Urban EDC Backpack

Version 4.0
EDC stands for “Everyday Carry”. It means the items that you carry on your person from a day to day basis. Most
non-Preppers have an EDC the consists of a mobile phone, wallet, and keys. Preppers carry additional items such as
a flashlight, pocket-knife, multi-tool, and a lighter. This provides them with added capabilities for day to day
purposes. However, you can really only carry so much in your pockets. That’s where an EDC bag comes into play,
whether that be a messenger sling bag, purse, or a backpack.

My Urban EDC Backpack has slowly evolved over the years. This is the bag that I bring with me to work in
downtown Seattle to not only carry my laptop but also to provide me with even more capabilities than what I have
with my in-pocket EDC items. I try to follow the “Grayman” approach to prepping, which basically means not
sticking out in your environment. So I carry what looks to be a normal black backpack that basically resembles
what every other urban commuter is carrying. However, my current backpack is the Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack,
which is commonly used by law enforcement officers for tactical purposes. I like that it does not have any MOLLE
webbing exposed on the outside, which usually screams to others that you have a tactical backpack. I was
previously using the Vertx Commuter Messenger Bag, but switched to a backpack to allow me to have more
mobility and to have both hands easily accessible.

The Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack has some unique features that make it a great option for law enforcement officers,
namely the use of Velcro padding throughout the inside for attaching firearms, magazines, and other common tools
used by law enforcement. I, on the other hand, have leveraged those same features for better organizing my
various prepping tools of the trade for easy deployment. I use a concept that I call “The Color of Prepping” to color
coordinate my emergency preparedness items. To be more discrete (aka grayman), I have attached tiny color zip
ties on the zipper pulls of this backpack to indicate which type of items are included in that zippered pocket. For
example, the red zipper pulls are for the pockets that contain my first aid items. In the interior of the backpack, I
use larger color labeling of the items by leveraging the Vanquest Preppers Color Coding Kit Velcro straps. I have
also heavily used the industrial strength VELCRO strips on many of my EDC items, which are capable of holding up
to 10 pounds, to allow me to fully leverage the Vertx backpack’s Velcro attachment system.

I’ve been pretty happy thus far with the organization of the items in this version of my Urban EDC backpack. While
I don’t have as many individual color modules, I still have everything organized in the same manner as before in
regard to categorizing the items based on that specific category’s color in my system. This particular version also
has more advanced items than were not used in my previous kits. Due to the current situation in my urban region, I
have more trauma related first aid items, some items for stealth and privacy, PPE items, and some items for self-
defense. While some people try to minimize their EDC items to ONLY items they need to use on a day to day basis,
I’ve reprioritized some of the items that I now include in my kit. While some of those items are never used, and I
sincerely hope to never have to use (like a tourniquet or chest seal) them, I have included them because I do want
to have that capability available on a everyday basis; just in case.

As always, an EDC kit is custom made to your specific needs and region. This particular kit is tailor made to “my”
particular wants and needs. Your needs may vary, so just use this as a reference. In the PDF, I’ve organized the
items based on type and then I provide a link to the specific brand/model of that item that I use. If you prefer, you
can always replicate the item type in your personal kit, but change the specific brand/model to something else,
whether that be cheaper, more expensive, or different in capabilities. Lastly, I purchased the majority of the items
shown in this kit myself over the years, so this is not a sponsored video in any way. The only two items that I
received for the manufacture are the headlamp and radio, which I am currently testing for review purposes.
Everything else was purchased directly from me, mainly from Amazon.com but also directly from some of the
manufactures.
 The Color of Prepping
FOOD WATER SHELTER FIRE FIRST AID TOOLS COMMS COOKING CLOTHING HYGIENE PERSONAL / MISC

Main Compartment
Here are all of the items that are stored in the main compartment of the Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack.

C TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

By reducing the size of my laptop I was
able to store more items in my Urban
EDC Backpack. This MacBook is used for
work and is a powerhouse, despite its
Laptop MacBook Pro $1,200 thin size.
I prefer this headwear over a bandana
for EDC purposes due to its ease of use
Bandana BUFF Headwear $20 and UV protection.
 This sleak, compact faraday bag works
great for EDC purposes. It blocks all
signals for reaching your mobile phone,
protecting it from hacking, tracking, data
extraction, EMP's and more. It also
Cell Phone Silent Pocket Faraday Bag provides EMF protection against the
Faraday Bag Smartphone Sleeve $60 long term effects of EMF Radiation.
There are multiple use cases for a heavy
duty contractor bag. It can be used for a
makeshift shelter, a backpack rain cover,
Garbage Bag HUSKY Contractor Bag N/A and more.
These are currently my favorite work
gloves. They are made of 100% Leather
HWI Gear Kevlar Lined and are kevlar lined for cut resistant
Gloves Leather Duty Glove $30 protection.
This glove pouch is frequently used by
crime scene investigators and stores
Rothco Enhanced Molded several pairs of nitrile gloves for EDC
Gloves (Pouch) Latex Glove Pouch $12 purposes.
When a sink and soap is not available,
this hand sanitizer is for washing my
hands when I'm out and about. I have
Purell Travel Hand attached velcro on the back to make it
Hand Sanitizer Sanitizer N/A easier to find in the backpack.
The data on my laptop is extremely
important to me, so I wanted to have
some digitial protection of it. The
Mission Darkness faraday bag is
commonly used by Law Enforcement,
Military, and Executives for Privacy,
Mission Darkness Non- EMP Protection, Travel & Data Security,
Laptop Window Faraday Bag for Anti-Hacking & Anti-Tracking Assurance
Faraday Bag Laptops $90 purposes.
Hood allows full 360 degree sight, talk
and hearing capability,
Heat Resistant – resists heat up to 932
degrees F
ReadiMask Adhesive- Provides 20 minutes of filtered
Mask (Particle) Sealing Particle Mask $10 breathable air
This item is for building evacuation
during a fire. It is the thinnest smoke
mask that I have been able to find. It is
rated to allow for 20 minutes of smoke
Mask (Smoke) Pocket Smoke Mask $30 filter effectiveness.
I try to have an emergency survival
blanket in all of my kits So many
different applications of use. This
Swiss Safe Emergency particular manufacture is of higher
Mylar Blanket Mylar Thermal Blanket $3 quality that most. These ones come in
 camo or even a signal panel design.
Awesome!

Ammex Gloveworks HD
Industrial Black Nitrile
Gloves with Diamond Grip I carry nitrile gloves for both first aid
Nitrile Gloves Box of 100 $14 and PPE purposes.
Oxford Composition It's good to have a paper notebook on
Notebook Notebook $3 hand for note taking.
PENTEL Sharp Mechanical This is my all-time favorite pencil. I've
Drafting Pencil, 0.9 mm, been using for over 25 years now.
Pencils (x2) Yellow Barrel, 2/Pack $6 Highly recommended.
I carry miscellaneous over the counter
Pharmacy Pharmacy Module N/A medications in this small pouch.
I used a red pencil pouch for storing a
thin first aid kit. It contains mainly
modern wound dressings for minor
First Aid Kit First Aid Kit (Red) N/A injuries.

Exterior Attachments
Here are the items that are attached to the outside straps of the Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack.

C TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

Always be ready to open a beer! This Yeti
bottle opener attaches snuggly to MOLLE
webbing and the stainless steel makes it
corrosion resistant. Plus, it makes a great
Bottle Opener YETI Molle Bottle Opener $10 conversation piece.
This is my go to seatbelt cutter and
window glass breaker; previously
reviewed. It is Made in USA, lightweight,
and super convenient to have ready to go
on any emergency kit. I include one on all
Car Escape RESQME Original Keychain of my emergency kits and multiple ones
Tool Car Escape Tool $10 in each of our vehicles, just in case.
Friends Forever Dog Leash
Attachment Zippered This dog bag dispenser makes it super
Pouch Waste Bag Dispenser convenient to carry that bags for easy
with Strap for Treats Key access on an exterior strap on my
Dog Bag Holder Money ID $10 backpack.
These earth friendly dog bags are for
sanitation purposes. I use them as mini
trash bags while out and about or as a
Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags, quick "mitten" to put on my hand when I
Extra Thick and Strong am hesitant to touch a public surface like
Doggie Bags Poop Bags for Dogs $12 a gas station pump or door handle.
 These key rings, made by CountyComm,
are super large and can securely attach a
A&P Key Rings by large amount of smaller EDC items
Key Ring CountyComm $2 through the loop.
Just in case I need to travel at night, I
include this clip on backpack LED to
LED Light LED Safety Light 2 Pack $12 make myself visible.
These magnetic clips are super
convenient for quick access of small EDC
Lixada Fly Fishing Magnetic accessories that are attached to the EDC
Net Release Holder Keeper Backpack. The magnet is plenty strong to
Magnet Clip Landing Net keep those items secure prior to
Magnets Connector $11 deployment.
This item is for self defense purposes. I
have it attached to a magnetic quick
SABRE RED Pepper Spray release clip for quick deployment. Non
Keychain with Quick lethal but can offer protection against a
Pepper Spray Release for Easy Access $10 bag guy if needed.
I carry a few pharmacy pills in this
Mini Pill Capsule by CountyComm pill holder for quick and
Pill Holder CountyComm $2 easy access.

EDC Organizer
This is a grab and go EDC kit that contains various tools.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

I used this for on the go data transferring
such as when filming YouTube videos. This
Anker 2-in-1 USB 3.0 SD Card particular model is quite handy and super
Adapter Reader $6 compact
If you have glasses, always carry one of these
MagicFiber Microfiber to keep your glasses clean. They work better
Cloth Cleaning Cloths, 6 PACK $1 than using your shirt or other random cloth
Every once in a while I need to put
something in the mail and don't want to have
Envelope Envelope N/A to track down an envelope
Fire is an essential item to have. These BIC
lighters last for many years and come in
Fire BIC Lighter $1 handy often.
This is my favorite EDC organizer for small
tools and office equipment! The build quality
is top notch and the options for storage are
Vanquest EDC Maximizer endless. Highly recommend ANY Vanquest
Organizer Organizer $27 product!
Zebra 29411 F-701 Ballpoint
Stainless Steel Retractable
Pen, Fine Point, 0.8mm, Black Always have a pen on you. This model is
Pen Ink $7 affordable and good quality.
 Zebra M-701 Stainless Steel
Mechanical Pencil, 0.7mm
Pencil Point Size
KNIPEX Tools 86 03 125, 5-
Pliers Inch Mini Pliers Wrench
Vaughan 460-04 222 Mini-
Pry Bar Bar, 5-1/2-Inch
NT Cutter PRO Auto-Lock
Stainless Steel Graphic Knife
Razor (AD-2P)
Westcott See Through 6-Inch
Ruler Acrylic Ruler, Clear
Wiha 75093 16 Piece System
4 ESD Slotted, Phillips and
Screwdriver Torx Micro Bit Set
Sharpie Stainless Steel Pen
Sharpie Grip Fine Point Black Ink Pen
Stamps First Class Stamps
Tape Gaffer Tape
USB Flash
Drive Kingston Flash Drive
Another backup pencil, just in case. This one
$5 is dedicated to stay in this EDC organizer.
Knipex tools are high quality tools made in
Germany. This one has been recommended
to me for years as a replacement of my
cresent style wrench. It's a one-of-a kind tool
that replaces a full set of inch and metric
open end wrenches. It has excellent for
gripping, holding, pressing and bending
applications. The smooth parallel gripping
jaw prevents marring on work surfaces. It is
adjustable at the touch of a button. Ideal for
a wide variety of uses including industrial,
EDC, and craft applications. Expensive, but a
highly recommended heirloom tool that will
$45 last for decades.
I fell in love with the Made In The USA
Vaughan pry bars when I built my toolbag. I
decided to include this mini pry bar to avoid
damaging a screwdriver or knife to pry up
$12 something.
Again, this tool comes in handy when my
Leatherman Multi-Tool is a little too wimpy
for a particular cutting task. Also, I used this
$7 cutting tool when precision is needed.
Every once in a while I need to draw a
$4 straight line. This small ruler does the job.
I love this little precision screwdriver! It
comes in handy all the time, especially since
I work in the computer industry. Wiha
makes very high quality tools that will last
$27 you a long time!
This is my go to Sharpie, which is a little
$7 nicer than the standard model
Sometimes I need to send mail. However,
most of the time other people randomly ask
if someone has a stamp. I like being the one
Market to save the day.
I prefer to use Gaffer tape over Duct tape for
EDC purposes because I find that it is similar
in strength but leaves a less sticky residue
when you remove it. This tape is wrapped
$20 around an old card for thin storage.
Simple USB flashdrive for moving data from
computer to computer. It's worth having it
encrypted if you want to store important
$10 files on it.
 The Vanquest Spartan Zipper Pulls are the
perfect upgrade to any pack or pouch that
uses generic cord as their zipper pulls. Made
from injection molded nylon and 2mm nylon
accessory cord, these zipper pulls are
Vanquest Spartan Zipper compatible with all of our large packs and
Zippers Pulls $9 organizer pouches.

