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Best EDC (Everyday Carry) Gear for 2023
By Staff Writers | Updated May 17, 2023
Everyday Carry is about solving problems & fixing issues on-the-fly. It’s about small, versatile tools and implements that help you work smarter not harder. Lucky for us, having the tool to do the trick in our pocket, or clipped to the keychain, is easier than ever. It’s actually choosing your EDC arsenal that’s tough. That’s where WERD comes in. We unpacked a ton of clever, pocketable products to create this list of The Best EDC.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Compact and convenient: These little tools are sized just right to clip onto your key ring, clip onto your belt, or sit in your pocket, ready to be used at a moment’s notice and always within reach.
- Designed for functionality: Each item serves a specific purpose—cracking a beer, cutting open boxes, stripping wires, pulling nails, lighting up the night, and more—but many feature add-ons that provide multiple functions in one.
- Durability matters: They’re usually built tough, using cutting-edge materials like machined titanium or aerospace-grade aluminum or carbon fiber or even just durable high-grade stainless steel. Convenience is the most important feature, but durability comes in a close second.
Equipped with the right pocket knife or carefully chosen multi-tool kept always at the ready, we can pry, slice, tighten, wrench or repair many of the challenges that daily life throws in our path. And it seems that for every little need or niche, there’s a titanium tool or EDC implement purpose-built for the task at hand.
What is the best EDC gear you can buy today?
From compact wallets, folding knives and weatherproof torches, to classic multi-tools, small flashlights and pocket pouches for tiny cargo, we created this list as your go-to guide to the year’s most essential EDC.
This Survival Belt
$129
No matter what the urban jungle or the great outdoors has to throw at you, you can be ready to face it in style with SlideBelts’ Survival Belt. It may look like a glossy leather belt, but it’s much, much tougher, made with a synthetic material reinforced by internal webbing that gives it a tensile strength of nearly 1500 PSI.
It’s also waterproof, stain-resistant, impermeable, protected from UV rays, abrasion-resistant, stretch-resistant, and tough enough to bend and flex even in sub-zero winter temperatures. It’ll also withstand up to 214 F before it begins to soften.
The real winner, though, is the buckle. Not only does it feature a handy dual-lever design that works with the continuous belt notches to provide the most customized fit possible, but it also has an integrated LED flashlight, ferrocerium fire striker, bottle opener, and a titanium nitride-coated AUS-8 cutting blade that’s suitable for both survival and self-defense situations. With the Survival Belt, you’ll be ready for anything.
Nitecore EDC 27 Flashlight
$90
This little flashlight is the addition your EDC gear loadout has been missing. The built-in clip makes it easy to secure to your belt, pouch, or backpack, keeping it always within easy reach. Rather than the classic round shape, the EDC 27’s body is rectangular, roughly the same dimensions as your favorite pocket knife.
Don’t let its small size fool you into thinking it’s not powerful. When switched onto high, it can generate up to 3,000 lumens and cast a beam 200 meters.
The integrated battery pack has a truly impressive run-time of 37 hours and is easily charged using the provided USB cable. It’s even impact- and water-resistant, built for use in pretty much any emergency, tactical, survival, or outdoors situation. You’ll never have to worry about the titanium-coated stainless steel body getting scratched, scuffed, dented, or rusted.
WESN Allman
$155
Give your EDC gear a major upgrade with the WESN Allman. This folding pocket knife is crafted to be the ideal harmony between form and function. Its size is small enough to fit in any pocket but with a blade sufficiently large for your daily tasks, whether at home, out camping, in the field, or on a job site.
It’s lightweight but the CPM S35VN steel is tough enough to withstand anything you could throw at it. You’ll love how nicely it fits in your hand and the excellent balance, making it easy to wield.
Thanks to the G10 scales, it’ll stay firmly gripped even if your hands are wet, slippery, or you’re wearing work gloves. The pocket clip will keep it within easy reach as you carry it, but it’s also got a lanyard hole so you can wear it around your neck or strap it to your work belt.
The Palmer Utility Knife
$59
Here’s a beautifully designed and ultra-portable box cutter. The Palmer is designed to fit comfortably into even small pockets, or you can attach it to your key ring or a lanyard for more convenient carry.
It nestles in the palm of your hand for easier wielding and allows you to extend/retract the blade quickly using just your thumb. The anodized aluminum handle is insanely tough, capable of shrugging off water damage and scuffs.
When the time comes to swap out the blade, you’ll find it’s a no-hassle, tool-free job that takes just a few seconds thanks to the Palmer’s patent-pending mechanism. Best of all, you can swap out the blade for the standard utility blades you can find in any hardware store, so you can travel with the Palmer in your pocket (sans blade) and replace the blade at your destination. Now that’s everyday carry convenience and comfort you can love.
