EDC Backpack Dump - Tech Kit

Previously I posted a pocket dump of the items I carry with me on my person while working as a landscaping contractor. I am expanding on that topic, now switching to what I carry in my backpack. As a middling prepper, I carry a backpack with 3 different kits designed as a “get home bag”. This post is specifically about the tech kit, with the other kits coming in different posts later.

I like to follow folks who discuss their EDC (everday carry). I’m kind of a prepper, but not in the doomsday way. I like to be prepared, whether that is a bad weather event and I am stuck somewhere, or a long wait at the doctors office and need to distract the kids. My EDC bag embodies a prepared parent and spouse, who is also kind of afraid of political events and climate change.

Everything in this kit fits together and gives me the ability to help others.

What’s in my tech bag

I’ve written a lot about my Chromebook, so that is not pictured here.

Storage

First up is the portable drive. This is actually an alphabet soup brand portable drive enclosure that I have slapped an old 750GB spinning disk into. It has a slimmed version of my offgrid and offline portable internet-in-a-box data hoard. The entertainment has been scaled down, Kiwix with the archive of Wikipedia with no images to save space, and a backup of all my personal files.

Next is a 4GB thumbstick running Ventoy. On it is MX Linux and Clonezilla so I can do some tech support for folks if necessary.

Last is a SD card reader that has both USB-A and USB-C connections. My phone has a 256GB SD card with an even slimmer version of the portable IIAB that I’d like to be able to plug into the Chromebook or other computers.

I would love to change this section up eventually (when my budget allows it). I’d like to replace the portable drive with a 1TB SD card so I can reduce my carry weight and can be powered on any device. Using a spinning disk means I can’t connect it to low power USB slots. I would also like to replace the Ventoy USB stick with a m.2 SSD with a persistent install of MX Linux so I have a complete desktop I can take with me and use on any PC. I had one, but had to use the drive in a different PC for an emergency fix.

The Pi

Recently I build a low-powered offgrid bug-out media kit that is designed to be a boredom buster. It runs on a Pi Zero V1.3 and has a small collection of TV shows, movies, music, YouTube videos, and games. It broadcasts a wifi network, spins up a web server, and only uses 1W. It can run from the power bank or from the USB port in my truck for hours and hours.

I stuck it into my EDC bag since it is a no-brainer to carry with me all the time.

Various cables

I carry a Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 for a laptop and a Moto Stylus 5G 2024 for my phone. Both devices are USB-C exclusive. However, I like to have all the cables I need to dock my laptop to any desk or TV. My EDC kit is also a “work from anywhere” ensemble. Here’s the cables"

• Standard HDMI cable with an adapter to take one side to mini-HDMI. This makes it so I can connect to my lapdock or able to connect the Pi Zero to a screen.
• USB-C to USB-C cable for charging and data + video.
• USB-A to USB-C short cable.
• USB-A to micro-USB to power the Pi Zero.
• Male USB-A to female USB-A with on/off switch. This is for the Pi so I can control the power without unplugging the cable from the power source.
• Male USB-A to male USB-A for the portable drive.
• 2ft. ethernet cable.
• Male USB-C to female USB-A adapter.
• UGREEN USB-C dock. I love this little thing. It does power passthrough, along with SD and micro SD Card slots, 3 USB-A 3.0 ports, full size HDMI and VGA, plus ethernet jack. I wanted something with VGA for connecting to the crap projectors you often find at conferences rooms.

Charging equipment

I carry two wall power adapters. One is a 5v, 1A brick for powering the Pi. It also handles charging the small power bank. The other is a 45W switching Anker power brick for fast charging my phone and laptop.

The power bank is a 8,000 mAh cheapo Monoprice battery. I’ve had this for years and still holds a great charge. It has two ports, one 5v, 2A and the other 5V, 1A which is good enough for me. Eventually I’d like to replace this with something that has PD so I can carry a mini PC as a portable homelab.

Misc.

I don’t play many games, but I wanted to have something the kids can play if needed. Or, if I find myself having a lot of time to kill while out and about. On my phone I have 5 PC games installed through Winlator that play fantastically. These are the games the kids like to play. I also have PSP and N64 games with their respective emulators. Pictured is the Razer Kishi v1 USB-C telescopic gamepad. I’ve had this for a while and love it.

The reel at the top is an LED light strip. This is another emergency EDC item. I can stick the light strip up anywhere and will run for 4-ish hours from the power bank.

One pouch is dedicated to ear plugs. I have a child with sensory processing challenges and easily gets overwhelmed in loud environments. I carry the ear plugs just in case I forget to bring their ear muffs.

There are a few zip ties and velcro straps for cable management.

I also have a SIM tray extraction tool and an adapter to go from micro to mini for the SIM card. TBH I probably don’t need these any more. I keep an extraction tool taped inside my phone case and no device needs the mini SIM card any more.

Last are those AA batteries. I have a small flashlight in my bag and these are extras.

Conclusion

When I get to the next posts I will have my personal care and food kits. I also have some misc. stuff in my backpag so I can be offgrid for up to 3 days. Those posts will come later.

Until then, I love to see people’s EDC bags and what they carry. Share me yours!

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