Top Pocket
I store electronic and signaling hears in the top pocket of the Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

I am trying to stay away from wireless devices
like wireless headphones due to EMF
Betron BS10 in Ear concerns. There are decent earbuds that work
Headphone, Noise Isolating well and it wouldn't be the end of the world if
Earbuds Earbuds $14 I lost them.
This is the best headlamp I have ever testing
thus far. It’s also the most expensive. I
received it from LedLenser for a possible
review video. It's more headlamp than what is
really needed for an EDC Backpack and you
could easily just go with a Petzl or
BlackDiamond headlamp instead for $20-30.
However, if you really want to knock peoples
socks off with 1000 lumens, this is the
Headlamp Ledlenser MH11 Headlamp $160 headlamp for you.
I already carry a flashlight with my on-person
EDC, so I wanted to have a flashlight that met
me definition of "Complimentary
Redundancy". This right angle flashlight
compliments my primary EDC flashlight due
to being able to do a tail stand with it in
Streamlight ProTac 90 Right- addition to being able to attach it to the chest
Flashlight Angle Light (300 Lumens) $40 strap for hands free front facing operation.
Whistle ACME Thunderer Whistle $9 Used for emergency signaling.

Side Pocket (Left)

This pocket stores the electronic devices (e.g., chargers, cables) for my phone and other devices.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

This is a really nice wall charger that provides
USB Charger, Anker Elite Dual two USB ports and charges devices quickly. I
Port 24W Wall Charger, really like that the plug is foldable to avoid
Power PowerPort 2 with PowerIQ damage. Again, Anker makes high quality
Adapter and Foldable Plug $9 items.

Anker USB C Portable Charger,
Power PowerCore Essential 20000 PD
Bank (18W) Power Bank
USB Type C Cable, Anker [2-
Pack 6ft] Powerline+ USB-C to
USB-A, Double-Braided Nylon
USB Cable Fast Charging Cable
Amuvec Multi USB Charging
Cable 3A, 4 in1 Fast Charger
Cord Connector with Dual
USB Misc Phone/Type C/Micro USB Port
Cable Adapter
Water H3R Performance MaxQuench
Bottle Water Bottle
This is one of my most used items. I am in
constant need of extra power during the day.
Anker makes the best portable charges. This
one charges my phone, computer, and other
electronic devices multiple times before
$50 needing to be recharged.
This is the primary cable that I use for my
phone, which has a USB C port. I really like the
braided nylon cables, as I find them to be
much more durable. Plus, Anker makes great
$12 products in general.
This is a nice backup cable that provides USB
cables for a variety of different devices (e.g.,
USB Micro, C, and Apple Lightening). Again,
braided nylon is the way to go for these type
$12 of cables.
MAXQUENCH™ - our one-of-a-kind water
bottles designed in the image of a fire
extinguisher. Keep your drinks cold for 24
hours or hot for 12 hours! Made for us by
Basecamp, known for high-end outdoor gear,
they feature stainless steel, vacuum insulated
construction with copper lining and BPA-free
insulated lids.
Use the coupon code URBAN10 for 10%
$30 off.

