The Sitka

Here it is.... My new EDC bag which I carry to work and back home everyday. The bag you see in these pictures is a Maxpedition Sitka. There are 2 smaller pouches which I added to help with carry extra/smaller items. The Maxpedition Janus pouch and RollyPoly Dump pouch. The Janus is attache to the bottom front of the Sitka and contains hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes plus my work keys. The RollyPoly is attached to the left side of the Sitka and is used for carrying my lunch to work.
This Sitka is an upgrade from my last EDC bag, Maxpedition Colossus. The Colossus was a good touch bag but unfortunatley I out grow the dimensions of the bag. The Sitka is the perfect EDC bag. A little bit larger than my previous EDC bag but not as awkward when carrying out in public. The bag looks to be a normal backpack but with only one shoulder strap. This bag is referred as a Sling type bag. The one shoulder strap anchors across the front of your body and allows for easy removal and adjusting.
A few small modifications were done to the bag in order to give it a more personal feeling and sense of personal ownership. I switched out almost all of the black paracord zipper pulls and replaced them with OD Green paracord. I also made a cobra stich pull handle on the right side of the Sitka. I added 4 personal moral patches to the bag and my chrome skull zipper pull. Orange paracord zipper pulls were added to the back of the Sitka bag in order to help see the rear zippered compartment. All of my EDC items including my Apple iPad and iPod fit inside the Sitka perfectly. My only issue with the Sitka is the length of the bag. I do wish it was a little bit longer horizontally but with its compact size, it sits comfortably on my should and back. I will be doing a video review on my Sitka and my new Kodiak B.O.B. bag today. Check out the videos later on today on Youtube and find out which of the two bags are better suited for your everyday needs.

EDC Bag 4 Sale

Sold... Sold.... Sold...
Everything that WAS my current EDC bag has just been purchased. My replacement bag is in the works and hopefully it will be here this coming week. New pics and videos will be up on my blog and Youtube channel. Thank you to everyone for your interest on my Colossus bag. It will be remembered.... :(

4.5 x 6 Padded Pouch

Here is my new camera pouch. The Maxpedition 4.5" x 6" Padded Pouch is the perfect small bag to carry any electronic gear. There is a soft thin padding on the inside of the bag and helps with safegaurding your gear from dings or bumps. The pouch is 3" in depth and allows me to store both digital "point and shoot" cameras. There is also some molle webbing on the front of the bag along with 3 rows of velcro. Those features give you the option to attach another small pouch to the from of the 4.5 x 6 bag or to attach a moral patch identifing you or the bag. This pouch allows for either 3" or 5" Tac-Ties to be used in order to secure the pouch to a larger bag. Dual paracord zipper pulls allow for easy access to the contents of the bag. Unfortunately there are no smaller pockets on the inside of the bag but plenty of room to store your small gadgets.

Survival Tin

Here is my custom survival tin. The tin box is originally from an old cough drop brand. The tin is the same size as an Altoids mint tin, however the aluminum design feels a little thicker than the Altoids tin. I purchased this tin from a local drug store and it was the only name brand tin they had. Since that day, I have not seen another Fisherman's Friend tin like this in any store. I carry this survival tin inside my EDC bag and I'm currently looking for any possible improvements on this survival tin. Dimensions of this tin are 4" x 2.5" and when I organized the contents correctly, it prevents the contents from rattling around inside the tin. The lid closes with ease and there is no stress on the contents when the lid is closed.

The purpose of a survival tin is to aid a person in a time of survival while keeping a compact/mobile profile. There are a lot of ways to house your survival items but the survival tin allows for easy transport and functionality. For example, going for a run or walk and need something small and light weight to carry inside your pocket.
If you have an EDC bag that carries all of your survival needs, that’s great! However what if your bag rips or becomes unusable and you don’t have time or the energy to repair it? Then you can pull out this small survival tin and keep moving. As you can see in the picture to the left, this is a snap shot of the contents inside my tin. Here is a small list of what the tin carries. Please comment with any improvements or suggestions.

