The Best EDC Knife – How To Pick The Best Knife for Your EDC Kit

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Most people agree that an EDC kit isn’t complete without a knife. There are tons of knives out there which can make the experience of finding the right one for you an overwhelming experience but this guide aims to help you find perfect knife for your EDC kit.

A knife is one of those tools that serves many purposes. It can be used to open things, slice food or cordage, for self-defense, to carve wood, to skin game and filet fish, and to accomplish a multitude of other tasks.

Having a good EDC knife will make many every day tasks easier and will give you an advantage in nearly any survival situation.

Our Picks for Best EDC Knife

Best Overall EDC Knife: Kershaw Tanto Serrated Blur Knife

The Kershaw Tanto Serrated Blur Knife is our favorite choice for an all-purpose EDC knife. This Made in USA knife is built to last and is super sharp right out of the box.

It is extremely well-made and designed with military service, police force, and firefighters in mind. The handle is durable and lightweight, with a great texture to allow for a firm grip. SpeedSafe assisted opening system for smooth, one-handed opening

It’s partially serrated blade gives you added flexibility making it a versatile item in your EDC arsenal.

This is a fantastic knife that will serve its owner for many years to come.

Best Compact EDC Knife: Boker Plus Subcom Pocket Knife

The Boker Plus Subcom Pocket Knife is a little gem that is perfect for people that want their EDC items to be as small and low profile as possible.

It can easily clip onto a belt or even be used as a money clip. This knife is a great choice when concealability and having an unobtrusive EDC arsenal are your priorities.

Boker Knives come with a lifetime warranty.

Best Plus-Sized EDC Knife: Spyderco Endura 4

Even though the Spyderco Endura 4 is at the larger end of the spectrum for EDC knives, it is still quite compact and surprisingly lightweight.

As you’ll see from the customer reviews, this knife has a very loyal EDC user base.

This knife is an excellent choice for EDC if size isn’t your main driving factor.

How To Choose The Best EDC Knife for You

As with looking at a knife for any task there are a few basic qualities you should look at when making your choice.

Fixed vs Folding

This is likely the first decision to make when choosing your EDC knife. Most people opt for a folding knife as they tend to be smaller and can easily fit in a pocket or clip onto a belt.

Any fixed blade knife will need a sheath to cover the blade and would need to be worn on a belt or on a cord as a “neck knife.”

As with many elements of finding a good EDC knife it comes down to preference and what environment you typically find yourself in. If you are in an urban environment a folding EDC knife will be a better option as it will be unobtrusive and lighter to carry. Being discreet is often important in urban areas making a small folding knife a common choice for city dwellers.

If you tend to live in a rural location a fixed blade knife is easier to justify as you may find yourself skinning game and cutting rope more often. Additionally, outside of big cities wearing a fixed blade knife has less of a cultural taboo. Regardless of this many rural EDCers tend to choose a folding knife for their EDC kit due to size and weight advantages of this option.

Size and Weight

A good EDC knife will be able to fit in a pocket and will integrate strong, lightweight materials such as G10 or Micarta. It is important to recognize the “Every Day” aspect of an EDC knife when considering size and weight. No one wants to be carrying around an anchor in their pocket all the time. Choose an EDC pocket knife that is under 5 ounces (~150 grams) and less than 5 inches (~13 cm) in length for an easy, comfortable carry.

Edge Type

There are many types of blade styles available for folding EDC knives designed to fit a multitude of needs. The most 3 commonly available are:

Full Ground Edge – This is a blade that has a straight or curved edge. Full ground edge blades are generally better for pushing cuts (shaving, skinning an apple or animal), scraping, precision work, poking, skewering, and stabbing.
Full Serration – Serrated blades are generally better at slicing cuts through tough materials such as plastic, wood, rope, leather, or drywall. Serrated knives are generally poor at stabbing in a self-defense context as the serrations tend to get stuck on clothing or bones.
Partial Serration – This is a blade that is serrated on the part nearest the handle and a straight ground edge nearest the tip. This type of blade seeks to deliver the advantages of both of the types of blades mentioned above in a single piece for the user making them a popular choice for EDC.

