Everyday Carry

Everything You Need to Know About Pocket Clips

Authored by:
Mikey Bautista
Everything You Need to Know About Pocket Clips

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When looking for the perfect gear, sometimes it's not all about the specs. It can be something as seemingly simple as the pocket clip. A pocket clip could make or break how you carry your gear, and there are a few good reasons why.

A good clip makes retrieving your gear easier, saving you time by keeping things securely within reach. A bad clip on a great tool could make you stop carrying it altogether. It slows you down and makes the tool inconvenient to carry, and an inconvenient tool is an unused one.

Pocket clips also affect how you handle the tools themselves. If you've heard of the term “hotspot” when referring to a clip on knives or flashlights, this means that the clip digs into your hand when holding the tool, causing discomfort over time.

And then there's the fact that clips give you options with how you carry your EDC. When clipped to your pocket, you won't have to waste time fishing for gear at the bottom of it or in the recesses of your bag. Tools get the most use when clipped to an outer pocket where they're much easier to grab.

Clips also play a part when dealing with knife laws. Certain locales won't let you carry a knife if any part of the knife itself is sticking out of your pocket, so in those cases a deep-carry clip that completely conceals it would let you carry it. The clip in this case spelled the difference between carrying your favorite knife and leaving it at home.

The Benefits of a 4-Way Pocket Clip on Knives

So we know that pocket clips are useful, but how do they work on actual tools? Let's take a standard 4-way clip on a knife as an example to show the above benefits and usage cases.

As the name implies, with a 4-way clip, you have 4 orientations with which to carry the knife. You can attach the clip on either of its sides to match your dominant or preferred hand (great for lefties like me), or remove it altogether if that's the most comfortable (or legal).

The 4-way clip also lets you choose between tip-up and tip-down carry for the knife. While for most use cases this won't matter, it helps for opening mechanisms like the Emerson Wave feature that lets you rapidly open a knife straight out of a pocket when clipped and positioned tip-up.

And for flipper-type opening mechanisms, ease and speed of use comes down to where the clip is and how the knife tip is positioned. As a lefty, a flipper with a fixed pocket clip in the tip-down position on the handle side meant for righties is practically unusable. It's backwards with how I would want to open the knife (lefty side, tip-up).

With these 4 positions you can already see how much of an impact a clip has on carrying and basic use, without even touching the features of the knife itself! Below I'll go a bit more in-depth with how a pocket clip benefits specific EDC tools.

Pocket Clips on Lights

While most flashlights don't get a 4-way clip because of their shape, 2-way clips (bezel up or down) still gives you options for usability. Having a clip that can flip how a light faces in your pocket gives you a choice in comfort and ease of use depending on where its switch lies.

In a more tactical flashlight where the switch is on its tail, having a clip that lets you carry it bezel-down means you have faster access to the switch with your thumb. Conversely, if you have a light with a side switch designed for overhand use, having it bezel-up in your pocket puts the switch nearer to your thumb when pulling it out.

And one underrated feature for bezel-up clips: this clip lets you attach the light to the brim of a hat for hands-free use. Instant headlamp!

Pocket Clips on Pens

A pocket clip on a pen is the most relatable and common example for most people. Basically, it's the only thing keeping you from losing your pens all the time. Good pocket clips also makes a pen comfortable to write with for long periods (no hotspots!) and stops it from rolling off the table when setting it down.

The position of the clip also affects how the pen functions. A clicky pen benefits the most from a tip-down clip so you can pull it out and click it in one motion, while fountain pens benefit most being tip-up with the clip on the cap so the ink doesn't keep flowing down the nib.

Now think about how much something as popular and useful as the Fisher Space Pen can become even better with a clip. It makes it easier to carry, prevents it from rolling off your desk, and adds to its usefulness as an EDC pen.

Pocket Clips on Keys

Finally, keeping things handy doesn't have to end with your tools. With accessories like a suspension hook, even things that are usually left in a pocket or bag become much more accessible. A keychain with a suspension hook like the above means quicker access to your keys or tools. Another good example is a Swiss Army Knife. A versatile keychain tool like a Manager or Classic becomes much more useful with a suspension hook, since it's always at your side.

What EDC tool do you carry has benefited the most from a pocket clip and how? Let us know in the comments below!

Mikey Bautista

Director of Everyday Carry Operations


About the Author
Mikey Bautista is an everyday carry (EDC) expert who has been working with the EverydayCarry.com team for nearly a decade, starting with an interest in EDC as a hobby and ending up as a writer for the site in 2014. Through the years, he’s led the site in editorial content and writing about products across every category, from knives to bags to flashlights and everything in between, as well as discovering, bringing exposure, and building bridges with many brands in the industry. Today, he is the site's Director of Everyday Carry Operations, leading the editorial team and managing day-to-day operations.

