One of the worst things I've seen in the EDC video community is that a lot of them like to talk down to us and tell us how we're wrong and that they have the solution. They also seem to always have the "ultimate" or "best" EDC. I don't get it
Great kit to have in a bugout bag or car or indeed your pocket. For a bugout bag, might I suggest a brighter colour for the pouch or a brighter coloured patch for ease of sight in the dark.
I think that you should carry what suits you for the day ahead. There's always a call for changing EDC items for different events, etc. I think another channel (Pocket Theory) has it right when he says, "Carry What You Want."
I'm on low to no budget. My finances aren't great to be blunt, but I'm happy with my lot and getting by very well. Of course, there are some EDC items that I covet, but I know that without saving or winning the lottery, I've little to no hope of aquiring said items. I find that a lot of bigger EDC channels carry or at least demonstrate premium or luxury level EDC. It's almost as if they forget that people EDC on a budget. That's one of the many reasons as to why I like your channel Gary, you're honest, down to earth, and in some cases in the same boat as the rest of us.
Really cool to see some other options of organizing gear. I guess i have a bit of a combination. So for knives, i keep all of them in a tool roll, and group knives of the same brand together within it.
I love your videos Gary. I love that you make videos like this, more philosophical, more thought provoking. I've always maintained that it doesn't matter how other people see you, it matters how you see yourself. If EDC makes you feel heroic then more power to you. If EDC makes you feel like a weirdo more power to you. Being the one who carries things like EDC makes us more useful than those who don't. I'm a weird hero who happens to carry some EDC gear
Amen brother, I couldn’t agree more. I am a gear head like so many others in the EDC community, but I would like to temper that with a bit of discussion about the gear. I believe there is a philosophy to EDC that, I hope, informs our decisions about our carry. This is part of the reason why I enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work. Carry on.
I agree that organization can be quite useful in regards to your EDC. I organize around my daily schedule. First, I have an essentials carry that consists of the 6 things I need every time I walk out the door. Then two carries based on my different jobs. Finally, a casual carry for just going out and about. In this way, I’m able to get out the door with minimal friction, a critical element, IMHO, of EDC. Thanks for the video. Carry on.
I'm not following trends, i just see stuff i like and buy it, of i don't like it i don't buy it, it doesn't matter how trendy it is, and if i bought a Ozark trail or would be because it's a 10$ d2 beater with an axis lock, essentially a bugout clone, and i don't know anyone who buys edc gear because everyone else is buying it, there is to much variety and different levels of quality, different designs and steels, there is to much variety to buy something because it's trendy, I've seen popular knives that i think are ugly and did not buy it, then bought one that other people didn't like, but i loved it, and we are not teenagers or women, we don't buy brands just to have a brand on it, we buy brands because they are associated with quality or certain things we like, i buy knipex because I've seen videos proving they are superior on quality to everything else out there, and my experience has proved that to be true, i buy certain expensive knives brand because they are known for high quality at a decent price, some because they produce fantastic titanium scales with beautiful micro milling, spyderco because they are the only company that puts out all the different types of steel, we are not like women, we buy things of a certain brand not because there trendy but because they are known to be high quality and last, or civivi because they produce budget bangers, or kunwu because they produce outstanding everything, if we were like women and just buying what was trendy then there would be no custom and semi custom makers of anything, because there not name famous, brand famous, there is way to much variety to buy trendy, nobody has that much money, we buy what we like and the highest quality we can afford, period, i want the new spyderco rex 121, not because others are buying it or it's trendy, but because i want to see what the most insane edge retention of any steel feels like to use, i love steel, if civivi was selling rex121 knives for 50$ i would get that, but there not,
my edc knife is a simple vitorinox tinker , dose the job for my every day needs , only when i go camping i get a heaver more rubust knife with locking blade , also have a multi tool like the letherman , in my bag just in case i need some plyers ,
Well said sir, well said. I have given much thought to this topic myself and have come to many of the same conclusions. I took a hard look at my own EDC and realized I was going down the very rabbit hole you mentioned. I took some time to honestly evaluate my needs and the gear I would need to fulfill them. I tried to balance the costs of the gear with practical considerations of its use ( i.e. do I need a C. Reeves Sabenza for the cutting tasks I am likely to find myself doing). I believe I chose the gear that stuck a balance between cost and quality. I didn’t pick up the cheapest gear, but rather the gear that would fulfill my needs for the longest time, thereby justifying the purchase price regardless. I honestly evaluated my EDC needs so I didn’t spend money on things I simply didn’t need. Finally, I decided that I would only exchange something in my EDC for something that honestly functioned better than what I already have. I’m still working on it, but I already feel 100 times better about my carry and the direction it’s heading in. I hope you video cause other to sit down and really think about their EDC needs. Thank you for the video, it was a joy to watch.
