Top 10 EDC designs that are the best sidekicks for tactical situations

EDCs are the living embodiment of “big things come in small packages”. EDCs are the kind of smart little tools that are always great to have in your backpack or tool kit. You never know when one of them could come to your rescue, helping you out of the trickiest situation, or to even pop open a bottle of beer, when you need to unwind after work. These little superheroes can make a world of difference while completing tasks – whether big or small. And, we’ve curated the best EDC designs we’ve seen in a while! From an EDC tactical tool that is as light as a feather and sharp as a razor to a titanium magnetic screwdriver that puts all the bits you need in your pocket – these are the EDC designs you definitely need by your side.

1. The Titanium Multi-Function Pry Bar

Crafted from Gr5 Titanium, the Titanium Multi-Function Pry Bar is a pocket-friendly, lightweight, versatile, and ridiculously durable tool that is designed to last forever.

Why is it noteworthy?

It sports 10 different tools that cover every scenario from fixing your bicycle to escaping your car, and from cracking open a bottle of beer to writing a letter… all of which encapsulate that ‘forever’ aspect, including the last bit, thanks to the fact that the Titanium Multi-Function Pry Bar comes with its own Forever Pen – a special metallic writing instrument that can write forever, without using ink or graphite.

What we like

The Titanium Multi-Function Pry Bar has the unique distinction of having tools that can be used indoors and outdoors and in casual settings or emergencies

What we dislike

The Pry Bar and Tritium capsules are shipped differently

2. The F3 Charlie

Built by Tekto Design, the F3 Charlie features a whopping blade length of 3.8 inches and is a large and front-heavy tactical tool designed to stand by you in tactical situations. The F3 Charlie is bigger than its siblings – the F1 Alpha and F2 Bravo and is inspired by hunting and skinning knives. It is equipped with a drop-point blade and a curved profile.

Why is it noteworthy?

The F3 Charlie’s handle, however, is made from G10 fiberglass, giving you a large knife that’s still light enough to be expertly maneuvered, and then folded shut and stowed away when you’re done.

What we like

The F3 Charlie is incredibly light for its size, a feature that’s attributed to the knife’s G10 fiberglass handle
The F3 Charlie features an excellent smooth button lock mechanism

What we dislike

Given its bigger size, it takes a while to get used to this version of a knife rather than our usual tiny pocket knives

3. The BladeClip

The Bladeclip measures 3.2 inches when closed and is smaller enough to fit on your keychain. It has an all-titanium handle with a quick-deploy interchangeable blade that keeps you prepared for any kind of indoor or outdoor cutting action. It weighs a little over 2 ounces!

Why is it noteworthy?

Machined into the titanium handle is also a unibody carabiner clip with clever design detailing, a bottle opener, a keychain ring, and a window breaker that covers quite a few responsibilities of a good multitool. It is machined out of Grade 5 Titanium, giving you a multitool that’ll outlive you by a couple of decades without even showing signs of wear and tear.

What we like

Bladeclip’s design direction shows a clever appreciation of detailing, material choices, and even user experience

What we dislike

Heavy price tag

4. The Lever Gear Edge XT

With a tiny size but immense functionality, the Lever Gear Edge XT is designed to be an indispensable tool that you can simply place in your pocket or keychain, so you’re always prepared for any kind of situation. The talented EDC offers 10 diverse tools in one compact body.

Why is it noteworthy?

It includes a retractable utility blade, a quick box opener, a Phillips screwdriver, a bottle opener, a wire stripper, a flathead screwdriver, a prybar, a metric ruler, an inch ruler, and a hex bit holder. That pretty much covers every task you’ll ever face, from opening packages, cutting craft paper, fixing furniture, or popping a cold drink after a hard day’s work.

What we like

A safety lock makes sure the blade stays safely in place and keeps you and your bag’s contents out of harm’s way

What we dislike

While a worthy EDC, there is no material or colour option for those who want a premium finish

5. The Mandala EDC Knife

The Mandala EDC Knife looks like the kind of Vibranium dagger that King T’Challa or his trusted general Okoye would carry on covert missions! The stunning knife has a unique and beautiful indigenous-meets-futurism appeal to it.

Why is it noteworthy?

The knife itself boasts a Titanium handle with a colorful Mandala-inspired enamel inlay, a hollow roller-bearing, and a spear-point M390 steel blade that’s sharp on both the edges as well as the tip, making the Mandala EDC Knife an incredible tactical tool.

