It has been quite a while since I have talked about my EDC. I wrote about it several years ago (Feb 2020) and almost six years have gone by since. I was curious to see how my EDC had changed since, for better or worse. Since a few things have changed, I thought I would write this up and give you a look at what I’m carrying on a daily basis in late 2025, and compare it to my 2020 EDC.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links.
My Every Day Carry (EDC)
As most of you probably know, my new book, Competent & Dangerous: Master the Skills to be a Man Among Men is live. I dedicated a whole chapter in that book to the topic of every day carry (EDC). I really like having a codified set of EDC items: with the same stuff, in the same place, every time. This keeps me from forgetting stuff. It also makes sure I don’t get somewhere and need something, only to find I didn’t carry it today. I like the codified, standardized system.
This article will talk about my every day carry as it is now, and how it has evolved in the past five (almost six) years (here’s my 2020 list). You guys know I’m a detail-oriented guy, so this will be a long one. If , however, it still doesn’t satisfy your itch for reading about EDC items, pick up a copy of Competent & Dangerous. It explores the topic much. more deeply. Without further ado, let’s look at what I lug around every day!
Right Front Pocket: Knife
I still believe that a knife is the most important EDC item you can carry. A knife is one of the most versatile tools in existence, and I use mine almost every single day. A knife is one of the last items I would want to be caught without. In the tactical sphere, a knife is typically thought of as a weapon. It certainly can be, but for me it is, first and foremost a tool. I use it like a tool, which means using it when it is called for, and maintaining it.
Sidebar: I don’t totally understand the guys who carry two knives, one to use and one to fight with. A dull-ish knife will still cut plenty well, and I don’t let my knives get that dull. I sharpen once, then touch up periodically. While it isn’t always factory-sharp, it stays pretty damn sharp.
So what knife do I carry? The Spyderco Para Military 2 was in my pocket when I rang in 2025. Since then I have toyed with two Wharncliffe blades: the Spyderco Canis and the Spyderco Yojimbo 2. I like the Wharncliffe design, but the the tip of the Yojimbo II is too sharply tapered. It would be just a tad too fragile for routine use…which lead me to the Canis.
One pro for the Canis: more blade to handle ratio. One con: the Para 2’s G10 grips feel better. One more: the Para 2 is made in America.
Knife: 2020 vs 2025
So how much did my EDC knife change since 2020? It has changed with a couple caveats. First, I expect this change to be temporary. I really like my Spyderco Para Military 2 and will likely circle back to it. Secondly, the knives are very similar. While this is a change, it isn’t a big one.
Right Front Pocket: Phone
I carry my phone in my right front pocket for two reasons. First, it is frequently accessed and secondly, it won’t interfere with my knife. Keys adn coins have a way of getting into the handle of my knife and dulling the blade or fouling the opening.
My phone is certainly upgraded since 2020…but probably not by much. My friend gave me his old iPhone when I broke mine. Though it was a huge upgrade for me, it was already about 4 generations behind. What can I say? I don’t like paying big money for phones, or carrying the cell company’s phone.
I won’t get into the exact model, but it is outfitted with an Otterbox Commuter case and a JetTech Privacy Screen. These Otterbox Cases are almost bombproof. They last and keep the phone well protected. I drop my phone from the seat of the ambulance at least once a shift. The JetTech does a phenomenal job at both preserving privacy and protecting the screen. People routinely comment on how little they can see on my phone.
Phone: 2020 vs 2025
I’m still carrying an iPhone. It’s still outdated, still wearing an Otterbox Commuter case and a JetTech privacy screen. Not much has changed there.
Right Front Coin Pocket: Zippo
In a big change from my 2020 EDC, I have added a Zippo lighter to my right front coin pocket. I always like having a means to start a fire about my person, and this satisfies that need. Previously I was carrying a ferrocerium rod on my keys. While this is probably a more durable fire-starter, it isn’t very versatile. In the mere couple of weeks I’ve been carrying the Zippo I’ve used it to light candles at a Halloween party and burn the ends of several pieces of cord. You couldn’t do any of these things with a ferro rod.
