I go minimalist quite often. That means dedicated light, fire, and sharp. There has never been a situation where I can't manage to carry those three things and countless situations where they made a significant difference. Cordage, USB charger, pen, paper, etc, etc have their time and place, but the big three are non-negotiable.
EDC is all about what you carry to deal with your life. If you go with standard: wallet, keys and that's it, great if that's all you need. For years while I wasn't deployed that's what I had: wallet, keys and that's it. Then as I realized the need for more I carried more. My EDC for when I was on deployment would be vastly different than my EDC yesterday or today. It's about what you think you would like to have to get throught the major parts of your day. There's nothing wrong with having a "Ah Snap" bag in the car or something like that, but it's in the car. You go with what helps you and maybe we can help each other by offering tips, tricks and our experiences.
So for me, as it probably is for most around here, it is a balance between practicality and convenience. I am a big "right to for the job" guy, and I have this discussion at least twice a week at work. I would rather have the proper implement so I can do my job in the most efficient way that I can. It takes a little more planning, and I wind up carrying a lot more tools at the start of the day than my co-workers, but I am much faster at doing my job than if I was just "making do". EDC is no different for me. I carry the items that help me get through my day while keeping the struggle to a minimum. And I probably carry what some would consider to be too much, but for the peace of mind it provides it is worth every ounce in my pockets. Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
Even though this is a resurrected thread, I think it’s still worth commenting on because it is an important, reoccurring theme. So someone may have already said this, but in case not... I’m glad the OP had this epiphany. Now just imagine that the next time they found themself in a similar situation, it was more of an emergency where their phone battery would have better served as a phone, and they had a separate keychain flashlight Just some food for thought. A tiny AAA Thrunite Ti3 could go a long way in a situation like this and take up hardly any space or weight. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
On vacations, I travel with many options that can be customized for the situation. A stroll such as yours always necessitates at least a pocket knife, keychain sized or larger light and a whistle.
