Upgrade Your EDC Game: 5 Minimalist Everyday Carry Items to Invest In

EDC stands for Everyday Carry, and refers to a collection of essential items that people carry with them on a daily basis, such as wallets, keychains, pens, flashlights, knives, and multi-tools. The tools/gear in your EDC can be vividly different from your best friend however, four important factors to consider while buying EDC are:

Functionality: An EDC product that is well-designed and easy to use will be more effective and reliable. Features like quick access side pockets on bags, soft-touch grips on multi-tools and slim sewn structure in wallets are important to enhance the user’s experience.
Durability: As the name suggests, EDC gear is supposed to be used everyday and that means they are bound to undergo a lot of wear and tear. You take your wallet out of your pocket multiple times a day and if it’s a cheaply made wallet, you won’t be able to enjoy that gear for a long time. Have you experienced breaking a polybag handle while carrying a heavy load in it? Imagine if that happened to your backpack or even worse, your travel luggage. That’s why they say – “Buy cheap, buy twice.”

Cost: Why buy a cheap multi-tool when you can buy an expensive one and have an excuse to show it off every chance you get? We know this is ironical but splurging on good quality gear does not mean your wallet needs to cry. There’s a fine balance between quality and value for money. There are a bunch of brands who can offer you a “premium” wallet for 500$ but that does not mean they offer you any more value than a well-built slim leather wallet from Bellroy (except the bragging rights of course ;P)
Personal Expression: Finally, your EDC says a lot about your design values and what you like. Someone who loves outdoors and going on hikes wouldn’t ever buy a sleek-looking but non functional leather backpack. On the other hand you wouldn’t look good wearing a formal suit and carrying a truly utilitarian quirky backpack from Topo Designs. While your EDC should be conformed to the occassion, it is also a way to express yourself. Being formal does not have to be the boring black briefcase from Wall Street movies. Same way, being a photographer does not mean you need a bulky bag with multiple dangling straps.

Our favorites

Based on these 4 pillars, here are a few products that we love at Being Oblivious. While these are not the cheapest products in their respective categories, they are definitely providing a bang for your buck by using high quality materials and also, looking more expensive than they actually are. Our poison pill is simple (not traditional) gear in neutral colors with minimal branding. Thanks to our crack research team (IYKYK :P), we were able to find some amazing products that are brag worthy in terms of design. So next time you get a bonus from your internship or are planning to start a new job, give yourself a treat with one of these products –

Minimalist Tech Pouch/Sling

Due to the leaps and bounds in advancement of technology taken by tech companies, one thing that we all struggle with are wires/chargers. Kindle, iPad, laptop, iPhone, dongles, hard drives, flash drives…. you get the point. No EDC gear is complete without a way to organize the strangling wires. Our recommendation for a great tech pouch is the Bellroy Desk Caddy that features high quality materials, minimal branding and a unique capability to stay in seated position on top your desk. Bellroy is a great company that employs sustainable materials and we absolutely love their designs. 59$ might seem steep for a pouch but when you hold it in hand for the first time, you will know that this is money well spent.

If you want something more versatile, take a look at the Aer Pro Sling that doubles as a sling bag alongside a bag organizer for just 20$ more. Tech organizer + Strap = Sling (Minimalist approved!)

For photographers, the Peak Design Everyday Sling wins in every category with minimalist styling and great padding. In our opinion the 3L version at 89$ is a great option and anything larger should only be considered if you are replacing a backpack worth of stuff with a crossbody bag. After all, there is a reason why this is the “minimalist everyday carry” edition.

Minimalist Backpacks/Totepacks

No EDC list is complete without bags right. We have three main recommendations for you. Now, if you are aware of any EDC channels on youtube, you might already know about Bellroy’s amazing work. But, you know that we like to stay off the normal track and therefore we actually compared all their backpacks to find out the ones that feel like the most value for money.

If you are looking for a normal everyday carry, the Bellroy Oslo at 129$ is the best way you can experience those high quality Bellroy weaves without spending a ton of money. It also has a unique magnetic fidlock for the front flap that makes it quite secure and satisfying to interact with. Moreover, it has some really good straps and a side pocket for quick access to your essentials.

