8 essentials for your EDC-pouch

An EDC pouch is an amazing way to keep a number of essential tools close. Put them in a pouch, then throw the pouch in your car or hang it from your MOLLE-system backpack. This means you'll always have a couple of basic tools close at hand while working in and around the house, if your car breaks down, or in any other situation. But what should you actually put in your pouch? Here is our list of eight essentials!

Before we start with the contents of the pouch, it might be a good idea to look at the pouch itself. Our favourite EDC pouches are the Knivesandtools EDC pouch, Maxpedition CAP and Nitecore NUP20.

1: Multi-tool

An EDC pouch shouldn't really be called an EDC pouch without a multi-tool. The average multi-tool is a pocket-sized toolbox. Incredibly practical! Pliers come in handy on so many occasions, not to mention screwdrivers. A real must-have. Our favourites are the Gerber Center-Drive and the Leatherman Wave Plus. A more compact alternative would be an extensive Swiss pocket knife. The Victorinox Swisschamp, for instance.

2: Flashlight

A flashlight is also a vital component. Whether you need to look in your crawl space, or your car breaks down in the dark, you'll find that a flashlight comes in handy more often than you might think. As long as you have it with you. Of course, it doesn't have to be a massive piece of kit that will light up a stadium. These days, small flashlights are already powerful enough. For example, a Fenix E28R or a Fenix E18R. Both rechargeable, very practical.

3: Plasters & painkillers

A whole first aid kit might be a little too much. But when you're working around the house, or messing about with knives, accidents can happen. A few plasters take up hardly any room, and with a couple of painkilers you can easily get rid of that headache or back pain. Also, bear in mind that carrying these things isn't necessarily only for your benefit. Small things like this can be worth their weight in gold for someone else who is less prepared.

4: Sharpening solution

A blunt knife won't get you far. For that reason, it's always wise to bring a pocket sharpening stone or small sharpening system in your EDC pouch. You can then maintain your own knives or quickly fix someone else's blunt knife. A way to make friends, too! We recommend the Skerper Pocket Stone, the Fällkniven DC4 or the Work Sharp Guided Pack Sharpener. Great for travel.

5: Pen & notebook

Even though the smartphone is mightier than the pen these days, we shouldn't completely rule it out just yet. Especially not when combined with a good notebook. Great for quick notes or schematic drawings while working in or around the house. Things that are slightly more difficult on a smartphone. In addition, most tactical pens feature a glass breaker. Very practical in emergency situations. We recommend the Rick Hinderer Investigator pens or the Maxpedition Spikata. We have waterproof notebooks available from the brand Rite in the Rain.

6: Power bank with charging cable

Without a smartphone, our lives might as well be over. That's why it's important to keep it running. A compact power bank offers the solution. And of course, a set of accompanying charger cables for your phone and the flashlight in your pouch. One of our favourites, which fits in many EDC pouches, is the Nitecore NPB2 10,000mAh. It's waterproof, and powerful enough to charge your smartphone twice.

7: Firesteel with tinder

Admittedly, if you go into the wilderness you shouldn't have to rely on the firesteel in your EDC pouch. We would expect more preparation from you in that case! However, tinder and a firesteel can definitely come in handy in an emergency (or when your BBQ won't play ball) and they don't take up much room in your pouch either. The Hultafors Flint FS firesteel is smaller than a pen, and an Exotac TinderZip will be perfect attached to your pouch's zip.

8: Duct tape, paracord and superglue

Yes, these are three very different things, but they are all versatile and can be used to repair things. It's hard to find anyone who doesn't know what duct tape is. From repairing cracks in clothing and tents to securing broken parts of your car after a small run-in with a pole while parking: duct tape can fix it all.

Paracord is incredibly strong rope, originally designed as parachute cord. Paracord has been used as everything from a clothes line to a guy rope, and from shoelaces to sutures. You'll hardly notice a couple of metres of it in your pouch, and it's sure to come in handy.

Superglue is ideal for small repairs. For things that are broken, but also for small wounds. There are many stories from people who had a mishap with a knife in the middle of nowhere and were able to repair the damage with superglue. It makes a great addition to your set of plasters and painkillers.

Conclusion

With these essentials, you're well set to tackle many situations. Feel free to add any other things you can think of. A few of our personal favourites are a USB stick, lip balm, cable ties, a bit set for pocket knife maintenance, and a BIC lighter. Tip: wrap the duct tape around the lighter. What do you like to have with you? Show us your EDC pouch on Instagram and tag us @Knivesandtools!