I find it genuinely amusing how we have managed to make such a simple idea - carrying your essentials - in to such a slick, aspirational, lifestyle thing. However, as a self acclaimed minimalist I feel as though it is important, no, obligatory to cover what I choose to take up my precious pockets’ real estate with.
Upon reflection I find that my interest in EDC has always resided in routine rather then something ‘for the gram’. Knowing that I have the items that I need allows my mind to worry less about being caught out and more on the tasks of the day.
It's about understanding the requirements in your life and having things to hand that will be both useful and be a pleasure to use.
The philosophy to “buy less but buy the best” has never been more applicable.
At this point in my life I have managed to get my EDC down to 5 items, these items are what I tend to carry on my person, I will be doing a more in-depth version of what I carry with me when I have my bag. I also want to clarify that this list doesn’t include the items I wear on my body, whether that be my glasses, watch or jewellery, that is for another time.
Gotta leave you guys wanting more!
Car Keys
This is a fairly recent addition added to my EDC. For a while I had no need for a vehicle, I wanted so badly to be that individual that is completely untethered, the modern day nomad who relies on nothing more than his Uber app to dominate the metropolis environment.
Sadly this was not the case.
A year after selling my car I found myself drifting off in to the middle distance imagining myself and my previous vehicle frolicking in a field of roses. It was then I realised that I needed a car in my life.
Was it a necessity? Absolutely not.
If I am completely honest, this was an aspirational purchase, something I have aimed for and I felt now was the right time. If you want to learn more about the car please have a listen to this episode. I guess it won’t surprise you that it is bloody brilliant.
Card Holder/Slim Wallet
The customary advice seems to be to buy a single wallet and use it to the ends of the earth. Something I have realised that works very well for me is rotating a few wallets since all the wallets I buy are ‘investment pieces’ it helps them last longer and look more presentable.
In the picture is the current wallet I am using, it is a card holder by Ettinger, this one in particular is rather special as it is given to members of a London members club called Home House. Although I am no longer a member this card holder serves as a reminder of that splendid establishment.
I also have a Goyard Saint Pierre slim wallet, this is ideal to carry cards and a bit of cash but due to it being more decorative, flashy I have been using it less as of late.
The last category which I have been an avid user of is money clips, unfortunately I recently lost my last one but would love to get my hands on the Stephen Einhorn money clip, very much like the Ettinger card holder it has a high end element that is accompanied with true craftsmanship that doesn’t exclaim to the world.
Either way, all of the options have the same product ethos and something I feel everyone should apply.
All the wallet options are:
Beautifully made
Have a purpose
and are not superfluously bulky in their design.
Camera
Having recently gotten the Leica Q2 Monochrome I have noticed it has provided a new outlook on the environment around me.
The camera in my phone is a remarkable thing, the software processing is truly a marvel yet I find myself unable to capture or compose pictures to the degree with a dedicated camera. In particular the Q2 legitimately is a pleasure to hold and handle.
It's the camera you want, not the one you need.
I find myself enjoying the precious time out of my house far more when accompanied with a camera and I would recommend it to anyone.
Trust me, carry a camera around with you and watch your inner artist emerge.
Phone
The obligatory smart phone section, as of right now I carry an iPhone 11 Pro Max. This was a pretty significant upgrade for me as I had hung on to my iPhone 7 Plus until the bugger was begging me to retire it. I do believe that this upgrade culture or planned obsolescence is a big part of the tech product waste we are polluting our environments with.
I love Apple but their marketing campaigns are designed to make your year old device feel wildly outdated while the difference may only be minute. Although I enjoy having the latest and greatest I try and use my mobile phones until their capabilities start to act as a hindrance on my day to day life. When my phone starts behave slower than I think, it's time for an upgrade.
However as of right now I am extremely happy with my current device, I have experienced both IOS and Android and I feel as though both have their pros and cons but due to the level of integration across my Mac and iPad I find for the sake of convenience and streamlining my work flow an iPhone makes the most sense.
I also have a great deal of respect for Apples consideration and protection of our private data, this is something I cannot with confidence say about Google.
AirPods
I believe the AirPods are now Apples best selling product, something that took all tech reviewers - and Apple - by surprise but after owning the previous AirPods and now the Pro’s they have quickly become a must have. To such an extent that I find myself panicking when I temporarily mis-place them.
As a lover of music and high fidelity musical experiences I will not make the arguments that these are sonically fantastic because they aren’t, the best way I can explain the AirPods Pro is they do everything very well. Having tested a few of its competitors, the Sonys in particular I find that what stands out with the AirPods Pro is their consistently strong performance across all key indexes. They do have their draw backs, I find the fit can bit quite hit and miss but the over all package more then makes up for it.
I would love to be able to try out the Master and Dynamic IEMs, from a functionality and aesthetic point of view they seem compelling. But for now I am choosing the AirPod Pros.