EDC for OCONUS travel

[paintballdude902]

My older sister is leaving for Haiti next month to work on her PHD. I'm trying to convince her to put together bit of an EDC kit for travel.

Any advice on what she could carry in Haiti as well as the Congo? She will be in the Congo July-Dec 2013

 

[hso]

Doing what? Sitting in a hotel in both with a wifi connection brings different requirements for a marine biologist (hey, the Congo has a little coastline) and others for a wildlife biologist.

 

[paintballdude902]

mostly going through old records but im sure there will be time running around the city and in some of the villages

 

[Aikibiker]

Good flashlight, folding knife with pocket clip and "wave" function that can be opened one handed, satelite phone with travel rescue service on speed dial, GPS with map pack for Haiti and that part of Africa, good first aid kit that she knows how to use, 100 count bottle of anti diarhea meds from Walmart (I never go to another country without one).

Most importantly the training and skill to use all of the above.

 

[hso]

What experience does she have with knives?

She should have a multiplier like the Sidekick, Wave or Wingman.

She should have a solid single blade folder like the Griptilian or Delica.

She should have a good butane jet lighter like the Blazer that will work in wet conditions.

She'll need a good flashlight that takes AA batteries and a good headlamp that takes the same. These keep evolving so the best I can recommend is to get a LED headlamp and an LED flashlight using these commonly available batteries.

She'll need a compact water filter and Katadyn Micropur sterilization tablets.

 

[TurtlePhish]

100 count bottle of anti diarhea meds from Walmart (I never go to another country without one).

An off-topic FYI:
These can be the opposite of beneficial in some cases. The diarrhea is your body's way of getting rid of the bacteria that are causing harm.

Anyway, away from poop and back to the kit.

 

[Piraticalbob]

If she isn't a knife person and has no experience sharpening knives, she's better off with a serrated edge knife in stainless steel, so she doesn't have to worry much about rust or sharpening. Any of the pocket-clip Spydercos with a serrated edge will work fine for this role, although the lower-end knives would be better, as the likelihood of losing it/having it stolen is high. Endura, Delica, Tenacious - - one of those.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Any of the pocket-clip Spydercos with a serrated edge will work fine for this role,

Check out the Merlin. I have one, and it's incredibly useful. Not to mention very easy to use in a fight.

 

[hso]

If she doesn't know how to sharpen she'll be where people do. Substance agriculture societies means people know how to sharpen a knife so they can make it work.

But that does bring up a good point, she'll need a compact sharpener.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Guess my velocity just aint up there... What the devil is EDC?

 

[Piraticalbob]

Guess my velocity just aint up there... What the devil is EDC?

Every Day Carry.

 

[bikerdoc]

EDC = Every Day Carry


Hardware aside, what kind of support system will she have, Local contact group? consulate?
associates?

 

[Blackhawk30]

Haiti????I would carry a good machete.Its what the locals use.

 

[danez71]

Take a look here for a UV water purifier.

Several models such as AA batteries, Hand crank, USB port chargeable, prefilters.

VERY portable.

http://www.steripen.com/

 

[Vonderek]

travel size hand sanitizer

 

[tarosean]

She might want to check to see if she can even bring one (knife) into the countries first.. Lost of countries are not keen on letting you in with a weapon. Even if you can buy one there or not. she might have to make do with steak knives...

 

[conw]

EDC = Every Day Carry


Hardware aside, what kind of support system will she have, Local contact group? consulate?
associates?

Good question!

 

[duns]

100 count bottle of anti diarhea meds from Walmart (I never go to another country without one).

My doctor prescribed Ciprofloxacin when I went to India. Only to be taken when absolutely necessary and then you have to take the full course to prevent the bacteria becoming drug resistant.

 

[Aikibiker]

I used Cipro a lot overseas (most common non-penicillin antibiotic outside the USA), but now I have had ACL surgery recently and since Cipro has some bad side effects on tendons and ligaments I need to find an alternative.

The anti diarrheal stuff is to keep you from dieing of dehydration when (not if) you get dysentary.

 

[hso]

A short machete is a pretty good idea for both environments. She could get one there or bring a better one with her and gift to someone she appreciates.

 

[PRM]

On my last trip out of country, we were given Doxycycline as a Malarial preventative. The side effects on me were a little more than I wanted to deal with. I checked several govt. internet sites for the risk where I was going, then just rolled the dice and got lucky.

I'm a big fan of the SAKs. Rarely leave the house without one.