Ah. That's was a fun introduction to the topic of EDC. Never heard of it before.

I can see how one could get out of hand with it. I carry a small first aid kit and a pocket tool in my messenger / computer bag - mostly out of habit. Used to work outdoors 24/7 and I feel a little naked without a couple band-aids. And if I had a nickel for the number of times I needed the pocket tool for some random task but didn't have it... so I stuck it in my pack. Sure, I have a cell phone with me almost all the time. Does that mean is part of my "EDC"?

But I'm not all "tactical" about it. EDC is basically "the crap I usually have in my pockets." Its not my "loadout." Seems like a civilian excuse to use military terms for the crap they have in their pockets.

Of course, I do know how to make cordage from many plant fibers so I don't think much about carrying paracord. I can start a fire with a few pieces of wood and a shoelace - with or without a knife. If I don't have a shoelace I can make plant or tree fiber cordage that will do the trick once or twice before it breaks. Puts a different slant on the amount of stuff one needs to carry with them to feel "prepared."

And why do EDC people fixate on watches? If it is an emergency... what, are you synchronizing timing with your "strike team"? Late for dinner date? Need to get to the office on time? I have a cellphone. I haven't worn a wrist watch for years except when shooting video. (Easier to see a wrist watch without upsetting your shot.)

And why do EDC people fixate on watches? If it is an emergency... what, are you synchronizing timing with your "strike team"? Late for dinner date? Need to get to the office on time? I have a cellphone. I haven't worn a wrist watch for years except when shooting video. (Easier to see a wrist watch without upsetting your shot.)

Most cell phones sync on network time, no network=no time synch.  Most people wouldn't think to change this option.

When the power is out for weeks and your cell phone service is too,  a watch suddenly seems relavent.   Ever been caught in the dark somewhere because you lost track of time? Now imagine no lights at all....

Quote from: clshade on November 30, 2011, 02:06:12 PM

And why do EDC people fixate on watches? If it is an emergency... what, are you synchronizing timing with your "strike team"? Late for dinner date? Need to get to the office on time? I have a cellphone. I haven't worn a wrist watch for years except when shooting video. (Easier to see a wrist watch without upsetting your shot.)

Most cell phones sync on network time, no network=no time synch.  Most people wouldn't think to change this option.

When the power is out for weeks and your cell phone service is too,  a watch suddenly seems relavent.   Ever been caught in the dark somewhere because you lost track of time? Now imagine no lights at all....

I really don't understand folks that think that cell phones have made wristwatches obsolete.  Seems to me if a cell phone was that much better than a watch, the wristwatch wouldn't have ever taken off at all, since what they're really saying is that a pocket watch is more convenient than a wristwatch.     I don't get it, although if people don't want to wear a watch, it's certainly no skin off my butt.

Oh, a cellphone isn't more convenient that a watch. It just replicates the function well enough that you don't need a watch in most circumstances. Cellphones, even network synced ones, will keep good time even when the network is down - until the battery dies. It doesn't depend on the network for accurate time.

But my question is why do civilians consider watches part of their tactical loadout? Of what importance is telling time in an emergency? I haven't been caught out in the dark somewhere... because I watch the sun. But then I've spent enough time outdoors to have some sense of how much sun movement equates to about how much time. I've been tripped up MORE by looking at my watch to figure out how much light I have left than I have by just paying attention to the speed of the day, weather conditions, etc. My experience with power outages and emergency situations has been that time shifts to solar/day based cycles and which hour:minute.second it is becomes more a distraction than anything else.

Still, I see your point. If you're interested in keeping time if the power is out for weeks then a watch is certainly the way to go.

Hey, what time is it?

While you were fumbling around in your pocket for your cellphone, a honeybadger just shot and raped your wife, converted your children to Scientology, and is riding off on your mower.

Wristwatch.

But then I've spent enough time outdoors to have some sense of how much sun movement equates to about how much time.

In the land of nice weather, this works.

Go up north in the winter when you do not see the sun, only a gloomy, dismal grey cloudcover that last for months.

Wow - most people don't spend much time not knowing what time it is, do they? I love when I have to opportunity to forget about which exact hour and minute it is.

My question isn't what various awful things might happen to me as I fumble for the time on my cellphone whose battery died 2 weeks ago. Its why do I care what time it is? Other than coordination of different groups, what is the survival purpose of precision time keeping?

I've just never thought about time keeping as an emergency planning aspect. I'm not saying it ~shouldn't~ be a consideration, I'm saying I don't know why it should. Even when I lived in soggy, gray Western Oregon and gloomy, cloudy Northern Ohio I could tell with enough accuracy how quickly the day was passing.

In a pinch, you can eat your leather wristband for sustenance. You can use the remaining timepiece as a weight to set traps or to strike flint to start fires.

Or, it just looks nice and it's an excuse for men to wear jewelry. 

Hey, what time is it?

While you were fumbling around in your pocket for your cellphone, a honeybadger just shot and raped your wife, converted your children to Scientology, and is riding off on your mower.

Wristwatch.

Well, that's not surprising. Honey badgers simply don't give a shit. They just take what they want.

As to the significance of wristwatches for those who won't be coordinating split-second, multi-pronged attacks on fortified compounds in an emergency, I personally think it's good old-fashioned weiner measuring: more stuff = more prepared, so counting the watch means you're got one more thing.