Pocket Survival Tools for EDC

You can’t carry your bug out bag with you everywhere, right? As much as I’d like to – walking around the grocery store with a 40# pack on my back would get some strange looks! And it’s just not practical for the old knees and back. That’s where the trusty EDC (Every Day Carry) tools come in.

What are EDC Tools?

EDC tools are the things you can easily slip into your pocket so that you’ll always have SOMETHING on you if SHTF. They’re not full-on replacements for bigger, better tools that you might have in your bug out or get home bag, but will assist you in getting to those tools.

What should I carry in my EDC kit?

What you choose to carry with you often depends on your location or travelling trip and survival environment. If you’re in a more blue-collar job, it’s not uncommon to have something like a multi-tool and a quality folding knife in your pocket or on a belt sheath. For those of us with corporate office type jobs – a multi-tool on your belt just doesn’t look right with a suit and tie.
This is where pocket survival tools are really able to shine. These small tools are designed to be lightweight and fit easily in a pocket or wallet, allowing you to carry a number of tools while not visibly showing that you’re carrying.

What’s the right Pocket Tool?

There’s no good answer to that because everyone’s situation is different. How close is your bug out/get home bag? If you’re able to keep a GHB under your desk in the office and you only need to go a few hundred feet to your tools, you may get away with fewer tools. If you frequently fly or enter restricted access buildings which require you to dump your pockets – chances are anything with a blade might be confiscated.

Pocket Survival Tool Types

Small survival tools most often come in one of 3 basic types: Credit Card/Wallet size, Keychain, and Pocket size or Pocket Knife.

Keychain Tools

Keychain tools are usually shaped to look like a house key, but with the ability to split it open to reveal ~2-4 small tools. Most often, the inside edge opening would contain a short serrated cutting tool and/or bottle opener, with the tip of the “keys” acting as flat or Philips screwdriver heads. Not entirely useful, but is much concealed and is the smallest of all pocket tools.

Credit Card Tools

Credit card tools, as the name implies, are often sized very close to the size of a standard credit card (length and width) though vary in thickness depending on the model. Most basic card tools are simple, fairly flat stainless steel or titanium squares with basic flat tip screwdriver tools or pry tongs around the outside corners and various internal cut outs shaped for turning small bolts.

Why Choose Tactical Folding Knives instead of Other Tools

What if you have encountered a situation when someone would attack you yet you will have no time to grab your gun or call for help? This may be a tragic situation but because of the uncertainties with people surrounding you, this situation may not be far from reality. Whenever such situations happen, anyone with an alert mind would use their knife just to save themselves and run away from the people who have attacked them.

Since tactical knives can be hidden discretely on your body, no one would even think that you are carrying such a weapon. This will make them think that they can use you as a target for an attack and take whatever valuable items you have or even do something inappropriate to you. Thinking about such scenarios, any person would think that having something that they can use for self-defense can help them escape from the attacker. This is where tactical folding knives can be used as a convenient weapon for defending yourself.

There are just many reasons on why you should have these knives handy in your bag or securely placed on your body or in your outfit. Since it can be folded, you have no worries about showing the blade to anyone or even the sheath that can easily alarm anyone who would see it. These knives are chosen by more people as these are easier to conceal and to carry wherever they may go, in comparison to tactical fixed blade knives.
Such knives are sometimes designed with a flipper that assists any user to open it at once and never let users encounter any problems especially when they are in a hurry. Butterfly or Balisong knives take a little bit more time to open, but when you practice to do it fast, it certainly will scare your attacker!

Aside from being used as a knife for dangerous situations, these knives can also be used for survival means. This only means that people can make use of these knives for any kind of survival skills that you have to endure while you are stuck in the wilderness.

Since you can fold it and hide it in any parts of your outfit safely and discretely, you are assured that you will not lose it easily. These knives are really advantageous since anyone can carry it easily without others noticing it. It can serve in any possible purpose a user may have and allow them to make use of the knife for any kind of situations and be able to safeguard themselves whenever needed.
Thicker models take a more “Swiss Army” style approach where the card itself is just a holding device for slide-out tools, usually containing the usual Swiss Army Knife components of a basic blade, scissors, and toothpick(s).
When picking the right model among different types of tactical folding knives in the market, it is necessary that you will not focus on the affordable price alone but also with the functions that it can offer you. As you carefully pick the folding knife specifically for your needs, you are assured that you will have an easy time purchasing the right one suited to you.

Final Verdict

Pocket tools are the heaviest, and most obvious of all the tools. Most often these are mini versions of standard full-sized multi-tools, but in a more compact form for slipping into one’s pocket. They have more individual tool components than any of the other pocket survival tools, but at a cost of a larger form factor and added weight.