Best EDC Folding Knife — Full Ground Edge Vs Partial Serration

Opening Mechanism

Knife makers have innovated in many ways to create opening mechanisms to suit any need. There is a lot of variety out there from assisted open knives to thumb studs and cutouts, to flipping nubs and many, many more. Regardless of what type of opening mechanism you choose for your EDC knife it should have the following qualities:

Reliable – You want your knife to open on the first try when you need it. If you have to cut through a rope to save a life, or fight off a dangerous animal, you can’t call a “time out” to open up your knife. Make sure you can open it instantly EVERY TIME.
One-handed – You never know what circumstance you may need to open your knife in or if you will be holding on to something essential in the other. Make sure you EDC knife opening mechanism can be operated one handed.
Left or Right Hand Opening – Make sure your knife opening mechanism can be utilized with either hand. Some cheap knives come with a thumb stud only on one side. Great if you have the option to open your EDC knife with you right hand. Not so great if you are holding on to something essential with that hand or if it is injured. Hedge your bets and go with an ambidextrous opening mechanism.
Assisted vs Manual Opening – Deciding whether your best EDC knife should have an assisted or manual open will come down to personal choice. It is a nice feature but is illegal in many jurisdictions. To meet the needs of knife owners, knife makers have responded with ever-improving manual opening methods that are lightning fast.

Locking Mechanism

No matter what you choose as the best EDC folding knife for your situation, they all have one thing in common: a rock-solid locking mechanism. Having an excellent lock on your folding knife will make it nearly on par with a fixed blade knife for reliability. Some of the better folding knives out there even have a secondary locking mechanism, making it virtually impossible for the blade to close on your hand while in use. The 3 most common locking mechanisms for EDC folding knives are:

Liner Lock
Lock Back
Lever Lock

Regardless of which of these options you choose to go with make sure it is reliable for your knife. Many cheap manufacturers will skimp on this feature, endangering their users and making an unreliable tool. A quality knife will have a quality locking mechanism, look for and EDC blade with a secondary option for extra safety.

Grip Style and Material

The grip for your EDC folding knife can be broken into two categories, style and materials. The style is how the knife is designed which will ideally allow it to fit well in your hand and allow for a secure grip in adverse conditions (wet, cold, etc). The materials are what the grip is made of. There are a variety of materials that are commonly used to make the grip of a folding knife, choosing one that suits your purposes is an important step in deciding what the best EDC knife is for you.

EDC Knife Grip Style

A well designed knife will fit easily in your hand. It should have a concavity for your hand to hold on to, a good sized choil to hold your fingers in place and well thought out jimping on the backside to provide grip for your thumb when in use.

EDC Knife Grip Material

There are a vide variety of materials used to make knife grips, here are some of the most common:

G10 – An epoxy and fiberglass resin that is extremely strong and relatively lightweight
Micarta – A combination of cloth (generally linen or canvas) and resin. Also very strong and lightweight
Titanium – Extremely strong and lightweight material, nearly impervious to rust.
Carbon Fiber – Very light weight material but also very brittle. Generally more showy and expensive than the other options.
Zytel – A lightweight and nearly indestructible plastic.

Cost

Knives are one of the many items where you get what you pay for. While there are many good EDC knives out there that can be picked up for less than $50, the BEST EDC knives will generally cost more than this. For something you are going to be carrying with you EVERY DAY, it is worth paying a bit more to choose a high quality EDC knife that will last the test of time.

Additionally, a quality pocket knife is less likely to bind at the hinge or pivot point or have a lock mechanism failure, letting you down when you need it most.

A good knife will take care of its owner, require less maintenance, and if taken care of becomes a hand-me-down for future generations, hopefully with a few good stories to go along with it.

Look at your EDC knife as an investment.

Choosing the Best EDC Knife For YOU

As you can see choosing the best EDC knife to meet your needs is a highly personal choice.

The reward is that once you have looked at the points that we discussed, size, weight, opening mechanism, lock type, grip material and style, and cost you will be able to make a rational decision on the absolute BEST EDC Knife to add to your kit.

