EDC

Everyday Carry, or EDC, generally refers to small items or gadgets worn, carried, or made available in pockets, holsters, or bags on a daily basis to manage common tasks or for use in unexpected situations or emergencies. In a broader sense, it is a lifestyle, discipline, or philosophy of preparedness.

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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor

 

submitted by lewis hay luv the blog. this is my edc leatherman juice victorinox alox (electrician) hill-side handkerchief in plum i did forget to put my keys and phone in the picture. on my keys i carry a victorinox sd in black and fenix e05 in black. Editor’s Note: I recently got an email from a reader asking what multitool I would suggest for a lighter-duty, casual EDCer. He was a student like I am looking for a multitool but didn’t need all the bells and whistles and just felt like it would be good to have some tools available. I suggested the Leatherman Juice S2 as shown above — I bought one a few years ago and it’s really saved me when I’m working on a project in a pinch. It has pretty much all the tools you would want and none you wouldn’t in a very compact package, so much so that I would keep it in my jeans’ coin pocket. Another good recommendation would be the simple Swiss Army Knife — I feel these don’t get a lot of love sometimes because they’re not ‘tactical’, but the beauty of SAKs is that you can find a configuration that works best for you. I personally like the Super Tinker and Alox Cadet. If you’re in the market for your first multitool, consider these~ As for lewis’s carry, it might be redundant on the multitool front but with the not-pictured Fenix E05 flashlight, keychain and handkerchief he’s got his bases covered in a fairly minimalist configuration. It looks good for a simple summer carry. Thanks for sharing!

submitted by lewis

hay luv the blog. this is my edc

  • leatherman juice
  • victorinox alox (electrician)
  • hill-side handkerchief in plum

i did forget to put my keys and phone in the picture. on my keys i carry a victorinox sd in black and fenix e05 in black.

Editor’s Note: I recently got an email from a reader asking what multitool I would suggest for a lighter-duty, casual EDCer. He was a student like I am looking for a multitool but didn’t need all the bells and whistles and just felt like it would be good to have some tools available. I suggested the Leatherman Juice S2 as shown above — I bought one a few years ago and it’s really saved me when I’m working on a project in a pinch. It has pretty much all the tools you would want and none you wouldn’t in a very compact package, so much so that I would keep it in my jeans’ coin pocket. Another good recommendation would be the simple Swiss Army Knife — I feel these don’t get a lot of love sometimes because they’re not ‘tactical’, but the beauty of SAKs is that you can find a configuration that works best for you. I personally like the Super Tinker and Alox Cadet. If you’re in the market for your first multitool, consider these~

As for lewis’s carry, it might be redundant on the multitool front but with the not-pictured Fenix E05 flashlight, keychain and handkerchief he’s got his bases covered in a fairly minimalist configuration. It looks good for a simple summer carry. Thanks for sharing!

submitted by Chris My typical EDC clockwise Hamilton Khaki Field Auto Survival Bracelet  Luminox Navy Seal Colormark with Maratac Bond Nato Strap Saddleback Leather Wallet in Tobacco Brown Nikon AW100 Inspire 4g Burts Bees A&P Key Ring from Countycomm, Fenix E15 Flash Light I use this all the time for work (At 29.95 this is a great value), CR123 Derlin Battery Locker from Countycomm + Spare Battery, Paracord Key Fob I made Spyderco Paramilitary 2 C81GBK2 (New edition which replaces my Benchmade 585 Mini-Barrage) Zebra F-701 Pen Editor’s Note: Very cohesive carry here, I can see each piece is very rugged. I love that blacked out Para 2, such a great mid/large EDC blade. Your watches complement each other nicely and are good pieces individually. The Luminox fits right in with the rugged motif you have, as do the ever popular stainless steel Zebra F701 and the Saddleback wallet. Furthermore, your P&S camera looks like an interesting option for EDC as it’s shockproof and waterproof (very cool~). I like how you manage your keychain too — with that many keys, the aircraft cable ring is a good way to go, and I like the primary light and backup battery with it. You could perhaps replace your phone with one of these and achieve ultimate ruggedness but for now, your carry is looking good. Thanks for sharing.

