Most of the articles I write are reviews on the knives I carry and on the manufacturers who design/produce them. I also try to share with you the reader my thoughts on just how important a knife can become if carried with you on a daily basis. I am a huge believer that a knife is the single most useful tool you can have with you, adding with a multitude of task throughout ones daily schedule. If you’re reading this I’d say it’s safe to assume that you agree with that last statement. The door is however wide open on the topic of which item is the second most important to one’s personal EDC. Now this question will highly differ depending on a person’s certain way of life or even occupation, but I would like to explore those options for a bit and then I will revile my second item choice and the reasoning behind it. So which is the second best item to make its way into our pockets?
First off I love this topic because there are so many different paths for this discussion to go down. For example off the top of my head a great piece of gear to carry in this secondary role would be something like a multitool. Especially for someone with a very hands on, blue collar type job. The amounts of tasks a multitool can cover are endless, making it an excellent choice for your EDC. Some of you may be carrying a knife for protection, so perhaps a knife dedicated solely to self-defense is a great choice for you. Small fixed blades or knives with quick deployment features such as autos and emerson waves would make amazing tools to add with this self-defense role. Another idea is to go with a less lethal approach by choosing things like pepper spray or tazors to help with protection. An area that is commonly over looked are items that don’t inflict harm, but instead help manage or repair it. Carrying a small medical kit loaded with bandages and gauze can be a lifesaving choice to make for one’s personal EDC. You never know when accidents will occur; medical will allow you to be a step ahead of the game in a troubling situation. If outdoor survival is your thing than making a fire would easily become a priority, so choosing a lighter or fire-steel is a great selection for your gear on the go.
My choice hasn’t been covered yet even though it has a very simple job to do and in certain situations it can be a real game changer. My pick for secondary EDC item is nothing more than a good old flashlight. My review today is on the STREAMLIGHT STYLUS PRO/ MICRO, an amazing little light that has become a staple in my personal EDC for more than 3 years now. My lifestyle is what backs up this choice 100%. I work night crew at a manufacturing plant, which is both an indoor and outdoor facility. Operating the plant in the middle of the night while also keeping surveillance on the property would be nearly impossible without this pocket sized lamp. The type of flashlight my company supplied me with overnight never held up to the beatings that the job sometimes required. So when I went looking for my personally replacement of this important piece of gear, here’s the check list this new light needed to meet.
The STREAMLIGHT STYLUS PRO is a pen style light, very small in size and uses a pocket clip as its main way to be carried. The clip has great retention and is a perfect fit for most shirt and pants pockets. It is constructed out of aluminum and is easily operated with a one click button at the base of the light. So far it seems like something that could withstand the rigors of my sometimes physical job. Here are the points that set this light over the top for me. It is powered by 2 AAA batteries which is both cost effective and more readily available. The majority of lights on the market are choosing to run CR123 batteries which are almost 3 times more expensive. I’ve found that the battery life will hold up for about 2 weeks before needing to be changed when used on a nightly basis. The STREAMLIGHT also uses a LED bulb which has great light clarity and produces nearly 69 lumens a peak performance. This amount of light is far brighter than any of the other choices my work offered all packed inside a very compact package. All of these amazing features were met at an unbelievable price of $25. To me there could be no better pick; this is absolutely the perfect flashlight for my EDC.
Over the years I’ve added and subtracted so many tools to my EDC that I’ve lost count. In a short amount of time you will realize only the essentials stick around and the items that are BS slowly fade themselves out of the picture. I’ve carried survival tins, para cord, fire-steels and multitools, I’ve even carried a full bugout bag for over 3 months straight lol. None of it stuck around. I have become very stream line with my EDC choices and the STYLUS PRO is always one of those items chosen. I love it so much that at work my carry is an Ontario RAT 1 and STYLUS PRO. At home I like to down size to a STREAMLIGHT MICROSTREAM and a BENCHMADE MINI GRIPTILIAN. The MICROSTREAM is just a smaller version of the same light running on only one AAA battery it’s still the same great quality as its bigger brother. I also found that my maxpedition wallet has room in it for medical bandages, which as a father of two small children has come in handy far too many times. The EDC community loves to over complicate things, when all you really need are the things you actually use. Don’t give yourself any room for overkill, just the basics. And if you can stick with those same items for at least 3 months you’re allowing the right amount of time to see if the gear really works. So if you are someone who really does need to add a flashlight to their EDC please take my suggestion and try the STREAMLIGHT STYLUS PRO. This light hasn’t left me in the dark yet.
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