My Fellow College Students

[cmdionne]

I just finished grad school as well, my gear in my messenger bag or on my person was usually:

some sort of water bottle
two cliff bars (didn't always remember to replace them)
small bottle of motrin (lifesaver)
Spyderco Scorpius or Pac Salt (IWB)
some sort of slippie in my pocket
Magnesium firestarter
very small FAK (bandaid, bacitracin, scalpel, antacid)
Surefire G2 Nitrolon (If I knew I'd be out after dark)
small fenix cr123 light (if it wasn't after dark)
spaceblanket
CPR mask and gloves
some sort of lighter (usually a bic or minibic)

I was never too far from my car, and I had a fuller kit in there with twine, a fixed blade, ocassionaly a hatchet, full sized shovel (nice in the winter), blanket etc.

If school was somewhere other than downtown detroit I likely would have had a fixed blade in my bag, but I didn't think that a FB would go over all that well.

 

[soccergod04]

All of these FB's amaze me. If you're in school, how far can you be from your current residence? Even if you commute it can't be more than an hour walk, I would hope. I keep things on me at school that are minimalistic, yet enough to get me home in a pinch.

A slippie and one, maybe 2 locking folders, small FAK, Maglite, bandana, sunglasses, umbrella, hat, lighter/matches/firestarter. Also some tape and zip-ties.

I probably left a couple things out off the top of my head, but these things are light enough so I can carry them easily if I need to get home quickly. I can walk from campus and/or work home in about 40 minutes and probably run in about 20 with all of this stuff and my books on my back. I feel like this is the main goal of things I carry, to get me home expediently to the more substantial things I may need. Short of an all-out terroristic plot to take over my school, I feel like I'm prepared enough to meet my needs.

 

[jca21]

for the past 4 years of university i carried a sak of sorts, either s spartan or explorer, a bic lighter, and a small first aid kit that has a amk heat sheet blanket in it....


thats about it.


then again, i drive to school and if SHTF i could rely on my vehicle kit.

 

[cmdionne]

All of these FB's amaze me. If you're in school, how far can you be from your current residence? Even if you commute it can't be more than an hour walk, I would hope.

I know some people who commute to school over an hour BY CAR. Do the math on walking that one.

I lived about 10 miles from school, and I drove. But to be able to walk home I would have had to pass through some of the worst neighborhoods in Detroit (arguably among some of the roughest in the US). My EDC should I have needed to get home on foot would be a topic more appropriate for Prac-Tac.

 

[jca21]

i drive over an hour by car to get to my university. it is around 40km from my home which is approximately 25miles. my vehicle bag is a get home/bug out bag as 25 miles of walking is strenuous especially when your school is located on top of a mountain

 

[KEmSAT-Survival]

When I went to college on-campus (most of my coursework is over the internet now, thank GOD!) I carried and Altoids tin kit (the one that is currently in my BK9 rig), my SAK and an Aluminum/Waterproof Winchester LED flashlight on me always.

In the car during the winter months I made sure to stash an extra layer of clothes, a heavy coat and a blanket.

In the summer I stuck a gallon of water in a cool spot in the trunk.

I still do the second and third.

But don't have need of the Altoid's kit or flashlight, as I'm not really out after dark and the building I'm in has a huge FAK in the bathroom.

 

[wildmanh]

I have not been in college for 6 years but will be going back in January if all goes well (waiting on acceptence letters right now). Anyways I carry what I call my city survival gear. It consists of the following:

Folder (in my pocket)
SOG Powerlock (In a blackhawk Magazine pouch on my belt when not at work)

Key Ring:
Keys
Wistle
Small light

Maxpedition M1 (on my belt or in my backpack while at work):
Cell Phone
Small note book
Pen
Inova X1 flashlight
Spare battery
1st aid kit
Pain killers (Ibuprofen, Aspirin)
Chap stick
Jolly Ranchers
TP
Sometimes I'll also have Jerky or a power bar in there

When I start school I'll carry water, food and school supplies in a backpack along with the stuff on my belt.

Heber

 

[jca21]

i also carry alot of equipment during winter. a sleeping bag, blankets, stove, food and water are great to have because there are many times that i've been snowed up here and not been able to get down (security drops the main gate on the road and doesnt let people down for safety reasons). when this happens you have 3 options, if you've got friends in residence you go on over and mooch off them, if not you go to the gymnasium where they charge 5 bux for blankets and you sleep on the gym floor. otherwise you can try to secure a couch in the library or study rooms.


or.... in my case i sleep in my car fairly comfortably i may add


a few pics of why i carry such a kit, my school is located on top of a mountain.

this spring i didnt mind getting snowed up here because they started a new tradition up on campus:

definetly no problem giving support to these ladies if they need it

 

[cmdionne]

this spring i didnt mind getting snowed up here because they started a new tradition up on campus:

definetly no problem giving support to these ladies if they need it

Why are they all wearing matching slippers?

