(Part 2) Best products from r/VEDC

Knives.

I feel some sort of a utility-blade knife is great for fine / small / delicate work, and pair it with a nice medium - large, solid fixed blade knife is a good idea.

This is a ridiculously nice knife for the price:

SOG Tactical Knife with Sheath - “Field Knife” Fixed Blade Knives FK1001-CP 4” Fixed Blade Knife with Full Tang Sharp Knife Blade + Survival Knife Grip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUJBTBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_.n2YBb2XANXSB



Also I’ve found that Schrade knives seem to provide an exceptionally good value. I bought this one for my bag when it was closer to I think $22/23.00....can’t beat that! Honestly I’m prob going to start collecting them. They’re super inexpensive yet pretty good quality / pretty well rated.

As much as I truly love and used to only go for the best, most expensive stuff, I’d rather have several less expensive knives stashed around instead of one super expensive one that I’m afraid to use, lose, break.

Schrade by BTI Tools SCHF36CP Frontier, 5" High Carbon Steel Blade, Full Tang, Clam https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019RSXGYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Dq2YBb8BG9BV0


I did some research (of course....all my suggestions here are very well researched) and for the price, the 2 knives above are very good values. Don’t get me wrong; I love super high-quality, expensive things - especially knives - but;

• I have around 20-ish knives and literally the only knife I ever use is my Gerger EAB utility knife and I only use it to open packages. :-|
  
  
• As these are dedicated for car kits, there’s a chance they’ll get lost or stolen so I certainly don’t want a $200+ knife to play that role.
  
  
  
  Gerber EAB Pocket Knife [22-41830] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016KHW2W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_px2YBb0W6VBGD
  
  These things are ridiculously small and useful. Great for EDC or VEDC. Been carrying one for years & use it all the time. Get the one I linked, NOT the fancy-looking new “upgraded” model - it is a POS. I bought 2-3 and the clip broke off on EACH of them almost immediately. It is also much larger than the original EAB.
  
  OR you can get something like this because you have spare blades + larger handle / better grip.
  
  Folding Utility Knife, Heavy Duty, Triple Ground Blades Stay Sharp, Pocket Clip Klein Tools 44131 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9GGGYY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_wy2YBbA03MMH6
  
  
  
  
  Also a crowbar of some sort so that you aren’t tempted to use any of your knives as a crowbar.

Looks fine for "I'm going to the hurricane shelter" purposes.

Suggestions:

Especially if you load much else in there you probably want something with a shoulder strap, if not a backpack. Carrying anything in your hand will get tiring, even if it's just around a campus or wherever you end up.

You've got ramen but nothing to hold water, let alone heat it in. For sustenance, try some purpose-built emergency rations that are ready to eat and last basically forever. And/or add a backpackers all-in-one mug you can heat water in, mix your stuff in, then eat / drink it.

Unbox that radio and store the batteries pre-installed. I virtually guaranty that cheap thing (not an insult here) has a "hard" physical switch and zero parasitic draw. No sense having things separate and potentially lost. Also – make sure it actually works!

Especially if you're a "set it and forget it" type – lose the alkaline batteries in favor of Energizer Lithiums. Ten year shelf life and no potential for messy / damaging leakage. Strongly consider standardizing on one size (AA or AAA) instead of messing with adapters. While you're at it, add a flashlight. Even if you EDC one. Even if it's just a Harbor Freight freebie.

That charger is a low-amp one, right? Probably 500mA max. You'd do well to have one that did a full 2.1A, since if/when you get access to electricity you (and everyone else) will want quick charging. A longer USB cord wouldn't be bad. Consider a multi-port charger, and a dual-tip micro-USB / Lightning cable so you can be someone's hero.

Add some duct tape. C'mon, you can't have any sort of bag without duct tape. Wrap it over a short dowel, large nail, etc. for additional usefulness. A little cord too. Ten feet of paracord, or even just string, can be super useful and takes basically zero space. Throw a couple decent sized zip-ties in. Those tiny buggers are nice sometimes, but definitely aren't long or strong enough to handle many useful tasks.

Replace those screwdrivers with a multitool so you have more size options, plus a blade, scissors, etc. and especially a pair of pliers. If you're enough of a tool snob to care (pretty sure based on what you packed that's "no") feel free to ignore me.