Screwpop Magnetic Toolkey
$20
This little EDC tool is just 0.125 inches thick and weighs just .65 ounces, but it comes with a plethora of useful tools: a serrated edge cutter, imperial and metric rulers, wire stripper, quarter-inch wrench, can opener, slotted and Philips head screwdrivers, 180-degree protractor, bike spoke key, bottle opener, fine file edge, and four-sized closed wrench. There’s also an integrated neodymium magnet so you can store the key on your fridge, toolbox, or even the side of your car. Now that’s a handy multi-tool you’ll be more than happy to carry around everywhere you go.
Slyde King Flashlight
$49
This LED flashlight is designed to make your life easier, safer, and more convenient. Not only is it a flashlight, but it can be pulled open and transformed into a work light perfect for use on any DIY task or job site. The magnetized base lets you work hands-free, and you’ll find the battery life is good enough (2-12 hours for the flashlight, 4-24 hours for the work light) to keep up with whatever job you’re doing without needing frequent re-charging. However, when the time comes to charge, the USB-C port cuts down on how long it takes for the built-in battery to be tanked up and ready for work.
The flashlight generates up to 2,000 lumens, and the work light up to 500 lumens. The light comes with four modes, a 4X twist zoom (to let you switch from floodlight to spotlight), a battery level indicator, and a rubberized grip that keeps it securely in your hands even if you’re working in wet or muddy conditions. Add to that IP67 waterproof rating and a body made from aircraft grade aluminum, and you’ve got a truly functional, durable flashlight you’ll use for years to come.
VIPERADE VE6 Utility Pouch
$21
Whether you’re on the job site or on vacation, you’ll be glad you had this pocket organizer on you. Wear it around your neck (courtesy of the lanyard), clip it to your belt, or keep it in your backpack—however you wear it, it’ll ensure you’ve got everything well-organized and within easy reach.
The pouch features 3 slot pockets for various tools: knives, pens, screwdrivers, bottle openers, or anything else you need to carry. There’s also an extra-large pocket sized just right for your passport, travel documents, or your work notebook. Built from tough 500-denier polyester, it’s both wear- and scratch-resistant, and reinforced with nylon stitching and an abrasion-resistant fleece lining that will keep both the pouch and your EDC gear protected.
Magpul Daka Pouch
$15-27
Keep your travel packs organized and neat with these ultra-tough packing pouches. Weighing in at just 30 grams, the DAKA pouches are made from durable 70D TPU nylon that can handle the rigors of any backpacking trip, vacation, or safari with ease.
Sized to fit a wide range of items—from hunting gear to climbing supplies to fishing gear to electronics to camera parts—the pouches can be secured together or to your bag via the carabiner attachment points.
The seals are radio frequency welded to ensure they’re impenetrable, and even the zipper is water-repellent enough to make sure everything inside the pouch stays dry. With pouches available in three sizes (small, medium, and large) and a range of colors, they make the ideal packing solution for any suitcase, backpack, or duffel bag.
True Utility Titanium Locking Pocket Multi-Tool
$30
For those quick-and-dirty everyday tasks, keep the TI Pocket Multi-Tool on hand and you’ll never be caught unprepared. Packed with features—including spring-loaded pliers with built-in wire cutters, awl, bottle opener, saw, knife, and dual-headed screwdriver—it’s built using ultra-tough titanium featuring a titanium nitride coating that enhances durability and protects against rust, corrosion, and wear.
The dual-position locks (90 and 180 degrees) makes it easy to adapt the highly functional multi-tool to the job, and the ergonomic grip maximizes comfort no matter how you hold the tool.
Gerber Dibs Pocketable Fixed-Blade Knife
$36
The Dibs by Gerber combines the compact size of a folding knife with the sturdy frame of a fixed-blade knife, putting in your hands a truly versatile and reliable tool. The full tang makes this knife suitable for prying and leveraging, improving its balance and durability, but at just under 6 inches long, it’s small enough to fit in the provided sheath on your belt.
The blade is on the shorter side—just 2.5 inches—yet clip point makes it beautifully versatile for cutting, gutting, skinning, and slicing. The PVD coating on both the blade and handle ensures it’s resistant to corrosion, and the knife is backed by Gerber’s limited lifetime warranty.
Twelve South AirSnap Gen 3
$35
Keep your AirPods safe and close at hand with the AirSnap. Designed specifically for the 3rd Gen AirPods, the AirSnap serves as both a charging case and a way to ensure you never lose your AirPods. The case comes with an integrated steel S-clip that makes it easy to attach to your backpack, pouch, or keychain, or you can use the “wristlet” lanyard to keep it close to your hands at all times.
