The fashion industry has been trying to market purses to men for decades, calling them "messenger bags" or "office packs" or "gym bags", etc....
But after 9-11 they changed their tactics and started marketing these purses as "emergency bags" or "survival packs".
Don't fall for it!!!
It's a purse!!!
Before you know it you'll be looking for shoes to match your "messenger bag"!!!
Seriously, men shouldn't carry purses.
Keep your survival equipment in a real backpack and keep it in your car or truck.
Or just add some survival equipment to your golf bag, which should always be in your car or truck anyways this time of the year.
For an EDC kit (if you live in a city, small town, or suburban setting,
and not in the wilderness) you really don't need that much.
And it should all fit in your pockets, or on your belt, without the need for a purse/messenger bag:
*Keys to your home, your car, your truck, work, etc.
*Wallet with cash, credit cards, CCW permit, driver's license, etc.
*Cell phone (a necessary evil in today's world), and make sure it's fully charged before your leave your home, office, or car.
*A loaded handgun.
*Eye glasses if you need them to see (or contacts).
*At least two days worth of any medicine that you need to take on a daily basis (blood pressure, insulin, heart, allergy meds, etc....).
*A condom if you're a non-monogamous sexually active man or woman.
That's it!
Here are some things that are not necessary but are still very useful for an EDC (and they still don't require a purse/messenger bag to carry):
*A wristwatch (doesn't really matter it it's a Rolex or a Timex, but it should have a water-resistance of at least 50 meters).
*A fire-starter of some type (matches, Bic lighter, etc...), even if you don't smoke.
*A small LED light (like an easy to carry Photon light on your keyring).
*Sun-glasses.
*Chap-stick.
*A comb for your hair.
*A ink pen or pencil.
*A knife of some type.
It doesn't need to be a big knife, but IMO it should have a blade at least 2.5" in length.
Victorinox Swiss Army knives are great since they also offer you a few other handy tools (scissors, screwdriver, bottle opener, tweezers, toothpick, etc...).
*A pre-paid phone card is nice too, for emergencies when your cell-phone is not an option and you have to use someone else's phone, or a public phone.
Anything more than this really goes beyond the EDC notion and becomes more of a survival kit best left in the car or truck.
I mean really....who needs to carry a sewing kit or a bottle of water around everywhere they go, everyday, all day, in a city or town or suburbs?
Even in an emergency situation, water is not going to instantly become unavailable or scarce in any decent size town or city.
Easy