Gearing Up For Road Trips & Trying To Get Organized

[Mistwalker]

Well...I have a lot of catching up to do after the last week feeling like I was going to die from either food poisoning of some sort of stomach flu. On the plus side I have spent a little time getting new kits together and getting some things a little more organized for work and travel this warm season. I know all of the discussions on the obvious impressions of maxped gear in an urban environment, but I still like it for packing my work equipment to the field, it's tough stuff. I recently ordered some more things from Lisa at Two Wolves Outdoor, the same place I got my pack a couple of years ago and a few other things since, and as always, received excellent customer service.

I have seen where a lot of you guys have put together kits built around maxped water bottle carries so I thought I'd play with one of those a bit. I want to see how effective it is for my uses plus I am putting together a kit for a friend who is heading to Taos NM for an internship in earth ships/homes for her environmental biology studies. I am wanting to put together some light but effective, she is only about 5”-5” and maybe 110 pounds. Just wanting to cover some of the basics and essentials so I am seeing what all I can do with this 4x10 carrier, plus picked up a BPA free bottle. Weird how one camera picks it up as more khaki, while the other picks it up as more green in the shade. It is khaki.

Another thing I am liking is the EDC organizers.

I put the first one together a while back, and wanted to play with a smaller one that's still a good modular component and also more cargo-pocket-friendly. Something that easily handled the transition from wooded to urban environments. If they made these things in blue I might actually be able to organize the wife. I am going to pick up a few more and use them to organize different parts of the system. I wish there was an orange or red one for use as a FAK, but there is velcro for labeling them so it'll work out.

 

[Brian Sargent]

I can't go anywhere with out a small pack of Babywipes in the kit.

 

[JV3]

nice! i have one of those organizers as a fak too...a red cross patch and red paracord pull-cords for easy id.

 

[schmittie]

I really like the idea behind those organizers. I will have to pick a few up. What size do you like Mist?

 

[Mistwalker]

I can't go anywhere with out a small pack of Babywipes in the kit.

Yeah, one of the small packs could be a good addition...I've just enjoyed the time away from baby wipes for a while after I got my youngest out of diapers a few years ago lol.

nice! i have one of those organizers as a fak too...a red cross patch and red paracord pull-cords for easy id.

Yeah, I was going to get labels, but I like the colored cord pulls idea too, thanks!

I really like the idea behind those organizers. I will have to pick a few up. What size do you like Mist?

So far I have the standard and the mini, both will fit in a cargo pocket, but the mini is less obvious and more comfortable so I am liking it best so far I suppose. I'm going to get a micro and a fatty next to play with.

 

[thrillbilly]

I just bought one of the Condor knock-offs...Seeing Mist's pics of how organized the EDC gear is made me want to try it...I will see if the Condor version will hold up.

 

[Mistwalker]

I just bought one of the Condor knock-offs...Seeing Mist's pics of how organized the EDC gear is made me want to try it...I will see if the Condor version will hold up.

Cool, would love to see some close-up shots of the Condor version. These are definitely going to help me get my crap organized, and have it organized for work rather than sorting through bags of loose gear. I can configuring some specific to my personal needs and have others specific to the work at hand, and reconfigure those as the projects require.

 

[TheGame]

I've seen so many of these Maxped packs being utilized for kits, yet I still have yet to buy one. Really need to remedy that. Maybe I'll get one for my nephew to use on those summer days when we won't be packing much with us.

 

[Mistwalker]

I've seen so many of these Maxped packs being utilized for kits, yet I still have yet to buy one. Really need to remedy that. Maybe I'll get one for my nephew to use on those summer days when we won't be packing much with us.

I really like how they work with a modular system, but I also like how they are small and can be kept in close proximity in a vehicle. Even if I am not wearing cargos,which is not all that often, it can rest in the little cubby hole in my truck door to grab and go if needs be.

 

[Murphnuge]

I've been looking for a reason to buy one of these, thanks! It makes it easier now that I found a Maxpedition dealer close by.

 

[collecter]

I think you have too many redundant items. Place all you knives and other tools in one pile see what that looks like. Same with fire starters, etc.

Well...

Another thing I am liking is the EDC organizers.

I put the first one together a while back, and wanted to play with a smaller one that's still a good modular component and also more cargo-pocket-friendly. Something that easily handled the transition from wooded to urban environments. If they made these things in blue I might actually be able to organize the wife. I am going to pick up a few more and use them to organize different parts of the system. I wish there was an orange or red one for use as a FAK, but there is velcro for labeling them so it'll work out.

 

[jw2n]

They do not look so redundant to me as having 4 different methods of starting a fire, or having a small FB in addition to a SAK is pretty standard fare.

 

[collecter]

I count 5 blades in several different pouches plus you'll probably carry something in your pocket.

What's the point?

Try gaining confidence in your 2 or 3 favorite blades and carry less.

 

[Mistwalker]

I've been looking for a reason to buy one of these, thanks! It makes it easier now that I found a Maxpedition dealer close by.

They are cool little pieces of kit.

I think you have too many redundant items. Place all you knives and other tools in one pile see what that looks like. Same with fire starters, etc.

The pouches seem really redundant as I got them weeks apart, played with one a bit then robbed some things from it and played with the other some to see which one I liked better how. I just left the original pictures of each alone to give a better idea of available space. For the ones I'll use to organize the pack they won't be redundant when finished and one will be focused on fire and basic essentials as a small core survival kit, another will become a dedicated first aid kit, another will be for small electronics. There will still likely be redundancies on cutting, as in a folding knife in one and a small fixed blade in another since my pack will also serve as sort of a gear distribution center in an event as neither my wife nor my daughters tend to carry kits with them. If we encounter a situation each small pouch will see to a particular set of needs without having to borrow from another to accomplish, plus yes I will likely have a small fixed blade or a folder on me but plan for worst case and a need to tool three people from one kit. The one kit that pertains to fire will have three different methods, flame based, spark based, and magnification. Still playing with ideas to see which gear will be used. Lightening the load of the pack for hikes (if I'm alone) will be easy, but materializing something from thin air in a worse case situation would be very difficult. The water bottle carrier is only redundant since I played with the ideas of a small fixed inside or a larger fixed outside. Still playing but there will only be one or the other in the end. I think I have settled on one externally for now, but it is an adaptable kit so it can go back and forth depending on area and needs.