The exterior is made with tough-and-rugged premium top-grain leather, and features a sturdy snap that will keep the case closed no matter how active you are. The case won’t interfere with wireless charging and has an opening for you to connect the AirPods case to a USB charger. Available in three colors (brown, black, and mauve), it’s a stylish upgrade to your on-the-go gear.
Benchmade Weekender Slip Joint Knife
$225
For those weekend camping trips, you’re going to want this purpose-built knife in your back pocket. The Benchmade 317-1 WEEKENDER takes everything that makes a folding knife so practical and versatile, and tailors it specifically to use in the great outdoors.
The blade is just under 3 inches long with a clip point that is perfect for gutting fish, prepping meat, skinning game, and whittling kindling, and it’s forged from ultra-tough CPM-S30V steel. The contoured Micarta handle will stay securely in your hands even when wet or muddy, and you’ll find it’s just a beautifully reliable knife capable of handling all your camping tasks with ease.
WUBEN G2 EDC Keychain Light
$22
Carry this tiny light on your keychain, and you’ll never be stuck in the dark. With an output of 500 lumens (easily as bright as any light bulb in your house), it’s the perfect compact flashlight to take camping, use around the house, even crawl under your car to check your oil with.
The five settings (ranging from soft “moon” to ultra-bright “Turbo”) let you choose just how bright you want the light to shine, and extends the life of the 28mAh battery to up to 70 hours of continuous run-time. It weighs just 28 grams, attaches to your keychain, and is easily charged via USB-C to ensure shorter charge time and greater power. This is an ultra-convenient little addition to your EDC loadout.
Gerber Savvy
$200
Gerber has made its mark on the EDC world with its rough-and-rugged, hyper-versatile knives. The Savvy is smartly designed, made in the USA with quality American craftsmanship and materials, and built to withstand anything your daily life can throw at it.
Its ambidextrous design makes it easy to open one-handed with either hand, and the frictionless deployment allows you to whip out the blade and get cutting in a matter of seconds. Thanks to the built-in pocket clip, you can keep it close at hand and within easy reach at a moment’s notice. You’ll love the handle—made from either aluminum or carbon fiber, your choice—which will give you a solid grip on the knife no matter how wet or slick your hands are. At 3.5 inches long, it’s a sturdy, agile blade that’s as much at home in the field as on a camping trip or fishing boat.
Dango Carabiner and Shackle
$49
The combination of carabiner and shackle makes it easy to keep all of your keys (up to 8) on one ring, and clipped to your belt or backpack for instant access. However, they can easily be disconnected and used on their own.
The carabiner comes with 2 chambers—one for anchoring, the other for securing your items—and is made from lightweight and hyper-durable 6061 aerospace aluminum. The shackle is made from stainless steel, with stainless steel bolts to match, and is fully water- and rust-resistant. Together, they weigh just two ounces, and are compact enough you’ll barely notice them in your pocket or hanging on your belt. But with this little device handy, you’ll never have to worry about losing your keys, flashlight, or EDC knife ever again.
VSSL Essentials Kits
$65-80
These kits are designed to be ultra-portable and tough enough to withstand literally anything—from a boat capsize to an avalanche—but contain all the survival tools you need for your camping, hiking, trekking, and mountaineering adventures.
Hyper-tough rope, razor-sharp blades, fishing line and hooks, first aid supplies, fire starters, and survival gear, these kits have it all. You’ll become a prepared outdoorsman in no time with these fellas in your back pocket.
Bellroy Key Case
$55
Offering sleek, bundled storage for 3-5, Bellroy’s Key Case features a unique flipper mechanism that ejects keys one-handed while keeping them secure on a detachable cord loop for a car key or fob. The exterior is smooth, eco-tanned leather finish & the hardware is stainless steel. Choose from 5 colors.
Acebeam Rider RX 650 Lumens Flashlight
$47
The numbers tell you all you need to know about this little badass. The Acebeam Rider RX is a compact & waterproof EDC flashlight that delivers 650 lumens of bright-white light that it can throw into a 300-foot beam. It’s got 5 power modes. 2-way clip. Max run-time: up to 7 days. Weight: 82 grams.
Gerber Shard Keychain Tool
$9
Lightweight & airline-safe, Gerber’s Shard keychain tool is a proven EDC classic. It also happens to be the one tiny tool we go to most often. With a durable titanium nitride coating & sized perfectly for your pocket, it offers small & medium flat drivers, a Philips head driver, wire stripper, pry bar, bottle opener, & lanyard hole. It weighs about half an ounce.