There are some strikes against the Zippo: namely that they leak fuel, and they stink. I replaced the standard lighter apparatus with a butane torch insert. This thing burns hotter than a regular Zippo, allows you to direct the flame precisely, and is fully windproof. Even better, it will not leak. I filled this insert way back in 2020 when I wrote my epic firestarting article. When I pulled it out a few weeks ago it still had a full tank of fuel.
The little Zippo rides neatly in my coin pocket that was previously unused, without interfering with anything else or making my pockets feel overly full. It weighs very little, and is a big added capability. A full tank of fuel provides 100, 5-second lights. That’s pretty impressive.
Fire-Starting: 2020 vs 2025
In 2020, I was carrying a ferro rod on my keys. I dropped that a couple years ago in the interest of a smaller key ring, and was carrying no fire capability. I have upgraded my fire capability pretty significantly with the addition of the Zippo.
Left Front Pocket: Flashlight
Along with a knife, a flashlight is one of the most important items you can carry. It gets dark every single day! I still occasionally see someone who marvels or laughs that I have a flashlight in my pocket. Of course they don’t utter a word of complaint when it is needed. The uses for a flashlight defy enumerating. From looking for something dropped on the floor to lighting a darkened alley to assessing pupils to lighting up the yard before I let the dog out…the list could go on endlessly.
I’m still carrying the exact same flashlight, the Fenix LD12. I absolutely love this flashlight because it is incredibly durable and extremely versatile. It has survived five years of carry every single day, a short EMS career, and the introduction to my LE career. I won’t waste much time selling you on it because it has been discontinued, but I will tell you what I like about it.
First, it feeds on common AA batteries, making it incredibly easy to keep powered. One huge advantage of this light is that it also permits the use of 14500 batteries. These batteries are the same size as AAs but operate at 3.7V rather than 1.5V, allowing much greater light output. They are also far less expensive in the long run. Since I figured out this trick three years ago I have used the same $25 worth of batteries to power my light. Using disposable AAs probably would have cost me five times this much.
Flashlight: 2020 vs 2025
Same light, different battery. The 14500 gives me more power. The ability to recharge lets me go on patrol with a fresh battery every shift, and saves me money. What’s not to love? I just wish I’d purchased a spare light or two before they were discontinued.
Right Rear Pocket: Wallet
I have carried the same wallet for over a decade. It was a Christmas gift to me in 2014, and has been in my pocket ever since. It is a bit large, but its large size keeps it pretty flat, despite all the extra stuff I carry in it. The wallet itself is a Bellroy travel wallet. This design was discontinued years ago, but it looks a lot like the Bellroy Travel Folio. I can’t swear to it because I haven’t handled the new one, but these designs look really similar.
I may save up and order a new one and, as long as it is similar enough, reserve it as a replacement for my current wallet. The left side has two vertical rows of cards. The left side has a tab to hold a passport and a long-lost pen. There are some other little pockets and hiding places, like a SIM/Micro SD-card holder.
The one problem I have with this wallet? The waterproof zipper failed about five years ago. I really liked the idea of being able to drop my wallet and know nothing would fall out, but it has remained very functional in spite of the zipper failure. Though may Bellroy wallets are now made with RFID lining, I carry all my cards in RFID-blocking sleeves.
Wallet Contents
Aside from cash, various forms of ID, credit and ATM cards, I do carry some tools in my wallet. The first and undoubtedly most important is $1,000 in cash. There are very few emergencies that you cannot solve with $1,000, from finding a place to lay your head for a while, to getting your car fixed, to getting out of a country if shit hits the fan. I also carry a couple of bandaids, a 5£ note from my 2019 trip to Ireland, and a 4-leaf clover that was given to me as a gift. A little luck never hurt anyone!
Finally, my wallet contains my minimalist EDC lock-picking kit. I explored this kit in detai. in an article all its own. As a first responder I have a demonstrable need for these tools, as well as the skill to use them. They are SERE Pick Bogata Pi set, a Peterson’s Flat Five tension tool set, a Sparrows Flex Pass, and a modified sheet of Sparrows Shim material.
