Refining My EDC

We all carry stuff every day. Phone, keys, wallet at minimum. If you’re into EDC, maybe you carry three knives, five flashlights, 56 doohickies on your keychain, and more.

For me, it’s been a Swiss Army Tinker and Fisher Space Pen for the past few years. Along with a tube of chapstick, my iPhone 14 Pro, keys on a Nite-Ize keyring, and my well-loved Bellroy wallet in my back pocket.

Functional setup. Cheap. Minimal.

But functional isn’t the same as right.

Keys fell off the ring. Twice. The knife required two hands to open. The pen felt flimsy when actually writing. Using the flashlight meant unlocking my iPhone and swiping.

Small friction points. But they added up.

Why The James Brand

The name isn’t random. James Bond. James Dean. Icons of capability and style. We’re all trying to be a bit more like that—competent, prepared, but not dressed like we’re about to breach a compound.

My middle name is James. Nice coincidence.

What sold me was the founder’s vision: make EDC gear that’s less tactical, more aesthetically pleasing. Same high-quality materials. Same performance. Just better design. Tools that look like they belong in your life, not strapped to a plate carrier.

That resonated. I wanted gear that worked well and looked right.

What Changed

The Stillwell pen replaced the Space Pen. More heft, better balance, nicer materials. The Space Pen always felt a bit cheap and lightweight when actually writing—like it might slip out of my hand mid-signature. The Stillwell feels substantial. It’s a pen I don’t think about when using it, which is exactly what I want. Stainless steel body, comfortable grip, writes smoothly. A tool that disappears into the task.

The Warrick screwdriver gave me a real driver instead of the Tinker’s tiny blade. Dedicated Phillips and flathead bits that actually fit screws properly. Better torque from the longer handle. The Tinker technically had a screwdriver, but it was always too short and the blade too thin for anything requiring real pressure. The Warrick is what I reach for when I actually need to tighten or loosen something. I use it weekly—laptop screws, bike adjustments, furniture assembly.

The Madison key clip solved the dropped-key problem with a double-gate system. The Nite-Ize used a simple wire loop. Keys slipped off twice—once while running, once just walking. Annoying and expensive. The Madison has two gates you have to open sequentially. Keys don’t fall off anymore. It’s also just cleaner looking—machined stainless steel instead of bent wire. Small upgrade, zero friction since.

The Carter folding knife is the biggest change. It’s my first flipper. One-handed deployment changes everything. The Tinker required two hands, attention, and multiple seconds. The Carter just… opens. Thumb stud, smooth action, locks solid. That speed difference matters more than I expected. Opening a box, cutting zip ties, trimming a loose thread—all faster and easier. The blade is longer too, which gives you more working edge. I didn’t think I needed a “real” knife. Turns out I did.

That’s the core James Brand system. But as I was rethinking what I carried, I realized there were two other problems worth solving. I needed a proper flashlight that didn’t require unlocking my phone. And I had backup keys I wanted accessible but not jingling around all day. Two additions rounded out the setup.

The Rovyvon A5 flashlight is absurdly small and absurdly bright. Keychain-sized—smaller than a ChapStick—but puts out 650 lumens on high. Single button press for max output. Faster than pulling out my iPhone, unlocking it, swiping to the flashlight, and significantly brighter. I use it constantly. Looking behind furniture, checking inside electronics, navigating dark spaces. Rechargeable via USB-C. Weighs nothing. Makes the iPhone flashlight feel like a backup option.

The Bellroy Key Cover was the surprise winner. I thought leather key organizers were silly—overdesigned solutions to non-problems. But I had keys I needed occasionally (garage, bike lock, storage unit) that I didn’t want jingling on the Madison all day. The Key Cover holds them flat, quiet, accessible when needed, silent when not. It’s just a nicer way to carry backup keys. Slim enough that I forget it’s there until I need it.

What I Learned

Premium materials and better design actually matter for tools you use every single day. The upgrade from “functional” to “right” is worth more than I expected.

This costs more. Significantly more. The James Brand pieces aren’t cheap. But I’ve carried this system daily for months now. The friction I removed was real. The improvements compound.

That’s the point of EDC evolution. Not collecting gear. Solving real friction.