Droplet Water-Resistant Stuff Sack
$17
The Droplet stuff stack is big enough for a few items from the market; a wet swimsuit, or to handle all the junk packed in your pockets. But when you’re not using it, the water-resistant sack stuffs into a convenient silicone keychain case. And that way, it stays handy.
Evergreen Waterproof Dry Box
$27
With its travel-safe, Mil-spec & Made in the USA design, Evergreen’s 56 waterproof dry box case features a secure, keyed locking latch closure and IP67 submersion-proof protection for your small valuables and electronics. It floats with up to 3-pounds inside, with space for a firearm, camera, passports, keys, wallets, phone, GoPro, medical supplies & more. Choose from 7 colors.
Gerber Gear Prybrid Utility
$28
Blending the best of a replaceable utility blade knife and a compact multi-tool, Gerber’s Prybrid Utility is a pocket and keychain-friendly EDC implement offering 8 different tools, including wire strippers, bottle opener, Standard Utility blade, and more.
Dango Capsule Mini
$20
Dango’s Capsule Mini is an ideal EDC storage solution that will keep those small essentials close at hand. CNC-machined from 6061 aluminum this slender, watertight, & food-grade screw-top tube is the perfect vessel for tiny items you need to keep protected. It’s 2.5 long & .25” in diameter and features a lanyard loop or keyring loop on the lid. Available in stain silver or black.
FishFace 18-in-1 Pocket Multi-Tool
$14
The FishFace from True Utility is an 18-in-1 EDC multi-tool no larger than the other keys on your keychain but it puts in overtime. It features Phillips and flat screwdrivers, wrenches, hex drive, pry bar, file, nail tool, bottle opener, box opener and cutter. Made of stainless steel with a black titanium coating, it’s built for daily duty & with its sprung ’biner clip, stays right by your side.
Spigen U100 Universal Phone Kickstand
$12
Designed to work with any & every phone, the Spigen U100 Universal kickstand is a versatile, minimalist cell phone stand. For hands-free viewing, reading, gaming, & creating content, this simple & streamlined adhesive stand keeps your phone upright when you need it & flips up out of the way when you don’t. Choose black, silver, or rose gold.
WESN Microblade
$75-110
The Microblade 2.0 marks yet another solid entry into the EDC category from Detroit’s WESN Goods. It keeps the titanium construction that made it so popular but has been nicely upgraded with a high carbon, high chromium D2 tool-grade steel blade for even better hardness, toughness, and abrasion resistance. The locking blade is 1.5” long and the knife is 3.75” overall when open.
Nitecore NSH10 Titanium Multi-Tool Keychain Carabiner
$13
Nitecore’s NSH10 is one badass ’biner. Technically, it’s a Multi-use Snap Hook but whatever you call it, this is one solid clip for your EDC essentials. Machined from TC4 titanium alloy, it features secure 45º elastic spring gates and a sandblasted, anti-corrosion finish. Bonus functions include bottle opener, hanging hook, and flat head screwdriver.
The James Brand Duval
$299
The James Brand knows how to keep things simple. And by simple, we mean elegant. And that’s precisely why the product they make sells out. That’s sure to be the case with their latest drop, The Duval, a slim, functional frame-locking front-flipper with a 2.6” S35v stainless blade. They’re calling it the Modern Gentleman’s Knife. No argument here. It’s available with rosewood, Green Micarta, or titanium scales as well as optional Damascus steel blade variant.
SOG Baton Q4
$54
The Q4 multi-tool from tactical blade brand SOG is an upgraded version of their popular Q3—this model is expandable and adaptable. For tools it’s got Phillips #1, #2, #3 flathead: #3, #5, #7, Star-drive: T6, T8, T10, T20 Hex 1.5 mm, & 2 mm. There’s also a straight blade, bottle & can openers, file, pliers and wire cutter.
Big Idea Design Ti EDC Wrench
$125
Made of solid, Grade 5 Titanium, the Ti EDC Wrench is a pocket-friendly adjustable tool optimized for everyday carry & versatile utility. It works with both standard (SAE) & metric bolts in 25 different sizes. It features a low-profile design and full grip handle.
Lever Gear BitVault
$40
Lever Gear’s Bitvault gives you compact storage & tools in a tough, versatile EDC package. In addition to carrying small gear, the BitVault holds a range of hex nuts & works as a screwdriver. Made of durable metal alloy and it clips on to your keychain.
Fenix LD15R Flashlight
$73
At 500-lumens, the LD15R is a powerful little EDC light. It’s got a right-angle design with dual light sources: white and red lights. Powered by one 16340 rechargeable Li-ion battery, it is also compatible with a cold-resistant CR123A battery. It’s got 4 levels of output in white & 3 levels in red. There’s also a Micro USB port for charging, a battery level indicator, two-way body clip and a magnetic tail.
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