…or, looking for tips on stuff that are useful to have that most people don’t think about.
A handheld 2 way radio. The cell network is the first to go even before a disaster since the lines saturate with people calling out.
I happen to have a handheld maritime emergency radio around, mostly because I got my hands on it for free* a few years back. It could serve the same function, provided someone else is using the same frequencies. I live in a coastal environment, so there’s always someone around that are legally required to listen on Ch16.
*: I used to work with maritime electronics, and one day we had a recall order from one of our suppliers. Turned out one batch of this one particular handheld radio had a potential minor problem with the squelch, so they were no longer IMO approved for emergency use. We were to throw them away and a refund would be issued. I took one home and just paid for a battery and charger. It’s now sitting in my kitchen.
Guitar picks, because I guitar. At least one in each rooms.
They just tend to vanish.
They spawn portal to the abyss if you dropped them.
A small marlin spike. It’s surprising how often I want to untie knots in all kinds of things. A marlin spike makes that easy.
Earplugs. They can obviously be used for protection from overly loud environments. They’re also great for shutting out voices, music, or other noise when you’re trying to read or focus on a task. I like the Loop Switch 2 plugs because they’re small, versatile, and effective.
Ultralight folding bag. I carry a 19 liter bag (Nanobag Sling) with shoulder-length handles that folds down to about the size of my thumb. Any time I need to carry more things than will easily fit in my hands, I pull out the bag. It also lets me support awkward or heavy items using my shoulders and back instead of my hands and arms.
I carry around a few tampons, as a cis man.
Part of my “be prepared” strategy cause you never know what life throws at you.
On one hand, tampons are perfect kindling for starting a fire in an emergency - a wad of cotton in a water-proof hull.
But in reality, it was useful a few times already, to help a female friend out.
Or pull one apart to improvise ear plugs when a concert turns out to be way too loud.I’ve carried a couple of tampons and pads in my car for years, just because sometimes I can save the day for someone. I never thought about using them for earplugs though, that’s a good one.
Always keep your surveilance camera damaging laser on you at all times.
Be careful with that, just a jittery movement or a specular reflection and you may also damage someone’s retina with that.
Instance checks out
Got tips for someone who just got a lot of flock in their neighborhood?
Don’t listen to AmidFear@fedia.io your privacy is being illegally invaded and your every move tracked. Sanwu Lasers dot net. Get a 3w one with the focusing lens at the least. But you’ll need safety goggles to operate a 3w focused beam and anything higher. DO NOT shine these where they could intercept with a person.
Don’t commit vandalism on camera.
Yeah, don’t go vandalizing shit.
I would never! I’m simply asking how the woke antifa gays are doing it so I don’t accidentally order the exact thing they are.
You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.
Is this a thing? I need
Yeah, lasers can damage ccd sensors. But IIRC you need like 5w or more to be effective.
Need to check amazon, my thinks
Fuck Amazon
Fair point. On the other hand, where else do I buy?
I keep a Windows 11 installer USB on my person almost at all times. I’ve had to perform an impromptu utilman.exe trick (consensually) multiple times. (Replacing the ease of access menu EXE with a command prompt somehow still allows you to get an administrator CMD window on the lock screen, even in 2026).
I have something similar but with a Ventoy USB with different Linux distros in case I need to do an emergency reinstall or need a live USB
Replacing the ease of access menu EXE with a command prompt somehow still allows you to get an administrator CMD window on the lock screen, even in 2026
What the fuck
I’ve done something similar in windows 10 when it decided to shit itself and lock me into safe mode. Interesting that it’s still a thing in windows 11. You can use Ventoy and keep a couple of Linux images too on that usb.
Paracord. I use it in the house as well as with my SCUBA diving gear. If you need to tie something it’s tough stuff, fairly cheap, and can be doubled up to deal with heavier loads. With SCUBA gear you can use it to create tethers for just about anything and if you have one of the camera floats that comes with a cheap little keeper strap save yourself some heartache and replace it with paracord.