Put that TP in a zipper bag. It's not going to do you much good for anything if it gets wet from unexpected rain, a spilled bottle, etc. – pack your clothes and other soft goods in zipper bags too, for the same reason. The bags themselves can become very useful, even if only for separating your stanky worn drawers from everything else.

I'll give it a go once I have things wired. I'm pretty ambitious, right now I am researching how I can use this Lithium 400 Ah battery as my deep cycle battery and what else I would need to accompany it such as a single 240W solar panel for the roof that would fit perfectly on a hard top w/ Freedom Panels still able to be removed.

(See image at end of post for visual)
Jeep top dimensions from back window to Freedom Panels:

40 x 62.5 inches

Panasonic HIT Power 240W Panel (21.6/19.0% Cell/Module Eff):

31.4 x 62.2 inches

I would want to mount it on a tilt structure to maximize energy collection from sun. I wonder if it could charge the battery while the Jeep is underway on the highway? I don't see why not. I did read this on a forum: "Ideally you should have 60 to 100 watts of solar per hundred amp hours of battery" So for a 400 Ah battery and a 240W Panel looks like I come in on the short-side of that calculation. I could always try to run another 160W in foldable portable panels which should be too hard, like an 2x 80W or even 3x 50W.

Solar module is more of a phase II since I only have a soft top right now, so I would have to move out of my apt before getting the hard top and then get the solar panel installed. I could probably get away with using a
Honda EU2000I 2000 Watt Super Quiet Inverter Generator to recharge the battery in the meantime. Actually given that this battery bank has a 5120 W capacity, it might make sense for me to look into this Briggs & Stratton 3000W which only weights 3 lbs more than the honda at 50 lbs.

If you want to see overkill, here's another option I am considering:

http://i.imgur.com/1aKwOp3.png

I'm not seeing much of a reason not to carry both. There are some Petzl headlamps out there you can get for $20, as well as some really bright and reliable lights you can get for about the same cost. Neither of those options have to take up a lot of space, and you probably don't have to worry too much about carrying capacity in a car (until you really start packing things in for trips). There's not really much need to compromise for either one.

A headlamp is nice though, as others have said, for hands free use of a light and many of them come with an ability to use readily available AAA batteries. You're just not typically going to get a lot of light out of them for any distance unless you start dropping big dollars. For work lights though, they're hard to beat.

Now, if you want something you can search or signal with I would suggest a dedicated flashlight. There are some really good options available for not a lot of money that will out perform even quality headlamps for throw and output without even getting up to their brightest settings.

Personally, I just got a cheap Energizer headlamp two pack for $11 one Christmas season and gave one to my GF at the time, and threw the other in my backpack for emergencies. Amazon has a 135 lumen two pack for $19 that are even more output than what I have (mine is MAYBE 35 lumens) but if you wanted to get a good Petzl headlamp they're really not that expensive either. Even the one you linked to is just $30 on Amazon.

For my main flashlight, I've got a Fenix UC35 which I won in a giveaway. It's a bit pricey, but the output is stupid bright. Battery is an 18650 rechargeable which can be USB recharged or charged with a dedicated charger. You won't likely find this battery in stores, but many 18650 flashlights can also use CR123a non rechargables which you CAN find in stores like Walmart or Home Depot, plus its ability to recharge with micro USB means I can charge it with my phone charger in my car, or with my battery pack in my backpack...or anyone else's android phone charger I happen to find laying around. If you plan ahead and buy a few spare batteries, you won't need to worry about it at all.

I also recently just picked up a few Eagle Eye X5R flashlights that run off the same batteries for the house and have been very good lights so far.

> I'm considering buying an MRE to stow inside but my bag is pretty full as is. Do you have any suggestions? Something along the lines of like a nutrition bar that would last for awhile and can withstand high temperatures outside as this will be kept in my trunk.

The answer to this question is 100% the food bars they use on survival boats. Mainstay 2400's are ones I have littered all over, though I recently picked up Daltrex bars in their place (I like the taste better and they're individually wrapped within the pack). They are 2400 calorie food packs that last for up to 5 years and withstands temperatures of -40 F to 300F. They're also supposed to be non thirst provoking, but you'll still want a drink with them.

