Rawhide: The Best Leather EDC Essentials

Mankind has been using leather to craft tools and clothing for thousands of years. And with these animal hide constructions still being fairly popular today, it’s somewhat unsurprising that leather has increasingly permeated the EDC space. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to even know where to start looking when shopping in this space. Well aware of this reality, we’ve scoured the everyday carry market in order to deliver this curated guide to the best leather EDC essentials.

Selection & Testing

With such a huge array of available leather EDC essentials, we kicked off our search for the latest and greatest leather must-haves by first dividing the larger everyday carry segment into around a dozen different subcategories — such as best wallet, best backpack, best keychain, best sunglasses, and so on — before proceeding to make several picks in each sub-segment. From there, we then managed to get our hands on every one of these items in order to get hands-on with them and put them to the test by carrying them and using them in our daily EDC rotation for the better part of a month. 

Actually carrying and using this items day in and day out provided us with a fairly comprehensive sense of how each piece of gear actually functions and performs in the real world. On top of pure utility, we also examined areas such as build quality and craftsmanship, and whether any of the leathers used are prone to forming a patina. Also considered was price, value, and bang-for-your-buck. After getting hands-on with each item we initially sourced, we then turned to our testing notes in order to narrow our original shortlist down to a final hard selection of what this testing process proved to be the best leather EDC essentials.  

Grams(28) 151 Stealth Backpack

Best Leather Backpack: The Grams(28) 151 Stealth Backpack puts an unmistakably premium spin on classic book bag silhouettes. Measuring 17.7” W x 11.4” H x6.69″ D and offering 21 liters of storage space, this second-generation bag is cut from LWG-certified pebbled full-grain bovine leather sourced from the Gruppo Mastrotto tannery in Italy. Trimmed in a smooth tan textile lining, the interior of the backpack features a bevy of pockets and organizational
amenities, as well as an included modular divider set that allows you to configure the bag as needed to accommodate your specific gear — not unlike most camera backpacks on the market. Backed by a lifetime warranty, it also boasts a completely blacked-out suite of hardware, a quick-access front pocket that’s secured via a custom Grams(28)-branded Cobra-style buckle, a reinforced side grab handle, and a dedicated padded laptop sleeve that can fit notebooks — including the MacBook Pro — of up to 16”.

There are a number of key factors that separate the 151 Stealth Backpack — and quite frankly everything else that Grams(28) makes — from competitors’ carry solutions. For starters, its modular dividers make it particularly versatile, lending itself just as well to everyday use as it does to travel — with this latter area being furthered by its luggage handle pass-through. Above and beyond its sleek appearance and top-shelf materials, another major part of what makes this bag so special is its timeless appearance and ridiculously meticulous build quality. The overall craftsmanship, execution, and fit and finish truly are second to none — and we test a lot of backpacks. Third, thanks to its super-premium build quality and material selection, the 151 Stealth Backpack also makes for a fantastic modern-day family heirloom to be passed down to future generations. 

Craft & Lore Bic Lighter Sleeve

Best Lighter Sleeve: Zippo lighters are great for EDC, though anyone that’s carried one for an extended period will no doubt be familiar with having to routinely replace flints and wicks, and regularly add lighter fluid — all of which can be a bit of a hassle. Store-bought Bic lighters can also be a great choice, though they’re not particularly interesting or characterful — at least not on their own. The Craft & Lore Bic Lighter Sleeve is a stellar way of sprucing up Bic’s classic lighter, as this leather sleeve undeniably adds a good deal of charm and character, while also bolstering ergonomics and making the lighter feel better in-hand. 

Offered in five leather options— all of which will slowly form a unique patina over time Wirth regular use — the sleeve is crafted from a single piece of 4oz American tanned full-grain leather before being cut and sewn by hand in Northern Idaho. The thing also comes fitted with a removable leather lanyard lace that adds a few style points while also making it easier to fish out of a pocket. The sleeve can be a little tight, making it hard to remove lighters once they’re dead, though it can still be done in under a minute — and the lighters don’t need replacing all that often, making this even less of an issue. 