What we like

Ambidextrous design and double-edged blade
The spear-point blade comes made from M390 steel, known for its toughness, corrosion resistance, and ability to stay sharp without succumbing to wear and tear

What we dislike

The knife does not have a way to carry the knife on your bag or keychain with a lanyard

6. The AirTag Holder

Designed by Atech, the Innovation AirTag Holder is crafted from solid stainless steel, and is a nifty little multitool that gives you seven diverse features in its compact design. It can hold your keys, dock your smartphone, open bottles, and maneuver hex bolds.

Why is it noteworthy?

Shaped like a carabiner, the multitool has an enclosure that lets you dock a single AirTag, giving you a piece of EDC you can track easily using your Apple devices. A hole in the top lets you secure a keychain to your AirTag Holder, and cleverly oriented design details let you open screws and bottles, as well as use your AirTag Holder as a stand for your smartphone.

What we like

Two ABS plastic discs hold the tracking device in place without causing any interference in its signal

What we dislike

You can’t really control what angle your phone will stand at, and it’ll depend mostly on how slim your smartphone is, and whether it has a case or not

7. The M-stand

This versatile, compact, lightweight, durable, and powerful tool cleverly balances tactical and casual roles. Called the M-stand, it can transform from a self-defense tool to a smartphone stand within 10 seconds.

Why is it noteworthy?

Made from durable titanium (with neodymium magnets holding the two halves together), the M-Stand also has a rope cutter, bottle opener, two wrenches, a pry tool, a fire starter, and a tritium holder built into its compact design.

What we like

The two-finger grips on either side of the multitool help prop up your phone or tablet at a precise 45° angle when used in stand mode, giving you a multitool you can comfortably use both indoors as well as outdoors

What we dislike

The edge of the design is always outside, which could lead to accidental harm

8. The Dango M1 Lite Cardholder Wallet

The Dango M1 Lite cardholder wallet is a sleek and minimalist wallet that keeps all your important essentials neat, tidy, organized, and easily accessible. The wallet has a barely-there form but a ton of capacity to store your necessary items.

Why is it noteworthy?

The wallet features CNC-machined aerospace 6061-grade aluminum and is quite lightweight and durable. It also features a Cerakote finish that provides it with an extra layer of protection.

What we like

Ample amount of storage. It can carry 10-13 cards
Equipped with a Dango RFID Secured Card, ensuring that your sensitive information is always safe and secure

What we dislike

Basic + unassuming aesthetics

9. M-20 Titanium Magnetic Screwdriver

There is now a class of screwdrivers ingeniously designed to fit in your Everyday Carry or even in your pocket. Most of these, however, still don’t cover the wide range of screws in use, but this 9-in-1 magnetic screwdriver makes sure you always have the most important ones in your pocket, ready to let you do your magic whenever and wherever your skills are needed.

Why is it noteworthy?

At first glance, the M-20 looks nothing like a screwdriver and more like a robust carrying case for screwdriver bits. In some sense, that is also correct, as the uniquely shaped tool has slots for up to nine bits, holding them in place using very strong magnets. That means they won’t get loose and get lost even if you quickly slip the M-20 into your pocket.

What we like

Gives you a firm and precise grip when turning the handle to tighten or loosen the screw
Made from titanium, making it is lightweight yet also durable and resilient against corrosion

What we dislike

The flat design of the screwdriver makes it an ergonomically different experience/adds a learning curve for inexperienced users

10. The Provoke EDC

Inspired by the hinge detail on their popular Provoke Karambit line, the Provoke EDC by Joe Caswell for CRKT brings the same opening mechanism to the traditional spear-point pocket knife. The knife features an aluminum handle with an anodized finish, a D2 steel blade, and CRKT’s signature Kinematic opening style that makes the Provoke such an object of beauty.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Provoke’s all-metal design instantly gives it a sense of rugged reliability. Hold it in your hand and play around with it for a bit and you soon realize it’s a highly-capable serious piece of EDC that’s designed to function really well under even demanding conditions. The Kinematic mechanism lets you deploy the knife with a single thumb, revealing the 2.5-inch satin-finish D2 blade that has remarkably high resistance to wear and tear.

What we like

Perfect for both indoors and outdoors
The pointed tip makes it great for piercing bags, tearing through sealed boxes, or cutting into harder materials like wood