/I know, I shouldn't be looking at the slippers, but it bothers me.

 

[jca21]

i have no idea, it was a protest/demo done by students in favor of a spring break at my university. instead of having a spring break, we finish a week earlier than other universities in my area. the students were wanting a spring break and did this on campus to gain support and awareness lol.

 

[skammer]

I listed what is in my frikkin backpack when I am sitting in class...I also asked what kind of stuff other college folk had stuffed in there. I keep my BOB/vehicle kit in the truck. I have plenty of gear for GTFO if necessary. What I carry in the backpack is the crap I need while sitting in class and meetings.

Well DOUG Seems like you got it all sorted:thumbup:

Seems that nothing in DOUG's world can happen in TEXAS or between you and your truck with the BOB. So DOUG can clean his nails in class with 6 blades and some motrin.

I appologize for suggesting common sense gear to his greatness, Doug is the man:thumbup:

I need to rewrite the urban disaster prep portion of the CERT course I taught last night.

SKam

 

[KEmSAT-Survival]

I have not been in college for 6 years but will be going back in January if all goes well (waiting on acceptence letters right now). Anyways I carry what I call my city survival gear. It consists of the following:

Folder (in my pocket)
SOG Powerlock (In a blackhawk Magazine pouch on my belt when not at work)

Key Ring:
Keys
Wistle
Small light

Maxpedition M1 (on my belt or in my backpack while at work):
Cell Phone
Small note book
Pen
Inova X1 flashlight
Spare battery
1st aid kit
Pain killers (Ibuprofen, Aspirin)
Chap stick
Jolly Ranchers
TP
Sometimes I'll also have Jerky or a power bar in there

When I start school I'll carry water, food and school supplies in a backpack along with the stuff on my belt.

Heber

'grats on goin' back!

Finishing a Master's, getting your Phd or starting something new?

 

[stingray4540]

Well DOUGOO!!!!!! Seems like you got it all sorted:thumbup:

Seems that NOTHING in DOUGOOOS world can happen in TEXAS or between you and your truck with the BOB. SO DOUGOOOO! can clean his nails in class with 6 blades and some motrin.

I appologize for suggesting common sense gear to his greatness Dougoo is the man:thumbup:

SKam

 

[Ankar Sheng]

Why the hell would you need more than 1 knife at school? Even if you have a long commute, why do you need to take all that crap with you too class?

In my bag I have....

Notebooks
paper
pen
pencil
calculator
ect.

On me...
phone
buck 172
wallet (with cash!)
mp3 player
keys



Sharpener? Do you seriously expect that you'll not only blunt ALL of your knives, but you'll have time to sit around and sharpen them?

kuboton? pepper spray? Seriously? The half dozen knives aren't enough? What kind of ghetto university do you go too?

FAK with a scalpel!? Really, a scalpel? What do you plan on doing with that?


God, I'd hate to go to school in texas, sounds like it must be a bloody warzone down there.

 

[skammer]

Inappropriate, I will edited a bit.

SKam

 

[HikingMano]

I've been out of school for a while now, but hope to be going back soon. Anyway, I wouldn't carry anything different than what I carry now when I'm working. I commute to the city from a suburb via train, so running home after a disaster (earthquake country here) is not an option for me. Therefore, I keep a compact PSK in my EDC backpack. Off the top of my head:

RAT RC4
Surefire LED light w/ extra batteries
Street map of city, should add a topo at some point
AMK heatsheet, Emergency Poncho
1L Aqua Pouch and enough MP-1 tabs for 3-10 days depending on how much I drink, and a Frontier filter straw
Guyot
Fire Kit including a tea candle or two
ouch kit - not full FAK, has stuff like neosporin, bandaids, ibuprofen and loperamide, CPR masks, latex gloves
Leatherman Skeletool and Vic OHT
Whistle, Signaling Mirror
Compass
Field strop and sandpaper for convexed RC4, and EZE lap credit card diamond plates
50 ft hank of paracord, at least 100ft of fishing line, snare wire
Duct Tape
Bandana
Extra Ziploc or two.

Might have a few extra things in there, but can't remember them right now. I also have a light, whistle, peanut lighter, and mini-mag bar on the keychain.

 

[dougo83]

Well DOUG Seems like you got it all sorted:thumbup:

Seems that nothing in DOUG's world can happen in TEXAS or between you and your truck with the BOB. So DOUG can clean his nails in class with 6 blades and some motrin.

