Tag: EDC

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Every Day Carry – My Take

Part of my Every Day Carry (EDC)

So, here we are.  A pretty vast topic with a bazillion opinions on what is right and what isn’t.

For the uninitiated, Every Day Carry, or EDC for short, is a collection of items which you carry on your person at all times (every day) to expand your level of preparedness and resilience in your daily activities and also to provide an edge in unforeseen situations.  This doesn’t always have to be a life-or-death catastrophe.  It can be something as simple as needing emergency cash, or cut packaging, but if you don’t have simple, quality, accessible tools for such things, you’d be at a disadvantage.  In a graver scenario, if catastrophe strikes and you’re unprepared, you’ll be less-likely to weather the storm.  Either way, you should always have an escape plan.

In a larger sense, your EDC is only a small part of a larger personal resilience plan, however, I’ll write separate posts for vehicle, office, home and emergency kits later on.  Right now, lets start at the most basic.

At the end of the day, I believe in three principles to follow when developing and gearing-up your Every Day Carry (EDC).

  1. FLEXIBILE: Is your kit adaptable to changing conditions?  Can it be scaled-up/down as needed?
  2. EFFECTIVE:  Are these items useful for multiple scenarios?  
  3. APPROPRIATE:  Will this be too much to carry, too attention-grabbing, or are the pieces of low quality and will fail you in your time of need?  Is it appropriate for your environment (Toronto, ON versus Manatoulin Island, versus Dallas, TX)?  Carrying a gun in Toronto is far different than Dallas, or in the woods of Manatoulin versus a courthouse in Toronto.  

A publication I recently read listed the appropriate EDC of a security-conscious individual as this:

  • Cell or Smartphone
  • Concealed carry handgun (WTF?!)
  • Extra magazine (again, WTF?!)
  • Flashlight
  • Folding knife
  • Lighter
  • Pen & Paper
  • Multi-tool
  • Money
  • Watch

That said, you’ll notice that concealed carry handgun(!) is on the list, as well as an extra magazine.  Now, that may fly in the US, but anywhere in Canada, you’ll be looking at jail time with that load-out.  Most of the rest on the list is pretty good, but again, assessing your daily EDC with the 3 Principles mentioned above should allow you to ensure your one step ahead of a problem.  Learn unarmed self-defence, use a steel-barrelled pen and a low-profile impact weapon of you need, but for the love of all that is imagined holy, don’t carry a gun around in Canada unless you want the cops after you.

Here is a picture of some of what I carry on me on a daily basis in Toronto, Canada.

My partial EDC load-out.

The above include:

  • Fisher Space Pen (writes consistently, small size)
  • Mini Bic lighter
  • Tiny USB key
  • Subway tokens (never know when you might need to abandon your car).
  • RAT-1 foldint knife (not “tactical” looking, just a simple, sharp, disposable blade).
  • Band-Aids (because you never know if you or someone else would need one.
  • Lock picks (several sets, because you just never know).
  • Diamond wire rod (again, because you never know).
  • Cash (because cash is king, and you might need a slice of pizza sometime).
  • Low-pro clip wallet

I also carry a few more things not in the picture, such as:

  • 1-2 steel-barrelled pens (Like Zebra or Parker) *not tactical-looking.
  • Tiny Inconspicuous Handcuff Key (because unlawful restraint wouldn’t customarily be conveniently timed).
  • 2-3 6′ lengths of Kevlar/Technora cordage
  • B.A.T. Coin (by Covert Products Group – read my review here.)
  • Key chain with my keys (No JI, I won’t post a picture of them
  • Anything else the day may call for based on my quick intel-dump before I leave – such as weather, traffic, events/protests in the city, etc…
  • Tiny LED flashlight (review soon…)
  • The Lolly (from Delta2Alpha.com )
Inside-the-fly of my Triple Aught Design Recon shorts. As if the Lolly isn’t even there.
About the size of a house key. Weighs next to nothing.

 

I do also ALWAYS wear a watch and will have my phone with me 99% of the time.  (in a dire emergency, I can always barter or pawn my watch for some cash and still have my phone for comms).

I love my watch. Titanium, lightweight, atomic and solar, compass and barometer and more.

