The Best Everyday Carry Essentials

Written by: Opt Outdoor Staff

The Everyday Carry Essentials

Everyday carry, or EDC for short, refers to the items you carry daily that are considered essential to your everyday life.

EDC items are usually limited to the equipment you can carry on your person or in a small bag. However, the concept can also apply to general items that aid your preparedness. Including equipment stored in your vehicle to gadgetry stowed away in your backpack, EDC gear is all-encompassing.

Because we all find ourselves in need of different EDC gear, it can be hard to determine what’s an essential everyday carry item and what’s optional. Some will consider wallets, flashlights, and pocket knives indispensable. In contrast, others will think of watches, pens, notebooks, and even combs as EDC essentials.

With this in mind, we’ve narrowed our list down to the EDC items that are universal. We have also added our picks for the best product within each category. 

While it would be impossible to tell you precisely what you’ll need, consider the following list to be a starting point. You can mix and match items to find what works for you, and make the most of every single day with these EDC essentials.

The Ridge wallet, made from anodized aluminum and interchangeable screws, has a simplistic design and durable build. Though it measures only two inches in width, The Ridge wallet can store up to 12 cards. At the same time, the metal money clip allows you to secure several bills outside your wallet to save space.

Other features include RFID blocking technology and an exterior notch that allows you to push the cards out for easy access. To top it off, the Ridge Wallet Lifetime Guarantee ensures your wallet will last as long as you own it. ​

Crafted from a single piece of stainless steel with a titanium nitride coating, the Gerber Shard Keychain Tool is an EDC item that’s sure to win you over. It features seven tools, including a small flathead driver, a medium flathead driver, a crosshead driver, a pry bar, a wire stripper, a lanyard hole, and a bottle opener. 

The Shard does well to offer all essential tools in a package weighing no more than 0.6 ounces. And because the Shard is airline safe, you can throw it on your keychain and forget it’s there until the moment someone asks for a bottle opener. That’s when it’s your turn to come to the rescue. ​

An Everyday Carry keychain design doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. And that’s why we’re fans of Eklorn’s Paracord Survival Keychain. This model is made from a single strand of military-grade type III 550 lb test cord. You can quickly unravel the keychain cord in the event of an emergency to make traps, build a tent, haul supplies, and more. 

And an included firestarter ensures you’re never without a flame. Best of all, included in the package are two keychains—one for you and one for your EDC-loving friend. ​

The Fenix Tactical Flashlight is a powerful, pocketable flashlight that shines up to 1,600 lumens over 283 meters. A high-capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts for 5,00 mAh.

And it requires only four hours of charge time thanks to a fast-charging Type C port. The included carrying case lets you strap the flashlight to your belt or stow it in your pack for easy access. ​

We love Spyderco’s Paramilitary 2 folding knife primarily because of its excellent design. The handle is made from lightweight, durable G10 fiberglass laminate, whereas the blade is made from CPM-S30V stainless steel. Thought to be the ultimate EDC steel on the market, this metal possesses excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance, and sharpening ability. 

Spyderco’s unique blade design and easily accessible thumb hole make this a perfect knife for EDC beginners and experts alike. ​

Everyday Carry Pen & Notebook

A pen and notebook may seem redundant if you’ve already got your phone to jot down notes. Still, there’s something wonderfully simple about breaking out a notepad when you need to put words to paper.

Some reasons to carry a pen and notebook include goal tracking, to-do lists, emergency phone numbers, journaling, doodling, and more. This doesn’t even take into account the fact that many EDC pens come hidden with additional tools and tech.

The Fisher Space Pen may look like nothing more than a capsule-shaped pen. However, this durable little writing utensil comes with hidden features you won’t find elsewhere. For instance, the pen can write from any angle (and in zero gravity) in temperatures ranging from -30 to 250 Fahrenheit.  The pen comes with a lifetime warranty. And a small clip on the side of the pen means you won’t lose it as you go about your day. 

Meanwhile, the Field Notes Pitch Black 48-page Notebook is a popular pocket-sized memo book. An American-based brand, Field Notes manufactures a vast array of exciting memo books. ​

Leatherman has been the embodiment of the multi-tool ever since they offered their original design to the masses in 1983. The company’s latest multi-tool line, the FREE collection, has the best multipurpose plier experience. This is due to a brand-new platform and magnetic closing technology.

Of the various FREE models that exist, we’re fans of the FREE P2. It contains 19 different tools, all accessible with one hand. These include a screwdriver, spring-action scissors, a bottle opener, and Leatherman’s signature needle-nose pliers. The FREE P2 comes with a 25-year warranty, so you know you’ll be carrying it for years to come. ​

Many smartwatches contain sensors and equipment that are delicate and subject to damage. But not Garmin’s Instinct Tactical Watch. It features a rugged design that’s constructed with U.S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock, and water resistance of up to 100 meters. 

A 3-axis compass pairs with GPS functions, a barometric altimeter, and a heart rate monitor that measures activity and stress levels. This smartwatch also pairs with your phone to provide you with notifications. And the battery will last up to 16 hours in GPS mode before it needs to be recharged.

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Conclusion

Everyday carry items come in all shapes and sizes. This variety makes them both attractive and applicable to all that choose to carry their gear wherever they go. 

Whether you’re on the job site and in need of a multi-tool or hiking in the backcountry, taking notes on flora and fauna. Take some time to amass your collection of EDC that’s sure to help you every step of the way, every single day.