As EDC enthusiasts our pockets are usually filled to the brim with assorted knives, tools, and other cool stuff! While that's great sometimes it gets a little overwhelming, especially if we’re on the move, fortunately that's where the EDC bag comes in to help! There are a ton of great slings, backpacks, and messenger bags on the market, but today I’d like to focus on my favorite, the Tuff Possum Shackleton EDC bag!
Tuff Possum Gear is best known for making rugged nylon goods for those who have an adventurous spirit, each piece is purpose designed to be both durable and highly functional especially in the great outdoors! The way I see it, if Tuff Possum Gear can survive the rigors of the adventures in woods or mountains, then it is more than capable of handling our day-to-day EDC needs. Tuff Possum makes a ton of really awesome pouches, ranging from pocket sized all the way up to organization options for full sized bags. In addition to the pouch line up Tuff Possum also carries some great EDC tools, like pocket strops, lock picks, glow beads, and more!
Tuff Possum Shackleton EDC Bag
Now let’s talk about the Shackleton EDC Bag. It is a relatively compact shoulder bag coming in at 12 inches wide, 9 inches tall, and 4 inches deep. The strap is made from super comfortable two inch webbing, and the big cobra buckle is built from a tough polymer keeping it light and highly functional, while also looking really good! This small bag packs a nice amount of organization with two exterior pockets on either side of the bag and two internal pockets perfect for holding various pouches.
The size of the bag is ideal for carrying everything you need and a few extras. While it can fit a good amount of gear without allowing you to go crazy overloading your bag and making it too cumbersome to carry with you everywhere.
As you can see my Shackleton is the very typical outdoor oriented OD green color, but even at that it doesn’t scream look at the crazy mountain man when I am in an urban environment. If you want to get even more discreet you can grab one in black or wolf gray.
If that isn’t enough org for you the back interior wall is lined with a loop so you can attach any hook backed pouches you have or add some option Tuff Possum accessories like my personal favorite the Satchel Organizer Panel.
The Satchel Organizer Panel
I am a bit obsessed with organization in my bags. I hate fumbling around looking for the things I need. In my bags everything has a home, so I know where all my gear is and I can grab what I need fast. The Satchel Organizer Panel definitely scratches that organization itch for me! This panel occupies the entire back wall of the Shackleton and adds three additional pockets for small items and one large zipper pocket to ensure whatever odds and ends you throw in there don’t flop around the main section of the bag.
What’s in the Bag
I use my Shackleton both for my day-to-day carry and for most of my day trips into the woods. My set-up is definitely geared to cover both, without going totally overboard with outdoor specific gear. Ultimately if you decide this is the right bag for you, set it up any way you like, there is no wrong way to EDC!
Maintenance Kit
We covered this kit in detail in a previous article, so I will just provide a brief overview here. This basic maintenance kit gives me everything I need to keep my knife operating at peak performance when I am on the go! I have a Sagewood Gear Pocket Strop, a Wazoo Whetstone, a bottle of KPL Original, and a Knives by Nuge Wicket as a handy backup knife. Everything is nicely kept together in a PNWBUSHCRAFT EDC Travel Tray.
Writing Tools
I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for a pen! I keep a pen, a marker, and a Field Notes in my bag because you never know when you’ll need to jot something down or fill out a mountain of paperwork at the doctors office!
Personal Survival Kit (PSK)
My PSK is a great all around set of survival tools and supplies that can help in an urban or suburban emergency. Hopefully, I won’t need to use anything inside, but it provides everything I need to purify water, start a fire, provide light, and much more. I keep my PSK in the aptly named Tuff Possum PSK pouch in the brightest orange you have ever seen. The material is also highly water resistant so you certainly won’t lose it and it will keep your life saving gear safe from the elements.
Tools and Gadgets
I keep a few small tools at hand including a small titanium spork and spoon set from BEW, a Fenix PD35 flashlight, a small pry bar and a Leatherman Sidekick. Realistically this covers most of my daily needs, and can all definitely help out when I’m out in the woods. I have a small Dark Energy Poseidon Nano battery pack to keep my phone charged up and a USB-C wire that I can charge my flashlight if needed.
First Aid
I keep a very basic first aid kit in a ITS Tactical slim line pouch to cover all manners of minor injuries including small cuts and scrapes, bug bites, and minor burns. These little boo-boos happen a lot when you review sharp objects for a living and it seems like my kids are always finding creative ways to hurt themselves so this is a must have for me!
Snackies and Hydration
Are snackies part of your EDC? If not they should be! I keep a few “meat sticks” with me at all times as well as some electrolytes in a Tuff Possum Skittles pouch, because hydration is key especially when you're doing any kind of physical activities in the heat.
Odds and Ends
I keep a few odds and ends in my bag that end up being more valuable than most people give them credit for. Little tissue packs are great as I spend much of my life traveling to high school sports games, you never know when those porta potties will be out of TP. Hand Sanitizer is essential, especially for the kids. The shop cloth is great for any kind of maintenance I have to do, and dealing with random big messes. Finally, the Wazoo Foraging bandana is great for so many purposes including protecting my head from the sun, setting up a makeshift bag, teaching my kids about edible plants when we see them, and so much more!
Final Thoughts
Even with all this gear in the Tuff Possum Shackleton I still have plenty of room to add in task specific outdoor items, a water bottle, or my rain jacket. I can easily put things from my pockets, like my keys and wallet, in there and add in gloves, scarf, and beanie hat in the colder months if needed.
The Shackleton is a great bag that falls right into the sweet spot of size and weight for my daily carry needs. It’s comfortable to carry and won’t weigh me down or impede my movement. Despite its great organization and modular nature, the Tuff Possum Shackleton is far more discreet than many other options that are either outdoorsy looking or covered with tactical webbing.
Sources
Are you still reading this? Good check out all of our knife maintenance products and if you see something you like use code BLACK FLAG at checkout to score a nice discount!
