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As we round the corner on the back half of summer, it’s time to start thinking about heading back to campus. And the thing nobody tells you is just how much of college happens outside of the classroom.The right everyday carry ensures you can handle everything campus life throws at you. And with that being said, here’s some of our favorite essentials for back-to-school season.
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Leatherman Skeletool CX
Leatherman has been building tools in the same Portland factory for over 40 years, and the Skeletool CX is the lineup at its absolute leanest – without skimping on the essentials. We’re talking pliers, a premium 154CM blade, and a carabiner that clips right to a backpack strap, all while weighing just 5 ounces. Not to mention 25-year warranty ensures that will last you far beyond your college days.
Marjolein Delhaas 365 Daily Planner
Rotterdam designer Marjolein Delhaas makes some of the raddest stationary around, and it’s all done in limited runs. Each page carries nothing but a bold black number, 1 through 365, so you can start any day of the semester and let loose your creativity.
CMF Headphone Pro
While we love Nothing, their budget-minded CMF line still absolutely delivers, especially for the price point. Its first over-ear headphone claims 100 hours of battery, enough to survive finals week on one charge, and a physical slider cranks the bass without ever opening an app. You can even swap the ear cushions.
Orbitkey 2-in-1 Tech Accessory Pouch
Melbourne’s Orbitkey made its name taming keychains but they’ve recently expounded upon their organizational prowess. We love the detachable inner pouch as it lets chargers stay stowed in the main compartment while your daily gear sits within reach on your desk.
Casio F-B100W
We’re suckers for a good timepiece, and what better watch than the F91 when you’re on a budget? Casio took the cult-classic it has left untouched since 1989 and quietly slipped in a step tracker and Bluetooth time syncing. The coin cell runs about two years, and you won’t have to worry about charging every night.
Miyoo Mini Plus
Not every moment on campus has to be taken so serious – and there will be down time. The Miyoo Mini Plus packs the retro classics your professors grew up on into a palm-sized handheld with a crisp IPS screen and a devoted modding community behind it.
Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K)
There are countless chargers on the market, but we keep coming back to Anker. This one snaps magnetically to an iPhone, charges it wirelessly, and folds out a kickstand so your screen stays upright through a long lecture. The 10,000mAh capacity is good for two full charges between outlets.
Aer City Pack 2
A good bad is imperative for college life, and few do it better than Aer. The City Pack 2 hauls a 16-inch laptop in a suspended sleeve and wraps it all in ultra durable Cordura ballistic nylon that will still look good once you land your first real gig.
Plaud Note Pro
The Plaud Note Pro feels like a cheat code for the lecture hall. The credit-card-sized recorder picks up a professor from the back row, then transcribes and summarizes the whole thing before you leave the classroom. Apple Find My support also means you can always track it down.
Apple MacBook Air
The MacBook Air has been the unofficial laptop of the lecture hall since Steve Jobs slid the original out of a manila envelope all the way back in 2008 (retro stuff, we know). The new M5 version is the best case yet. It weighs just 2.7 pounds, runs dead silent, and last up to 18 hours of battery. All of that with double the storage now being standard, too.
Leatherman Micra
If the full-size tool is a bit too bulky for daily carry, the Micra shrinks that same Portland-made utility down to keychain size. The spring-action scissors alone make these a must-have. You can easily take care of loose threads, packaging, and whatever else dorm life throws at you. Clip it to your keys and go.
