You don't need to spend a fortune to carry great gear. Here are the best EDC picks that won't break the bank.
EDC gear has a weird pricing curve. Below $20, you're mostly dealing with gas station quality. Above $200, you're paying for collector-grade materials and diminishing returns.
But right around $50 to $100? That's where the real value lives. You get proper steel, solid build quality, and designs refined over years of real-world use. No compromises on the stuff that actually matters.
We went through our full EDC catalog and pulled out the picks that deliver the most for under a hundred bucks.
A good knife is the cornerstone of any carry. These two punch well above their price point.
The Elementum is about as close to a consensus pick as the knife world gets. Solid lockup, good blade steel for the money, and a design that disappears in your pocket. The Pyrite is the budget dark horse: AR-RPM9 steel at forty bucks is genuinely hard to beat.
A flashlight you actually carry beats a $300 light collecting dust in a drawer. Both of these fit any pocket.
The Baton 3 is the safe pick: magnetic charging, compact body, simple UI. The EDC27 is for folks who want output on tap (1000 lumens from something this small is no joke). Both charge via USB.
If you only carry one tool, make it a multi-tool.
The Skeletool CX sits right at the line. Lightweight, well-built, and it strips away everything you don't need. The 154CM blade is a real upgrade over cheaper multi-tool steel.
Two more worth tossing in your cart.
You could build a solid EDC kit with the Elementum, Baton 3, and Shard for well under $120 total. That covers cutting, lighting, and prying, and every piece will last years of daily use. Start there, upgrade later when you know what you actually reach for every day.