Side Pocket (Right)

This pocket contains a few snacks and mainly hygiene items for travelling.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

This is for dental hygiene for travel
Dental Floss Dental Floss $1 purposes.
DUDE Wipes Flushable Wet DUDE wipes are awesome! Individually
Wipes 30 Wipes, wrapped and super convenient for EDC
Individually Wrapped for purposes. You should include around 3 of
Hygiene Wipes Travel $9 them in your EDC kits, just in case.
Bag Balm has SO many valuable use cases
to warrant it for EDC purposes. It can be
used for first aid, chapped skin, and even
Ointment Bag Balm Ointment 1 oz $5 as a fire starter. Highly recommended!
It's good to have a few non-perishable
snacks available, just in case you don't
have immediate access to food during the
day. I recommend any of the hiking
snacks that you can pick up from REI for
Snacks Snacks $1 this purpose.
 Again, when you have to go, you have to
go! I've had countless times when I've
been in a bathroom stall and they've
been out of toilet paper. You could use
Coin Tissues | Compressed $40 the DUDE wipes for this purpose as well,
Towels | Camping Wipes | (500 but these are more inexpensive and
Toilet Paper Tablets | 500 bulk plentiful. You can also use them easily for
Toilet Paper Bulk Pack pack) other hygiene purposes as well.
This is for dental hygiene for travel
Toothbrush Toothbrush $1 purposes.
This is for dental hygiene for travel
Toothpaste Toothpaste $1 purposes.
When you have to go, you have to go! I've
never needed to use this during an actual
emergency, but we've had some close
calls with my kids. It's nice to know that
if I were ever stuck in an elevator or in a
TravelJohn-Disposable vehicle, I would have a place to go that
Travel Urinal Urinal $12 would be clean and spill free.

Front Pocket (Trauma)

I use this hidden front pocket to store all of my trauma first aid items.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

This item is used for the treatment of
penetrating injuries to the chest; both
entry/exit or multiple penetrating injuries to
the chest. The 3-vent channels that prevent
airflow into the chest cavity during inspiration
while allowing air to escape through the vent
channels during exhalation. It's good to have
these type of trauma supplies on hand in the
rare case that you have to help someone in
need. Of course, rely on the medical
North American Rescue professionals if at all possible, but if that's not
Hyfin Vent Chest Seal, 2 an option, it will be nice to have this on hand to
Chest Seal Count $16 possibly save a life.
QuikClot hemostatic gauze is proven to
accelerate natural clotting and stops bleeding
within minutes. It is used by hospitals,
EMS/first responders, military, law
enforcement, and the general public to control
hemorrhaging from bleeding injuries and fits
QuikClot Advanced perfectly in emergency kits. This nonallergenic
Clotting Gauze - 3 x 24 in gauze has low-to-no risk of adverse reactions
Gauze (2 Strips) $20 and conforms readily to wound site.
 This is a combat proven first aid device that
Israeli Bandage Battle can be used as a primary dressing, pressure
Dressing First Aid applicator, secondary dressing, and a foolproof
Israeli Compression Bandage, 6 closure apparatus to secure the bandage in
Bandage Inch $10 place. Highly recommended for trauma kits!
I carry an extra LED light in this section of the
backpack just in case I am having to travel by
night and want to be visibilie from both the
LED Light LED Safety Light 2 Pack $12 front and back.
These are by far my favorite medical shears.
Expensive, yes, but the build quality and
features make it a must have EDC item for
medical professionals. I've had this item for
years, but this is the first kit that I've actually
included it in, since I do have other trauma
related items.
Medical Shears Leatherman Raptor Shears $65 REVIEW VIDEO
If you include a medical stapler, you MUST
have the removal tool too. The staples come
out really easily with this tool.. It would be
Medical Staple 3M Disposable Skin Staple much more difficult (and painful) to do with a
Removal Tool Remover $3 multitool, for example.
I am not trained to use sutures, but I can use a
medical stabler for closing a wound. This one is
small enough to include in an EDC kit and is
Medical 3M Precise Multi-Shot easy to use.
Stapler Disposable Skin Stapler $10 REVIEW VIDEO
This PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) is
difficult to find right now due to COVID-19, but
hopefully it will return to the market for
civilians. An N95 mask is used to avoid
spreading or inhaling airborne illnesses. It's
3M N95 Particulate flat design and individually wrapped package
N95 Mask Respirator Face Mask N/A makes it easy for storage.
This is the official tourniquet of the US Army. It
is proven to be 100% effective in occluding
blood flow in upper & lower extremities. A
tourniquet is such an important item due to its
Tourniquet North American Rescue life saving capabilities that I've carry two of
(x2) Military Issue Tourniquet $30 them.
 Concealed Carry Back Compartment
This back compartment is all Velcro and is normally for law enforcement concealed carry storage. I use it for
storing specialty prepping gear.

