EDC or Every Day Carry is a term that I first heard about years ago to describe the tools and implements one could carry with them every day to either assist them with some of life’s minor inconveniences or in a worst case scenario, to help them survive. It’s the tools that each prepper should have on them at all times so they can deal with whatever Murphy in his insane cruelty, throws at you.
I might have first been exposed to the term EDC, by Nutnfancy who has a very interesting video that covers his own take on what he includes in his Every Day Carry among other topics. Regardless of where it came from I have thought about my own personal EDC every single day since then. I think about my own EDC every time I get dressed or at a bare minimum when I am leaving the house. I have worked for years on my EDC items so that I have systems in place for various needs or situations but my normal EDC load is pretty simple and consistent so that all I do when I leave the door is tap my body in the places where all my gear should be sitting or placed, then when comfortable with the knowledge that I haven’t forgotten anything I can walk out the door. You can read more about my personal EDC that I carry most days if you are looking for ideas on what to consider for your Every Day Carry.
Of course what I carry with me changes with the way I am dressed or the place I am going from time to time and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to write this post. I wanted to share some of what I carry for various seasons and wardrobe options and how that changes with the colder weather and give you a way to share what you carry and possibly win something in return. (Keep reading)
For my own personal EDC I like to make sure I have the following items with me at all times.
On body EDC
- Concealed carry handgun – In the summertime this is a KelTec P3AT in a DeSantis Nemesis G3 pocket holster. Why this model? For two reasons, first it is simple to carry and I never have to worry about someone hugging me and asking (what is that?) when their arms go around my back. Plus I think it is easier to draw that pistol from my pocket as opposed to underneath a tucked in shirt. I know there will be commenters that talk about the effectiveness of the .380 cartridge and I agree that it is not as good an option as either a .9 or a .45 caliber subcompact. I agree and that is what I am saving my money for. Those Glock 30S’ aren’t cheap.
- Knife – In the summer I carry a Kershaw Leek because if I have to clip it on my front pocket, it is small enough that it doesn’t interfere with my draw of the KelTec. As with my choice of concealed carry some will say this blade is woefully unable to do anything major in a survival scenario. I agree that this is not as good as my main survival knife, the Gerber LMF II, but that isn’t what we are talking about here.
- Multi-tool – A Leatherman Charge is my go to multi-tool but on business trips I don’t necessarily want to carry this on my belt in dress pants. There are smaller and more diminutive options that I would carry like the Leatherman Squirt if I was concerned with size and in a pair of shorts in the summertime, a smaller option is preferred.
- Flashlight – Fenix LD10 which I believe has been replaced by the LD12. It is small and uses a single AA battery but it cranks out over 125 lumens so it is plenty bright for most any scenario.
- Handkerchief – Or Bandana depending on your preference. Back pocket and fits the bill for a million uses.
- Wallet – Courtesy of Saddleback Leather. I love this company and they have a 100 year guarantee on everything they make. I have the small bi-fold from Saddleback Leather and one of their bags. You won’t be disappointed with the quality.
- Watch – Casio Pathfinder. Great for hiking or just hanging around the office drinking coffee and you want to know what the Barometer is saying.
Off body but goes with me every day
- Water bottle – Currently this is a stainless steel Nalgene water bottle because if I am stranded somewhere and need to boil my water, I can do it with this container. And, it looks cooler. OK, I admitted it.
- Paracord – Just a hank of 25 feet or so.
- First aid kit – Just a simple hiking first aid kit with some extra blood stoppers to account for serious injuries.
- Fire starter – This is a Bic lighter because it is more practical (not as durable) as a fire steel in most cases. My Bug Out Bag has both options.
As I said, the place I am going or what I am wearing with dictate what I carry and how I carry my EDC gear. As the weather grows cooler, I modify my EDC to account for different scenarios but mostly because my clothing options allow greater flexibility with what I carry. In the summer, I am wearing shorts and short sleeve thin shirts when I am not working. If I am working, I have pants on. So what changes do I make?
- Concealed Carry – With cooler weather I can wear jackets almost all the time so until I get that Glock 30S, my Glock 17 fits the bill. My holster changes to a Raven Concealed Phantom Modular Holster that works equally for my Glock 17 and my Glock 22. This holster holds the weapon nice and close to my side for an outside the waistband holster.
- Knife – I will change out the smaller Leek for my Spyderco Tenacious G10 or my CRKT Onion Foresight. The Spyderco knife blade isn’t too much larger, but the hand grip feels better. If I am being honest though, neither the Spyderco or the Kershaw feels anywhere near as nice as the CRKT Onion.
- Flashlight – Stays the same
- Multi-Tool – Stays the same
- Handkerchief – replaced with a fresh one. Hey, if you didn’t use it why clean it?
What’s in Your EDC?