EDC

Anonymous asked: Any headphone recommendations? I’m looking for earbuds since I carry them every day. I had a pair of Skullcandy Ink'd that died after 3 months (I don't wrap em around anything) and Skullcandy sent me a new pair but now the same thing has happened again so I think I need a new brand.

I take it you’re already comfortable with using semi-canalphones like those Skullcandies. I would pretty much avoid Skullcandy, Beats by Dre, Bose etc type of headphones.

In my recent memory Sennheiser CX300/Creative EP-630/Sharp MD-33 are good canalphones for the money. Slightly bass-heavy, though.

If you can afford to spend around $100+, look into in-ear monitors by Westone, Shure, Ultimate Ears, Etymotic Research, Sennheiser… I know there are more recent models but to be honest I’ve tried really hard to avoid this hobby because it can get pretty expensive.

You’ll find better answers at head-fi.org. I would help you out and do some research for you like I do with other posts but it’s too risky for my wallet.

If anyone cares, I have Shure SE530s and am looking to upgrade to SE535s.

aftermooon asked: Hello! I've been reading your blog for quite some time now and I recently lost this small cheap key chain light that I would always use. Now after reading your blog, I want to buy something better that would last me way longer. What would be your light suggestions in terms of the light being relatively small and able to fit in my pocket without making a big lump in it? Thanks in advance!

For small lights go 1xAAA. There are some 1xAA lights that are relatively slim too (usually twisty activation though, like the smaller 1xAAAs). Your budget options are Fenix E01 (basic survivalist light, rugged, not too bright and not the best beam, lasts a long time).

ITP EOS A3/Maratac AAA are the next step up at around $20 for updated LEDs, 3 brightness settings, etc. Up your budget some more and you’re looking at something like Fenix LD01, 4sevens Preon I, 4sevens Preon ReVO, IlluminaTi, VersaTI, Liteflux LF2XT etc etc.

For 1xAA lights check out the Quark Mini AA. I personally wouldn’t recomment the Nitecore EZAA (old version), I haven’t tried the updated EZAA for myself to have an opinion.

Some additional reading:

everyday-carry
everyday-carry
CPF: What is your keychain light???
Beamshot AAA lights, July 2010 by HKJ

Anonymous asked: I'm looking for a knife along the lines of the Spyderco Miliary C36GPSBK but I rather not pay more than around ~$70-100 for it. Do you know anything similar that won't run as much?

This is similar in that it’s black, Spyderco, liner lock, S30V steel, etc. $91.32 shipped via Amazon.

onemanonearm asked: Another Q for you B...was looking for a good edc pen, not looking for one with impact potential just one that wont clunk out on me due to constant carry and bumping. any suggestions? (trying to keep price to a min too)

Hmmm.. Maybe the Zebra F701? It’s an all stainless steel construction with some nice knurling. It seems to be popular enough in the EDC crowd so it must have something going for it (highly moddable too). Maxing out at maybe $6-15 it couldn’t hurt to try it.

- “B”

Additional Reading:

The Pen Addict: Review: Zebra F-701 (by dirtyglass)

bdc asked: What would you recommend as a primary, but compact, flashlight?

Hi Ben,

if you mean what I would recommend personally to anyone (non flashaholic), not considering their needs, tastes, budget, etc…I’d say Zebralight SC50w+ for click, 4sevens Mini AA for twist.

Now hit up candlepowerforums and start reading. B)

car54 asked: What do you suggest to avoid keys bulging in the pocket but also avoiding the jingle when from wearing them on your belt?

The main remedy for both of these scenarios is proper keychain organization and minimalism. More functionality into less components is ideal — it lightens the load and facilitates concealment. There are plenty of options for this, but it might not be a viable option for you at this point.

In that case, suspension is a good way to stop bulge. Pocket bulging is an embarrassing issue for most, and all it takes is a little gravity to help you out. There are some suspension clips you can look into for not very much money. Both are really nice depending on what you’re going for, however I have not carried either.

everyday-carry: TEC Accessories P7 Suspension Clip

Munroe Design Dangler Series

As for avoiding jingle, you need to minimize swinging that causes louder jingling keys… To do this, I would get a clip or split ring that rides smaller/higher towards your belt. Not sure how else to say this but a smaller radius, if you will… will decrease tangential velo—It will swing less hard.

Another way to silence your keys is to add something to dampen the sound. There are key silencers for this, which are like sheaths for your keys. I personally like the aesthetics and design of the Zissou keyhooks for this though.

Hope that helped, good luck!

Additional reading:

EDCF - Keychain Pics (for inspiration)

EDCF - Which Key Silencer?

cmichon asked: I started following after minimal submitted his EDC. I find this all pretty cool, and while I try and be as minimal as possible, when something serves a purpose, it's important to include it.

anyways, my question is, since you're anti-caribeaner, and I really like some of these key rings I've seen, where's a good place to get a new one, or search for one? thanks!

Hi.

I’m not completely “anti-carabiner,” I just found from my experience that they don’t work well for me. They’re normally larger than they need to be which causes a lot of keychain swinging (although some prefer this to tuck their keys into their back pockets. I don’t have the space for that). Also, non-locking, non-climbing carabiners have weak gates that are prone to failure over time, and the long gate gives too much surface area for things to press against it and inadvertently open the gate. With that out of the way…

Some alternatives to carabiners are keyhooks, cable rings, belt clips, and a bunch of other miscellaneous clip/gate hardware that I don’t know the specific names for…

Unfortunately, the online shops that I’ve bought my keychain carry from in the past were less than ideal and I’d rather not mention them here. I settled on a LuckyLine product that you can find at a local locksmith or hardware store, actually.

