My EDC Gadgets

 

EDC stands for Every Day Carry and that’s exactly what these are. They are typically small items that you can easily carry with you EVERY day. Items that you’d have with you no matter where or when you leave your home. Almost everyone will have a set of keys, phone and maybe a driver's license and some money. EDC items are with you, on you all of the time and are typically easily accessible.

The image above shows a little pouch that I always have attached to my belt or in my backpack (which is full of even more useful items). The little belt pouch, made by Case Logic, is old and very well used. I think it was originally meant to be a small camera case. It also carries a few credit cards, my driver’s license and some cash. It’s “about” the size of a deck of cards. If you ever meet me, I’ll probably have it on my belt.

In the pouch, I have THREE items that I think are KEY and ESSENTIAL to always have with me and one more “bonus” item that I’ve found to be useful.

Note that all of these items are tiny and unobtrusive. They could be carried in various ways, I just choose to keep them in my little belt pouch. They could be attached to a keychain or neck lanyard or stored in the pocket of a backpack or jacket.

 
First on my list is my Bic 4 color MINI pen. The MINI part is important since Bic does make a regular, full size 4 color pen too. I always have a pen with me and with the 4 color, I can choose inks that stand out AND, when I go Geocaching, I’ll never RUN OUT OF INK in all four colors at the same time.

The second item is a mini multi-tool made by Gerber called the “Dime”. This little thing has come in handy countless times. Although not as functional as a full sized multi-tool like my Leatherman Wave, the Dime has been all I really needed numerous times. It’s got a knife, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, pliers AND (I’ve used this many times) mini tweezers (the micro scissors are just about useless).

Third on my list is a Maglite Solitaire LED 1-Cell AAA Flashlight In a pinch, it puts out more than enough light to get the job done. Small enough to fit in my pouch, it can also hang from a keychain. It’s perfect for those times when you just need a little extra light, peeking into geocaches or finding your way back to the car. I've actually used this when scootering (before I got my handlebar mounted light) and it worked fine. Small enough to hold in my hand, I could shine it when needed (i.e. people that might not see me).

The bonus EDC item I carry is a whistle. Tiny and light, I’ve rarely used it, but I HAVE used it. In an emergency a loud whistle could be just the tool you need to draw attention to yourself or maybe even help rescuers find you. The “inconvenience” of carrying one, especially when out in the wild, is far outweighed by the survival-level usefulness it can provide.

So there you are. My 3 favorite EDC items plus a bonus item and the pouch I carry them in .

What about you? Do you have any EDC gadgets that you ALWAYS have with you? Share and let us know!

In a future post, I'll share what's in my daypack backpack. It's small and nimble as far as daypacks go, but it's PACKED with gear that is helpful, useful or will get me out of trouble.