Who carries a USB drive as part of their EDC?

Grant Lamontagne · **on:** April 12, 2016, 11:44:41 AM

I usually carry a flash drive as part of my EDC- I've had a 16gb HP drive with a carabiner on it with my work ID for years but I'm thinking of upgrading to a higher capacity USB/OTG drive so I can use it with my phone/tablet as well as mu laptop.

16gb is really more than enough space for what I use it for- I keep personal info on it mostly in case of accident, and occasionally use it to transfer work files and things. As with many EDC items, it's not something I use every day, but often enough that it's worth having, especially since they cost so little and take up such a small amount of space.

Do you carry a flash drive? If so, what is on it, what type and capacity, and what do you keep on it?

Def

dks · **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2016, 11:46:56 AM

tiny size, 8GB kingston DTSE3, in wallet, for general file transfer, nothing specific.

firiki · **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2016, 11:59:15 AM

I keep a 8GB Verbatim flash drive in my bag just in case I need to copy/tranfer something. I also keep a 1GB Kingston flash drive to lend out if need be.

captain spaulding · **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2016, 12:04:54 PM

I tried carrying the Victorinox Slim for a while, but never used it so it got removed. I just use it around the house. For my day to day stuff I do not need a flash drive.

David Bowen · **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2016, 12:19:06 PM

I keep an 8 GB scandisk flash in my lunch box for work. Works great when i need to copy info from my phone to my flash, use a OTG cable for this. Have a cake printer at work and I'm always feeding that thing images for customers cakes.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2016, 12:27:46 PM

Good to see you Dave!

Def

Whoey · **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2016, 12:37:58 PM

I pretty much always have a USB drive of some sort in my pocket, varying from 4/8/16/32gb depending on what I'm doing. Most of the drives are whatever is on sale for the least amount of money at our local electronics superstore when purchasing something else. Given that most of the time they never reach the end of their useful life by the time I have new larger replacements I have no brand favourite.

Gareth · **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:11:15 PM

I keep a little 8gb one on my keys:

Bought for a few pounds from Dealextreme.

Steinar · **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:35:11 PM

I used to EDC a USB drive for backup, but now I simply use my phone for that sort of data dumps most of the time.

evil510 · **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:43:40 PM

I am never without my flash drives. I heavily use the OTG functionality of all of my android devices. For me, it has proven to be the quickest way to transfer huge files between them as well as my home computer. I keep a 128gb in my bag. Rather than a one piece unit, mine is actually a microsd card reader about the size of a nickel. When coupled to my phone, I have over 280gb capacity in my hand. A few years back I went from downloading just music files to music videos and full length movies. My tablet serves as my entertainment center when in the work van where I spend a lot of my time. I also keep work related files on them as well as a huge library of paid android apps. I root android phones as minor hobby, so they come in handy when modding someone's phone. I also like to edit things on the fly at times when I take breaks or get bored, etc. I use cloud services as well, but, for certain things, I found this method suits my needs better.....

~ evil ~

Tomcat_81 · **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2016, 02:34:00 PM

I've got a 16 GB Victorinox Slim on my work-keys.
Gets used every day, to shuffle data from A to B, and to have a couple of useful portable programs.
Been using it for 5 years now. Best USB-drive I ever had.

Nice occurrence yesterday: During a meeting, a (well, let's call him slightly superficial) colleague got hold of my keyring and asked me half-jokingly why I brought a knife like this to work.
To his relief I showed him that it was only a USB drive.
Then showed him my Vic Nomad and named the stuf he had benn using happily without knowing that I had repaired it with that knife.

eldorf.dragonsbane · **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2016, 02:35:34 PM

I usually carry more then one USB drive.

One is a small 2gb that has most my Church/Ministry related files on it, such as blank Marriage, Baptism, and Vow Renewal certificates along with copies of the various ceremonies (Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms, House/Car/Motorcycle/etc... Blessings)
One is a 16GB with Linux installed on it that is bootable on any computer with a USB port
One is a 8GB with carious photography related files such as posing guides
One is a 32GB that has Gaming related info (Miniature Wargaming mostly)
One is a SD Card reader with a Micro SD to SD adapter with a 16GB Micro SD card in it that I use with a USB OTG cable for storing pics and other files from my cell phone.
Then I usually will have a couple of others with various files on them ranging from 4GB to 32GB. Most are kept in a small pouch that came with set of earbuds I had bought years ago.

pfrsantos · **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2016, 03:22:59 PM

Used to carry the VicHexabyte (a 32Mb modded to 16Gb). Since I now carry a 1Tb external disk when going to work and have a spare 16Gb in my desk, I stopped carrying any USB drives with me. When I'm out I don't get near a computer so I got no need for them.

