How-Tos

9 Places to Keep your EDC Gear!

Everyday carry is an important concept for everyone that is concerned about being prepared for anything anywhere anytime. You never know what will happen to you or your family tomorrow, because of that, it’s logical to be prepared. EDC gear are a group of tools and items that you carry everyday so you are prepared for any situation.

However, too many preppers focus on carrying the most expensive gear or the highest amount of tools in their EDC kit. They forget that, the only gear that matters is a gear that you can easily access when you need it.

The best EDC gear will become useless if you don’t carry it with you at all times. Heck, even if you carry it with you, it’s also useless if it’s not in a highly accessible place. The point is, if you can’t reach it fast enough to react to anything, then it’s usefulness declines.

Because of that, in this article we will be talking about where you should store your EDC gear so that they can be accessed at a moments notice.

Where to Keep your EDC Gear

There are multiple ways to keep your EDC gear within arms reach. Usually, preppers store them on their bag, body, clothes, or even shoes. We’ll outline several ways to carry your EDC gear everywhere you go down below


Purse

Place your EDC gear on your purse

For women out there, a purse is an essential EDC gear that carries all of their daily need. You’d be hard pressed to find a women that doesn’t bring along their purse everywhere they go. We’ve established that the best place to keep your EDC gear is where it’s most accessible. Why not keep your EDC items inside your purse?

However, when carrying your EDC gear inside a purse, keep in mind to bring lightweight items. Luckily, there are many different EDC items that are designed to be lightweight and is able fit into your purse.

When choosing an EDC purse look for as many compartments or pockets as possible. The more pockets and compartment in your purse, the easier it is to organize and categorize your gear. The more organized your EDC is, the easier it becomes to access critical items.

Choose a high-quality purse or wallet that won’t visually draw attention to you. For large pocket purses without a lot of different smaller pockets, consider buying a purse organizer. Purse organizers can be added to help organize your EDC items for quick access and easier sorting.

We’ve included some examples of purse organizers below

The best purse organizers are ones that are versatile, well made, and accommodates many compartments and pockets. These enable you to organize your gear more efficiently.


Wallet

Keep your EDC gear on your wallet

Like purses, wallets are the quintessential everyday carry gear for both men and women. It’s very rare to find someone going out without bringing their wallet. Without one, where would they store their ID card and cash? Because of that, a wallet is a great place to keep some of your EDC gear.

Why some and not all? Because a wallet is very small, it doesn’t have a large carrying capacity able to carry a lot of gear. When packing your EDC kit into a wallet, you have to pick the lightest and smallest ones so that it will fit.

Luckily, there are a lot of EDC tools that are designed to be small while retaining their utility. These micro multi-tools can be placed inside your wallet like a regular credit card. The amazing part is, these multi tools do multiple functions that can safe your life during an emergency.

Here are some highly functional tools that fit inside your wallet, go take a look

Remember, the best micro multi tools are ones that are well made, has a lot of functions, and fits within your wallet. Take note of your wallet’s dimensions first before buying a card-like multi tool. Make sure it fits perfectly inside your card holder or cash compartment.


Pockets

Store your EDC gear on your pockets

Pockets are one of the most important inventions for humankind. They are what enables people to carry small items everywhere they go. Nowadays, almost all clothing has some form of pocket or compartment built in them for carrying small items.

You can comfortably carry a lot of gear by just placing them in the pockets of your pants or shirt. However, if you feel that you need to carry a lot of gear, you need an upgrade.

When in need of more pockets, buy an EDC vest that is specially designed with multiple pockets. One of the best EDC vest that we’ve found is a vest from SCOTTeVest that has a whopping 26 pockets.

You should also consider buying a high quality EDC jacket as part as your everyday wear attire. Besides having a lot of pockets, they also serve to protect your from the elements. If you want to carry a firearm, consider buying a concealed carry jacket instead.

If you’re worried that placing all of your gear inside your pocket is going to be messy and unorganized, consider investing in an EDC pocket organizer. These allows you to better organize and sort your items in your pockets.