The EDC knives that we listed above are the ones that generally work well in EDC kits. Here they are again:

Best Overall EDC Knife: Kershaw Tanto Serrated Blur Knife
Best Compact EDC Knife: Boker Plus Subcom Pocket Knife
Best Plus-Sized EDC Knife: Spyderco Endura 4

Want Even MORE Info On Building Your EDC Kit?

For more EDC related guides, please check out the following articles: How To Make Your EDC List, How To Choose The Best EDC Bag, and Picking The Best EDC Flashlight.

If you are looking for even more information on how to build your ultimate EDC kit you can check out my book, The Every Day Carry Guide. It is a comprehensive manual that will teach you:

How to be prepared at all times – no matter where you are
How to build your first EDC kit from scratch
How to refine an existing kit to make it more effective
How to pick the best gear to realistically make you more prepared
How to assess threats and risks in your every day life

Your Thoughts?

Do you have an EDC knife that you love? Do you look at any additional qualities when finding the best EDC knife to meet your EDC needs? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Bug Out First Aid Kit Ideas and Checklist

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A bug out first aid kit is one of the most important essential items to consider for your BOB or evacuation kit.

Having a well-stocked first aid kit will help you overcome injuries to keep you moving to safety when time is critical. As it is prohibitive to carry an entire hospital’s worth of emergency medical supplies it’s important to assess what injuries are most likely to occur and how you can effectively treat them while executing your bug out plan.

We suggest focusing on two areas when building your bug out first aid kit: Trauma and Mobility.

Assessing Your Bug Out First Aid Needs

As we discussed in our Every Day Carry Guide it is important to properly assess the threats you will likely be facing when considering developing a bug out plan or assessing what gear to include in your preparations. When it comes to First Aid, we will look at medium to high probability threats that have medium to high impact to address what we need in our bug out first aid kit.

Trauma Injuries

While it is highly likely that you may scrape your knee or cut your hands while in a bug out situation these minor injuries probably will not affect your ability to effectively move to safety. They are high likelihood/low impact problems. When planning a bug out first aid kit we will want to address medical emergencies that are of higher impact such as trauma injuries. These will be lower probability but far higher consequence than a knee scrape or simple cut and may be debilitating or life-threatening.

Traumatic injuries can include:

Burns
Vehicle collisions
Broken bones
Arterial bleeding
Falls from heights
Gunshot wounds
Knife Wounds
Blunt impact injuries

Treating trauma injuries should be a focal point of your bug out first aid kit. This will allow you to address the worst of problems and keep you alive and moving when time is critical.

Mobility Injuries

A mobility injury is anything that prevents you from moving efficiently or at your intended pace. They have a wide range in terms of severity. In the risk assessment scale are generally medium probability and high impact. The manner in which one is affected by a mobility injury is that they will lose their ability to move to safety, which is a major problem in a bug out situation.

Mobility injuries include:

Blisters
Ankle sprains
Knee injuries
Torn ligaments
Frostbitten extremities
Broken bones

As you can see there is a wide range of mobility injuries. While some of them may not be life threatening by themselves they can lead an injured person to be unable to evacuate a dangerous area which can lead to further injury or death. Being able to effectively treat mobility injuries with your bug out first aid kit will help you deal with this type of injury and keep you moving when it counts.

Your First Aid Kit: Buy or Build?

When adding a first aid kit to your bug out bag you are faced with two paths of how to get this done. You can either buy a premade first aid kit from a sporting goods store or online or you can purchase the items you want individually for a custom kit. Both choices have their various advantages and disadvantages and ultimately you have to decide what is best for you.

Premade First Aid Kits

Premade kits are the easier choice as they will come prepacked in a neat bag that can simply be added to your BOB. The items are picked for you and this is a plug and play option. However, as with premade bug out bags, premade first aid kits are generally costlier than DIY kits and the quality of medical supplies within them can range greatly.

If you choose to go this route be sure to get a quality kit as you generally get what you pay for and First Aid is not an area to skimp on.

