Everyday Carry: Prepared for Winter Weather

Everyday Carry: Prepared for Winter Weather
Just a little bit of snow can't slow you down.

The east coast just got pummeled into submission by Old Man Winter when he piled on upwards of three feet of snow in a single weekend. That kind of frozen punishment means all kinds of badness for just about everyone shy of a polar bear, and it translates to getting stuck somewhere for a while until the plow troops make it to your neck of the woods. If you’re lucky, that somewhere is home. If not, it’s somewhere less than perfectly comfortable. For such “now what do we do” kinds of seemingly interminable situations, having a good everyday carry kit can make all the difference between being truly prepared and losing your marbles. We’ve put together a great blizzard EDC to help you out during winter’s worst.

sleeping bag

SE Emergency Sleeping Bag – $8.82

Chances are you probably don’t have your down comforter and pillow with you wherever you might’ve been when it all came down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be warm and get some much-needed shuteye. Keep this compact, body heat reflective sleeping bag with you during winter’s worst. It’s seven feet long and comes in its own carrying case — and it packs down light and small — unlike the three feet of white stuff just outside the door.

EDC silver hard drive

Karnotech REMAX 20000mAh External Battery Pack and USB Charger – $32.99

Blizzards suck. Blizzards that kill your access to electricity suck more. When you need to power up your phone and computer to communicate with the outside world, portable power is key. This battery pack has massive capacity, dual USB ports, and even twin LED flashlights for emergencies. Just try to avoid using it play hours of Minecraft.https://www.primermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Winter_EDC/edc-flashlight.jpg

flashlight

Durapower 600 Lumen LED Flashlight – $18.99

Keeping tabs on everyone and everything when there’s no available power means using more than just your smartphone’s flash to guide the way. Plus, that phone’s juice should be saved for actual calls or texts. This beacon of a flashlight uses only 3 AA batteries for a potent 600 Lumens, and the illuminated orange ring is an excellent signaling device. This tough torch can also handle heavy rain and drops under normal use. Hell, that’s pretty much better than you, already.

gerber

Gerber Diesel Black Multiplier – $52.95

Be the go-to guy when the storm hits hard. Having a multitool means you’ll be able to handle most small emergency jobs, short of changing out a car transmission. The Diesel has twelve tools including great needle nose pliers, a can opener, a ton of screwdrivers, a saw, and scissors. It also deploys with one hand, giving you the ability to put your other hand out while saying, “I got this.”

watch

Casio G-Shock DW5600MS-1CR Military Watch – $76.00

When things get bad out there, you don’t want to chisel away at winter’s worst while wearing your heirloom Omega Speedmaster. You need a watch that both looks and is truly badass. Its minimalist case and negative display look special ops ready, while the slim case means it fits under just about any cuff. It can take plenty of punishment and is water resistant to 200 meters.

Kindle

Kindle 6” E-reader – $79.99

You just might find yourself with a ton of down time, especially since you can’t see fire hydrants or mailboxes outside your window anymore. This super-portable Kindle lasts weeks on a single charge and holds thousands of books, way more than that library on wheels that’s still trapped in the snow.

flask

Hydro Flask 18 oz. Vacuum Food Flask – $34.99

Though it’s not quite as long-term practical as a box of military MREs, this food flask keeps food hot for three hours, ensuring that you can toss grub in it for emergencies. The double walled stainless steel container is great for soup, chili or whatever makes you happy after you shovel out a tiny hatchback for four hours.

water bottle

CamelBak Chute Water Bottle – $9.93

Though there’s plenty of precipitation out there, you don’t want to use it to hydrate. A good water bottle is key to staying healthy and alert when things are less than savory out there. The Chute is BPA-free and comes with a spout cap that makes drinking easy and virtually spill-proof. It even has a lifetime guarantee, which is more than we can say about the snow shovel that just snapped in your hands after extreme overuse.

Eton FRX3 Radio

Eton FRX3 Weather Radio – $49.75

When that battery charger runs out of juice because the power hasn’t returned yet, you’ll need to put in some elbow grease to keep your smarphone running. Eton’s FRX3 lets you listen to the weather (in case things get even worse) and use the hand crank to juice up whatever needs it, even that tiny drone that’s great for killing time.

Collapsible flask with shot glass

BarMe Flask and Collapsible Shotglass – $17.99

Not ever Blizzard EDC has to be of the utmost seriousness. Sometimes, you just have to kick back and laugh your head off at the craziness of it all. Imbibing on the fly helps… a lot. This classic gentleman’s flask even has a built-in collapsible cup for sophisticated pouring or selfless sharing.

Amos Kwon

Amos is an aficionado of cars, cigars, watches, whisky, tech, and style. He's written for Gear Patrol, Askmen, Inside Hook, and Fatherly. He's based in the Chicago area and lives with his wife and three children. Follow him on Instagram @wrathofkwon.