If you are reading this, there is a good chance you already have a set of E.D.C. (Every Day Carry) items or are putting a set together. On most normal days what you carry within reason is up to you, If you have the correct permit you can even carry a handgun in most instances. There are those times when you travel where you are forced to leave a lot of your items at home. This can be because of a flight, or your final destination.
These scenarios can seriously limit your options. If you fly commercial, things like knives, pepper spray, lighters, and multi-tools will be prohibited. So unless you can fly via private plane, these have to stay home. That does not mean you have to be totally unprepared on the other end. Unless you will be somewhere that limits this for the majority of your stay, you can take steps to stay prepared. If you truly want to have your preferred tools and have enough lead time, you can ship them to where you will be staying. For a small investment in shipping each way you can have anything you might normally carry except restricted items such as a firearm. There are even ways to legally ship the firearm, but laws vary wildly on that. Check before you do.
Another way to have a kit in hand is to build a disposable kit when you arrive. This can be done if you have access to transportation and stores that can supply what you need. If you want low cost, you can build a kit at a dollar store like was detailed in “It’s Only a Dollar Kit” post. This can be carried and used while there and then either trashed or given away when you leave. If cost is not a problem or you prefer higher quality tools, you can do the same ranging anywhere from Wal-Mart items to high end sporting good store products. In some cases, you might even be able to build a kit at a thrift store, but that can be very hit or miss. Similarly, all of these items can be disposed of one way or another at the end of the trip.
Lastly, if your travel takes you somewhere that you will not have transportation or access to stores you have to be more creative. A recent business trip required a flight and no time or transportation to assemble a kit on the other end. In this case, a 25 foot section of para-cord, some zip ties, a sturdy pen, a pen light, a roll of electrical tape, and a small sewing kit were placed in a checked bag. All of these were disposable if necessary and most also easily explained based on my occupation. After arriving in the evening, I sought out a good steak at the hotel’s restaurant. This supplied dinner and allowed me to “borrow” a steak knife. In the privacy of my room, I used some paperboard and electrical tape to fashion a sheath for it. This rode in my sock for the rest of the trip. I could have made a belt attachment, but it would have been very out of place at this event. At the end, I trashed the homemade sheath and left the knife in my room. I am sure they simply thought it was left behind from a room service order. You could take a similar approach to other items such as matches which can still be picked up at some bars and hotels. All these surrogate items did not match the complete kit I carry on a normal day, but gave me the basics to be ahead of the game if the need arose.
Here are pictures of my carry knife for that week. While not ideal, it would have been invaluable if things had gone sideways.
So in preparation for a future trip keeps these options in mind. It will let you stay prepared for whatever may arise. Just be sure to check local laws to ensure the legality of some items. Different states and countries may have much different rules than your home turf.