A popular option is to buy a premade First Aid kit and then add a few extra items that don’t usually come with premade First Aid kits, such as a tourniquet or moleskins, which allows you take advantage of someone else doing the grunt work of finding basic items while tailoring the bag to suit your own needs and requirements.

There are good quality premade bug out first aid kits out there and we will recommend a few here for your reference:

Building your own Custom First Aid Kit

Although building your own bug out first aid kit can be time consuming, there are a few advantages to this approach:

Get exactly the items you want – don’t pay for useless things that don’t solve the problems you anticipate
You control the quality of items – no cheap medical supplies that will let you down when you need them
Cost is generally lower – shop around for the best price for the survival first aid items that you need
Get the bag that you want – select a container for your medical supplies based on your own criteria for size, features, and quality

There are a seemingly endless number of first aid items to choose from out there. Let’s take a look at some of the most important items to have in a first aid kit designed for disaster management.

Trauma First Aid Items

Blood clotting agent

This is a substance designed to encourage clotting within a wound to stop bleeding. They were designed by the military to treat shrapnel and gunshot wounds and have recently been made available for civilian purchase. A blood clotting agent, such as WoundSeal Powder, can be effective for stopping life-threatening blood loss that may occur in a bug out situation.

Burn salve

Burns can come from many threats in a bug out situation. A burn salve, such as J.R. Watkins Medicated First Aid Salve, provides relief from heat-related injuries, discourages infection, and promotes healing. Burn salves are generally small and lightweight, fitting easily in a bug out first aid kit.

Tourniquet

A tourniquet, such as the SWAT-T Tourniquet, is a last line of defense against blood loss. Using one after other first aid methods (pressure, elevation, clotting agents, etc) have been applied will usually stop bleeding but it can do so to a degree that the limb is sacrificed. Additionally, they can only be used on arms and legs and are useless for abdominal or head wounds. The blood clotting agents are a better choice but it can mean the difference between life and death in the right situation to have a tourniquet in your bug out first aid kit.

Heavy Gauze

This is used to apply pressure to wounds, absorb blood, and prevent infection. It is a basic first aid item that belongs in any trauma first aid kit. Plan on packing multiple rolls in a well-stocked bug out first aid kit. Check out Gerber’s Heavyweight Gauze Prefolds.

Skin Closure Kit

Some people recommend a suture kit to close large wounds/cuts but if you don’t have any medical training you will likely cause more harm than good. Instead, pack some 3M Steri Strip Skin Closures for an effective and safe way to close wounds.

Chest Seal

This is designed to create an airtight seal on chest wounds to prevent lung collapse. It is typically used to treat penetrating chest wounds caused by gunshots, stabbing, or shrapnel. They are sold in pairs to cover the possibility of needing to seal both an entry and exit wound in the torso. The HALO Chest Seal is a highly-praised option.

Trauma Pad

A trauma pad is a large, sterile dressing used to treat large sized wounds. They are frequently impregnated with clotting agents to minimize blood loss. This is ideal for treating trauma injuries in a pre-hospital situation.

Mobility First Aid Items

Moleskin

Taking care of your feet is one of the most important maintenance tasks involved in a bug out situation. If you have to suddenly hike for miles on end to reach your bug out destination, you are likely to develop blisters on the way. Moleskin is designed to provide cushioning around these sore spots to prevent chafing and allow you to keep moving to safety. The good choice for a First Aid kit is Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Roll.

Triangle Bandages

The Swiss Army knife of first aid kits. Triangle bandages, such as Dynarex Triangle Bandages, can be used for many medical purposes including packing wounds, keep ice packs in place, applying pressure to lacerations, make a sling for an injured limb, and tying on splints.

Splint

Although a splint can be fashioned out of scavenged materials it is good practice to have a good one, like the SAM Splint, in your bug out first aid kit in the event that you do not have time to go looking for splinting materials.

Ace Bandage

These are good for wrapping rolled ankles or twisted knees to provide the support you need to keep moving to safety. They can also be used for wound dressing and bandage application in a pinch. Consider Ace Elastic Bandage with Clips for an easy-to-use ace bandage.

