Everyone has different needs, and this list represents what one man considers important.
Your environment and needs should influence your own selections.
Most of us wear firearms daily.
There are any number of emergencies you can encounter in your daily life. We often discuss self-defense, but what about your car breaking down or something else needing a field repair?
I have a few thoughts on the things that follow me on my treks and travails.
If you go on the internets or FaceSpace, you may run across photos of pocket dumps.
People post pics of what they have on their persons for EDC.
Knives can take many forms. For self-defense, something like the Yojimbo is an excellent choice. Other blades can serve well in more common cutting jobs.
I am fascinated by what folks prioritize for carry.
Lets talk about the gear.
Fixed blades are better for strength and safety, but folding knives can be more convenient.
A pouch like this one can organize a small collection of tools to keep in your car or in your backpack.
Learned this from my nine-fingered junior high shop teacher.
While I make knives occasionally, I have collected hundreds of knives from most production and some custom makers.
You will not find me without a blade.
Multitools are very popular for EDC duty, and for good reason. A single multitool can have pliers, cutting blades, wire cutters and screwdrivers, all in one package.
The Flashlight
Even during the daytime, darkness can encroach on your duties.
LEDs have mostly replaced less efficient incandescent bulbs.
USB rechargeable cells are now as ubiquitous as replaceable battery-powered models.
The author found KNIPEX pliers, while more expensive than many alternatives, are completely worth the price.
For decades, I relied on Made-in-the-USA flashlights from SureFire.
Streamlight built my last-issued flashlights, a Stinger and Strion, and they certainly were rugged and performed well.
The Multitool
Multitools combine many of the functions on this list.
A crescent wrench can make a great addition to an EDC kit. While box wrenches and a socket set may be a better choice in many circumstances, the crescent wrench can replace many of them in a pinch.
Later, Gerber, Leatherman, SOG, and others would bring us the common pliers-based mini toolboxes.
After a SAK Tinker, I bought an early Gerber multitool for work.
I seized many suspended license tags, fixed broken-down cars or played gunsmith with them.
When is a Zippo lighter not a Zippo lighter? When it is designed to turn a screw. The lighter insert tool kit is low profile and provides some of the most popular sizes you might need.
I also own Leatherman, SOG power pliers, and some cheap offshore knockoffs received as gifts.
All the major brands produce quality tools, so the choice of functions is up to you.
KNIPEX is a company that specializes in precision pliers.
All manner of situations can be improved with pen and paper. From taking and leaving messages to using the pen as a defensive weapon, marking tools can be valuable.
Made in Wuppertal, Germany for over 140 years, these are the gold standard.
Though they are a bit pricier than others, the pair I bought were well worth it.
The jot down most EDC appealing is the KNIPEX Cobra XS water pump pliers.
The Zippo plasma lighter does not use butane or flint. Instead, the unit is charged with a standard USB outlet.
I paid about $30 for these, and they areuber-handy.
The Wrench
Some of us resist marring up nuts with vise grips.
There, I said it.
Don’t underestimate the usefulness of a traditional wristwatch. A phone or “smart” watch will not last very long without the ability to charge them.
A crescent wrench is the proper tool for righty-tighty or lefty-loosey.
I have a four-inch alloy crescent I bought on Bezazon for less than ten dollars.
Its jaw opens to one-half an inch.
This will not replace your 3/8 socket set, but bolts back out and must be fixed, stat!
Their tips run in sizes from #0 to #4.
But there are other bits that you may need, including torx, hex and square.
Driver sets include these and can be compact to allow you to solve more problems.
Quit smoking and turn screws all in one!
The Pen and Pad
I just reviewed theTuff Writer Press Penand found it terrific.
For years, I had Pilot pens with a durable plastic barrel in my top pocket.
They were agency-provided and sturdy enough for a poke.
Lately, my favorite writing instrument is the Zebra Pens F701 which has an all-metal body and tip.
Marking pens like Sharpies are practical.
My current marker is the Milwaukee Inkzall that writes on dusty, dirty and wet surfaces.
The Lighter
If you smoke, well, yeah.
Did you know the BIC lighter is named after Marcel Bich, the French pen company founder?
Different styles of ignition are spark wheel, piezoelectric and plasma.
Fuel sources are butane, kerosene and electricity.
I replaced my dads kerosene Zippo insert with a modern USB-charged plasma model.
No more messy lighter fluid.
There are many options for mini pry bars on the market from steel, brass or titanium.
Little stuck things sometimes need leverage to cooperate.
A key chain prying tool can bring other functions.
The Watch
We are a long way from back when gentlemen wore mechanical pocket watches.
A wristwatch is still in demand for displaying the time at a glance.
Still, it wont hammer, cut, pry, tighten screws or bolts or start an intentional fire.
