EDC Gear: Spring/Summer 2017

ScrewPop, Nomad, Grip6, CRKT, SOG, Oh my!!!

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Wan Chi Lau in EveryDayCarry, Gear & Gadgets // 0 Comments

RainyDayMagazine’s Gear&Gadgets section has been reviewing EveryDayCarry (EDC) items for a long time. EDC isn’t just for DIYers, handymen, and the Macgyvers of the world any longer; the market has grown big enough that gadget makers have begun to offer purposely created gear.

Companies such as Leatherman and CRKT are leaders in the EDC segment, and we love reviewing their stuff, but we are always on the lookout for new entrants who have intriguing offerings. For 2017, we are sharing some new finds along with some of our perennial favorites:

Screwpop Tools

Our newest awesome source for EDC gear is company called Screwpop Tools. Their designs are fresh, functional, and made with quality materials. We are sure we’ll be looking at more of their stuff in the future!!!

When we first saw the Travel Stash, our thought was, “Cool, a place for storing emergency matches!!!” Then more a ideas popped into our heads: mad money, ibuprofen/aspirin, etc. This little waterproof metal tube can be a life-saver. And yes, it is also a bottle opener 🙂

Not every multi-tool needs to have lots of moving parts. The Screwpop Wrench is a single piece of Nickel-plated Vanadium with 5 functions: an SAE wrench (9/16″, 1/2″, 7/16″,3/8″, 5/16″), a 1″ ruler, a mini prybar, and a hex driver. And yes, it’s also a bottle opener 🙂

A box cutter is a handy item to have, regardless of whether you have boxes that need cutting. However, they are kind of bulky to lug around unless you wear a tool belt or bring a tool box with you. Screwpop has created a minimalist version, called Ron’s Utility Knife, that weighs less than an ounce, fits on a keychain, and will outperform the classic box cutter.

The housing of Ron’s Utility Knife is made of stainless steel and accepts the standard replaceable utility blade. The clever part of the design is the super magnet embedded at the end toward the loop. The magnet will automatically retract and secure the blade if/when the locking tab is open. There is no chance that the blade will accidentally extend or fall out. It also means we can “stick” this utility knife anywhere there is ferrous metal. Brilliant! And yes, it is also a bottle opener 🙂

Nomad

The folks at Nomad design on-the-go gear for the digital crowd. Nomad’s focus is on stuff which will make life simpler, easier, and more functional for those who go outside but don’t want to leave their “smart” gadgets behind.

Note: We are showing the iPhone versions here, but there are Android versions of both items available.

The two items we find particularly intriguing are the Carabiner and Battery Cable. We like the Carabiner because it has an integrated Lightning cable built into the frame. While not suitable for use in climbing, the stainless steel frame is more than adequate for clipping onto a water bottle, backpack, belt-loop, or key ring.

For those looking for portable backup power as well as cabling, the Battery Cable is a clever EDC choice. The Battery Cable combines a durable, ballistic nylon braided, MFi approved Lightning cable with a high capacity 2350 mAh portable battery (provides up to 7 iPhone charges).

Grip6

All Grip6 gear is made in the USA. The 1.5″ wide webbing used to make the belt is military spec with a breaking strength of 2500 lbs. The buckle is manufactured in-house by Grip6. It is available in aerospace grade aluminum or in awesome carbon fiber. The buckle is 1/8″ thick. The face is 1.8″ x 3″.

The amazing thing about the Grip6 design is its simplicity. No moving parts (pin, roller, etc) in the buckle’s design. Just a simple butt at one end of the strap and an angled finish on the other. The opening of the buckle acts as a friction arrest when the belt moves against it. So elegant! This is absolutely the easiest to adjust and lowest profile belt/buckle combo on the planet!!! Sorry…no bottle opener on this one 🙂

Misc

The CRKT, Quiver, Moleskine, and SOG items have all been mentioned in previous EDC articles. We call them out here because these are the items we carry with us every day. They are proven performers for us and we recommend them without reservations.

Of special note and our favorite EDC is CRKT’s Taos Tactical Pen. The pen is comfortable to grip for writing and feels very natural in the hand. While we have never had to use it for striking, we have used it to push in tacks and brads 🙂

We have been carrying the SOG Reactor in place of our usual Leatherman Skeletool because we needed to get to know it better. Our impression after a couple of months with it is that we really like the smaller and lighter form factor and have not noticed any loss in functions as compared to the Skeletool. The Reactor is off to a good start! Will have a full report in the Fall/Winter.