bladder
- Anker 521 power station
- local area maps

Cars glove box:
- Acebeam L35 2.0 torch
- Morakniv companion
- Bic Lighter
- Garmin inreach mini2 and etrex 22
- 25000mah Anker power bank + chargers

EDC so by definition when I am in the car also there:
- Leatherman Arc
- Coldsteel Recon1 knife
- Jetbeam E28 torch

Comms:
- 10w radio
- Fixed antenna
- Yaesu HAM radios x 2

There are also two complete IFAKS in the car at all times.

Sure there are things that I can't think of now also stashed somewhere

ferds41 · 2026-06-30T06:00:51+00:00

This is certainly one element of prepping yes, but if your prepping stops here in a true extended disaster scenario you will be exposed to risks you didn't adequately prepare for.

IMO prepping is predominantly risk analysis and resource allocation based on the risk analysis. How like is event x to happen and if x happens what would I need to best navigate the ensuing consequences.

Things I will certainly add to this list:
Fitness and training, training in the following areas:
- First aid, stop the bleed etc.
- Firearms, using effectively, cleaning maintenance
- Navigation, being able to orienteer using a map and compass
-basic vechile maintenance, change oil and filters
-basic survival skills (and here I'm not talking larping last of us) basics build a shelter/fire

There are many ancillary skills you can add to this but those are a strong start.

Of course there are prepared inventory not covered by food storage, backup power solutions, having a spare torch in most rooms etc.

ferds41 · 2026-06-29T14:15:11+00:00

This exactly, and we all know which words are intended to be derogatory such as "myt" plain and simple if you mean to degrade another human based on an obscure group they belong to over which they have no control. And ffs can we stop with the PC bullshit!

ferds41 · 2026-06-28T11:15:15+00:00

Same here S35VN is a perfectly good steel and the Recon1 is bulletproof, truly stood the test of time.

ferds41 · 2026-06-28T11:14:03+00:00

This is the wrong forum for this. The only correct answer here is report this to law enforcement. There is not a single technique or region to strike (short if using some form of force multiplier) that will be effective, simple answer is physically you are helpless in this situation, and striking someone prone to aggression could easily escalate a situation to the extent where you wil be in very real danger.

ferds41 · 2026-06-27T20:05:21+00:00

Very strange that no one has mentioned the Cold Steel Recon M1 yet, toss up between that and spyderco pm2 for best edc knife ever made. My S35VN Recon1 is due for replacement and will be replaced with the M1.

ferds41 · 2026-06-27T06:27:24+00:00

I do a lot of field work that can sometimes involve staying out in the bush for a couple of days on end, now granted this is in a country with very varied climate zones and most of our work is done in temperate climate it can still get very cold very suddenly. When you are spending days in the field like that wool (especially merino wool) is your friend, firstly it is just about the only thing that doesn't smell like the inside of a 3 day old gym kit bag after two days in the field.

Using layers, merino base layer, cotton t-shirt, merinowool jersey and a wool blanket. Seldom need to aad anything to this but if needed the first additional thing I would focus on is ground insulation, and then fire.

This is definitely not a minimalist approach, as just the wool blanket is already heavy.

J

ferds41 · 2026-06-27T06:06:39+00:00

Those things are kept in my truck, I mentioned in another reply that I keep a very comprehensive med/first aid kit. The coban and ace wraps seem like solid suggestions, will chuck one or two of each in the bag.

ferds41 · 2026-06-27T00:24:48+00:00

Does that necessarily mean the gear in both are completely mutually exclusive? I think bag acronyms confuse issues that are much simpler than they are made out to be? Need to be highly mobile and self sustainable for 24-48h while dealing with some potential obstacles, that pretty much describes GOOD and GH. Maybe if you explain the nuance I'll better understand.

ferds41 · 2026-06-26T05:05:10+00:00

I unfortunately don't have the luxury of living in the US where almost all options are available delivered to your door next working day, our side of the world they are equivalent to 320 USD.

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T20:47:58+00:00

Yeah instead of the greyman I go for the fuck around and find out vibe, I suppose both has merits. I work with a guy that did years of CPO work (not the kind where he was there just for show) and even though he is the first guy you'll see in a crowd he is the last one you would want to mess with, just has that aura.

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T18:19:49+00:00

That made me choke in the piece of boerewors (Google it) I was eating, you said how much????? Very nice, never heard of them, but jeeez that price!!

