(2023-10-30) On EDC, one of the greatest fads of our time and place
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe I'm getting too old and/or too wise to understand what's really going
on, but I just don't seem to get it. Since when did fashion trends start
dominating the everyday carry items market? Not even in terms of how they
look, but in terms of what should be paired with what... And yes, by color,
weight and other totally irrelevant BS. As if we are talking about some
haute couture and not friggin' tools. Yes, this is yet another post about
material goods, but I always thought EDC was philosophy-first.
Apparently, I'm the only one left who still thinks that way. Others on teh
internets gladly spend tons of money on pretty useless titanium knives,
Knipex pliers, "special" pocket gear pouches, tacticool pens and other
nonsense to show off and honestly never use IRL anymore. I must be from a
different planet as my EDC (when I'm outside of the house) usually consists
of a watch, two phones, two Victorinox SAKs (usually, that's Spartan +
Rambler), a wallet (that also has a SwissCard and a cardphone with a
backup/emergency SIM), a keyholder (with a Nitecore Tiki flashlight and a
Rodenstock microdriver on it), a lighter (usually Bic but sometimes Zippo
205) and a pocket notebook with a pen attached to it (nowadays it's one of
the Parker Jotters, but I'm gonna have a slight update on this soon). When
appropriate, sunglasses also are added. And that's it. And even this I
consider a bit excessive from time to time. Inside the house I'm now living
in or its territory, I only move around with the phones (although sometimes
I omit them too), the notebook + pen combo, a pocket flashlight (usually
Brennenstuhl PL 200 A) and the Victorinox Rambler, and, obviously, with the
watch I'm wearing 24/7 anyway. Optionally, either wired (JBL T205) or
wireless (Aftershokz Aeropex) headphones are also added to this setup from
time to time, although this is something I'm still deciding upon.
I'm writing all this not to boast about my gear, but to emphasize on the fact
I'm fully satisfied with it. I know that most, if not all, of these things
are going to last me for a very long time. And my set of tools still is
quite redundant in some areas, which I don't mind for now but am ready to
drop if deemed necessary. So, for all the EDC boasters on the YouTube, I'm
not even a potential buyer. I've already bought all I needed long ago. If
something gets lost or broken, I'll buy the same item (or a similar one if I
can't find the same). E.g. if I lose my Rambler, I won't buy your $200
ultralight knife from a brand no one knows the truth about, or the
Leatherman you're trying so hard to sell, hell no, I'll buy another Rambler
(maybe in black since they have started importing it here). Just because its
Philips screwdriver is so damn useful that I have actually screwed more
Philips screws with it than I had with a dedicated tool. Just because it's
not trying to pretend to be anything it actually isn't.
As a wise man once said, "carry what you need and need what you carry". Don't
turn this thing into a fashion charade. Please.
