Humans are creatures of habit. Most gentlemen have a daily morning routine that involves the gathering of personal necessities. Commonly known as everyday carry, or EDC for those familiar with the sub-culture, this practice centers around items assisting occupations, adventures and general encounters. Some readers may keep it simple with a wallet, keys and phone. Others may load up a backpack with a wide array of supplies. The interesting thing with an EDC setup is that it’s centered on personal preference and there’s no right or wrong way to plan it out. However, given a few years’ experience, I’d like to offer insights and potentially helpful recommendations in a short series highlighting various EDC related gear. First up, one item that may or may not be utilized by readers – a flashlight.
The realization and further concentrated effort put into an EDC setup occurred in my early college years. As the stereotypical expectation proved true, a collection of new experiences, individuals and information were encountered regularly. Something not taught through years of expensive tuition and endless hours of lecture, the introduction to a rudimentary every day carry setup was born. The habit began simply enough with a small, spring-assisted SOG knife, keys, bi-fold wallet and phone. A backpack of items were added and subtracted daily as the required study materials followed the semester’s schedule. As undergrad neared completion and the lunge toward the “real world” slowly began, a few items rose to the forefront of necessity.
As an individual now consumed by the office-dwelling lifestyle, it became plain that a more business focused gathering was warranted. Despite the ‘ad man’ career title, my days (and nights) were not reminiscent of Mad Men. Most days are spent at my desk hunched over two monitors endlessly populated by excel spreadsheets – appealing, I know. Appropriately, my messenger bag is filled with a laptop, notebook, an assortment of pens, and that month’s preferred outdoor magazine. However generic this setup may seem to most, I still manage a few useful items. Tucked away in its leather carry case is an old Leatherman worn smooth by years of use that has since been passed down from my grandfather. A small grouping of metal tools proving both useful and sentimental. Additionally and most recently, a dual mode flashlight has found a daily resting place in the front pocket.
Client demands never materialize early in the day. Deadlines are never scheduled for the following day. Complex projects never progress without an element of struggle. As an unfortunate result, there’s the occasional late night walk to the parking lot. The ability to illuminate a clustered ring of keys or an ice covered sidewalk has proven its worth when clicking through low beam to high. When choosing a flashlight it’s important to consider use, price and expectations. Personally, I justified the dual mode SureFire P2X Fury wrapped in a strong aluminum housing that pours out a surprisingly bright amount of light when selected. Not only does it assist when searching for lost items in a dark car, but it also offers a sense of security in dimly lit locations. As a result, this flashlight has become an item I rarely leave at home. Though individual use will probably differ, my choice fits my carry ability and requirements.
Despite the mention of my personal flashlight choice, this isn’t a prompt toward one brand or another but a goal at introducing the idea of a flashlight to your EDC. The evaluation of realistic expectations encountered in a daily routine will help to mold the personal everyday carry setup. Start small and develop a useful pocket dump that fits a specific application. Remember, items can be added, removed and improved upon, but so long as it works for the individual then it’s an EDC worth carrying.