What's Your EDC Kit?

[SteveL]

I've had a Fenix LD01 on my keychain for several years. Not much larger than a AAA battery and with 3 settings it is extremely versatile. Might want to give it a look.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've also seen a couple of others I think would work while looking through the pics in this thread. I have several in mind to check out now.

[Jack Kardic]

Wallet, keys, phone
Zippo, smokes
2 tampons, 2 pads, 2 Epi-Pens
Kershaw 3.5" assisted opening
Surefire E2D

Gun is usually a 5" XD .45 acp with Tru-glo sights, when I go low-profile it's a Sig p238.
Note: I'm not allergic to anything, the Epi-Pens are for my friends, three of whom are deathly allergic to something, and of course, anyone who needs one.

[lamarbrog]

Wallet, keys, phone
Zippo, smokes
2 tampons, 2 pads, 2 Epi-Pens
Kershaw 3.5" assisted opening
Surefire E2D

Gun is usually a 5" XD .45 acp with Tru-glo sights, when I go low-profile it's a Sig p238.
Note: I'm not allergic to anything, the Epi-Pens are for my friends, three of whom are deathly allergic to something, and of course, anyone who needs one.

Okay, this has been bothering me since you posted it. Your name is listed as being "Jack", which I typically think of as a male name, as opposed to "Jackqueline" or "Jackie". However, you mention that you carry 2 tampons and 2 pads, which contradicts that... but even a female would not have that as being "every day carry", especially if a purse was not also part of the EDC, and you don't mention a purse.

This leads me to conclude that you must be carrying these feminine hygiene products as a sort of improvised first aid kit... but that makes me wonder why you would choose improvised materials, when something like an Israeli Bandage or QuikClot would likely be more effective and wouldn't have people wondering why you've got your pockets stuffed full of sanitary napkins and tampons.

Just wondering... Did I miss something?

[brit]

Tampons have an easy applicator for fitting in bullet holes! If severe enough, both bullet wounds and menstrual bleeding can lead to hypovolemic shock, right?

[lamarbrog]

Tampons have an easy applicator for fitting in bullet holes! If severe enough, both bullet wounds and menstrual bleeding can lead to hypovolemic shock, right?

I guess I just assume that if militaries around the world don't choose tampons for dealing with bullet wound trauma, that it's probably because there are better options out there.

[brit]

Actually there is documentation of navy corpsmen using them in Iraq. Of course, under the guidelines of "field expedient trauma care"

Realistically, most GSWs can be cared for in an out of hospital setting by using 4x4s and wrap. Once you get to the ER, the docs are rightfully more concerned about internal damage.

The tampon could still be used to absorb blood and the applicator could be used as a pressure point placed atop a dressing in urgent situations. I don't really see it as a bad idea, because you don't necessarily have to plug a hole and disturb tissue to use it. Any port in a storm, ya know?

[Jack Kardic]

To address issues in the order they were raised: 1) I am in fact male. 2) I neglected to mention my messenger bag a.k.a.man-purse because I typically only have that five days a week. 3) As a perpetually broke student I frequently have to improvise things like heating my apartment and "food." QuikClot and Israeli bandages are out of my price range, and I am aware that the SF troops at Joint Base Balad drew significant ire from the females stationed there for clearing the place out of hygiene products. Good enough for them, good enough for me.

[lamarbrog]

I would really like to see some trained medical professionals share their opinions on using tampons for treating gunshot wound trauma. I don't deny that it is likely better than nothing in an emergency... when I hear about Corpsmen carrying them to replace proper medical supplies, I sort of assume that it falls into the same group of "fact" that M16 furniture is made by Mattel. They probably do it... because they heard from a friend of a friend of a friend that tampons are the nation's best kept secret when it comes to trauma care.

A prominent opinion lately seems to be that tampons are not a field expedient, but should instead be used in place of traditional medical supplies. To me, this notion is absolutely absurd. I work at a shooting range, and in the range safety office there is an extensive first aid kit that has about everything you could hope for when it comes to treating a gunshot wound. Within a month of opening, someone shoved the top of the line trauma kit to the back of the cabinet, and sat a box of tampons at the front with "FOR GUNSHOT WOUNDS" written on it in big letters.

I promptly threw them away and restored real medical supplies to their proper place.

[brit]

Lamar, look two posts up from yours and you'll see a medical professional who has treated GSWs sharing his opinion.

Realistically, most GSWs can be cared for in an out of hospital setting by using 4x4s and wrap. Once you get to the ER, the docs are rightfully more concerned about internal damage.

The tampon could still be used to absorb blood and the applicator could be used as a pressure point placed atop a dressing in urgent situations. I don't really see it as a bad idea, because you don't necessarily have to plug a hole and disturb tissue to use it. Any port in a storm, ya know?

[lamarbrog]

Lamar, look two posts up from yours and you'll see a medical professional who has treated GSWs sharing his opinion.

Okay, I didn't realize you had any special insight on this. What are your credentials? (I'm not suggesting you don't have credentials, but if you're putting forth your opinion as being that of a "trained medical professional" it sort of follows that you would share where that status comes from.)

If I understand your prior statement correctly, you are saying that tampons will work- but so will almost anything else. So, while there is no harm in using a tampon as a field expedient wound dressing, there is also no real benefit over using something more mundane- like a bandage. Would that be a fair assessment of your position?

[brit]

I'm just a medic. And you hit the nail on the head, just about anything will work. Given the choice between the two, I would choose 4x4s instead of pads/ tampons as the latter holds NO benefit over 4x4s in my opinion. Strictly for EDC purposes, I would carry a handkerchief over anything else, because it has even more uses that are beyond medical.

[lamarbrog]

I'm just a medic. And you hit the nail on the head, just about anything will work. Given the choice between the two, I would choose 4x4s instead of pads/ tampons as the latter holds NO benefit over 4x4s in my opinion. Strictly for EDC purposes, I would carry a handkerchief over anything else, because it has even more uses that are beyond medical.

So, I assume we could extend this to say a Corpsman/Medic carrying tampons to use instead of the issued medical supplies would be pointless at best, and counterproductive at worst? And, that a shooting range replacing bandages in a trauma kit with a box of tampons would also be pointless, and maybe counterproductive? Not trying to put words into your mouth, so is that something you would agree with?

Hopefully this doesn't go too far forwards derailing this thread, but I want to make sure we're all on the same page with this. It seems to be something I hear about more and more frequently, and I want to make sure that I'm not missing something.

[brit]

Different situations, we're talking about EDC vs. Battle.

What is carried is based on the likelihood of having to use it. I respect that the corpsmen/whiskeys have a reason with at least empirical backing that they can use a tampon or maxi at least once.

[zfr13]

Here is mine;


-samsung galaxy s
-leathermix handmade wallet( http://www.leathermix.etsy.com)
-fenix e01(http://www.ebay.com)
-gerber bear grylls
-leathermix leather shackle bracelet( http://www.leathermix.etsy.com)
-telepen
-gerber shard( http://www.ebay.com)
-metal key usb
-paracord lanyard
-pill box case
-spyderco bug( http://www.amazon.com)