Wallet & Contents: 2020 vs 2025
My wallet game has stepped up a little bit. I’m proud that the wallet is still the exact same one I was carrying almost six years ago (and four years before that!). I’ve also added some solid tools to my repertoire that I wasn’t carrying back then. The bandaids have proven very useful, both for me, and for handing out to others. The lockpicks have helped me get into a few patient’s homes in emergency situations, as well. Bottom line: the things I added to my wallet represent a BIG UPGRADE in my overall capability.
Left Rear: Medical
In my 2020 EDC article, I mentioned that I should upgrade and start carrying some medical gear. At the time, I think I mentioned that I needed to carry a tourniquet. Since that time I have begun to carry medical, but it’s not a tourniquet.
Instead I carry a triangular bandage from Chinook Medical. I wrote a whole article on the benefits of a triangular bandage, and of this particular triangular bandage. It can be used for a million different tasks including as an: improvised tourniquet, wound packing, sling, head dressing, pressure dressing for a neck wound, pelvic binding, splint padding/binding… The package also makes a dandy occlusive dressing. I add a strip of Gorilla Tape to either side of the package of mine for that purpose.
The non-medical uses for a triangular bandage are huge, too. It can be used to make char cloth, as a dust mask, head/neck covering, improvised sunglasses to prevent snow blindness, a warming layer for your neck, hasty water filter… And on and on.
Meanwhile, a tourniquet costs four times as much, is bulkier, and does one, single, solitary thing. Not only does the triangular bandage offer a drastically increased capability, it also balances out my wallet in my back pocket!
Medical: 2020 vs 2025
There’s not a whole lot to say here. I wasn’t carrying any medical supplies, and now I’m carrying a pretty effective tool. On duty or off, I have a pretty decent medical capability at all times.
Other Carry: Watch
I wore a watch for years. Around 2015 I decided I didn’t need one any more, and gave it up. Then I started working EMS. I was embarrassed during a clincial when someone told me to push a drug over 30 seconds, and to time it by looking at my watch. When I told her I didn’t have a watch, she offered to loan me hers. “Never again,” I vowed, “will I be the guy who has to borrow a watch to do my job.”
I initially purchased a cheap watch that I didn’t really like (which is always a mistake). A few months later, at the urging of my friend Nick, I repaired my Luminox. I wrote a big article about it that, although not very popular, I consider one of my best articles. I was very excited to resurrect this piece of personal history. It lasted for about six months until I dropped it and it broke…again.
Instead of repairing my Luminox yet again, I purchased a Citizen Promaster Eco Drive dive watch. This relatively inexpensive watch has served me well for almost four years now, and shows no signs of stopping. It’s not the nicest or most expensive watch, but it works for my needs.
I wore it for a while with the Waterbourne Safety Strap I used on my Luminox, but the strap finally gave out. I replaced it will an no-name safety strap that has worked very well so far. If I could make one change to this watch, I would have gotten it in black instead of blue, so I could wear a wider range of strap colors with it.
Other Carry: Pepper Spray
I have carried pepper spray in one form or another for several years now. I began carrying pepper spray in 2019 when I quite using smokeless tobacco. This freed up a pocket, so I started carrying a large can of Fox Mean Green pepper spray. At some point, desiring a smaller option, I switched to a ASP Metro Defender. I carried this for about a year on my keychain. I found I didn’t like the big lump in my pocket…and the cap kept coming off, dropping the OC canister inside.
About a year ago I switched back to a big can of Fox One Point Four. This stuff is powerful stuff. I would like to get away from such a big can. I have some POM pepper spray that I will look at carrying, as well.
Pepper Spray: 2020 vs 2025
I began 2020 with a big can of pepper spray, and I’m going into 2026 with an identically-sized can. No big capability upgrade or downgrade here.
