Welcome to the Outdoor Gear List self-help corner! Today I’m going to talk about the things I carry with me when I’m out hiking. But today we’re not talking about hiking gear, but rather about items that enhance my abilities and skills, helping me get by without relying on others and thus becoming a better version of myself. Thanks to these items, my mental health is now better because I cry and swear a lot less. These things are always with me everywhere and help me be more productive in my daily activities. It’s a system. This system is called EDC.
What Is EDC?
The abbreviation “EDC” comes, like all good (and some not-so-good) things, from the good ol’ US of A and stands for “Every-Day Carry”. In other words, some things that you haul around with you every day. So, more specifically, EDC refers to the items you always carry with you — everywhere. These are the things that, at least in theory, should make you a more productive and less useless version of yourself.
Most adults have, whether they realize it or not, their own EDC system — the set of things they simply can’t leave the house without. Odds are, you’ve got one too, even if you’ve never thought of it that way. The most basic and minimalist version is the golden trio: keys, phone, and wallet. Of course, if you’re a hippie, chances are you don’t even need any of those. It all depends on the person and their needs. For a wine enthusiast, carrying a corkscrew might be essential because you never know when and where you might need to open a bottle of wine.
EDC refers to the items you always carry on your person. Not in your car or in your bag, because those items are of little use when you are away from your car or bag. And that’s usually exactly when you need them. So these are the things that are in your pockets, around your neck, on your wrist, etc. Things that come with you even when you just pop out to grab your neighbour’s parking space for a moment. Assuming you don’t do it naked. Your EDC goes with you to work, to the store, and out on the trail.
Why EDC?
There are many reasons to carry things with you. These reasons can be, for example, necessity, utility, or readiness.
Most EDC items have practical value, and they help us cope better in everyday life. However, we should still approach this system with common sense and only carry those items that we will definitely use.
You also shouldn’t underestimate the psychological value of carrying the right gear. Knowing that you can handle situations on your own makes you feel more confident. You can be sure that at least you are no longer the same loser you were before creating your EDC system.
It also feels good to be able to help others in an emergency. Let’s be honest — knowing that you can handle things more efficiently than others because you are prepared also gives a certain satisfaction. Humans are competitive by nature, after all, and deep down we all like to feel just a little bit more capable than the others. By helping others, you caress your feelings.
And of course, there’s the simple desire to be as independent from other people as possible. It’s not exactly fun having to borrow a pen from the same coworker once again, knowing it full well he’s thinking, “You damn idiot — just go buy yourself a pen already!”. It’s much nicer to be the one thinking that instead.
How to Build an EDC System?
First, you should realize that you sometimes need some accessories to carry out basic daily activities. For example, you need keys to get back into your house. You’ll want a wallet if you plan to exchange money for a hamburger. And having a phone is useful if you ever need to call for help. Carrying just these three items already makes you significantly less of a burden to those around you.
On top of that, you could also carry a few other smaller items that help reduce other people’s contempt for you. For example, a compact flashlight is a solid everyday companion, especially when navigating dark environments or power outages. Let your phone’s flashlight be the backup for when your actual flashlight dies. Having a few small but functional items on hand can help you become the one who offers help instead of always needing it. And let’s be honest — it’s much nicer to be the helper than the helpless, isn’t it?
Since, as we all know, carrying stuff around isn’t exactly anyone’s favorite activity, it makes sense to strike a balance between discomfort and functionality. After years of consciously practicing this, I’ve come to realize a simple truth: the fewer items you carry, the more comfortable you’ll ultimately be. If something is too bulky, too heavy, or poorly secured, it will sooner or later end up being left at home.
Therefore, when putting together your EDC system, it makes sense to start with one core principle: every item should be as comfortable to carry as possible. At the same time, it should serve a clear practical purpose — and ideally, more than one. There’s no point in lugging things around “just in case” you might need them someday. The exception, of course, is self-defense tools — their absence might very well mean you won’t be needing the rest of the tools ever again.
My EDC List
Some of the items are from AliExpress — for one of the following reasons:
- The only option to get the item from
- The item is really good
- Poverty
The List
- Keychain – Keeps the essential door openers in one place. Also holds other small items that might secretly detach themselves from my person, like a small flashlight, lighter, and whistle. The carabiner helps prevent losing the whole setup.
