My Recommendations For Beginner EDC Gear

I've been into EDC for years now, and during that time, I've tried a lot of different pieces of gear. My system will probably never be perfect, but at this point, it is probably as close to perfect as it will get. I thought this post would be a good way to share some of the best items for beginners that are looking to start their own EDC or to get your friends/family to be more prepared. All of my recommendations are going to be budget-oriented, as you wouldn't want to drop a couple hundred dollars on something you're just getting into. They'll also mostly be on the smaller side, since small gear is easier to carry and doesn't typically scare people. Having a well-rounded EDC can go a long way to make your day easier. You really need to cater your EDC to your specific needs, but some universal items that almost everyone needs is a knife, multitool, flashlight, and pen. Those are the things that I'll focus on in this post. I'd also recommend just reading through some of my previous posts to see what other gear I've carried. At the very end of this post, I'll have links to the posts that I may have done on these things, as well as links to Amazon.

I always like to have a mid-sized knife on me as well as a keychain knife. That's so I have something for those bigger tasks, but also another knife that won't scare people easily. The best budget, mid-sized knife would have to be the Ontario Rat 2. It took me years to finally pick one of these up, because I thought they were extremely overhyped. That is not the case at all. It feels great in the hand and is very sharp. Ontario makes a high quality product that will take a beating. They come in tons of different colors and blade steels. There's even the Rat 1 (Amazon link here) if you want something slightly bigger. Both the Rat 1 and 2 go for about $30, which is a phenomenal deal for what you're getting. A keychain knife I really love is the Spyderco Ladybug. It's on the pricey side for what you get, a little over $35, but I do ultimately think it's worth every penny. It's easily one of my most used knives. I've tried so many keychain-sized knives over the year, and the Ladybug has been the best one. I might do a keychain knife roundup post where I talk about all the different keychain knives I've tried as well as some of the other popular ones. There's tons of other knives out there, so I recommend you shop around and find ones that you like the look of that will serve you well. The Spyderco Delica (Amazon link here) is another option that lots of people seem to love. I've never been a fan of them, especially because they go for at least $60.

Most people, including me, think their phone flash can suffice as their flashlight. You can usually make do without a knife by using your own brute force or some other random tool. However, light is one of those things you can't really replicate on your own, so I've found it is worth carrying a dedicated flashlight. I like using my phone flash as my main light in a pinch, but if your battery dies you're screwed. Some of my favorite lights for EDC are the Nitecore Tube and the Olight i3E. If you're not 100% sold on carrying a flashlight everyday, these two are small enough that they're not going to weigh you down all that much. You can throw them on your keychain, and always have a light handy when you need one. Both go for about $10 and are incredibly easy to use. Either one will serve you perfectly well. The Tube is better for those that want something rechargeable and prefer a button over a twisty light. The i3E is good for those that want that typical AAA flashlight experience.

For multitools, my two favorites are the Victorinox Classic and the Leatherman Squirt P4. Both can be had for less than $20. The Classic is the best all-around keychain-sized multitool in my opinion. It has all the basic tools one might need on a day-to-day basis. It can easily fit on your keychain so it's always accessible. I use mine mostly for the scissors, but there is also a file/screwdriver, a knife, tweezers, and a toothpick. The Cadet is another popular model from Victorinox that may be worth checking out. The Squirt P4 is my favorite keychain multitool with pliers. It has a solid toolset and functions quite well. My only complaint about it is the lack of scissors. I love the design of it over the upgraded PS4, but that mostly comes down to personal preferences. The PS4 will give you both the pliers and scissors. However, Leatherman's scissors come nowhere near to competing with Victorinox. Leatherman and Victorinox are the two companies I'd look at for any multitools. They both make great quality tools at a reasonable price. I will say the P4 is discontinued, so you'd have to find it secondhand on somewhere like eBay or Instagram.

Pen wise, I've struggled to find a good, compact pen that rivals the Fisher Bullet Space pen. I don't think this pen is perfect, but it is one of the most popular compact pens for EDC out there. They can write underwater, in space, upside, etc. The refill is not the best to write with in my opinion, especially if you prefer more of a gel pen. They take a little bit of pressure to write well, but they are solid pens overall. They're made here in the US and will run you under $20. If it doesn't look like the perfect pen for you and pocket space is not an issue, I'd go with a Pilot G2 or the Zebra G-301 instead. That $20 on the Fisher pen could go towards getting you a nicer knife, multitool, or flashlight.

My Favorites
Ontario Rat 2: Amazon link
Spyderco Ladybug: my review link and Amazon link
Nitecore Tube: my review link and Amazon link
Olight i3E: my review link and Amazon link
Victorinox Classic: my review link and Amazon link
Leatherman Squirt P4: my review link
Fisher Bullet Space Pen: my review link and Amazon link

I hope this helped give you ideas to start your EDC or at least add some new gear to your wishlist. Most of these are things I've personally loved and used for years now. Thanks for looking!