Everyday carry (EDC), as it’s popularly called, is a simple concept that’s often overcomplicated by members of the community. EDC is different for every person and, for some, even different for every situation. For some, it’s as simple as a wallet, phone, and keys; for others, it might involve a pair of cargo or "tacti-cool" pants, with every pocket filled to the brim with pouches and various tools for any imaginable situation. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I often find myself somewhere in the middle.

My current EDC consists of a watch, my phone, wallet, keys, a knife, and a flashlight at minimum. Back when I was stateside I also appendix carried a Glock 19, which I miss dearly. I’ll try to provide at least two recommendations for each piece of EDC that I carry.

These are the items I carry. I have no affiliation with any of the brands, and I will not receive any compensation (monetary or otherwise) if you purchase anything from the links provided.

The Little Things

I also like to carry close to €10 in coins (anything under €5 is a coin) in case I need to pay a random toll that doesn’t accept cards or for a public bathroom. Many public bathrooms in larger cities charge €1 to use, and half the time they don’t accept cards. I also carry around €100 in cash because there are many places in Europe that either don’t take cards or have issues with their card readers. It also helps if I end up needing gas and the gas station doesn’t accept my credit/debit cards, which has happened to me numerous times already.

Probably the most important thing to have is situational awareness, especially with the rise in attacks around the world. It’s essential to be aware of your surroundings. If you see something that might turn into a dangerous situation, do what’s necessary to preserve the well-being of your family. Be observant, and try to recognize if someone on the street is trying to scam you—something that’s all too common in tourist areas of Europe. Pay attention if it seems like someone is scoping you out as a potential target for a robbery. And if you’re traveling with anyone, be sure to communicate with them if you notice anything suspicious.

Watches

As far as watches go, I have an assortment of watches I wear, and I try to keep a steady rotation. My main watches watches are my Tudor Pelagos 39 (P39) and my Sangin Neptune v3 DLC (which I previously wrote about), and I like to throw in my Seiko SRP-777 in to get some wrist time. The P39 is a very versatile tool watch that has a nice bit of style and history in the brand, and it is my number one EDC travel companion. The Neptune is a phenomenal watch and great bang for the buck, I recently added this specific one to my collection and I can’t see it leaving. While working on this article I got my Sangin Atlas LE, and it has been my daily wear since. It has gotten some decent travel in a short time, and I can’t wait for it to get some more.

Phone

My phone is an iPhone with a Quadlock case so I can attach it to my handlebars while riding my motorcycle. I will also recommend the MagBak Elite case, but really any case you like is great. Not much more to be said.

Wallet

In my wallet, I carry six cards, a card-sized tracker that works with my phone, and $40-100 in local currency. I mainly use my Bellroy Slim Sleeve Premium wallet, but I like to alternate it with my Trayvax Contour Ti as well. The Bellroy is nice because it protects your cards from rubbing or scratching while in your pocket and keeps them hidden from prying eyes if that’s a concern for you. The Trayvax has a unique design that I enjoy quite a bit. The biggest downside I’ve found when carrying the Contour is the difficulty in carrying Euros in the back cash slot, and cash is important to carry here. Both wallets are RFID-protected.

Knives (Folding)

When it comes to knives that can vary greatly, but I always carry a folder. Right now, my favorite two folding knives are the Emerson mini CQC-15, and the Benchmade Triage. The triage is a knife I just don’t get sick of. I had one that I ended up gifting someone to say “thank you” for a favor they did, and I’ve missed it ever since, so I recently grabbed another.

The Emerson mini CQC-15 is an American made knife that has a tanto-point on a recurve blade made with 154CM steel and G-10 handles. The blade length is 3.5in with a 7.9in overall length and weight of 4.5oz. Emerson knives also have a feature called the Emerson Wave, which hooks onto your pocket as you pull it out, causing the blade to deploy. The only con of this knife is having to wait for them to come in stock, but Emerson offers plenty of great knives!

The Benchmade Tactical Triage (917SBK) is also an American made knife and is currently my go to for a daily carry knife. It features a drop point blade made with CPM-S30V Premium steel and G-10 handles. The blade length is 3.48in and the overall length is 8.33in with a weight of 5.28oz. The triage also features a folding seatbelt cutter. The knife feels a little thick in hand, which is something I love.

Knives (Fixed)

I usually carry a fixed blade in conjunction with my folder. As far as fixed blades go I like to stick to two main blades. The Matt Helm x Dauntless Manufacturing Dogbone and the Wolf Forty Magnacut SEAF, which was also made by Dauntless Manufacturing.

I find the Dogbone to be a bit more comfortable in the waistband as the blade is shorter and is less likely to press into my hip area when sitting or moving around. My Dogbone has a Magnacut blade with Helm jimping and OD Green G10 scales. The Dogbone is 7 inches in length with a 3.1 inch blade.

I like the SEAF for its ease of use and ability to change the direction of carry in the sheath without having to move the clip. It is also extremely easy to get a good grip on, and the blade adds a bit of an intimidation factor. The SEAF is 8 inches with a 4 inch blade.

