Every day, readers like you proudly share their daily carries to the site. When you see something awesome in an EDC photo and click on it, you’re also letting other EDCers know you find that gear interesting. The most popular gear that get the most views and clicks climb their way to the top of the product feed on the right hand side of the homepage for the community to know what’s trending.
You know the drill. In this roundup, I’ll break down the top 10 essentials from May (skipping over stuff you’ve probably already seen before) that were most popular with our readers. With that in mind, this isn’t a strict top 10 ranking (this month’s is pretty close, though). Ready for some cool gear?
Chums Surfshort Wallet
As seen in: Max, a Naval Officer’s EDC
Used by 12 EDCers
The Chums Surfshort Wallet took the top spot last month thanks to its versatile design that can help you EDC a wider variety of gear compared to your typical wallet. As seen in Max’s EDC, it can stash a slim pen, a set of keys on its concealable keyring, and plenty more with its two zippered compartments and convenient ID window. It’s minimal, lightweight, comfortable, and affordably priced at under ten bucks.
Boker SO4PRO-K Ti
As seen in: Jonathan’s Urban EDC
It might be hard to tell what you’d even use this keychain item for, but it’s that curious design that got enough EDCers interested to push this up to #3 on last month’s rankings. It’s essentially a stick of titanium with a precise rounded tip that you can use for keychain retrieval, general poking and prodding, self-defense, or even working out knots on your tight muscles.
Titanium Mini Q Key Organizer
As seen in: Kenny’s All-Leather EDC
No. 4 on the list combines the pocket knife and Swiss-tool style key organizer you’re already probably carrying into one sleek, minimalist solution. The Mini Q‘s broad, rectangular slabs of titanium not only protect and silence your keys between them, but they also act as a handle for an EDC-sized sub-2.5” blade. Combining two completely different EDC items this way is no easy feat, but the Mini Q executes well with thoughtful attention to ergonomics and accessibility. A thumb-stud makes deploying the interchangeable blade easy, and cutouts in the handle let you single-handedly swivel out your keys.
Zootility Tools WildCard
As seen in: Matt’s Leather, Felt, and Metal EDC
At No. 5 on the list is a unique folding knife so thin, it fits in your wallet. A few key features set this knife apart from all the credit card knives you might’ve seen in the past. For starters, it actually locks, giving it an advantage in heavier duty cutting tasks. The combo-edge blade itself also completely detaches for when it’s time to replace the blade or switch up your EDC when traveling through areas with stricter knife regulations. Lastly, the WildCard packs a few handy extras in its handle design, including a bottle opener, pry edge, and screwdrivers.
Hell-Bent Holsters Combat Wallet
As seen in: Cody’s Wrecking Yard EDC
Used by over 25 EDCers
Just like a quality holster, the Combat Wallet (#6) carries your important essentials comfortably and securely without getting in the way. It’s hand-crafted in the USA from tough, lightweight materials like kydex and carbon fiber to keep your cash and card situation minimal. A thumb cutout on the upper right corner lets you easily retrieve and fan out your cards with a pinch, and its smooth surfaces and rounded edges make for a comfortable pocket carry. Because of the rigid, structured kydex design, the wallet comes in three different sizes to accommodate more or fewer cards. And if you need a way to carry cash, you can opt for a version with a money clip and have everything in one place.
Leatherman Tread
As seen in: A. Ros’s Everyday Carry
Used by 25 EDCers
Leatherman needs no introduction, but their new Tread wearable multi-tool bracelet deserves a mention at No. 10 on the list. It’s a bit of a departure from their usual tool designs, but it’s an ambitious innovation that potentially only Leatherman could deliver. The customizable, stainless steel bracelet packs 29 tools total in its “links,” including various screwdrivers, wrenches, a glass breaker, cutting hook, bottle opener, and more. And unlike most multi-tools, it’s travel-friendly, making it a true EDC wherever life takes you.
Casio G-Shock Rangeman
As seen in: Muhammad’s Financial Engineering Student EDC
Used by 20 EDCers
The Rangeman (#11) features Casio G-Shock’s usual ruggedness, utilitarian styling, and wealth of at-a-glance information. But this model in particular fills a more tactical role, with a blacked-out case, negative display, and carbon fiber band. If you depend on your EDC watch for more than telling the time, you’ll appreciate the Rangeman‘s barometer, thermometer, compass, solar recharging, and atomic sync features.
Gerber GDC Hook Knife
As seen in: David’s Fire Dispatcher EDC
Used by 14 EDCers
The Gerber GDC Hook Knife (#12) is a keychain-sized companion with an interesting use case. Its hooked blade takes after traditional seatbelt cutter designs, making it useful for cutting tape, zip-ties, opening boxes, and of course, seatbelt webbing in case of an emergency. If those examples describe your daily cutting needs, this little knife could be a worthwhile addition to your primary EDC blade.
Benchmade 940 Osborne
As seen in: Jithu’s Refined Daily Carry
Used by over 45 EDCers
This beautiful production Osborne design has earned an excellent reputation as an everyday knife and a #13 ranking last month. The 940 boasts Benchmade build quality, premium S30V steel, a slim and attractive green anodized aluminum handle, and a truly ambidextrous operation. Its 3.4” long reverse tanto blade is sized just right for EDC tasks, while Benchmade’s excellent AXIS-lock system allows for smooth and secure deployment.
Coin 2.0 Card
As seen in: Athanasios’s Out the Door EDC
Used by 6 EDCers
There are plenty of ways to slim down your wallet, like upgrading to a minimalist design or purging unused cards and receipts (the technical term for this, I believe, is “decostanzifying”), but few are as high-tech as the Coin 2.0 (#14). It’s a single card-shaped device that consolidates your physical bank and credit cards digitally as your all-in-one solution. While interesting in concept, it’s not for everyone. But if carrying just one card appeals to you, it’s worth looking into a smart card like this. The 2.0 version of the card features an electronic display, an EMV chip and phone app with security features, and a physical button for swapping through cards.
Curious to see how these trends change over time? Check out our monthly roundups from the archive for even more excellent gear.
