Vehicle EDC

[Trigger Monkey]

I got a new-to-me work vehicle a couple months ago, a hand me down 2016 Toyota RAV4, and I've been slowly getting it set up the way I want it now that I have some room to work with. My job responsibilities can have me on the road a good bit during the week in a region that covers VA, WV, MD, DC, and DE while doing anything from field checks to helping do installs. As such, this is how I have my vehicle set up.

Rear Cargo Area

The Husky tool bag contains the common tools I need for work so it's stuff like screw guns, batteries, screwdrivers, drill bits, allen wrenches, the whole nine yards. The milk crate holds some miscellaneous materials for the jobsite like nitrile gloves, trash bags, cleaners, bungees, tie down strap, stuff like that. The container under it is misc. screws, anchors, and hardware for our products, stuff that always seems to come up missing on a job, it's saved my ass from having to make multiple hour round trips numerous times. The black bag is my "get-home-bag" that holds an additional tool kit, jump starter, which actually works pretty good, an IFAK, shovel, fixed blade knife, all that stuff.

I'm not going to go into a whole listing of its contents but it has enough tools in it to help me out in most situations. The idea when I put together that bag was that I could move it from vehicle to vehicle so that I'd have emergency tools at my disposal when I needed them. I also keep a change of clothes, hygiene kit, and spare shoes in the back.

The RAV4 has a shitty lighting in the cargo area so I picked up a mop/broom holder and attached to the side panel with a couple 3/4" screws. That clip is pretty versatile and as near as I can tell it'll hold small flashlights with 3/4" bodies up to ones that have body diameters up to about 1 1/4" maybe. The Craftsman light has a rotating head and a magnetic end so I can stick to the vehicle and illuminate whatever needs lighting up.

In the wheel well for the spare tire I keep a small utility box of spare stuff for the vehicle, some utility rope, a tow rope, and a tire inflator. The tire inflator is a little compact unit that I got from Walmart and having never used one I wasn't sure how well it'd really work. Well the other day I got to find out because my tire pressure light came on so I tried it out and it pumped the tire up from about 26 PSI to 33 PSI in a few minutes. Not super fast but saved me the 5 minute trip there and back to the gas station, where I'd either be waiting on someone else to get done or find out the machine is broken again. Not bad for under $20.

I need to get a set of jumper cables and some road flares to carry down in there as well so that I have some redundancy over my "get-home-bag" in case I leave it in my wife's vehicle for some reason.

Rear Passenger Seats

Behind my seat is my IFAK that contains a pressure dressing, z-folded gauze, gloves, a tourniquet, and EMT shears, a more general first aid kit is on the floor under my seat. The seat back pockets contain misc. stuff like Clif bars, small trash bags, a rain jacket, and gloves. Each side pocket in the doors as a bottle of water in it also, which get rotated out pretty frequently.

Front Passenger Area

My center console is sort of the "convenience store" area and it has things in it like a lint roller, Duke Cannon Cold Shower wipes, hand sanitizer, flashlights, etc. Besides that I don't keep too much stuff up front other than my Duluth Trading seat organizer to hold paperwork, my ipad, and other "office" type stuff.

Now, I'm not outfitting this thing for the apocalypse or off roading adventures in the hinterlands, since this is a work vehicle I try to keep things as low key as possible and not draw attention to itself. My destinations could take me onto government installations, schools, through the state of MD, and into DC so I don't even mess with trying to keep a firearm in the vehicle on the clock.

What all do you guys carry in your vehicle for emergencies and every day use?

 

[R-B]

That seat organizer is slick! I’m gonna have to get me one. In both my company truck and personal truck, I try to keep a case of water and a fire extinguisher. There was a time I saw an old man getting muddy water from a ditch to fill his radiator. I was able to pull over and just give him the whole case and be on my way. Another thing I always try to have in the vehicle is at least a half a tank of fuel

 

[sam4886]

Fire extinguisher is a good call. If you get creative you can throw something in to use as a weapon besides a firearm and the fixed blade. A big ass wrench would blend in with all the tools and can be a hell of a negotiation devise. Old school maglites work too. Bikers run around with hammers because you can't get arrested for having a hammer.