Lights

The two flashlights I use are the Surefire Defender E2D Ultra and the Streamlight Macrostream. The SureFire Defender has two modes. The first mode is activated upon the initial click of the tail cap button and spits our 1,000 lumens, which is more than enough to temporarily blind someone if necessary. The second mode is activated by a quick second press of the button and spills out a soft 5 lumens, which I find myself using quite often. The light also offers a crenellated bezel which is great if you need to strike someone or something. The E2D takes two CR123 batteries, and they usually last around three months for me. The biggest con would be that there is no option for rechargeability, and a hefty pricetag. This light is my go-to for travelling. If I could only carry one self-defense tool it would be this.

The Streamlight Macrostream also has two settings, both activated in the same way as the Surefire Defender. The high mode throws out a nice 500 lumens for a two-hour run time and a low mode of 50 lumens for an eight-hour run time. This light is nice since the battery is rechargeable, I don’t have to always worry about buying expensive batteries for it. However, the charger is an outdated micro-USB cord. The ability to be recharged alongside the small form factor is what gives this an advantage over the Surefire E2D. The Streamlight Macro makes for a great daily carry light and is affordable.

EDIT: While writing this I bought a Fenix TK20R v2.0 that has been amazing! It features two tail switch buttons. One that turns the light on, and one that cycles the modes when the light it on, or activates the 3,000 lumen strobe if the light is off. The Fenix has five different lumen outputs: 30, 150, 350, 1,000, and 3,000. It also has memory to turn on to the light output you last used. The light has a hidden USB-C port to recharge the battery as well as a light that will flash red or green to indicate the battery level, both hidden behind a screw up / down cover to retain water resistance. It makes for a great EDC / self defense / duty light and comes in around $130.

Bags

Depending on where I am going, what I am doing, and what I am carrying for the day, I will run one of three EDC bags.

The first bag I use is for quick city trips when I am only carrying my phone, wallet, and a light (knife in waistband doesn’t count). It is the Nike Sportswear Essentials Crossbody Bag (1L). I am easily able to fit what I would normally have in my pockets (phone, wallet, keys) as well as an Anker 633 power bank. The main reason I carry this is to avoid pickpockets, and this bag does that perfectly. The bag sits square on my chest and I have the plastic buckle zip tied so no would-be thief can snatch my bag and run.

The second bag I carry is from Lincoln Gear Co and that is the VIPP Pack which is currently sold out. This is used for day trips or as a car bag occasionally and will carry extra medical gear if I’m not carrying an IFAK. My medical gear in this is quite simple but consists of: (1) Tourniquet, (1) QuikClot Combat Gauze, (2) Chest Seals, and a Sharpie. There is room in the bag for more so I might throw my keys or something else in there.

The third bag I carry is the Fjällräven Ulvo Hip Pack (Large). The main use for this is if I want to bring my camera with me on a trip, I like to have a bag I can hide it in when I don’t want it dangling around my neck for a long period of time. Most of the time when I am travelling, once I go out for the day I won’t be stopping back by the hotel or Air bnb to drop anything off or change what I am carrying for the day.

Bonus: I recently found myself on a day trip to a city that is a four hour drive away and the weather was supposed to be all over the place. However, I was not going to be able to go back to my vehicle at all because it was stored in valet parking. So I brought my Kifaru Urban Ruck (they now only have the 2.0 available). I carried an extra hoodie, my IFAK, camera, Nalgene water bottle with plenty of space to spare incase I needed to shed layers or my wife anted to buy anything and make me carry it.

Non-Permissive Environments

Non-Permissive Environments (NPE) are something to be aware of and can greatly alter your EDC. Being outside the States, for example, I had to ditch my firearm and instead replaced it with a flashlight and a blade. I’m not fully sure the blade is even allowed here, but no one has told me anything yet. When I travel I obviously can’t bring a blade of any sort with me, so what should I bring instead? Like I mentioned before I bring my SureFire E2D with me everywhere. But I also carry a Hobo Tactical Penetrator. I have flown with both and haven’t had any issues this far. The penetrator is still functionally a pen, so I also usually keep it in my bag next to a notebook of some sort to keep from drawing any sort of extra attention. I also make sure the backside of the tip is facing out to ensure the bevel is not shown on an x-ray machine. I am also interested and looking into buying some goods from Black Triangle.

Considerations

When it comes to creating your own EDC, you need to consider what works for you. If you’re the type of person that wants a tool for any situation you can imagine, go ahead and get that. Or if you are the type of person that carries the bare minimum necessary, that is great too! It doesn’t matter what your preference is because EDC is a very personalized thing, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or try to shame you for your EDC.

It is important to consider your finances when getting into EDC or even when you have been into it for a while. Often, I will find myself impulse buying or resisting the urge to buy something that I want to add to my EDC. If you’re not careful it’ll eat away at your money very rapidly and is in my opinion a hobby that is bad at that. But we all have our expensive hobbies.

European EDC & Considerations