Most Walmarts have an orange version of the Mainstay bar in their camping section for $5 a bar. Amazon tends to be a little more pricey but you can find good deals on them sometimes. The Daltrex bars there atm are priced pretty well at 6.37 apiece for a 4 pack. The BePrepared Emergency Essentials site has decent deals sometimes as well, though they're 6.95/bar atm so Amazon has the better price right now.

When I last looked for a lantern this had not come out yet

Its a direct rip-off of the Fenix one (which is $60) but this one only costs $16 while running off an 18650, and having a magnetic base!

If anyone buys one, I'd love to see how it performs

I'd probably toss the battery it comes with, as its probably crap. I would also probably avoid charging cells with the USB input, but other than that it looks like it might be pretty decent

This looks like the same product, from a different seller
- But check out that awesome SOS Picture!


Another good budget option is this USB powered LED Bulb or maybe this TWO PACK FOR $10!

I found a better one than the above, this one is a little more expensive than the twin pack, but this one includes a hook!

I just have a pontoon on a small inland lake, but this multi-tool was given to me after I bought the boat and has been super handy! DeckMate 6 in 1 Boating Tool


A couple other items that I have found super handy.


- Plastic bags -- For garbage, cans, or anything really
- Spare can koozie -- Makes you someones best friend
- Extra strength line -- In case you need to tow someone
- Sun screen -- Always forget to grab it and now just keep it on the boat.

> I may have to get ... a small shovel

I know it's pretty "tacticool," but I personally carry the Cold Steel "Special Forces Shovel." I picked mine up used for like $20, and it's served me pretty well the few times I've needed it. Plus it's quite small which is nice, and I didn't want the possibility of a folding shovel breaking on me.
It's much cheaper on Amazon, but I don't think that link includes the sheath, which I consider necessary to keep dirt/mud from getting all over inside your vehicle.
Just my 2¢!

Also, regarding the bottled water, I don't know where you are in TX that it's near-freezing (lucky bastard, it's 65º and climbing here in SETX), but I've frozen Ozarka bottles dozens of times and never had them break on me. As long as you leave a little bit of air in the top, like they come sealed, then you won't have any problems.

I would buy this,

http://www.amazon.com/Slime-COMP03-12-Volt-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B000ET9SAU/ref=sr_1_12?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1448980138&sr=1-12&keywords=slime+air+pump

and

http://www.amazon.com/Slime-2040-A-Tire-Plug-Kit/dp/B000ET9SAA/ref=sr_1_5?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1448980761&sr=1-5&keywords=tire+plug+kit

In the plug kit your really buying those T handles, there nice and wont try to fold into your hand or away from it while you plug the tire. You can buy I think it's 40 plugs stand alone at walmart for around 5 bucks if you find yourself plugging tires that much.

Then buy a metal jar of rubber cement because that little tube is going to work once and get rock hard.

http://www.amazon.com/Slime-1050-Rubber-Cement-oz/dp/B003V9UU66/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1448981382&sr=8-5&keywords=rubber+cement

Any will do that's just what I found on amazon.

That's the same air pump I own except I dont think mine says 300 PSI on the side, I would be extremely surprised if it could actually reach 300 psi but I can tell you for a fact it'll air a tire up in a less than 10 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Cigarette-Lighter-Lengthened-Extension/dp/B00JOY6U7U

This may be worth while as well incase your cigarette lighter doesnt work or blows a fuse you could just clip directly to your car battery.


As far as a phone charger I just mean use a phone charger that plugs in your cigarette lighter, I dont trust those little power bricks. Even if your car battery is "Dead" as in it wont turn your engine over and clicks, it's probably still got more than enough juice to charge your phone and make a call for help.

I would splurge for these nice jumper cables

http://www.amazon.com/Cartman-Booster-Cable-Gauge-Listed/dp/B00VHE76GE/ref=lp_15719941_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1448981135&sr=1-1

That comes up to 132 dollars in my amazon cart, I think that puts you much better off than the alternative you were looking at at a reasonable price.

I lived on a dirt road for years, Holes in my tires were Common and I don't think I ever broke out my spare.