FFN 017: Everyday Carry (EDC)

Today I cover the topic of boundaries - why they're important, why "work/life balance" will never exist, and four simple strategies you can use to do more of the things YOU want to do.

Transcript - Everyday Carry

Gentlemen, what is going on?! This is Ryan Michler, your host and the founder of Order of Man. I want to welcome you back to another edition of your Friday Field Notes. You should know by now this is a short show of my ramblings, thoughts, ideas, insights, and inspirations throughout the week. I try to keep them short and give you just the boost you need for the weekend and until Tuesday when we release our full interview show.

With that said, make sure you subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or wherever it is you get your fix of The Order of Man Podcast so you never miss a single episode. We are dropping some serious knowledge and know-how on this show and I wouldn’t want you to miss any of it.

With that said, let’s jump into the show today. We’re covering an interesting topic and one that was suggested by a member of The Order of Man which, by the way, you can join at www.facebook.com/groups/orderofman. Today, we’re going to talk about EDC, also known as Everyday Carry.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit sometimes this gets a little out of hand and my first response is, “How the hell does any man carry all the stuff he says he does throughout the day?”

My vision of an everyday carry is this: The practical tools and equipment you should be carrying every day to help you accomplish the tasks and situations you find yourself in on a daily basis.

To me, the Everyday Carry is not about having everything but the kitchen sink, it’s about having a select few highly-efficient, highly practical tools at your disposal.

So today, I want to talk about why your Everyday Carry is important, some must-haves of your EDC, and a couple resources you should check out for yourself.

So, let’s break this down:

First, the basics.

Obviously every man should carry around a wallet. I opt to go with a leather wallet for the sake of professionalism and durability. One mistake I see men make is packing that thing to the brim. It reminds me of George’s wallet on Seinfeld. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out. It’s a classic.

Submitted by a member of Order of Man.

I carry the absolute minimum I have to in my wallet. I have my driver’s license, one credit card, and, this one is big – some cash. The cash I carry around is not meant to spend. It’s purely for a rainy day or an emergency. Having cash, $50-$100 is important!

Next, my keys. I’m a minimalist by nature so I don’t have a lot of keys on my keychain – 4 to be exact. But, in addition to keys, you might consider throwing a small pocketknife on there, a carabiner, and/or a small piece of paracord. Remember the idea is functionality and practicality.

Next, your phone. I’m not going to get into this because it’s been reported that between 75-80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone. I opt to go with the iPhone. I made the switch about a year ago from and Android device and, at this point, I would not go back.

A lot of people ask how I create so much content and wonder where I come up with so many topics. The answer is that I get inspiration from everywhere. I might have a conversation that sparks an idea, I might see a billboard that gets my attention, I might see another Facebook post that triggers a thought. But, one of the most important things I do on a daily basis is take notes. I have a note-keeping app on my phone which I use regularly but I also carry around my Fieldnotes Journal. In fact, I keep them everywhere – in my office, in my car, in my nightstand – everywhere.

The point is that you need to have some way to be keeping notes so, whether it’s on your phone, in your Fieldnotes, or a combination of both, you need to have something.

Submitted by a member of Order of Man.

Next, my watch. I’ve got multiple watches that serve different purposes. It could be a fashion statement. It could be that I need stopwatch functionality, or GPS, or even something like a Fitbit to track steps and calories. Bottom line is that your watch should suit you and serve you. So, choose something accordingly – or have multiple watches to choose from.

Then, we come to a knife or a multi-tool. I personally carry a multi-tool most of the time because it includes a knife (I like Gerber personally) as well as the other features. Again, this is about maximum effectiveness and practicality. You never know when you’re going to need a knife or a screwdriver so having one on hand is important.

And, speaking of never knowing when you’ll need something, a firearm is also something worth considering. It seems we’re seeing more and more violence in public and having a way to defend yourself is important. And, on that note, if you choose not to carry, that’s fine but I do HIGHLY suggest you take a firearms course. You never know when you’ll be around a firearm so you should get familiar with it even if you decide not to carry.

I won’t get into all the options on this show but maybe we’ll consider that for another show.

Another thing you should consider is a flashlight. Whether it’s something a little bigger you carry in your car or a small flashlight you throw on your keyring, a high-quality flashlight is something I really think every man should have. I’ve looked around for a lot of flashlights and, I have to say, the guys at Factor Equipment make some of the best I’ve seen. I’ve got a couple different lights and I use them all the time.

You can also check out their lineup on Instagram and Facebook.

Other than those necessities, I carry my sunglasses. I didn’t always but I’m a pretty fair-skinned guy and my eyes are really sensitive to the sun so that has become a staple for me.

If you have a beard, like I do, you also need to be carrying around a beard comb to manage that mane from time to time. I like the guys over at Beardbrand for all of my beard stuff (I refuse to call it product) so got check them out if you’re interested.

And that, my friends, is my Everyday Carry. Hopefully that gives you some ideas of what you might want to carry on your person. Again, it’s all about practicality. It’s about functionality. And, it’s about having the tools at your disposal to be the man people are looking to you to be.

I had the guys on our Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/groups/orderofman submit some of their EDC pictures which you can check out at www.orderofman.com/FFN017. I also linked up my friends at Factor Equipment for the flashlights I was talking with you about so go see what they have to offer.

Have some fun with your everyday carries, experiment with different equipment, and find what works best for you and your situation.

I look forward to talking with you on Tuesday but, until then, take action and live manfully!