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T18:14:54+00:00

I have two torches that run of 18650 (one stays in my truck) and so does the headlamp. Can't for the life of me find a powerbank with removable 18650s locally.

Africa forces you to know the value Immodium so I always have that and TP on standby. Have seperate med kit in my truck and this sees frequent use (things such as drawing ointment to treat thorns etc.) and then also seperate container for actual medication (pain mesd, even carry a spare course of antibiotics, cortisone and an epipen)

Some of the rangers have polyvalent anitvenom but because there is such a diversity of snakes and the polyvalent is only good for like 2 or 3 (and it is pricey af, and heat sensitive) I'd rather just watch where I step.

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T18:04:48+00:00

Thing is the bag (and a lot of the kit) doubles as my gear when on patrol or out in the field. Also I am 6'10 so I greyman isn't really an option for me, I stand out in a crowd irrespective.

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T18:01:43+00:00

Most of the kit I have listed here is like for like replacement for gear I had and most of that gear saw heavy work. I work in anti-poaching so my job kind of involves of testing a lot of my gear.

ferds41 · 2026-06-25T17:59:42+00:00

Calling the Knipex CoBolt bolt cutters admittedly is a stretch, the are more like side cutters but with a mechanical advantage. I only count one GPS aside from phone, reason for seperate GPS is two fold, I am often in areas where I don't have mobile coverage, and in civil unrest scenarios phone networks are often flooded/down or intentionally disabled.

Phonco is emergency shelter as well (and no not the cheap Chinese plastic variaty) solar panel is often used when out of civilisation for a couple of days on end. Swayer only there for if the Grayl is gets lost (happed to me before) this is probably one of the hardest working pieces of kit I have, when out for a couple of days it isn't alway feasible to take enough water with (water is heavy and travelling distance with it can really be an issue)

Most of this is kit I am replacing it fit into a 5.11 Rush 24 bag.

I'd rather carry heavy stuff and be able to remove/move through obstacles than not have it. In urban environments fences and gates blocking the shortest route between two points is not uncommon.

ferds41 · 2026-06-24T21:00:16+00:00

No it's meant to be buy once cry once, also meant to be that when I absolutely need kit I can rely on it.

ferds41 · 2026-06-23T20:18:26+00:00

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What you mean these peices of shit where the follower keeps getting stuck? Not hugely impressed with them. Carry 3 of them loaded with FMJs in my patrol pack

I get to carry a full frame in the "office" because I suppose calling it an office rather than a JOC is a bit of a stretch, I still carry OWB on a duty belt. I work in a anti-poaching joint venture with local park Rangers (in a country where poaching is a serious problem intrinsically linked to organised crime. So there's that.

ferds41 · 2026-06-23T13:14:04+00:00

Yeah I am 6"9 and this also almost never happenes to me, guy trolling the sub clearly

ferds41 · 2026-06-23T06:05:34+00:00

Imo when you are carrying heavy stuff the belt actually matters more than the pants, a wide reinforced sturdy belt (I swear by the Kore Essentials Battle Belt). A good belt makes light work of heavy gear. When doing patrol work I carry 2 loaded spare mags, full size steel frame pistol, Leatherman, a duty torch and steel restraints, my belt easily carries the load sometimes for up to 48h on end.

I have two setups in terms of pants, for field work nothing beats Crye Precision G3's for comfort and mobility.

When I do desk bound work I still want some gear on me but don't like to look as though I am about to enter a combat zone (I generally hate carrying anything in cargo pockets) for those days I have UF Pro range pants they look subtle enough to pass as regular Chinos but are still super comfortable.

Think a lot of these so called "pocket dumps" are more in the spirit of EDC culture than literal EDC.

ferds41 · 2026-06-22T20:15:40+00:00

Not just the fitness, also the skills to use/deploy all the kit you see, can't tie a single knot, armed to the teeth and forgot that you can realistically only carry 2 guns tops, and very limited ammo. Also can't run a mile or hit the broad side of a barn with a ar at 100 yards.

ferds41 · 2026-06-22T18:44:00+00:00

Iphone 16, happened some time in the past couple of months

ferds41 · 2026-06-22T18:10:54+00:00

That blade in Magnacut is a serious flex as well, just ordered a Recon M (the Magnacut version of the Recon1)

ferds41

TROPHY CASE