You guys get enough snow out there, is the shovel something substantial? The bag makes it looks like maybe it folds up? Chains? How about something to cut limbs/branches out of your way if need be? You can also just hook on and pull them too, usually. Have extra fuses anywhere? Lighter or fire starter?

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Chains as in tire chains? No, I don't carry tire chains, snow fall around here doesn't get bad enough in the areas I'm traveling to for me to justify them in my opinion. The shovel I carry is my GI issue entrenching tool, so besides the hammer in my tool bag, I can use it to brain somebody if need be along with dig stuff (a grave), chop stuff (limbs), normal things you'd use a shovel for. The tool kit in my black bag also has a folding Silky saw for cutting branches or reasonably sized trees. The RAV4 has spare fuses stored in the fuse box under the hood but I also keep spare fuses in the little black box kept in the spare tire well along with some bulbs and valve caps. The black bag also carries some survival gear that I didn't really dive into before that includes a fire kit with a magnesium fire starter, a bic lighter, UCO matches, and tinder.

Additional survival gear includes the obligatory survival tin, signalling gear (Adventure Medical Kits mirror, whistle, and chemlights for a buzz saw). A SOL bivy and two SOL blankets, I like these over mylar because they're not as noisy and heavier, the material doesn't tear like mylar does, it stretches significantly before giving way. With winter coming up I'm throwing in a compression sack with two woobies, a pile of handwarmers, an extra cap, and gloves.

I'll have to look into the fire extinguisher and see where I want to mount it.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

why do you carry so many first aid kits?

I carry $500 cash and a pistol. If I can’t get home w that I’ll call my mom for a ride.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

why do you carry so many first aid kits?

It's two, one stays behind my seat and the other is in the black bag, the black bag can be moved around and I wanted to be sure there was always at least one in my vehicle.

 

[Aftermath]

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

It's two, one stays behind my seat and the other is in the black bag, the black bag can be moved around and I wanted to be sure there was always at least one in my vehicle.

I think it might be worth doing one of the following:

-put something on the main black bag that clearly indicates “first aid kit inside” nothing silly, just big and obvious.
-remove first aid kit completely from black bag, place it above the seat line where it can be seen anywhere in the vehicle.

*get some 10mL saline syringes if you don’t already have some. Wound flush, eye flush happen more than converting a tourniquet to a pressure dressing.

being a “rod warrior” myself I’d also suggest the following, yes they may require constant rotation:
-pepto for those rode side eats
-your favorite NSAID
-tylenol or the sort
-spare sunglasses
-battery self jump unit (many rea
-wide brim hat (for the walk home if need be)
-cash, small bills
-spare contacts if you require them. Yes, just leave them. It’s for an emergency
-small inflator, spare tires always seem to be flat
-tire repair kit
-wool blanket, cover your gear
-kitty litter in winter
-1 gal fresh water (thirst, radiator, poor soul you have to leave behind)
-flagging tape
-glass cleaner (sprayway)
-spare wiper blades (maybe an AZ thing)

If I was in a company car and fuel was free, I’d choose quality over size on the stuff that matters most.

 

[Namekagon]

My get home bag consists of (going off memory)...

A pair of shoes
Packable rain jacket
space blanket
IFAK
knife, matches, paracord, leatherman
a pen
2 mountain house meals
1 loaded extra pistol mag
folding camp saw
sawyer water filter
toothbrush

I know there is more, but thats all I can remember off the top of my head. It all fits in a school-style backpack, very low key.

I never had anything like this until the riots last year had me thinking things over. Got the idea from Karl in a Tactical Rifleman video. So glad I put it together, I can't even count the number of times I've needed something away from home and was able to use that kit to fix the problem.

 

[665.0coupe]

I would add some leather gloves and some HF nitrile gloves to your milk crate with the paper towels and other stuff. If you need to work on something it's nice to keep your hands clean.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I would add some leather gloves and some HF nitrile gloves to your milk crate with the paper towels and other stuff. If you need to work on something it's nice to keep your hands clean.

