It’s almost the end of the year, and it’s been a good one for EDCers. From knives to lights to bags to tech, there have been plenty of releases primed and ready to be added to our kit. We obviously love talking about gear around here, and with this series, the Everyday Carry staff have put together a few lists of the ones we can’t wait to get our hands on. We hope it gives you a good idea of products that you may have missed throughout the year, and gets you as excited as we are to pick up the latest and greatest gear for your EDC.
Before we begin, we want to know…
What new knife is on your EDC wishlist?
We’d love to hear about what knives you want that came out the past year. Leave a comment below with the knife you want, and we’ll feature your picks in a follow-up article! To get the ideas rolling, we’ll start things off:
5 Knives We Want Right Now
Kershaw AM-3
Jonathan Tayag: I’ve been looking for a good travel pocketknife, and the Kershaw AM-3 fits the bill. For a tactical knife, it has a low-profile aesthetic that won’t draw too much attention when I’m away from home. Plus, the 3.1″ 8Cr13MoV spear point blade should also be legal for carry in most places. While it’s not a premium steel, it’s capable enough and also easy to maintain. The steel choice also helps keep the price down, and it means that if I lose it during my travels it’s not too major of a loss. I love the G10 handles that buck the trend towards stainless and titanium in recent designs. The extra grip they impart is very important to me, especially with how slim the knife is. The flipper itself acts as a choil guard for the blade in rough use. The sturdy framelock also gives me confidence to use it for tougher tasks.
Kizer Feist
Adam Molina: Like so many EDCers a new pocket knife purchase can always be justified. In the case of the Kizer Feist I don’t even have to try that hard. As a physical object it’s gorgeous, but throw in the titanium handle, a 2.8” drop point blade made of CPM-S35VN steel, and a sturdy pocket clip, and this minimal flipper seems to be perfect for my needs. This front flipper has jimping along the spine for quickly getting to work when you need it, but it also allows for discreet deployment when you prefer to keep a low profile. My current EDC knives also tend to be a little on the wider side and take up too much pocket space, which results in them being left at home more often than not. They’re also more on the rugged side, so a gent knife like the Feist which isn’t as aggressive looking but still has a durable build is an attractive option to me.
Kizer Guru
Ed Jelley: The Guru is a new design for 2017 from Kizer knives. It’s based on Matt Degnan’s custom “MC” model, but without the hefty price tag and rarity associated with custom knives. I’ve been wanting to add the Guru to my collection since it was announced last year at Blade Show. The 3.0” blade is a functional, yet sleek sheepsfoot shape that my current collection is lacking. The premium materials, bearing-mounted flipper pivot, and excellent construction that Kizer is known for puts this blade at the top of my “want” list. The only problem with the Guru is picking which configuration I want. It’s available with or without the flipper, and with or without milled holes in the titanium handles.
Zero Tolerance 0055
Mikey Bautista: I’m generally very picky about knives, preferring either high-performance materials or opting for the most minimal form factor I can get my hands on. So when one comes along that impresses me, I tend to break all my own rules. The ZT0055 is one such knife. Originally the GTC Airborne, a revolutionary custom flipper fetching four figures, the design found its way into Zero Tolerance’s main production lineup. The collaboration brings with it the Airborne’s futuristic styling, size, and signature hidden flipper tab, while adding a few conveniences like S35VN steel for its 3.75″ blade and a reversible pocket clip. Practical? Not always. Eye-catching and impressive in its features? Absolutely.
The James Brand Elko
Bernard Capulong: While I really appreciate so many of the new knives that came out this year, I unfortunately can’t actually carry most of them where I live. It limits my choices to smaller, non-locking knives. That’s why the new Elko knife from The James Brand caught my eye. They’ve imparted their minimalist design language into a street-legal keychain knife and added a little extra functionality to boot. It’s a two-hand open slipjoint knife using a generous nail nick. CTS-BD1 steel makes up the 1.8” drop point blade, anodized aluminum on the handles keep it lightweight, and stainless steel pry bar/bottle opener/screw driver/lanyard hole cover a ton of extra bases.
Hopefully this list got you thinking about which knife your EDC could use next. Leave a comment below with the knife you want with a chance to be featured in our next round-up.
For more reader’s picks, check out the 5 EDC Lights the community recommended.
