Small EDC tool pouch

Small EDC tool pouch

Another hallmark in the world of nerds is EDC tool pouches. What tools do you need on the daily, and how do you make it easy to carry them with you?

The situation

So let's get one thing clear, I’m obviously not doing any intensive work here. The situations that I most frequently encounter range from assembling furniture, to adjusting photography studio equipment, to tinkering with external hard drive enclosures, or installing smart home fixtures. Clearly my needs are going to be different from someone who’s got the skills to fix plumbing, do proper electrical work, or build bunk beds with actual tools.

The Pouch

There are a ton of ways you can carry your tools, but for my situation, I wanted to keep things organized and visible. I used to carry things in a simple Eagle Creek pack-it pouch, but I spent too much time digging around to find things at the bottom.

This Vanquest pocket organizer pouch is the right size, and the light color with the bright orange highlights makes it easy to spot any of the things inside. The material has also held up well against the sharp tools.

The Pliers

I was against the idea of spending so much on a pair of pliers, but once you use them you can’t really go back. The Knipex xsare tiny, they are light, and they can handle a lot of different tasks. The sharp tip lets you do finer work, while you can still open them up pretty wide and handle some larger tasks. I got both the 4 inch (XS) and the 5 inch, and I’m split between the two. The 4 inch packs well and I prefer the opening mechanism as well as the fine tip, but the handles are a touch too small for my large hands. I’d love it if they made a 5 inch version of exactly the same tool as the XS.

Utility knife

The key here is getting a lock. I have a 4 year old, so I don’t want her to be able to easily open the blade. The Swiss tech requires you to depress the button to open the blade, and again to close it. I like replaceable razor blades because realistically I don't have time to maintain and sharpen a knife. I also prefer a utility knife because I’m mostly using it for activities like opening packaging, boxes, cutting lines, etc. I can’t find the Swiss tech anymore, but here’s a link to what looks like the same exact knife from WorkPro.

Flashlight

For 90% of my lighting needs, I use my iPhone flashlight because I have it on me. For the rest, I use this tiny Rovyvon light because it's small, bright, and it has multiple lights on it for different situations.

Scissors

Usually the utility knife does the trick, but sometimes I need to cut things with a bit more precision, so these tiny Klein G102s metal ones can do the trick. Sure they take a long time for a longer cut, but they can cut strong items, and they are sharp.

Micro Screwdriver

This is a new piece of kit, and I’m not sure I’m fully sold yet. I work with a lot of external SSD drives, so I’m constantly opening them, installing sSDs, and closing them back up. This Hoto Multitool covers everything I need and it ensures the bits won’t get lost.

Bit set

I went through a lot of different ways to carry bits, and ultimately I like these red PB Swiss Tools ones. They’re visible, durable, and make it easy to get bits in and out. With other holders I’ve tried, I’ve had to fight to get bits out.

Screwdriver

I love the size and ratcheting action on this Wera Ratcheting screwdriver , but I’m still not in love with the shape or the materials. Ultimately I wanted a small ratcheting screwdriver, and there aren’t a ton of choices out there. This plasticky material isn’t ideal because it can slip in your hands. The shape is also awkward because the bumps all hit in the wrong spots, though that may just be because I have large hands.

Conclusion

So I’ve been using that setup for about 2 years now, and I’m happy with most of the things in there. I’d be totally content using this forever without making any changes. If I had to nitpick, I’d probably swap out the screwdriver if I found one with a better shape for my hand. I’d probably also go for a size up of the Knipex if they made a 5 inch version of the xs. The last over optimization I’d make is to do a larger version of this kit where everything is sized up for heavier or more serious tasks. This kit is light and portable, but sometimes I need bigger tools for heavier jobs.