Nomad Goods Leather Keychain for Airtag

Best AirTag Case: With individual Apple AirTags costing less than $30 — and 4-packs being available for under $100 — there’s no longer an excuse for misplacing your keys, bag, or other essentials. And while there are plenty of AirTag cases on the market, you really would be hard pressed to find a nicer option than NOMAD’s Leather Keychain for AirTag. This keychain-style AirTag holder is made from top-shelf American Horween leather that’s thermoformed into shape before being mated to a black PVD-coated stainless steel keyring. 

When paired with a premium leather duffle or pack — like the Grams(28) 151 Stealth Backpack — most AirTag cases look somewhat cheap and out-of-place, though NOMAD’s perfectly blends in. Its two-tone brown and black colorway also give it an interesting look, and its Horween leather construction is practically guaranteed to develop a patina over time. I also love how this item takes an old-school Horween construction and applies it to a more modern product application, being a thermoformed AirTag case. 

Tanner Goods Key Lanyard

Best Keychain: Operating out of the Pacific Northwest, Tanner Goods has been crafting fine leather essentials since 2006, and while we could probably generate an entire list of leather EDC essentials solely from Tanner’s catalog, today we’re going to be focusing on the brand’s Key Lanyard. Spanning 5.5” in total (hardware included), this keychain is crafted from 9-10oz vegetable-tanned Meridian English Bridle leather — the same robust construction Tanner Goods uses to make its belts. Mated together using double-cap rivets, the leather also comes paired with a stainless steel rifle-style clip. 

While it doesn’t do anything particularly innovative, this is just a really good, well-crafted keychain that does its (admittedly simple) job super well. I also appreciate how TG’s Key Lanyard can be used in two orientations; clipping the actual hardware to a belt loop, or looping the lanyard through a belt and using the hardware end for keys. There’s also definitely something to be said for this product’s more old-world construction, as it’s not only made from leather, it’s also burnished, dyed, and waxed entirely by hand before being stamped with its creator’s signature maker’s mark — a process carried out entirely in America. 

Silver Fox Tools Mule Pouch Organizer

Best Pocket Organizer: After assembling a decent amount of EDC gear, you’ll inevitably start needing dedicated means of organizing and housing your kit — whether that be an EDC pouch or a more minimalistic pocket organizer like the Silver Fox Tools Mule Pouch. Spanning 5.31” tall and 3.6” across, this pouch is cut from a thick piece of leather that’s then hand-stitched to a front piece to create a pocket. The pouch features a corkboard-like series of holes that can be filled in using the half-dozen included rivet studs (and included Allen wrench) however you see fit. I personally chose to configure it to accommodate a Swiss Army Knife and a bolt-action pen — a setup that fit perfectly. 

Like every other product I’ve ever used from Silver Fox Tools, the Mule Pouch is exceedingly well crafted and feels super robust. The modular nature also allows you to easily reconfigure the rivet studs as needed. What’s more, not only does it have a neat old-school look to it, but the Mule Pouch also makes it far easier to fish a pen or SAK out of a backpack or sling, as the pouch is much easier to locate than a smaller individual piece of EDC gear. This thing also comes backed by Silver Fox Tools’ 100-Year Repair or Replace warranty — which ultimately speaks volumes about its craftsmanship, material selection, and overall durability. 

Shinola Leather Baseball

Best Miscellaneous Item: America’s pastime has changed a lot over the last century or so, and it’s become exceedingly difficult to acquire old-school leather construction balls. Thanks to a recent collaboration, however, it just got a lot easier. This leather baseball here was made for Detroit-based horologist and lifestyle brand Shinola by Glen Rock, New Jersey’s Leather Head Sports — a boutique outfit that specializes in handcrafting custom leather footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, medicine balls, rugby balls, and baseballs.

