What is my Every Day Carry?

Law

Unlike most of the US channels that show their EDC many a packing a side arm, a full blade, flick knife of some description. Even if I was allowed to carry a side arm I don’t feel the need to and same with the knife. I have no need for it. But I do carry a multi-tool.

I see most of these channels going on about protecting themself, and or if they get in to an altercation then they can protect… First of all you need to learn to “read the room” and remove yourself before any altercation happens. Stop putting yourself in area’s where you think you may need a gun. I can already hear some of my American peps going off the rails here… Avoid putting yourself there in the first place. Second if you feel so unsafe in your own neighborhood/country that you must carry a side arm then there there is a serious problem in the world.

I don’t always carry a dedicated knife as an EDC as such;

1. It is illegal here in NZ to be carry a knife with out good cause. (ie; it is used for work, and you are going to or from work can be a bit of a grey area etc.)
2. I don’t see the need due to that is the purpose of the multi-tool.
3. Even if I was allowed to for so called protection… I doubt that I would as it would just escalate any situation that I am trying to avoid.
4. However If I am out hunting, camping or doing work etc then yes I do carry a knife.

EDC Form over function or Function over Form.

Before I continue I technically have a two tier (nearly a 3 tier) system and we are talking about what I am carry if you see my in my home town on the weekend or at or after work at home etc. My tier one ED is setup targeted more for work not for emergency or survival or self protection.

My EDC is setup more towards work and functionality over form and is usually with arms reach most of the time.

One has to remember every one is different, and every one has their own set of circumstances needs and requirements and while some of the basic’s can be the same some of the little extra’s can be different. ie; in my EDC pouch I have 5 or 6 (ish) rubber hair ties… why? well I have a long (ish) beard and use them to tie my beard up to look tidy (ish) and they break quite easily so having a few to replace the one that just broke is handy. Something extra I carry that if you don’t have a beard (like mine). Another thing I carry is a couple of doggy do do bags… why? There have been many time I have forgotten to take doggy do do bags when I take Mitre my pup for a walk especially in a rush in the morning or after I just get home from work. If you don’t have a dog something you don’t need to carry.

If I did an actual full pocket dump… most likely a dog leash, a couple of dog do do bags, some dog treats, and a few other bits and bobs like screws and the like… it usually depends if I am wearing my Swanndri or other jacket?

The other thing is I am not going to spend $300 on a small mini torch just because it can shine 3000 lumes for 5 minutes and it is matching colour or made of titanium when I can pick up a useful penlight torch for $25.00 from the big box store, and that goes for the pen as well. When I want a pen I just want a pen as long as if it writes.

TECH

Mobile Phone

Andriod or iPhone… I don’t care… I personally am currently Samsung Android, Samsung Smart Watch and Ear Buds. However I have been iPhone in the past and may go back one day. Comes down to what I can afford and who has the best deal on at the time when I am needing a new phone. However personally I do prefer Android as there are more options.

My mobile phone is usually attached to me, unless on charge over night. However I have my phone not to receive phone calls, but to make them another words, I most likely won’t answer your call…(won’t hear it, see it and or don’t want to answer.) I have my mobile phone in case I need to make an emergency call. Also I use it for the camera, and other apps the device has. I also carry USB-A to USB-C charge cable. (just the cable not the plug.)

Watch of the day

While I currently only own a couple of heap watches I do plan on splashing out on a couple of dress watches as well as a couple of other mechanical  chronograph  styled watches so I an pick and choose a watch of the day.

Samsung  Galaxy Watch 2
I have a smart watch many in the EDC community don’t believe in them and I should have a good mechanical watch. I do have one as back up. However in standard mode yes I only bet a get a couple of days. But if I know I am going to be more than a couple of days I turn of all the functions ie; bluetooth and wifi and put the watch in to low power mode to give me maybe a week. If I need more than that then sure my backup mechanical watch is coming out.

Why do I simply find it easy to look at my wrist to see the time and or date. I find it cumbersome to get my phone out of my pocket just to see the time, then just as cumbersome to put back. My watch does speak to my phone so if I do receive a message my watch vibrates. (But that does not mean I will answer)

Fossil Coachman Chronograph CH2891
I also have a battery operated mechanical watch from Fossil. It is more a nice dress watch than anything else. And while mechanical ie; not 100% digital, it still requires a battery.

Stainless steel case accompanied by a brown calfskin leather cuff strap, powered by quartz movement and featuring a scratch-resistant mineral crystal. The watch boasts a black dial with skeleton hands and index hour markers, complemented by luminescent hands and markers. The date display is positioned between the 4 and 5 o’clock positions, and the watch is equipped with a tachymeter and chronograph functionality. Three sub-dials indicate 60 seconds, 30 minutes, and 24 hours. With a pull/push crown, solid case back, and secured by a tang clasp, the timepiece offers a water resistance of 100 meters. The approximate dimensions include a case diameter of 44mm and a case thickness of 13mm.

