So what do I routinely carry in my carry on suitcase that is TSA-friendly?
- Duct tape. I keep a small roll of it - about five feet - in my suitcase.
- Zip ties. I use zip ties for a number of purposes. The most common use for them is to replace the plastic tabs on the suitcase zippers that invariably fall off. Just loop a zip tie through the zipper and create a functional replacement that, in my opinion, is superior to just having a simple zipper pull tab.
- Portable AM/FM battery powered radio. I carry a Grundig M400 which has a shortwave band as well. It runs on two AA batteries which I keep taped up in the case (so they don't run down sitting in the radio). In an emergency in a city hundreds of miles away from home, I want a source of news and information independent of cable TV and the internet.
- Burner phone. I have a cheap cell phone with a pre-paid plan that I take with me when I leave town. I had to use it once to call the hotel from the airport when I realized I'd left my main cellphone in their shuttle van which dropped me off at the airport just minutes before. It may seem like overkill, but it's cheap insurance in case your main phone croaks. If you think it's superfluous, take this challenge - spend the next two days counting the number of pay phones you see. Those have all but disappeared with the advent of cheap cell phones.
- External battery for recharging cell phones and for laptop. I carry an Anker Portable Charger which I've found to be very reliable and powerful. My stepdaughter covets it when we travel.
- Extra batteries for assorted things. These include some AA and AAA batteries. Just because.
- Disposable toothbrushes. These are cheap - I like the Smile Saver brand myself. These are about fifty cents each. There's nothing like getting the bad taste out of your mouth before going to a meeting after flying all day.
- Glow sticks. Some people call them chem lights. Whatever you call them, I carry two or three in my briefcase. If you're in a hotel room and the power it out at night, they are a very effective and inexpensive way for you to find your way around.
- Cash. I suspect this goes without saying. I do think some discussion is warranted here, however. In addition to whatever cash I have in my wallet for various expenses, I keep extra money tucked away somewhere else on my person or in my briefcase in case I lose my wallet. In addition, I've experimented with carrying gold and silver coins in the event I need something that is value dense in order to get home in the event the credit card system or ATMs are not working. Again, that may sound like overkill...until you're a thousand miles from home and the credit card system or ATMs are not working. Then you're a genius.
- Lysol disinfecting wipes. When I am on the road at the height of flu and cold season, I'll use a wipe to disinfect the common surfaces - doorknobs, water faucets, desktops - of the hotel room where I am staying, as well as the handles of my suitcase and briefcase. If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the few ounces a pack of decon wipes puts in my briefcase means I'm getting several pounds of value.
- Ziplock bags in various sizes. I generally take these on longer trips where I know finding alternatives might be tough, such as when we're on a cruise. On our last vacation, I used a couple of them to make an ice pack for my wife who was experiencing some back pain. These have a lot uses while taking up little space and no weight.
- Dedicated cellphone recharging plug and cable. The one in my briefcase is pink, so that I know that it's the one that belongs in my briefcase. My stepdaughter - who has a demonstrated track record of taking my recharging cords for her own use - knows that the pink one stays in my briefcase and that I'd better not catch her using it.
- Itinerary. For trips out of town for work, I create my own itineraries. I email it to my boss, our admin staff, and to my wife. There's nothing unique about the itineraries, other than I put a lot of information on them - who I am meeting, their contact info, the address of the meeting, my confirmation codes for my flight/hotel/rental car. One unique thing I do add to my itineraries that most people do not is my proposed driving route home in case the airspace system gets shut down like it did after 9/11. I also include my "ICE" or "In Case of Emergency" number for my wife so that our admin staff can call her if they get word from me during an emergency. Again, the likelihood of me having to drive home from Salt Lake City in a situation when the phones aren't working (and thus the need for my employer and wife to know my driving route) are slim. But that information is there should it be needed.
- Additional clothing. I always take more than I think I will need, with heavy emphasis on extra underwear, socks, and running shoes. I'd prefer not to walk long distances in a suit and dress shoes, and so having the ability to wear supportive footwear and maybe even have a change of undergarments along the way is nice.
- High energy snacks. I'm a big fan of Clif Bars.
- Water purification tablets. I carry a Katadyn water purification tablet in my wallet to get me started down the road if I need it. If I'm going on a long trip or out of the country, I will take several.
- Band aids. I keep two or three in my wallet for boo-boos and a small box of them in my suitcase.
- Tactical med kit. Tourniquet, pressure dressings, chest seals. Caleb Causey at Lone Star Medics built my kit for me and got me trained on how to use it.
Now - do I carry all of these items, every time I travel? Nope. I adjust the gear list based on where I am going and how long I will be there. It does seem like a lot of items, and collectively they do take up space and add weight. But they also provide me with a number of resources to deal with problems when I'm hundreds of miles from home.