Why do you EDC?

[rwolfenstein]

It's so ubiquitous now they show people using smartphones as lights on TV and in movies all the time, and it's funny because it's true: art imitates life. I don't remember what people without flashlights did in the dark before smartphones had LED flashes for their cameras? I'm pretty sure I used to be able to see in the dark, that there was usually always some amount of ambient lighting, and I could access my dark adapted vision more quickly. No more.

TBH the only real spots where there is no ambient light is way out in the woods on a cloudy night. These days there is so much light pollution in cities, you can see basic things. The light just, helps.

 

[Raymond33]

I edc because I am a married gentleman who likes to ensure that his bride can clearly see the ground, especially if she is in high heals.
And, where I live, it pays to have a light strong enough to determine if the area is safe. No cell phone will adequately do either of those things.

 

[Poppy]

It's so ubiquitous now they show people using smartphones as lights on TV and in movies all the time, and it's funny because it's true: art imitates life. I don't remember what people without flashlights did in the dark before smartphones had LED flashes for their cameras? I'm pretty sure I used to be able to see in the dark, that there was usually always some amount of ambient lighting, and I could access my dark adapted vision more quickly. No more.

Prior to cell phones, many people still smoked. A lighted match, or cigarette lighter could act as a light for a few seconds.

I feel your pain, though. My eyes don't dark adapt as quickly as they once did either.

 

[bbrins]

I EDC things that I find a need for on a daily basis: flashlight, knife, pen... I work in facilities maintenance, so my flashlight gets used a lot, anything from searching behind someone's computer to find that usb cable that got pulled out, to crawling through a crawlspace or attic. Often times I'll carry out small tasks by flashlight rather than unlocking all the necessary doors to get to the light switch that I would need. For the last 10 years or so, I've been carrying either an Oveready bored Surefire 6P, or a Malkoff MD2, though lately it's mostly been the MD2 since I ran out of my stash of hard press switch boots and the 6P turns on to easily in my pocket with anything softer.

Although I do occasionally use the flashlight mode on my phone, I don't see it as a good option for most people. I have people handing me their phone on a regular basis to show me a picture of something wrong that they'd like addressed at work, or to help change some setting, and it is extremely rare for anyone to hand me a phone with more than 20% of battery charge. They might be able to find their way out of the burning building, but they aren't going to be able to call 911 once they get there.

 

[The Hawk]

It's so ubiquitous now they show people using smartphones as lights on TV and in movies all the time, and it's funny because it's true: art imitates life. I don't remember what people without flashlights did in the dark before smartphones had LED flashes for their cameras? I'm pretty sure I used to be able to see in the dark, that there was usually always some amount of ambient lighting, and I could access my dark adapted vision more quickly. No more.

You are correct. I have noticed that I have more trouble seeing in low light situations. It's probably due to my 65 year old eyes. I don't mind packing a couple flashlights though.

 

[jabe1]

I edc because I've been in too many situations where I've had to say " if only I had…"
I learned from my father who always had a flashlight, knife, and some sort of heavy string or rope (about 10') in his pocket. Early on, it was a 2aa side by side Duracell light in brown and orange, later a microstream.

Better looking at it than for it.

 

[TD-Horne]

I'm an Electrician by craft and a Firefighter / Medical Rescuer by avocation. The number of times that My AA Mini Maglite allowed me to do what I would not have gotten done without it is countless.

Tom Horne

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Why do I edc? Well, 1. 'Merica, and I can, 2. Because I want to.

It has been my observation that in a "situation", all you have for resources is what you have on you at that moment. All the goodies that you have at home, all the goodies in your car, or office, they don't count--they might as well not even exist. Now, you can't carry EVERYTHING that you might need, so you have to compromise some things, for example, a multi tool instead of a tool box of tools, or a pocket flashlight in lieu of generator powered work light, or a pocket pistol in lieu of an AR-15 or RPG.

