Simple EDC

I am going to do one of those obnoxious “this is my EDC kit” posts. Because I want to talk about the desire some people have in the community to carry too much stuff. Obviously, everywhere I go I have my phone and my wallet, because you need those things. Here are the two EDC items I always carry.

simple edc

A Lone Wolf Tactical Armorer’s Tool and a flashlight. The light pictured is a LED Lenser P3 and it’s awesome because it’s lightweight, and handles all the illumination tasks I could need it to.

Not pictured is my gun, because I don’t carry every day – some days I can’t, because I’m travelling and they frown on bringing a .38 on planes. Knives are frowned as well, but the first thing I do when I get my checked bag is grab my knife. Also not pictured: a bunch of ridiculous bullcrap and a manpurse. Here’s the thing that people don’t understand – preparedness is a lot easier when you do it in a layered approach. For example, I have five of these AAA 121-Piece Road Trip First Aid Kit. One in my house, one in my office, and one in each car. That way I’m never really far from a reasonable first aid kit. I keep a travel emergency kit in our cars as well, so that I can do useful things like “signal for help” or “re-inflate a flat tire.”

Remember, we’re talking EDC here, not “it’s the end of the world as we know it.” A reasonable person’s risk assessment should look at the three places they spend the most time (at home, at work, in the car) and plan accordingly. If you spend a lot of time at the range, you might want to get a blowout kit as well in case of an accidental (or intentional) GSW.

You probably don’t need to keep fishing line in your EDC kit. Remember, we’re not talking about bug-out bags here, this is your “I leave the house every day with this stuff” kit. Glowsticks, thermal blankets and fishing line make perfect sense in a BOB, but come on, EDC? I think not. For me, the bare essentials for EDC are simple: a good knife, a good light, and (when allowed) a good gun. I see EDC pics every day that trigger my internal BS alarms, because seriously who carries a Glock 17, two spare mags, three knives, two flashlights, and a j-frame?

12 Comments

  1. Gerber Evo jr, Streamlight ProTac 2 AAA, HKS speed loader, Ruger SP101 2.25 .357 with CrimsonTrace grips in a Simply Rugged Pancake holster.

    Of course, there is a old backpack in the truck stuffed with crap I’ll probably never need.

  2. In the jacket of seasonally appropriate weight I always have on or with me (Yay temperate climate!) I have a Leatherman Squirt Es4(?) on my keychain, a little flashlight in one outer pocket and a small can of pepper spray in the other. Inside pockets on the jacket have a space pen, small notepad, handkerchief or packet of tissues, and Burt’s Bees lip balm. I also have a butane lighter and SOG sharpener cause they weigh nothing and don’t take up any real pocket room.

    The little multi-tool handles all the personal grooming and honey-dos that come up when I am out and about. I am the shade-tree electrician in my monkeysphere so I get called on for little tasks and that particular Squirt is built for it. The lip balm can be used in a pinch to touch up a scuffed shoe (assuming one wears grown-up leather shoes).

    In my pant’s pockets are the wallet, challenge coin, and pocket knife. On the belt or secured, depending on if I can take it into a given location, is the LW Cmdr and 2 mags.

    Really none of that is anything I would call “EDC gear”, except maybe the sharpener. Every bit of pocket litter I carry every man would be expected to have handy just a few decades ago as part of normal life, not “preparedness.”

    In the car is the bigger seasonal bag o’ crap, bigger multi-tool(s), wine service (EDC with -style!-), addl various knives, binos, and things in the glove box, and usually my tools for work in the trunk. Even in my little coupe I physically can’t possibly put enough “EDC/BOB” stuff in it to weight or cube it out. If I’m not with it, I’m at home with my other piles of cool crap. I don’t need to carry a belt pouch or anything absurd.

  3. I work private inspection in a southwest major city. And yes my etc consists of 1 of 3 ( glock 19, HK USA compact, Sig p228. Two spare mags, a spydie endura, a spydie native v, a cold steel ti-lite, and a perin street beat. Along with a Leatherman wave, a surefire e2d, and a surefire backup. and either a 442,or P7. Summer or winter.

  4. Wallet, keys, Swiss Army Knife, Streamlight ProTac 1L, Benchmade Griptillian. Done

  5. That just fine….you wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve seen… partially why I always carry. SHUDDDDER

  6. Heck, I carry even less than that- a CRTK Ken Onion folder and a cell phone.

    First, I can’t tote a pistola in PNG, so that’s right out.

    Second, I’m not often out and about at or even near nighttime. And if I am, then a flashlight does get added to the mix, in my case a cheap one with both white and red LED lights. The red LED is especially helpful during late night potty breaks when the power is out.

    Third, for trips to town, I do tote a small messenger bag- because PO Books, check books, receipts, pens, and other needed paperwork is a pain to tote in pockets, and everyone here carries a bag of some sort. On it I clip one of those Streamlight mini’s for the occasional need of light. And tote some essential items for life in the third world- advil, antacids, hand sanitizer…

  7. Streamlight Stylus Pro (Amazon had them on sale a while back & I ordered 4 — they’re small, cheap, and they take standard batteries) & a Spyderco Lum Chinese with me at all times. Lately my EDC gun is a S&W 642 because I have an OWB holster for it and I can get away with that in the winter. I put on some weight and my Glock or BHP in an IWB don’t fit. Oy. What’s funny is that the flashlight is most often used for locating dog poop on my pre-dawn walks with the dogs. The Spyderco is mostly used for opening packages. And that’s just fine. If that’s all they’re ever called on to do, I’ll consider it a huge success.

    Its funny how some people do — or don’t — get the value in basic tools. I gave one of the Streamlights to my wife for her purse. She thought I was being ridiculous and only begrudgingly carried it. Then the power went out in her office building and she was the only one able to go to the bathroom :-). The light (literally) went on that day.

    Conversely, I was in my office (back when I worked for other people) when our receptionist was struggling to open a big shipping box. I cut the heavy packing tape, opened it up for her and then broke down the box. She was grateful until she saw the fairly modest size blade. I got the full freakout, “Why in the world would you carry something like that?!!!” Um, to do stuff like I just did — open a box you struggled with for 20 minutes before I came along?

    I got the much the same reaction from an even more innocuous piece of gear. I always keep a couple of safety pins on my key ring, at least one medium and one small. They’re extremely handy and don’t take up any room. A colleague broke the zipper on her skirt just before a client meeting. I unhooked one of the safety pins and we repaired her skirt. She appreciated it but asked, “Why do you have safety pins with you?” without a hint of irony. The concept of being prepared to fix a popped collar button or skirt zipper was completely foreign, much less improvising a sling, opening a stuck DVD drive, fixing a jammed printer or even getting a stubborn peppercorn out of your teeth. Here’s your sign. http://www.cmt.com/videos/bill-engvall/92487/heres-your-sign.jhtml

  8. S&W Shield w/ 2 spare mags. Spyderco Manix 2, which is the actual EDC knife. Graham Knives Razel, worn weak-side; more of a tool, and more innocuous due to its lack of a point, but can be a capable defensive knife when needed. SOG Slim Jim in the strong-side cargo pocket; this is a SHTF sort of backup; only weighs 2 oz. Zebralight SC52W, the best EDC light I have found thus far. Lighter. CRKT pen. Olight penlight in the key case (BTW, key cases are great — much better than a ring). Swisstech Utili-key, also in the key case. Lastly, I am planning to go back to carrying a BUG, prob. a S&W 642.

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