tl;dr you're right, but i don't think the video was directed at collectors. collecting is different from edc. the points laid out in the video are relevant to those making the choice to buy something for a practical reason, whereas collecting is subjective (which can also include practical) and somewhat necessarily impulsive. the feeling of completion is far different from the feeling of "good enough". it's not like there isn't overlap between the two communities, but collectors can safely ignore this advice as their collection will presumably be large enough to contain an edc, but primarily edc-ers should know when to stop spending as you just can't edc that many items at once, there are diminishing returns.
No. Collectors are different from users. You can buy knives for many reasons. The point I'm making is don't buy an expensive knife for everyday use if you then have no intention of using it as such.
It turns out a big part of the knife industry is catering to collectors, and collectors may not seem rational to non-collectors. The good thing, though, is they keep some of these knife brands afloat so they can also produce more sensible knives for the rest of us! An interesting thing I realized at a local art museum is that such people have always been around. The museum had very fancy knives that probably were prized show-off possessions for the wealthy in some ancient times.
Absolutely spot on man. The never spent over 350 US on a knife and i know thats way more than some would spend but i work hard for my money. I am guilty of having knives i dont use but i am okay with that. The algorithm sent me here btw thanks for the perspective
I never understand why people would need to buy expensive everyday carry/to everyday use and NOT USE IT. 100% agree with your points. No point of buying a "premium" tool that is useful like a knife or a flashlight or a pen if you don't use it. At that point should have gone with a cheap/affordable at decent quality option. Just my opinion 🤷♀
I actually use my tools, but someone who rarely uses there knife, it still makes sense for them to buy a high quality one, they only need one and because it's high quality or will last a lifetime and they can pass it down to there kids, some people like to test steel, some people collect steel, some don't care what steel and they collect knives, many expensive knives are insane works of art, your saying people are not allowed to buy them and appreciate them unless they beat the hell out of them, and what do you consider using your knives to be, I have a mini flashlight in my pocket everyday for years, I use it a dozen times a day, or night actually, also many modern knives are used by people who like to fidget, there a man's fidget toy, I'm just curious how you use your knives and other tools, o have expensive knives that I use for certain things, just like certain blade shapes and designs are useful for certain things but not others, most people just like to collect knives, and what is wrong with that, of our want for them none of you would have decent knives, the best steel would still be D2, knife collectors have created an explosion of growth and innovation in the knife world, not people who buy gas station knives to beat the hell out of them, they contribute nothing
i carry Mora robust/companion AND opinel No.10 for EDC (with becker bk2 in backpack :P ) . when at home i usually keep my bigger knives close by, but wouldnt call them EDC. as much as i love my leatherman, i've replaced it with customized Knipex cobra pliers with hexbits attachment for it.yes, leatherman is an awesome tool, but expensive too, and breaking one would severely hit me, so its more of a "shelf queen" (or should i say, i keep it in SHTF "Scavanger kit" or camping kit, depends of season). been there, done that, learnt stuff too. aster all, EDC is very personalized term i'd say. well explained video, thumbs up :) .
I don't show my knife. I don't even open my pocket knives all the way. I don't recommend it, because it has almost closed on my finger and I've almost pulled it into my self and my partner.
Great video as always Gary!My favourite EDC items are budget. I appreciate quality and affordability, but i'm always prepared to take a chance on an inexpensive flashlight, multitool, knife or socket set (usually found on the Chinese auction sites) to see if it meets my expectations. There are some excellent budget Victorinox SAK's though, that cover a lot of people's EDC needs.
You have described me 100%, I was worse 3 years ago but am slowly improving thanks to your channel and others. The other reason is people tell themselves they want to be prepared so they have five knives or more, -one for on person, one for each car, one for home and one for a pouch/pack.
You are 100% accurate. I’ve stopped making videos, because (I feel) I am irrelevant at this point. I haven’t bought anything new in a long time. All videos out now are all “look at the new thing that I bought” I can’t keep up
Myself stopped simply because these days, most of the time, i simply lack the free time to put into it. When i get free time i prefer to spend it with friends or loved ones rather than making videos 😅
I have had my chums for eight years. Tried those metal monsters and always went back to Chums. It has much better functions than most minimal wallets. You can also put a few coins in it.