Like Red Green says, "If the women don't find you handsome, they can still find you handy", or something close to that--you get the idea. If I'm not prepared to handle "situations", and I have to depend on someone else, I feel like less of a man. It may be a conservative western culture thing, maybe I've watched too many macho John Wayne movies, but the image of the independent, self-sufficient man is my ideal. Getting older, and having some disabilities now is devastating to my ego, as I have no choice but to ask for and get help from others. Life is hard, getting old is harder.

 

[idleprocess]

Convenience, mostly. On all of my keyrings I've got a compact flashlight that outperforms the cellphone's camera flash/flashlight. And since I maintain separate keyrings for the house and vehicles, I'll tend to have two on my person at all times.

Sure I plan routine things - like walking the dogs or doing a project - and grab a flashlight or headlamp for the task. But sometimes I step outside and find I need to see more than just where I'm going. Or I need to check under a cabinet. Or I need to see what the cat is hastily trying to ingest. Or I need to inspect something on short notice.

the line between preparedness and reasonable-ness

Same. I prefer the term readiness because it involves the more likely contingencies in life as opposed to the less likely things than the term preparedness implies.

For example, while I've secured the permission of the state to carry a firearm in public (more recently such permission slips aren't necessary) I do not feel obliged to carry a hogleg on my person at all times. Of the entire two civilians I know that have needed a carry piece, one was working armed security (equipped with a duty pistol) and the other was minding a jewelry store when it was robbed. Even outside of the various prohibited places (most .gov / .edu, medical anything, 51% establishments, nearly all 'venues', the unpredictable patchwork of businesses that prohibit it) I simply do not always feel like strapping more than a ~kilo of hogleg, magazine, holster to myself.

Routinely on my person: keychain flashlight, cell phone. Routinely in a backpack - a generally better AA-powered flashlight (or two) and some extra cells. I'm not routinely carrying the throw/lumen/run-for-days monsters.

 

[Chainsaw]

I carry several items because 1) I grew up in North Long Beach, and Compton...where all the hard-core gangsta rappers say they're from because it was a harsh neighborhood. They're right.
2) I've been in a number of situations where the items on my person just happened to be (non-literal) life savers. Broke down cars in bad areas, in the bottom of the Queen Mary during a blackout... yea. Really.

Idleprocess: I prefer the term readiness because it involves the more likely contingencies in life as opposed to the less likely things than the term preparedness implies.

Jabe1: Better looking at it than for it.

3) As Jabe1 puts it, I refer to in a slightly different manner, "The wussy little .380 in your pocket is way more useful than the .45 you left home because you were lazy and it's heavy. "

Same principle. I used to carry 2 AA lights, then 2 18650 lights, strobe ready a vital function. The old nitecore p20 uv, then olight m2r warrior, lumintop fw3a, then warrior minis. Now I want to eliminate my phone power bank from my carry...because it's heavy and I'm lazy lol. Im currently moving to 2 21700 lights, the wurkkos ts25 for flood and powerbank, and will likely add the wuben C2 for a little throw and also powerbank, or possibly the nitecore p20i uv for a little throwiness and capacity.

4) And...I love UV. I like to know in a hotel room where NOT to sleep. Lol.

-GC

 

[vadimax]

I EDC because I am not a cat (sadly) that can see in the pitch black darkness, because I do not enjoy carbon steel nails to cut things or open cans or slice open boxes or unscrew anything. And I am not Chuck Norris to kick any butt if that butt decides to turn to the path of the evil and I must or/and have to stop it.

Kind of.

 

[radellaf]

I'm down to just a RovyVon on the keychain. Feels like cheating to call _that_ EDC, but that's what's with me.
Annoyingly, it's on a lanyard long enough that it flipped around and got in a fight with my iPhone screen. Magic ceramic particles didn't work. Or if they did, they made it get a scratch instead of breaking. Using a shorter lanyard now, and putting the phone in a different place in the car.
Amazing how well the phone works as a hands-free light if it's in my shirt pocket. No range to speak of, but perfect a lot of the time. I like "chest mount" better than head-mount. Indoors, or short-range outdoors, anyway. Less bouncing around.
I rarely get below 70% on my phone battery. I have a charger next to the bed, by the PC at home, and by the PC at work. Especially with the new magnetic wireless system, it's just as easy to slap it on there as not. I think some people have watched too many YouTube videos on How To Make Your Battery Last Longer and keep it between 20 and 80 all the time. Sigh.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

Well besides my EDCs for Factory work, a lot of dark spaces where a light comes in handy is you never know when you need one. Heck I EDC at home. One or two lights is always on me and if it doesn't work I got my cellphone I hold onto as an emergency.

