Preppers are used to the idea off always having a few preparedness items on them at all times. These items are known as EDC or every day carry. Many preppers set up their EDC items and carry them with a certain confidence without giving them a second thought.
While most of us will regularly check our bug out kits, checking battery operated gadgets and changing out clothing items for seasonal changes, we hardly give our EDC kit a second thought. However, just like we need to swap items in our BOBs for seasonal changes, our EDC kits also need to be upgraded in consideration of new threats.
While it seems that we will be living with Covid-19 for the foreseeable future, it stands to reason that we need to include some PPE in our every day carry. Personally, I have been carrying a mask and hand sanitizer since this whole thing got going. At first, I just included what I had on hand, which was a disposable N95 mask and a small bottle of Purel, along with a few Nytril gloves and safety goggles.
It wasn’t long before I found myself rethinking these choices, for a couple of reasons. First of all, it became cumbersome. As my usual EDC pouch was already stretched to it’s limits, I used a second pouch to keep these items in. Now, along with pocket items and my usual EDC pouch, there was a second pouch to worry about. Secondly, information about the virus, and how to deal with it in public changed.
Firstly, wearing a disposaable N95 mask in public quicky became toboo as there was a shortage in the health care network. Those masks were changed out as soon as possible with a washable mask that used a replaceable filter. These new masks turned out to be much more resilient to being stuffed into the pocket of a pair of cargo pants. As for the safety goggles, since I wear prescription glasses, seemed overkill for most situations. These were relegated to the center console of the car, this way I could have them if I felt the need for them.
My EDC packout continued to evolve to the point where I have it today. My mask, hand sanitizer, and nytril gloves go into individual ziplock bags and fit nicely into my cargo shorts pockets. A spare mask filter was thin enough to slip into my original EDC pouch.
These days, PPE has become everyday items. Have you considered updating your EDC to include them?