EDC Essentials: What Actually Goes in Your Bag (And Why)

# EDC Essentials: What Actually Goes in Your Bag (And Why) EDC doesn't mean "as many knives as I can fit." EDC means the things you actually need, every day, in a way that doesn't slow you down. Here's what that looks like. ## The Categories Every EDC kit has layers: 1. **On your body** — Wallet, keys, knife, watch 2. **In your pocket** — Phone, lighter, multitool 3. **In your bag** — The backup layer Overlap is okay. Redundancy is smart. ## Tier 1: Always With You ### Knife One good knife beats ten mediocre ones. 3-4 inches, good steel, lives in your pocket. Use case: Opening boxes, cutting rope, fixing things. We like Damascus. Holds an edge. Beautiful. But any good knife works. ### Multitool Pliers, blade, screwdriver, bottle opener. Doesn't have to be fancy (Victorinox ~$30 works fine). Use case: That thing breaks and you fix it. Now. ### Lighter Even if you don't smoke. Fire is useful. Use case: Lighting stuff. Emergency signaling. Burning rope (carefully). Bic = reliable. Zippo = wind-resistant but leaks fuel. ### Wallet Cash, card, ID, photo. Not 47 cards you might need. Use case: Buying stuff. Proving who you are. Leather wallet ages well and doesn't attract attention. ## Tier 2: Close By (In Your Bag) ### Paracord (50-100 feet) Cord fails constantly. Having it saves you from improvising with whatever's lying around. Use case: Tie something down. Hang something. Emergency everything. ### First Aid Kit Band-aids, gauze, antiseptic. Small. Personal. Use case: You or someone else gets hurt. It happens more than you think. ### Backup Phone Battery Modern phones die. Backup battery = you don't. Use case: Trip takes longer. Music plays. You're still connected. ### Notepad + Pen Write things down. Your brain isn't storage. Use case: Someone's number. Directions. A good idea that'll disappear in five minutes if you don't write it. ### Flashlight LED flashlight, pocket-sized, rechargeable. Use case: Dark places. Broken car. Finding stuff under the couch. One AA flashlight is enough. Overkill is a knife's flashlight attachment (redundancy is smart, but not *that* redundant). ### Water Bottle Hydration is underrated. Use case: Staying alive. Seriously, dehydration kills. ## Tier 3: The Nice-To-Haves ### Duct Tape (Wrapped Around a Card) Duct tape solves 60% of problems. Wrapped around a card takes no space. Use case: Everything breaks. This fixes most of it. ### Gum Clears your mouth. Gives you something to chew if you're stressed. ### Sunscreen + Lip Balm You'll forget to apply these. Having them helps. ## What NOT To Carry - **More than 2 knives** — If one isn't enough, something's wrong - **14 backup batteries** — One backup works. 14 is overkill - **Stuff you don't use** — "I might need this" is dead weight. You won't - **Heavy tools** — If it weighs more than a pound, ask yourself if you really need it ## The Weight Test Your EDC bag shouldn't exceed 5-10 pounds. If it does, something's redundant. The goal is *always ready*, not *prepared for the apocalypse*. ## The Truth The best EDC kit is the one you actually carry. That means it's light. It fits your life. It doesn't slow you down. Some people need less. Some need more. The framework is the same: one good knife, basic tools, backup power, water. Everything else is flavor. --- *Build your EDC at clevisbarnwells.com. We have the Damascus knives, the leather, the gear that works.*