EDC Survival Kit
My friends over at 3V Gear are at it again with yet another high-quality, well-thought-out, and affordable piece of gear. This time it is the 3V Gear Pronto Pouch. The Pronto Pouch is partially what it sounds like…A molle pouch. But, that’s not it…It can also be turned into a minimalist sling bag.
The option to turn this pouch into a sling bag immediately got me thinking about how I could build it into a Minimalist EDC Survival Kit. My intention for this kit is for it to serve as something very lightweight, yet still able to cover the major survival priorities. This is a kit that you can throw under your driver’s seat, carry on a creek fishing trip (more on that later), or toss into a larger pack. It is something to get you through an uncomfortable night at worst. So, keep that purpose in mind as we dig into this kit and see how I have it loaded up.
Note: This kit is carried in addition to my standard on-person EDC (which you can see a bit of in the above picture). My EDC includes a steel canteen, IFAK, bandanas, and other misc items (more to come about my full EDC). Everyone’s EDC and skillset are different, so feel free to use this article as a rough guide and tailor your kit to yourself.
Front Compartment
The 3V Gear Pronto Pouch features 2 main zippered compartments: The front pocket is about half the height of the entire bag and it features some laser-cut molle on the front. It has a divider slot, a drain hole, and a few elastic bands to secure your gear.
I personally use this area of the bag as my on-the-go “toolbox”. It holds a couple of items from Grim Survival, my Leatherman Bit Kit, a small pouch of fishing tackle, my Exotac ripSPOOL, and some emergency fire tinder.
See more about the Pronto Pouch
Main Compartment
Next up is the main compartment of the 3V Gear Pronto Pouch…
This area of the bag is very spacious and features 3 large divider slots, several elastic bands for securing gear, and a drain hole. This compartment houses all of the larger gear from my kit. When I’m working out of this area I’m able to: Set up a survival shelter, create fire, catch fish and do all of the normal tasks that come with knives + cordage.
Now that we’ve looked at HOW I’m carrying all of this gear, let’s go ahead and look at WHAT I’m carrying in this kit and WHY.
Survival Fire Kit
Oftentimes (not always), the #1 priority in any survival situation is Fire. Fire allows us to maintain our core body temperature, boil water, cook, and keep our morale high. The fire kit in my 3V Gear Pronto Pouch is minimal, yet very capable. I’ll list the contents below (from left to right):
- BIC EZ Reach Lighter:
– Modified with a Jute Twine wrap (for tinder bundles)
– Fire strip roll (emergency tinder)
– Hi-Viz lanyard (for finding it if it drops)
– And a ranger band (emergency tinder/fire extender)
– I like these lighters a lot for their extended reach. But other than that, I like classic BIC lighters more than the push-button style. - Procamptek Fire Strip Roll:
This is one of my favorite emergency tinders for small kits like this one. It folds up very flat and fits anywhere. - Exotac fireROD XL:
This is one of my favorite Ferro Rods on the market. I really like it because of its size, but it is also multipurpose in being able to start fires, it has duct tape (which can be used as emergency tinder and to make repairs) and it features a hollow screw-top compartment that contains dry tinder tabs. - Exotac candleTIN Nano:
This candle takes up very little room and can extend the life of my lighter by conserving its fuel. I can stick this candle under wet materials to dry them out, use it as a flame extender, and any other common uses that candles serve.
Use coupon “anthonyawaken” for 20% off Exotac Gear
Survival Shelter
Carrying a shelter in a small EDC Survival Kit like this one will take some imagination and I assure you, it will NOT be a comfortable shelter as-is. It will basically just serve as something to keep the weather off of you. You will have to improvise with materials from the urban or wilderness landscape for the other parts of your sleep system (1. Something to sleep on top of 2. Something to sleep underneath 3. Something to sleep inside of).
With that said, I opted for carrying one of the S.O.L. 2-Person Survival Blankets. I can wrap up in this like a blanket, sure. But, my personal preference is I can set it up as a crude tarp-like shelter that will shed rain, and it will either reflect heat towards me or away from me (depending on the season).
Stepping out of the EDC Survival Kit that we’re discussing here for just a moment:
I always dress a bit on the warmer side no matter what the temperature is outside. Clothing is always our first form of shelter. Keeping this in mind, we should always dress appropriately for the weather. Any other form of shelter that we carry or create is a bonus.
EDC Survival Tools
This kit differs quite a bit from one of my full-on outdoor or wilderness survival kits. For starters, this kit literally & physically bridges the gap between an urban and wilderness landscape for me. So, my tools reflect the needs of both environments.
