Exploring the World of EDC

A watch guy's take on the gear and lifestyle of the EDC subculture.

So much kit… so little pocket space.

A Curiosity Awakens

One of the beautiful outcomes of the digital world is its ability to connect and foster a community for niche interest groups. My first experience with this came, as you might guess, in the form of my watch enthusiasm. However, more recently I got curious about another community — the Everyday Carry (or more colloquially known as "EDC") community. I suppose in hindsight, it was only natural, given, as I would later discover, watches are part of the broader EDC subculture (who knew?). Before I go any further, let me share what got me to this point.

Back in late January, I went to meet a friend at a favorite Twin Cities watering hole. I arrived first and ordered a pint, right after the waitress took my order my friend arrived. He did a room scan and I waived him over to the high-top table. Upon his arrival at the table, he proceeded to take off his jacket and empty his pockets onto the tabletop. This is not an uncommon thing for him or anyone else to do but this time I took note as it seemed like he had an endless stream of "things" that poured onto the table — keys, wallet, phone, air pods, pocket knife, multi-tool, challenge coin, loupe, and finally, a mini wrench.

With a muted grin I chided "What else have you got in there?". 

He looked at me a bit perplexed, not entirely catching on to what I was asking him. I tilted my head and wide-eyed the small pile of goods he had just clown-car'd out of his pockets. 

"What?" he said dimly. "I always carry that stuff. It's my EDC."

I eyed him suspiciously at this response, trying to assess if he was serious. He was. Our beers arrived and, as we continued to debate, he pointed out everyone has EDC, whether or not they realized it. He pointed at my phone, wallet, and keys sitting to my right. It dawned on me — he was right. It was a bit of a mental re-writing event as I had never thought of these items as "EDC", they were just the things I carried with me daily. Did someone say oxymoron? Don’t get me wrong, I was aware of the EDC subculture and community but I conventionally associated it more with knives, flashlights, and nifty pocket tools that, to me, seemed to be mostly impractical and unnecessary.

The conversation naturally moved on but the point he made stuck with me. I went home later that night and began browsing the internet and exploring the community a bit more. After spending some time down the rabbit hole, I realized that EDC is really an umbrella culture that has a ton of other subcultures that roll up under it for basically any item you can imagine someone carrying with them daily. While there is no clear outer limit to EDC, the broader subculture seems focused on carrying items that are practical for daily use and in a way that is conducive to the user's daily life.

As you can imagine, a person's kit could take innumerable forms. The further I explored EDC the more I got curious. I also found that many things that were commonly part of someone's EDC I already owned or collected. Thus I decided to see what all of the fuss was about. For the next six months, I decided I would give this EDC thing a fair shake. I would equip myself with the accoutrements of EDC culture to see if it really could enrich my daily experience. What follows is my field report of my experiment with EDC and the gear that made it all possible.

The Gear

Phone, wallet, keys — the essential EDC.

I started this little experiment by just looking at what I already carried, which for me, was the classic formula of phone, wallet, and keys — and a watch, of course. These are what I would largely call my "essential EDC". My phone is a Samsung Note 20 Ultra and I've been running on the Android platform since the Note 8. I have felt a tug back to the iPhone as of late but I sense this is a bit of peer pressure more than my natural inclination to do so. I digress, this is a subject for another day.

I was recently gifted a Kingsloot Hybrid wallet that I have been test-driving. I was formerly using a more standard bi-fold wallet that, despite its traditional utility, also bore the weight of traditional heft. The Hybrid, casts aside the heft in place of a very intentional layout, providing minimal slots for cards, a see-through ID case, and a bill clip with adjustable tightness. I'm still determining if it is a winner for the long term but its slenderness appeal versus its predecessor will keep me carrying it for a while. 

My keys are, well, keys — jangly bits and all. There's not much to be said here but I'm constantly wondering how I can further reduce bulk so I'm constantly looking at what hangs from the little key rings to evaluate if I can take off one more thing that will ensure it is that much less bulky. As of right now, it has my Jeep's key fob, a bottle opener, and a digital key for my house. Fairly concise, but that bottle opener is on thin ice.