submitted by Chris

My typical EDC clockwise

  • Hamilton Khaki Field Auto
  • Survival Bracelet 
  • Luminox Navy Seal Colormark with Maratac Bond Nato Strap
  • Saddleback Leather Wallet in Tobacco Brown
  • Nikon AW100
  • Inspire 4g
  • Burts Bees
  • A&P Key Ring from Countycomm, Fenix E15 Flash Light I use this all the time for work (At 29.95 this is a great value), CR123 Derlin Battery Locker from Countycomm + Spare Battery, Paracord Key Fob I made
  • Spyderco Paramilitary 2 C81GBK2 (New edition which replaces my Benchmade 585 Mini-Barrage)
  • Zebra F-701 Pen

Editor’s Note: Very cohesive carry here, I can see each piece is very rugged. I love that blacked out Para 2, such a great mid/large EDC blade. Your watches complement each other nicely and are good pieces individually. The Luminox fits right in with the rugged motif you have, as do the ever popular stainless steel Zebra F701 and the Saddleback wallet. Furthermore, your P&S camera looks like an interesting option for EDC as it’s shockproof and waterproof (very cool~). I like how you manage your keychain too — with that many keys, the aircraft cable ring is a good way to go, and I like the primary light and backup battery with it. You could perhaps replace your phone with one of these and achieve ultimate ruggedness but for now, your carry is looking good. Thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Joe LG Cosmos - Crappy, but it works. Just haven’t felt the need to upgrade to a smartphone yet. Bandana - 101 uses. Leatherman Wave - As anyone who owns one knows, once you have one, you can stand to go for a day without carrying it. Bic LighterStreamlight Microstream - Perfect little EDC light.Moleskin Volant notebook.Zebra F-701 pen. Just plain awesome. Sanrenmu 763 folding knife - 8cr13MOV steel, G10 handles, axis lock, and dirt cheap. Can’t recommend this knife enough. Keys on a boring carabiner.  Not pictured: Wallet, smokes.  Editor’s Note: Here’s a well-rounded carry with some pretty affordable pieces (in contrast to some earlier, more controversial submissions). The Streamlight and Zebra pen are very popular in EDC circles for their simplicity, durability and price points. To be honest, I’m pretty impressed with my SanRenMu knife too and for the price, they make great beater knives. Bandana, BIC and carabiner aren’t anything fancy but they get the job done fairly well. I’d say the Leatherman is more on the pricey side but it’s a solid investment and very favorably reviewed. Thanks for an example of an EDC system that doesn’t break the bank and is a bit more accessible to those on a budget or those who are looking for more easily replaceable tools. Looks like the setup should work well, so keep it up.

    submitted by Joe

    LG Cosmos - Crappy, but it works. Just haven’t felt the need to upgrade to a smartphone yet. 
    Bandana - 101 uses. 
    Leatherman Wave - As anyone who owns one knows, once you have one, you can stand to go for a day without carrying it. 
    Bic Lighter
    Streamlight Microstream - Perfect little EDC light.
    Moleskin Volant notebook.
    Zebra F-701 pen. Just plain awesome. 
    Sanrenmu 763 folding knife - 8cr13MOV steel, G10 handles, axis lock, and dirt cheap. Can’t recommend this knife enough. 
    Keys on a boring carabiner. 

    Not pictured: Wallet, smokes. 

    Editor’s Note: Here’s a well-rounded carry with some pretty affordable pieces (in contrast to some earlier, more controversial submissions). The Streamlight and Zebra pen are very popular in EDC circles for their simplicity, durability and price points. To be honest, I’m pretty impressed with my SanRenMu knife too and for the price, they make great beater knives. Bandana, BIC and carabiner aren’t anything fancy but they get the job done fairly well. I’d say the Leatherman is more on the pricey side but it’s a solid investment and very favorably reviewed. Thanks for an example of an EDC system that doesn’t break the bank and is a bit more accessible to those on a budget or those who are looking for more easily replaceable tools. Looks like the setup should work well, so keep it up.