- Mini flashlight – One of the most essential items — something you’ll always end up needing. A phone’s flashlight just doesn’t cut it: the beam is weak, it drains your battery, and you might drop your phone fumbling around in the dark. That’s why I’ve opted for a proper keychain flashlight that offers a good balance between size, weight, and brightness. If you’re into it, feel free to carry a tactical flashlight on your belt — I don’t bother. I instead carry the Nitecore Tiki, which does the job nicely. Just don’t confuse a proper keychain flashlight with those sad little “keyhole-finders” some people clip to their keyrings.
- Lighter – Housed in a waterproof case and fueled with Zippo liquid fuel. Useful for lighting a campfire and offering someone a light. I personally use the True Utility FireStash lighter, but if waterproofing is not important, you can use a higher-quality grocery store lighter, such as a BIC Mini.
- Whistle – Handy for signaling. In an emergency, shouting is pretty useless — your voice won’t carry far, won’t give rescuers a clear direction, and it won’t last long. A whistle, on the other hand, is loud, sharp, and takes far less effort. If your companion also carries one, you can even communicate in the woods using simple 1-2-3 signal patterns.
- Phone – Just a random Samsung. Good for making calls and watching cat videos. But also handy for working, investing, paying for stuff in the store, and positioning my cadaver if necessary. It’s also useful for capturing legally important moments when life gets a little spicy.
- Wallet – I can’t stand big, bulky wallets. In the front pocket, they bulge too much and make the genital area look deceptively large — but I don’t like to cheat. When worn in the back pocket, however, they are often the main culprit behind exposing the wearer’s butt crack. So after some trial and error, I ended up with the smallest possible wallet that still holds all my essentials: 12 cards, some cash, and even a few coins. Since it’s a bit tight, it can be slightly fiddly to use at times, but the compact size more than makes up for it. Oh, and one more thing: the limited space keeps all kinds of random junk from piling up in there. Like photos of women and children and all that kind of sentimental stuff, you know.
- Small knife – One of the most essential items. Forget about the big and badass survival knives — the only real survival knife is the one you actually have with you. Ideally, you should always carry a small but sturdy knife that can handle moderately forceful manipulation. A knife with these qualities is typically a full-tang knife, meaning the blade and handle form one continuous piece of metal along the entire length and width of the handle. With such a knife, you can even process some firewood if needed. Since I often end up in the wilderness unexpectedly — sometimes even to my own surprise — my EDC knife is a fixed-blade Schrade SCHF16. If the chance of getting into nature is low, a high-quality folding knife will do in a pinch. But then again, if you consider yourself an outdoorsman…
- Mini first aid kit – Contains a minimal supply of essential pills and a few band-aids. As for the pills, only the absolute basics: a painkiller, an antihistamine, and loperamide — to fight the sudden toothaches, allergic reactions, or surprise attacks from cacteria*. Besides being useful for myself, this little kit has repeatedly helped patch up other people as well.
(*cacteria = cacca (la “poop”) + bacteria — stomach bugs) - Pepper gel (Sabre Red) – Primarily for keeping unruly beasts in check.
- Leatherman Wave + – The world’s best-selling multitool. Smaller models fall short in terms of full functionality and ergonomics, while larger ones are too bulky for everyday carry. The selection of tools on this model is among the most versatile compared to other multitools.
- Sunglasses – Preferably polarized, because if you happen to be a fisherman (or fisherwoman), you might occasionally need to stop on a bridge and check if there are any fish in the river.
- Tactical pen – A pen in a robust metal shell. Helps subdue bad guys and smash car windows. Also writes. Lets you be the one wondering why that idiot doesn’t have a pen.
- Marker – Deli. Double-ended, with 1 mm and 0.5 mm tips. Writes on everything a regular pen won’t. The tip lasts longer than most other markers. The caps stay on tight — it once accidentally went through a washing machine in the pocket of light-colored pants and came out in perfectly clean pants an hour later!
- Small compass – Helps you find your way both in the woods and in the urban jungle. It has proven useful in totally unexpected situations — like getting lost in the catacombs of Malta. Its tiny footprint means it’s always with you, even when you don’t expect to need a compass. Best if made by a reputable brand.
