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The concept of EDC

Tirvine

ancient grey sweatophile
Obviously my handy little pocket knife, my wallet, and a handkerchief go into my pockets first thing, but other items like flashlights, multi-tools, and fountain pens may or may not go in. I usually wear a wrist watch, but on the golf course or taking care of my granddaughter, the watch stays on the dresser. I am prone to not carrying my cell phone unless I will be out of the house alone, such as going shopping or taking a walk. So how many of your everyday carry items are truly everyday, and are they also all day?
 

Legion

Staff member
In my pockets, pocket knife, wallet, keys (keys have a bottle opener, USB stick), phone. And a watch on my wrist.

But when I go out I usually have a bag with me that has a whole bunch of other "possibles" in it.
 
EDC items for me are... Clothing!
I don't wear my watch or carry my keys or wallet or phone or knife or Pen when I'm at home. Why would I need to? They are very close by if I do need them. When I drive (being a truck driver for over 40 years) I don't have my wallet in my pocket. That makes for a sore backside and back. When I'm at work I will have three sets of keys, My Watch, my knife, and my pen. Everything else I may need will be in my bag.
I'd not have any EDC things but someone would complain if I wasn't covered up somehow. :)
 

duke762

Rose to the occasion
I carry a lot of stuff in my pockets every day. Lots of keys, 3 knives, 2 small flash lights, 2 lighters, a couple $1 bills, change and notes to myself.

Each knife has a different set of tasks. Swiss Army knife cuts card board to be recycled every Sunday and the nice stainless blade cuts up food at work. The Uncle Henry 897UH is used mostly for splinter removal and hangnails, things that require precision and uber sharpness. I also carry a Bench made 3.9" folder (crazy sharp). I can't recall the model but it looks like a Spyderco Delica but no serrations and longer. This is only for cutting flesh in anger or cutting off clothing quickly in case of entrapment at work.
 
At one point in my life, I was that guy with the tactical khaki pants and pockets full. I was a police officer for 20+years and just followed everyone else's "sense of style". Those days are over with, though.

At home, during this time of year, I'm in sweatpants and a T-shirt and have absolutely nothing in my pockets or on me. If I go to work or do anything in town, I carry a few things but attempt to stay minimalistic with it.
 

jar_

Too Fugly For Free.
The single everyday item that is always with me is my smart watch with it's own sim (esim) card and phone line that is linked over the cellular system with my cell phone. Even if I leave my cell phone at home my watch will connect remotely and all calls or SMS will get to me. In addition, since it has it's own phone line I can initiate phone calls even when my cell phone is miles away from me.

Keys and wallet are always present when I am dressed.

A small pocket knife and often my old Greenaway folder will also likely be included.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
When I'm in the house or just around the place I'm usually (this time of year) wearing a pair of sweatpants and a two-or-three-sizes-too-large quilted flannel shirt. There's a handkerchief in a pocket.

If I'm going to be working around the place I'm wearing sturdy boots, double-layer canvas pants, shirt, etc. In my pockets is a handkerchief and a "pocket" watch. The watch is a Timex Expedition on a "saddle." I have a short fixed blade on my belt. Because I'm within walking distance of the tools, I may have one in a pocket if I'm using it right then but generally not. There's a whistle in my pocket, for signalling "I hear you" when Mrs. Hippie bangs on the steel triangle to summon me from the estate.

Going to town I'm carrying a handkerchief, house keys, car keys, wallet, pen, watch sometimes. We live in a place with essentially zero cell service, so the phone's always off and stowed in a small bucket along with spare masks, hand sanitizer, some gloves, and other little items I may need but don't need to actually carry in my pockets. There's a "Leatherperson" on my belt, a bottle opener on my keyring along with a 4-inch crescent wrench. I also toss things in the bucket that I want to remember to take, like the bag of dead batteries that needs to be recycled, invoices that need to be paid, or things that need parts for repair.

Looks like my main EDC item is a handkerchief.

O.H.
 
EVERYDAY:
Wedding ring
Gold, plain
Left hand

Watch (not a smart watch)
Swiss Watch Company ARK
Left wrist

Wallet (with only the essentials)
Skinth
Right front pocket

Phone
S22 Plus
Left front pocket

Keys
3
On the belt


WORK DAYS/ BUSY DAYS:
Pocket knife
TRM Nuetron II, carbon fiber
Right front pocket

Flashlight
Reylight Pineapple mini, titanium
Left front pocket

Handkerchief
Black
Right back pocket



DAYS OFF/ VACATION:
All the same except...
The knife gets traded for an Opinel #8.
Flashlight might stay home.


IN A SUIT:
Like a day off, but Opinel gets subbed for a SAK Alox Bantam.


I cannot stress enough how useful a very small pocket flashlight is!
 