From left to right in the image above, here are the tools:
- 3V Gear Pronto Pouch
- Leatherman Wave+ Multitool:
I use my Leatherman multitool at least a half dozen times a day. This comes in handy for all sorts of urban tasks, as you can imagine. But I use it just as much in a wilderness setting. One day I’ll have to get into all of the things I use my multitool for. - Esee Izula:
This knife fits this compact kit perfectly from a size standpoint, but also from a functionality standpoint. The Esee Izula outperforms its compact size and is just at home in a wilderness setting as it is in a discreet urban setting. - Leatherman Bit Kit:
The Leatherman Bit Kit makes my multitool even more functional, without taking up a lot of room. With it, I’m able to maintenance any screw shape or size (ie: knife screws, glasses screws, etc). - Exotac ripSPOOL:
I cannot count the times I have reached for my ripSPOOL, even at home, to make simple repairs on clothing or fabric items. I have also used the tape from it for countless things…the most impressive of which was to make improvised butterfly bandages for a nasty finger cut. This is my on-the-go McGyver Repair Kit! - Grim Workshop Credit Card Ax:
It is impossible to add an ax, or even a nicely-sized saw into a small kit like this. But, I recently stumbled upon the Grim Workshop “Credit Card” Ax and it changed the game for small EDC Kits. All you need is a straight stick that is thumb thickness, a couple of feet of cordage, and a bit of time to assemble it. This tool chops very well for its size and is incredibly easy to maintain with the file from my Leatherman Multitool.
EDC Survival Cordage
Cordage is an area that becomes a concern for me in a small kit like this. I love Paracord just as much as anyone else, but it can quickly take up a lot of room in your bag. So I’ve opted for a new type of cordage and one more item from Grim Survival to make the most of my space…
- Atwood Micro Cord:
This is new cordage that I’m testing, so I don’t have the “be-all-end-all” set of conclusions about it just yet. But, here’s what I do know: It has 100lb breaking strength, it’s very thin, it takes up very little room (especially when it’s off the provided spool), and it’s affordable ($9 or so on Amazon). - Grim Workshop Dogtag Cordage Maker:
This compact tool can turn any plastic water or soda bottle into useful cordage. I think of this the same way I do the Grim Workshop Ax…It is compact, lightweight, and takes up very little room. But, when I need it, I can use it to turn common materials into things that would not otherwise fit into this small of a kit. - Titan Survivorcord:
I was able to fit right around 20ft of Titan Survivorcord into this kit. This is my heavy-duty/high-breaking-strength cordage. But it also has the following inner strands inside: Snare wire, waxed fire starter, and fishing line. I love paracord, as I said…But I love Titan’s Survivorcord even more!
Survival Fishing Kit
Talking about physical space again…This compact kit is simply not going to be able to carry much food (unless you want to swap your tools for granola bars). But, I can carry a compact fishing kit that can provide fish that extends beyond the size of my kit. With that said, here’s what I’m carrying for my fishing kit…
- Exotac xREEL (hand fishing reel):
I have been LOVING this hand fishing reel this year (see the video here) and I’ll never be without it again. But I do see the concerns that folks have brought up about it being expensive at full price. I do have a 20% Off Coupon (“anthonyawaken”) which helps bring the cost down if you’re still interested in getting it. And I can say that it’s built like a tank. - Tuff Possum Gear Pocket Possibles Pouch:
This is my on-the-go tackle box. In this pouch, I keep additional hooks, sinkers, bobbers, creature baits, and even some extra fishing line. I absolutely love these pouches and have used them for years…But I think this is my favorite use for it yet.
Final Thoughts
To echo what I said at the beginning of this article: Everyone’s EDC, skill-set, and situations are different. But, this kit works fantastic for me…Especially in the current season of weather that we’re in (Mid Summer). I am really enjoying the new 3V Gear Pronto Pouch as well. It contains this compact EDC Survival Kit very well and I know I’ll be able to depend on it for years to come.
Have Questions or Comments? Drop a comment below…
Let me know if you have a kit like this one or if you’re interested in building one. I love discussing personal survival kits and everything that goes into them!
3V Gear Pronto Pouch Sold Here
EDC Survival Kit (Defined by me)
“EDC (Everyday Carry)”: Something that can easily go out the door with me each & every time I do. Something that is comfortable and not cumbersome or obtrusive.
“Survival”: Staying alive, not necessarily comfortable. Tending to my basic human needs.
“Kit”: A group of items that are tailored around my skill set, built for a reasonable set of scenarios that I might encounter, and contained to a well-thought-out system of carry.
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