Throughout history, men have carried essential items on them. For instance, Scottish Highlanders all the way back to medieval times have carried their most personal items in something called a sporran. A sporran is a pouch made of leather or fur and performs the same function as a modern-day pant pocket. Before clothing came to have pockets, the sporran was worn to carry necessary personal items like tools, money and personal keepsakes, like a modern-day everyday carry, better known as an EDC. Whenever necessary, the Highlander could easily access items and safely store them in their sporran.
Scottish Highlanders carried their personal items in a small pouch called a sporran that acts as a modern-day every day carry.
Today, we are proud of our EDC’s. So much so, we like posting pictures of what we carry in our pockets every day to our social pages. Not only are we creative with our everyday essential items, but we’re taking the opportunity to be prepared for just about any situation that might occur. Carrying an EDC every day prepares you for the worst situations, but inspires you to do and look your best.
Us “real men” are self-reliant on the tools and gear that we keep in our pockets. It makes us get up each morning and consider an outcome that might unfold throughout the day. If life throws us a curveball then we are prepared to problem solve. Sometimes going over what tool goes in which pocket each morning is the best way for preparing (better known as the three-touch pocket check).
Each EDC is custom-tailored to each individual. It’s what makes them fun and personal to each of us. Once you have a mix of different everyday essentials that have an aesthetic to them, you are much closer to your sporran-carrying ancestors than you thought.
Here are some of the items that you might find in an EDC:
- Cell Phone: Without a doubt, cell phones might be the most important item in our EDC. It is used to post the Instagram of your EDC, check your email, call your mom, maybe even read this article. It connects you to the rest of the world and is small and slim enough to fit in your pocket.
- Money Clip: Yes, wallets are still around, but money clips can effectively manage all the cash and cards with less bulk. Leaving more room for other necessary items.
- Keychain: We all have to lock our doors behind us and carrying a keychain is a great way to keep all of your keys organized and together.
- Pocket Knife: Every man wants to be ready for the unexpected and have the ability to MacGyver out of a situation. Pocket knives are essential to any EDC and nowadays they are compact and lightweight, like our Bit knife, and don’t take up too much space in your pocket.
- Flashlight: You never know when the batman distress signal might light up and you’ll be needed to change a flat tire along a dark road or find a missing item in a dark location. Want a flashlight that is compact and looks good in an EDC? Check out our Ghost 130 microlight. Carrying a compact flashlight will also allow you to save the battery on your cell phone in case you fall into a situation where you might need it.
- Multitool: Many people carry a multitool every day because they provide an array of utility options, they’re lightweight and portable. It’s a toolbox in your pocket and since many “real men” are self-reliant on the gear in their pockets, a multitool is nearly invaluable to them.
An EDC is just as much personal as it is reliable. Building an EDC should be a fun process and it should be about personalizing it to best fit your needs. Carry what is essential to your lifestyle and everyday routine because your EDC should be a look into what is most important and valuable to your everyday lifestyle.
