I am always amused by the Altoid kits with fishing hooks and fire starters in them. Most of that isn't going to help day to day in civilization. Why should I have that banging around in my pocket while in the office all day?

I live in Florida, in the suburbs. What should be in my "suburb" pocket kit?

Cash
Flashlight
Knife
...

Button compass
Matches
Water purification tablets

I'm in Miami and what works for me, might not work for others, but I walk out the door with a gun, pack of gum, flip phone, SwissChamp, lipstick light, wallet and keys with a coin light and SAK Classic on it.

I don't need food, water, fire starting stuff in my situation, but if I was humping 50 miles through the boonies, I'd reevaluate things.

Chris

Cash
A multitool in your laptop bag or car.
A nalgeen bottle (reusable water bottle)
A pocket flashlight
A spare battery bank charger & wall charger for your phone.

That should cover a lot of situations.

Coins, a large amount in all denominations. Might be a time when vending machines are the only source of food.
Seriously.
Besides, a roll of quarters in the fist adds a bit to one's punch.

i have carried a roll of quarter's for many years here and overseas. u covered 2 of the uses. also carry a leather glove. need something to carry  the coins in (lol)lots of 5's and 10's

during 9/11 no 1 could make a cell call as the atenna's were on the wtc. i saw  pay phones,everywhere.
coins or an amex card will work anywhere in the WHOLE WORLD there are att phones
1-call-att. its on the front of every phone.
pistol 3 mags for  concealed..
sak
small aa battery  light  surefire is not the only good light. they make a aa model  tape 4 aa's to it and u are gtg on low lumens for about 180 hrs. no big flash, but will get u out of any dark spot.
as big a knife as u can LEGALLY CARRY. always obey the law where ever u are.

murse
belt camping bag
small sling bag
10 ft of duc tape rolled on a bic felt tip
100 ft of heavy fishing line as in 200#  also planer board line works. any fishing store carries it.
don't use maxpedition   too big.  too $$$.   u look rich.    get a small used pack at the salvation army. run a cable   thru the strap.  clamp to rings on sides with cable clamps. (lowes) sized to fit cable.
been doing it a long time. over 30 yrs.

lot of gun shows to do a lil collecting.  private sale is ur friend if u "loose it".   most small revolvers like "foreign" ammo

cheers

1texan

Pretty much this.  Suburban and urban should be different.

My son carries a compact lock pick set.  I would recommend:

Cash
Prepaid credit card
100mph/duct tape rolled flat on a gift card
Bic lighter
Multitool
Small FAK items
Small hacksaw blade
Dyneema cord or Spyderwire line
Needle, especially a glover's needle
Extra mini flashlight
Small zip ties
Brass utility wire
Small prybar
Whistle

Those are more repair items, but you get the idea.  There are a lot of resources in an sub/urban area.  Access, improvising and fixing items are going to be what's needed most.

I don't think illumination can be empasized enough.  Most emergencies involve loss of power.  If there is no backup power, you will be in a dark cave.  Navigation with light is a must and deserves some redundancy.  I even carry a Petzl e+LITE mini headlamp.

ROCK6

Lots of good stuff so far - a few things that I never considered and like. Thinking a folded street map of the area might be nice to have too.

This should be SOP unless you are already a taxi driver or courier.  Every city I visit for work or vacation I make it a habit of buying a hard copy map.  When it's dark or you have little time when main roads are congested, a simple map provides dozens of alternate routes.

ROCK6

I made an Altoids "urban" kit a couple of years ago and had a good time putting it together. It was more of an experiment than  anything else.

It was mostly "comfort" items but also included a prepaid $100 Visa gift card, a $50 bill, a micro-tool, Bic mini lighter, a few Tylenol gelcaps, etc.

I'll try to find the pix.

ETA -



Propel powdered energy drink packet
Gauze pad, two butterfly bandages, medium bandaid w/neosporin, small bandaid and alcohol swab
Four Tylenol gel caps
Disposable toothbrush with toothpaste
$100 Visa (the Ace rewards card is the stunt double)
$50 cash ($1 bill is the stunt double)
One sheet of write in the rain paper and pencil
AAA flashlight (80 lumens) and spare battery
Bic mini lighter
Mission brand multi tool (the titanium version)
and...
Letterman micro tool (not pictured but it fits in the Altoids tin with everything else.)