I carry a simple wallet in my front left pocket. It is a single pouch that is made out of duct tape. I happened to see them in a barrel at Smokey Mountain Knife Works while waiting to check out. Before that, I was carrying my stuff loose in my pocket, which wasn't good. I keep my smartphone in the same pocket.

I carry a Spyderco Endura clipped to the inside of my belt on my right rear. Mostly when wearing jeans. When wearing jeans, I also carry a Cold Steel Tuft Lite with a serrated blade, in the 5th pocket.

When I am wearing other kinds of pants, I will usually carry a 3" (or so) knife clipped on the inside of my right front pocket. I will typically select a knife that has scales that match the color of the pants I am wearing.

Keys will also go in the right front pocket along with a Sharpie. I clip a pen to the collar of my t-shirt, which is inside of my regular shirt.

Watch battery died during lockdown...
 
Keys, Wallet, iPhone, Eyeglasses, Pocket Knife

Those are what I EDC with me almost everywhere. I think that's the correct order of importance too. I will switch out the pocket knife to the situation. A Para 3 Lightweight is usually my everywhere knife, but I may go smaller depending on the outfit. May add a pen depending on the scenario as well, but not always.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
When I was working and socially active, I would always have a knife, multitool, light, pen, phone, and an assortment of other goodies on me. Always. Often two phones as well (work and personal).

Nowadays, with disability, I might only leave the house a couple of times a week. On the days when I don't go anywhere, my "stuff" is kept accessible, but might not necessarily be in the pocket. Beside me is good enough.

If I am leaving the house, I might well load up the pockets, but less heavily than in the past. I also carry different things to what I might carry or keep accessible at home.

Pen:
Fountain pens are kept handy at home, but a ballpoint and small notebook is carried when going out.

Multitool:
A Victorinox Spirit or similar is kept accessible at home, but I tend to carry smaller plier tools, or just a Swiss knife when going out.

Torch:
I will normally have a CR123 or AA torch when I go out, but am happy with AAA lights indoors.

Pocket knife:
I have a Victorinox Manager on my keys, and will often have a traditional penknife when I go out. About the house, I am more likely to have a one hand opening slipjoint folder of 60mm to 75mm blade length. Sometimes a sheath knife will be kept handy instead.

Wallet:
Only put in the pocket when I go out, and sometimes I'll not bother, and just carry a bit of cash instead. Either way, I'll aim to carry just enough to carry out what ever function I am leaving the house for, to get a taxi home from where ever I am going if a health crash means I can't get back on foot, plus enough for a drink and/or bite to eat while I'm out. So unless I'm going shopping, £10 to £20 should be plenty.

Glasses:
Around the house, I tend to keep my reading glasses on, and only switch to distance glasses and pocket the reading specs when I go out.

Phones:
Not carried at home, and may well be turned off. When going out, I might carry one, but might still keep it turned off.

In short, my EDC used to be essential, and I needed to have any eventuality covered for peace of mind. Nowadays, I don't need the luggage, and only carry what I might gemuinely need, and try to keep it simple and lightweight. I may or may not add a hanky and other peripherals.
 

David

B&B’s Champion Corn Shucker
Cards/ID/Insurance in front left pocket, chapstick and Spyderco in front right pocket, orbit wintergreen in back left pocket, for that just brushed clean feeling.
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
Slim wallet in front right packet. Pocket knife clipped deep carry in front right pocket, phone in front left pocket. Eyeglasses on face. That's about all I carry edc. I bring in keys, earbuds, chapstick etc as needed.
 
Wallet, keys, small pocket pedometer, wrist watch, pen (fountain or ballpoint) and a small notebook in my shirt pocket, handkerchief (My dearly beloved makes custom handkerchiefs for me, four of which are shown in the attachment.
 

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I hate the term EDC as it now encompasses: Firearms, pens, wallets, phones, keys, knives and anything else someone might carry on their person.

I really agree. I never thought of my pens, keys, wallet and phone as EDC stuff.

These are just the normal basic mandatory things that about everyone carries when they leave the house.

It's like calling a wristwatch an EDC item!.

Would my belt be considered EDC?
 
Probably due to getting old and forgetful, have taken a walk on the wild side, and now put all my EDC belongings in a Man Bag. Everything in one place, no more swearing and cursing when I cant find my key, sunglasses wallet etc.
Bag strap fits over the right shoulder and bag tucks in under the left arm like a holster.
Now after a year of carry and my femininity phobia under control, I fit in my phone, wallet, sunglasses, small flashlight, spare pen, nail clipper, small multi tool and fixed blade.
Mbag.jpg
 
My every day, all day stuff would be car and house keys along with lip balm and a small pocket knife in either of my front pockets. There’s either a knife clipped to my right front pocket or a small neck knife in a Kydex sheath, concealed by an outer garment, and hanging by a chain around my neck. The wallet and comb go in the left rear pocket.

When I’ve got a coat or jacket on the keys go in the pockets for accessibility. The cell phone will usually go in an empty pocket of an outer garment.
 
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