An assortment of screws, bolts, nuts, and washers. Always worth having around. Some little thing breaks or you can’t find one you dropped maybe the new thing you are putting together was missing one. Bonus tip, buy them at a place that sells by the pound and not the individual item. Atwoods is a place in the US that still does this that I know of but I’m sure there are a few others. Estate sales will also often have a person who will have jars of random stuff for cheap.
Flashlights - I am never without one within reach.
I also usually have my phone within arms reach
The piddly light on my phone is no match for a real flashlight, though.
I mean idk, mine gets pretty fucking bright. So much so that I keep it on the lowest of like 4 or 5 settings by default. What are you having to illuminate regularly? I guess I might be biased as I like the dark and don’t even really turn on lights if I’m home alone, but seriously why do you need a crazy bright flashlight all the time? I think they’re cool but I actually can’t think of a single use case where my phone wouldn’t be good enough, outside of like actual camping or night hiking or something.
Not who you’re replying to, but I carry a good flashlight for use when it’s light, not when it’s dark.
Dropping something small on the carpet or a floor in a lit room can still be super hard to find, but take a bright beam and shine it sideways and you’ll catch the shadow immediately (just an example)
It’s crazy how much I use it. Super underrated tool.
A handheld calculator and a slide rule. If the power goes out for a long time, I’ll still be doing math while the rest of you chumps will be using your fingers to count to 10.
Joke’s on you, I can get to 20 because I also use my toes!
A T Wrench set, Standard and Metric. Allen wrenches suck ass, they hurt my fingers and can never get a good turn on the screws. T wrenches give you something you can actually use without hurting your hand.
Furniture slides. They have two types one for use on carpeted floors and one for hardwood floors. It makes moving furniture around so much easier.
I also keep a furniture jack. That makes it easier to lift up the furniture to put the slides in place.
Put a battery operated water alarm in the pan your hot water heater sits in, and change the batteries when you change out your smoke alarm batteries (whenever there is a clock change). TRUST ME DO THIS
With an allen wrench, when you need to get more torque without killing your fingers, you hold it by the long side and stick the ‘handle’ in the screw.
Yeah… or just use a T Wrench
I can’t be the first person to say this, but a poop-knife.
No i still don’t believe this is a real thing. I’ve personally never needed one and I’ve had some dire situations in the bathroom - all sorts of dire situation one can have in the bathroom.
You not needing one yourself doesn’t equal the average person’s experience. Probably less than 10% of Americans eat enough fiber daily.
It’s a real thing for some of us. Wish it wasn’t, but not all of us have it so easy.
Am I the only one who didn’t think that story was very funny? Sure haha poop and all but it’s achieved legendary status that I don’t get.
I think the popularity wasn’t so much about the tool itself but about the original poster not realizing it was unusual. Like the cumbox.
I’ll probably regret asking this but… cumbox?
Yes. You will regret asking.
To put it simply, a redditor repeatedly jerked off into (IIRC) a shoebox for an extended period. The same box, no disposal or cleanup of any sort. He made a casual reference to this box and was surprised when others couldn’t relate. He posted pictures.
I never saw the pictures and I don’t intend to, so if you are interested to learn more, you’ll have to do your own searches.
It started growing mushrooms.
And when he tried to burn it it was too moist and wouldn’t light on fire IIRC
I have a dosimeter/geiger counter. So far, it’s only been a neat toy for about an hour. I hope it never is more than that.
Fire extinguisher.
Get a small one and put it in your boot or the back of your ute (seppo: truck).
If you’re ever first to a car accident, or have one yourself, you’ll be very glad you have it.
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Radiator bleed-screw tool on my keyring.
I’m a plumber by training.
Not unusual, but surprising how many times it has come handy in group gatherings.
I always have a lighter on me, so I never need to find a bottle opener.
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Jam the bottom of the lighter flat against the bottom of the bottle cap. With your other hand grab the neck of the bottle as high as you can. Your hand should be pushing the lighter up against the cap hard enough that you don’t need to hold the lighter with your other hand. Squeeze the neck of the bottle to flex those finger muscles, and push down on the lighter like you would any other bottle opener. Enjoy your beverage!
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