What's in your pockets?

[garandman]

Whether you commute on the T, drive rural New England and get car-jacked, ride a motorcycle or ride a snowmobile into the woods, I found the following article thought-provoking.

Stuart Nelson Jr., the Iditarod's chief veterinarian and an experienced outdoorsman, capsized his kayak on a solo paddling trip in the Yukon. From the water, he watched as his boat—and food, shelter, and satellite phone—rushed irretrievably downstream. For 13 days, he survived on the contents of his pockets, which, because Nelson knows what he's doing, were a veritable hardware store: a folding knife, a wire saw, a signal mirror, two lighters, some Sterno (in a tiny Nalgene bottle), a space blanket, tincture of iodine, 30 feet of parachute cord, three silver spinner fishing lures, and some fishing line.

Lost in the Wild.

As a start for wilderness travel, they offered this:

At a minimum, according to survival expert Tony Nester, founder of Ancient Pathways (apathways.com), you should be prepared with what he calls "the big four": a spark rod or waterproof matches (not a lighter, which is useless when wet) to make a fire, iodine tablets to purify water, a glass mirror or whistle to signal help (this is especially important if you can't move), and, to build a temporary shelter, a pocket-size heat sheet or space blanket.

Far more likely is this scenario:

PREDICAMENT: You're being mugged.
GUT REACTION: Hand over your wallet.
ON SECOND THOUGHT: Hand over a decoy wallet instead, filled with expired IDs, credit cards, and some trivial amount of the local currency. Outside contributing editor Patrick Symmes pulled this move two years ago in Venezuela, forking over the wallet, a wad of expired Bolivian bills, and the $70 in his pocket—preserving the $500 he'd zipped into a money belt.

So what's in your pockets?

 

[In God We Trust]

EVerytime I leave the house I carry my wallet, phone, knife, gun, spare mag, lighter and flashlight. If I was going to the wilderness, I would carry a lot more, but around here all you really need to get through an emergency is a credit card.

I would think the better question is "What do you keep in your car / truck"? I have 2 MREs, a case of poland spring, tools, blanket, hat and gloves and first aid kit. I don't wander too far from my truck when I am out and about.

 

[SSW]

I live in urban card country too. But just in case I have cloud back-up of a cc # and PIN to get me buy if I lost everything, I could at least get some $$$.

When we head out to NH several additions are made, but the person in the OP article has me beat, hands down!!

 

[Archilochus]

Let's see.. (reaching into pocket)... Some lint, a few feet of paracord, Leatherman, 6 old silver quarters, keys, small tape measure, 2-3 bucks in assorted modern change, about $25 in FRN's, 1x 9mm round, 1x 45acp round, 1x 30-06 case, a few bits of paper towel. That's about it.

 

[P-14]

Keys have kubaton-with-pepper spray attached. Kershaw Onion knife. Liotec Freedom flashlight and holder. $40 on money clip w/knife by CRKT. Fisher bullet space pen. 1.5x reading magnifiers. Wallet. Beer bottle opener on the jacket zipper tab. Cell phone. Chapstick.

Need to add a Bic lighter to the pocket and I'm ready!

 

[IPSC_DRL]

Every morning when I put on my pants, the Liotec Freedom goes in the left pocket and a knife goes in the right one.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

I carry a small DAO pistol and cash. The wallet stays in the car in case I need to show ID. The car is right outside my office window during the day. Jack.

 

[RATTLESNAKE]

On work days wallet,2 sets of keys,kershaw blur,gerber multi tool. Days I am not at work everything except the multi tool and add 1 M&P 9c, As for my personal vehicle i have a bag set up w/ water,some food ,blankets,first aid kit,some basic tools, flashlight(s), work gloves,as well as a road side emergency kit. I am also going to be putting together a GHB for my work truck soon.

 

[garandman]

Had to look up the Liotec Freedom - compact LED flashlight.

I thought the decoy wallet idea was brilliant - I'm going to make one up soon.

In Boston a camera or smartphone comes in handy. A buddy saw a teenager throwing rocks at cars and confronted him. The kid sassed at him so he pulled out his phone and said "See you on youtube." The kid hauled....

 

[MisterHappy]

The One Ring (Sorry, "What has it gots in its pocketsesssss, Preciousssss?" came to mind.)

Generally, being in a mellow place, a small folder (my Spyderco is AWOL) and keys. Keys have a mini-multi-tool (size of a key, very cool).

When in less-mellow places, it varies. Were I in the Back of beyond, as in the OP, I'd have more. One size fits very few in my experience.

 

[GunGrey]

In my pockets right now . Keys knife wallet cellphone

In truck right now . Guns, ammo, backpack , knife, toliet paper , beef jerky , water .

 

[JakeF]

I work in an office and have a very short drive through town to work, so I don't generally carry much on me. My jeans pockets generally contain wallet, lighter, chapstick, Kershaw Scallion, and my cell phone. I hate carrying keys in my pocket.