1. Sewing needles
2. Sewing thread (black + multicolor)
3. Small roll of Duct tape
4. Waterproof Matches
5. Fishing hooks and weights
6. Saftey pins
7. Pencil
8. Sheets of paper x2
8. Razor blade
9. Snare wire
10. Mini wedge bar
11. Can opener P-51
12. Tweezers
13. Fire starter
14. Cotton strands for fire

FR-1 Pouch

Here it is, my first aid kit. The bag which holds all of my medical supplies is a Maxpedition FR-1 Pouch. The pouch/bag is very spacious and durable. It actually organizes all of my medical supplies and has a great feature that prohibits the bag from spilling out all of your supplies. In addition to that safety feature, there is one more option this pouch/bag contains. On the front of the bag there is an elastic cord that allows you to secure items underneath the cord and tighten down the elastic cord with a pull tie. For example, a knife, extra bandages or maybe a few handkerchiefs. Below the elastic cord is an area to attach smaller maxpedition bags using the molle webbing feature. Either with Tac-Ties or Malice Clips will do the job.

The inside of the FR-1 Pouch has enough elastic bands and pocket webbing to insure all of your items are held in securely. There is even a deep zipper pocket to hold smaller items while using the zipper function to prevent any items from spilling out inside the pouch. The safety feature I mentioned early can be shown in this pic on the left. Notice the 2 black paracord strings on both sides of the bag? Those 2 strands of paracord can be adjusted to any length and secures the front end of the bag from spilling open. The cord can be loosen in order to gain better access to the inside contents of the bag. Organization is key when filling this pouch. Knowing how and where to place your bulky items can determine an easy or hard fit. It took me about 30-45 minutes trying to organize my medical supplies. After doing so, the bag zips up perfectly and there is still enough room inside of the bag to include a few more items.

In the picture on the right, is a quick look at my medical supplies. Some say I am being too cautious and I may be over doing my F.A.K (first aid kit) However, I disagree on their opinions. There is nothing wrong with being prepared or over prepared. The purpose of my F.A.K. is to treat and dress any wound in order to help prevent infection. If the wound appears to be a medical emergency, I will do my best to clean and dress the wound in order to buy time for medical professionals to treat the injury. The main items in my F.A.K. are Iodine, Alcohol wipes and Neosporin. Of course I do carry different size of bandages and wraps. Stopping infection and cleaning the wound is the first thing anyone should do. If you don't have bandages or wraps, you can use a shirt or piece of cloth in order to cover the wound in order to stop the bleeding. I plan on adding a few more pieces to my F.A.K and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

Colossus

Here is the final outcome of my on going battle with my EDC bag. The bag is doing its job and holding up to the rough conditions and activities I put it through. The paracord zipper pulls were changed and I even added some moral patches to the bag. The left side of the bag is usually kept free for a cell phone case, water bottle holder, dump pouch or small gadget bag that I may decide to attach. A paracord handle was added to allow me to carry the bag without having to throw the bag around my shoulder and back. The handle actually comes in handy a lot when getting in and out of my car. The cobra weave paracord pulls on the 2 main zippers allow for easier pull when opening or closing the 2 main compartments.

The bag attached to the right side of the main bag is a Maxpedition FR-1 pouch. It carries all of my First Aid products. I want to make sure I'm covered when it comes to anti-biotics and bandages. It has already come in handy with ant and spider bites. The bag is filled with enough medical supplies for me and my loved one. On the top right corner near my glasses is another bag. The bag is called a Janus pouch. Another Maxpedition product and mainly used as a small bag for easy access across a person's chest. In the Janus pouch, I store a few antibacterial wipes, lighter, pen and a small Rite In The Rain notebook. The Janus pouch also stores my cell phone or wallet for quick access to my mostly used items.

I'm still working on my setup and it seems like my new EDC addiction can't be quenched... Lets see what new gadgets and designs 2011 has in store for me. Another good feature about the Colossus, I can carry my Apple iPad in the rear pocket. It fits snug and does require a little stretching. But after time, the iPad will fit securely and effortlessly into the rear pocket. Most Maxpedition bags require the user to work out the bag. Kind of like a fine leather shoe. LOL! I usually tell people, stuff the bag with socks or clothes. Then let the bag sit for a few days. The stuffed clothes will push out any wrinkles or un-even points on the bag. Plus remove some of the stiff ruggedness the bag may have.