You can also do some research of your own over at EDCF — they’re a very helpful community.

I hope that helps, and good luck!

Additional reading: Carrying Keys

Anonymous asked: As a student, high schooler, what do you recommend for my EDC? Knives, although important, are hard to havge with you while in school. Please help.

I totally know where you’re coming from. My little brother is still in high school, and any type of knife, even a tiny Swiss Army Knife, is prohibited. Instead, he’s keeping his EDC down to keychain carry, as shown in this post.

He was able to open the Micra and remove the blade, then replace it with a small split ring as a spacer. He has all the functions of a multitool in a discrete, non-threatening, and perfectly allowed set-up. This could be an option for you if you just want to do simple tasks like cutting that frayed edge off of spiral notebook paper, or using the flathead to pry out a staple, etc.

Aside from that, I would recommend wearing a watch. Not only does it help you get to class on time (if that’s even an issue in most highschools), but it’s a valuable tool when taking exams or SATs, etc. Always know how much time you have and pace yourself accordingly! :p

It also couldn’t hurt to pick up a nice pen and pencil for note- and test-taking. I carry a Zebra Sharbo X because it combines everything in one sleek instrument, but it might be a bit pricey on a high schooler’s budget.

Perhaps most importantly, get a comfortable backpack with good straps and wear it properly! Slouching your bag with a heavy load is bad for your back.

I’m still a student myself, so this is coming from my experience. I hope that helps and good luck in school! Study hard. :)

Anonymous asked: Hey love your blog. Was wondering what the smallest flashlight is that can also use redlight , with powerful throw?

Thanks!

do you have your own favourite be all end all edc online store?

salamat!

Hi, thanks for the kind words.

For a single cell flashlight with some red, check out the Photon Proton Pro. I’m not sure how the throw is on it, but I believe it has a smooth reflector so it might throw well enough. 

And as far as EDC stores, I tend to buy from various sources, so no real be-all-end-all for me.

Hope that helps!

Anonymous asked: Hi

I was wondering if you have a recommendation for a minimalist Wallet. I wanted to be to hold
1.ID Cards
2.Credit Cards,
3. Money with a Separate coin compartments
4. a Fisher Bullet space pen

So far I have only used the Chisco Surfshot wallet but it did not last me very long.
http://www.chums.com/category/wallets/product/surfshorts

Thank You

Hey there,

It’s kind of hard to gauge what everyone’s idea of minimalism is, especially since having a separate coin pocket + room for a pen seems like more than minimal to me… I also don’t carry a wallet myself, so I haven’t looked around for one before. However, I came across this wallet that seems to be endorsed by many other EDCF members:

SPEC-OPs T.H.E. J.R.:

In this video by ZRat98, he shows that he’s able to fit his Zebra F301 compact pen in the wallet. It should probably work for your Fisher as well. The double-stitched, 1000D nylon construction should probably hold up much better than your Surfshot.

Anyway, I hope this is a good place to start your search.

Good luck!

Update: jaydub2 suggests the KAVU Wally Wallet.

kenthenoob says to check out Bill’s Urban Wallet.

soultrain-deactivated20101121 asked: I'm interested in getting a decent knife to carry around for ever day use and I was wondering what you'd recommend as a, "best bang for your buck," first knife for a college student.

Thanks!

Hmm… The best value knife will depend on your taste/needs. The first thing that came to mind was the Spyderco Persistence. You might also want to look into brands like Buck, Opinel, or even Victorinox for some simple, quality general knives.

I think if you up your budget a little bit, consider the Benchmade Mini Griptilian (that one seems to be popular).

Lastly, 35percent threw together this informative post on superfuture if you need some more ideas.

Hope that helps :)

UPDATE: jaydub suggests the CRKT Peck (however, I’ve heard mixed reviews about that thing.. I think sharpness was an issue.)

Anonymous asked: What are your recommendations for the best $50-60 plain edge, manual folding EDC knives?

And also since I'm such an edc noob...your favorite small flashlight too, at a reasonable price.

Hi there!

The tricky thing about recommendations, especially knife recommendations, is that there are many, many factors to consider before making a purchase. This kind of leads to sleepless nights and hours on various forums, a myriad of open tabs and new bookmarks on different online stores… But I digress…

I would say look into Spyderco — at around $50-60 and under they have a big selection (Endura, Delica, Cricket etc come to mind). Benchmade also has the Griptilian and Mini Griptilian which are pretty popular knives. Just keep in mind your state’s knife laws when considering length. Keeping it a manual folding knife is on the safer side, as automatics and assisted open knives aren’t legal everywhere.

Check out this list that 35percent put together for more ideas.

As for the small flashlight, that depends on a lot of things too. To keep on your keychain, the Maratac AAA or ITP EOS A3 come to mind. They have 3 modes of brightness for different tasks and to conserve battery. For a little bit more cash you might want to check out the 4sevens Quark MiNi AA — it uses cutting edge technology, it’s probably the smallest and brightest in its class. If you do decide to purchase from 4sevens, you can use the coupon code CPF8 for 8% off and free shipping on your purchase.. and don’t forget to put down “flæshaholic” as your CPF referrer. :)

These recommendations are under the assumption that you’d rather stick to AAA and AA lights first, rather than more “specialized” batteries like CR123a or lithium-ion cells.

Good luck with your purchase, and feel free to comment this post with any followup questions and I’ll do my best.

EDIT: If any more knowledgable EDCers wanna chime in on this one, please leave a comment with a recommendation using the Disqus feature. Thanks!