As for watches, I switch up what I wear daily. The only consistency here is my Garmin Fenix 6S which I wear for all my workouts and as a sleep tracker. For the rest of what I wear check out my State of the Collection series part two and part three.

These are the items I had with me daily even before this experiment, but to test the EDC waters I had to start to carry some other gear that might enhance my daily experience. Here is an overview of what I tested during my experience.

Pocket Knives

A trio of Vipers. The infamous Great Eastern Cutlery’s pattern #47 Viper. A new favorite pocket knife discovered during this experiment.

This was the biggest category I experimented with. I already had a few knives I owned including a Benchmade Osborne 940, a Bestech Goblin, and a Gerber Paul. These are knives I had sitting around in various areas of my house but never really carried with me throughout the day, so this was where I started. As I began to have these with me daily I found I really enjoyed having a pocket knife handy and this led me to be curious about what the EDC community deemed "the best" EDC knife. So naturally, I went down the knife rabbit hole on some research. While there was no defacto best EDC knife, I did find the aforementioned Benchmade Osborne 940 to be on many of the lists I found, which made me feel an undue sense of pride that I had previously made a good decision. In reality, I just had a LL Bean gift card burning a hole in my pocket and decided to use it on a good knife.

As I continued my research, I quickly became enthralled by the breadth of options in the knife world. Along the way, I made a couple frivolous purchases of knives for camping trips this summer including a Nordsmith Canteen Knife and a Moki Berg Protrail. While I was pleased with these knives they were not really EDC knives due to their size — at least not for my home-office putzing lifestyle. I eventually did land on some (read: way too many) new knives that would benefit my EDC experiment including a Quiet Carry Drift, a CJRB Pyrite, and nearly 20 slip-joint style knives in various “patterns” (frame designs) from Great Eastern Cutlery and custom knife makers. Boy, did that escalate quickly. I did eventually cull my knife collection back down to a more practical size but if my reckless behavior is any indication, adding a knife to my daily life proved to be a massive success during the experiment. More on the experience later.

Flashlights / Torches

Three flashlights — the Olight Baton Pro Max, Muyshondt Beagle, and the RovyVon Aurora A8.

Similar to the knife category, I started with flashlights I had on hand. I really only had one flashlight on hand that wasn't specifically geared toward camping or more outdoor situations and that was the Fenix E18R. Up until this point, I had primarily carried this as my travel torch, for which I found it to be a perfect fit for that scenario. However, I was not satisfied with this being a one-horse race so I acquired a few more flashlights to test out. I wanted to try some torches from different price points and different form factors so I started with the RovyVon Aurora A8 (4th Gen) flashlight, which was the cheapest and smallest form factor of the three. Next was the Olight Baton Pro Max, which was middle of the road in price point and size. Finally, was the guilty pleasure — a Muyshondt Beagle, which was eye-wateringly expensive and the largest torch among the three. Unlike the knives, the experience here was a mixed bag. Again, more on this later.

Pens

The pen is mightier than the sword.

This was an interesting category for me given I do still write things by hand quite often, mostly notes and such, but enough to warrant having a good pen handy. Historically, I haven't paid much attention to pens and it was common to find me with a basic Pilot Precise V7 fine-tip pen. My handwriting looks more like hieroglyphics and finer-tip pens tend to make my writing look marginally more legible. Another pen I had on hand was a Parker Jotter and a Cross 14K gold Filled pen my grandfather had gifted to my grandmother that I inherited after her passing. These are all fine pens and I continue to use them all. In an effort to add some spice to my pen game, I also purchased a Tactile Turn side-click pen in their Trailhead seasonal release pattern. I used this pen the most during my experiment and quite liked it. While the writing experience is more or less the same as my other pens of choice, I like the fidget factor with the TT side-click, and the fun pattern spices up the daily appeal of an otherwise drab, utilitarian object.

