Old / New EDC & GHB Comparison

[NorthernRaider]

Old / New EDC & GHB Comparison

I was rather surprised to realise my EDC gear and GHB had changed so much in such a short period of time and thought I would do a then and now comparison,

Old Version
My Mini GHB
1
Cordura Nylon Navigation GHB bag, it can be carried by one of three grab handles like an attach case, or carried cross shoulder using a QD shoulder strap and it also has a full rucksack shoulder harness system stored in its own compartment.
GHB contents
2
Maps 1:50,000 & 1:25,000 OS,Silver type 4 Compass in Mils and Degrees, Notebook & Pen and Sharpie, Para-cord, First Aid Kit, Monocular, Radio Receiver & Spare AA Batteries, Rations, 500ml Alloy water bottle & Puritabs. Extra Ammo for Air rifle, Spyderfire X03 LED Flashlight & Spare CR123A Batteries, Spare polarised anti-glare prescription glasses in Nike sports frame, Kona Gloves, Bandana, FFP3 disposable face mask, Bic Lighter, Multi Tool (Gerber 600), Bladetech Hunter Lite lock Knife (Outside UK), CRKT A G Russell Sting Boot knife (Outside UK).
3
Insulating tape Light Sticks x 5 Telescopic Baton (Outside UK) Telescopic hiking pole (In UK) Pack Baby Wipes Personal hygiene kit (Soap, toothbrush, razor etc) Spork, Drink mix

4
If travelling further away from home than normal I add
Extra Maps More Rations Change of underwear & socks Aluminium Survival Blanket Second 500ml water bottle
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
GHB New Version
1
The bag is now a plain black small rucksack with a padded compartment for radios, laptops etc, I realised that the olive green bag with moral patches and Molle loops was catching people’s attention so the messenger bag is now relegated to being a car bag. There is at least 6 metal zip toggles on the black bag that rattle so I have bound them in insulating tape to silence them. The tactical messenger bag was totally unsuited to the Grey Man system.
2
Maps now reduced to one BOB Map 1:50,000 Silver Type 4 compass replaced by smaller Sunnto model.
FAK now supplemented with a foil wrapped vac packed Israeli field dressing
Radio scrapped as pointless **
Water bottle and puritabs retained (may add a 2nd bottle)
Air rifle ammo binned as not suited to GHB role
Flashlight and spare batts, Shades, gloves bandana, lighter, multi tool, gloves, hiking pole and knives retained.
Monocular swapped out for Mini binoculars

Added 16GB flash drive loaded with infographics, charts, posters, guides, how to’s etc in graphic form.
Added Elasticated head over buff type neck warmer/ face covering
Added deliberately washed out tan Ball Cap
Added a second FFP3 N95 Masks
Added nitrile disposable rubber gloves,
Added mini bottle Sterile eye wash
Added little pump bottle of hand sanitzer
Added pack Sterile wipes
The increase in contagious diseases reappearing in our cities require the extra hygiene precautions.

3
Remains the same except dropped drink mix

4
Added three packets of jerky to permanent contents of GHB plus three tubes of Glucose tablets for extra energy

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EDC gear OLD Version
EDC gear carried about my person include

Casio Protrek watch with inbuilt compass, Para-cord bracelet, CRKT Liong Mah #5 UK Legal folding knife, Blazer PB 207 Butane lighter / torch, Spyderfire X03 LED flashlight , Laix B2H Alloy Tactical pen with glass breaking tip, Blade tech pocket tungsten knife sharpener.
Samsung GT-E1190 Clamshell Cell Phone.
Nike Sports Prescription Eye Glasses with polarised anti-glare lenses,
Nylon wallet with cash and Credit Card Muli Tool in pocket Key Chain with house / vehicle key and Cold Steel Tuff lite Tanto micro knife Bandana

EDC gear NEW version
Watch, wallet, Para-cord, PB207 burner, Shades, Tactical pen, sharpener, Keychain knife retained.
I now use a Solar powered watch in the summer and a Self-winding watch in the winter.

GOING or GONE
The UK legal folders are retired as being simply to bloody dangerous to use safely in high stress situations and gone back to folding LOCK knife. They are fine for chores but not emergency applications. Currently using a Blade-Tech hunter lite.

The CR123A powered Spyderfire X03 flashlight has been relocated to the car and a slimmer Fenix 2 x AA powered LED flashlight replaces it in my EDC, with a second single AA LED flashlight kept for extra convenience in my jacket pocket.

The Clamshell phone has been converted to PAYG and being stored in care, hopefully to be soon replaced with a modern multi-function I phone type device with built in mapping, E mail, compass, FM radio etc
(Chose a Samsung Galaxy Core running Android)

** No point in carrying two way radio when I’m the only person in my family / group using one and AM / FM radio is available on cell phone.

[Lightspeed]

Good idea going grey with the EDC NR.

Ditto the use of Android smartphone, these are very versatile data platforms.

You are right about walkie talkies. No need to carry them in EDCs bulk vs probable usefulness rules them out.

[NorthernRaider]

LS, Yes the old bag was nice and pukka and very adaptable but it screamed 'military' which rather defeated the object !!!, I'll have to learn the pros and cons of these fancy phones but I have already found a GPS, Maps, FM radio, Search engines and news feeds so that's a step in the right direction, and I've ordered and armed case for it to make it slightly tougher for prepper use. The UV 5s are now set aside for local post SHTF comms in the immediate area 0-1000 meters and I hope to get a 'President' series AM/FM /USB UK/EU CB when funds allow.

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Note I did not realise that even brand new I phone doofahs are so power hungry, I think I'll get a car charger to keep it topped up when I'm out and about.

[River Song]

Just a quick question about radio on the smartphone. Does radio reception require a working internet to be in place? I can see that it could be a good device for using as a library, maps, books docs etc.

[NorthernRaider]

To be honest I am not 100% sure BUT on this phone the headphones double up as the FM antenna to receive its signal, I turned off the wifi and home hub just to see what happened and it still got the radio reception???. I'm sure someone like LS will know

[Lightspeed]

FM radio capability of smartphones is independent of GSM connection.

Likewise Wifi is normally independent but some of the service providers make it conditional on having subscribed or PAYG active cell service from them. Best to ensure that such phones are purchased unlocked and un-tethered to any particular networks.

[NorthernRaider]

Thanks LS I knew someone would have the answer.

[floramay]

I'd much rather just carry a regular old radio though. I actually bought one just before a major storm in our area last year, as well as antibiotics and (of all things) anti-diarrhea medicine. Idk, my thought process then was, what if I only have nonpotable water to drink after the storm hits and turns our city into a post-apocalyptic warzone? Thank goodness for my Diatabs!

Anyhoo... Just started prepping my very first bug out bag, and put in all of the essentials: first aid kit, dehydrated food items, flashlight, batteries, matches, water canteen, duct tape, etc.

My sister's a nurse, so she also got me a C-A-T tourniquet and a keychain CPR mask. I think she got they keychain CPR mask from here: https://www.keychainmask.com/we-bet-you-...ssentials/

She's always stressing that survival is not just about saving your own life, but being prepared to save others as well. Sound advice, too, if you ask me.

[Skean Dhude]

I like the old radios too. I don't like all me eggs in one basket especially when it is a microcomputer with all the issues it can have.