However, the most important thing when carrying EDC gears in your pocket is to know restraint. Don’t carry so much gear that your pockets become bulky and uncomfortable. They will simply reduce your mobility and get in the way when you need to move fast.


Wear it on Your Body

Wear your EDC gear on your body

As we’ve said before, it’s advisable to keep your EDC gear in highly accessible places so that you can quickly reach them when you need to. Keeping them near your body is an excellent idea because you can see it and you most definitely can grab it fast when you need to.

However you need to be mindful of where you store your EDC gear. Having a sharp or pointed object near vital spots or soft spots on your body is a recipe for disaster. Having a heavy object weighing you down is also a recipe for disaster if you need mobility. Because of that, always think about your needs and constraints, especially when picking items to carry on your body.

Having said that, here are some common places where you can keep your EDC gear close to your body

  • Neck
  • Wrist and ankle
  • Feet
  • Waist
  • Hands

A lanyard around your neck can be a great way to carry small items that you need to access quickly. Keys, whistle, a cache tube, or an ID can come in handy. Wearing a barf or a bandana around your neck is also a great idea. It can be used to fulfill many purposes, from dust filter to a makeshift self defense weapon.

Your wrist or ankle is also a great place to keep smaller and lighter EDC items. Keeping items on your wrist can be easily accessed in a pinch while items on your ankle can be concealed out of sight. Usually you’ll wear a watch or a bracelet on your wrist as an everyday carry item. If your budget allow and you need an extra multipurpose tool, buy an adventure bracelet that has multiple survival tools built in.

Your foot is also a convenient place to keep several EDC items. You can swap your shoelace for a paracord that can serve multiple purposes during survival situations. You can also carry a Kuba Kickz, a novel self defense weapon you can place on your shoe. However, this can attract attention to yourself so wear it with caution.

Your belt can be a great EDC kit and a place to store some of your gear. A good tactical belt can be used as a tool for self defense and as a place to hang some of your gear. Specialized concealed carry belts also help you to holster your gun securely on your waist.

For extra self defense gear that doubles as a utility EDC item, consider buying a SAP glove. Sap gloves are special self defense gloves with steel or hardened plastic plating at the knuckle points. They’re designed to increase your punching power so that you can knock down would be attackers faster.


Keychain

Attach your EDC gear on your keyhain

Keychains are a very convenient place to store your EDC items. Most of us have a habit of carrying their keychain with them everywhere we go. So, if you place some EDC tool on your keychain, you’re guaranteed to bring those tools with you everywhere you go.

There are many ways to integrate your EDC gear into your keychain, all of it depends on your needs. If you carry your keychain on your pocket, you’ll need to consider the weight and the bulk of the items. Carrying too much items or heavier items will lead to discomfort and impaired movement.

Keychains can also be used in conjunction with a carabiner so that you can attach them to a belt loop. This is important so that your keychain does not fall out of your pocket, especially if you’re actively moving all day long.

Below are several EDC tools and gear that you can attach to your keychain

However, keep in mind your needs and constraints. Don’t bring so much gear that you become overburdened by the weight and bulk of it. As we’ve said before, the best gears are ones that you can comfortably carry everywhere you go and access at a moments notice.


Waist Bag

Keep your EDC gear on your waist bag

Sometimes, you have so much EDC gear that storing them in your pockets and wallet is not enough. In that case, you should buy an EDC waist bag. These high quality waist bags will help you store a lot of EDC gear in a place that easily accessible. As we always say, a good EDC gear is an accessible EDC gear.

A great EDC waist bag has multiple pockets and pouches to help you organize and store all of your EDC tool. They should also be made out of high quality materials that are durable and weather resistant.

However, when picking an EDC waist bag, you have to analyze your needs and what situations you’re likely to face. If you need to carry a lot of gear, buy a bigger waist bag. If you need to move fast and don’t need to carry too much tools, opt for a compact and lightweight bag so it’ll be easier to carry around.

