The 12 Best EDC Valet Trays in 2020
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“A place for everything, and everything in its place,” as the saying goes. If you’ve ever had a hard time finding your gear before heading out the door, or misplace a part of your EDC because it’s scattered all over your desk, having a valet tray for all your EDC gear helps keep you neat, organized, and out the door in a jiffy.
A good valet tray provides a flat, soft surface for you to store your daily items when they're not in your pockets. It keeps everything in sight and in one place and prevents your gear from getting scratched or damaging your desk or nightstand. There are a lot of options in design and materials for your EDC kit’s landing zone, from supple premium leather to tough molded Kydex to CNC-machined aluminum. Some valet trays even have dedicated compartments sized just right to fit specific things, like your wallet, watch, or keys.
As with all things EDC, picking one that fits your exact needs is essential, and we’ve got you covered with different sizes of nightstand or desk real estate to match your personal loadout. Wallet, watch, pen, knife, multi-tool, keychain, plus loose change—it’s all there and ready to go when you are.
In this guide, we break down some of the best valet trays that give you a place to unload your EDC at the end of the day. Whether its a simple single-compartment valet tray, one with plenty of organization compartments, or even one that helps you keep your gear sanitized, there are plenty of choices in how you want to optimize your daily pocket loading and unloading routine.
We The People Holsters Kydex Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Tough Kydex construction
Iconic flag design
Easy to clean
Specifications
Dimensions
13“ x 11” outer edge, 12“ x 10” main area, 5“ x 4” compartment
Weight
N/A
Materials
Faux PU Leather with velvet lining
Most of us know Kydex as the material for sheaths and holsters, boasting toughness, light weight, and ease of maintenance—just clean it with good old soap and water when it gets grimy. We The People Holsters takes the material and molds it into an iconic flag design for their EDC Dump Tray. The main area is 12" x 10" large, giving you a lot of space for your pocket dump, while inside there’s a smaller 5" x 4" area for your smalls and for a little bit of organization. The flag design is 3D molded, helping you pick up small items like keys and loose change, plus every edge around the tray has been rounded to better protect your EDC gear. Choose from a plain black finish or one that features a glossy carbon fiber weave.
West End Warehouse Nightstand Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Six different-sized compartments
Classic styling
Velvet lining protects your gear
Specifications
Dimensions
13.875" x 9.5" x 1.625"
Weight
N/A
Materials
Faux PU leather with velvet lining
This classic-style faux leather valet tray from West End Warehouse features six different compartments to help organize your gear at the end of the day, including a curved and smooth textured catchall for easy retrieval of coins and cufflinks, and five other rectangular spaces for your phone, watch, knife, and other essentials. The phone area features cutouts for easily routing your charging cable, and there’s a covered section for your more sensitive items. Apart form the coin catchall, each compartment is lined with a soft velvet material, protecting your gear from scratches and scuffs. Velvet is also used on the bottom to protect your nightstand.
The Tulip Tree Folding Leather Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Traditional leather catch-all construction
Easy to pack for travel or for use at work
Deep compartment compared to others
Specifications
Dimensions
5“ x 5”
Weight
4.2 ounces
Materials
5.5-ounce English tanned top-grain leather
This one takes on the familiar form of a buttoned-up leather tray, folding flat for storage or transit. The Tulip Tree Folding Leather Valet uses tough yet supple 5.5-ounce tanned top-grain leather, and features a small leather section with discreet branding for its 5" x 5" main compartment. It measures 2" deep when set up on the table, which is deeper than most catch-all trays with a similar design, and this gives you additional capacity and security for your everyday essentials. This elegant option comes in different colors to better complement your home or office environment.
Maxpedition Folding Travel Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Tough 420D Nylon construction
Converts to bifold wallet
Designed for frequent travelers
Specifications
Dimensions
11“ x 11.75” flat, 7“ x 6” x 2“ tray, 11” x 5.7“ bifold
Weight
3.52 ounces
Materials
420D nylon
A modern and more tactical take on the EDC tray, the Maxpedition Folding Travel Valet features a 420D Nylon construction and sturdy snap buttons, keeping it lightweight yet tough enough to bring everyday. A 5mm layer of foam keeps your gear protected when it deploys as a tray. Aside from unfolding flat for transit, it also converts into a 11“ x 5.7” bifold wallet that you can use to store flat items like documents and cards. There’s even a paracord loop for hanging this to dry, or for attaching it to your other gear for security. The multi-functional valet is great for frequent travelers or commuters who want to bring the convenience of an EDC tray everywhere they go. Available in black, gray and tan.
Craft & Lore EDC Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Sturdy boot leather construction
Very traditional aesthetic
Hand hammered brass rivets
Specifications
Dimensions
6“ x 6” x 1.5“
Weight
N/A
Materials
Boot leather and brass rivets
Bringing around a leather valet to use as a key tray and store pocket change and other small items to go into at your destination is not only convenient, it also evokes some old school cool. Especially if you use something like the Craft & Lore EDC Valet Tray, which retains the traditional aesthetic with thick, chrome-tanned boot leather and hand hammered brass rivets. This type of construction lends itself well to aging gracefully and developing some character over time. This 6“ x 6” sturdy folding valet tray makes you and your gear look good, wherever you choose to lay it down.