General First Aid Items

Anti-diarrheal medicine
Medical tape
Pain relievers
EMT shears
Ammonia inhalants
Butterfly strips
Nitrile gloves
Tweezers
Antiseptic wipes
Superglue – to close small wounds
Antibiotics (Fish antibiotics can be used if a prescription is unavailable)
EpiPen

Choosing a Bag for Your First Aid Kit

When picking a bag for your bug out first aid kit you will want one that meets your individual needs and has the features you require to be compact, functional, and accessible.

Another important factor to consider is size. Depending on if this is an Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) or if you are responsible for your whole family, the amount of supplies you need will vary, therefore you need to choose an appropriately sized bag.

The Maxpedition FR-1 Pouch is a compact bag that can carry a deceptively large amount of supplies. You can’t go wrong with this bag.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see there are many options for planning an effective bug out first aid kit. With some simple organization you can either build your own from the ground up, buy a premade medical kit, or combine the two approaches to maximize effort expended and customization options for this essential survival item. Once you have a bug out first aid kit be sure to review it as a part of your periodic BOB Reviews to make sure the items within are still usable.

Do you have an item that you would add to your bug out first aid kit? Do you have first aid skills or advice that you would like to share? Let us know in the Comments section below.

Cold Weather Survival Tips and Skills

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Surviving when you are cut off from the support net of society is extremely difficult under even optimal conditions. Cold weather survival situations add significant additional challenges which must be trained and planned for. These challenges can be overcome by gaining cold weather survival knowledge and experience as well as tailoring your bug out bag as we mentioned in our recent article covering cold weather survival gear. In this article we will review the most essential cold weather survival tips to practice and employ when beating the cold.

Keeping Warm During Cold Weather Survival

A key to cold weather survival is keeping your core temperature warm. A combination of shorter days (less sunlight), wind chill, lower temperatures, and ice and snow will conspire to steal body heat and energy away from you. Your body will have to work harder and consume more calories to keep you warm. In order to stay warm practice the following cold weather survival tips:

Dress in layers

This is the best way to regulate your body temperature while surviving in the cold. Multiple layers are better than one thick layer because they trap air between them. This air is then warmed by your body and acts as an insulator against the cold. Start off with a light wicking layer to keep perspiration away from your skin and build up from there. Three to five layers are good for most adults. The outer layer should always be wind and waterproof to minimize heat exchange and keep water out. Layers are additionally excellent at regulating temperature because you can add or remove them if you find yourself to be cold or hot. If you are travelling with children a good rule of thumb is to dress them in one more layer than you have on to keep them warm.

Keep active

Keeping yourself active will keep your heart rate up and maintain a good flow of warm blood to your extremities. It is important to not overexert yourself however. If you become drenched in sweat this moisture will sap heat away from you. Keep a moderate pace for your activities whether hiking or building a shelter. Maintain your temperature by removing clothing layers to keep warm but not hot. Slow down or stop to rest periodically to avoid burning yourself out.

Keep fuel in the tank

As you will be burning a lot of energy keeping active and keeping your temperature up you will need to consume extra calories and drink extra liquids to keep your body going. It is important to pack extra high calorie/low weight rations in your bug out bag. This may include nuts, granola bars, energy gels, or powerbar type foods. To keep hydrated pack gatorade powder, which can be mixed with water or melted snow. This will keep you hydrated far better than water alone.

Cover Your Head

Up to 90% of the heat you lose will be through your head if you do not keep it covered. Keeping a hood up or hat on will keep this heat in as well as keep your head dry if you are working in snow. Also this is the easiest layer to remove if you find yourself getting hot. Keep your head covered to keep that precious heat in!

Cold Weather Survival Tips

Surviving in cold weather requires the same basic survival skills as in any other environment. It is necessary however to add to your skill set as some tasks become more difficult under cold weather survival conditions.

Cold Weather Shelter Building

Building a survival shelter should be a top priority during cold weather survival. A good shelter will keep out the wind and damp as well as keep heat in. Cold weather survival provides some additional challenges as well as benefits to survival shelter building.

