What We Carry

If you’re unfamiliar with the term EDC or everyday carry, it usually refers to the items you have on you on a regular basis that helps with small tasks around the house or on the go. The great thing about EDC is that you can really customize it with what makes sense to you. There are more and more options every day and the possibilities are endless. Search the tag #edc on Instagram or go to r/EDC and you will see how excited people get when sharing their ideal EDC.

With so many EDC options, where do you even start? You’re in luck because Chris and Jason spend way too much time trolling the internet for the best setup. Let’s see where things stand right now.

Chris’ 2022 EDC

I like to go lightweight and compact with my EDC. I do a lot of swapping back and forth, but the following is pretty consistently my favorite combination of gear.

Knife	Civivi Baby Banter	This knife is a freaking beast. I love it so much. It’s not the cheapest knife, but it is snappy, razor sharp, and easily slides into your 5th pocket if you really want to free up your pockets. A perfect lightweight carry option!
Multitool	Victorinox Rambler	The Victorinox Rambler is a nice small multitool. At the smallest size for Victorinox Swiss Army knives (58 mm long), this is a keychain or 5th pocket option. I really need to figure out how to carry a reliable set of pliers (or if I actually need them at all 😂). But for now, this is a great lightweight option for EDC. I added on aftermarket “scales” from my buddy over at BarnesCraftDesigns. Nothing wrong with the stock red celidor scales that come on the Rambler, but I absolutely love the character that the BarnesCraft scales add to my Swiss Army knives.
Wallet	Leather 3-pocket minimalist card holder from @nothinbutflies	Leather leather leather leather. I like a lot of makers that you can find on Instagram that are too many to list here (but would make an excellent post). Personally, I like a 3 pocket minimalist card slip. I keep my ID in one quick access slot and a credit card in another quick access slot. The center has insurance cards, a debit card, and a little bit of cash.
Flashlight	Olight i3t EOS	I go back and forth on a flashlight. They come in handy when you don’t want to use a bulky phone to light the way. Plus you don’t want to drain your phone battery unnecessarily. I like my Olight i3t EOS because it takes standard AAA batteries (or excellent rechargeable ones like Eneloop) and has a tail switch with low and high toggle settings.
Handkerchief	Damn Hanks GondekEDC	Okay, hear me out. If you can get a good hank with a microfiber backing, this is key to cleaning your smudged cell phone screen, sunglasses, etc. I love DamnHanks and GondekEDC a lot.
Tech Gear	Anker 10,000 mAh battery pack	This this is crucial to keep in a pouch along with some cables and throw it in the backpack for the day.
Pen	Fisher Space Pen Bullet	You cannot go wrong with this edc staple. It is very compact, made in the USA, durable, and perfect for lefties like me because it does not smear when I write. It’s also not terribly expensive, looks cool, and comes in some cool colors and finishes.
Key Management	Nite Ize Locking S-Biners	I like a good keyfob with a hook to hang on my belt if necessary to free up my pockets. I use Nite-Ize locking S-biners to easily pop my car key fobs on and off.
Watch	None	So, I don’t really wear a watch on a daily basis… but I probably should.

Jason’s 2022 EDC

I’m not as stylish as Chris when it comes to my EDC. I’m a function guy through and through. Here is what I’m carrying this year.

Knife	Ontario RAT II	I recently downgraded from a big knife to the Ontario RAT II, on the advice of Chris. It freed up more space in my pocket to carry other stuff.
Multitool	Leatherman Rebar	I like a full sized multitool, so I can feel like Allie Fox in Mosquito Coast. The only thing it’s missing, in my opinion, are scissors. For most purposes I would use scissors, a knife also does just fine though.
Wallet	Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer	Call me crazy, but I carry this in my front pocket. Holds all my cards, cash, multitool, pen, compass, a house key, and a lighter. Takes some getting used to but I like to have everything contained, and it fits my minimum essentials better than some other options I’ve tried.
Flashlight	My phone	Unlike Chris, I don’t carry a dedicated flashlight and just use the flashlight on my phone. Definitely not as focused as a dedicated flashlight, but a sacrifice I make in the interest of space.
Handkerchief	GondekEDC Hamilton Hank	I was very skeptical of carrying hanks for a while, but I’ve come around. Chris pointed me to GondekEDC. The GondekEDC Hamilton Hank is about the cheapest hank you can find with microfiber on one side. My personal favorite is the “beavis” hank.
Tech Gear	Apple AirPods (2nd Generation)	I’m not the kind of guy who needs the latest and greatest for my tech. My wife got me these, and I love them. They just work with my iPhone and don’t take up much space. I also have a Nite Ize Cinch-A-Lot Mini on them in case I want to clip to keys.
Pen	Rite in the Rain All Weather EDC Pokka Pen	I keep one of these because I often find myself in need of a pen and instead of searching around the car hoping I can find one or *shudder* using a pen in public, I’ll just dig this bad boy out.
Key Management	Nothing, really	I’m a key minimalist – I have a car key, key fob (as relevant), and a house key on a single classic key ring. I also keep a single house key in my wallet.
Fire	Bic Mini Lighter GEAR AID Fire Strand 550 Paracord	Bic just work. I’ve had Bics go through the washer and dryer and still work. So I keep a Mini Bic in the wallet. This helps when I need to get a camp fire going on the fly, or be the hero at a birthday party. I keep a knot of this stuff in my wallet for those moments where I needs to start a fire in a pinch.
Navigation	Sun MiniComp	I like to always know my cardinal directions, and this helps if I ever get turned around to reorient myself or confirm the direction I think I’m heading. I use a Nite Ize S-Biner Size-1 Dual Carabiner to clip the compass and house key to the inside of my wallet.
First Aid	Uncle Bill’s Silver Gripper Tweezers UST Tick Wrangler	Helps getting splinters out in a pinch! Since we live in tick country, this will surely come in handy one day and for minimal preparation.
Survival, Other	Survival Emergency Whistle	I keep a lightweight, cheap Amazon survival emergency whistle in my wallet because it fits and might be well worth it one day.
Watch	Citizen Eco-Drive Model BM8180-03E	I like solar watches, because I hate worrying about batteries and I like to pretend it will work if SHTF. This watch only loses seconds every month or so, so it is very accurate. I wear it pretty much everywhere, it definitely has scratches (i.e. character) but is still going strong. I replaced the crappy band that came with it with a Barton Elite NATO Style Watch Strap (in 18 mm).