Here are some things to consider before building your EDC.

Limited space

You only have so many pockets to fill, and only a few places on your body to stash your EDC items. Even if you want to expand to a small bag, it needs to be compact and light enough so it won’t burden you during your daily activities. Fashion designers are trying to bring back the fanny pack by calling it a “hands-free” bag or a “belted satchel”. While these may not be the most fashionable items, they can drastically increase the amount and variety of items that you can carry.

it’s one that you’re more likely to carry because it’s convenient. Take this to heart, and find convenient gear that will save your butt!

Multi-functionality

By picking gear and items that serve more than one purpose, you cut down on the amount of items you will need to carry and keep track of. This will also increase the amount of redundancy that you have in your pack. In a stark contrast to the rest of life, in a survival situation, redundancy is essential. In survival, “Two are one and one is none.” When you’re down in the dirt and you need something the most, Murphy’s Law says that is when things will probably go wrong. The more redundancy you have built into your gear, the better your chances will be to get what you need.

It’s important to understand and keep in mind the limitations of your EDC.

Even though we’re talking about your EDC kit in this report, it’s important to remember that there are higher levels of preparedness when it comes to your gear. The purpose is to have a plan and the gear to accompany that plan. Your Every Day Carry is a compliment to your entire plan. Without the plan, the EDC won’t get you very far because that’s not its design or purpose.

Weight

This is the whole reason that handguns moved away from steel and began going with a polymer-based build. At first, everyone was criticizing, saying it was cheap and not a real gun. However, time has showed that there is a huge advantage to carrying polymer guns. They’re easier to carry, therefore the likelihood you’ll have one with you when you need it is higher. The same concept can be applied to picking the gear for your EDC. Look for items that are flat, thin, light, multipurpose, composite, compact, etc…

Convenience

This is a more common reason for not practicing EDC than most people are willing to admit. North American Arms has a great advertising campaign for their miniature .22 caliber revolvers: “A North American Arms in the hand is worth… a LOT more than ANYTHING that’s not at hand when you need it.” They basically state that it may not be the most ideal gun for self defense, but depending on where you live and where you travel on a daily basis, you’ll need to determine the types of items for your EDC.

1. Every Day Carry: This is what you carry with you every day. Its purpose is to help you get to your next level of preparedness. This kit is to get you to your Get Home Bag.” This kit is meant to be the minimum amount of gear you will carry on you. It is extremely important, but don’t go overboard with it. When it comes to your EDC kit, remember the acronym—K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)
2. Get Home Bag: This gear bag should be kept close by in your vehicle or other quickly reachable location. Mine never leaves the car, and I check the supplies often to make sure that they are still good since the heat and cold can affect their lifespan. If you use public transportation, you can keep this bag at your desk at work or school. It’s purpose is to store the gear you need to get home.
3. Bug-Out Bag: This is the last gear bag in your arsenal that you want to have ready. When you can’t stay at your “home” location and it’s safer to leave—it’s time to “bug-out” to a secondary location, or any other safer place. This is the gear bag to use during that transition. This bag should have a 3-day supply of water, food, shelter and anything else you need to reach your bug-out location, or your next supply cache.