A basic A-frame or Lean-to shelter works well using branches and piling snow on top. Snow is an excellent insulator and makes a great outer layer of a shelter. If you have chosen to include an emergency blanket, poncho, or tarp in your bug out bag essentials, any of these items can be used to form the roof of your shelter if laid upon the frame of branches. Using one of the items as a ground cloth will additionally insulate a shelter against cold and damp. An important thing to consider when building a cold weather survival shelter is that if you are going to build a fire in a shelter be sure it is ventilated with a chimney to avoid suffocation. Check out the below videos for instructions on building a winter survival shelter.

Fire

Fire is essential in a cold weather survival scenario for two reasons:

Keeping Warm – this is obvious but its importance cannot be overstated. Having a fire will raise your morale and keep the spectre of freezing related medical problems out of your mind.
Melting Snow – This will give you a nearly limitless water supply while surviving. Boil the water from melted snow to ensure any pathogens are killed.

When gathering wood in a winter survival situation be it is preferable to collect branches that are not lying in the snow as the moisture from snowbound wood will make it harder to burn. Look for dead branches in the lower parts of trees in the area. For more tips on fire building check out our article on Basic Survival Skills.

Cold Weather First Aid

The two biggest medical problems found in cold weather survival are hypothermia and frostbite. Both of these are very dangerous and need to be watched out for at all times. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms and treatments for these two conditions:

Hypothermia

A condition where one’s body temperature drops below the ability to self-regulate. This typically begins when the core temperature goes below 95F degrees. It can happen easily if someone falls into a cold stream or frozen lake and must be addressed quickly to increase a person’s chances for survival.

Symptoms

Shivering
Loss of coordination
Weak pulse
Drowsiness
Slow speech
Confusion or memory loss

Treatment

If possible seek emergency medical attention
Remove any wet clothes and replace them with dry ones or a dry blanket/sleeping bag, etc
Protection from wind or anything else that may cause further heat loss
Seek shelter
Warm the person up by putting them in a shelter, bringing them near a fire or using your own body heat
Drinking warm liquids can also be used to bring a person’s temperature back up

Frostbite

This occurs when a body part (usually an extremity or an exposed ear or nose) becomes so cold that ice crystals begin to form in the tissues. It should be treated immediately and can lead to the loss of the frostbitten body part!

Symptoms

Numbness in the affected area
White patches on skin, these will turn black in severe frostbite
Hardening of the affected area

Treatment

Seek emergency medical attention if possible
The affected area should be gradually warmed up by moving to a warmer area such as a shelter or near a fire and covering it from the elements
Warm water can also be used
Care needs to be take to not place anything hot on the affected area as this can cause burns that are not felt due to numbness
Try not to walk on frostbitten toes or feet as this can cause additional damage
You should NEVER rub the affected area to warm it up

Conclusion

Cold weather survival can be a brutal and trying circumstance. However with some planning and the addition of some carefully chosen cold weather survival gear you can greatly increase your chances of success. There is no replacement however for experience and knowledge. If you live in a cold weather area try going out in the woods for a weekend with your bug out bag and cold weather survival gear to practice making a shelter and fire with the contents you have with you. This will test your abilities and show you where you need to expand your knowledge or if your gear (including your cold weather clothing) is up to the task. Remember, chance favors the well prepared.

Your Thoughts?

Do you have any cold weather survival tips that you want to share? Have you had to survive in freezing conditions yourself? Please let us know in the Comments Section below.

Paracord Storage, Uses and Ideas

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We have mentioned paracord as a bug out tool in several of our articles as being a resource of nearly limitless usefulness. There are entire web sites and forums devoted to listing its many uses and it has attracted a following among preppers and DIY enthusiasts that approaches Duct Tape in reverence. This is for good reason. There are a great many situations in survival that call for a reliable, strong, and lightweight cord and paracord fits this profile perfectly. In this article we will discuss why paracord is so great, some of its more practical survival applications, and proper paracord storage so that your tool is as compact and accessible as possible.

What is Paracord, why is it so great?