When I take trips I bring my best lights with me.

My current work EDCs
Fenix E25
Maglite Solitaire
Duracell Durabeam Ultra 350

Other EDCs that I occasionally include (nonwork)
LED Lenser T7
Coast HP7
Fenix E01
Fenix LD41
Nitecore EA41

Trips
Nitecore EA81
Thrunite TN4A
D Maglites (with D NiMh cells for extended capacity)

 

[hsa]

What charger do you use for the D cells?

 

[MidnightDistortions]

What charger do you use for the D cells?

Originally I bought D adapters (recently bought the Opus BT-C20000 which comes with these adapters) to hook up to on of my existing chargers (Maha C9000) but later bought a Maha MH-C808M which easily charges them.

 

[hsa]

^^ Thank you.

 

[Kitchen Panda]

I've lost track of how many times I pull out a little peanut-sized lamp and flood something with light.

Wife noticed a dragging sound backing up the car this morning, peanut light comes out and shines under car and at brake pads. Walking across basement floor, heard something hit and roll...peanut light again, found a little screw that I'm sure belongs to something I'm currently working on. Trying to read the number on a surface mount chip - bench lighting is good , but raking light from a pocket light across the chip package really gets the laser-etched numbers to stand out. Does the car need another buck worth of washing at the wand wash? Aim light at car to find the bits of mud that I've missed. Shine a light under the bed, wow, time to chase some dust bunnies. If you use something this often, and it weighs nearly nothing and takes up minimal pocket space, why not carry it every day?

If you're not carrying something like a Rovyvon A3X, a Leatherman Squirt, and a pen in your pocket - you may find yourself making a lot more steps in a day or losing on the convenience of getting on with what you're doing instead of stopping to find the tool you should have had on you.

 

[ilikeguns40]

A light and knife are two main carry items I'll always have. I don't count my phone, keys, and wallet. Most times I carry more than I need but I like to always be prepared. Added items I usually carry are a mini Ti pry bar, pair of small knipex pliers, and a Ti pen. I've found those items are the most useful for my day to day needs, more than at work than off work, but they are small lightweight items that I can hardly feel in my pockets. Ever since I was young I always felt I needed to be ready in case something happened considering the fact I've always wore shoes in my house, never wore pajamas or sweatpants, always had a pair of socks on. If something would happen in an emergency or what not, I like the option of grabbing a few things and out the door I go

I always went by the phrase "I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it"

 

[3_gun]

True EDC items are my keys w/E01v2, phone, wallet & Cold Steel SR1Lite or vintage Voyager. Next up is gun of the day, 75b, G2C or 586, usually w/a reload[or2]. If you've never seen me w/o pants you've never seem me w/o at least these with me.

One[or more] of over 30 different flashlights gets added next, usually an Emisar D4k duel channel. If I'm dressing up a D4v2Ti is a common choice as is a FW3aCu. If I know it's going to be a long day into night the EDC light might be back up for a D1/E70mini pairing.

Next we have the multi tool &/or pocket knife. Leatherman & Swiss Army rule this group. The Wave+ & Cybertool34 the most common picks out of over 20 or so. Last is the backpack: 550 cord, 1st aid kit, 6k/mah battery pak w/cables, Sofirn SC31pro, Berkey water bottle, GPS, umbrella, pens, pencils, markers +paper; then added needs for the day.

EDC is really a state of mind than an item(s). I have an EDC pool that is mix n match dependent on the day & planned events. This was taught to me by my Dad, Grandpa & the Boy Scouts. Over the last 50+ years the things/items have changed but not the mind set

 

[M@elstrom]

When asked "why do you EDC?" the appropriate response should be "why do you not EDC?" 🤣