If you want something more professional, you might have heard of their Tokyo totepack but have you heard of their messenger style Tokyo Workbag? This one is quite similar in style (and price…180$) to the totepack but being a messenger, gives you a much more professional look in boardrooms. Plus, the neutral color choices make it stand out from the generic Tumi briefcases every other person in your room will be carrying.

Lastly, if you want the best of both worlds and are also a photographer, the Peak Design Everyday Totepack at 180$ offers the best value for your money. Great materials, sturdy weatherproof nylon, magnetic straps and a minimal beige tone.. what more could we ask for?

Slim Wallets

Since we keep recommending so many credit cards to you, it’s worth suggesting a few wallets to store them. Slim wallets are worth all the hype but they do come at a steep price tag. We found some amazing leather wallets will make you feel like the Wolf of Wall Street.

If you carry cash+cards
If you only carry cards

If you carry cash, take a look at Harber London's Leather Bifold. They call it "The perfect man's bifold wallet" and rightfully so. It's made of full grain leather and has pull tabs, hidden pockets, coin pockets and magnets to snap it shut. Basically, everything you ever wanted in a wallet. Coming in at 112$, it is one of the slimmest wallets currently available on the market and you'll be astonished at how quickly you will fall in love with it. Make sure to check out some videos to see their magnets in action.

You might not have guessed, but we are NOT recommending Bellroy again (lol). Instead, consider looking at this offering from small business in Colombia called The Frenchie Co. Speed Card Holder. At only 69$ this is a great offering with slim profile and pull tabs that makes accessing the cards easier. Plus, you are in for a surprise with their amazing packaging.

Laptop/iPad Sleeve

Whether you have a laptop or a tablet, a sleeve not only provides more protection but also provides a sleeker and functional profile to the gadget for easy carry. Since nothing screams luxury like leather and canvas, our recommendation for a laptop sleeve is the Waterfield SF’s Macbook Sleeve. Waterfield is a 25 year old heritage brand that has been designing and making leather goods since a long time. They are known for their quality and still being a relatively small business, they don’t have huge markups. The sleeve can even be customized to have straps attached to it in case you want to carry the laptop solely with the sleeve. A magnetic closure ensures that your priced possession is secure while being easy to access in case you want to pull it out at TSA.

If you are looking for the same experience just with a tablet, Native Union has a very minimalist sleeve called Stow Slim. Their logo is a backslash… how minimal can it get? Jokes aside, they do use some really nice woven materials similar to Bellroy and at 70$ are not really aiming to mince your wallet.

Key Organizer

Nobody like jangling keys. They are not easy to use, get lost in the darkest corners of backpacks, make irritating noises while scratching up your phone screens and other valuable stuff. A key organizer is essential in avoiding this mess. At 49$, Bellroy’s Key Cover is a great way to hide the mess. As they say – out of sight, out of mind. It features a magnetic flap and an elastic strand to hold your keys in place and snap the cover like a wallet. The premium leather develops a nice patina and is sure to live with you for decades. It can accommodate 4 keys and a fob but if you need more storage they also offer a plus sized version for 55$ that can store upto 8 keys.

If you need something that comes with an even easier access to get keys in and out keys, look for Distil Union’s Keyloop Kit. At 60$, it offers a magnetic system that literally snaps all your keys in place and can even be snapped onto magnetic surfaces for easy storage. Snap on and snap off…(*chef’s kiss*)

Honorable Mentions

Now that you have a key organizer, you might want to consider adding this nifty multitool in the shape of a key from Screwpop. Let’s be honest, if someone’s in need of your help and you hand them your bulky Swiss Army Multitool kit, they are first going to judge you and then thank you. It’s better to just hand them a little key and talk about your cool Keyloop/Bellroy. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to remove this tool from your carry-on since this one is TSA compliant. But, the best part is that it just costs 20$! Now that’s a minimal everyday carry item that everyone must have with them.

Finally we just want you to know that investing in high-quality everyday carry gear can make your daily life easier and more enjoyable. While these might seem a bit expensive at first, remember that good EDC is like fine wine – it gets better as it ages but if you cheap out, you are sure to get a headache. By considering the four factors of functionality, durability, cost, and personal expression, you can choose the right EDC items that suit your needs and style. So, upgrade your EDC game and let us know which one’s your favorite?