I submitted this article to my favorite emagazine called the Art of Manliness. They will notify me in three to six weeks to tell me if they want to publish it. I certainly hope they do, but I know that it is a very well known online magazine, and they must set the bar quite high. Even if don't success I can publish it on my own blog here. I hope you enjoy it. (In case you are new to the acronym EDC stands for EveryDay Cary. The tools or objects you carry everyday.)
From the day I stepped into existence I loved tools. Not
necessarily using tools, but having them around just in case. By the
time I was ten, I had bulging pockets: pocket knife, keys, wallet,
phone.... I ended up carrying so much that I got blisters on my
thighs from the rub of it all. I soon moved on to a fanny pack. It
quickly filled up. Because of my shabby ten-year-old clothing, my
family nicknamed me “the Hobo”. I had gone through two fanny
packs and was using a third when I realized I needed a real upgrade,
something that wouldn't clunk around as I moved, something more
fashionable.
I got a messenger bag from a local store. It has several
advantages over backpacks and fanny packs:
- You access everything in it without taking it off
- It doesn't swing around like a fanny pack
- It looks good
This is the perfect bag for the world wide traveler. I've carried
my traveler's bag on trains, airplanes, ferries, buses, subways,
taxis, and bicycles. It gives me access to my things while I'm in
transit. Traveling involves waiting and lines that can be very long
on the best days. Having to fumble around with a backpack for your
passport and ticket can be frustrating and embarrassing. With a good
traveler’s bag you can be a more debonair man who glides through
airport security. I don't pack pocket knives or other items that are
not allowed on flights or border crossings.
What
I Carry
Small items
- Pens and pencils.
- Magnetic pointer. It's just so cool.
- Cough drops.
Medium items
- Magnetic detective notebook.
- Tin of mints.
- Small magnifying glass. To unleash my inner detective.
- USB drives on a string.
- Matches in an empty floss container.
- Hand sanitizer.
- A length of cord. For knot practice.
- Pocket size sunscreen. Great for impromptu recreation.
- Camp spork.
- Small length of string.
- Handkerchief. The five-hundred-sneeze tissue and cup sleeve
your grandfathers used.
Larger items
- Toilet paper roll. Get the kind without a
cardboard roll. Most third world bathrooms don't provide toilet
paper. When you need it, you need it. Toilet paper also doubles as
napkins, gauze, wipe rag, and possibly emergency rope.
- Sunglasses. In a case with a microfiber cloth, I use them all
the time for driving.
- Compact Bible. I have a compact version with both the
New and Old Testament.
- Phone.
- Wallet.
- Krazee. A baffling puzzle from my manly grandfather.
- Deck of cards.
- Comb.
- Adjustable belt. It works as a backup for my normal
belt. Very versatile I used it on a camping trip to hold a bundle of
gear.
Secret Pocket
- Money.
- Laminated photocopy of passport. This can sometimes be
used as ID in place of a real passport, allowing you to keep your
passport in a more secure place.
- The words to my favorite song. Mine is A Mighty
Fortress Is Our G-d.
Rear Pocket
- Rain coat. While it keeps off the rain its
close-knit fabric keeps heat in pretty well especially for its small
volume. An emergency blanket could fill this role well, but I like
not having to look like a hurricane refugee if I get cold.
Final
Words
My traveler's bag has been just what I was looking for. It looks
good and gives me quick and easy access to the tools I need as I
travel. It also provides me with simple entertainment in many of
life's long waits. It has equipped me for many adventures. In China,
I pulled out a deck of cards and played with strangers on a long
train ride. While everyone’s resources, needs, and preferences
differ, I hope you can better build your own to be prepared for
wherever life takes you and the adventures that await.
