Alright, it’s been half a year and my EDC has changed, probably much more than enough to warrant an update, but creating an itemized list and finding all of these product links takes time, so I only want it done when I feel it’s changed enough.
In the time since I last did an EDC update, I’ve been thinking a bit about what “EDC” is. Obviously, the words mean something by themselves. But on the internet they mean different things to different people. It’s hard to carry around the same things day-to-day for years, especially if you care about what you carry. You always want the best, and that requires you to keep searching and trying new things. But if something is changed often is it EDC? Can you “EDC” something for a couple of days?
Another problem is how to define when something is “EDC” or when it is carried infrequently enough to not qualify. This also changes depending on the scenario. If one is on a vacation their EDC may vary wildly from in the city, but if they only have it for a couple of days is that really every day? Or in my case, is it really EDC when you go most of many days without “carrying” it?
Thinking about these questions, and how I used my previous EDC items and tiers has led me to the following system. It still has tiers, but only 3 this time for simplicity. And the functions of each system has now changed.
Tier 1, which will be covered in this article, is my Person, Pockets, and Belt. This stuff is on me most of the time, and always when I leave my living area (i.e. out the door for more than to check the mail). When I’m in my home it is always at hand as well. If you catch me, I’m 99.9% likely to have these tools at hand. This could be considered my real “EDC”.
Tier 2, which will be covered in the next part, is my backpack. It is also close-by when I’m inside, and with me 9 times out of 10 when I leave the house. Occasionally, when I’m just going to the store, or in a car packed with people, it will be left behind, but this is rare. This is bordering on the edge of EDC. It isn’t always on me, but I feel it is around enough that I can consider it in that category.
Tier 3 is my travel and “other” section. There are many tools I use every day, or specifically want when I’m traveling, that I don’t necessarily always carry with me, but in some situations they will be integrated. For instance I use my notebook every day for at least one drawing (That’s a personal challenge of mine) and while I don’t always carry it with me, I can easily do so if I need to, and I use it more than some of my “real EDC” gear. So it gets put in this category with several other items used in similar ways.
With that in mind let’s take a look at the first tier (Specifications and Comments on gear in parentheses):
POCKETS/PERSON
- Wallet (Book Book Phone Case) (A bit beat up at the moment, I need to upgrade my phone and this case at some point.)
- Cash
- Cards
- Business Cards
- Phone (iPhone 4s)
- Knife (Ontario Rat model II) (I have a few other knives I carry, {Victorinox Super Tinker, Sanrenmu 7010, Rat I, etc} But I feel this one work the best for me in a myriad of fields.)
- Watch (Armitron Face, Timex band) (The original band for this watch was a stretchy kind, and I break those quickly, so I replaced it with an all-metal band.)
- Shirt Pocket
- Pocket Book (Bull&Stash) (This notebook is currently in for testing. I use Field Notes and Rhodia more often than not.)
- Pen (Zebra F-301) (It’s not my favorite, but it’s very solid, cheap, and easy to find. For most places I go, my favorite Cross pen seems a bit too flashy.)
BELT
Knife (CRKT SPEW {also on neck sometimes}) (A nice blade shape for both general package and letter opening, and emergency self-defense.)
Pouch (Case Logic DCB302) (Completely stuffed. I’m looking for a new pouch currently, but this one is still the best I’ve found for me.)
- Outside
- Flashlight (Coast A5) (Attached by a Velcro strap) (This light has no frills, it’s a cylinder, with no modes and a button.)
- D-Ring
- Gerber Shard (I mainly use it as a bottle opener.)
- Front Pocket
- Multitool (Leatherman Juice S2) (Mainly used for the scissors and the pliers. It replaced my Micra because it’s easier to hold in the hand.)
- Measuring Tape (3ft) (Surprisingly useful, but I love to rearrange furniture and I understand that most people don’t, so that’s 50% of the times I use it gone for most people.)
- Lighter (BIC Mini)
- Whistle (My particular whistle was owned by my grandmother and is from a car dealership in California. It’s not the loudest, but I like having it around as an heirloom type of thing.)
- Nail file (Attached to knife) (Victorinox Companion) (I love the knife, so any excuse to have it around. A nail file is something that other items can’t really make up for.)
- Worry Stone (I talk with my hands, and they go all over the place far too much. This prevents me from looking like an idiot, and Goldstone is an amazing color.)
- Altoids Smalls Tin (I almost never use this, but it’s nice to have around.)
- Flash Drive (Patriot Tab) (Another item that can’t really be replaced by other items. I’ve never “needed” it, but it’s been useful when others are farther away.)
- Knife (Opinel #2)
- Cord
- Cotton Ball
- Ziplock Bag
- Matches
- Striker
- Kleenex
- Nail
- 4 Straight Pins
- Paperclip
- Electrical Tape
- 2 Migraine medications (Relpax)
- Butterfly Bandage
- Cash ($10)
- Main Pocket
- Keys (Key Pouch) (It is a bit bulky, but I love it, and it keeps my keys nice and organized.)
- Work Phone (Samsung S125G TracPhone)
- Mini First Aid/Hygiene (Ziplock sealed with Electrical Tape.)
- GUM Soft Picks in Travel Case (Toothpicks are gross, but I do really need something for my teeth, this was the compromise.)
- Electrolyte Tablets (Can be really good if you need them, and in Texas they might be needed a lot.)
- 6 Alcohol Swabs
- 1 Alcohol Towelette
- Bandages
- 2 Knuckle
- 2 Fingertip
- Mini Tool Kit (This isn’t the best toolkit ever, but it works in a pinch, and is mainly geared toward glasses, which can be a real pain if they start to have problems.)
- Razor Blade
- 5ft of wire
- Mini Pen (Cut Down Bic Pen Sealed with Electrical Tape)
- Second Bag
- Snare Wire (From Bear Grylls survival kit)
- Glasses Screwdriver
- Glasses Pads
- 4 Glasses screws (2 sizes)
- 4 Paperclips (1 insulated)
- 3 Straight Pins wrapped in Electrical Tape
- Cash Bag
And that’s the first tier of my EDC. In the next part I’ll take a look at the backpack tier.