Every Day Carry

I have a slight obsession with Every Day Carry aka EDC. It blends with some of my other interests like disaster prepping (that’s more a “what I do” as opposed to “interest”) and historical re-enacting.

Modern EDC options

Otzi the Iceman's EDC from 5000 years ago.

Thing is, my tastes lean more towards the mundane than cool high-speed-low-drag tactical gear and guns. I’m a common man and have some common tastes to live my common life. I do appreciate some of the knowledge I’ve gleaned over the years from some of the pro-level tactical guys and I think I have a good gauge on what I need for my life and what I don’t. It’s a fine balance between:

I need to be ready to repel another country’s army from my lands

-and-

Glock 19 is the new standard for side arms

Basically, I want to be able to take part in my own active defense but I’m not fighting ISIS or China.

My interest in things in people’s and my own pockets is not in guns though. I’ve always had a fascination with wallets, pocket knives, watches, flashlights, change pouches… things of that nature. I don’t collect either. Sure, I’m hunting for some pretty specific things like a good Sunday Puukko or a pocket organizer but I don’t blow a ton of money on something when I find what is working great for me and my tastes for “what is working great” are pretty low compared to others.

Gotta' keep them from flopping around in the pocket and tearing things up.

Really nice (to me) puukko knife

What I have in my pockets daily, 100% and if I don’t have it I made a mistake:
1) A Coach wallet. Pretty fancy for a guy like me, the inlaws got it for me for Xmas a few years back. It’s a little thick but it does its job (hold cash, licenses, cards, bus pass, etc.) and the only real peculiarity for me is I like to have a flip-out window for my bus pass and it needs to hold cash as I like to have cash. I really appreciate this gift from the Parhams and, being a Coach, makes me feel luxurious in a simple way.
2) A hanky – the good old paisley endowed western hanky you can get at Fred Meyer for cheap. Wipes up messes, soaks up sweat, first aid, blow my nose in it.
3) Keys on an old spring clip – I got the spring clip after graduating Navy bootcamp in 1990. I remember my first day of liberty after graduation. Everyone wanted to go out in a group but I needed some alone time so the first thing I did was go to the PX* (first time I had money in my pocket for months) and I bought a piece of pizza, a Dr. Pepper, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and that spring clip for keys as I was told I might end up with some keys to care for. I sat alone and ate that pizza and sipped the Dr. Pepper. Then I lit a smoke and smoked it.
4) Fenix E12 pocket light – my favorite flashlight right now. AA battery, small, up to 100 lumens. Hit my sweet spot after I bought it and have had it for 3-4 years now. Perfect for office and outdoors (and when outdoors I do bring other lights).

5) Leatherman Juice XE6 – Gretchen got my name engraved on it and gave it to me for Xmas. Handiest pocket tool I ever had (out of the 10 or so I own!)
6) Bic lighter – for my smokes, for emergencies.

My iPhone is either in my back pocket with my hanky or a jacket pocket or vest. Same with smokes but I don’t smoke often so a lot of the time smokes are not on me.

On me, right now as I type.

$.79 cents in San Diego RTC Navy Exchange February 1990. I still use it daily.

There it is, lower left of picture, hanging off my belt loop. M2 quals, 1990

A few years ago, it's a bit beat up now.

For work I also carry a commuter bag, an old Timbuk messenger. It’s getting worn out so I’m looking to replace it but I’m in no hurry. My phone and cigarettes go in the bag a lot. Also in the bag are some boo-boo kit items (bandaids, pain killers, Pepto and antiacids), hand sanitizer, some pens and pencils, ear buds (phone), a fixed blade knife, and a larger flashlight (Surefire of course!). In and out daily are lunch, reading material, a drink, and maybe socks.

I’m not going to talk much about a firearm. I have a concealed carry license and many options to carry different pistols.

Some people may think this is scary looking.

On Facebook and Tumblr I am subscribed to many different “EDC” fan pages. 90% of the time I’m a bit meh about it as the masses into EDC are more into pistols and fighting knives.  Anything not pistols and knives lean towards a pistol and knife aesthetic and are too tacticool for my blood. Black guns and coyote knives that look hooky and dangerous, chunky pens that also stab, flashlights that can start fires, “grey man” bags with tomahawks and short rifles, a back pack 90% of trauma kit … it’s quite funny sometimes as the people carrying this stuff are not congruent to people who will be using this stuff.  Sure “it’s better to have it and not need it yadda yadda…” but I’ve got a 10 pounds of shit on me daily limit. I’m fine with what other’s carry I just won’t do it nor see a real probable need and think the Greyman Tacticool look is rather obvious and quite noticeable and exactly opposite of Greyman Philosophy. Thing is when I see the "scary stuff I know it's mostly aesthetics and color and not actually any more scary than other things.

Just as effective tools, probably more expensive, not as scary looking. 

Actually, a very wise man once taught me that a true greyman is “congruent” to their surroundings and that has stuck with me since. Thanks ODA and I wish I knew your real name. This is why my “philosophy” is to be me which is “an office worker that likes heavy metal and ice cream”.

When you dress like this I immediately think "That guy has a gun or wishes they did." They think they are blending in. They are also just as fashionably minded as any other consumer out there but refuse to admit it.

What I like to see on blogs and FB pages and such are the quality things that really tell you something about a person (other than I’m Gonna Fight In A Fucking Big War!). Like, a pocket knife that looks like Grandpa hung out with them or an old Zippo that has an old Infantry unit insignia. Maybe a watch with a clown on it or something. Other than the personal things like that I also like real simple and elegant but highly functional pocket carry items like a 2 or 3 pocket organizer (for pen, knife, lighter?) or a pocket notebook and wallet combo. One thing I’ve always wanted was a hanky with a simple map of Portland on it.

*Edit I typed PX and that's the land lubber Army name for it. We called it the Navy Exchange. I think that most people know what a PX is over an NEX. How true that is I don't know.