In this article we’ll review the 10 best EDC Tools for tactical professionals, as well as prepared civilians. As you’ll see, I’ve done my best to include a wide variety of tools that you aren’t likely to find in other lists. The purpose of this article is to give you some capabilities that you just can’t find without carrying these key pieces of gear. Let’s get to the list.
It’s worth noting that this is a list of equipment that I’ve tested myself, or believe would work well for many readers of this website. That doesn’t mean it’s the perfect everyday carry gear for you. Ideally I’d like you to take a look through the list and find one or two pieces of gear that you didn’t know existed, that can solve some common problems for you. Here’s the full EDC gear list below.
10 Best EDC Tools for Tactical Pros / Prepared Civilians
- Genesis Lock Pick Set
- Chinco Leather Key Organizer
- Viktos Upscale 3 Sling Bag
- Gerber Arm Bar 8 in 1 Multitool
- Nitecore MT2A Pro 1000 Lumen Pen Light
- 18 Pen Testing Master Key Set
- Microtech Ultratech OTF Knife
- Kore Tactical EDC Gun Belt
- Life Straw Personal Water Filter
- PLAUD AI Voice / Note Transcriber
Before we get to the details of this best EDC tools list, I do want to point out that many of these links are affiliate links. That means that if you click on the link, and make a purchase afterwards, a portion of that sale goes to us. It helps support the website, and costs you nothing extra.
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10 Best EDC Tools
Most of these items have a lot of functionality, and several of them come in various configurations. I highly recommend following the link to the website to see if there’s a color, or variant that might fit your specific needs a little better. It’s the small details that can really make a difference. Now let’s get to the first EDC tool.
Genesis Lock Pick Set
I figured I’d start this list off with a spicy pick with the Genesis Lock Pick Set. You definitely need to take a look at your local laws, as many localities ban lock picks, and other door bypass tools. If you can legally own picks, they’re some of the most useful tools around.
The Genesis Lock pick set is very compact and has all the tools you need to pick the vast majority of locks. For those that have never considered learning picking, you can actually become fairly proficient in a matter of days or weeks.
You’ll soon learn that most common commercial locks, and padlocks, really only keep out the nosy. I highly recommend these specialized tools to police officers, as you can save someone a bunch of money. I’ve had several patrol calls where people were locked out of their houses, or there was a safety concern for someone behind a locked door. Let me tell you picking their door open not only looks impressive, it can save someones life, without destroying their property.
I’ve purchase tons of tools from Covert Instruments, all of which are high quality. This kit costs $25 dollars and will last you many years. Now let’s get to our next piece of gear.
Chinco Leather Key Organizer
The Chinco Leather Key Organizer (Amazon Affiliate Link), may not be the most exciting piece of EDC kit you buy, but it has certainly improved my key organization. I can tell you that it took me quite a while to find something that worked for my needs.
Most police officers have a large amount of keys, and as a result, they jingle like a janitor everywhere they go. This gets rid of that annoying noise. It also allows you to add up to 15 keys, which is great because I carry quite a few. You can add everything from a car key, to door keys, and even some handcuff keys.
The link comes with two sets of organizers in a black, and tan leather combo. I use this for my work keys, and my personal key sets. My favorite part is that you can adjust the tension so that the keys don’t flop out randomly, which I find quite common with other key organizers. Now lets get to my favorite sling bag.
Viktos Upscale 3 Sling Bag
The Viktos Upscale 3 Sling Bag (Amazon affiliate link) is a great EDC bag that keeps you organized, and allows you to carry your favorite concealed carry pistol. It comes in a wide variety of colors, and has built in organization for common items like wallets, phones, knives, medical gear, and more.
I used to use this as my entry tools bag, where I kept all my picks, and door bypass equipment. Eventually I out grew this bag, as I acquired too many tools. I now use it for family outings or outdoor activities where I need to bring more than my pocket items, but don’t need a full backpack.
If you plan on using this to concealed carry I highly recommend you do some dry fire, and live fire, so you get the hang of drawing from a bag safely. As of this writing you can purchase the Upscale 3 for less than $90. Now lets get to our next item.
Gerber Armbar 8 in 1 Multi-Tool
The Gerber Arm Bar 8 in 1 Multitool (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an interesting multitool from one of the best brands for knives and multitools. I found this while doing my research for this article and instantly knew it would be a great option for every day carry. Moreover, it’s not just my opinion, this multitool has over 4,000 5 star reviews on Amazon.
I like that it’s much more compact than a normal EDC multi tool. Depending on the version you buy, it comes with a stainless steel blade, awl, saw, bottle opener, pry bar, and most importantly, a 1/4 inch bit driver. This allows you to add an almost infinite amount of utility to this knife.
You can use Hex, Torx, or flat bits, as well as use a converter and add in sockets. This is perfect for quick fixes, where you don’t need a full EDC tool kit.
