Updated Every Day Carry (EDC)

What has changed about your EDC?
What items have you dropped or added?

This question made me really think and reflect on my EDC and how it has varied over the years and evolved. Go back a decade and I did not have any sort of FAK on my person (stuff in the car but not on my person) yet today I do. I also added a tourniquet to the FAK just three years ago. The knife I have carried has also changed several times and now I have a 'serious' knife every day that was added five years ago and also a little three blade stockman's knife at the same time for the every day things which replaced a Al Mar folder.

Phones - from bag to flip to smart have also 'evolved' with my EDC as communication was always a big thing for me - currently it's a smart phone that is a few generations old but still current with the manufacturer and is always updated.

In the dresser drawer is my original 6P flashlight (the first model made) surefire light that I carried for many years and it has been replaced just this last year with an upgraded current LED version and I have augmented it with a Fenix EO5 on my key chain to replace the old mini-mag. I think back to about 30 years ago and the only think that I have from then to now which is EDC is my watch and a p-38 on my keyring - got the watch back then and it's still going strong.

Way back in the 'young and dumb' years I used to EDC (when I was a cop) a S&W Model 29 - for the uninformed, please see Dirty Harry. Remember, young and dumb?? So, yeah - that got dropped.

I am also going over everything this weekend and thinking about what, why and such with all my current EDC as this question is making me really think about it again and I may make some changes. Thanks for asking!

Paul -

My EDC is fluid. I always have a locking folder, an 1xAA or 1xAAA LED flashlight and other items in my pockets. It’s mostly about function/purpose and not about specific models or steels. Although I like the latest super-steels, I still EDC an early Benchmade 940 (154CM) at times and then switch to a BM940 in S30V or a Spyderco in VG-10. There’s a lot of good gear in the marketplace and I am not usually loyal to any one brand.

If anything, I’m regressing with regard to tech in that I’ve gone back to a flip-phone (4G LTE), while technically a “smartphone”, really it’s not; there are no apps available and texting is a PITA. All I need a phone for is voice comms, in which the flip-phone excels. I have a number of GPS receivers so I don’t need a phone for navigation. I usually know where I’m going before I start walking or driving so the GPS is there to calculate ETA’s (in my car) or track actual speed (real time and trip averaged), time and mileage when I’m walking (Trip Odometer). The Garmin Foretrex 601 is working well for those walks and battery life is outstanding.

My on-body EDC hasn’t changed much in the last ten years:

• Wallet — I’m carrying a much less bulky wallet — my version of the “essentials” for wallet carry is much more than many I see with just a driver’s license and a single credit card, but it’s still less than it used to be.
• Keys — unchanged except for the keyring multitool (and adding a key to a friend’s house, who asked me to keep it)
• Keyring multi — Moved from a LM Squirt PS4 to a LM Style PS, I fly so much more often that I don’t bother switching back to the Squirt
• Knife (When Not Flying) — Currently RSK Mk1 G2, which has so far proven to be the best all-round EDC knife I’ve ever owned. I tend to go back to my orange-handled Mk1 for outdoor activities, as I know from experience that a black handled knife is much harder to find if dropped.
• Car keys (WNF) — Unchanged. I almost never drive to the airport, so I leave this at home when I fly.
• Pistol and reload (WNF) — I’ve been carrying a 9mm Shield and wasn’t thrilled with my holster until a recent upgrade. A friend was selling an almost-new P365 so I bought a holster from the same manufacturer and have been carrying that for a week. I don’t shoot the P365 as well (I have at least 7K more rounds through a Shield than I do through the P365 so it’s not surprising) but it carries more rounds and is definitely more comfortable on the belt, so the experiment continues.
• Larger multi (WNF) — I tend to rotate between LM MUT (on the range only), LM Wave, and LM Signal (when outdoors but not on the range). More recently the SOG PowerLitre has made it into the rotation and I like it. I also have a small Cordura pouch for the LM bit kit and bit extender, which will usually go in a pocket when I carry a larger multi.
• Flashlight — I keep coming back to the Nitecore MT10C for pocket carry. If I’m carrying a larger flashlight it’s most often a Klarus XT2CR, which is in the sweetspot for me for all three of user interface, performance, and size. Every time I’ve tried the XT1C for pocket carry I’ve gone back to the Nitecore.
• Phone — iPhone 7. I was up for an upgrade but didn’t see a reason to go with an iPhone 8 and I am still not feeling it for the iPhone 10. I think that when this phone gets replaced I’ll go with an 8.
• Pen — Tactile Turn Ti Slider, with the most common alternative an inexpensive orange-anodized aluminum pen for outdoor activities.
• Trauma kit with Tourniquet (on the range) — After extensive training (for someone who hasn’t ever been a medical professional, at least), I built my own kit for this.