    submitted by Andi B Hey, this Blog is really cool :-) This is what i allways carry with me: - Simple small leather Wallett- Fenix LD10 (on my Belt or in the Backpack)- Keys with a Victorinox Classic and a Fenix E05- Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit (on my Belt or in the Backpack)- Spyderco Bob Terzuola SlipJoint Greets! Editor’s Note: Nice simple carry with good gear choices. I see your setup has that ‘EDC trinity’ configuration of primary light, primary multitool and primary blade. I like that Terzuola, it’s a less common Spydie… The Swisstool Spirit is a great tool as well. I feel like people tend to overlook it and opt for Leatherman offerings for full-size multitools and buy SAKs from Victorinox, but their Swisstools are good too. Good pairing on your keychain (SAK+AAA or CR2 light is still my favorite setup for keychains), you kept your keys sleek too. Thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Andi B

    Hey, this Blog is really cool :-)

    This is what i allways carry with me:

    - Simple small leather Wallett
    - Fenix LD10 (on my Belt or in the Backpack)
    - Keys with a Victorinox Classic and a Fenix E05
    - Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit (on my Belt or in the Backpack)
    - Spyderco Bob Terzuola SlipJoint

    Greets!

    Editor’s Note: Nice simple carry with good gear choices. I see your setup has that ‘EDC trinity’ configuration of primary light, primary multitool and primary blade. I like that Terzuola, it’s a less common Spydie… The Swisstool Spirit is a great tool as well. I feel like people tend to overlook it and opt for Leatherman offerings for full-size multitools and buy SAKs from Victorinox, but their Swisstools are good too. Good pairing on your keychain (SAK+AAA or CR2 light is still my favorite setup for keychains), you kept your keys sleek too. Thanks for sharing.

    submitted by D Park Great site….A daily reader with my morning coffee. I’m a car designer and appreciate honest, functional design. Items comprised is my special carry. Damasko DA36 with Maratac 20mm Two Piece Nylon BandSmall Sebenza Double LugHaiku XML 6V Editor’s Note: Mmm, dat design. A Chris Reeve and McGizmo is one of the most coveted pairings of blade and light you could have. Very great pieces and an excellent example of engineering, design, materials, aesthetics and attention to detail. Thanks for sharing.

    submitted by D Park

    Great site….A daily reader with my morning coffee.

    I’m a car designer and appreciate honest, functional design. Items comprised is my special carry.

    Damasko DA36 with Maratac 20mm Two Piece Nylon Band
    Small Sebenza Double Lug
    Haiku XML 6V

    Editor’s Note: Mmm, dat design. A Chris Reeve and McGizmo is one of the most coveted pairings of blade and light you could have. Very great pieces and an excellent example of engineering, design, materials, aesthetics and attention to detail. Thanks for sharing.

    The Things I Carry: 2 Chainz via The FADER Editor’s Note: Interesting setup there. I notice your wallet has a chain, which is a good idea to maintain maximum retention, especially if you are particularly conspicuous about how much money you have on you at any given time. With that said, it seems the wallet size, despite being at the maximum size for comfortable pocket carry, is insufficient for holding all of your cash. Judging by your method of retaining cash (such as rubber bands or friction and gravity) I would suggest investing in a larger moneyclip (perhaps the Superiortitanium Viper would serve you well) or even a small to medium-sized satchel with a $ symbol on it. They say time is money, and you have plenty of it, so it’s good that you wear a watch to manage all of that. I like the extra large lighter too — it should last longer at the expense of pocket space, but perhaps you have more to work with than the average EDCer. I must applaud your abundance of backups. You have not one, not two, but three phones because when there’s an app for everything, who needs tools? Lastly, it’s most evident that you subscribe to the “two is one; one is none” adage with your dual-chain carry (and even moreso reflected in your name). While nice pieces, I would say your firearm would not be the most effective in self-defense despite being easily accessible as a necker.

