In the simplest terms your Every Day Carry is the stuff that you keep in your pockets, purse, or on your belt that you have determined are the most useful in your everyday life.
Every person has their own circumstances that determine what they need for their EDC. I personally, am a tinkerer that loves taking things apart and am often trying to fix things in confined spaces with low light (like my computer, or recently the hoses behind the washing machine). I am also a gadget junky that usually does not want to wait until I get home to open those plastic human-proof packages. I would rather be able to pull something out of my pocket to tighten that loose screw, or open that package that just arrived, than go looking for the screwdriver, scissors, or flashlight the task might require.
Aside from the common denominators in most people's arsenal (keys, wallet, and cell phone), here are the following items I have added to my EDC that I find extremely helpful with unexpected tasks:
A. Pen - As an Engineer I spend the majority of my time in the office, however I occasionally need to visit job sites. A pen is essential for recording dimensions, marking plans, making notes, and a number of other things. I don't know how many times I've seen someone ask for a pen. Perhaps I should start charging people to use mine.
B. Leatherman Micra - Words can not express how often I use this handy little gadget. I originally bought one to go in my camping gear but found myself taking it out of my gear to use it so often that I decided to just carry it with me on a regular basis. I especially like the scissors, as opposed to the typical pliers on leathermans. I use this tool so much that my wife has become jealous and wants one of her own. Maybe Santa will bring her one this year.
C. Peanut Lighter - Ok, being honest, this is probably the item in my EDC that I use the least. I am not a smoker and am not typically in the habit of lighting things on fire. However, if you have read my previous post on fire basics then you understand that carrying an ignition source is a very simple way to ensure that you can start a fire should you need to. As an aside, my leatherman and lighter combo comes in handy when I am making things out of paracord since after I cut the nylon it needs to be melted to prevent unraveling. This particular lighter is extremely small, waterproof when closed, refillable, and inexpensive.
D. LED Light - Light, like fire, is something that you typically do not want to be without when you need it. LED flashlights tend to last longer battery-wise and are typically more resilient. The model I found has the ability to be set in two modes. The first is the typical press to turn on, let go to turn off. The second mode allows for three settings: one press turns it on high, a second press turns it on low, and a third press turns it on a flashing strobe. I find the ability of the light to stay on in the second mode extremely helpful when I am using it to tinker in tight spaces.
Think about the items you carry on a regular basis. Are there times when you wish you had a particular tool on you to take care of an unexpected task? Do you carry around items that you never use? Do you think about the unexpected tasks when you fill your pockets or purse? What items have you found helpful in your everyday life? What are your EDCs?