I appologize for suggesting common sense gear to his greatness, Doug is the man:thumbup:

I need to rewrite the urban disaster prep portion of the CERT course I taught last night.

SKam

Why the hell would you need more than 1 knife at school? Even if you have a long commute, why do you need to take all that crap with you too class?

In my bag I have....

Notebooks
paper
pen
pencil
calculator
ect.

On me...
phone
buck 172
wallet (with cash!)
mp3 player
keys



Sharpener? Do you seriously expect that you'll not only blunt ALL of your knives, but you'll have time to sit around and sharpen them?

kuboton? pepper spray? Seriously? The half dozen knives aren't enough? What kind of ghetto university do you go too?

FAK with a scalpel!? Really, a scalpel? What do you plan on doing with that?


God, I'd hate to go to school in texas, sounds like it must be a bloody warzone down there.

I think college is a learning process. I hauled a lot of metal that never seen day light for 5 years in school. Didn't mind the weight when I was young. These days, I don't even carry books, just photo copy the pages I need.

God Bless

Actually, alot of the stuff in there is just tossed in at random. I cleaned out the console in my truck one night and found out where all my knives had been going. Same thing with my bag. I throw one in my pocket outside of the normal EDC to see if it may join the set-up. If I happen to be in school at the time, it may end up tossed in my bag.

I just finished grad school as well, my gear in my messenger bag or on my person was usually:

some sort of water bottle
two cliff bars (didn't always remember to replace them)
small bottle of motrin (lifesaver)
Spyderco Scorpius or Pac Salt (IWB)
some sort of slippie in my pocket
Magnesium firestarter
very small FAK (bandaid, bacitracin, scalpel, antacid)
Surefire G2 Nitrolon (If I knew I'd be out after dark)
small fenix cr123 light (if it wasn't after dark)
spaceblanket
CPR mask and gloves
some sort of lighter (usually a bic or minibic)

I was never too far from my car, and I had a fuller kit in there with twine, a fixed blade, ocassionaly a hatchet, full sized shovel (nice in the winter), blanket etc.

If school was somewhere other than downtown detroit I likely would have had a fixed blade in my bag, but I didn't think that a FB would go over all that well.

The key: I can get to my truck in a hurry if I need more than what I have on me.

All of these FB's amaze me. If you're in school, how far can you be from your current residence? Even if you commute it can't be more than an hour walk, I would hope. I keep things on me at school that are minimalistic, yet enough to get me home in a pinch.

A slippie and one, maybe 2 locking folders, small FAK, Maglite, bandana, sunglasses, umbrella, hat, lighter/matches/firestarter. Also some tape and zip-ties.

Let's see. I live on campus. If SHTF in any way at school, do you honestly think I am gonna go back to my dorm? Hell no. The next safest place for me to go is home...3 hours away on a good day.

Inappropriate, I will edited a bit.

SKam

Skammer, wake up and realize that: Not every day of life is a SAR mission, the sarcasm doesn't really prove anythinge except ignorance, and de-rail somebody else's thread...

 

[Snow]

What's with all of the criticism and negativity? Who cares what somebody else carries? I don't care if Doug takes more than one knife. I carry 2 knives and 2 flashlights. Is that a problem to anybody on here? Last I checked this was the W&SS forum, not the forum where you bitch about what somebody else carries.

 

[Joben]

All of these FB's amaze me. If you're in school, how far can you be from your current residence? Even if you commute it can't be more than an hour walk, I would hope.

I'm not sure what commute distance has to do with fixed blades, but I've got a half hour commute by car.

 

[Fonly]

Not to stur up shit, and I understand skam might not be on your friends list, but he does have a VERY valid list of gear you should have on you.

Do you plan for anything that can happen while at school, I realise you may not get snow, and it probably doesn't get that cold, but it doesnt have to be freezing at night to get hipothermia, cold, and wind can give it to you at night, even in the middle of summer, do you get storms in your area often?

Do you have trains, trucks with dangerous goods in the area? something else you should think about. Are there any big reasons that you would need to get the hell out of dodge?


From my point of few, and I haven't been back in school for a couple years but this is what I would take:

My AFAK, that everything for sanatation mostly, CPR mask, needed bandages, hand sani, the N95 are something you should have, especially with the crap thats going around these days and in urban enviroments.

-Knives for sure, nothing too crazy, but serrated edges, mulitools and needed things.
-Some basic firestarting stuff, just a ferro rod and tinder.
-What ever gadgets, phone, light (at the time a mag lite) mp3 player
-Needed clothing, hats, gloves.


If you travel alone, I would sugest gear to make sure you can get by, by your self. keeping over a 1/4 tank of gas in the vehicle, if you can half tank at least, that way if you need to get out, you can.