Holiday Gift Guide: EDC

You can’t always carry a full-sized multi-tool with you unless your job is in the field all the time. The PB&J’s name points to its great basics including pry-bar, metric/SAE wrench, bottle opener, and wire-spring gate for easy clipping. It’s also made from titanium, so it’ll compensate (a little) for that holiday weight gain.

If you’re a man who works in high-risk environments, especially of a tactical or emergency-services nature, then this LED light and watch combo is ideal. Flick on three brightness modes with either hand, line up the light with your firearm in two-handed grip, and even blind an attacker with 300 lumens. The tactical watch triples the utility, and the system operates on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

[Partner] Give your friends, family members or coworkers the style upgrade they’ve been waiting for and do some good in the process with the Oris Movember Edition 2019 Watch. This stylish 39mm watch features stainless steel construction, an automatic winding date, and both leather and NATO straps. What’s more, Oris teamed up with New York Yankees Manager Aaron Boone and the men’s health charity Movember for this special edition watch, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to the charity.

[Partner] Traditional belts with holes are only adjustable every 1” which usually means your pants are either too tight or falling off. Mission Belts are adjustable every 1/4” so you get the perfect fit every time. Their Italian full-grain leather collection is made from the best leather in the world. When you buy a Mission Belt you also become part of their philanthropic effort The Mission, which has loaned over $4.1 million all over the world to date. It’s a great looking belt with a great cause behind it.

This new interpretation of the classic carabiner adds a simple but brilliant dual compartment gate that separates keys and EDC attachments from the clipping point, and it’s also made from aerospace-grade aluminum. The slick design also makes it look like you didn’t get yours from the plastic tub at the gas station.

The T4 is a compact member of the Free line of multitools and smartly employs magnets instead of tension to secure and release the tools. The 100% stainless steel Free T4 comes with 12 convenient tools, and it’s small enough for your pocket.

Colorado-based Topo Designs has partnered with modern Alternative Apparel to create a new line, of which their accessory bags are the most utilitarian. Rugged nylon, tough zippers, and a medium size mean they’re perfect for your EDC. They’re so affordable, you can gift all three unique colorways without breaking the bank.

Charging on the go sucks, especially off the grid. This solar charger doesn’t just tap from the sun, it can also impart its juice wirelessly to your Qi-capable device. You can also amp it up with USB-C or micro-input. If things go dark on you, the built-in 18 LED lights will illuminate your path, as well.

SOG steered slightly away from their general tactical leanings to create a gentleman’s EDC knife that’s still tough-as nails. The handle is made with carbon fiber and rugged G10, and the straight edge-blade has grippy jimping on the top for secure cuts. Three opening methods provide quick versatility, and a pocket clip keeps it in the pants.

Physical keys are antiquated and suck, but you can help a luck gift recipient mitigate that with the Slide 3.0. The system comes with blanks for key-cutting, and the modular system keeps them all in check with easy buttons. Add USB storage, a pen, and a barcode slider for even more versatility.

If your watch guys like we are, you prefer to travel with at least three timepieces to suit various occasions. The full calf leather Navigator cradles them in soft blue fabric with dividers and protects them with a hard, leather-coated shell. There’s even a Union Jack lining because you’re an international man of mystery.

Easy grip, bolt action refill deployment, and lightweight titanium make this the smart man’s tactical pen. The slender profile and artistic cutouts keep its tactical nature hidden, and even the TSA might overlook it.

The most ingenious knife in a long time is compact, lightning fast with its deployment, and seriously intimidating. The Indonesian karambit-style knife one ups tradition by adding compact folding deployment via a one-handed thumb lever. It also gets a titanium-nitride coating and an aircraft-grade aluminum handle, so it’s both tough and light.

Gift someone with the tools and skill to get out of (or into) trouble this season with a 14-piece stainless steel lockpick kit. Equal parts art and science make this leather-pouched kit fascinating and potentially life-saving.