    The Things I Carry: 2 Chainz via The FADER

    Editor’s Note: Interesting setup there. I notice your wallet has a chain, which is a good idea to maintain maximum retention, especially if you are particularly conspicuous about how much money you have on you at any given time. With that said, it seems the wallet size, despite being at the maximum size for comfortable pocket carry, is insufficient for holding all of your cash. Judging by your method of retaining cash (such as rubber bands or friction and gravity) I would suggest investing in a larger moneyclip (perhaps the Superiortitanium Viper would serve you well) or even a small to medium-sized satchel with a $ symbol on it. They say time is money, and you have plenty of it, so it’s good that you wear a watch to manage all of that. I like the extra large lighter too — it should last longer at the expense of pocket space, but perhaps you have more to work with than the average EDCer. I must applaud your abundance of backups. You have not one, not two, but three phones because when there’s an app for everything, who needs tools? Lastly, it’s most evident that you subscribe to the “two is one; one is none” adage with your dual-chain carry (and even moreso reflected in your name). While nice pieces, I would say your firearm would not be the most effective in self-defense despite being easily accessible as a necker.

    submitted by Ark Keeping it simple and doing what works for me is how I live.   4Sevens Quark AA Tactical R5 The moonlight mode is fantastic for that midnight bathroom break.  Accessing it with a little twist of the head is so much better than cycling through many modes.  Simple to use, small, reliable, and most importantly uses the common AA.   Emerson Mini CQC-7 It’s a perfect fit for my pocket and the wave feature makes for fast deployment when opening any shipping box left on my doorstep.   Mini Swiss Army  I’ve actually carried this for the past 18 years on my many keychains.  The little knife and scissors have saved my butt countless times.   Money Clip For me, using a standard wallet forces you to fill the empty pockets with stuff.  I found this stainless clip at discount clothes store for a couple of bucks.  Super simple and reasonably thin.  I keep my cards in a drawer at home and tailor my plastic load before heading out. 1971 Rolex Air King A gift from my father-in-law.  It does me no good in a safe so I wear it.   iPhone 4 The charm of the iPhone is how thin it is, so I don’t use a case.  It lives alone in my left pocket so screen protectors, front and back, serve it well.   Great site! Editor’s Note: Awesome carry! I actually carry some similar gear, and I agree with your assessment on your individual items. My only small recommendation might be to upgrade your discount store moneyclip to a black titanium one just because it would conceal with your gear better and it might be more durable. However, it’s not necessary, especially as I can tell your gear works for you and you have a very positive attitude towards EDC. Thanks for pointing out some of your most favorite features of your gear for other readers who may be less familiar, too. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Ark

    Keeping it simple and doing what works for me is how I live.  

    4Sevens Quark AA Tactical R5

    The moonlight mode is fantastic for that midnight bathroom break.  Accessing it with a little twist of the head is so much better than cycling through many modes.  Simple to use, small, reliable, and most importantly uses the common AA.  

    Emerson Mini CQC-7

    It’s a perfect fit for my pocket and the wave feature makes for fast deployment when opening any shipping box left on my doorstep.  

    Mini Swiss Army 

    I’ve actually carried this for the past 18 years on my many keychains.  The little knife and scissors have saved my butt countless times.  

    Money Clip

    For me, using a standard wallet forces you to fill the empty pockets with stuff.  I found this stainless clip at discount clothes store for a couple of bucks.  Super simple and reasonably thin.  I keep my cards in a drawer at home and tailor my plastic load before heading out.

    1971 Rolex Air King

    A gift from my father-in-law.  It does me no good in a safe so I wear it.  

    iPhone 4

    The charm of the iPhone is how thin it is, so I don’t use a case.  It lives alone in my left pocket so screen protectors, front and back, serve it well.  

    Great site!

    Editor’s Note: Awesome carry! I actually carry some similar gear, and I agree with your assessment on your individual items. My only small recommendation might be to upgrade your discount store moneyclip to a black titanium one just because it would conceal with your gear better and it might be more durable. However, it’s not necessary, especially as I can tell your gear works for you and you have a very positive attitude towards EDC. Thanks for pointing out some of your most favorite features of your gear for other readers who may be less familiar, too. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Anthony Sculimbrene A Filip De Coene Hybrid Slipjoint (purchased after seeing a Mini from De Coene in your Archives) A Hi CRI Steve Ku 40DD with Ice Blue Tritium Inserts How is that for minimal? Editor’s Note: Here’s a shot of that Steve Ku 40DD I mentioned in an earlier post this week. Awesome pair, totally minimal, unique and functional. Congrats Tony, carry them well.

    submitted by Anthony Sculimbrene

    A Filip De Coene Hybrid Slipjoint (purchased after seeing a Mini from De Coene in your Archives)

    A Hi CRI Steve Ku 40DD with Ice Blue Tritium Inserts

    How is that for minimal?