I already have both. We work with plastic laminate casework which will fillet your digits super quick, so gloves are usually required PPE. The nitrile gloves are useful when we have to mix two part epoxy for science tops.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Go big or go home…

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Go big or go home…View attachment 7716344

I spent enough time in those, you can keep it.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Go big or go home…View attachment 7716344

My aching back.

 

[Heretoimproveforhunting]

View attachment 7715366

who makes that bracket?

 

[Hobo Hilton]

I would add a fire extinguisher.
Looking at the worst situation, if you get "jammed" in traffic in a get home situation.... You may not have access or time to go to the rear of your vehicle, raise the tail gate and get your stuff out...
I would set up my bail out bag directly behind the drivers seat in the rear passenger seat. Practice a bail out exercise. Turn the handles of your gear bags towards the outside of the door so it's one quick motion to bail, grab and go............. JMHO

 

[Aftermath]

who makes that bracket?

Condition Zero

 

[TigernLionGSP]

I spent enough time in those, you can keep it.

a lot more comfortable then a hummer just wish I could find a gun mount to mount on the roof

 

[308pirate]

I just have to laugh at these EDC posts...........the shit that people put in their cars and in their pockets/belts goes over the ridiculous line.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I just have to laugh at these EDC posts...........the shit that people put in their cars and in their pockets/belts goes over the ridiculous line.

 

[powdahound76]

View attachment 7716469
a lot more comfortable then a hummer just wish I could find a gun mount to mount on the roof

Go all @sirhrmechanic and just fab one up!!!!

 

[Mike Casselton]

My pistol/spare mag and a handful of common sense.

If I'm a long ways from home I'll add some more shit like a Snickers because I'm not myself when I get hangry.

 

[quietmike]

72hr kit
Skrama
Silky Big boy
Helm wrecker tomahawk
German folding shovel w/pick
Blanket
Several liter size water bottles
Couple freeze dried meals and asst junk food
Jumper cables
Tow strap
Small compressor
Tire plug kit
Asst hand tools
Small fire extinguisher mounted in cab

 

[Bender]

My 72 hour kit says Coachman on the side.

 

[Lunar95]

As a member of Search and rescue. I carry most of what you could imagine in my truck, i might even add a chainsaw here soon.

5+days of food, 2 cases of water, 2 trauma bags, who knows how much medical gear w/ diagnostic gear too, shovel, saws, 200m static rope, 72 hr bag, multiple changes of cloths for all seasons, radio, and skittles.

The list could go on and on.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

The absolutely most used tool in my EDC 'kit' besides my phone and keys is the PD25 flashlight I started carrying a few years ago. So useful.

Why more people don't recommend an EDC flashlight is beyond me. It's the first thing I'll recommend. Before a pocket knife. Although there's easily room for both. And I highly recommend both.

 

[1moaoff]

If I'm stranded for 72 hrs I want an easy woman.

 

[Jigstick]

It’s hard enough carrying my cock around let alone 15lbs of EDC crap

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

It’s hard enough carrying my cock around let alone 15lbs of EDC crap

do more legs and back days ya weak ass it’s 3lbs. My gals tits weigh more per titty.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

It’s hard enough carrying my cock around let alone 15lbs of EDC crap

I let gravity do all the work and just drag mine around.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

I let gravity do all the work and just drag mine around.

This is the way. Mine just sways, but I have long legs.

 

[Jigstick]

I let gravity do all the work and just drag mine around.

I used to do that but got tired of tripping on it

 

[Waco Kid]

The absolutely most used tool in my EDC 'kit' besides my phone and keys is the PD25 flashlight I started carrying a few years ago. So useful.

Why more people don't recommend an EDC flashlight is beyond me. It's the first thing I'll recommend. Before a pocket knife. Although there's easily room for both. And I highly recommend both.

