Recommendation on EDC for rainy environment?‏

Hi Fernando,

I really enjoy your blog and have learned a lot from your book.  I am wondering if you have any special gear you would recommend for EDC in Seattle?  To give you some background, it rains in Seattle about 300 days per year and the sun is pretty much never out.  Everything is always soaked.  I have already added a compact raincoat and a wide-brimmed hat to my EDC bag, and in my truck I keep a waterproof tarp (but it is too large and heavy for my EDC bag).  In an environment where everything is constantly soaking wet, what recommendations do you have on EDC?

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike, glad you like the blog and book.

Your environment clearly dictates a few special considerations.

Base Camp Messenger Bag Backpacks - unisex TNF Red Black Large by The North Face

For an EDC bag, I’d go for something that is waterproof. Sometimes, materials that are supposed to be waterproof aren’t so. Cordura for example, it may not absorb water like cotton but its not waterproof either. The best “real” waterproof EDC bag I found so far is the North Face Bomber bag. This bag is made of a rubbery material that is 100% waterproof. Of course it zips down and isn’t watertight, but as long as the flap is down and rain just pours over it contents are kept dry.

Sometimes you can find rubberized cloth, occasionally in surplus store. Just keep this in mind, the material should be completely waterproof and that excludes any woven fiber, natural or synthetic.

Some of the contents I’d keep in this bag of yours:

Olive Drab - GI Style Poncho (Nylon Rip-Stop)

Poncho: Get one that is compact but still better than those disposable ones found for a couple bucks. This is something you’ll use often.

Umbrella: I knew it would be raining in Salt Lake City and still didn’t take my little umbrella. I wish I had! A small umbrella can be safely tucked under the flap of the North Face shoulder bag.

Space Blankets: Include a couple of these. They double as emergency blankets, can do as emergency ponchos or tarps if you need them. One can be used to put a “roof” over your head (include 10 yards of 550 paracord in your bag) and the other one as a blanket.

Signaling: Given the overall cloudy location, you may want to make yourself noticed with some reflective tape on your poncho or using a FuelBelt Reflective Snap Band.
  You don’t want to get run over while walking, so this is important. A red LED strobe would be ideal. 

SE 6 Way Flasher with Accessory Red with Bike Attachment

Ziplock bag with spare clothes: At least underwear and socks, you might want to include one of those thing running shorts and dryfit top. Takes almost no space once sealed in a ziplock bag with the air removed.

The general theme of your EDC should be keeping things try, watertight match case, storm lighter, the ziplock bags will help keep things dry and organized too.  As for firearm, go Glock and pick a quality stainless steel blade instead of just carbon steel which would rust easily. Ammo (premium defensive ammo) will be ok even if wet, but you want to replace it twice a year if its really damp, just in case.

Take care!

FerFAL

How do homestead attacks go down?

I’m still digesting everything that happened at the SelfReliance Expo. I’ve met so many wonderful people that I can say it far exceeded my expectations. It was so nice to meet like-minded people within the industry of survival and preparedness. So kind, so friendly. Same thing for the people attending, some were people that had read my book or blog (often both) and that had come from far away to meet me. It was definitely humbling to see that. I can’t thank you all enough.

As I talked with people I understood that one of the recurring topics of this website, the issue of security, will indeed be one of the main points for Americans in the coming decade. Fortunately some are already well aware of this problem, but for many it will indeed be a nasty awakening. The amount of homes that are within certain isolation is significant. Until not that long ago being away from main urban locations meant that you avoided the predator that was too lazy to look beyond a few yards. As the crisis goes on though, the problem increases and is already reaching those safe places where people didn’t even lock their doors. It will be no time until criminals both organize into better prepared groups and see the advantage of hitting places that are out of sight.

This video explains what happened to a friend of mine just a few months ago. The farm is hard to get to, and they have several people both living and working there. Listen to my explanation of how the bad guys took over the compound and think of ways in which you may improve your own security at home.

Take care everyone!

FerFAL

Back in Argentina from the trip. SO much to talk about!

So I just got back home a few hours ago. I left Salt Lake City yesterday at 8 AM. Got up at 5.30AM, caught a flight at 8AM, was in Washington/Dulles around 12 AM and bummed around the airport until my 10 PM flight. 10 hours later I was landing in Buenos Aires.

Right now everything sort of moves in so motion and I feel like Apu from The Simpsons after working for 80 hours straight with no sleep (the security cameras actually show him flying like a hummingbird)

So I'll catch some sleep and post again tonight since there so much I want to tell you about the Expo. It really went well and got to meet a lot of great people.

FerFAL

SLC SelfReliance Expo and TheModernSurvivalist

So I'm talking with Dave Duffy and John Silveira from Backwoods Home Magazine(excellent people, both of them, it was so nice to talk with them!) and I mention The Modern Survivalist to Dave, he opens his laptop and tells me "your blog is down". It is, and at the worst possible moment.
The good news is that the Expo is going great, got to meet a few of you guys, thank you so much for coming.
Tomorrow is the second and final day of the expo and I'll be talking again at 6 PM.
All of you guys that I met, its been such a wonderful experience. I'll write more when I'm back home and have more time but all I can say is thank you.
Take care and see you tomorrow at the Expo.
FerFAL