Power bank

Depending on where I am going I will through in a Power Bank ie; if we are traveling somewhere , going to a “bike rally” or “camping” or any where where we may be away from home for a couple of days. I currently have a Cygnett ChargeUp Reserve V2 20000 mAh 30w Power Bank which is ok, however it is a little bulky, but it can charge three devices simultaneously and can charge my phone 5 or 6 times.  I just throw in my watch charger and plug it in that as well.

I don’t carry this in my work pouch but in the EDC pouch that I throw in my bag when traveling etc.

EASIER LIFE

Glass Wipes

Those of us that wear glasses know how quickly they get dirty and smudges from dog kisses thinking he is cleaning your glasses for you (they you have to go and clean your glasses)  to just finger prints to dust and grim. I normally carry a couple of these wipes for my glasses. Also handy for cleaning my phone or camera lens (if I am carrying my one of my camera’s) or laptop screen etc.

Band Aids

You never know when you are going to cut or graze yourself and a simple band aid is enough, just to stop the blood going every where. Also you never know for some one else when you are out and about. I don’t call this a first aid kit but I all it a BooBoo kit.

Pain Killers

Another thing I usually carry is some pain killers, in the form of Ibuprofen or Paracetamol or what ever else possible like some Codeine etc. Usually a single blister pack of each. You never know when you will get a head ache or need  them to numb general life 😉

Other pills
I usually have a a couple of Paracetamol plus a few with with Codeine, Ibuprofen, Tramadol, a couple of Voltaren as well as some Imodium.

Pen

While I carry a pen, it is nothing fancy. Just a pen. Though I do prefer to carry a metal pen as the clip is less likely to break. You never know when you need to sign something or jot something down, while yes I have my mobile phone sometimes jotting things down can be quicker with pen and paper.

Notepad

At this stage I don’t carry a notepad. Though I am on the lookout for a usable solution to meet my needs though I have not truly come across a situation where I MUST HAVE or TRULY NEED a notebook that can not be done in another form of recording or communication.

TOOLS

Tape Measure

You don’t need a 10m or even a 8m tape measure but something like a small 1m tape measure can come in handy and you never know when you want to see if something will fit the car when you are buying something or moving furniture around, or you just need a quick measurement of something. I also sometimes have tiny 700mm tape measure depends on which case I pick for the day.

Multi-tool

I am usually carrying a multi-tool of some description, most likely one of my Leatherman’s (either the SideKick® or Free® P2). For years I use to carry a cheap unbranded multi-tool and served me well however since then I have upgraded to a Leatherman and I have multiple various brands that I have tested. (I actually think I have like 15 multi-tools of various brands) There is usually a multi-tool in the car, another on the bike (under seat) another in the office, a couple in the workshop. Another in the lounge. Xaria, will most likely have a mini multi-tool in her purse and one in her craft room etc so the are scattered about the place.

The pliers are the most handy and used the most often nearly on a daily basis, followed by the blade then pry tool/screw drivers. I have use the saw (when I was carry the SideKick®) once or twice to hack through a nylon strop tie down . While I wasn’t a big fan of the serrated blade at first, I am finding that the serrated blade is used more for cutting the pallet strops and opening cartons. I have even used the depth gauge on the table saw for a quick blade height set etc.

What I have also found is that on average most of these other brands of multi-tools while not quite as refined or as durable as the big brand like Leatherman. They will however, get the job done and get you out of pinch. I carried the Gerber Suspension NXT for a year, and have tested and carried the others for a couple of weeks each etc. They all work and got the job done that I ask of them the difference is how long would they last, that I can not answer. One must remember multi-tools shouldn’t be a primary tool more of a secondary tool to get you out of spot or if you don’t want to walk all the way back to your vehicle if you forgot say a screw driver.

Some of the brands I tested, DeWalt, Bahco, Powerbuilt, Fuller, Gerber, Leatherman Sidekick & Free P2, Axminster Brand, Trojan and a few others etc.

Click Here for the Multi-tools I have used and tested.  I usually carry one of my Leathermans as my EDC Multi-tool (Lately the Free P2 and looking at getting the Surge).

Knifes

Whilst I don’t always carry a dedicated knife as such other than my Leatherman I do own a couple of cheaper knifes that I sometimes carry depending situation, ie; camping, hunting. As stated I usually am carry a multi-tool usually one of my Leathermans and the other multi-tools I usually scattered about the place. ie; one in the car, on the bike (under seat)

• Gerber Paraframe II Clip Folding Knife
• Honey Badger Flipper – Medium. While this is an okay knife I did loose a small screw on it but is still ok.
• Buck Bantam 286 with break-up Camo
• Victorinox Spartan. Black. Printed with Placemakers logo. (Other half works at Placemakers) I have had this since she started there and it has been used and abused. I should actually go and sharpen it.
• Unbranded multi-tool pocketknifes. (I have a few)
• Small pocket knife from CAT.
• Various Utilities knifes

Adjustable Spanner/Wrench/Crescent

I have recently added a small 4″ crescent or adjustable spanner.

Side Cutters

I also carry a small set of side cutters or snip pliers.

Pen Srewdriver Set

This small pen screw set. Basically a small jewelers set for fixing small toys, a pair of glasses, or a variety of other things. It has a variety of bits in the handle from  flat, philips, robbinson, torques and are stored in the body of the pen.