This EDC tool is so small because it doesn’t have pliers. That may be a deal breaker for some, but I know that many of you would rather use a more serious set of pliers, and use this as an adjunct tool. The Armbar may be the best value item on this list, coming in at less than $40. Now on to a great pen light.
Nitecore MT2A Pro 1000 Lumen Pen Light
The Nitecore MT2A 1000 Lumen Pen Light (Amazon Affiliate Link) is probably the brightest pen light you can buy. Most commonly you’ll find these lights between 300-500 lumens. This light comes in at a whopping 1000 lumens!
It comes with a USB-C rechargeable battery, and also accepts AA batteries, if you need to substitute those. Nitecore claims this light illuminates 279 yards, which is amazing, given its compact size.
I’ve used other Nitcore lights before and find that they are very bright and durable. This light is 5.62 inches long, and .78 inches in diameter. It also weighs 3.45 ounces, and features an impressive 20 hour run time. You can purchase this EDC flashlight for under $50.
18 Key Pen Testing Master Key Set
The 18 Pen Testing Master Key Set (Amazon Affiliate Link) is an interesting inclusion in this list. As the title implies, this is for Pen Testing, or penetration testing. These folks are hired by companies that want to test their security. Think of a water treatment plant testing to see if someone could get access to their buildings.
These keys are the most common keys that open everything from lock boxes, to filing cabinets, to multimillion dollar vehicles, not that I know.
I’ve purchased most of these keys separately, and I’m glad they come in a kit. Every time I see a random lock in my daily life (that I have legal access to) I try the keys. I’m often surprised how often I can open them with one of these keys. Most companies really don’t care much about security, and will use the cheapest locks they can. You can even use this with your Chinco key organizer! Now on to a super cool out the front knife.
Microtech Ultratech OTF Automatic Knife
The Microtech Ultratech OTF Knife is a super cool OTF, out the front knife, from an industry leading knife manufacturer. The Ultratech series is a compact every day carry pocket knife. It features a 3.55 inch blade length that recesses into an aluminum handle.
Because this knife is fully automatic, meaning it opens and closes with a push of a switch, it may not be legal in your area. Make sure you know your local laws!
This knife also features a pocket clip and glass breaker, on the rear of the handle. While this may be one of the coolest items on this 10 best EDC tools list, it certainly isn’t the cheapest. As of this writing you can purchase it for around $380.
Kore Tactical EDC Gun Belt
The Kore Tactical EDC Gun Belt (Amazon Affiliate Link) is a really cool EDC belt, that is designed for those that conceal carry. It features an interior track system that allows you to make micro-adjustments to the fit of the belt.
The exterior is tough nylon, with an interior plastic stiffener. This is key for those that carry a firearm, as it ensures that the holster is supported, and doesn’t move throughout the day.
Not only does it feature near infinite adjustability, it also accepts any number of buckles from Kore. This allows you to use it as a dress belt, or generally change the style to suit your preferences. This particular version is 1.5 inches wide, which will work with the majority of holsters, and gun accessories. As of this writing you can pick it up for under $70. Now let’s get to the next item on this list of the best EDC tools.
Life Straw Personal Water Filter
The Life Straw Personal Water Filter (Amazon affiliate Link) is a great item to have if you plan on spending any serious time outdoors. This is an item that you’d probably carry in a backpack even though it’s fairly compact.
It allows you to drink directly from streams, and lakes, or nearly any body of water, making it great for an emergency situation. It filters out over 99% of harmful organisms and bacteria.
You can also hook it up to a hose, or other water container, to filter water into a water bottle. They state it has an unlimited shelf life, and will filter over 1000 gallons of water, which is enough for one person drinking for 5 years. The Life Straw is also quite cheap. As of this writing you can pick it up for under $30. Now let’s get to our last item on the list.
PLAUD AI Voice Record / Note Transcriber
The PLAUD AI Voice / Note Transcriber is a bit of a wild card. This credit card sized device will make voice recordings, and then transcribe them into notes. It works in 112 languages, and can record up to 30 hours, without needing to be recharged
This device note only has a traditional microphone, it can also record using a vibration conduction sensor, which means it can listen to phone calls as well.
This device is best used for those that do a lot of interviews or meetings. It will succinctly summarize them and create to do lists as well. As it is, it comes with 300 minutes per month of free transcription. If you need more, you have to pay for a pro subscription, on a monthly basis.
This item has thousands of positive reviews, and could save you a ton of work, depending on your job. As of this writing you can pick it up for right under $160. Next we’ll review my final thoughts on this list of the 10 Best EDC Tools for Tactical Pros, and Prepared Civilians.
10 Best EDC Tools: Final Thoughts
There is quite a wide variety of items on this list. Personally I think the Ultratech Knife, and the PLAUD Recorder are two of the coolest option. The most useful item is probably the Kore EDC belt, as you’d probably wear that every single day.
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