For my daily purposes, there won’t be a gun involved in any way and multi-tools are too bulky for my activities.  Canadian laws would make me a SWAT-team call-out for a pistol, so that’s kinda off the table.

As a matter of course, I carry lock picks.  I’ve received several shocked and troubled looks from people should they find out about this, thinking I’m a burglar or something nefarious, but the simple fact is that I strictly adhere to lock picking ethics (read more about it here) and have used them to either help others (with permission, opened a car door for a guy who locked himself out in a blizzard with the car running – I saw it happen) or myself (lost the key to my bike lock) and only would use them to save a life in a dire circumstance.  Otherwise, they’re just tools used for the sport of Locksport.  I feel that, in an emergency, sometimes salvation is behind a locked door.  Better to make amends later when you’re safe, than not have the chance.

If you want an opportunity to learn how to pick locks, check out this amazing opportunity in Toronto in July 2017.    Details HERE!!!

I feel that this load out works for me, for my lifestyle, in Toronto, most of the time.  Thankfully it is scalable, can be augmented with things from my car.  (As mentioned above, I’ll be doing a piece on other EDC/kits at a later time) I also like that it is near-zero visibility thanks to the clip wallet and my spread placement across my person.

The great thing about EDC is that it’s a wide-open topic with huge on-going debates.  I prefer to focus on adjusting mine to my needs and environment (Toronto, Canada) while adhering to the 3 principles I mentioned and looking for new ways to make it more concealed and admissible into non-permissive environments.

The bottom line is this:

Keep some things on you wherever you go that will help you out of a jam if things get tough.  

By following those 3 principles and investing in decent equipment, you’ll be miles ahead of the masses who only have their phone when things go sideways.

In the meantime, keep modifying, keep testing, keep improving.

Till next time, stay crafty.

 

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Product Review – TheLolly by Delta 2 Alpha Design

I recently received a pair of tools – TheLolly – from our good friends over at Delta 2 Alpha and have gone about the process of playing with it and seeing what it can do.

***Note, I have both the Lollys – one “Predator Clear” and the other “Phantom Grey” coloured – however, I used only the “Phantom Grey” coloured one for better contrast in the photos.***

Here is what it looks like:

The Lolly – polymer last-ditch tool.

On their website, Delta 2 Alpha describes it thus:

"TheLolly is one of the most low profile, last ditch tools of its type on the market today. Due to its design it boasts a variety of carry options.

TheLolly was developed as a “Fingernail Saver” pocket pry-bar (light duty), and scraper (light duty) that will be less likely to leave scratch marks on glass, metal, and wood, it also features a 1/4″ bit driver. It has been laser cut from Cast Acrylic, a material that is only a few steps down from the canopy of a Tomcat.

The slot combined with our unique Ratchet-Teeth allows for an easy on off, but when twisted 90° (as it would be when held flat against the body) it acts as a cloth grabber for the elastic in undergarments and trousers.
*we haven’t seen the Ratchet Teeth done before, if you have please let us know so we can credit that person".

TheLolly is about the size of a standard house key.  It had a lanyard hole, a driver/hex bit hole, the attachment “ratchet tooth” slot, and of course, the chisel tip.  It makes for an interesting little tool as it is made from acrylic.

What I like about this design is first and foremost, it’s small.  It’s small and non-metallic, making it an ideal EDC (Every-Day Carry) item, even in various non-permissive environments.

About the size of a house key. Weighs next to nothing.

The edges are smooth, except for the points on the chisel tip, which are surprisingly sharp.  The lanyard hole will easily accept standard kevlar or 550-paracord to create a lanyard.  The ratchet tooth area grabs clothing well and is easy to manipulate into concealable places.  The inside of my TAD (Triple Aught Design Recon Shorts – in Deception) allowed easy and un-noticed concealment.

Inside-the-fly of my Triple Aught Design Recon shorts. As if TheLolly isn’t even there.

I suppose the sharp points on the Lolly are effective enough to puncture or cut certain materials (like packaging, for instance) and to be used for light scraping duties.

An additional use for TheLolly is as a last-ditch impact weapon.  Like a key, it can be held in the hand in multiple ways and used to strike an aggressor.  Here are some examples:

Through the first knuckle.
In the bottom of the fist, like the tiniest ice pick in the world.

