What Does EDC Mean?

EDC is a popular term that stands for “Everyday Carry”. And as you guessed it, it applies to items that you carry on your person every day. There are a few items that everyone can agree belong in an EDC kit, such as a knife and a flashlight. This list here is what we believe is the essentials for an EDC kit.

1. Flashlight

Of course, Nitecore Store is going to say the most important EDC item is the flashlight. It isn’t totally biased, many people agree this is one of the most important items in an EDC kit. Having a light source on hand no matter where you are is very important and very handy. Sometimes the power goes out and you need that light. Sometimes you drop something under the couch or under your car seat and need your flashlight to find it.

EDC lights can range in different sizes and brightness. I would recommend staying below 5 inches in length and having it be as light as possible. For brightness output, around 1000 lumen would be sufficient, anything more is a preference and anything less would be less reliable.

There are many other things to consider when picking an EDC flashlight, we explained in our blog “XYZ”. You can also check out our line of EDC flashlights and pick the best one for you.

2. Pocket Knife

A good sharp knife is a great and key addition to an EDC kit. Knives are very versatile and come in handy when you need them most. They help with cutting boxes open, cutting through, tape, defending yourself, and many other things. The most common EDC style of knives is folding knives which are usually more compact than others since they are able to fold.

As you can see the pocketknife can be very handy. You want a small and durable knife to carry with you on a daily basis. I personally like to use the Nitecore NTK10, it's a very compact and adjustable pocket knife. It’s made from titanium and is very durable.

3. Wrist Watch

A good ole timepiece. Yes, I know you have a phone but it is much easier to glance at your wrist than it is to pull your phone out of your pocket and click a button. Especially if your hands are full or you get separated from your phone momentarily or even for an extended period of time. Also keeping a wristwatch can help you be more mindful of the time and in turn potentially help with productivity.

Many would suggest a traditional watch over a smartwatch due to not having to rely on the battery being fully charged. But as smartwatch technology grows, its new features have become a great integration to its EDC contribution such as health and fitness trackers.

4. Multitool

A multitool is probably a common missing piece to an EDC kit. The multitool is extremely handy and can be a great idea in a situation where you don’t feel comfortable pulling out your EDC pocket knife. Some multitools can be rather large, so you want to go for a smaller and compact one. A small swiss army knife or a leatherman is a common multitool that people add to their EDC kit.

Multitools also have many functions and capabilities that can come in handy more than you might think, such as a screwdriver or a bottle opener. Of course, you don’t want a multitool that is decked out with every possible feature, that would make it harder to carry around on a daily basis. So consider what you believe would be some really helpful features.

5. Pen

One of my personal favorite EDC essentials is a solid pen. Your grandfather isn’t the only person who carries a pen with him everywhere he goes. Pens are heavily underrated yet are actually extremely useful. Because they are often so slim, it makes them very easy to carry, yet they have a nice length so it's not hard to handle and use them. They are great for writing down things you need to remember, or signing a document. We’ve all been in that situation where someone or yourself needs to write or sign something and they spend a decent amount of time fumbling around looking for a pen. Be prepared, they will be impressed and you’ll save time.

I personally carry around a Nitecore NTP31. This pen is amazing, I love the way it writes and it has a retractable tungsten tip so I can use it for self-defense or in any other safety situation.

Choosing The Perfect EDC

When deciding what you need in your EDC kit, really consider what your everyday life looks like. If you are someone who has to take a lot of notes on a daily basis like myself, you might want to add a notepad. Or if you work with computers and transfer a lot of notes, you might want to add a USB flash drive to your EDC kit. Ultimately your EDC essentials depend on your everyday life, these 5 items are just items I believe are helpful no matter what your day-to-day looks like and many will agree.

I also excluded wallets and keys because those are no-brainer EDC items. Even people who don’t consider EDC kits or the likes carry their wallet and keys with them because they are that essential to everyone's life, you don’t want to lock yourself out of your house and you don’t want to get pulled over without your ID on you.