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These everyday-carry must-haves will have you prepared for anything your day throws at you.
EDC essentials—or everyday carry, for the uninitiated—are just that: the things you have on you daily that make your life a bit easier. Everyday-carry essentials don't have to be crazy tactical, as most of our day-to-day lives don't include wilderness survival or going full Rambo into the misty mountains, but there are a handful of tools and gadgets that can help you better tackle those daily tasks without fumbling through your toolbox or kitchen drawers.
Whether it’s a small knife to open a box or a reliable pen and pad to jot down a note, these EDC essentials can fit into anyone’s daily life and provide some welcome convenience without weighing you down.
You don’t have to have a full pouch of EDC items ready to go at a moment’s notice—you’re not trying to stock a third grade classroom’s first aid kit or moonlighting as Bear Grylls, after all. Instead, think about times where you had to borrow a tool or didn’t have quick access to a useful item you needed. Take a look at where you typically carry your most-used tools and gadgets—pockets, key rings, etc.—and consider what you could add to your arsenal that would make your daily life easier. Many brands make carabiner-style key rings with added features like a bottle-opener or flashlight and many pocket knives have some sort of extra tool included that fit within their casing.
The whole point of EDC essentials is to make your life easier, so you don’t want any items where the cumbersome nature of carrying them ultimately outweighs the convenience they provide. No matter their use, you should be able to carry any EDC item on your person without being uncomfortable; the items we listed have a maximum length of 5.5 inches, ensuring they will easily fit in a pocket or bag. If the EDC item you’re eyeing includes a knife, check your local and state laws to ensure that the included blade is legal to carry before you make your purchase.
Something meant to be carried daily will need to be durable to withstand that frequency of use. Many manufacturers of EDC goods are acutely aware of this and use the most durable materials and employ wear-resistant finishes to make their essentials, such as anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and brass. And while the materials and design of most EDC essentials prioritize functionality, the style on a lot of these tools leans minimalist, so you won't look like you're going straight from the office to the campsite.
To bring you the best EDC essentials on the market, we thought about what EDC tools we use to make our lives easier on a daily basis and which ones are most frequently recommended by DIY and outdoor experts. We then reviewed both expert reviews and customer ratings to ensure the items we selected live up to their promises in terms of both form and function. We're confident you'll find something practical to either start or upgrade your EDC essentials below.
For more great additions to your everyday or adventuring gear, check out our picks for the best pocket flashlights, hiking packs, and everyday essentials.
The Melhville is a modernized carabiner/bottle opener designed with both minimalism and functionality in mind; it's carved from a single block of aluminum, making it super strong but lightweight, and the stainless steel carabiner gate has a smooth action. An anodized finish makes the Mehlville water- and corrosion-resistant, ensuring it will last you for years.
Reviewers love the looks and functionality of this tool and say it can easily hold the rest of your EDC on your belt loop. You can also clip it on your bag or backpack when traveling to keep those essentials handy.
The Free K2 is a user-friendly knife thats packs eight essential tools into a lightweight aluminum body: The blade comes in straight and serrated options, and each individual tool locks into place so you know they won't slip out during use. Each tool opens with the click of a button, so you can do tasks with one hand and won't be fumbling around trying to open and close whatever you need.
Customers love the sturdiness and comfort of the K2 and say the design makes completing tasks quick and convenient. Reviewers insist it’s “fantastic EDC for the everyman” because of its function, looks, and portability.
The Helix takes an item you probably wouldn’t give a second thought to—your keyring—and elevates it into something people are likely to actually consider and compliment. Its smart design keeps your keys secure and eliminates any unwanted bulk from your pockets; the end-tips screw on and off to make attaching keys of any size a breeze.
Reviewers say the Helix has “great build quality in hand” and love the unique design. They say the end-tips screw on securely and say they’ve had no issues with them coming undone in transit. However, if you typically carry a lot of items on your keyring, you may want something bigger as this has room for a handful of keys but would be a tight fit for more than that.
If you like quick access to your keys and want to eliminate extra baggage in your pocket, then this Midland key loop is ideal; the hook fastens securely to hang from a belt loop and easily slips on and off thanks to a curved, no-clip hook design. Cut from a block of titanium, it's highly durable with no moving parts and a bottle-opener on the bottom adds functionality.
Customers love the on/off design of this wearable keyring and feel it is the least cluttered option they've had. Reviews say the size is great and provides just the right amount of space for keys, tools, and other essentials.
The Elko more than lives up to its “minimal form, maximum utility” description with a compact, yet ample blade on one end and a multitool on the other. It can be used as a number of different EDC essentials: a pry-bar, flathead screwdriver, and bottle opener. A slip-joint lock keeps the blade secured while in use and the the stainless steel composition bolsters durability.
Customers love the looks and practicality of the Elko, saying it “bested expectations” with “a substantial blade and pry/screwdriver head.” You can throw it on your keyring for easy accessibility and it won’t take up space, but do beware: It’s so compact that you may forget it’s on your keyring—but the TSA won’t—so make sure to leave it at home when traveling.
Even though most mobile phones come with some sort of light, a single-purpose flashlight still comes in handy and will be more effective when illuminating larger spaces. This micro-sized light has three LED bulbs that give off red, white UV, and flashing lights for any unforeseen situation.
The small rectangular shape easily attaches to any keyring, backpack, or lanyard and rechargeable batteries ensure you have power when you need it. The light is water- and impact- resistant, ensuring it will last for years to come.
A pen that's literally been to the moon and back is sure to serve you well as your everyday writing implement—the Fisher Space Pen 400 was used by NASA during the Apollo 7 mission in 1968 and has been a go-to ever since, eve for people who don't commute to work on a rocket ship.
The pressurized ink cartridge allows you to write upside down, under water, and through grease; its construction is weighty without being heavy for comfort when writing and the pocket clip makes it easy to stow away.
Customers love how smoothly the pen writes and that it doesn't require that initial shaking or scribbling in order to work. For TV fans, this was also the model Jerry Seinfeld would use on set. And will you find a pen with better endorsements than space and Seinfeld? Unlikely.
Whether it's writing down grocery lists, fleeting thoughts, work reminders, or just sketching, a pocket notebook is more of an EDC essential than you think. Taking physical notes on paper also provides you an opportunity to take a break from jotting things down on your phone, reducing your daily screen use at least a little bit.
Field Notes memo books are lightweight, pliable enough to fit in a back pocket, and have just the right number of pages to stay compact. They come in ruled and graph paper, depending on your preference, and packs of three are are only $10, making them a great value.