Paracord is also known as parachute cord and 550 cord. Its origins are from the parachute suspension lines in WWII era parachutes. It consists of a woven nylon core covered by a woven exterior sheath. It is particularly well suited for many purposes because it is durable, small in diameter, lightweight and has a very high breaking strength for its size. Paratroopers who had access to paracord quickly found that these qualities made it useful for a wide variety of applications such as affixing gear to their rigs or fastening camouflage netting. From these simple beginnings paracord spread to all branches of the military as well as civilian use.

Paracord Storage Tips

So you understand the usefulness of paracord and have picked some up for your home, bug out location, and bug out bag. A problem frequently encountered when dealing with any rope, cord, or wire in quantity is that it often gets tangled to the point that it is unusable. Anyone who has opened up a tackle box to find a nice fat pile of knots knows exactly what we mean. The way to avoid this is through proper paracord storage techniques. We will go over proper paracord storage both at home and in a pack here:

A Paracord Jig

Paracord should never be stored without being coiled and wrapped first. This can be done around your arm or using a jig (or chair legs as in the video below). This is the first step in proper paracord storage as it avoids 90% of tangles right off the bat. Take a couple extra minutes when you are done using your 550 cord to coil and wrap it.

When storing paracord in a bug out bag or box it should always be put inside a smaller container to avoid snagging on other items. There are plenty on items within a BOB such as a hatchet or pry tool that are easily entangled with loose parachute cord. Putting your coil in an empty water bottle, tupperware, or even a zip lock bag will prevent this from happening. One of the features we discuss in our How To Pick The Best Bug Out Backpack article is having multiple compartments of various sizes to store and access your gear. Following this rule will eliminate the entanglement factor from your paracord storage setup.
Another option for paracord storage is to wrap it around something. This is an alternative to coiling and wrapping and is an even better manner of avoiding entanglement. You may wrap your 550 cord around a tool, water bottle, or bundle of clothes. If you wrap it tightly, there will be nothing loose to get caught on your other gear.
Also consider hanging your paracord coil off of the exterior of your bag inside webbing or attached to a carabiner. This will enable you to rapidly deploy it if required.
No matter if you are planning your paracord storage for home or a bug out bag be sure to consider ease of access, prevention of entanglement, and quickness of deployment.

Uses for Paracord

One of the reasons why paracord use has spread so widely is that there are a great many situations that call for lightweight cordage. In a survival situation paracord can be used for the following:

Affixing gear to a bug out bag
Lashing bags to a vehicle
Splinting a broken bone
Tie a sling to rest that broken bone
Tying on a bandage or making a tourniquet
Building a shelter
Lowering or raising equipment
Climbing or descending steep inclines
Restraining hostiles
Tripwire around your camp
Building a snare to catch animals
Making a fish trap
Make a hammock
A makeshift hinting bow string
An excellent string for a fire bow
And many more…

Additionally, the core and sheath components that make up a strand of paracord can be separated to be used for more specialized tasks:

The core strands can be separated to use for:

Fishing line
Sewing thread
Suture thread
Floss

The sheath by itself can be used for replacement shoe/boot laces or just about anything else that needs something without a lot of elasticity.

Paracord Ideas

With all these uses there are a lot of people out there that have a desire to carry a bit of paracord around with them regularly. This may mean having a coil of it in the back of a vehicle or inventing creative ways to make lengths of paracord into unobtrusive wearable items. People have woven paracord into replacements for or additions to a variety of every day items such as:

Paracord Bracelet

Paracord Belt

Paracord Gun Sling

Paracord Drink Coozies

Paracord Knife Handle Wrap

Paracord Dog Leash

Paracord Pet Collar

As you can see there are a lot of things you can create with paracord that make it easy to carry around with you. If you want more ideas for projects you can check out YouTube further. If you want a hard copy of project instructions with pictures to refer to check out this book and project starter kit:

Paracord Ideas Book Paracord Projects Starter Kit

Conclusion

A you can see there are a great many things that you can do with paracord to make it accessible when you need it in a survival situation. Taking the time to address proper paracord storage will make it an asset instead of a liability when you need it most. Whether you decide to wear a paracord bracelet or coil up a couple hundred feet in your bug out bag, having some on hand will come in handy when you least expect it.