Still prefer the Outdoor Edge SlideWinder, and recently got a new one Gerber Prybrid X with nr 11 hobby blades! You're right, we shouldn't chase everything new and fancy, I like to do research before getting something EDC, and only get things that I'll actually use! Unless is something collectable like a discontinued Victorinox model (Tinker Small, or the Ambassador for example, still nothing super expensive)
Regarding the Gerber, a tip about the blade. When changing blades, give the new blade a light coating of Vaseline or paraffin before installation. If you carry the EAB in a pocket, the blade will be exposed to sweat and sweat is corrosive. It will tarnish and rust the blade. Nothing spoils a mood like a rusty blade.
@@dankolar6066 the EAB is a folder so the blade won't be exposed. Also if it's in a pocket, how can it be exposed to sweat on the skin? Finally, I use ceramic blades that won’t rust.
@@Everydaygary - Sweat is not merely a fluid, it can also be a humidity constituent. The fabric of a garment serves as a vapor barrier. On a hot day, assuming one exerts oneself, one's pocket becomes a sauna. Hardware store blades tarnish and rust. Ceramics, perhaps not. Thank you for your time and attention.
Nope. Disagree with that. Pockets don't become "saunas". If that was the case pocket knives, multi tools, keys. Would be suspectable to rust but they rarely do. Plus most pockets are open so any humidity would be vented out.
Yep. I agree with Gary on this one. I've carried metal knives and tools in my pockets for years. Nothing has ever rusted due to it being a "sauna" lol 🤣
@@Everydaygary- ok. Believe whatever you like. Carry the EAB for a while. Then let's talk. The EAB's body is stainless steel. The blade is tool steel. They are in contact - and subject to galvanic corrosion. Google it. It is real.
EDC channels these days are mostly to push Amazon affiliated stuff. I understand the need to make money but I value a more pratical approach to EDC reviews in the long run. I want to know how something will endure after some months of use. For example I find flashlight reviews kinda funny...I don't won't want to know how they perform out of the box, in security we use flashlights for hours during patrols. I need to know how much time the batery will last in real world (not what is the box). Does the lenses heat up, does the body of the flashlight heat up. How much time does it take to charge it from almost zero to 100%. It's the same for other gear. A lot of EDC channels just want to push gear from Amazon and other shops. Nothing against that but pratical reviews in real world are necessary. EDC hang outs would be great but this hobby is global so it's kinda hard to meet fellow enthusiasts when most are from other countries. I'm more into old school EDC, a more pratical and often cheaper way of EDC. Why buy micro pens when you can just cut a bic pen and make a small one. 😊 Imo a lot of EDC channels are more about lifestyle that real life uses. It would be nice to have a hub to connect the more tech savvy EDC users with the more pratical old school ones. Both sides would learn imo. 🎩
I agree with some of what you are saying. I look at some people's carries and struggle to think what scenarios they find themselves in often enough to need some of the bizarre things they have in their pocket
First of all I carry my EDC for me and not for someone else. It's nice if you can also help other people but I don't adjust my EDC to what other people might need. I'm not gonna walk around like some handyman with all kind of tools I don't need. For sure some people like to show off with expensive gear like some people have expensive watches or jewelry but I doubt they will use 'collectables' for it. I do buy items I think might become collectables and do sell them for more but you will only get more if they are unused. One scratch and the value drops. So these 'collectables' never leave the box let alone be used as my EDC tools. But in general I don't worry about what other people carry as EDC because I carry the EDC I need for me.
I believe for most, many EDC RU-vidrs it’s about the money. For some YT is a business & maybe their only job. You get a big subscriber base & companies send you the products. Sometimes you are paid to talk or demo their knife& other EDC gear. When that starts to happen your whole approach to the channel will change. It’s how to best keep the money coming in. Money, food, shelter are huge motivators. Look at TV preachers. Today watched a video of a guy building a platform for a soft side tent. He does lots of survival, adventure type stuff. He does show some “Products”, even a few he has designed. But today a big star of the video was a 20 yr old axe. I like to see gear used in EDC, camping, Survival. What thinking went into that & why they needed this item. How they expected to use & how that turned out. Do any use a certain knife enough to have to sharpen or put new batteries in a flashlight? I don’t need to see any more pieces of paper sliced or Amazon boxes cut up. I understand Be Prepared but some of these folks must be hauling around the equivalent of a mother’s purse & diaper bag in a mini van. But I watch the trinket videos & the YTubers make money. 😄
2:24 Do we though? I watch some EDC channels but I don't know who the "top" channels are or who defines that or by what measure. I recently bought a flashlight with a 704 on it. I thought it was a model number. Turns out it's a collab with some channel that apparently I should have heard of. Who are these "top" EDC channels, and how should I know that?
