When it comes to selecting the gear you’re going to live with day after day, it’s best if you choose the items that fit your lifestyle. Tech junkies might need a nice case for their smartphone and a USB drive. Bikers might require a heavy-duty multi-tool for keeping their vehicle in tip-top shape during their commute. Some will need knives, others will need lights, and a few will need a place to stash extra ammunition. There’s no pre-made kit that is going to fit everyone’s needs, but if you start with one of our selections, you’re going to be well on your way to having an EDC kit you can be proud of.
We toyed with every possibility and looked into the daily routine of people in all walks of life. Then we began searching the kits out there that were intended to equip these people with all the stuff they would need for everyday carry. We selected kits with the right tools for most people, that also added in a few helpful accessories and topped the whole thing off with excellent construction. When it was all over, we had the 8 best EDC kits for anyone.
EDC Kit w/ Free Key
Pro: Full miniature survival kit
Con: Only comes in one color
Survivalist: When you’re beginning with the Swedish Freekey as your base, you’re well on your way to constructing a winner. With a sturdy build and easy-open push access, it makes swapping out keys and tools a breeze while not giving an inch when it comes to durability. The 7-in-1 survival pod offers you 2 feet of paracord, duct tape, fire starter flint, and an eye knife among other odds and ends. It’s just enough that it could be all the stands between you and death in the wilderness, all wrapped up in a single, easily-carried package. A pair of screwdrivers and a peanut lighter finish off the piece with grace and utility.
Kaufmann Mercantile EDC Kit
Pro: Lays comfortably in pocket
Con: Only philips and flathead drivers
Tough Customer: Kicking off with a pry bar as the major tool of this EDC kit, it’s clear that the folks at Kaufmann aren’t messing around. The ring itself is pure titanium with a waterproof lighter and seriously resilient key drivers for handling real work. There’s no lights or bits to break, just a hardy workman’s tool…along with some precision tweezers should you need to do an emergency eyebrow pluck on the job site. Made entirely in the USA, this is slim and nigh unbreakable.
All Black EDC Kit
Pro: Goes with everything
Con: Difficult to find if dropped in the dark
Go To The Matte: A small stash box, a slender locking carabiner, a pen knife disguised as an ordinary house key, a tiny but effective 80 lumen INOVA XS flashlight with high and low settings, and even the Shard multi-tool, the All Black kit looks as sharp as it works. With the tiniest of brass accents and the ability to remove the light if so needed, this is about as minimal as kits get. The ability to hang it on a belt loop or a bag is helpful, since the Shard is notoriously bad about wearing through pockets and jabbing you in the leg during work or amorous activities.
Stealth EDC Kit
Pro: Split design gives differentiated storage
Con: Not ideal for non-Apple devices
Tech Fiend: Made with iPhone users in mind, the Stealth includes an MFi-certified Lightning Chargekey for juicing up your device on the go with full USB 2.0 quick charge capability. A pair of key screwdrivers are perfect for small jobs like cracking open your laptop to load up your new RAM or swapping out hard drives. Easily carried outside your pocket thanks to the S-style carabiner that also doubles as a bottle opener, it’s stainless steel that won’t rust, break, or degrade even after years of hard use on the job and in life.
Huckberry EDC Kit 2.0
Pro: Multi-tool is removable
Con: Few tools for the price
Trim Titan: Rather than loading this kit up with everything you could possibly need or want, it’s been trimmed down for an easier pocket fit and less space wasted. You’ll also be able to add more of your own accessories should you so choose. Out of the box you’ll get the small measuring bottle opener that also is it’s own independent keychain complete with miniature carabiner. The inchworm lets you measure anything at any time with quick demarcations that can be determined at a glance.
CRL Commuter EDC Kit
Pro: Includes key organizer
Con: Carabiner gates are a bit flimsy
Bicycle Hero: If you’re heading to and from work or around town via your two-wheeled steed, then you’re putting yourself in jeopardy every time you don’t carry this with you. Using a Reductivist Multi-Tool that is made right in the USA you get a load of basic screw heads that are designed for work around the house, but specifically made for common sized screws found on a road or commuter bike. The prometheus light is elegant, interesting, and extremely effective at both looking good and working well.
EDC Bike Kit
Pro: Made entirely in the USA
Con: Very few non-bike tools
Badass Basics: Using a quick open U-shaped ring, the Bike Kit allows you to remove the tools easily for working on your vehicle. The tire pry bars are perfect for fixing a flat or swapping out your tube, while the compass will keep you heading in the right direction at all times. A pair of standard hex wrenches will work on most bicycles, with plenty of space on the ring to add more should your steed require it. Managing to be both striking thanks to its numerous brass features, yet simple and uncomplicated, you can keep it with you at all times, or stuff it into a saddlebag for emergencies.
Kaufmann Mercantile EDC Kit 2
Pro: Easily expandable
Con: Compass is barely passable
Adventure Seeker: When part of your day might include a safari, eating a snake you caught with your bare hands, or a jaunt down the Amazon river basin, then you need to step up your everyday carry game with the EDC Kit 2. A fire starter, a brass compass, a slim folding knife, a stainless steel pressurized pen, and a locking carabiner body with space to expand make this a marvelous hunk of hardware for anyone that lives large and plays hard. The cherry on top is the stunning brass penlight with 235 lumens worth of juice.