Your Thoughts?

Do you have an innovative use for paracord that we didn’t cover here? Do you know of a great paracord storage solution? Please let us know in the Comments Section below! If you thought this page was helpful please Like, +1, or Tweet it using the social media buttons at the top of the page, thanks!

How to pick the folding best knife for a bug out bag

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In the case of an emergency or a natural disaster, you should always be fully prepared and equipped with your very own bug out bag, also known as an emergency preparedness kit. These bags can be purchased online or through certain retailers in prices ranging anywhere from $35 up to $400. But, many safety experts highly recommend that you build your bug out bag from the ground up in order for it to suit your needs. Some of the top items in your kit should include non-perishable food products, a first-aid kit, matches, medical prescriptions, clothes, and a high quality pocket knife, which could be very useful during most emergency situations.

The Best Folding Knife for a Bug Out Bag

Obtaining a quality pocket knife should definitely be right at the top of your to-do list, along with the ultimate first aid kit and a few boxes of matches, when you are creating your custom bug out bag. A pocket knife is a knife with a folding blade that can be carried in an on-the-go fashion. It can also be a crucial piece to successful survival if you are ever thrust into any type of emergency situation. Therefore, it is very important that you conduct your research and have the proper knowledge when it comes to making the right selection for your needs.

There are several factors to consider when choosing the correct pocket knife for your kit. The most significant part of a pocket knife is the blade. This is where the action takes place. Therefore, your blade has to be made of the best steel and extremely sharp at all times. There is no point in possessing a knife if the blade is dull because it will be of no value to you or anyone else. Having a quality handle on your piece is also imperative. Water and other moisture elements need to be able to bounce off and not absorb into the knife. Remember, some of the best handles are made of Titanium. Design is also an important to look for when choosing the best pocket knife. You, as the potential owner, should have a special chemistry with your knife. The piece should properly fit into your hand and you should be able to comfortably maintain it with the perfect grip. Picking a single-blade or a multi-blade knife also comes into play when you are making your decision. Most multi-blade knives are used to perform very many tasks and are ideal for hunters and fishermen. But, a knife with a serrated four-inch blade is probably the best choice for your bug out bag.

Cost is another major factor that goes into selecting a great pocket knife that will stand the test of time. We all want to get a great value for our hard earned bucks without having to pay an obscene amount of money. Most pocket knife enthusiasts will tend to spend an average of up to $500 on a special trinket just to admire. But, when purchasing for safety, quality, and reliable use, you probably would have to spend somewhere between $40 and $100. It all adds up that old saying: “You get what you pay for.” Most pocket knives that are priced for under $35 are usually not made with the best material. You should never deny yourself a dependable knife by always looking for the cheapest version. Who would want a knife that would crumble under pressure if caught up in an emergency situation?

With many different brands out there on the market, it can be difficult to know which one to pick and why, especially if you are a pocket knife novice. There are a number of trusted brands that you should consider to ensure that you make the right choice. The Benchmade is a very trusted brand and the Benchmade Mini Griptilian is a model that is currently in high demand. It is great to use everyday while going about your daily tasks because of its lightweight ability. Another popular brand on the market is Buck. The Buck 110 is great for a heavier duty job. It has a longer blade that is contrived from a rust-resistant steel. And finally, the Spyderco Tenacious is popular with collectors and also great for tactical use. Plus, it possesses a smooth small blade that gets the job done. Most owners would say that it offers a great product for a reasonable price at right under fifty bucks.

Spyderco Tenacious	Buck 110	Benchmade Griptillian
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The pocket knife is a very useful tool that can be extremely helpful in many emergency situations. It has been proven that having the right pocket knife at the right time can definitely be a life saver. So, when preparing your emergency bug out bag, do not let one of the most important items slip your mind. Make sure you pack your pocket knife.

About the Author

This article was written by James Petzke. James runs Knife Den, a site that is dedicated to providing top notch reviews and information about knives of all kinds.

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