    Editor’s Note: Here’s a shot of that Steve Ku 40DD I mentioned in an earlier post this week. Awesome pair, totally minimal, unique and functional. Congrats Tony, carry them well.

    submitted by starstreak Great blog! I’m japanese photographer. here’s my carry : Sinn UX S GSG9 Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Keys Leatherman Style PS Nitecore EX11.2 Editor’s Note: Thanks for the kind words. Also, thanks for putting a brief description of what you do and where you’re from to put the carry into perspective. It makes sense that you carry a bladeless multitool due to Japanese knife laws. I see you keep your light on a wrist lanyard, which is nice for retrieval and retention when in use. If you want a different carry solution, there are actually some aftermarket titanium pocket clips that carry nice and deep if you’d want to go that route. Lastly, the real standout of this carry is that Sinn! Looks great all around, thanks for sharing.

    submitted by starstreak

    Great blog!

    I’m japanese photographer. here’s my carry :

    • Sinn UX S GSG9
    • Sony Ericsson Xperia arc
    • Keys
    • Leatherman Style PS
    • Nitecore EX11.2

    Editor’s Note: Thanks for the kind words. Also, thanks for putting a brief description of what you do and where you’re from to put the carry into perspective. It makes sense that you carry a bladeless multitool due to Japanese knife laws. I see you keep your light on a wrist lanyard, which is nice for retrieval and retention when in use. If you want a different carry solution, there are actually some aftermarket titanium pocket clips that carry nice and deep if you’d want to go that route. Lastly, the real standout of this carry is that Sinn! Looks great all around, thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Sherwin Love your site!  It’s intriguing to see what’s in people’s pockets. Reminds me of the book, The Things They Carried. Thought I’d contribute my daily carry, too. - lip balm- Makr Carry Goods, Horizon Three Wallet; Great thin wallet for front pocket use- iPhone 4, 32GB- Seiko SNK809K2; Custom face and hands, with Maratac Bond NATO strap- fishhook keychain- Streamlight Nano- Rough Rider “Damascus” lockback; with hand-etched ivory scrimshaw I found the knife on Etsy and felt it had a lot of character—so it replaced a Victornox Classic SD. I might ditch the Streamlight Nano and rely on my phone’s LED—it keeps unscrewing itself and spilling the batteries. I thought about getting a Photon, but they don’t seem all that great. Any reco’s for tiny flashlights? Editor’s Note: Another nice minimal carry, pretty stylish too. I haven’t seen one of those Seikos in a while, looks like a Yobokies custom? Those are an inexpensive way to get the look you want, and actually look good for people with smaller wrists with the 38mm case. I’ve heard some horror stories about the infamous fishhook keyring but if you’re careful and tuck your keys into your pocket that shouldn’t be an issue, so just keep that in mind. As for a small light replacement, here’s a (potentially outdated) article on button cell lights. There have been some newer small lights on the market, some using 1xAAAA cells, but the one that really caught my eye was the Steve Ku (now Veleno Designs) 40DD. Good luck and thanks for sharing!

    submitted by Sherwin

    Love your site!  It’s intriguing to see what’s in people’s pockets. Reminds me of the book, The Things They Carried. Thought I’d contribute my daily carry, too.

    - lip balm
    - Makr Carry Goods, Horizon Three Wallet; Great thin wallet for front pocket use
    - iPhone 4, 32GB
    - Seiko SNK809K2; Custom face and hands, with Maratac Bond NATO strap
    - fishhook keychain
    - Streamlight Nano
    - Rough Rider “Damascus” lockback; with hand-etched ivory scrimshaw

    I found the knife on Etsy and felt it had a lot of character—so it replaced a Victornox Classic SD. I might ditch the Streamlight Nano and rely on my phone’s LED—it keeps unscrewing itself and spilling the batteries. I thought about getting a Photon, but they don’t seem all that great. Any reco’s for tiny flashlights?