TYPE ITEM COST COMMENTS

Panasonic BK-3MCCA4BA The Eneloop batteries are expensive, but the
eneloop AA 2100 Cycle Ni- best option for Preppers. They're
MH Pre-Charged rechargeable, hold their charge for a long time
AA Batteries Rechargeable Batteries $11 and are really high quality.
Panasonic BK-4MCCA4BA The Eneloop batteries are expensive, but the
eneloop AAA 2100 Cycle best option for Preppers. They're
Ni-MH Pre-Charged rechargeable, hold their charge for a long time
AAA Batteries Rechargeable Batteries $11 and are really high quality.
I wish I didn't feel the need to integrate this
item into my EDC Backpack, but there have
been multiple shootings close to my office that
made me up the priority in having some level
of protection. This ballistic panel is specifically
designed to fit into the Vertx Gamut 2.0
Backpack. It is lightweight (around 2 lbs) ,
flexible, thin (0.22" thick), and tested to meet
NIJ ballistic standards for Level IIIA. It is TSA
Approved, made in the USA, and legal to own
in all 50 US states. It will stop common
handgun rounds such as 9mm, .40, .45, and .44
magnum in addition to being special threat
tested against 12 gauge shotgun buckshot and
Ballistic Shield Premier Body Armor $200 slugs. It is also stab and slash resistant.
I like these compact battery holders. I use
Whizzotech AA/AAA Cell Industrial Strength velcro on the back to allow
Battery Battery Storage it to be attached to the velcro of the Vertx
Case(s) Case/Holder $7 Gamut 2.0 Backpack.
This patch was based on my concept called
"The Color of Prepping". I use color
Color VANQUEST Prepper's coordinations to organize all of my emergency
Coordination Color-Coding Kit $15 preparedness items.
I don't "need" these for EDC, but there's been a
few times when I really needed a hex bit,
didn't have one, and then I was heckled for not
having one; "What do you mean you don't
Wera Hex-Plus 8040-6 Bit- have a hex bit? I thought you were The Urban
HEX Bits Check Sheet Metal Bit Set $28 Prepper?". Now I'm ready for them!
You should always have a physical map in
your emergency kits, just in case you are
Rand McNally Seattle unable to use the digital map available from
Map Street Map $7 your phone.
 I didn't "need" a new radio. The last AM/FM
radio I had in my EDC kit worked just fine.
However, I wanted to have SSB capabilities for
my kit, "just in case". The CountyComm radios
have always been really slick. This one has
been working nicely for my intended purposes
CountyComm GP-5 SSB and I've been programming it to many stations
Radio General Purpose Radio $90 to listen into.
This is my favorite screwdriver. It's high
quality, compact, and feature rich. I've been
Wera 051024 Kraftform using it for several years and love Wera
Screwdriver Kompakt 25 Pouch Set $32 products!
These laminated cheat sheets are custom
Survival Cheat Survival Cheat Sheet by made by me and provide the reader with a
Sheet The Urban Prepper FREE wide variety of survival tips and references.
Vertx has a velcro system called Tactigami. I
Velcro Vertx MAK Standard used this adapter kit to connect the
Attachment Adaptor Kit, $15 CountyComm radio to the backpack.
I stopped carrying a water filter for EDC
purposes because I never used it. However,
this UV pen can be really convenient when out
SteriPen Adventurer Opti and about at restaurants, when you may be
Water UV Personal Water unsure of the quality of the water you are
Disinfection Purifier $75 drinking.
These sillcock keys are used for accessing
Water Key Cobra 4-Way Sillcock Key $4 water spigots outside of industrial buildings.