This! I needed a small flashlight for my job daily, started carrying one several years ago for that and realized how much I used it. So I started carrying it everywhere soon after, and now it’s like my pocket knife, if I have my pants on, I have my flashlight haha. Fenix LD09, well used and still going strong after 5 or 6 years

 

[acudaowner]

the only work truck I was ever given something like this

 

[Makinchips208]

Keep a trunk monkey on hand.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

The absolutely most used tool in my EDC 'kit' besides my phone and keys is the PD25 flashlight I started carrying a few years ago. So useful.

Why more people don't recommend an EDC flashlight is beyond me. It's the first thing I'll recommend. Before a pocket knife. Although there's easily room for both. And I highly recommend both.

Your message "planted a seed" in my thoughts when I read it.... I've communicated with a few people who are late to the party of being prepared. Some feel overwhelmed and ask "Where do I start?".... I tell them to sharpen their pocket knife and put fresh batteries in their flash light.... Some have neither.

 

[Makinchips208]

Agree! Great ideas here! What’s appropriate will vary on your environment, and I’d rather be labeled a prepper than be unprepared.

 

[240nmc]

Here‘s a nice fire extinguisher that will work well carrying in a vehicle. I’ve got three on order and carry them in all my cars. Learned the importance of having a FE in the vehicle driving my IHC Scout that was wired by 60s era Dodge Electronics….

Ordered these from normalguysupercar.com and got 10% off with a promo code. Not affiliated with them but enjoy their videos on Ytube.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Here‘s a nice fire extinguisher that will work well carrying in a vehicle. I’ve got three on order and carry them in all my cars. Learned the importance of having a FE in the vehicle driving my IHC Scout that was wired by 60s era Dodge Electronics….

Ordered these from normalguysupercar.com and got 10% off with a promo code. Not affiliated with them but enjoy their videos on Ytube.

I was curious about these so I looked into them a bit and personally I think I'd prefer to stick with a traditional FE. In all of the videos that I saw it appeared that you basically had to get right on top of the flames for this thing to be effective and this can be made more difficult by wind. A traditional FE would allow you have a little more stand off from the flames, which I would prefer.

It's also odd that you activate this thing in the same way you ignite a road flare.

 

[Alpine 338]

I've been doing a lot of things in the dark past couple weeks, and a head lamp has become indispensable.

I'm really glad I got the Surefire Saint Minimus, it's been an awesome unit so far.

 

[madmikes262]

I got a new-to-me work vehicle a couple months ago, a hand me down 2016 Toyota RAV4, and I've been slowly getting it set up the way I want it now that I have some room to work with. My job responsibilities can have me on the road a good bit during the week in a region that covers VA, WV, MD, DC, and DE while doing anything from field checks to helping do installs. As such, this is how I have my vehicle set up.

Rear Cargo Area


View attachment 7711528
The Husky tool bag contains the common tools I need for work so it's stuff like screw guns, batteries, screwdrivers, drill bits, allen wrenches, the whole nine yards. The milk crate holds some miscellaneous materials for the jobsite like nitrile gloves, trash bags, cleaners, bungees, tie down strap, stuff like that. The container under it is misc. screws, anchors, and hardware for our products, stuff that always seems to come up missing on a job, it's saved my ass from having to make multiple hour round trips numerous times. The black bag is my "get-home-bag" that holds an additional tool kit, jump starter, which actually works pretty good, an IFAK, shovel, fixed blade knife, all that stuff.

View attachment 7711539

I'm not going to go into a whole listing of its contents but it has enough tools in it to help me out in most situations. The idea when I put together that bag was that I could move it from vehicle to vehicle so that I'd have emergency tools at my disposal when I needed them. I also keep a change of clothes, hygiene kit, and spare shoes in the back.

The RAV4 has a shitty lighting in the cargo area so I picked up a mop/broom holder and attached to the side panel with a couple 3/4" screws. That clip is pretty versatile and as near as I can tell it'll hold small flashlights with 3/4" bodies up to ones that have body diameters up to about 1 1/4" maybe. The Craftsman light has a rotating head and a magnetic end so I can stick to the vehicle and illuminate whatever needs lighting up.

