This is the EDC gear that I love.
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A pocket knife is more useful than I initially thought. Most people would like to think that they will use their knife to save someone's life.
But in reality, most people usually use it to open boxes, myself included.
Regardless of what you use it for, there are a lot of great knives out there.
I personally carry the Benchmade Mini Griptilian. It's compact, but big enough for most purposes.
The Axis Locking Mechanism is super convenient because it makes it easy open the knife with one hand, regardless if you're left or right handed.
Highly recommended.
Having a flashlight on you can be more useful than you may think. I didn't think that I would need one, but I do use my flashlight quite a bit.
The biggest reason that I was reluctant to carry a flashlight was because I thought it would be too big and bulky. I'm going to date myself here, but in my mind, a compact light was a Maglight Mini.
But come to find out, there are some great pocket models that work really well and don't cost a lot.
I have both the Streamlight Microstream and the Olight i3T. They both clip to the bill of my cap, which I really like.
Both are solid options, but I prefer the Olight i3T. It's a little thicker, so it's easier to hold and it has 2 brightness settings.
The Microstream also has this weird thing were the button cap unscrews, which I feel is unnecessary.
Regardless of what you choose, be sure to get something that uses replaceable AAA or AA batteries.
Then buy rechargeable batteries so you don't have to continually buy new batteries.
Solar G-Shock watches are my favorite watches because they are rugged and they require almost zero maintenance.
Some people have reported that they have had their Casio solar watch for over 20 years and never had to anything to it.
It just works.
This is a surf watch that tells the tide and the moon phase, which I find very useful.
But there are many other designs, so it's very likely that you can find something that you like.
See what's currently available here.
To see the mod pictured above, this video will show you how to do it. I started with this watch.
These wallets from Visconti are hard to beat. This company is not well known, but they make high quality wallets at very reasonable prices.
They are much better than the Coach wallets I had in the past, and cost way less.
Visconti makes wallets for both men and women.
Many of their wallets are RFID shielded, which will give you extra peace of mind.
I stopped playing the “Who has the best phone?” game a long time ago.
Technology has reached a point where the newest phones just provide minor improvements over older models.
That means that we can buy older models that are just as good as the latest and greatest models, for way less.
I currently like OnePlus phones. When it comes to well designed phones, they are up there with Apple.
Unfortunately, their custom operating system isn't good. But if you replace it with something like /e/ OS, then you have a great phone that has a solid level of privacy protection.
Look around on eBay, that is the best place to find deals on older phones. Sometimes you can even find an older phone brand new.
When it comes to pens, I believe that less is better. There are a lot of fancy, expensive EDC options out there.
I like small, cheap pens, so I'm not disappointed if I lose them. But at the same time, they obviously have to work well.
There's nothing more annoying than unreliable pens.
My favorite pens at any price, are Pilot pens.
They are inexpensive and always work.
The best pen I've found is the Pilot Juice Up 04. But it's too big for EDC.
So for my EDC, I chose the Pilot Birdie. It's smooth and reliable.
You can also get cheap refills for this pen, so you don't have to buy a whole new pen every time.
It's perfect for times when you need to write a quick note, or when someone asks you if you have a pen.
I thought pocket organizers were dumb….until I started using one.
The biggest problems that I had were that it was easy to lose my flashlight, and my knife and flashlight would make a lot of noise in my pocket.
Enter the 1791 EDC Pocket Organizer.
Now I can carry my pocket knife, flashlight, pen and lip balm.
If I really need it, I can also carry a flint rod and striker bar.
This organizer makes it easy to just pick up everything at once and not worry about forgetting or dropping something.
The market is flooded with quality backpacks, so it can be tough to choose.
I prefer to keep it simple, so my favorite rucksack is the GORUCK GR1.
There are 3 reasons why I love these bags:
I had an issue with my first GORUCK and the company stood behind their guarantee and replaced it for me at no charge.
To this day, my GR1 is the primary bag I use for most activities.
For situations where I don't need a lot of gear, I use the GORUCK GR0.
It's a smaller version of the GR1 and is just big enough to carry my notebook, a jacket, a water bottle and a few more things. The GR0 stays flat and is easy to carry.
I always look for battery powered devices that use AAA or AA batteries.
This way, I can buy rechargeable batteries and not worry about the built-in battery dying and having to buy a whole new advice.
The best rechargeable batteries, hands down, are Panasonic eneloop batteries.
They aren't the cheapest, but they do last longer than other brands.
There are a few things that I carry on my keychain.
Here's what I've found the most useful:
A bandana is probably much more useful than you think.
Before I started carrying one, I thought they were kinda silly.
It seemed like they were only for people who worked outdoors or went camping. Why would anyone carry one if they were just going to the store?
Then I bought one for a hike and I understood.
They are one of the most useful things you can carry because of all the things they can do.
Here's the bandana I've been using.
I'm also going to start stocking other brands in my store.
I don't like most baseball caps because they are just small billboards. That's why I got excited when I found these blank hats.
They are the same as more expensive logo hats, but without the logo…and the high price tag.
There are different styles and colors, so there's a good chance that you'll find something you like.
If buy these blank hats, you can also put on your favorite patch or pin, making them endlessly customizable.
See the available colors here.
My lips tend to get dry when the weather changes, so I always have some lip balm in my pack or in the car.
But since I got the organizer above, I can carry lip balm with me wherever I go.
The best one I've used so far is Peak Scents Lip Butter. I got mine from Winter Sun Trading.
It works well and has natural ingredients.
Here's a more in-depth description of my favorite EDC items.