Bags

I have a bag problem — I have far more bags than one man should have. Thus, this category of EDC was mostly taken care of. Furthermore, I mostly work from home with the exception of an occasional coffee shop for a change of scenery, so most of my bags are oriented toward travel. Nonetheless, I had to indulge in a small purchase to make the experiment official so I purchased two similarly sized EDC pouches from Maxpedition. I'd describe these as organizers rather than stand-alone bags but they provide a nice way to keep essentials close at hand and together in a cluttered larger bag. Aside from these, I have a black leather Tumi Warren backpack I really love for daily use, a Bennet Winch Weekender in black leather for short trips, and a Patagonia 45L Black Hole duffel for longer trips. I also have a... [trails off into eternity]

Daily Miscellaneous Carry (DMC)

The EDC categories could continue to go on, but for brevity, I covered the primary categories I experimented with above. This is the "catch-all" category for all other miscellaneous items I experimented with. These are items that didn't warrant a category of their own but are still worth mentioning due to the added utility or enhancement of my daily experience.

Airpods

Apple Airpod Pro (Gen. 2) — a near perfect product.

Kicking the "DMC" off is the most critical bit of kit — a pair of Apple AirPods. I actually mean a pair, as I alternate between the Apple AirPod 3rd gen and the Apple AirPod Pro 2nd gen. I virtually live with these things in my ears — walking the dog, listening to a SoundCloud playlist while writing, or listening to a Netflix show while I cook dinner. I'm convinced anyone who doesn't own a pair of these is just missing out on life. For the price — the sound quality, battery life, form factor, and in the case of the pros, the noise canceling is simply exquisite.

Mini Pliers

Mini pliers — endlessly cool, and totally unnecessary.

OK, hear me out... mini... pliers. Queue the eye-rolls, I know. I will admit I haven't actually used these yet, so I'll call these an honorable mention for the sake of the experiment. These probably don't make the cut for daily carry in the same way as other things on this list but they could prove handy as part of a kit for the car. I really like the form factor and the locking button feature on the Knipex Cobra I have. I could see these being very handy for someone who is a mechanic, electrician, or some other hands-on work — but for me, they were primarily a nifty tool that was always ready for action but has not yet been put to use.

Kerchief

A Cantonment Co. Kerchief is endlessly useful piece of kit. Get you one.

My father would be proud. Growing up I remember him always having one of these handy. I don't know why, but I always thought that was so cool and emblematic of his generation. I didn't get fancy with these, after all, they are designed to wipe the sweat off your brow, act as a pseudo tissue when a disposable one is otherwise not present, or wipe the occasional tear away from your girlfriend's eyes during a sappy rom-com movie. My choice for this is a Cantonment Co. Kerchief set, specifically a limited run for The Gray NATO podcast. They are made in a "just right" size, lightweight cotton, and hold up well in the washer and dryer. Pure utilitarian bliss.

The Experience

OK, let's dig into the meat of EDC — what it has actually been like to carry these various bits of gear. Much like any experiment, there has been a mixed bag of results; some good, and some bad. Let's zoom in.

The Good

I'll come right out and say the overall experience has been quite a success. I dare say I'm becoming a full-fledged "EDC guy". To say I was skeptical at the onset would be an understatement. I think the lifestyle appealed to the gear-junkie in me, but as I lamented to my friend at the beginning of this story, I just wasn't sure if all this extra stuff was necessary. If I'm being honest, none of this stuff is really necessary, but much like my obsession with watches, this extra kit can really enhance your daily experience and make an otherwise mundane task, like opening a package, something a little more enjoyable. Call me cynical, but I'd encourage you to give it a shot.

Taking a look at the gear I tested out for daily use, the standouts included the RovyVon Aurora A8, the AirPod Pros, and the Quiet Carry Drift flipper pocket knife and the GEC slip joint pocket knives (specifically their pattern 71 Sudbuster and their patter 47 Viper). I talked about the merits of the Aurora A8 in my first Off the Cuff post so I'll summarize here by saying its feature set, small form factor, power-to-size ratio, and long battery life just blew me away. I only wish they made a premium version (maybe in titanium). Regardless, the Aurora A8 has become a regular in my pocket. I'm sure most of you out there have experienced the greatness of AirPods so I'll spare you the rant, however, I would recommend those of you who have yet to try the Pro gen 2 to give them a second look. The fit in the ear, the noise canceling, and the sound quality all have gotten meaningful upgrades. Furthermore, the added benefit of being able to adjust the volume on the AirPods is a nice feature, albeit long overdue.

