Trending Gear: February 2021

If you’re the type of EDCer that wants to keep most of their carry within hands’ reach, the Nize Ize Clip Pock-Its XL Utility Holster is worth your consideration. It features multiple exterior pockets fit to carry flashlights, multitools and knives. Its interior pockets are also designed to hold on to smaller items like pens, keys, ID cards, and credit cards. To help keep it on your person, this utility holster comes with a reinforced, over-and-under clip that attaches to belts, waistbands and straps up to 2.375” wide. Although it features “extra large“ in its name, it measures a manageable 7.25” x 4.59”, and weighs 3.28 oz, conveniently adding carrying space without much bulk. Once it’s securely attached, you can rely on its durable, weather-resistant nylon construction and hook-and-loop panels to keep up with the wear and tear of your daily life.

The CRKT Snailor comes as a collaboration with knifemaker Jesper Voxnaes, with whom the brand has produced multi-tools like the Pryma and knives like the Pilar and Piet--each bearing his distinct design. The regular-sized Snailor (there’s a smaller version) features a quick-release cam that lets you hook it onto your keychain setup or even a belt loop. Being able to quickly detach it makes it more comfortable during use over other keyring tool designs that remain with the rest of your keys. The tool’s size and non-aggressive jimping around the large hole offer a more comfortable and secure grip during use, making it easier to enjoy that next drink. Alternatively, the small hole in what would have been this creature’s eye is big enough for a small keyring to slip through, letting you use the Snailor as a zipper pull or as a carabiner for your keys. At 2.8" long and 1.2 ounces, this little bottle-opening critter slips in easily with the rest of your kit.

The Gerber Armbar Drive tosses its hat into the ring with a compact form factor reminiscent of folding pocket knives, a usable fine edge, and an extendable bit driver. The aluminum handle holds a 2.5" blade that deploys via thumbhole and is held in place by a sturdy framelock. The rest of the tools fold out in the same fashion: an awl, a pair of scissors, and a bit driver. The bit driver extends all the way out, turning the Armbar into a short screwdriver that allows you to reach places where bit drivers of other multi-tools won’t. The included two-sided bit gives you both flat and Philips screwdriver heads. The reinforced tail end of the handle functions as an impromptu hammer, and this piece opens up to give you a combination prybar and bottle opener. All this in a package that’s 3.625" closed and 3.1 ounces, making the Gerber Armbar Drive a great pocket carry for miscellaneous tasks at home or out in the field.

The Leatherman FREE T4 brings 12 functions to bear in a 3.6“, 4.3 oz package, and comes in as February's 7th most popular item. Many familiar tools from the FREE P-Series make an appearance, such as a 420HC knife, spring-action scissors, an assortment of drivers, openers, a heavy-duty file, and even a detachable pair of tweezers. You can deploy all the tools one-handed thanks to the FREE’s magnetic architecture and cam lock system, making them buttery smooth to open, locked in place while in use, and as easy to close up when you’re finished with your tasks. And when you’re ready to grab the T4 and go, its included and removable pocket clip gives it a secure spot in your EDC.

This Japanese knife finds its origins with the end of the samurai era. “Higo no Kami” actually means “Lord of Higo,” the area where this knife originated. Bladesmiths used to making quality katana knives found themselves struggling to make ends meet, so they began to pursue the civilian market with a practical folding knife that borrowed some of what made their swords great. The key to the cutting power of the Higo no Kami is the forging process Japanese artisans use to make the blades. Like the katanas of old, the Higo no Kami has both hard and soft steel melded into a single blade, a combination that allows the edge to be very sharp while not being so brittle that it will chip as a result of everyday use. The steel on this particular knife is called Warikomi steel, measuring approximately 3“ with the brass satin handle approximately 4”. This particular Higo no Kami is crafted by hand in Japan by one of the last remaining trademarked makers, Nagao Kanekoma Seisakusho. At approximately 1.58 oz, this friction folder will disappear inside your pockets or bag and offers a touch of the old world for today’s modern EDC.

The Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter is a small but capable knife meant to perform even in harsh conditions, and comes in at the halfway point for February. With an overall length of 6.32" and weight of 3.19 ounces, it’s compact and light enough for an easy pocket, bag, or belt carry, stowed with its included sheath. The satin-finished Crucible CPM S30V steel provides premium performance, holds a sharp edge well, and resists rust and corrosion. A 2.67"-long drop-point blade provides plenty of utility out in the field, and two areas of jimping on the knife’s spine provide better control during use: one near the handle for regular grips, and one towards the tip secures your pointer finger for skinning and other precision work. A pronounced finger choil provides locked-in ergonomics for a solid grip during hard use, and a large lanyard hole gives you lots of options for attaching your own cordage.

The Hunstman is one of Victorinox’s most popular Swaiss Army Knives and for a good reason: a rich feature makes it practical for both outdoor adventures and for EDC. You have access to a 3.6" long Sandvik stainless steel knife, perfect for everyday cutting tasks. It also comes with a wood saw, which allows you to cut through branches, ropes, and small pieces of wood when you go hiking or camping. The addition of a pair of scissors allows you to do more delicate and precise cuts if needed. But the practicality doesn’t stop there—you get 12 other functions to help you out. It features two different screwdrivers, a can opener, a bottle opener, a smaller blade, Victorinox’s signature toothpick and tweezers and even a corkscrew to open up a nice bottle of wine during a picnic, just to name a few.

The Midori Traveler’s Notebook is the core of a modular notebook refill binding system that lets you bring multiple refills bound in a durable leather cover. The basic package comes with the leather cover, one blank 64-page notebook, a rubber band that keeps the whole system bound together, a spare rubber band, and a cotton bag for protection and storage. You can purchase different types of refill notebooks, including lined, dotted, grid, and blank pages, and there are even pre-printed monthly, weekly, and daily planner inserts that you can easily integrate into your system. Different accessories like a 12-pocket business card file, connecting bands for binding multiple notebooks, and a detachable pen holder let you customize what else you want to bring with you. If you’re looking for a long-time journaling and note-taking companion that you can easily adapt to your personal needs, the Traveler’s Notebook from Midori is a highly customizable choice for EDC.

You can tell a Strider knife when you see it, even with his collaboration designs like with the Strider + Pro-Tech SnG AutoKnife. It’s the perfect combo: a bold tactical knife with excellent ergonomics and grip from Strider, and Pro-Tech’s excellent automatic opening to complete the package. The micarta + 7075 aluminum handle conforms to the shape of your hand, and the blade itself has extensive jimping on the spine with a sizable choil on the blade that allows for a choke grip on the knife for extra control of the tip when you’re making delicate cuts. And the stonewashed 3.5" 154CM stainless steel blade isn’t anything to sneeze at, with a long belly for slicing and a pronounced tip for excellence at piercing tasks.

The KNIPEX Cobra Pliers are water pump-style pliers (also known as tongue-and-groove type) from a German-based company long known for their focus on quality and on a single product group. The Cobra Pliers feature a curved jaw grip that’s slimmer than usual, making it easy to slip into where it’s needed as well as keeping the overall weight of the package down. On the side, there’s a small spring-loaded button that lets you change the width of the lockable jaw opening, making this a smooth-operating, one-handed tool that’s simple to use. If your EDC tasks require more from your pliers than the usual ones integrated into multi-tools, a dedicated pair like the KNIPEX Cobra Pliers is called for. There are bigger versions, but this standard 5-inch model may be best for daily carry and EDC tasks, and tops February's most popular gear.