Snow Flake Tool Multi-tool

It has different drivers and spanners, including a bottle opener it is light weight and flat and fits into a pouch pocket with out taking up too much space. I don’t know how well it would work, on certain things or the durability of it, due to it being made of It is an alloy. However even it just lasts the one time I do use it then it has served its purpose in life. This was just bought off Temu and to be fair cost may $4.00. Originally it had a key ring however I took that off and threw it in to one of the pockets of my EDC pouch.

Small Prybar (Multi-tool)

To be honest again I have never used this due to the fact I use my multi-tool.  While it is not sold as a prybar it could be used to open paint cans maybe. It also apparently has a box cutter, can/bottle opener, wrenches and flat head screw driver as well as small ruler that an be hung from the in built carabiner. Here is the one that is in my work pouch.

SURVIAL

String

This isn’t standard string and is stronger than standard off the shelf string. I use it regularly from tying things down on the bike to get it home to using it as a boot lace to many other things it is about three metres long and yes I will cut a bit off if I need a short bit. Sometimes I may carry some paracord if we go camping, or touring on the bikes or as a tie down on a trailer etc.

Paracord Bracelet

I wear a paracord bracelet on my right wrist. I simply made it myself as a supply out of paracord. Why? well if I need paracord I have some and it is not taking up space in my kit.. All I need to do is cut the stopper knot off and I will be able to be unravel it to a three metre (3m) or roughly  ten foot (10f) piece of four milli-metre (4mm) paracord that can be used for a variety things in an emergency from a fishing line, tying branches together to make a make shift bivouac, or if you have a small tarp string it to to make an emergency shelter. It can be used to make a make shift tourniquet or with some small branches used to make a brace for a broken limb or it can even used to start a fire. You never know what you may use it for.

I had to recently remake mine because there was left over pizza from a work shout and I had to bring it two whole pizza’s home on the bike. I used my paracord to strap the boxes to the back seat and off I went.  My bracelet is made out of 425 paracord not 550. 425 paracord has a tensile strength of around 425 lb which is roughly 192kg and considering I am only 68-75kg (depending) 75 kg fully clothed and boots etc. The paracord in theory can carry 2.5 of me. However I would not really want to be using it for this in the first place.

Now I don’t make anything fancy with it mine is just a basic Cobra lanyard style knot nothing complicated and took maybe 15 minutes to make after a quick refresher howto on a youtube video (Use to make them when I was in my young teens like 45 years ago.

Click here to read why I wear three (now four) and the meaning behind them.

Lighter

I carry a cheap Bic lighter wrap in about 1 metre of 4 mm paracord with a carabiner connected to a my main slightly larger carabiner which hanging off my trousers belt loop. My keys also hang off this same main carabiner.

Torch

Carrying a torch is handy for a multiple of reasons from if you drop something under the bed or in the dark corner of your workshop or house. Also for my early morning walks, and also walking dog in the morning picking up his doggy do do… I also use it at work when doing a tool change over on the press machine. I actually do use it daily for a multiple things and reasons. Maybe one day I may need it if the car breaks down at night in the middle of nowhere or just changing a tyre at night somewhere.

I don’t have one of those “fancy dancy tactical torches”, I have a cheap Pen Torch from the big box store. I like it because it fits in my pen pocket of my overalls when I am at work. It’s only 100 Lumes, and IPX4 rated but more than meets my requirements and needs. However I may upgrade later on.

Another torch I have which is Okay… from Stanley is pretty cheap and works, it is again not the brightest, but is compact for your pocket, light, and an aluminum body.

However I am looking at getting the I5R EOS from Olight.

Bits and pieces

My pouch also carry a few other bits and pieces or bits and bobs like; small prybar multi-tool, a sim card tool, small canister that hold my Paracetamol, hair ties/small rubber band (beard ties.) Emergency cash (around $20-$30), Small carabiner on the zip, USB-A to USB-C charge cable.

Carry Pouch

I am getting my other half to make a couple for me to test and see how they work out and currently I am using Mark III or version 3, so a few bugs to work out get the size and inner pouches right to meet my needs. We both reckon version 9 or 10 might be right.

In the pouch which I carry in my day bag or work bag. I carry a few extra things.

• The booboo kit is expanded a little more. There are few extra types of band aids, alcohol cleaning pads, and dressing pads, The pain killers I also have Voltaren, Paracetamol + Codeine Phosphate, I also carry some Imodium as well.
• String. It doesn’t have to be paracord as I wear a paracord bracelet. However make sure it is stronger than just standard string. I have this in my kit due to I don’t want to use my paracord unless it is an emergency… ie; as above with the pizza… wasn’t really an emergency.
• Power pack and charging cable for my phone.
• Hair ties and rubber band hair ties. I use these to tie my beard, the rubber ones break pretty easy. But they can be used for other things as well.
• Small Victorinox Spartan pocket knife
• Small pen bit screw driver with the bits in the body of the driver.

My load out for when say I am walking dog, going to a friends place, going to the shop or into town, is less complex with similar boo boo kit, pen, pocket knife, torch tape measure. and few other bits and bobs. Remember my Leatherman and main Pocket knife are separate carry.