This is a concept not unfamiliar to the COG team: preparedness. Being at the ready for everyday crises, big and small. Especially important on the trail miles from civilization. But also when you’re trundling down dark city streets. Besides your key fob and cell phone, what do you need? There are endless blogs and websites discussing these very needs.
Every Day Carry (EDC) One popular site has the readership submit photos of their EDC. Interesting to see what individuals consider the essentials. Another blog has similar content. A surprising number of folks consider a small pistol to be part of their EDC. As a writer/doodler my first weapon is always a pen. You can’t imagine how dear and hard to find a writing tool is when you need it. And a scrap of paper. So that’s it for me: cell, keys, pen and paper and a small knife to take on tough apples. And a small LED flashlight to push back the darkness.
Years ago Gerber gave a EDC tool, the Shard. I still don’t know what to make of it. It looks a bit like a performing seal. But if I thought I needed a small and medium flat screwdriver and a Philips head driver with pry bar, wire stripper, and bottle opener, I’d carry it. Still on the books for eight bucks. Complete with hole to add to the keychain.
The Gerber Daily Carry line, GDC includes four pocketable tools the Zip Blade, the Zip Driver, the Zip Hex, and the Zip Light, each going for $12. They are certainly minimal, just enough to get the job done, and they easily unclip from the lanyard to your fob/keychain. The Zip blade only protrudes about 3/4″, just enough to slice our mail open. The Zip light is a coin cell unit with a bright LED, running on CR1616 coin cell, with 8 lumens and a 3.5 hour runtime. The Zip Hex provides hex wrenches, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm. Just the combination to tighten the water bottle holder or the seat post on my commuter bike. The Zip Driver has a large and small flat screwdriver, and a large and small Philips screwdriver.
Another in the line is the GDC Hook Knife. Has a large ring for your finger and slips from its plastic sheath with a tug. Made to cut through seatbelts and such. We found it to be bit small for that task, although it was just about perfect for cutting zip ties.
$12 each