View attachment 7711529

In the wheel well for the spare tire I keep a small utility box of spare stuff for the vehicle, some utility rope, a tow rope, and a tire inflator. The tire inflator is a little compact unit that I got from Walmart and having never used one I wasn't sure how well it'd really work. Well the other day I got to find out because my tire pressure light came on so I tried it out and it pumped the tire up from about 26 PSI to 33 PSI in a few minutes. Not super fast but saved me the 5 minute trip there and back to the gas station, where I'd either be waiting on someone else to get done or find out the machine is broken again. Not bad for under $20.

View attachment 7711536

I need to get a set of jumper cables and some road flares to carry down in there as well so that I have some redundancy over my "get-home-bag" in case I leave it in my wife's vehicle for some reason.

Rear Passenger Seats

View attachment 7711540

Behind my seat is my IFAK that contains a pressure dressing, z-folded gauze, gloves, a tourniquet, and EMT shears, a more general first aid kit is on the floor under my seat. The seat back pockets contain misc. stuff like Clif bars, small trash bags, a rain jacket, and gloves. Each side pocket in the doors as a bottle of water in it also, which get rotated out pretty frequently.

Front Passenger Area

View attachment 7711542

My center console is sort of the "convenience store" area and it has things in it like a lint roller, Duke Cannon Cold Shower wipes, hand sanitizer, flashlights, etc. Besides that I don't keep too much stuff up front other than my Duluth Trading seat organizer to hold paperwork, my ipad, and other "office" type stuff.

View attachment 7711543

Now, I'm not outfitting this thing for the apocalypse or off roading adventures in the hinterlands, since this is a work vehicle I try to keep things as low key as possible and not draw attention to itself. My destinations could take me onto government installations, schools, through the state of MD, and into DC so I don't even mess with trying to keep a firearm in the vehicle on the clock.

What all do you guys carry in your vehicle for emergencies and every day use?

Trigger Monkey,very nice I have a 2012 4Runner and Im trying to use some of that rear space.What is the long bar that appears to hold everything in place.

 

[madmikes262]

View attachment 7715366

Aftermath that looks like a pretty sweet setup,care to describe it.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Trigger Monkey,very nice I have a 2012 4Runner and Im trying to use some of that rear space.What is the long bar that appears to hold everything in place.

It's a ratcheting cargo bar from Harbor Freight. I'd seen people use adjustable shower rods but I just wasn't sure how well one of those would stay in place on the interior panels.

 

[308pirate]

Here‘s a nice fire extinguisher that will work well carrying in a vehicle. I’ve got three on order and carry them in all my cars. Learned the importance of having a FE in the vehicle driving my IHC Scout that was wired by 60s era Dodge Electronics….

Ordered these from normalguysupercar.com and got 10% off with a promo code. Not affiliated with them but enjoy their videos on Ytube.

Driving a modern car eliminates that need.

 

[308pirate]

View attachment 7715366

Carrying AIWB I can get to it just as fast and it automatically comes with me when I get out.

 

[TheGerman]

I mean, this is literally me on the way to get coffee. So...

 

[...]

I mean, this is literally me on the way to get coffee. So...

View attachment 7740282

coffee?....does that thing even have cupholders?

 

[TheGerman]

coffee?....does that thing even have cupholders?

Crazy enough, it has 4.

And 2 phone chargers.

 

[240nmc]

Driving a modern car eliminates that need.

Until it burns or you come up on someone who's in trouble. I've seen burning Prius, Mclaren, Chevy truck, and had a short in the dash of my '08 Tahoe in '11 smoke like crazy inside. Insurance totaled it because it fried the harness and there were no add on electronics.

It weighs almost nothing and fits under a seat and might be handy.

 

[308pirate]

Until it burns or you come up on someone who's in trouble. I've seen burning Prius, Mclaren, Chevy truck, and had a short in the dash of my '08 Tahoe in '11 smoke like crazy inside. Insurance totaled it because it fried the harness and there were no add on electronics.

It weighs almost nothing and fits under a seat and might be handy.

If there is someone in my car with me, my priority is getting them out. If I'm alone, same thing. I'm bailing instead of fucking around with an extinguisher. Fuck the car. I have no trouble buying another one.

Someone else's car is on fire? Not my problem.