Tanner Goods Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Sturdy boot leather construction
Very traditional aesthetic
Hand hammered brass rivets
Specifications
Dimensions
5“ x 5”
Weight
N/A
Materials
Premium Meridian English bridle leather with brass rivets
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$$
Settling down at home, in the office, or at any destination with a folding leather valet tray elevates your EDC style by a few notches. Emptying your pockets into the simple and elegant Tanner Goods Valet Tray is an act of both convenience and luxury that comes only from using an heirloom-level, high-quality product. Two pieces of 3-ounce Meridian English bridle leather are cut and sewn at the Portland, Oregon studio of Tanner Goods, and it’s stamped with their own maker’s mark, putting their name behind the quality and durability of this men’s valet tray. The USA-made brass rivets are press-fit into the premium leather, preserving both the rivets and the leather itself, ensuring years of good use.
KeySmart CleanTray Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Uses UV light to sanitize your EDC essentials
Large enough to fit a smartphone
Can also sanitize face masks
Specifications
Dimensions
8.2"x4.6"x2" external dimensions, 7.8"x3.9"x 0.9" internal storage
Weight
N/A
Materials
ABS plastic chassis
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$$
Infuse a bit of tech, safety, and sanitation into your travel valet with the KeySmart CleanTray. This portable case for your EDC essentials features the use of UV light inside, which has proven to be an effective deterrent and disinfectant, killing or inactivating 99.9% of harmful micro-organisms. The CleanTray easily fits your smartphone, as well as other items from your usual pocket payload. Five minutes inside with the UV light activated sanitizes your gear, and even reusable face masks, offering an extra level of precaution amidst concerns bout the transmission of diseases like COVID-19 and other harmful microbes or substances. A 1,000mAh internal battery keeps it powered and is easily topped up via the included USB cable.
Dango EDC Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Tough and hefty aluminum construction
Integrated cable routing keeps things neat
Uses high-tech DTEX pads for protecting your gear
Specifications
Dimensions
11“ x 8.4” x 0.75“
Weight
N/A
Materials
CNC-machined aluminum with DTEX padding
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$$$
It’s easy to showcase your daily carry with this tough and industrial-style CNC-machined aluminum tray. The Dango EDC Tray provides a sturdy and hefty landing pad for your pocket payload, organizing them neatly via dedicated compartments and streamlined cable management. The compartments are lined with cut-to-fit removable pads made with the brand’s own DTEX material: a durable, water-resistant, non-leather material that provides protection and cushioning for your gear. The tray’s heft and anti-slip rubber pads keeps it firmly in place and keeps your gear safe from nocturnal nightstand accidents. This solid catch-all is a great way to not only store but display all your cool gear as well.
Drop Cache Display Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Meant to contain your usual gear rotation
Add-on drawers for expansion
Clear top lets you see your most used gear immediately
Specifications
Dimensions
15" x 12" x 4.7"
Weight
8.5 lbs
Materials
Powder-coated hardware, clear acrylic cover, faux leather exterior and microfiber lining
Combining the all the functions of your EDC dump tray, knife and pen display cases, and watch storage boxes, the Drop Cache Display Valet becomes a strong option for an all-in-one EDC “war chest” that accommodates all—if not most—of your gear rotation. The top uses clear acrylic so that it’s easy to admire your most-used gear, which rest in microfiber-lined compartments. There’s enough space for a daily knife rotation, three watches, a few pens, and your other smalls, plus internal pass-through cable routing for charging up your gadgets. And if the capacity isn’t enough, you can add modular storage drawers underneath to create your own stacked chest for all your EDC gear.
Hollows Leather Panhandler Daily Carry Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Sturdy belt-weight Chromexcel leather construction
Optional stamped designs
Streamlined fold-up profile
Specifications
Dimensions
5" x 5" tray for square version, 4.5" x 7" for rectangular version
Weight
N/A
Materials
Belt-weight leather with solid brass stud hardware
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$
The Panhandler Daily Carry Tray from Hollows Leather is a handsome portable catch-all that evokes a classy old-school aesthetic with its Chromexcel leather construction and optional stamped designs. Solid brass hardware enhances the traditional looks while providing a durable material for the buttons. Unlike most folding leather valets, this one buttons up in a way that leaves a streamlined profile, instead of the usual pinched corners, offering a neater, space-saving design for maximizing table or nightstand space. Choose from a smaller square version that’s good for keys and other smalls, or a larger rectangular version meant to fit pens, knives, and stationary. Better yet, get both.
Cur Knives and Tool Maintenance Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Natural wood construction and aesthetic
Made for storing and maintaining pens and knives
Optional bit organizer
Specifications
Dimensions
12" x 8"
Weight
N/A
Materials
Walnut wood or African Wenge wood options
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$$
For those looking for a hard valet tray but want a more natural look, the Cur Knives and Tool Maintenance Tray provides a handsome and functional wooden option. These trays are sanded down and treated to a satin beeswax finish for a smooth, snag-free profile that also highlights the grain textures and patterns in the wood. They come in both a Walnut wood option, as well as one in African Wenge wood that sports a darker shade. An optional bit organizer integrates neatly into the naturalist aesthetic, while providing you easy access to your EDC maintenance tools.
Maxx & Unicorn Catch-all Valet Tray
PurchaseKey Features
Distinct profile and aesthetics
Cherrywood and maple wood construction
Notches for charging cables and for use as smartphone stand
Specifications
Dimensions
6" x 6.6" x 0.75"
Weight
3.8 ounces
Materials
Cherrywood and maple wood options
EDC Rating
Just released
Price
$$
The Maxx & Unicorn Catch-all Valet Tray cuts a distinct profile with its hexagonal shape and optional striped pattern. This wooden valet tray is made from sustainably sourced cherrywood and maple. A subtle low-sheen varnish protects it from dings and scratches, while two notches cut out on one side of the tray let it function as a stand for your smartphone, and also keeps a clear route for charging cables. Clean lines, a distinct shape, and meticulous construction make this wooden catch-all the highlight of your desk or nightstand.
Header image courtesy of Carlo Santos.
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