How to Assemble Your EDC: 8 Exclusive Tips from Mundo CIMO

Ensuring a good EDC — Every Day Carry — kit is among the most recommended practices for those who lead a sharp lifestyle and want to be prepared for anything.

And to help you assemble the kit that will best suit you, count on this exclusive material from Mundo CIMO that will present you with everything from the basic concepts for structuring your EDC set, to recommendations for the best products to integrate it — ranging from the best tactical knives to first aid items — and, of course, special tips to maximize its use.

Happy reading!

What is an EDC kit?

As the name suggests, the EDC kit gathers what is essential for daily life, which can also be interpreted as a collection of items capable of promoting your daily survival. Because of this, EDC is directly linked to the concepts of survivalism, aiming to ensure maximum safety and autonomy for its bearer in emergencies in the wild and other adverse contexts.

And because of this strong connection with extreme survival scenarios, some people say there is a standard for the items that should be included in your daily backpack, disregarding other types of everyday emergencies as part of this type of preparation.

This is one of the many myths about survivalism in the jungle — or even outside it — that need to be debunked. Whether in the wild or in the city center, EDC kits may share many items that are useful in both contexts. But the fact is that they should prepare you to face problems and emergencies in your specific context.

There is no point in having a tool that is specifically useful for different audiences if it has no use for you in the face of the unexpected. It's extra weight and lost space that could be occupied by something much more useful.

Difference between an emergency bag and an EDC kit

Another difference that can greatly help both in strategic organization and in making the best possible use of available space is to understand the differences between emergency bags and an EDC kit.

While an EDC also includes elements that can be aimed at smaller, everyday problems, an emergency kit should be assembled to offer you the maximum number of alternatives and supplies for a quick exit from home — with scenarios of emergency evacuations due to climatic problems being the main example of use. Therefore, we recommend that you have two different bags, each for its respective function.

Consequently, it is very possible that there will also be a repetition of tools that can make a difference in both scenarios, which allows you to use the same item in both kits. But to prevent your multi-tool from being left behind in an emergency after being in your EDC, for example, we recommend that, if possible, each bag has its own material.

How to assemble your EDC? 8 easy and very useful steps

With all these concepts and potentials in mind, it's time to check out Mundo CIMO's step-by-step guide that will help you put together your own EDC kit. Apply our tips and concepts and start structuring the ideal kit for you today!

1. Choose knives and pocket knives that combine versatility and resistance

Regardless of the perspective and context of use of your EDC, there is nothing safer than always having pocket knives and multi-functional knives on hand. This is because blades can help you make the best use of resources such as wood and ropes, in addition to providing the potential for varied cuts, openings, and adjustments with different shapes and attached accessories to increase their potential for use.

In our blog, you'll find tips to help you find both the ideal camping knife and the most suitable pocket knives for the wilderness, as with a variety of resources, they are also very useful in big city emergencies!

2. Complete the core survival items

In addition to knives and pocket knives capable of helping you in the most diverse emergencies, there are other tools with varied potential for use that are indispensable for your EDC kit, such as:

• Pliers for pulling, twisting, and adjusting whatever is necessary;

• Flashlights to support you in low or no light contexts;

• High-strength paracords for various fastenings;

• Compass to aid in location without relying on technology;

• And many other options capable of assisting you in situations where few resources are available.

3. First aid kit: essential for EDC

Another unanimous item that cannot be missing from any EDC kit are materials for first aid. Therefore, be sure to structure a kit that has everything necessary to deal with minor injuries or even provide care — in more serious cases — that is sufficient to keep the situation under control until proper medical assistance can be obtained.

The first aid kit includes scissors to cut tissues, gauze, bandages, adhesive tape, and more, tourniquets for compression, ointments, antiseptic solutions — such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide volume 10, and more — analgesics, paracetamol, cotton, and everything else necessary to deal with injuries and discomforts!

4. Add solutions for the urban context

While the previous steps presented a higher probability of use in camping, trails, and even forest survival, here things are reversed. The concept of an EDC kit with items that can circumvent unforeseen events in the daily life of big cities grows, considering the increasing adoption of EDC in this context.

The new concept includes the addition of items aimed at reinforcing your hygiene — such as toothpastes, brushes, dental floss, deodorants and the like — portable chargers and cables to recharge cell phones, tablets and computers, a small stock of paper and pen, electrical tape and even needles with thread for quick repairs to clothes, shoes and backpacks.

5. Attention to provisions

Ensuring that your EDC kit also has a dedicated space for provisions can be crucial for satisfying hunger in adverse moments, keeping you strong and saving valuable time for the rest of the day.

• In the city, cereal bars, mixed nuts, and similar alternatives are strategic additions to satisfy sporadic hunger in your daily life when the moment does not allow you enough time for a meal.

• For adventures in the wild, military rations, dehydrated meals, and canned proteins take up little space in your backpack while being fully capable of providing satisfaction and nutrition to the body.

Oh! And of course, hydration is indispensable anywhere, so always carry a water bottle with you — preferably thermal versions to keep it at the ideal temperature.

Also see how to prepare survival food in Mundo CIMO!

6. Choose durable and comfortable backpacks

There's no point in considering all the details that will make up your EDC kit — especially for materials intended for field and dense forest activities — if the backpack used to hold the kit isn't durable, practical, and comfortable.

We're talking about a bag that will go everywhere with you, constantly exposed to all sorts of damage. Furthermore, usability needs to be considered, ensuring that the backpack in question can be opened and adjusted quickly in urgent situations.

Finally, we consider the comfort provided by materials such as leather, nylon, and their derivatives, as these components can maintain comfortable contact with the body while maintaining the desired resistance.

7. Ensure accessories to keep your EDC kit in good condition

Complementing the care and attention to your EDC kit, it is essential that you make sure all available items will work perfectly when required in emergencies.

This step, therefore, ranges from scheduling periodic maintenance on tools and replacement of supplies to adhering to accessories capable of keeping everything in full operation.

Thus, the presence of portable sharpeners for knife blades, pocket knives, and even pliers, spare batteries and cells for flashlights, as well as cases and sheaths to fully protect the various elements of the kit, becomes indispensable.

8. Make liberal use of cases, toiletry bags, and internal subdivisions

Finally, but definitely not least, we emphasize the organization of the EDC kit and the preference for using cases, toiletry bags, and other compartments that neatly divide the set.

This aspect is important, initially, to prevent everything from being loose in the bag, with the resulting confusion preventing you from finding what you need quickly.

But the subdivision of the kits also allows you to add extra layers of protection to the EDC components, while facilitating quick and orderly adjustments, allowing you to remove parts of the kit that you do not deem necessary at that moment to eliminate weight — keeping everything protected and organized for when you need to add it back to your backpack.

We hope you enjoyed another exclusive Mundo CIMO blog post, which is crucial to help you better understand the definition of an EDC kit and, of course, help you assemble yours. Feel free to customize your EDC using the tips provided here to create the ideal set for you!

You are also invited to take the opportunity to discover the 5 best machetes from Cutelaria CIMO, capable of being the ideal complement to the pocket knives and knives contained in the EDC, especially during your adventures in the wild that require high-level cutting and sawing.

See you in the next post!