5.11 Tactical Norris Sneaker

For many people, the “C” in EDC not only stands for “carry,” but also, in a large part, for “commute.” Whether it’s heading for school, checking in at work, running errands for the day, or blazing trails on the weekend, we all spend a lot of time on the move. This makes what we wear equally as important as what we carry, especially underfoot. While best known for their EDC bags, 5.11 Tactical also sets the bar high for performance clothing, and their new Norris sneaker is the latest addition to their line of tactical apparel. With a relaxed style, comfort-focused design, and durability built into every feature, it’s an excellent addition to the everyday commuter’s wardrobe.

While on first look the Norris looks like a casual high-top sneaker, its secret lays in its sole. The encapsulated outsole is made by Vibram Marbani—a pioneer in rugged footwear technology itself—with XS Trek, giving the shoe a solid balance of traction and durability within the forefoot and heel zones. This means solid footing particularly for wet surfaces, ensuring your safety even when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Speaking of solid footing, inside the Norris an Ortholite footbed keeps your foot supported and comfortable for even the longest treks. Adding to the tactical technology in the sole is its ASTM-certified puncture resistance thanks to an extremely durable Welmax board, which guards your feet against up to 1,200 newtons (290 pounds) of force.

The heavy-duty construction continues into the shoe’s upper, especially in its toebox area, where climbing-grade rubber protects your toes with extra durability. The suede strip along the front also isn’t a mere accent, as it comes with water-repellent and stain-resistant properties which are welcome features for this “high-traffic” area of the shoe. Finally, a padded tongue and ankle collar round out the upper’s design, ensuring all-day comfort no matter where (or how far) you’re headed.

The Norris is a lot more than a regular sneaker, giving you tactical boot performance without the heavy footprint they leave behind. Pick one up from 5.11 Tactical at their site below.

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This is a sponsored post presented by 5.11 Tactical.

Vincero Altitude Pilot Watch

It usually costs a pretty penny to get a quality everyday carry watch on your wrist. It takes a lot to to get the attention to detail and the features that put a watch above the cheap dollar store deals you might find elsewhere. But this isn’t always the case. Take Vincero for example, a company that uses small-batch manufacturing processes that ensure that you get a quality timepiece every time. And with their new aviation-inspired pilot watch, the Altitude, they’ve packed in a great-looking watch with a quality movement at an excellent value. There's no better time than now to upgrade your EDC, as Everyday Carry readers can save up to 25% on a new watch from Vincero for a limited time.

Legibility is the name of the game when it comes to pilot watches, and the Vincero Altitude delivers with bold white arabic numerals against a deep blue dial. And no matter where you find yourself, you can rest assured that the Japanese Citizen Miyota Quartz movement in the Altitude makes for a very reliable time-teller. For added durability, the watch crystal is made out of hardened sapphire to resist scratches and provide excellent clarity. The watch itself is resistant against water down to 100 meters. The 43mm watch case is made out of a brush silver-toned 316L surgical grade stainless steel, which is good for people with skin that might react to the alloys found in cheaper alternatives. The strap is made out of quality top-grain Italian leather, but if you prefer you can also choose a durable Cordura nylon strap as well.

Aside from telling the time, the Altitude packs quite a few quality of life complications that are absent in lesser watches. For frequent travelers, the Altitude sports a dual-time readout, letting you keep track of a different time zone when you’re away from home. There’s a night and day dial that works similarly to a sun and moon complication, but without all the visual noise that brings. When you do find yourself in the dark, the lume on the hands and numbers let you read the timepiece accurately in low light. A date readout lets you keep track of the calendar as well. Finally the numerals on the bezel make for an ad-hoc timing mechanism as the second hand sweeps across the face round and round. And on the back side of the watch, there’s a bit of embellishment where Vincero has placed a bit of historic Roman-era marble and the famous words of an old Roman general for a bit of inspiration.

But what’s most inspiring about this watch is its affordable price: it can be had for less than $200 shipped anywhere in the world. And for a limited time you can get up to 25% off everything on Vincero’s website in celebration of their 5th anniversary. Check out the Altitude at the link below and save on a new watch while you still can.

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This is a sponsored post presented by Vincero Watches.