The thing that I keep coming back to is how to carry a trauma kit. I keep one in my bag (whichever bag it may be), and two in my car (one in the emergency kit in the trunk, and one within arms reach in the cabin for the next time I roll up on a collision). Many of my friends use ankle kits, which I don’t think would work for me. It isn’t ideal, but I may have to get to my bag or my car if I need to treat a traumatic injury.

As with Russ, mine changes depending on what I am doing, where I am going, how I am getting there, and other environmental considerations. I will always have a light, a cutting capability and usually a lighter. I have recently had difficulties with a flashlight that I have carried on airplanes for years, but now is not permitted, as it says "tactical" (well really just Tac). I tried to get information from the TSA inspector on makes it "tactical", so I can find one with the capabilities I desire, but will be allowed. All I got back was "it says tactical on it". So I am very flexible with my EDC. Think more in capabilities needed, and your priorities in your situation. If you think you will need it, carry it.

My experience has been that aggressive crenellations or anything that looks like it could be a bludgeon are much more likely to be stopped. My MT10C has short, wide and smooth crenellations (if I may stretch the term that far). It’s been called out once at a courthouse, but never an airport. The 2xCR123A cell flashlight in my bag with a flush head has never been even peeked at. I’ve been through TSA hundreds of times with them.

That particular courthouse contains a customer I visit regularly, and is in a very sleepy area known for nothing happening. I’m not sure why they have security so much tighter than any other of the 100+ secure buildings I’ve entered in the course of my job, but I don’t let it bug me.

I don't carry much "for survival" anymore. I've found I just don't need it. That being said, I'm sure I've just guaranteed that I will need it tomorrow! I do carry more "entertainment" stuff now though.

Flashlight has shrunk and shrunk over the years. Now it's down to a 1xAAA. A SureFire Titan Plus 300 lumen model. My son gave it to me for Christmas a year back. I must admit, this little thing with an Eneloop in it is amazingly bright and super well made.

Knife is a Spyderco Native with CPM S35VN steel (whatever that is, I'm not a steel snob, but this stuff works good enough for everyday use for me). While not expensive, this thing is both big enough and small enough to handle everything I need.

9mm compact pistol, KelTec PF-9.

Small carry-pouch containing Kindle PaperWhite eReader, Kindle Fire HD8 tablet, and super small MP3 player.

Wallet. Flip phone. Sometimes a small stash of emergency meds (Tylenol, etc.)

Sunglasses (carried in the car).

That's about it for the routine stuff these days.

EDC for survival? — not really, that kit is much bigger with much more capability than I need for daily use.
EDC for daily use? — Yep, nothing is wrapped up or stored in a kit, it’s all user gear.

My 1xAA/AAA lights aren’t tactical, just lights that are easy to carry and push enough lumens to see well when I need illumination. The knives would never make it past TSA, I wouldn’t carry them to the airport let alone try to get through a checkpoint — at least not in the last 18 years. Before that one of my locking folders called my backpack home.

I did used to carry EDC for survival. My Altoids tin kit that was put together for hiking. I had a larger kit in my hiking pack, but the backup Altoids tin kit was always in my hiking pants pocket - in case I set my pack down to rest and then fell off a cliff or something. I always made sure to keep my pants on when resting, you know, proper trail etiquette and all.

But after a while, I said to myself: do I really need firestarting, whistle, signal mirror, etc. when motoring around the city? So I abandoned the Altoids tin kit in my pocket for around town.

My key ring, with keys (!), small multitool, knife, AAA light, and small pry bar, is basic EDC and is handy even when I sleep. Around town, I have my wallet (cards, cash and ID), larger multitool, cell phone, and bandanna.

When in the woods, I always have a backpack with a decent FAK, canteen, and a"core bag," with the basic ten essentials (signalling, fire making, and shelter capabilities) along with whatever special gear the trip might require, like technical climbing items.

In the survival or near survival situations I have experienced,I have needed fire (for warmth and cooking), water (dehydration), and shelter (natural or improvised). While I had some sort of knie handy on those occasions, I don't recall the blade as being as critical as matches or spare, dry clothing.

I need to clarify. I don’t EDC gear in case a survival situation occurs in my daily life; I EDC items for daily use and those core items are used regularly. I carry the core gear around the house. Here at my desk I have a couple knives, my headlamp and a 1xD LED lantern that is excellent for lighting the room during a power outage. Other around the house survival equipment might include a fire extinguisher, but I’m not going to EDC a Kidde dry chemical tank, if there’s an emergency one is available. OTOH, when I walk out the door, things are added such as that previously mentioned flip-phone.