He has lived through many personal and professional lives, spending nearly a decade in the workforce management industry, a minor career in gaming, and has lent a hand with entrepreneurial efforts back home in the Philippines. He has also been an active participant and helped build a number of significant social communities online, both for EDC and his other hobbies.

Mikey has been at the cusp of gaming, technology, and the internet since the ‘90s and continues to lend his experience, expertise, and authority to all his pursuits. When not online, in a game, or watching movies, you'll find him in the gym, speedrunning his next hobby, or talking at length about EDC with anyone willing to listen.

Discussion (26 total)

Robert -White Feather ·
I used to carry my keys and a small pocket knife in my pants pocket, and over time would wear out where they were located, making a frayed spot at the bottom of my pocket. Got a larger knife (Kershaw Cryo II) and didn't even notice it in my pocket, deep carry works well and completely concealed. After that I decided to buy a pocket clip for my keys and problem solved, no more worn out pockets and easy access, should have done this many years before, but better late than never. Small flashlight with a pocket clip is also a must.
EL SAITAMA ·
Awesome column! I love pocket clips. It helps organize stuff on our pockets plus making them easier to access. 👍
Gene Meyer ·
While i have quite a few knives, the Kersahw for the cost and durability aspect is one of my favorite brands. A little info they recommend concerning their clips and the speed safe knives.

Many Kershaw knives come pre-drilled for a variety of carry options. The safe pocket carry positions for these various options should always snug the blade toward the seam of your pocket.

Options include:

1. Tip down, rear right pocket

2. Tip up, rear left pocket

3. Tip down, front left pocket

4. Tip up, front right pocket
Toby ·
very interesting
Dave Heff ·
I had never actively thought of this, but it's spot on. The items I carry every day have fantastic clips: Benchmade Barrage Mini, BigIDesign Ti pen, Gerber Impromptu, Karas Kustoms EDK...all feature strong, steel clips.

I also can't stand weak clips. This is the reason my Fisher Bullet and Caran D'ache (849.069) live at my desk: the clips are severely lacking. The Bullet falls off, the D'ache is thin and flimsy. They are otherwise fantastic items. Now, if someone has any suggestions on a clip solution that allows secure pocket carry for these, I'm all ears...
Scott Wicksted ·
Find the right spot for the space pen clip and then superglue / epoxy it into place. The shape of the space pen allows you to write in any position. Mine seems to stay on just fine without the glue. ( So far - been a year so..)
Dave Heff ·
Interesting: never thought of glueing or adhering another way. I guess I would search for something that works without modification. Might make me love my Space Pen again though...
Scott Johnson ·
Maybe put the Space Pen refill in another pen? My Relefree Tactical pen takes the Parker style refill.
craig b ·
Bullet space pen clip falls off EVERY TIME. I use the pen and just put it back in my pocket. Not a desk pen.
Nick ·
I had a pocket clip on my leatherman wave for only two months before it got caught on a fence I was walking past in a spot and snapped it off. Needless to say, I was rather annoyed that it wasn't covered by their usually excellent warranty.
Scott Johnson ·
Good to know, bought a quick release pocket for the Wave 2 a few weeks ago.
Scott Johnson ·
My best clip is on my Relefree Tactical Pen - Uzi copy I think. I have to really pull on it to get it off my pocket. I keep the pen outside and the clip inside the pocket. Don't want the pen near my phone screen.

I have a clip on my Wave 2 but I carry it on my belt. My pockets are occupied with either the Relefree or an Xtools suspension clip.

I have a second Xtools suspension clip riding high in a pocket for the car key.

Had the clip come off my Olight i3s EOS once so that is on a split ring on my keychain.
Ryan ·
Mikey, nice article. I have found when I carry a certain clip that "juts"-out slightly at the bottom (as shown in the photos of flashlight and clicky pen above) it catches on certain things that I come into contact with daily like seat belt, side of tables, couch arm rest, etc. A pro to the "jut"- out though would be the ease of clipping it to your pocket without having to pull the clip out when putting it back to your pant pocket.
Time to re evaluate my clips!
Love the simple design of these clips. Where is the James clips?
Jerry Pruitt ·
Clips are great! I agree 100%!
Karl Hicks ·
I used to carry a Mini Mag Lite AA LED. As soon as upgraded to my Thrunite TN12 (2016) I realized how awesome a light with a pocket clip is. Got my eye on a titanium one piece multitool that functions as a suspension clip. I already use carabiners for my keys but I need a good EDC pry bar to replace my Mac Tools one.
Jerzy ·
I despise pocket clips on knives; I remove them straight away. Too many knives are ruined by having one, and some of those are further ruined by the stupid indent left in the handle scale.
Vincent Wong ·
You will never want to remove a Shirogorov knife clip
Jerzy ·
LOL At those prices, I doubt I'll ever actually own a Shirogorov knife!
Aaron Yacavone ·
Casey Lynch clip! Best around!
Robert Razavi ·
I never, ever thought so much could be said about clips. Very clever!
Douglas Quiad ·
GYYAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
3 more comments