Finally, the addition of a pocket knife has been a great addition to my daily kit. The Quiet Carry Drift offers a modern build quality flipper-style folding pocket knife in a sleek, slender package that disappears when clipped into your pocket. The GEC pocketknives, albeit traditional in form, offer most of the same benefits of modern folding knives but with a little more visual flair and character. As I slipped further down the pocket knife rabbit hole I also found my way into some custom slipjoints from independent makers (often solo operators) who are often crafting achingly beautiful, high build-quality pocket knives. These were also favorites of mine during the experiment. So good, in fact, that they may warrant a story of their own in the future. Let me know in the comments if that would be of any intertest!

The Bad

This experiment proved to be, at a broad level, a success. However, it did come with a healthy dose of things I'd chalk up as an EDC no-go or where I am still trying to sort out how to make a particular piece of kit work. Now before I get any angry comments on this article, I'll cite that everything herein is an opinion. What didn't work for me, might work for you. I'm not saying anything against your choices, I'm simply stating what didn't work for me.

Among some kit that didn't work for me was some knick-knacks that I didn't find a good use for monthly, let alone for daily use. This included a small measuring tape I purchased on Amazon and the novel, but unused Knipex Cobra mini pliers. As mentioned earlier in the article, I'll give the pliers a pass as they are incredibly well made, they were relatively inexpensive, and while my gripe about their lack of usage daily did ring true for me, I think they will find a happy home in my car kit or in my household toolbox. The lesson here is that daily kit should really be kept to things you are actually using daily.

The biggest quandary I'm still dealing with in this experiment is how best to actually carry the kit. There is a practicality tension between pocket carrying, which provides the greatest utility in a pinch but also discomfort in having a bunch of stuff in your pockets all day, and some sort of bag carry, which frees your pockets of bulk but infringes on the utility and simple pleasure of having your favorite knife, flashlight, or pen within arm's reach. This dilemma is downright frustrating.

In an attempt to solve the problem, I got a couple Maxpedition EDC pouches as an alternative method to carry my daily kit, but over time these have mostly been relegated to being EDC pouches for when I travel or as an organizer for my car kit. One route I haven't explored is with a small cross-body bag. This might be a happy medium to carry my less frequently needed gear and bulkier items like my wallet and phone while freeing up space in pockets for smaller items like my pocketknife and/or mini flashlight. I went as far as researching options for these bags but the endeavor ended in a dead end as I was worried about transferring the bulk problem from my pockets to a bag slung across my body.

This is still the largest problem plaguing the broader EDC experience for me. Does it ruin it for me? No. Does it take away from the experience? Yes. If anyone out there has found themselves in a similar boat and found an agreeable solution, let me know below in the comments.

Final Thoughts

On the whole, I found this whole exercise to be rather enjoyable. It allowed me not only to explore new categories of gear and new rabbit holes for niche nerdery but also to experience a lifestyle change. While short of life-changing, it still represented a noticeable difference in my daily norm. Much like the moment when I choose my watch for the day or when I glance down at my wrist and find a moment to pause as I admire a unique design element of my watch, there is a similar simple pleasure of reaching for a pocket knife to open a package or my pen of choice to take a quick note. These little pleasures ought not to be dismissed as superfluous pageantry or indulgences but rather should be admired for injecting a little joy into an otherwise mundane daily undertaking.

It has yet to be seen if I will continue as a full-fledged EDC guy. In a way, we're all EDC guys and gals. We all just choose different bits of kit, and some opt for more, while others choose a more minimalist approach to their gear. I would challenge readers to experiment with finding a way to enhance your daily experience through the things you carry. Maybe this means adding a pocket knife to add a little joy to cutting up boxes at work, or a card sleeve to the back of your phone case so you don't have to bring your wallet with you for a night on the town. It could even mean auditing your daily gear and removing some things that don't provide you daily utility. You might be surprised by what impact a subtle addition or subtraction to your kit could have.

I'd love to know what gear my readers carry or if you think I missed out on a core EDC category. What are your thoughts on EDC? What gear is essential for you to have and why? Let me know in the comments.