If out driving there will be a largish survival kit in the truck that includes more gear than an individual could carry, obviously that would not be considered EDC. If I’m on a dedicated walk/hike, additional gear would be carried (water/FAK/GPS/flip-phone...et al) depending on the walk/hike and weather conditions.

BTW, it’s SOCAL and despite the rain we’ve had lately, this is still the edge of the desert and starting a fire in suburbia is bad form. So no, I don’t EDC my fire kit, the chaparral is great tinder, but not in a good way.

This is all just to say that EDC gear must have a purpose other than weighing down my pockets. I EDC a small bit of core gear and carry other gear as conditions and situations warrant.

A thought on carrying a knife.

Sometimes, perhaps not often, a knife is really, really helpful towards getting a fire going, or building a shelter.

My opinion for some time has been that a knife is very difficult to improvise, along with a light and a fire starter. Situations and problems vary, but those are my personal top three things to not be without when outdoors, after appropriate footwear and clothing.

"BTW, it’s SOCAL and despite the rain we’ve had lately, this is still the edge of the desert and starting a fire in suburbia is bad form. So no, I don’t EDC my fire kit, the chaparral is great tinder, but not in a good way."

Truer words were never spoken (or typed!)....!!! I spend a fair amount of time on the Channel Islands (Cal) and although I still carry my lighting materials, I would generally not ignite a fire - it's just too windy. Some sort of canister stove is the only rational item, but even then one must be careful...

EDC is always a good topic here so a look at Adam Savage's Everyday Carry (EDC) - YouTube may be of interest. No knife or MT (TSA confiscation is mentioned), but he does EDC a 1xAAA LED light.

Chaosmagnet: My work also takes me into government and other secured buildings. My spread out EDC trauma and first-aid-kit is as follows: On my keychain , with my FenixEO5 ( with backwards pocket clip to fit to a hat brim or headband , to use as a headlamp) & Yellow Photon Freedom ( mounted backwards in its neck dangler to prevent accidental “ on”)and large Bison cylinder whistle, is a Bison medium cylinder pill vial ( wrapped in 12”x2” Gorilla Tape). A yellow Mini-Bic lighter with tape under the plunger to prevent accidental discharge is also in my pocket.

The pill vial contains 5x81mg. chewable aspirin for heart attacks; 4 generic Benadryl,for allergic/ anaphylactic attacks; 2 caffeine tablets & 2 pseudoephedrine tabs for congestion and emergency energy boost; 3 ibuprofen tabs for pain. I haven’t figured out how to add 2 Tylenol, to greatly enhance the pain relieving power of the ibuprofen. The tape can be used to secure a dressing, for incipient blisters or as a chest seal with a credit card or alone.

Next to my wallet is my multi-purpose utility/ trauma dressing kit. This consists of a clean, XL , orange or yellow cotton bandana , HOT dry ironed , folded/ refolded/ re-ironed to pocket size and slipped into a sterile Gerber Breat Milk Bag. The bag edges and one side, reinforced w Gorilla Tape. Press out the air with a book when it’s hot and it almost vac seals and flattens the kit. The other bag side has a taped-on flat roll of 48”x2” Gorilla Tape, folded over piece of clear report cover. This gives me a trauma bandage, smoke mask, sling, signal flag, chest seals (bag+tape), splint wrap, etc.

In a back pocket is another hot ironed , XL, yellow bandana, not bagged. This is for utility use or as a tourniquet, with my pocket carried Browning / glassbreaker, flashlight /pen, as a windlass for the tourniquet. Added benefit: almost impossible to pickpocket my wallet wedged against bandana packet.

In my wallet is an H-shaped bandaid, alcohol pad in foil packet ( also good tender) & some dental floss, along with my Medic-Alert ( and I wear a MedicAlert neck medallion).

When security inspection or legal prohibitions are not an issue, I also EDC a LM Xe6 and a Spyderco Delica or Dragonfly.

Additionally, while not strictly a medical item, I carry $500+ in cash, mostly $20s & some $1bills ( for candy machines) . In the words of Mr. Dylan “ money doesn’t talk, it swears.” In a blackout or blizzard, when credit cards won’t process, cash buys you the unavailable hotel room, plane/train/bus ticket, taxi ride, tank of gas and may dissuade a mugger from harming you. So if it can save my posterior, I call it a medical kit component.

Finally, my smart phone ( Mophie power pack included) has various useful emergency apps, including SAS Survival Mannual, First-Aid Mannual, pill identifier, compass, flashlight, etc.

Facemask, hand sanitizer, stylus for pushing buttons