How much EDC gear is enough, and how do you carry it?

powernoodle

powernoodle

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I'm one of folks who would like to carry as much EDC crap as possible. But there just aren't enough pockets in a normal pair of pants, and only so much room on the Bat Belt.

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My current EDC as viewed from above when carried: Right Front pocket: j-frame pistol; Left Front pocket: keys with LM Micra and Arc AAA, plus mini Sharpie and Delica; Right Rear pocket: cash; Left Rear pocket: thin wallet plus Fenix AA light. Blackberry Pearl on belt at 8 o'clock.

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I have a number of man purses, fanny packs and belt organizers, but they just don't do it it for me. A man purse is swell for vaycay or going to the zoo with the progeny, but there is no way I'm carrying that thing around 24/7. A Fatboy slung over my shoulder when I walk from the car into McDonald's? No way.

The Maxpedition belt organizers (or whatever they are called), and which I have several of, seem big on the outside and small on the inside, if you know what I mean. Not enough room in them really for much more than a 1AA light and a Micra. The construction of Maxpedition belt products is very thick and bulky, not leaving much interior space.

Were I able, I'd add to the EDC gear some pepper spray and a LM Wave. Maybe a Buck 110 or Shrade Uncle Henry while I'm at it. Those could go on the belt I guess, but 3 or 4 fairly large items on the belt (including the Blackberry) are pushing it.

So am I missing some means of carry that I haven't thought of? For example, carrying a small flashlight vertically next to the wallet has been a good one.
Cargo pants are helpful, but there are many places I can't wear those. Job, church, etc.

Let me know how you do it, and what your limits are.

cheers
 
I use a photographer vest quite a bit...it's not "dressy", but it's good for just about everything else. It's more "clothes-like" than a fishing vest (in fact, it's similar to a "safari vest", if you've ever seen one of those); and you can even wear it during the summer (no sleeves, unzipped...). It'll go with just about anything, except dressed up.

I have to vary my contents because of where I work, but I keep EDC "modules" in different types of organizer pouches that I can swap out of the pockets easily when I need to.
 
If I carried all the EDC stuff I wanted to I would need a pack mule to lug it around...
 
Good point. One has to make compromises. I like to carry a Wave or similar multi-tool, but do not need it as I am a desk jockey and not a plumber or whoever who uses it all day. Big folders are "compromised" in favor of smaller ones, etc., so that everything I carry starts to gravitate toward the smallest thing that will do the job. Mini sharpie replaces standard sharpie. Pocket gun replaces one the size of a toaster oven on my hip. Fat wallet gone, small card case in its place. You get the picture.
 
I agree with Heavy and Powernoodle. I try to focus on 'tasks' or 'capabilities' when selecting my EDC (not that I don't give in and carry extraneous stuff sometimes)...

Assuming I'm going around my daily business (as opposed to no-knife zones like airports or whatnot), I always have a knife on me, plus a flashlight, plus my wallet and watch, plus all the gear on my keychain. I usually leave/return home during daylight, so a Fenix P1 (1xCR123) is my EDC flashlight, but if I'm going out at night, I'll take a more powerful 2xCR123 light, larger knife, etc.
 
Right Pocket: Keys with SAK "Signature" Classic, also a cuff key. Clipped to the pocket is a Benchmade Skirmish.

Left Pocket: Bic lighter, lip balm (also soothes minor burns) and a Spyderco Delica clipped.

Left Rear: Billfold w/ CC's, needle, straight pins and a couple bandaids. Oh, and cash!

Belt: Right side- currently, a fullsize Colt Govt model in .45 acp carried discreetly and comfortably in a KyTac (www.kytac.com) BraveHeart IWB holster.

Left Side: One magazine carried in KyTac mag pouch. Behind it, a Fenix L2D flashlight. Behind that, a Leatherman PST II (soon to be a new Wave with locking tools)

Shirt pocket: Cell phone.

I carry this all day everyday. It's NOT a problem for me and it all hides/carries very well. I take comfort in the fact that I can handle just about anything that comes my way, without waiting to be rescued or for someone else to do something for me.

:D

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I was able to make these adjustments when I want to carry less.

My pens are either short by design or ones I've cut down.