    Editor’s Note: Another nice minimal carry, pretty stylish too. I haven’t seen one of those Seikos in a while, looks like a Yobokies custom? Those are an inexpensive way to get the look you want, and actually look good for people with smaller wrists with the 38mm case. I’ve heard some horror stories about the infamous fishhook keyring but if you’re careful and tuck your keys into your pocket that shouldn’t be an issue, so just keep that in mind. As for a small light replacement, here’s a (potentially outdated) article on button cell lights. There have been some newer small lights on the market, some using 1xAAAA cells, but the one that really caught my eye was the Steve Ku (now Veleno Designs) 40DD. Good luck and thanks for sharing!

    submitted by Scott P. Heav(ier) duty EDC, usually carried in a small shoulder bag: Guildhall pocket notebook (much better quality than Moleskine imho), in a plain leather cover.Stainless Embassy pen, stainless Maxmadco pen.Undyed cotton handkerchief.Spyderco Leaf Storm.Saddleback Leather medium bifold wallet.Keychain and tools: Muyshondt Aeon, Leatherman Squirt PS4, and Imakey, and 2 stainless storage fobs. Editor’s Note: Nice setup… with an EDC bag I see you can manage to carry a nice notebook, some heavy duty pens, and a Saddleback bifold (which aren’t the slimmest to carry I’d imagine, but here it should carry fine and last forever). Good choice on the primary bladetoo. Despite it being one of my older knives, my Leafstorm’s in my pocket every day (still can’t think of a suitable replacement for myself…). I like the pairing of the Aeon and the Squirt, as well as how your keys are modular for ease of access and customization. One concern I have is the two pill-fobs on one McGizmo clip situation — they seem to dangle awkwardly (which again, might not matter if it’s in a bag). I can’t tell from the photo what size clips those are too, but I generally avoid the smaller clips because they tend to easily unclip gear, in my experience. Looking good overall, thanks for sharing.

    submitted by Scott P.

    Heav(ier) duty EDC, usually carried in a small shoulder bag:

    Guildhall pocket notebook (much better quality than Moleskine imho), in a plain leather cover.
    Stainless Embassy pen, stainless Maxmadco pen.
    Undyed cotton handkerchief.
    Spyderco Leaf Storm.
    Saddleback Leather medium bifold wallet.
    Keychain and tools: Muyshondt Aeon, Leatherman Squirt PS4, and Imakey, and 2 stainless storage fobs.

    Editor’s Note: Nice setup… with an EDC bag I see you can manage to carry a nice notebook, some heavy duty pens, and a Saddleback bifold (which aren’t the slimmest to carry I’d imagine, but here it should carry fine and last forever). Good choice on the primary bladetoo. Despite it being one of my older knives, my Leafstorm’s in my pocket every day (still can’t think of a suitable replacement for myself…). I like the pairing of the Aeon and the Squirt, as well as how your keys are modular for ease of access and customization. One concern I have is the two pill-fobs on one McGizmo clip situation — they seem to dangle awkwardly (which again, might not matter if it’s in a bag). I can’t tell from the photo what size clips those are too, but I generally avoid the smaller clips because they tend to easily unclip gear, in my experience. Looking good overall, thanks for sharing.

    submitted by j-vergara Hey, long time follower of this site. My carry pretty much stays the same through the years as I add or remove a piece here or there. This time I added a timepiece to my carry. 4Sevens Quark Mini 123 Spyderco Persistence Seiko SKX007 Editor’s Note: Nice selection to add to the carry… The SKX007 is one of Seiko’s more popular offerings and makes for a nice EDC watch. Your other pieces, the Quark Mini123 and Persistence are also some common choices, albeit because they perform well for not a lot of money. These are definitely some pieces of kit to check out for newcomers to EDC. Thanks for sharing.

    submitted by j-vergara

    Hey, long time follower of this site. My carry pretty much stays the same through the years as I add or remove a piece here or there. This time I added a timepiece to my carry.

    • 4Sevens Quark Mini 123
    • Spyderco Persistence
    • Seiko SKX007

    Editor’s Note: Nice selection to add to the carry… The SKX007 is one of Seiko’s more popular offerings and makes for a nice EDC watch. Your other pieces, the Quark Mini123 and Persistence are also some common choices, albeit because they perform well for not a lot of money. These are definitely some pieces of kit to check out for newcomers to EDC. Thanks for sharing.