EDC Gear … for the office AND trail

I’ve been reviewing hiking gear for years (check out HikingGeek.com). Over the last couple of years though I’ve had less time for hiking, but have found myself looking at EDC gear with a particular interest in gear that would be useful on the trail, but not look out of place in the office. When possible I want to find quality products that have dual-use — I don’t want to carry/buy cheap gear, but at the same time, it’s not be realistic to purchase one quality set of gear for work/daily use and another quality set for the trail.  

Thus far, I have been focused on key organizers, wallets, pens, flashlights, knives (or something that can be used to open packages), multi-tools or pockets tools, belts, pants and backpacks. In talking with hikers about these things, I’ve learned about what people want in their gear as well as formed my own opinions on what I want. Here are some notes: 

• KEY ORGANIZERS
  • Most want: to reduce bulk and noise
  • Some want: waterproof/water resistant (won’t hold moisture/not leather),  allows you to keep keys out of your pockets, some flexibility (something that won’t wear holes in pockets)
  • My thoughts: I’m open to different materials, keeping the keys out of my pockets is a bonus
• WALLETS/CARD HOLDERS
  • Most want: slim, lightweight and durable/quality construction
  • Some want: made from metal or carbon fiber – waterproof/doesn’t hold moisture (not leather), flexible (not metal or polymer), RFID protection
  • My thoughts: I’m open to different materials, RFID protection optional, durability/quality a must
• PENS
  • Most want: smooth action, functional (uses reputable refills)
  • Some want: made from titanium/copper/stainless steel, quality feel with significant heft
  • My thoughts: I’m pretty picky about pens when it comes to everyday use
• KNIVES
  • Most want: functional, classy and non-threatening.
  • My thoughts: Most of the knives geared towards outdoorsy people are overkill. Most EDC knives are threatening or tactical looking. Most all of these look out of place in a work-place setting. On a day-to-day basis and outside of the kitchen, I most often want a knife to open a box 
• MULTI-TOOL or POCKET TOOLS
  • Most want: lightweight, functional and minimal. 
  • My thoughts: Leatherman-type tools are bulky and have a ton of stuff that people never use. When it comes down to it, the most useful items in a multi-tool are: small knife (usually used to open boxes or packages), screwdriver and tweezers. Scissors could be helpful, but multi-tools scissors are typically too small to be useful. 
• BELTS
  • My thoughts: This may be a tough one. For hiking, I usually use a thin, nylon webbing belt. For everyday use, I prefer a thicker, leather belt. I dislike having lots of stuff floating around in my pockets, so I am also considering and EDC belt organizer.
• PANTS
  • My thoughts: If I could get away with it, I’d wear hiking pants or shorts everyday. I prefer the lightweight, breathable and quick-drying materials that they are made from. In general, I look for pants that have:
    • • lightweight, breathable and quick-drying
      • Stretch fabric
      • gusseted crotch for improved mobility
      • DWR (durable water repellent) finish repels stains and liquids
      • reinforced front pockets.
      • semi-relaxed fit
      • at least one zippered pocket for secure storage
      • I don’t necessarily like the large, obvious cargo pockets most of them have, or the quick-to-wear-out mesh pockets that my keys do a number on.
• FLASH LIGHTS
  • My thoughts:
• BACKPACK:
  • My thoughts: Ideally, I would find something that can be used as an EDC pack, but also work well as a Get-Home bag. It would be great to find something that’s discreet (gray man) and has hidden and/or lockable pockets. Some bonus features would be a removable or stowable hip belt and waterproofness. 

I know my thoughts on these things will change as I test and review new gear. To see what I am starting out with, please read this — March 2020: My Current EDC.