Beautifully construction, the ball is made from premium hand-cut leather that’s hand-sewn together using waxed linen thread. During the time I had the “Shinola ball”, I found it was damn-near-impossible not to pick the ball up and toss it up and down in the air while on calls or audio conferences. It’s also just immensely satisfying to hold and manipulate in your hand. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it fidget-friendly, but it’s something akin to that or at least in the same neighborhood. It may not exactly be ideal for daily-carrying — for what are very obvious reasons — but it makes for a great desk item, is guaranteed to last for decades, and also makes for a pretty cool modern-day family heirloom, as well.

Filson Leather Card Case

Best Wallet: If you’re still carrying an overstuffed traditional wallet filled with business cards, coupons, and other bank cards that you seldom actually use — not unlike a certain George Costanza — we’d highly recommend upgrading (or technically downgrading) to a more minimalistic card carrier like Filson’s Leather Card Case. Offering just enough room for your actual essentials and nothing more, the wallet features three card slots (offering room for your driver’s license and two cards) and a fourth slot for cash (or a fourth card).

As you’d expect from Filson, this wallet benefits from some great build quality, and this meticulous craftsmanship is used to piece together a top-notch material selection in the form of Horween’s Chromexcel leather. At 4.125” L x 2.75” W, it’s also small enough to be carried in your front pocket — which I thoroughly appreciate as someone that routinely commutes on two-wheels. Like pretty much everything else that Filson makes, this wallet is practically guaranteed to last a lifetime. And, while it’s fully functional, I’d still go as far as to describe the thing as heirloom grade.

Oak City Leather Supply GMF1 Leather Scales & Sheath Set

Best Knife Upgrade: If you ask almost any knife expert or knife-specific publication for their top 3 (or at least top 5) favorite EDC fixed blades, the GiantMouse GMF1 is guaranteed to be on practically every list — and for good reason, as it’s extremely compact yet still manages to offer plenty of grip, and its blade is short but just long enough to make for a legitimately utilitarian tool. And while it may afford decent grip, it’s not the most comfortable to hold, being a single-piece full-tang construction. Fortunately, the GMF1 can very easily be remedied of this issue thanks to an upgrade from the Dylan over at Oak City Leather Supply in Raleigh, North Carolina. OKLS’ GMF1 Leather Scales & Sheath Set is exactly what it sounds like, being comprised of a set of leather scales and an accompanying leather sheath — both of which can be configured from a variety of different leathers/colors.

The scales themselves are each composed of two pieces of leather that have been fused together for a two-tone look on both sides of the tang. Able to be mounted/carried in a myriad ways, the sheath also sports a two-piece construction that provides a matching two-tone appearance. While it’s a great upgrade, the knife unfortunately doesn’t sit very far in the sheath when the scales are attached — and it sadly doesn’t fit in the GMF1’s factory leather sheath any better. Having said that, these scales just made me love the GMF1 all the more, and it wasn’t until removing them that I realized just how much better they made an already great knife — to the extent that I would have no problem having a custom KYDEX sheath made to fit the knife with the scales. The combination really is that good.

Julbo Vermont Classic Sunglasses

Best Glasses: In 1950, Julbo introduced its now-iconic Vermont Glacier sunglasses, just in time for the so-called “golden era of climbing.” Fast-forward to today, three-quarters-of-a-century-later, and these glasses remain just as popular today as they were upon their mid-century release — though the modern versions of these glasses obviously benefit from some modern-day technology and materials. The glasses feature a set of metal frames that house a pair of Julbo’s proprietary SPECTRON 4 lenses — a shatter-resistant polycarbonate that shields its wearer’s eyes from 95% of visible light, and 100% of UV A, B and C rays.

What earns these glasses a spot on this list, however, are their leather side shields. The loop that the stems terminate in further their iconic — and fairly instantly recognizable — appearance. While they’re obviously geared toward outdoor use, the leather shields can be removed which gives this pair a much more casual look. Their appearance probably isn’t for everyone, but that’s often the case with more bold designs, and the Vermont Classic are pretty damn bold.

