Does EDC Have to Be an Expensive Hobby?

Everyone who legally carries a concealed firearm started doing so for the same reason: to be able to protect themselves and their loved ones from predatory criminals. Very simple and straightforward. People who start out with a good handgun and holster frequently decide they need a few more items, like a spare magazine carrier, a flashlight, and a knife. From there, the list of “necessary” EDC gear can get longer and longer. There are entire websites devoted to EDC and all the cool and often expensive gear you can get. There are even “pocket dump” sites where people can send in photos of their EDC setup.

That’s fine, but the trend toward highbrow EDC gear can become discouraging to a new gun owner. The photos on those pocket dump sites frequently show some very expensive EDC gear—things like pricy knives, flashlights, designer keyrings, and other spiffy things I call gewgaws.

How Did We Get to This Point?

There is no doubt that a legitimate need exists for practical and effective EDC gear. An accurate, reliable gun is a necessity, as is a quality holster that protects the trigger and provides adequate retention. Other practical items include a carrier for a spare magazine since that is better than just dropping one in your pocket, a good pocket-size flashlight, and a knife or multi-tool.

But this is America, the country with the strongest free market economy in the world. That means the law of supply and demand determines what entrepreneurs and manufacturers produce and put on the market. And believe it or not, there is a demand for insanely expensive EDC gear. Think about it: all kinds of people, at all income levels, choose to carry a concealed firearm for self-protection. That means some people buy guns like a Taran Tactical Innovations JW4 Pit Viper, which lists for $7500, a Wilson Combat EDC X9 Compact, which is a steal at $3500, or even a lowly HK USP 9 Compact LEM LE Taupe for a paltry $1500. Folks who can afford to sink that kind of cash into a gun are at the top of the food chain for high-speed, high-cost accessories, and there are manufacturers out there anxious to provide them. 

I’m not talking about the gear advertised on sites that depict their customers as if they were SOCOM operators, things like red dots and triggers. Those items may be expensive, but they are also practical and can improve your performance. I’m talking about slick Gucci-type items. It’s fine if people want to buy things like that, but it doesn’t oblige everyone else to, just so they can keep up with the Joneses.

Stuff the Cool Kids Carry

As an example, let’s create a hypothetical Gucci EDC pocket dump. We can assume we already have a pistol, holster, and spare magazine carrier, so we’ll start with a pocketknife. I selected the Chris Reeve Small Sebenza 31 2.99″ Folding Knife. It features an integral lock with a ceramic ball interface, Reeve’s MagnaCut stonewashed drop point blade, and sandblasted titanium handles. A very slick knife, and only $425.00.

Next, we’ll need a top-of-the-line flashlight. We’ll want something light but tough, so I’ll go for the Beagle Titanium EDC Flashlight. It is only 3″ long and features a dual emitter with five brightness settings. It runs on a CR123A battery (called a “power plant” in the listing), is weatherproof, has a double-AR coated sapphire crystal lens, and gold-plated electrical contacts. It retails for $695.00.

An EDC pen is always a good item to carry. For our pocket dump, I selected The Burwell Titanium EDC Pen from James Brand of Portland, OR, that bastion of American patriotism. It weighs less than an ounce and has a tough, easy-to-hold green-gray titanium barrel. It’s made in China and will set you back $169.00.

Everyone needs a strong, dependable key ring to keep their keys together. We could go for a simple ring like the KNOX Custom Titanium Split Key Ring, a flat pattern titanium split ring that goes for a paltry $30.00. But if we really want something distinctive, we can go for the gusto and get a VOXDESIGN VOX ORWELL titanium key ring. This 3/8″ thick titanium owl-shaped tool is handmade in Denmark by Jesper Voxnaes, a well-known European knife maker. It has a one-inch hole in the center for your finger to go through, incorporates a bottle opener into its design, and can be used as an emergency impact tool. The listing points out that it may save your life one day. It can be yours for $165.00.

Finally, carabiners are ideal to keep your expensive key ring on. The Mehlville is a modern carabiner, again from James Brand, a company that describes itself as EDC specialists “for people who live adventurously.” The 3.1″ device is CNC machined in China and incorporates a bottle opener. I guess opening bottles is a critical function. It is listed at $119.00, but they offer a discount for military, first responders, government employees, and teachers. That means that clerks who work for the Government Publishing Office get the same discount as police officers.

Not counting your gun, holster, spare magazine, and spare magazine carrier, your Gucci EDC setup would look like this.

All told, this EDC setup, which will make for a very impressive photo on any pocket dump website, will run you a total of $1,573.00. If you think this is an exaggeration, just kill an hour on a Sunday afternoon searching the web for EDC and pocket dump sites, and you will be amazed at what you find. Granted, this is at the high end of the spectrum for highbrow EDC gear, but it is a genuine list of available accessories.

What Do You Really Need?

Fortunately, one does not have to spend more on their EDC accessories than they do on their gun and holster, which is as it should be. So, let’s look at the other end of the spectrum.

I mentioned in a previous article that it is not necessary to spend a fortune on EDC gear to get a practical setup. This is especially important for new gun owners who are still learning the ropes and getting used to carrying every day, and you should always carry every day. Here is my minimalist EDC setup.

There is no need to carry an expensive knife for EDC. That doesn’t mean carrying something that will break if you need to use it to defend yourself; it just means that it doesn’t need to cost hundreds of dollars. I also subscribe to the philosophy that if I lose my knife, either accidentally or intentionally, I won’t be out much. The Smith & Wesson Frame Lock Drop Point Folding Knife has a 2.2″ blade and a grey stainless-steel skeleton handle. It lists for around $18.00.

Your flashlight needs to be compact, powerful, and reliable. I am currently carrying a Folomov EDC Rechargeable Flashlight. It is 1.8″ long, puts out 525 lumens, and has multiple brightness settings. It is made from anodized aircraft aluminum and is waterproof to a depth of two meters. Mine is black, but you can also get it in colors. It cost me $25.00 and has never failed me.

My wife and I both carry tough tactical pens that can be used as a weapon in an emergency. They can wear out or get lost with a fair degree of regularity, so we stick with simple Smith & Wesson Aircraft Aluminum Tactical Pens that run $27.44 apiece.

Carabiners are handy for keeping everything together, and you can’t go wrong with a Leatherman. They offer a 2.6″ stainless steel carabiner with a bottle opener for only $8.00.

All told, your EDC setup would look like this:

As the list stands, you’re all set for only $79.00. Again, this doesn’t include your gun, holster, spare magazine, and spare magazine carrier. I sometimes carry higher-end gear when I’m going to be out for longer durations, but this one is more than sufficient for local errands.

What’s The Point of This Article? 

If anyone reading this carries any of the expensive items I talked about, please know that I am not making fun of you. There is nothing wrong with expensive hobbies. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I have invested in guns, ammunition, and shooting gear. My wife collects anime statues. Google that sometime. So, there is nothing wrong if people want to drop hundreds of dollars on a flashlight or knife; I’m just saying that people new to concealed carry shouldn’t feel like their EDC setup is subpar if it doesn’t include a lot of high-end names. Functional and durable EDC gear is an everyday practicality, not just a hobby. As with anything else, start with the basics and work your way up to whatever level you are comfortable with.