I carry a powerbank and various USB C adapters so if someone’s device dies I can help them out. It is a lot cheaper and smaller than carrying around seven different cables.
On top of that I carry Tylenol and bandages.
I used to carry a full first aid bag but kept forgetting to restock on supplies.
I guess the most unusual of the every day items is a headlamp. Much handier than a flashlight in a lot of situations. If you ever have to change a tire or diagnose a car engine in pitch black it helps to have light always exactly where you’re looking.
I don’t carry a headlamp but I keep them around and handy. Very useful for dark corners of the garage and basement. Mandatory for camping.
Hands free task lighting is very useful.
I carry around a cheap Ali Express one that has a magnet base. Great for vehicle troubles I’ve found
Also - and I realise this might be contentious - but I’d suggest one that takes normal batteries. Mine takes 4× AAA.
With Eneloops (or similar low-self-discharge rechargeables), can have a 2nd set that gets you back up and running in under 30 seconds, and if you get really stuck they’re sold in every corner store in the world (heck, throw a pack of Li-FeS2 batteries in the emergency kit, 20 year shelf life).
No worrying about having the right charger cable (commonly a Micro USB, something I don’t tend to carry anymore), or remembering to charge the thing lest it go flat right in the middle of what you need to do.
There’s a community devoted to this very question!
Aspirin for random headaches, a small sunscreen bottle to reapply throughout the day (I live in Ecuador at 3k altitude, skin cancer is a real concern), a charger with a usb c cable, a micro b cable, a mini b cable and a lightning cable cause you never know. A Bluetooth gamepad for my phone to play gamecube games when in have some time to kill. Scotch tape, silicone glue. Usb c otg, micro usb otg. An external 500gb hard drive, a waterproof poncho because I alwayd misplace umbrellas. A powebank, 2l bottle of water for the whole day. Those are some of the things I always carry on my backpack
I have a Swiss Army Card, it has a scissors, small knife and other tiny gadgets.
Oh, and a Light Saber! [pushes button and humming sound starts]Hand sanitizer and a small bar towel for if anything needs a light cleaning.
You should never forget where your towel is.
The towel is a smart idea. I used to carry around a handkerchief for stuff like that (and if I needed to blow my nose while I was out and about).
Leatherman Juice Pro. I’ve used it nearly every day for 17 years and have done tonnes of house and auto repair with it. Also a cotton bandanna. Those things come in handy for cleaning, cooling, tying, bagging, you name it.
Sheath knife around neck. Originally for self defense, but way useful for other things.
Self offence?
Tiny handle, small, would be to slippery to handle with blood involved.
Multi tools are great for a a lot of purposes. A more oddball one that has gotten me many thanks is a high quality, 20a, 10ft extension cord with 3 outlets. Not a power strip or anything, just 3 outlets. Used it in airports many times to split the power at rare outlets. Helped friends running a stand at a a farmers market when there were literally 1 ft short of being able to plug in. It’s been useful enough times it just lives in my backpack.
A EDC thread!
Utility key with integrated bottle opener knife scissors etc on my keyring.
In my purse: power bank, USB cable, gaffer tape, face masks, alcohol, paracord, glasses, hat, headphone, screw top pen.
In my purse: power bank, USB cable, gaffer tape, face masks, alcohol, paracord, glasses, hat, headphone, screw top pen.
Sounds like a fun kidnap kit.
What kind of fun pills are we talking about? Benadryl so you can keep in contact with the Hat Man?
Band-aids. They fit easily into your wallet, taking almost no space. You’d be surprised how often you use one, either for yourself or someone else.
Leatherman Wave. Solid multitool.
Totally. I picked up a Signal a while back but with how quickly the paint is fading and breaking away I’m wondering it was a bootleg
Nail clippers. I’m prone to hangnails, so it saves me a lot of pain keeping them handy, but they’re also good for cutting small things in a pinch (tags, loose threads, etc). I keep lots of pretty standard stuff in my bag/car, but the nail clippers get used the most for sure.
Snapblade 18mm razor, sharpie, blistex (superior to balm/stick in every way), bandages and alcohol prep wipes and triple antibiotic, Sawyer mini filter and a vacuum insulated bottle, and a towel - you never know when you’ll need a towel.
Oh also an extra mask, couple napkins, some new folded up tissues, and earplugs.
I’ve gotten a lot of keyring multi-tools over the years, but the only one I keep on my keys is the simplest: a Powerful Pete pocket screwdriver. It’s just a little metal disk with 4 different sized flathead screwdriver tips. It’s remarkably useful, I can even tighten hex socket bolts in a pinch.
Tampon.