Having a good EDC waist bag can really help you carry a lot of gear you wouldn’t have been able to carry on your jacket or pants.


Bug out Bag

A bug out bag is a backpack that’s packed to the gills with tools and supplies that will help you survive during a disaster or critical situations. These bags are usually designed to help you survive for a couple of days, until you can find help or go to the nearest civilization.

Storing a lot of your bigger bulkier EDC tools inside a bug out bag is a smart idea. You still need those tools, but you can’t afford to carry them on your body because they’re too large and heavy.

For EDC items that you need during a specific situation but don’t need everyday, you should store them inside your bug out bag. Besides reducing the amount of tools you have to carry with you everywhere you go, having them inside the bag means they’re easily accessed whenever you need them.

Bug out bags are usually stored inside your home or on your vehicle because you tend to be near one of these two. If you’re a hitch hiker or a nomad, then your regular backpack should also serve as your bug out bag.


Vehicle

Store your EDC gear on your vehicle

Storing your heavier and larger EDC gear inside your vehicle is a great idea. This rings true for items that are useful but are large and cumbersome such as a toolkit or a radio. You can even store dried and ready to eat food inside your car’s trunk for sustenance.

Because your vehicle is an extension of your home, you’ll likely be near it all the time. This means the tools that are stored inside your car’s trunk will always be near you wherever you go.

Figuring out what to store inside your vehicle as it’s EDC gear is a very big topic, that’s why we’ve compiled a guide on vehicle EDC. It ranges from utility tools to vehicle supplies that will save you if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

All in all, your car is a great place to store most of your EDC gear, especially ones that don’t always have to be within arms reach.


Digital

We’ve talked a lot about physical EDC tools and gears, how about digital ones? You know, survival guides, e-compasses, radio apps, GPS apps, and weather apps. Those are very important to have on hand so that you can always be prepared.

One of the best ways of storing them is placing them inside your smartphone. Almost all of us carries a smartphone everywhere we go inside our pockets or purse. That means a phone is always very accessible for most of us, never farther than arms reach.

Whether you choose to download survival guidebooks or take advantage of survival apps, your cell phone can come in handy. Consider these cell phone apps and reference material for your phone to help you survive

  • SAS Survival Guide
  • Knots 3D
  • Ultimate Survival Manual
  • Smart Compass
  • First Aid by American Red Cross
  • Wild Edibles
  • Weatherbug
  • Police Scanner (EdgeRift, Inc.)
  • My Nature Animal Tracks
  • Army Survival Guide
  • BootPrint Pocket Survival

As long as your phone is charged, you can use it to store a lot of reference and resource information. It can even be a backup storage for digital copies of important documents such ID and birth certificates.

To supplement your phone in storing these digital apps and guides, you should bring a fully charged spare battery. You should also bring a solar charger or other charging mechanisms to charge your phone and your spare battery.

If your phone is not waterproof and you’re going into areas with heavy rainfall, consider placing it inside a sealed Ziploc bag or a specialized waterproof phone case.


Determining Where to Keep your EDC Gear

We’ve outlined 9 spots where you can keep your EDC gear safe and accessible, the next question is where should i put it then?

Well, the answer for these kind of questions are never straightforward. It always boils down to what are your needs and what situations you are likely to face. Different situation and needs might change how and where you store your EDC items.

For gears that are useful in all situations, always store it in places with the highest accessibility like your pocket or jacket. For ones that have a niche use and not always useful, you can store it in your vehicle or your bug out bag.

Gears that are light can be stored near your body such as your pocket or your jacket, or even attached to your keychain and tactical belt. However, heavier gears such as a radio would be best placed in a static location that you’re not carrying with your body, such as your car or bug out bag.

If you’re an active person and frequently does demanding physical activity, you might prefer to use lighter more compact EDC tools. This way, you can store them near your body without hindering your movement or burdening yourself with the weight.

All in all, always do a proper analysis of your needs and circumstances so you can plan your EDC strategy. A well planned EDC kit that’s unique to you is always better than a complete but unplanned kit.

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