What is an "EDC"?

As the community around EDCs grows, I hear intrigued visitors who end up scrolling through pages and pages of photos without fully understanding what it's all about.

In this article, I'm going to take a step back and try to answer some frequently asked questions about wearing an EDC !

If you've seen what we're doing here but still don't understand everything, let me explain.

What does the term " Everyday Carry" mean?

Is it just what I have in my pockets?

At the most literal level, your everyday luggage (commonly known as EDC) is the set of items that you carry around in your pockets or in your bag on a daily basis.

These are the things you rummage through your pockets before you go out, the things you feel naked without, and the things that would waste your whole day if you had to go without.

They are particularly valuable, and not only from a monetary or sentimental point of view. Your daily luggage is made up of items that you find really essential.

This means that things like pocket fluff, crumpled receipts, chewing gum wrappers, and other disposable items may live in your pocket (hopefully not very long), but they're not part of your daily baggage.

The centerpieces of your portfolio should have certain qualities that correspond to a few different principles of everyday carry practice.

The everyday carry philosophy is based on the cornerstones of utility and preparation. Each component of your EDC should have a purpose or at least a specific and useful function.

Every day, your EDC essentials prepare you for the worst and allow you to perform at your best.

What are the advantages of the "Everyday Carry" approach for my daily business?

What's great is that at some level, everyone already has a daily transportation system. But by considering what you keep in your pockets as your true daily carrying system, you can enjoy a host of benefits:

Do more, better: By adding new tools, you have access to all kinds of new functions that make your life better or your day easier. Or, by taking an EDC approach to upgrading essential items you already use, you can maximize their performance and efficiency, giving you a better user experience.

Preparedness and autonomy : Having these tools at your fingertips every day will not only allow you to cope with most of your daily activities, but also with sometimes unexpected situations. Your EDC will help you quickly do things you would otherwise need help with.

Convenience : Sometimes you don't even need help getting things done, but instead have to waste time trying to find the right tool you need.

With a well-designed EDC, you won't have to rummage through drawers for junk, ask to borrow a pen, or give up something and tell yourself you'll bring the tool you need next. time. EDC items are practical and make your life easier!

Long-term savings: If you invest in essentials that stand up to everyday wear and meet your personal criteria, you could save money in the long run.

By opting for well-made, reliable, and durable items, you won't be spending more on replacing inexpensive, cheaply made disposable items every few months. If you've ever caught the EDC bug, you might know that's not always true.

But many EDC items strike a balance of quality and value that earns them "buy-for-life" status, allowing you to buy once and get what you pay for.

Personal expression : Individualizing your EDC is arguably one of the most important aspects of this lifestyle. What you wear and use says a lot about you, what you do, your preferences, etc.

It's a great way of self-expression that you'll recognize in the truly unique bags. Refining your gear to reflect you as a person is one of the most fun reasons to hunt for new gear.

What items are commonly found in an EDC?

There is no all-in-one solution for all your daily needs - you will need to develop a multi-item system.

You probably know, if you haven't already, this first core of essential objects. Most people leave their homes after checking the following three steps:

The phone

It is undeniable that modern smartphones allow us to do more than ever before. No other device can match the functionality and versatility of a smartphone while fitting in the palm of your hand.

Thanks to advancements in hardware, our smartphones reduce the need to carry a camera, watch, pen and paper, flashlight, and wallet for many people.

It's great for minimalists, but the rest of the world doesn't run entirely digitally. In many cases, there is no app for it.

Wallet

Wallets keep our cards, IDs, cash, and other paper documents organized and close by. The wallet itself may not be as important as what it contains, but it serves to protect these vital assets from damage and loss.

Keychains

Keys allow us to move around and protect what is important to us.

Key fobs deserve a place in your EDC because they keep your keys together and are easy to use.

Sure, they can be noisy, bulky, and difficult to manage, but most of us can't live without them.

Be sure to check out our Carry Smarter guide, Key Elements, for ideas to spruce up your keychain.

Beyond that, many EDCers include this "trinity" of basic tools:

The knife

The fact that a pocket knife is part of the basic equipment comes as a surprise to many.

Although laws and cultural differences may reflect negatively on these sharp objects, a well-designed and reasonably sized pocket knife is first and foremost a tool.

Used responsibly, a knife is safer to cut and slice, usually better than a house key, a pair of scissors, your hands, or even your teeth.

There's certainly no app for dismantling a box, slicing a pork belly, or cutting rope! That said, not everyone will need a knife, or even be able to carry one legally.

But it is important to consider them above all for their practicality.

Flash light

You'd bring an umbrella for a 50% chance of rain, so why not bring a flashlight for a 100% chance of darkness each night?

Whether it's traversing a power outage, peeking under sofas, or navigating a dimly lit path, having a light source in your pocket will come in very handy.

Some may just use their phone screen or camera flash for light.

Modern lights, with multiple modes and a dedicated battery, perform much better in everyday tasks as well as in emergency situations, without draining your phone's battery even further, making it a must-have in many wallets.

multi-tool

The multitool embodies many of the fundamentals of EDC - utility, versatility, portability.

For quick fixes, DIY, and other handy jobs, having a toolbox's worth in one pocket tool is invaluable.

Common functions of a multi-tool include pliers, screwdrivers, bottle openers, scissors and other cutting tools.

Multitools can supplement the functions of the aforementioned five essential tools when weight and pocket space are limited, so they naturally complement the second trinity of EDC.

Luckily for us EDC enthusiasts, the list of useful gear to keep on hand doesn't end there. There are many other gadgets that people carry with them, but these three analog instruments still find their way into many pockets today.

Pen

Not everything is digitized yet. And sometimes writing with a pen is better than typing with your thumbs on your phone. An EDC pen helps you perform common tasks at work, like taking notes, signing documents, or drawing diagrams to explain something. Check out our guide to why you should carry a pen with you for even more reasons to keep ink handy.

The paper

What's a good pen without a writing medium? Softcover pocket notebooks are becoming increasingly popular in the EDC community. For more on why you should carry a notebook, check out our previous Carry Smarter article!

A watch

Of course, you can keep track of the time by looking at your smartphone, but then you'll have to go to the trouble of pulling it out of your pocket. This may sound rude, especially if you have company.

Dedicated watches are nice on their own, but they help you keep track of time without depending on your phone's short-term battery life, while still being close at hand.

Is it absolutely necessary to carry all this on oneself?

No way ! Day-to-day porting is all about creating a configuration that suits your needs. Just as no two people are the same, their respective EDCs vary greatly.

Acquire and wear what you need according to your lifestyle, where you live, your profession, your daily routine, your style, your budget, etc.

In general, your bag should be reliable and functional, but above all, it should be personal.

Maybe you're a minimalist at heart, or you have peace of mind knowing that all your bases are covered. If your EDC becomes an extension of yourself, you must be completely comfortable with it!

A good EDC shows the foresight to include what you personally need on a day-to-day basis, and the restraint to leave behind what you don't.

But if I wanted to start adding new items to my edc, where do I start?

Now that we've laid out the "why" of EDC, check out our article, 8 Great Beginner Essentials, with Examples of Great EDC for Beginners.

Stay tuned for our conclusion with tips on how to refine and grow your port into something you'll be proud to share on this site!

If this primer has given you a better understanding of EDC, leave a comment and let us know what you learned.

If you think your friends will enjoy this analysis, please share it with them so that more of us can enjoy EDC together!