“What’s in your wallet?” has become a well-known phrase in the marketing world for Capital One credit cards. The idea being, you will always benefit from the credit card when you need it. American Express used to say “never leave home without it.” There is a lesson to be derived from these two examples from the financial world. If I were to ask you what’s in your EDC (every-day carry) kit what would you say? Do you have a first aid kit somewhere in the mix? The answer is probably no. And that my friends, would be the wrong answer. As one of my beloved drill sergeants used to say, “I got som’n fo’ ya.” In this case, I have a great solution for those who are lacking a first aid kit in their EDC: this is the “Everyday Carry” first aid kit from My Medic.

EDC Essentials

If we were to do an EDC dump — basically emptying your pockets on the spot — what would you be carrying?

The list of EDC usual suspects is probably similar for most people: wallet and keys, maybe a knife (always carry one), perhaps an ink pen, your phone, and, definitely in the “never leave home without it” category, a concealable pistol.

If we were to include your purse, backpack, briefcase, messenger bag, etc, you should have a lot more. I would wager that over 99 percent of you do not have any first aid items readily available. And no, that does not mean the random Band-Aid floating around in the bottom of your wife’s purse.

If you are someone like me, you might tend to carry extra odds and ends at any given time for any given random thing you might encounter. With that in mind, if you are someone like me, you have probably also been accused of being paranoid. Or at best… a bit of a psycho. Eh. Who gives a flying foxtrot what anyone thinks. I am prepared for the unexpected. At least a little.

In the bag I use for work, which carries my laptop, computer charger, extra phone chargers, pens, notebooks, etc, I have more real estate than I do in my pockets. That bag always has a few extra “essentials.” These include a tourniquet, a few bandages and chest seals, and a small roll of medical tape. The reality is, it hardly takes up any space in my bag. The weight is also negligible in a backpack, so why not?

I also carry a trauma kit in the trunk of my car for emergencies, as well. Let’s save that for another day.

The My Medic Everyday Carry First Aid Kit

Now that we have fully established that you should have an EDC first aid kit and that you need one handy at all times, let’s dive into this little bad boy.

The My Medic Everyday Carry is meant to be extremely portable. With a pouch height of 5.25″ and a width of 4.75″ it’s compact. At only two inches deep and weighing in at only 8.5 ounces, the size makes it convenient. No way to say it’s too big or you don’t have room for it with this one. On the back are two small straps with snaps. It can be attached through MOLLE loops on a bag, or directly onto your belt, for example.

The pouch itself has a black, rubberized exterior finish, which helps both with weatherproofing and with allowing a better grip. Two two-way zippers fully open the pouch quickly and easily allowing for instant access to the items inside. I do have to say, I like the tactile feeling of the pouch. If it were in a bag, for example, and we needed to dig for it in a hurry, there would be no mistaking it for what it is.

My Medic does a great job curating the items and components in all of its kits. The Everyday Carry is no exception. While small in size, it packs a good little punch. The essential first aid items found inside are just right. The kit includes a Rapid Tourniquet to stop severe or arterial bleeding, a QuikClot® hemostatic bandage to help control significant bleeding, and two chest seals to help treat penetrating or sucking chest injuries. Also included is a pair of latex gloves and a small black magic marker (the marker is useful to easily be able to track and mark down the time the tourniquet was placed).

The My Medic Everyday Carry First Aid Kit Is Legit

Those of you used to very simple first aid kits might be wondering why these items have been chosen in the My Medic Everyday Carry. There are no colorful Band-Aids or alcohol wipes in this kit. You don’t see any aspirin or Advil. And there are no little wimpy two-ply gauze pads or cotton balls. This is a mini trauma kit. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. (Or not, because smoking is really bad for you, and here we are talking about first aid and healthy things.)

The people at My Medic have done a great job simplifying first aid kits for the rest of us. They have made finding first aid items easy, and have broken those items down into categories. Any of their products can be supplemented with extra items chosen from any of those “supply categories.” They can also be enhanced with “mods” which are items that have been selected and chosen for specific needs or injuries.

And, let’s not forget one of my favorite attributes: they are all modular. My Medic makes first aid kits that are modular and adaptable, mixable and matchable, and tailored for specific needs. Their well-designed packaging, categories, and products themselves, make this modularity easy.

Are You Prepared, Even a Little?

The types of injuries one might encounter don’t always include bangs and scrapes and a few drops of blood here and there. What if you were driving down the street and encountered someone with severe trauma? What if you are at work, and someone is severely injured and bleeding profusely from a limb? Would you be prepared in a situation like that? We never think about that; it will “never happen to us.”

The reality is, it always happens… to someone. Even more to the point — what if you or a close one are the ones to get hurt. Would you be ready to take care of yourself or your loved one until help and first responders arrive?

Accidents happen. Every day. Emergencies are not planned. That’s why they are called emergencies. That is why we need EDC, which includes everyday carry medical kits, like this one from My Medic.

This kit will be going in my EDC bag, without a doubt. It belongs in your bag, too.

Stay safe.