It's amazing how many interesting and useful items you can fit into an Altoids tin...

I have a maxpedition micro pouch that I keep some minor boo boo stuff(mostly for my son) and some meds for pain, allergies, diarrhea, heartburn. Some lip balm(mostly for my kid again) also in the pouch is a streamlight microstream, small screw driver system and a tactical pen. In my other pockets is a lcp, 2 spare mags, another micro stream , knife and usually my pocket asp

Another thing I love making is the Altoids tin cardboard/wax mini stove.

Neat! What's in it?

I keep coming back to this.

If there's a fairly serious problem in the city, it's likely to cause fires, which leave lots of ash in the air. Your eyes could probably do with a bit of eyewash in this case.

an N95 or P95 mask ... hard copy of important phone numbers...

Fire steel.

Depending on your survival kit size, a N95 mask is an important consideration.  I would extend this to having gloves, ballistic eyewear, dust/smoke mask, and possibly a bicycle or bump helmet close by.  The worse case of a hurricane, tornado or similar force winds pick up a lot of debris in urban/suburban environments.  Exposure to broken glass, exposed rebar or sharp concrete surfaces might be obstacles to navigate and your PPE becomes a very important part of your kit or EDC.

ROCK6

Burn time?

I cut cardboard strips just thin enough to fit below the rim of the Altoids can, fold them concentrically inside the can then fill it with melted gulf wax.

Maybe 20 minutes?

I need to time it a few times.

I have brought a camp mug full of water to a boil with it.

These threads can get silly pretty fast. OP needs zero camping gear in his survival kit. For urban survival, here's some stuff nobody ever thinks about, because their mindset is stuck on bow drills and tarp tents.

-Four way silcock key. Most commercial buildings have faucets outside. With the correct tool to access them and turn them on, you should never run out of water in an urban environment. If the water system has failed? Find a vending machine. In an urban environment, any streams, drainage areas, or ponds are probably polluted with toxic chemicals.

-Light switch key. Again, a lot of commercial buildings don't have regular light switches. You need a special fork looking thing to turn the always-on lights off. This could be a tactical advantage in some circumstances, or simply a place to sleep in others.

-Lock picks. Get a couple piece set, or the easy to use bogata pick sets. There are a thousand uses for these things. One of the most important things might be that with picks, you can relock doors or gates behind you.

-Hex key for panic bar doors. Seeing a pattern here yet?

-If you wear dress shoes (or heels) to work: Have comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots in the office or your car. Disasters involve a lot of time on your feet.

+1

In an urban/suburban environment you're more likely to have to break into shelter than build it.

Most of the above plus a rolled up Platypus bladder or some other type of water container (my daypack has an empty Camelbak bladder in it).  An older version of the Petzl eLite headlamp with a red light in it.  A pair of gloves.  Two less common items I keep in my bag are a pair of those small personal alarms that I can use to set p alarms if I have to sleep somewhere less than ideal; they were white so I painted them OD green so they wouldn't be as visible at night.  I wish I could find a decent lightweight silcock key, the steel ones weigh a lot for their size.    

I've got a lockpick set but I'm not good with it at all and I really don't like keeping it in my truck in case some cop decides he wants to search my truck for some reason.



ETA- I guess I should have actually read what you wrote more closely since you said in your pocket only.  I hate carrying crap in my pockets so I have a basic key ring with the minimum keys I need, truck door lock fob thingy and a Photon LED light, a pocket knife, a bandana, a mini Bic and my wallet which has the usual crap in it plus a couple of bandaids.  I wear a watch and carry some sort of handgun, when allowed, with at least one reload.  That's it, no Altoid's tin in my pocket or Maxpedition gar bag on my belt or anything like that.  I keep a daypack in my truck that does have some gear in it.

Crock pot liner or roasting bags make decent water carriers. (Roasting probably better because they are open on the end instead of along one edge.)

If there is weight left, a universal sill-cock valve will get you water out of a lot of building hose bibs in the city, often even after the water was off.