Trending: Spyderco Roadie

Trending on the charts for this Saturday Slicer is a sleek Spyderco slipjoint, the Roadie. Don't let its size fool you—with a closed length of 3" and a blade just a hair over 2", it still manages to handle plenty of EDC cutting tasks. The blade features Bohler N690 steel in a useful sheepsfoot shape, making it useful for slicing and scoring alike. Since it's a slipjoint, it opens with a smaller "thumbhole" type nick in a satisfying snap. Some jimping and a finger choil help add grip to the Roadie's ergonomic reinforced fiberglass handle. Its combination of light weight, small size, and non-locking mechanism make it a blade you can carry in most locales, especially in bigger cities and in the UK, for example. For minimalists looking for a great barely-there EDC blade they can carry almost anywhere, check out the Roadie at the link below.

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Benchmade Mini Crooked River

All too often when you look for a pocket knife with the right modern features and performance to be your daily driver, you'll find your options skew towards the tactical side of things. But if a tactical design doesn't suit your needs or style, what's left? Hunting knives offer a more traditional style, but they're usually too big for EDC and lack common features from modern blades. So leave it to Benchmade with their decades of experience in American manufacturing of both tactical and hunting knives alike to fill the void with the Mini Crooked River. It's a scaled down and more EDC-friendly version of their original Crooked River hunting knife, which paired classic styling with premium materials and modern features.

Although it might look like it upon first glance, The Mini Crooked River isn't your grandfather's hunting knife. You'll find modern materials throughout the knife: aluminum bolsters, contour-stabilized “Dymondwood” handles, and high-vis hunter orange details in the G10 backspacer and pivot accent. It still features a classic clip-point shape on its 3.40” blade, but it comes in a premium CPM-S30V steel.

Materials aside, the Mini Crooked River operates and performs like a present-day knife thanks to its ambidextrous thumbstud manual deployment and AXIS lock mechanism. Slight jimping near the spine of the blade offers a bit more control, but its otherwise smooth handles and sweeping lines result in an elegant overall aesthetic. Its tip-up pocket clip makes it easy to carry and retrieve while its 4.5” closed length, 0.5” handle thickness and 3.3 oz weight keep bulk to a minimum too. For an EDC experience from Benchmade that's less tactical and every bit as practical, check out the Mini Crooked River at the link below.

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Dango D01 Dapper Pen Wallet

When it comes to taking notes, nothing beats having real pen and paper in your hands. But organizing pen and paper in your EDC can be a challenge: small items tend to get lost in the shuffle, especially when carried loose in your pockets. Plus, with limited space in your pockets anyways, consolidation is a good thing. For instance, you already carry a wallet, but what if your wallet could also hold your preferred notebook along with a pen as well? That’s where something like the new Dango D01 Dapper Pen Wallet comes in handy. The Dango Dapper Pen Wallet lets you carry three EDC essential items in one compact package, complete with a custom aluminum pen and a notebook as part of the deal.

The D01 Dapper Pen Wallet is a compact bifold front pocket wallet on steroids. For its compact size, there’s plenty of space, as each of the four pockets in the wallet accommodate up to four payment and identification cards (16 cards total). There’s a grippy silicone band for added convenience, especially if you carry folded cash. The wallet is made out of water-resistant DTEX material, resilient against the elements and the occasional bar table mishap. The durability extends to the CNC'd and anodized 6061 aerospace grade aluminum chassis of the wallet itself, setting it apart from the standard bifold and giving the Dapper Pen Wallet structure. Physical protection isn’t all that the Dapper Pen Wallet extends to you: its built-in RFID protection also helps keep your card information safe from fraudsters skimming for data in public spaces. And you can pick up Dango’s separate MT02 multitool to further expand this wallet’s capabilities.

The other half of the bifold is dedicated to organizing your stationery, and while it’s compatible with many popular EDC pens and compact notebooks, Dango goes an extra step with this package by including a custom pen and notebook with every purchase. The machined aluminum pen accommodates Fisher Space Pen ink as well as Schmidt 4889M ink refills and slots into the spine of the wallet for a consolidated carry. And in case you’re the kind of person who constantly loses their pen, an integrated lanyard hole helps with retention options for both the pen and the wallet itself. The included notebook is no slouch either, with 48 dot-grid pages bound together with red stitching by hand and placed within a thick quality cover.

If you’re looking to integrate a pen and paper into your everyday carry, the D01 Dapper Pen Wallet is a complete starter kit that lets you jump right in. And even if you already carry these things, the smart design of this package lets you consolidate your carry into a competent all-in-one solution that saves space in your pockets while being immensely useful and functional at the same time. Check out the link below to find out more about the D01 Dapper Pen Wallet and make it a part of your own EDC today.

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This is a sponsored post presented by Dango Products.