The cult of EDC (Everyday Carry)
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
That old Boy Scout motto “be prepared” is a credo most of us adhere to in some way or other, maybe equipping ourselves with a wallet, keyring or water bottle as we go about our day. Some people, however, strive so hard for a state of readiness that it becomes a hobby, and the products they buy – multitools, flashlights, pens, headphones and bags – end up being beautifully photographed and discussed on Instagram and other platforms. I hadn’t heard the term Everyday Carry, or EDC, until I stumbled across it while watching a YouTube review of a backpack, but quickly found myself drawn to its pursuit of aesthetic perfection, and its celebration – almost fetishisation – of exquisite design and engineering.
“It’s like an unending journey,” says Mountain, the mononymous person behind the aforementioned YouTube channel, The Mountainborn, where the attributes of backpacks and slings are examined in forensic detail. “I’ve always liked solving problems, and when I’m travelling I’ll encounter new constraints that challenge my set-up. The question of how I adapt or modify my carry is fun for me and I love the way different companies are solving problems of organisation.”
After watching YouTube channels like Best Damn EDC and reading blogs such as Carryology, I went from being someone who railed against carrying anything larger than a smartphone to someone desperate to buy a high-spec pack from Bellroy or Arc’teryx, and to begin finding homes for specific objects in specific pockets.
“It’s really about having stuff that eases friction in everyday life,” says Jonathan Elvidge, aka Jon Gadget, presenter of his own EDC-themed YouTube channel. “At the extreme end, you’ve got people in the USA who sit in bunkers, surround themselves with dry food and tell you they’re waiting for Armageddon. On the other, you have people who just want a neater wallet than their existing one.” Elvidge describes times when his beloved Victorinox knife or RovyVon flashlight were unexpectedly useful. “In those moments,” he tells me, “you just feel as if you’re nailing life.”
CWF Custom Flashlights Micro Click titanium torch, €539, mukama.com
Nitecore NB1000 power bank, £65.95
Naturally, everyone’s EDC is different because everyone’s needs and interests are different. I might eschew a knife in favour of a compact guitar tuner, for example, but EDC culture would encourage me to find the most compact, beautifully designed tuner in the world. “In some ways it’s like jewellery or art,” says Karlo Koskitanner of mukama.com, an online EDC vendor based in Finland. “You might carry a good-looking pry bar, and even if you don’t use it much, it’s nice to own and show your friends. Also, when you buy some of this stuff, you’re not just buying the product. There’s often a story behind it. Some of the most interesting items are from small makers who do drops every once in a while, which sell out almost instantly.”
Victorinox Hunter XT Grip multitool, £67
Rolling Square inCharge 6 multicable, £15
A prime example is the Windeler range of multitools by former Dyson engineer Douglas Windeler, which lets you combine a set of screwdrivers, knives and other tools into one neat magnetic stack. “The vision I had was of a whole ecosystem of tools that can cater for anyone doing any sport or activity,” he says. “But I saw the EDC thing grow as the project developed, and now a lot of people who buy from me are collectors.”
The success of makers like Windeler has, in part, been driven by crowdfunding, where designers can float ideas and receive direct feedback from prospective customers ahead of manufacture. “There’s also been a lot of advancement in materials,” notes Mountain, “such as tiny gallium nitride chargers, merino wool clothing, quasi-tech fabrics... It’s been amazing to watch.”
While Elvidge admits that 95 per cent of his channel viewers are male (Google’s stats don’t lie), he notes that it used to be 99 per cent, suggesting that the appeal of EDC is widening beyond “outdoorsmen” and “bushcraft”. “I see it extending from that new wallet to having a tracker in there so you can find it, to creating little kits that solve problems every day,” he says. The pain points that EDC products seek to resolve may, in the grand scheme of things, be small, but a fast-expanding community is deriving great pleasure from doing so.
“For me, it’s almost a sensual experience,” says Mountain. “Most people understand the value of art or music. EDC tools might seem ordinary, but they’re objects you want because of what they are, or how they make you feel. We don’t have an endgame, because there is no endgame.” EDC may, on the surface, look like problem solving, but ultimately it’s a dedicated appreciation of beauty.
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