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My Pocket EDC Pouch - Small and Light Essentials For A Pants Pocket

I was watching Youtube awhile back and a lady presented an every day carry (EDC) purse/pocket pouch that was very compact.  Her system utilized a Stasher Pocket pouch to store a number of handy essentials for herself and her children.  While I wouldn't carry the same things, it would fit the items I would want to EDC too, and this pouch fits in a front pants pocket without becoming uncomfortable.  Many mini or pocket EDCs are actually pretty big and you need a big cargo pocket for them.  This pouch is very comfortable in a cargo pocket and is also good in the front pocket of looser pants (aka not blue jeans, but you could do it).

My two pieces of EDC pocket gear.  A Victorinox Sports Rambler and Stasher Pocket.

I really thought using the Stasher pouch was a great idea as it has the following characteristics:

  1. Waterproof if the rugged zip seal is undamaged/totally closed.
  2. The thick seams at the sides allow it to retain its shape and stay flat.
  3. 100% silicone that is thick enough to not rip, but not too thick.
  4. Comfortable for carry and soft. It also flexes and bends a bit unlike an Altoids tin.
  5. You can see what is inside.
  6. It is palm sized.
Palm view of my Stasher Pocket.

Side view of my Stasher Pocket.  It isn't completely stuffed, but this is a comfortable thickness.

My pocket EDC is kind of designed around having some essentials in case of mini-emergencies or uncommon repairs.  I don't really expect to open my Stasher all that often, but take great comfort in having it around.  It is also designed specifically to not have any blades so that it can go anywhere (although air travel with the Leatherman Style PS is somewhat probelematic).

NOTE:  This pocket EDC works in Japan as it has no blade of any sort if you leave out my Victorinox pocketknife.  Blades of any sort or size (even box cutters) are pretty much off-limits there for personal carry.  This is because knives are used to commit crime and mass attacks since guns are so rare and regulated. I'm mentioning this as this blog is primarily about Japanese pop culture and travel!

The contents of my Stasher Pocket.  You can fit a fair bit in it.

So what is in my Stasher?  Here is a complete list.

  1. Leatherman Style PS (bladeless multi-tool).
  2. Thin steel wire (22 gauge), a few feet of it in a little coil.
  3. Flat packed Gorilla tape (18 inches of 1 inch wide).
  4. Some simple meds (3 Advil cold and sinus, 2 400 mg Advil liqui-gels, spool of dental floss).
  5. A shoe-lace - you could use micro cord instead.
  6. A simple sewing kit with a needle. 
  7. A mini-Bic lighter.
  8. A stub of a pencil or a mini-Sharpie.
  9. A whistle.
  10. Two safety pins.
  11. Paper clip
  12. Three or four sheets of paper (I use stickies cut down as they hold together).
  13. A compact nail clipper (Green Bell).
  14. A mini-pry tool (Nite Ize DoohicKey with nail puller, pry, hex wrench, and cord cutter)
  15. Two alcohol swabs.
  16. Three regular band-aids, 2 mini band aids.

This list of items takes care of many small problems from headaches/allergies, writing a note to leave behind, minor repairs, minor cuts/scrapes, and some personal hygiene items for trimming broken fingernails or flossing.  Most of this is pretty handy for urban situations, being at work, and maybe a little more.  Note that I use small plastic zip locks for separating and protecting gear in the pouch.  The bags also keep items like the band-aids together.

I deliberately excluded any kind of blade other than the scissors on the Leatherman Style PS as I would always carry a pocketknife of some sort external to this. I think most people who actually view this article would actually carry some other kind of multi-tool or small folding knife too.  The Style PS was chosen as it is one of the thinner multi-tools that provides scissors and pliers.  It is thinner than a Leatherman Squirt for example.

My typical pocketknife is a Victorinox Sports Rambler which has a Phillips (+) screwdriver/bottle opener.  Between the Style PS and this, I can take care those tiny screws on most eye-glasses.  I've traveled before and had a lens fall out due to a loose screw which fortunately wasn't lost.  I had problems trying to find a screwdriver to tighten it up of course!  The Sports Rambler is a tiny knife (see first photo) so I sometimes carry something else too.

Extras / Other Things

There are a ton of other small things that could be swapped in or added as extra too.  A few obvious ones might be a $20 bill for when you need cash and credit cards don't work or a little bit of hard candy for that extra sugar boost.  Items like tissues or masks or hand sanitizer are things you need often and they wouldn't belong in this pouch.  Of course everyone is going to customize what they want to put in the pouch, so leave a comment if you would like to say what you would like to carry or add.

Toolset for the Leatherman Style PS.  File, flat head screwdriver, scissors, pliers, wirecutters tweezers, and bottle opener.

Victorinox Sports Rambler.  Phillips screwdriver, bottle opener, wire stripper, flat head screwdriver, scissors (one of the better small ones), tiny knife blade, toothpick, and tweezers. I use a NanoClip to clip it to a pocket. I have also stored it inside the pouch without the clip as it just fits.
 

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