Beyond EDC
Updated: Mar 31, 2021
Ok...so we all know what you carry on your person in the essence of EDC, but what about the items we always have with us but aren't necessarily in our pockets? There are plenty of things we need in our daily lives that don't exactly fit in our pockets. This post will be about my favorite non-pocket sized essentials.
First and foremost...The water bottle. Continually buying bottled water is silly. It's wasteful, gets warm, and can get expensive. Investing in a high quality reusable water bottle is the first thing you should do if you haven't done so already. My favorite is the Hydroflask. This particular model holds 24oz and has a screw off wide-mouth opening, I prefer the models without the straws because they are easier to clean and I personally find them more refreshing to drink from. It keeps things cold for hours and is classy yet durable. Nothing fancy here, just quality. 8.5/10
The Bag. We all have "stuff". I like to leave the house with nothing more than what I can carry in my pockets, but more often than not I have at least one item I need to bring with me that will not fit in my pockets, hence the bag. In my day to day routine I typically like to carry a high quality leather messenger bag. If I'm going off the beaten path, obviously different choices would be made, but we'll get to that in a future post. For taking care of my daily routine around town, a messenger bag is more than sufficient. I also don't like to get hung up on brand names. There are some instances where choosing tried and true brands make sense. Selecting a daily carry bag is not one of them. I happen to love the DHK 18 Inch Vintage Handmade Messenger Bag. It is sturdy, comfortable to carry, and can carry a pretty serious laptop, plus whatever else you need. It also has a very classic style to it. You will get compliments on this bag, I guarantee it. Plus it's very reasonably priced at around $70USD on Amazon right now.
The mags. If you carry a pistol, you should always carry 1-2 spare magazines somewhere that you can always reach quickly should the worst happen. I keep mine in the outside pocket of my messenger bag. Lord knows we don't want you to get into a fight, but if you do, you'll want to be ready.
The fire. I don't smoke (aside from the occasional cigar), but having a way to make a fire is always a good idea. I'll make another post on my Emergency Kit, which is always nearby, but at the very least, I always have a water bottle and a way to make fire with me. For this purpose, I like to choose a high quality butane lighter. It will light pretty much no matter what and is not overly impacted by the wind. Pretty much any one you select will work. Just read reviews first. The link below is what I am currently carrying in my bag. It gives you some reach, as well as a backup lighter should something happen to the first.
We'll discuss emergency kits and what you should keep in your vehicle a little later, but this is just a little taste of my expanded EDC and recommendations.
Stay Ready, Don't Get Ready.
-EDC Junkie