Depending on the way a hose bib is fed, you may get enough to fill a large container as it drains down.

A lot of the junk I see posted is nuts.

Here is what I think is important:
Headlamp
Gloves
Eye protection
Rain jacket
Multi-tool
Cash (can get you whatever you need)
IDs
Important prescriptions (diarrhea pills are not needed guys)
Spare contacts
Glasses
CCW
2 reloads
Shoes (ones you could walk 30miles in no problem)
Cell phone with data (sure the lines my be down or overloaded but email / Facebook also works)
Phone charger (spare fully charged battery)
Small discreet cheap backpack that won't draw attention
Water bottle
Watch (cab always trade things of value)
Lighter
N95 mask that has been fit tested

This is more than you need for a 36 hours of a 9/11 type scenario if your goal is to gtfo.

Things I carry everyday:
1) I like the Victorinox One Hand Trekker.
   I use it every day and I keep one in my car and truck.
2) single AA LED.
3) Bic Lighter.
4) Small J&J FAK box sold at most chain pharmacies for $1.00
   Add items as needed.
5) Milwaukee tool version of the Sharpy marker, writes wet.
6) Small spiral bound note book and golf pencil.
7) Butterscotch life savers or other hard candy.
8) $3.00 in quarters
9) small bottle of hand sanitizer
10) bandana/handkerchief.

Florida?

If you wear them, an eye glasses repair kit can be a lifesaver.

And they're TINY.

Mike

Florida.

I've got a butt set in my stuff.  All I need to find is a little green post... 

My "kit" blends from rural to suburban with little to no change.  My EDC is pretty standard at this point, and while it does change blade or flashlight wise, the items pretty much stay the same.  I do not like having a ton of stuff in my pockets.  When I am out on the trail or in the woods, or even riding my motorcycle I use my hill people gear chest pack, keeps stuff out of my pockets but lets me carry essential kit items.

EDC:  

On a large carbineer:  Keys. Nitecore tube LED rechargeable. SAK classic. Brass split pea lighter.

Cell phone (AT&T) and possibly a pocket flashlight depending on task at hand.  Just to and from work? -It pretty much rides in my bag, Nitecore works for most quick uses day to day.

Gerber MP600 on my belt. (I switch between gerber and leatherman depending what I want to use.)

In my bag:  Very basic FAK.  A couple writing utencils and note pad.  Wall plug charging cable for my cell.  Small battery bank with cable.  Extra/ Spare flip cell phone (Verizon.)  Shemagh scarf.  32oz Nalgene.  Dual band HT radio with spare battery.  20' hank of paracord.  Spare pocket knife/ utility tool.  Bic lighter with a plastic/ruber cap on it.  Spare battery for whichever light I am carrying.

That's it. and I don't always carry my backpack.  I feel confident in my skills+EDC to get me through what needs getting through.  

I also have several kit/gear items that ride in my Jeep.  I don't keep them all stashed in one bag easy to grab or steel, I sift them throughout my Jeep.  Some stuff in center console, glove box, FAK in the back, shovel, axe, paracord with the spare tire etc.

Head lamp hangs on my rear view mirror.  If I don't have my Jeep I usually toss a headlamp in my bag.

Dimes don't dislocate finger as bad

I got a big hands.

Wallet, keys, iPhone, Glock 17 in holster, spare pistol mag, Benchmade Adams automatic folder, Streamlight pocket light (280 lumens),- on my person.
"Altoid" kits are great for outdoorsmen packing fishing and fire starting gear, but in the urban area, they serve no purpose for me. I would defer to my Get Home Bag for fire, emergency food, lighting/signaling, poncho shelter needs.

Sir,
That is all kinds of cool. Great ingenuity.

Mr. Kilroy speaks volumes. Down here in Southeast Texas, we consider hurricanes much more than Russians doing a Red Dawn on us. Sometimes a little burglary is all that is needed to survive.
Tip: when the hotel people GTFO, the homeless move into the vacated hotels.

Mr. Kilroy speaks volumes. Down here in Southeast Texas, we consider hurricanes much more than Russians doing a Red Dawn on us. Sometimes a little burglary is all that is needed to survive.
Tip: when the hotel people GTFO, the homeless move into the vacated hotels.

