Prudent Prepping: My EDC

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.

I have the habit of putting more items into my gear bags, sales supply bag and store call bag than is needed, just to take up the available space. This has made me look at what tools are the bare minimum to do my job, limit myself to those and buy a carrier/bag that will hold those items and not much else. I made a first attempt at a small carry bag, mentioned here in May of this year. The Maxpedition bag turned out to be too small for what I needed then and it is still smaller than I need for my current job. So with lots of online shopping, recommendations from online friends, and crossed fingers (I really, really like to touch, feel and hold things before I buy) I ordered a 5.11 Rush Moab 6 bag.

5.11 Rush Moab 6
From the 5.11 website:

• Adjustable cushioned shoulder strap
• Fully customizable small sling pack
• Tech pocket at the shoulder
• Covert TacTec pocket at rear
• Secondary double zip pocket
• Hydration pocket
• Organized storage area
• MOLLE/SlickStick web platform exterior
• Fleece lined sunglasses pocket
• Sturdy grab handle
• Comfortable compression straps

It is larger than it appears in the pictures and is a bit bigger than I really need, which possibly will be an issue going further into this job. There is also more of a Tacti-cool look to the bag than I want, and I think the 5.11 logo is coming off in the future. Since I  have not quite two months of experience working for this company, just received this bag, and am trying to figure out what else needs to be added, this is going into the bag for now:

• 2 pens, one blue and one black
• Mechanical pencil
• 1 wide point magic marker
• auto-retract utility knife. (Safety over usefulness you know)
• Blades for the knife. Round point, of course!
• 5 x 7 notebook
• Leatherman tool
• Flashlight
• Extra small 1st aid kit.
• Breath mints. 
• Ear buds
• USB cable with micro, mini and Apple 3-4-5 end

One sticking point when I bought the Maxpedition was my B&N Nook would not fit inside without removing the protective case. That is not an issue with the 5.11. In fact, I can carry my Nook, all of the items listed above, my cell phone or iPod in its pocket and still have room for a Samsung 4 tablet, without crowding or risking damage to the electronics. Looking at what several of my co-workers carry, I think a small binder-style notebook the size of a Day Planner for more permanent note taking may be needed in the future.

Another question people had as I was shopping was "What about the built-in pocket, for stuff n' things?" I live in California and 'stuff n' things' are not so easily done, at least legally around my part of the state. I will defer to my co-bloggers who reside in free states for their experiences filling the 'extra' pocket.

One feature not clearly mentioned on the web site is the ease of switching the bag from left-to-right side carry. Since I'm a lefty, being able to have the bag adaptable to how I want to carry is a big plus! To change the shoulder strap for lefty carry you undo the strap and just re-weave it into the buckle system on the opposite corner, allowing it to hang properly for me.

The Takeaway

• Friends and family are a good place to start if you don't have a clue for what is available. 
• Be prepared to either return or keep things if you don't like what you ordered. 
• There is a reason name brand items may cost more- quality materials and craftsmanship. 

Recap

• One 5.11 Rush Moab 6 bag: $69.95 from Amazon.

Just a reminder: if you click on the Amazon links and buy the products mentioned in any BCP post, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased be me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.