Killspencer Valet Tray

Best Valet Tray: Made by hand in Los Angles, the KILLSPENCER Valet Tray is a premium oversized catchall that’s comprised of a powder-coated steel tray capped off with a piece of pebbled black full-grain bullhide leather. This leather construction is super beefy, plus it not only looks great, but the thickness of the hide also provides a bit of cushioning and protection — not much, but just enough to ensure your EDC items aren’t scratched or scuffed when tossed onto the tray. It also tips the scales at 2.5lbs on the dot, and in may experience it never moved around or shifted because of this.

Like everything else KILLSPENCER makes, this valet tray is objectively top-shelf, and both its materials and build quality are excellent. While this does help to justify it to an extent, there’s ultimately no getting around the fact that this item does come at a fairly steep price. With that said, it really will offer a lifetime of use, and is just a far more elegant option than most EDC trays out there — plus it comes in a smaller 8.75” L x 5.5” W version and both are available in three different leather options. And, while it already comes stamped with the KILLSPENCER logo, the company also gives you the option of adding an optional monogram for an extra $25 to $50.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX

Best Headphones: Bang & Olufsen makes some of the best speakers and headphones on the market, with the Beoplay HX over-ear cans being one of our favorites from the Danish brand. Great for both travel and everyday/work use, these wireless ANC headphones sport a set of aluminum arms connected to an ergonomic pressure-relieving headband and a set of memory foam ear-cups trimmed in supple lambskin leather. The earcups house a custom-made and custom-tuned set of 40mm electro-dynamic drivers benefitting from the use of neodymium magnets. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity as well as connectivity to the B&O app which offers a range of EQ options, the Beoplay HX headphones offer 35 hours of life with active noise cancelation on, or 40 hours with the adaptive ANC deactivated.

These headphones have so many highlights and strong points that it’s hard to even know where to begin, but I’ll start with the fact that their incredibly comfortable, even when worn for long durations. Second, their audio quality is absolutely stellar, and the built-in microphones are damn-near just as good, as I was told I was coming through crystal clear when using them for calls. For outstanding audio quality is furthered by their super effective — and super advanced adaptive active noise canceling. Lastly, they just have this unmistakably premium look and feel to them that’s hard not to love. Sure, they don’t come cheap — not even close — but if you can swing the price, we’d highly recommend picking up a pair. They’re also $950 cheaper than B&O’s current flagship headphones, the H100 — though the H100 is legitimately one of the finest pairs of headphones money can buy at the moment.

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 42mm

Best Watch: A modern-day version of the first watch ever worn on the moon, the OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch is unequivocally one of the most iconic timepieces in history and remains as popular, valuable, and sought-after as it was upon its introduction more than half-a-century-ago. This particular version of the watch — the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 42mm (reference 310.32.42.50.01.002) is a contemporary model with a 316L stainless steel case housing one of OMEGA’s in-house-made Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 movement. Armed with a 50-hour power reserve, this manual-winding movement is on display through the watch’s exhibition caseback.

Paired with a black calf leather strap with an OMEGA-branded push button foldover clasp, this 42mm version of the Speedy simply has a lot going for it — to the point where it’s not hard to see why so many people are welling to shell out $7.5K or so to get one. There’s a timeless air to the case and dial, and the watch is refined and elegant, yet still surprisingly versatile. It’s also a venerable strap monster, pairing excellently with pretty much any type of strap or band construction you desire — plus it obviously goes wonderfully with OMEGA’s available steel bracelet. It does come at a steep price, though these watches are known to hold their value incredibly well, which definitely makes it easier to justify pulling the trigger on, as you can always flip it if needed — plus it’s a lot more fun than having $7,600 in the bank in my opinion.

Tested: The Best Leather Watch Straps for Classier Wrist Presence

Want to add some leather to your existing EDC loadout? Then be sure to head over to our hands-on review of the best leather watch straps for a curated selection of hide construction straps.