Ask HN: What is in your pocket everyday?

16 points by benrapscallion ↗ HN
What tools, medicines, books (the Constitution?), food items, or other items do you carry on you always?

39 comments

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Nice try FBI cockwad. But to be objectively-compatible: my party-pass, my nude-photos of J edgar hoover, what more do you need to know? Fucking asshole kind of request.
What insight are you hoping to find with this question?
AirPods Pro, Wallet, Keys, phone.
(comment deleted)
A Fisher Space Pen (capsule pen), among other things like keys and wallet.
Most women's clothes don't have pockets...
Who's asking? Do you have a warrant? Am I free to go?
Since this is such a cheeky thready, my reply would be ask Facebook or Alexa. It would probably know!
I carry the Constitution with me wherever I go. It is my guiding light in these times of darkness and despair. without it I would be lost. Praise be unto the founders who crafted this incredible document for our great nation.

I also carry my phone, keys, wallet and chapstick.

My complete inability to tell if your first paragraph is meant to be a joke has got to be an indictment of something.
If it's any comfort to you, you are not alone...
OP asks if people carry around the constitution in the main post. i thought it was mildly humorous
Pocketknife: Spyderco Dragonfly. One handed open and close. The thumb hole doesn't catch on stuff as a stud would. I preferred the version with the molded clip rather than the wire clip for the same reason, but I lost that one and had to replace the knife.

Good blade, well made, small enough that people who don't 'get' pocketknives don't lose their shit when you pull it out to open a box or envelope or cut up an apple.

Everything else in my pockets is pretty mundane, though I do keep my bifold wallet in my hip pocket instead of my back pocket. I find that's a lot more comfortable for sitting or driving for long periods. Supposedly it makes it harder for pickpockets as well?

I carried a Kershaw Vapor II for about ten years until the handle fell apart. Was a great knife for everyday use, and it looked really stylish. I have a Buck with a tanto blade now , it’s useful and looks nice but it’s not the highest quality blade I could have bought.
I guess I'm one of those people who don't get pocketknives, in the sense of whenever I am at home/office/restaurant/bar/cinema/friend's place, there is either no need for a knife or one is available around. Would you say my lifestyle doesn't require a pocket knife or am I missing on something. (It's a genuine question, I hope my writing doesn't carry any unintended negative tone).
It depends on your lifestyle. I always keep a Swiss Army knife in my bag (not in my pocket, it's too heavy). There are weeks I have no need of it, and then it comes a day I'm grateful to myself I have it. Most of the time I need to open something quickly, from a small package to a bottle of wine.
I guess I was also guilty of jumping to stereotypes. But looking at OP instagram, it looks like he/she is a woodworker. So I guess it's pretty reasonable he's taking a knife with him (and being picky about it too).
Oh man, I've been carrying a pocket knife since 10th grade (pretty sure any statute of limitations has expired on that...). The first Dragonfly was my 18th birthday present to myself. I am now somewhat older and have only been in woodworking seriously for a 5ish years.

Mostly I like not having to go looking for a knife when I need one. In most situations there's one around somewhere, but if it's in my pocket, I don't have to interrupt what I'm doing to find it. Context switches and all that.

Phone in the left pocket, cash in the shirts pocket. Nothing else really!
Another Boring People Club member here: wallet and cell phone, no coins.
These days, I work from home, so most days the only thing that ends up in my pockets at any time is my phone (or my hands, and trivially some air).

If I'm going out, wallet, keys, and a rigging knife (folding pocket knife with a marlinespike.)

If I'm going into my company's office, a folding lockpick set (from Multipick) because the key for my filing cabinet was lost before I was hired. It's easy to just rock it open with an L rake, it's just a wafer lock, but it can keep anything mildly sensitive safe from accidental exposure.

After being robbed of cash and cards so many times I only carry my passcode-protected phone with me, nothing else. I don't have keys, cash or chewing gum.
That really sucks, sorry to hear you've been robbed so many times! What cities, neighbourhoods, and years did that happen?
Multiple times across different European cities in the past decade up until the beginning of 2020 for the last time, after which I decided to not carry anything apart from an encrypted and passcode protected phone with me further on. Not going to finger-point the cities/countries because it could have happened anywhere and luckily it never involved the use of force or weapons.
While it could have happened anywhere, it's more likely to happen in certain cities, but would be good to know which

Likewise, if you've been mugged multiple times, either you're really unlucky, are perceived as an easy target, or visit the more risqué parts of the city ...

Either way, stay safe mate!

Chapstick, car key, multitool[1], phone, flashlight[2], wallet

I plan for the worst when I step outside the front door. The number of times I’ve needed a light is twice the number of times I’ve needed a knife, but both are immensely useful to have even when going on quick trips.

[1] https://countycomm.com/collections/cutting/products/boker-ed...

[2] https://countycomm.com/collections/18650-26650-flashlights/p...

Wouldn't your phone have a flash light? Also, what use is the knife and multitool? At least for me, I've never needed either and certainly not a knife
I'm always baffled by people who say this. I always carry one and use it constantly from opening packages to working on servers, and I'll frequently have people come ask to borrow it when they need a screwdriver or bottle opened or something.
Space pen and tiny laminated notebook made by my SO. Infinitely better than firing up a text editor on a phone and worry about effing notifications, filenames, whether I'll remember to spend a few days setting up a decent backup solution and whether that will work with this particular editor or whether it just saves things in places I can't access on my own phone.
Phone (Pixel 3a), minimal wallet (Machine Era Co), dog poo bags (handy for more than just your dog's excrement).
In my pockets my phone, keys, mini Toothpick knife(folder), spray soap (covid-19 aware), nasal inhaler. On my belt -a second one- a multitool, a individual mini screwdrive and a flashlight. I am a sysadmin and use regularly all of them.