@@Everydaygary So I googled that, and of the top 25, I have heard of only 3, and 2 of those I can't stand and stopped watching. 🤣😂🤣 I guess I'm out of touch.
I am both part of the problem (EDC addiction) and solution, over the last few years I have decided to only recommend items that are below the average price. To many people on Reddit, Facebook, etct are recommending Leatherman Surge, SAK Spirit MX, or similar without understanding what the persons real need. Lots of people spend $400 on their EDC setup and use it for 6-9 months. EDC for most is so much like a gym membership; they rarely get the value.
One way to improve the EDC community is to make the content you think there should be, and make it good. Integrate what works with the content you want to see the community grow towards. That should please the algorithm and steer it in a productive direction, I personally like to see content more geared towards realistic carry items and why you would have them. I totally agree that EDC becomes more about the stuff and I am guilty of that as well, I am a gearhead so I'm always expanding my carry, realizing I don't want to carry all that shit, and then downsize back to core items. I think if most people were honest, they would probably only need a few basic items on day to day basis. Everything else becomes an inconvenience over time, carrying a ton of stuff that is never used or needed, and just bulking out your pockets.
I agree with this, mostly. My one grandfather carried the same little stockman knife for decades. The other carried a Swiss Army knife. I could have stopped at a Spyderco Delica or an Ontario Rat 2 and never felt any real lack. (I didn't, but I could have). Add the Victorinox Tinker I've had since I was 12 (that was a long time ago) and it's probably still good enough. Now flashlights... I would not be happy today with the 5 lumen squeeze light or the 8 lumen Maglite solitaire that I carried back in the day. But do I need all the dozens of flashlights that I have? No. Probably could just keep an i1r or a TINI 2 on my keys. Or a Fenix E03r. In the pocket, an Olight i5r. Or Acebeam Pokelit AA. Or Acebeam Ryder. Or Thrunite Archer Pro. Or an Olight i3t-2. Or a Thrunite Archer mini. Or an Olight Arkfeld UV. Or a Rovyvon Aurora A8. Or a Rovyvon E8. Or a Sofirn SP10 pro. Or a NiteCore EDC25. Or a Coast Slayer. Or a Wuben X3. Or a Sofirn IF23. Or a Nitecore T4K...
I do believe that the Blade Shows, Georgia Bushcraft, and other events, are the right time and venues for EDC content creators to meet. Most of them are gonna be there already, can justify it as a channel expense, some might collab... it cast the biggest net. You'll get the international guys too, Brits from across the pond, the EDC giys from Argentina, etc. The other way is virtual communication. Your channel is growing. You can still manage the comments, but in the future, when it gets too much, I think you'll need to move conversations to Discord, or similar platforms. Most big channels have their discussion there, just a shame the host of the channel is (sometimes) the least active participant. Keep doing your work, sir
The problem of online community is that it is adressed not to offline members of community, but towards the Algorithm. Content creators have to please algorithm to get views and without doing that no one will see that content. And its a circle that is very hard to escape from. But thanks for addressing the issue.
A category of EDC: handkerchiefs and bandanas. Tho inexpensive, these items are useful as more than snot rags. They can be improvised bandages, forage bags or face masks. Carrying two means that one can offer a handkerchief to a damsel in distress, while still coping with a ragweed allergy.
How often do you actually use a hanky. I carried a hanky followed by a half of a microfiber cloth. I probably used the hank 4-6 times over 6 years and then the microfiber cloth (which was 1/12th the price) about the same number of times over 5 years. I stopped carrying them in 2021 and have never been asked or needed a rag. If needed I can offer a much more helpful medium size alcohol wipe. EDC hanks are all about the money, money
@@haiku-dude I use mine literally every day. Primarily to clean my glasses but also have improvised a bandage and a mask as well as regularly to wipe up messes, clean faces (children), clean spills, as a napkin, as a table cover, and even to wipe noses. And I do carry one colored and one white and have in fact given away the clean white one both to someone having allergies and to someone crying. Everyday? No. But I admit to being pretty smugly self-satisfied when the rare occasion arrived. If you ever see a lady in tears, please do not offer her an alcohol wipe. 😉
@@haiku-dude - Mine are used daily. The smaller (30 cm square), rides in a breast pocket, where it can be reached to clean my glasses (safety with side-shields). The larger (50 cm square) lives in a rear hip pocket, and it is especially handy for snot-catching during spring and fall pollen seasons. Both have had other uses, but - like most EDC items - they are only useful when you carry them. The present set were purchased at a surplus store decades ago.
Good video! I like that you want to have discussions about EDC and other related topics. I also like that the gear is your own. Sign of a regular person. 😁👍🏻