Belt-Carried Item: Handgun
I am still carrying the same handgun, my Nighthawk Custom 1911. I absolutely love this gun and have have written a number of articles covering it including a first look, a 5,000-round review, and my recent “If I Could Only Have One” article. Very little about the gun has changed…though some things have. Around the 12,500-round mark, I sent the gun back for a tune-up. With my relatively heavy shooting schedule this seemed prudent. The one cosmetic change I asked for was a replacement of the short, curved trigger with a flat one. It has made no difference to my shooting, but I like the looks and it doesn’t hurt anything. After six years I also finally replaced the grips with thin LOK Bogies.
The other, larger change is the addition of the Nighthawk Interchangeable Optic System (IOS). Until about two years ago, I was a diehard iron-sights guy. After shooting the Rangemaster Protective Pistolcraft class with a P365XL/EPS Carry, I decided to go all in with optics and add one to my every day carry. The IOS cut required sending the gun back to Nighthawk but it is absolutely worth it. The optic itself is a Sig Romeo X Compact Enclosed. I have been incredibly pleased with both.
One failed addition to my 1911 is a mag well. Though I liked it overall, it altered the weight, balance, and grip-length of my 1911 too much. Carry became uncomfortable and concealment was much more difficult. I decided it wasn’t worth it to take a quarter second off my reload.
Holsters
Both of my holsters have changed since 2020. Back then I was carrying a Precision Holsters AIWB and a Kramer Leather OWB. I like AIWB for my every day carry setup, but sometimes need an OWB holster for hiking, cutting firewood, doing a SAR mission, etc.
I replaced my AIWB holster with a JM Custom Kydex “George” holster. It is a much more minimalist design, and is smaller in almost every dimension. It also hides the gun well. I have been carrying in this holster since 2021 and see no reason to change a thing…except maybe replacing the soft-pull loops when they wear out.
Putting an optic on the gun necessitated retiring the Kramer horsehide OWB holster. Unfortunately it lacks the requisite cut for the optic. I also replaced this with a JM Custom Kydex holster, the OWB 1 model.
Handgun: 2020 vs 2025
There are some slight changes here in the past 5 years and 8 months. Most important is the optic on the handgun. I am now anchoring groundhogs at 100 yards with this thing. There are a couple of minor, mostly cosmetic changes like the trigger and grips. Holsters have changed, too. The JMCK George is smaller and lighter and way more comfortable. The JMCK OWB 1 is performing admirably, too, though with no clear benefit over the Kramer besides permitting an optic.
Belt-Carried Items: Badge & Spare Mag
I carry two other items on my belt, most of the time. The first is my badge. Maybe it’s because I’m a rookie, but if I’m carrying my gun, I slip my badge on my belt. It takes up very little space, but if I need to use my gun it would be a very good thing to have.
The next is a spare magazine. I carried a spare magazine in 2020, a Wilson Combat 9-rounder in a Wilson Combat pouch. Wilson has started making a 10-rounder, so that’s what I carry in a JM Custom Kydex magazine pouch. I love these magazine pouches and have written a detailed article on them. Not coincidentally, I’ve also written an article about Wilson Combat ETM magazines, which I think are the BEST 1911 magazines.
Badge & Mags: 2020 vs 2025
Short and sweet: I didn’t have a badge in 2020 but now I do. In 2020, Wilson Combat didn’t make an Officer-sized, 9mm 10-round magazine, so I carried a 9-rounder with a big base pad that rubbed me raw. Now they make a 10-rounder that is smaller, more comfortable, and carries an additional round. And I’ve switched spare mag holders to the JMCK. Smaller, lighter, more capable.
My Every Day Carry Conclusion
To some of you, this might seem like a ton of crap to lug around every day. I for one, love it. I feel pretty damn capable every time I set foot outside of my house. No matter what life throws at me – from a self-defense situation to a wilderness survival ordeal, to a medical emergency, to opening a package or lighting birthday candles – I got this.
And more importantly, it’s not just the gear. I also have the skills, knowledge, abilities, and experience to handle whatever comes my way. Gear isn’t everything, but a competent and dangerous individual, equipped with the right gear is a force to be reckoned with.
