{{Short description|Useful items carried on person every day}} {{use dmy dates |date=August 2023}} {{Multiple issues| {{Improve refs|date=September 2022}} {{Original research|date=September 2022}} }} [[File:The Items Maczter Carries v3.0 (3528437339).jpg|thumb|One person's everyday carry objects in 2009, laid out in a knolled arrangement]]
'''Everyday carry''' ('''EDC''') or '''every-day carry''' is a collection of useful items that are consistently carried on person every day. The main reasons for having EDC are utility (usefulness), self-sufficiency, and preparedness: to help individuals improve simple everyday problem solving, from the mundane (opening packages, minor repairs) to possible emergency situations such as first aid or self-defense.
== Preparedness ==
Some of the most common EDC items are watches, pens, wallets, knives, firearms, flashlights, lighters, car and home key rings, mobile phones, multi-tools, tissues, medications, and personal care items.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.3167/TRANS.2019.090305|title=Everyday Carry for Mobile Individuals|last=Kellerman|first=Aharon|journal=Transfers |date=Winter 2019|volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=61–76 |doi=10.3167/TRANS.2019.090305 |s2cid=226785404 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
The choice and priority/ranking of which items to carry, and how or where to carry them, vary according to each person's needs depending on their occupation, avocations, lifestyle, and similar factors of everyday life. Goals include being able to solve everyday problems more efficiently and to be an asset instead of a liability or helpless bystander when a problem arises.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-10 |title=From the right wallet to a versatile pocket knife, your personal EDC should be practical, functional, and even a little stylish |first=Mike |last=Richard |url=https://www.themanual.com/fashion/what-is-edc-everyday-carry-guide/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=The Manual |language=en}}</ref>
While often distributed among pockets in everyday clothing, carry options are frequently expanded by the addition of clothing accessories like a fanny pack, purse, EDC pouch, small daypack, sunglasses, bracelets, or even footwear like long boots or a vest with pockets. How EDC items are stored, though, depends on the purpose and intentions for their use.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-17 |title=These EDC Essentials Will Keep You Well-Equipped for Anything |first=Danny |last=Perez |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/g41585709/best-edc-essentials/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-US}}</ref>
== EDC as a subculture == The optimization of everyday carry (kit/layouts and carry modes) has become an internet subculture, which goes by the name EDC as well.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Acker|first1=Amelia|last2=Carter|first2=Daniel|chapter=Pocket Preppers: Performing Preparedness with Everyday Carry Posts on Instagram |date=2018|title=Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Media and Society|chapter-url=http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3217804.3217913|language=en|location=Copenhagen, Denmark|publisher=ACM Press|pages=207–211|doi=10.1145/3217804.3217913|isbn=9781450363341|series=SMSociety '18|chapter-url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Tiidenberg|first1=Katrin|last2=Whelan|first2=Andrew|date=2017-04-03|title=Sick bunnies and pocket dumps: "Not-selfies" and the genre of self-representation|journal=Popular Communication|language=en|volume=15|issue=2|pages=141–153|doi=10.1080/15405702.2016.1269907|issn=1540-5702|url=https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3989&context=lhapapers}}</ref> The hobby overlaps with collecting, as many EDC enthusiasts are drawn into collecting EDC items in the quest for finding which one works best for their current EDC needs or for imagined scenarios, such as a light-duty day, a heavy-duty day, etc.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Hassan |first=Mohamed |title=What's in Your Pocket? Obsessed Hobbyists Judge What It Says About You |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/edc-everyday-carry-reddit-pocket-essentials-8f87d3bd |access-date=2023-05-16 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=24 March 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> The collecting of tools takes on an art appreciation component as fans appreciate the design cues, material choices, and craftsmanship that went into each model of tool, including trade-offs of costs versus benefits for each aspect of it. Many accessories manufacturers have capitalized on the trend and often describe their products in terms of EDC.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Steven T. |date=2019-07-24 |title=Meet the men obsessed with carrying all the right stuff |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/24/20696487/everyday-carry-reddit-knife-wallet-gun |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> "The best tool is the one that you have on you when you need one," is a common aphorism which argues against excessive optimization of the tools carried, due to diminishing returns.<ref name=":1" />
== Legislation == Depending on the jurisdiction, certain EDC items may be restricted in public. Issues may include concealed carry of firearms or knives, airport security situations and, in the UK, the Theft Act 1968 offence of "going equipped to steal".
==See also== * {{annotated link|Civil defense}} * {{annotated link|Bug-out bag}} * {{annotated link|Mini survival kit}} * {{annotated link|First aid kit}} * {{annotated link|Emergency management}} * {{annotated link|Military surplus}} * {{annotated link|Self-preservation}} * {{annotated link|Survivalism}} * {{annotated link|Fidget toy}} * Techwear
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Commonscat|Everyday carry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Everyday Carry}} Category:Incident management Category:Self-defense Category:Collecting