- 550 Paracord – Cord? For what? As the saying goes: “There’s only one thing you can’t do with a rope – push it.” Parachute cord (aka paracord) is a strong and versatile line that’s easiest to carry as a braided bracelet on your wrist. Store-bought paracord bracelets made just for show are mostly useless, since they don’t come undone quickly. Just imagine your friend lying pale on the ground, red fountain spurting from a limb, while you sit there next to him, unpicking your neat little cobra weave, hoping to rig a tourniquet using the cord and your tactical pen. The bracelet should be braided and tested by yourself. Cord might be needed at the most unexpected moment, so it should be tied in a quick-deploy pattern that comes loose in one pull. Sometimes, only a few meters of line is all it takes to pull your buddy out of the water.
- Glock 19 – Protects you from crazy two-, three-, and four-legged threats. Something you carry around hoping you’ll never need it, but wouldn’t want to be without if you do. Naturally, it requires a valid firearms license.
As you can see, the entire setup is actually quite compact and functional, especially when it’s comfortably and efficiently mounted on your person.
A Few Words On Clothing
Now that all this stuff is gathered together, it needs to be hung on you in the most user-friendly way possible. That’s where clothing comes into play. I hope this advice is useful for women too, as there are plenty of ladies these days who prefer wearing practical pants—and none of the brands mentioned below will leave you stranded.
Personally, I lean towards tactical clothing in my daily life, but the kind that doesn’t draw too much attention. So, dark colors, simple cuts, and so on. Generally, I’ve settled on mostly black clothing in the urban jungle, ranger green layers on hiking trails, and when wandering off the beaten path, some kind of camo—mostly Finnish M05 or PenCott Wildwood. As for colorful hiking tights — not exactly what this site is about, but more on that in the future.
When it comes to clothing, two elements matter the most:
- Pants
- Footwear
The rest can be whatever — or nothing at all. As long as it doesn’t block access to your pants and footwear.
Pants should be:
- ergonomic
- comfortable
- functional
- stylish
- with pockets
My longtime favorite pants have been the 5.11 Tactical Icon Pant. They’re incredibly comfortable, have just the right amount of stretch in all the right places, come with the right amount of pockets (but not too many), and they look sharp. The waistband is flexible, and the cut is fairly slim, which suits my style. I own several pairs in different colors.
I wear them even during the coldest winter days — sometimes paired with grandpa’s long johns underneath — because I just don’t want to give up their functionality, even in freezing weather. The two small front pockets are perfect for carrying a phone and wallet. They also come in a women’s version.
In the end, nothing should bulge, poke, or flap around. That said, it’s good to leave a little extra room for unexpected moments.
Footwear might not seem all that important from an EDC perspective, since you don’t really stuff anything inside or attach anything to them. So, wouldn’t flip-flops do just fine? Actually, good shoes help you perform essential actions efficiently—things like running, jumping, climbing, striking, and so on. In a critical situation, a good pair of shoes can therefore save your life—just make sure to tie those laces properly. After all, part of the whole EDC idea is getting home alive at the end of the day. Flip-flops won’t get you home alive. Hell, they might not even get you out of the house alive!
And don’t underestimate the ability of footwear to hide your ugly toes.
Footwear doesn’t necessarily need steel toes or puncture-resistant S3 category safety soles. A regular toe and sole will do just fine — even if some ultra-macho types believe that real shoes don’t need a toe at all, or that a true man walks on S3-rated calluses.
A few useful brand names: Lowa, Salomon Forces, Haix
Final Words
So, that’s my personal EDC list — hopefully it gives you some inspiration to build your own set of everyday essentials and be a little less of a useless wimp in daily life. I’ll try to keep this list up to date if I swap some items out for better versions. Feel free to drop a comment and let me know what’s in your EDC setup, if you’ve got one.
This was a modest contribution to the Outdoor Gear List self-help section — a small reminder that, in the end, you’ve mostly got to count on yourself. As some wise man may or may not have once said: “Trust in God, but keep your diaper dry“.
If you’re now interested in creating a similar system for yourself, you can find the necessary items by clicking the button below.