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I used to carry both a multitool and a Leatherman Micra for the scissors. Now I carry a Victorinox Spirit multitool which has a scissors and I leave the Micra in a pack or a vest.

During the daytime, a very bright Peak LED solutions P4 Caribbean flashlight sits horizontally at the bottom of my back pocket. I installed Peak's pocket body which makes the Caribbean very short. I carry a larger light in a belt holster at night.

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If I want to travel much lighter, I leave the lockback knife at home or in a bag and rely on my multitool's blade instead.

Think of other places on your person to carry gear. Put a whistle and an AAA LED light on a neck lanyard, for instance. Get a money belt and pack things inside it. I carry plastic cable ties inside my hat band.
 
Well since my daily attire does include cargo pants I guess I am fortunate. My edc in and out of uniform are pretty much the same(even my civvies are mostly cargos or at least carharts). I carry my endura clipped right front, my powerlock right rear on my belt, my farmer on a lanyard either in my back pocket or front left (depending on beltloop set up). I carry a front pocket wallet (doctors orders), a MAGlite with LED upgrade in one of my cargo pockets, and my cell phone in my front left pocket. That usually gets me through the day. I really like my 5.11 pants that knife/pistol mag pocket on them is great for my multitool.
 
powernoodle said:
Good point. One has to make compromises. I like to carry a Wave or similar multi-tool, but do not need it as I am a desk jockey and not a plumber or whoever who uses it all day...
Click to expand...

That would be me :D

Heavy said:
If I carried all the EDC stuff I wanted to I would need a pack mule to lug it around...
Click to expand...

I resemble that remark ;)

The thing about being one of those guys who uses a Leatherman Wave a hundred times a day is we can get away with wearing carpenter jeans with lots of big pockets everywhere we go. Who cares if your pants weigh ten pounds when you have all your crap in the pockets. That is what suspenders are for - to hold your belt up :D
 
by some folks standards I carry way to much and by others I don't carry nearly enough. I always have a multi tool, folder, flashlight, lighter magnesium fire block, watch, wallet, pen, at work I add a small fixed blade and sometimes a necker.I have other crap in the car and plenty of stuff at the house.
 
I think i travel pretty light:
wallet- old man style
bandanna - old man style
zippo lighter
leatherman sideclip
some form of slipjoint- soddy,trapper,stockman
I'm pretty consistent though i always carry the above. ahgar
 
I'm not a plumber and I use my Leatherman daily. Usually for the pliers or phillips screwdriver, but sometimes for the wire cutters.

I like having scissors and for some reason, I used them on my Super Tinker SAK when I carried one, but now, I use them rarely. I guess the smaller ones on the Signature cut what needs cutting with scissors....

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My friends used to make fun of me for carting a whole bunch of crap around. Then they needed string...or a knife...or a binder clip...or something, and now they call me the general store :D Now I get taunted when I'm not carrying something.
 
I cannot carry everything. I work both as my nick implies and on my States Search and Rescue team. That means 2 pagers,2 badge wallets and 2 radios for both besides all the regular gear..... Sometimes I think batman had it right.My work belt has EMT shears with a pocket for my leatherman and Fenix light,Weapon,cuffs,Motorola Minitor pager,Kenwood TK radio,Personal Katana Cell Phone and Issued Motorola Nextel phone....oh, and my badge is on my belt also. I have a Go Bag and shove everything on or in that when I am off shift. I'll take a pic so you can see the crap I carry. Worse part is I'm a 501's and cowboy boots with a tshirt on kinda average Joe. Never been into the whole rambo cargo pants 511 gear. Tried it one week and felt stupid. I do wear a photo journo vest sometimes when it is cool out or I have to go UC. Here on the Gulf Coast it is simply too damn hot. I carry at least two shirts in my go bag to change into because I will easily sweat out a shirt or two during the summer.
 
I'm really a "light is right" kind of guy and make every attempt to keep my kit to minimum. That said, it's pretty hard when I'm like most of you in that I like all the gadgets and such. As result, I'm still on the hunt for the elusive "one knife for every task" from work to play and everything in between. Same goes for evry other piece of kit. For example, I love my Prybaby, but my SAK does everything the Prybaby does and more(without the cool facotr, though). That means my Atwood stays home most the time.
For me, it's pretty safe to say I'll have a SAK, locking knife, and light on my person pretty much all the time.
 
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