To be clear, I didn’t test its durability in a strike, so I am not sure what kind of punishment the acrylic can take in the even you were to strike someone, nor do I know if TheLolly would shatter in your hand and cut you in the even you would use it.  That said, it does feel solid, and even so much so that I drove a screw into a window casement to try out the bit/hex function:

Using a standard driver bit with a standard screw, the acrylic Lolly did not bend nor break in the process.

Like the caption above states, the Lolly did not bend nor break nor seem to strain in any way during this process.  I was pleasantly surprised by this.  It gave great leverage and got the job done.  The bit fit perfectly.

All in all, TheLolly seems like a great little addition to your EDC kit, car kit, or travel load-out.  It’s acrylic, looks like a key and is non-threatening in appearance.  For the $15 bucks, it’s a great deal.

And Delta 2 Alpha is a Canadian company run by some really great bros doing some really great stuff, so check them out at http://delta2alpha.com

And if you’re really interested, the great guys at Delta 2 Alpha have graciously donated a few Lollys to be door prizes during our Covert Entry Concepts Course being offered in Toronto in July!  Check it out here!

Till next time, stay safe, stay crafty.

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Review: The BAT Coin by Covert Products Group

A while back I came across a Kickstarter campaign for the BAT (Bring Anywhere Tool) Coin from Covert Products Group.  https://www.covertproductsgroup.com  They were just starting off about a year about and when I read through the campaign details, I was intrigued.  They had designed a “10-in-1” tool that was small, lightweight, inexpensive, useful and capable of carriage through airports and other non-permissive environments.  So I supported the campaign, if for no other reason to see if what they had designed was worth having.

Having recently received my lot of coins, I began to carry and test them. I am pretty impressed with this little guy.  BATs go for about $25 USD each on the CPG website and I also received a sticker and morale patch along with it.  Fast shipping.  Nothing to complain about.

CPG BAT Coin packaging.
The BAT Coin. (Bring Anywhere Tool)

From their website, here are the BAT Coin features:

 

  • 1) Modified Phillips head screwdriver with three prongs so the BAT lays flat in your pocket
  • 2) Safe, semi-sharp captured edge for opening boxes
  • 3) Scribe point or hole punch
  • 4) Small-gauge wire stripper
  • 5) Fire-steel scraper (use it with any ferro rod survival fire starter, Swedish firesteel or similar item)
  • 6) Flat head screwdriver
  • 7) Serrated fire-steel scraper (throws sparks well)
  • 8) 3M SOLAS reflective sticker you can attach to the back for emergency signaling, or leave if off for stealth carry
  • 9) Friction saw that can cut through zip ties or cordage without cutting you
  • 10) Bottle opener  

 

Features of the BAT (Bring-Anywhere-Tool) Coin from Covert Products Group. A nice little addition to your EDC.

(Picture from https://www.covertproductsgroup.com/products/b-a-t-coin-bring-anywhere-tool )

I look at it as a minimalist, last-ditch or tertiary backup to my regular Every Day Carry (EDC) but because it is both innocuous and concealable, not to mention relatively effective, I am happy to have and carry it.

The BAT Coin came with it’s little case, SOLAS sticker inside, CPG sticker and morale patch. (Quarter for scale.)

For something so small, I’d thought maybe they’re reaching a bit, however, upon using it here and there, though it may not be an equivalent to a full-sized tool times ten, it does manage to do each job fairly well, especially in a pinch.  I would recommend, as CPG does, to use something like a key ring to give you extra leverage to open bottle caps as the diminutive size of the BAT makes it hard to get enough leverage.

The BAT is made out of stainless steel and has a nice finish to it.  It is small, lies flat and is about the size of a Canadian twoonie (The Canadian $2 coin for those of you who don’t know).  As it is smaller than any other tool and is not intrinsically disallowed, both CATSA and the TSA allow it with you through security at airports.  

I’d recommend the BAT Coin to anyone who would like to have a little something to add to their EDC that will add some functionality without bulk and the added bonus of being as inconspicuous as loose change.  I will also keep an eye on CPG for future product developments and releases.

Stay Safe.  Stay Crafty.