Yes I will be carrying a bag of noise making change around for vending machines. I f there is no other way to get food , more than likely everyone else will be scrounging to.
Glass breaker for the win ,that's if someone else didn't get to it first.

its not cheap, its not pocket size but if its bad SHTF no electricity no lights some sort of night vision instead of broadcasting your position with white light could mean the difference between getting killed and getting home safe.  I have the funds so I keep an older monocular in my car get home bag.

I just finished putting together a micro EDC kit myself. I'd originally put together a kit in a Maxpedition Mini, but I found it a little too big for cargo pocket carry (it fit, but barely, and it was really too big in there). I wanted something that I could toss in there and not really notice, otherwise I probably wouldn't end up using it much. I wanted something that can go either in a cargo pocket or attached to belt loop. I considered getting a Maxped Micro, but thought I could do better. I found a perfect-sized one at Best Buy in the camera bag section:









It's this one, and it cost me about $12 or so.

Contents are as follows:

Gerber Dime (I've also got a Leatherman Squirt I might use in here)
Fenix E05 85 lumen LED
Fisher space pen (bullet)
5 sheets of Rite in the Rain notepad paper
(2) Wet Ones singles
(2) alcohol prep pads
Colgate Wisp toothbrush
Chapstick
(4) Tums
(3) Band Aids w/ antibiotic
Pair of nitrile gloves
(2) Paperclips
Medicine (2 Atenolol for high blood pressure, 2 Acetaminophen, 2 Ibuprofen)
1' Printable ruler (laminated)
3 UCO All-Weather matches w/ striker

Keep in mind, this is not really a "survival" kit, it's simply a small kit of things I use and want to carry on a daily or fairly frequent basis. I guess it's my little "purse"... I've got a full GHB in the vehicle that'll handle multi-day treks. But this kit is tiny and carries some useful stuff. I put a small nite-ize biner on there to clip it to belt loops if I want to clear out that pocket for something.

I think the trick to a kit like this is to put together something small enough that you will actually carry it daily. Otherwise it will just end up sitting on the shelf like my Maxped did. This one is easy. I wear cargo pants daily; wallet goes in the left pocket, this one in the right. Doesn't flop around and smack my leg like the Maxped did, so this one will actually get used.

There are a ton of great YouTube videos on micro edc kits that can give you ideas. Lots are even smaller than this - lots of earbud case kits. Toughest part is figuring out what really needs to be in there, and what doesn't.

One of these.

Attached File

I live in Miami.

G43
Benchmade presidio
Spare mag
Surefire titan

For coins I use one of these

http://www.meangeneleather.com/shop/mgl-hot-tamale-less-lethal-coin/

No one knows what it is and holds a lot of quarters for the vending machines. I add enough dollar coins that I can buy a basic meal in a pinch

For this pocket kit are you keeping this on you 100% of the time or keeping at the office something happens and you have something?

No matter what you state i think your main focus should be the knife. the reason is no matter what happens the knife should be on you 100% otherwise its a paperweight.

As for myself i usually carry a Victoianox swiss army knife (need to look up model) and currently a Cold Steel Recon 1. Now i have been rethinking on carrying the cold steel ak-47 just for its quick deployment. Just between these 2 knives youd have 75-80% of your needs.

As for your lighting needs any lightweight AA battery flash light and a BIC lighter.

Anything else you carry is gravy.

The poor persons version of this is a flashlight or headlamp with moonlight mode. A bright light can be seen from very far away, which may not be ideal when around a bunch of other people. Remember, a bunch of them may be bugging out from whatever caused you to bug out. They may just have less gear, not know where to go, be in an opportunistic mood, etc.
With moonlight mode, your eyes stay adjusted to the dark, batteries last for weeks, and you maintain stealth, but 800+ blinding lumens is just a button press away.

I'm in Miami.

Gun, flip phone, SAK SwissChamp, pack of gum, lipstick flashlight like the EagleTac D25C Ti. clicky, keys with a coin cell light/SAK Classic and my wallet.  Maybe a BIC lighter if I'm traveling with a cigar and finally, a bottle of water.

Chris