Humppa · **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2016, 09:03:55 PM

I wanted to get one of the Vic Flash Drives in the past. But they are a little pricey around here. So I went on with a regular USB Flash Drive on my keys for some time, just to try it out and speculate howm much I would use it. So I went for some weeks/months.

How know often do you think I used the USB Stick?

Never... actually never. So I removed it from my keys.
And ever put one on it again.

ironraven · **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2016, 03:57:42 AM

Other than what I carry on my phone (and transferable with the cable in my pack), I carry a couple of very physically small 8gb USBs in my pack. One is mostly empty, and for transferring data, the other whatever I'm currently writting (backed up every other day) and references and gaming books on it.

sLaughterMed · **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2016, 04:00:04 AM

I use a small 16GB Sandisk attached to my keys (it looks like a wireless Mouse fob). I use it for saving files I plan on editing later while I am away from my laptop. It has come in handy and saved my butt more times than i thought it would.

alexTOOL · **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2016, 07:46:53 AM

Look out with USB memories.
They can be dangerous if you have personal info in them and you carry them in the wallet or in the keychain. Even if they are encrypted.
For that reason I carry mine in the backpack.

alexTOOL · **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2016, 07:56:49 AM

Is the same with people that carry their keys attached to the wallet. You give your keys and address for free, in case somebody steal your wallet (or if you lose it).

Etherealicer · **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2016, 11:28:19 PM

Oje...

I carry
8 GB with software to search, judge and execute viruses and malware
8 GB boot drive
32 GB with portable software, software ready to install, drivers and other stuff I might need on the go.
128 GB (micro SD card in reader) for personal use

Tomcat_81 · **Reply #19 on:** April 13, 2016, 11:56:17 PM

@Etherealicer:
I guess you aren't a... say... lumberjack or carpenter by profession ;-)

Etherealicer · **Reply #20 on:** April 14, 2016, 09:51:39 AM

Quote from: Tomcat_81 on April 13, 2016, 11:56:17 PM

@Etherealicer:
I guess you aren't a... say... lumberjack or carpenter by profession ;-)

But... but... my beard and the flannel shirt... wait that would make me a hipster not a lumberjack, glad I got neither

I do have a ultra-tactical-Gerber-Downrange-Tomahawk if that helps

N_N_R · **Reply #21 on:** April 14, 2016, 09:53:07 AM

I carry even two of them (don't remember the GBs, don't need much) - one on my keys, one in my organizer. And I used to think those who do were weird

kmanct3 · **Reply #22 on:** April 14, 2016, 01:21:53 PM

Only during the week . I carry 2. 1 is from Correct Craft Marine and the other is Volvo Penta. They both have diagnostic information on them for when I'm at work.

getahl · **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2016, 03:42:33 PM

I have a 32gb SanDisk that I use on occasion. Nothing daily. I do need to get a new, higher capacity mini SD card for my phone, though. My previous 4 GB card bit the dust, and I've been lazy about getting a new one.

Gryffin · **Reply #24 on:** April 16, 2016, 06:45:37 PM

I carry a 16GB Kingston DSTE9 on my "tool chain":

I keep meaning to put an encrypted copy of "important stuff" on it, but haven't gotten around to it. It still comes in handy for smaller "sneaker net" file transfers, but I really don't use it that much; it stays on there mostly because it so small and light, I forget it's there.

In my work bag I have a 128GB USB3 drive, for bigger files. I sometimes have to deal with large HD video files, so I can either A) wait a half hour for them to transfer over the network, or B) walk across the hall to the editor's office, and have the files in five minutes. On modern computers USB3 is *so* much faster,

Sazabi · **Reply #25 on:** May 12, 2016, 02:28:15 AM

I used to, back when I was at college full-time; I never knew when I'd need to copy something or save something from the library or a friend. Now, although I keep one in my college bag, if only out of old habit, I only carry one when I'm tidying up files in my archives. I think the one in my bag is an old HP drive, probably less than four gigabytes, and I don't think I have anything on it; I'm always turning around and finding more USB drives stashed places thanks to an old job that handed them out like candy.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #26 on:** May 12, 2016, 12:02:14 PM

My old boss was the opposite.... he used to "borrow" drives constantly and I'd never see them again.

Def

Sparkydave · **Reply #27 on:** May 13, 2016, 07:57:41 PM

I carry a small sandisk one 32gb in my bag, and on my work keys i have a micro sd reader we use micro sd cards at work so ive found it to be handy

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Gareth · **Reply #28 on:** May 13, 2016, 08:20:30 PM

I was clearing out an old storage trailer the other week and found a 3 1/2" disk hiding in a box. Still something pleasantly tactile about them.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #29 on:** May 13, 2016, 09:53:10 PM

All that and a whopping 1.44mb of data! Dang!

Def

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Who carries a USB drive as part of their EDC?

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