EDC: THE GEAR THAT LIVES WITH YOU

Why What You Carry Every Day Shapes the Life You Live

Everyday Carry isn’t a trend.

It isn’t a hobby.

It isn’t an aesthetic.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

EDC is a declaration:

I will be ready.

I will be responsible for myself.

I will not depend on luck, convenience, or systems that fail.

Most people walk out the door empty — empty pockets, empty hands, empty capability.

They’re helpless when something breaks, when something happens, or when someone needs help.

The unencumbered aren’t helpless.

Because we don’t carry decorations.

We carry tools.

The gear you carry becomes the gear you live with.

It shapes how you think, how you move, and what you’re capable of in the real world — not the fantasy world that social media sells.

EDC is simply capability made portable.

THE MINDSET OF EVERYDAY CARRY

Everyday Carry begins with one honest question:

If everything went wrong RIGHT NOW — what do I need on me to survive, defend, repair, navigate, create, or escape?

That’s it.

Not fantasy.

Not paranoia.

Not “prepper” theatrics.

Real situations:

You get lost.
Your car breaks down.
Someone gets hurt.
A threat appears.
You have to leave — now.
You need to cut, light, pry, fix, or create something in the moment.

EDC is not about expecting trouble.

It’s about not fearing trouble.

Preparedness removes fear.

And the first rule of Unencumbered EDC is this:

You should be able to live a few days with just what’s on you.

Not overloaded … Not uncomfortable … Not obvious

Just functional.

Able to cut … open … repair … defend … create … communicate.

Able to move with confidence.

EDC isn’t about gear — it’s about who you become by having it.

THE FIVE CORE CATEGORIES OF EDC -

EDC revolves around five universal principles:

CUT - Knife or multi-tool. The oldest tool in human history. Still essential.

FIRE - Mini Bic, long Bic, or ferro rod. Fire is warmth, signaling, light, cooking, and comfort.

LIGHT - A compact flashlight. Darkness is disorienting — own it.

WATER - A bottle or filter straw. No water = no survival.

CORDAGE - Paracord, bank line, or micro cord. Tying, repairing, trapping, building, improvising — infinite uses.

These five solve 90% of small daily problems and 100% of emergencies long enough to get you out alive.

BUT EDC ISN’T JUST ONE KIT — IT’S MULTIPLE KITS

This is where most people misunderstand EDC.

It isn’t “the one thing you carry every day.”

It’s the system you pull from depending on your day.

For me, EDC is four layers:

1. Pocket Kit (Always on you)

2. Everyday Carry Kit (On-body + belt + pockets)

3. Creative / Fun Bag (When I want to create, think, sketch, or recharge)

4. Computer Bag (When I’m working, writing, editing, coding, or traveling)

You don’t carry everything every day.

You carry what the day requires.

But you have it — ready, organized, and intentional.

MY COMPLETE EDC SYSTEM — REAL GEAR, REAL USE

This isn’t theory.

This isn’t fantasy.

This is the gear I actually use, rely on, and trust.

1. POCKET KIT — The Minimum Viable Survival System

This is what lives in my pockets even on the simplest days.

Fire: Mini Bic Lighter

Light: Nebo Flashlight

Nail Clipper: Simple but essential for comfort & small fixes

Multitool: Gerber Dime (tiny, light, indispensable)

Knife: Kershaw Diode (small, sharp, disappears in-pocket)

This is my bare minimum.

If everything goes sideways and this is all I have — I’m still capable.

2. FULL EDC — The Tools I Carry When the Day Requires More

When I step deeper into the world — city, woods, travel, uncertainty — this is the next layer.

Fire: Long-Reach Bic Lighter

Light: Nebo

Nail Clipper

Multitool: Gerber

Knife: Benchmade Osborne (precision, reliability, lifetime tool)

Pistol: KelTec PR5.7 (lightweight, accurate, powerful)

Phone: iPhone 16 Pro Max (maps, comms, camera, notes, SOS)

Power Bank: Goal Zero Outrider 18 (off-grid recharge)

This is where EDC becomes life-ready.

Small enough to carry comfortably.

Powerful enough to change outcomes.

3. CREATIVE BAG — The Fun, The Mindset, The Human Side

Most people forget that EDC isn’t just survival.

To live Unencumbered, you need tools for the soul, not just the body.

The Creative / Fun Kit:

Journal + Bic Pen + Mead Notebook
Drawing Set (pens, markers, sketch pad)
Harmonica Kit (Hohner — simple joy)
Tablet: iPad 13 Pro
Power Bank: Goal Zero Sherpa 100
Solar Panel: Goal Zero Nomad

Why?

Because creating is survival.

Reflection is survival.

Joy is survival.

And if you spend your days hiking, exploring, wandering, and thinking — having creative tools grounds you, expands you, and reminds you who you are.

4. COMPUTER BAG — The Mobile Office of an Unencumbered Life

This is the working kit — the one that powers Unencumbered, LinkTech, BestOS, and everything else you build.

Journal Set: Bic + Mead

Laptop: MacBook Pro 16

Power Bank: Goal Zero

Solar Panel: Goal Zero Nomad

This isn’t corporate gear.

This is freedom gear.

It lets you work anywhere:

at a campsite
at a trailhead
in your van
on a mountain
in a parking lot
at a picnic table in a tiny town

This is work on your terms — the Unencumbered way.

CONCEALMENT, COMFORT & THE ART OF NOT BEING SEEN

EDC fails when it’s uncomfortable or obvious.

Your carry must be:

lightweight
quiet
invisible
easy to access
easy to forget

You’re not showing off.

You’re simply prepared without broadcasting it.

Distribute gear naturally:

Knife in front pocket or waistband
Light clipped to pocket or keychain
Multitool in cargo pocket
Cash hidden under boot footbed or sewn into belt
USB drive tucked discreetly
ID and contacts always accessible

It’s not just what you carry.

It’s how you carry it.

MINIMALIST DOESN’T MEAN UNPREPARED

I live minimally — but never helplessly.

Minimalist EDC means:

No clutter
No bulk
No “look cool” items
No unused gear

Just the right tools for the right life.

If you rotate through multiple loadouts (pocket → compact → creative → work), keep a simple tray or drawer where everything lives. Swap what you need. Stay intentional.

The unencumbered don’t carry junk.

They carry capability.

TRAINING > GEAR

Gear doesn’t make you ready.

Using gear makes you ready.

Practice:

Using your knife in the dark
Lighting a fire one-handed
Applying a tourniquet
Navigating with a compass
Drawing your pistol under pressure
Repairing gear quickly

Familiarity breeds speed.

Speed breeds calm.

Calm saves lives.

THE REAL REASON EDC MATTERS

It’s not about the knife.

It’s not about the multitool.

It’s not about the pistol.

It’s not about the brand.

It’s about the mindset.

When you carry capability:

You walk differently
You think differently
You react differently
You move differently

You’re not hoping the world behaves.

You’re ready for when it doesn’t.

And the beauty of EDC is this:

All of that confidence fits in your pocket.

EDC is freedom in miniature.

Self-reliance at pocket scale.

The Unencumbered lifestyle compressed into a handful of tools.

EDC: THE GEAR THAT LIVES WITH YOU

SURVIVAL GEAR

HUNTING GEAR