7 Summer EDC Essentials

I hope everyone is having a great day!
With the nice warm weather EDC changes a bit. Here’s some stuff I find myself using a lot these days.

5.11 Taclite shorts

I have some of the old lot of 5.11, canvas 100% cotton. They are falling apart so it was time to get new ones. These are a cotton/nylon blend which is far more durable.
They are comfortable, don’t look half bad with good shoes and a neat tshirt or polo and they have the exact same configuration as your standard 5.11 taclite pants. Pockets for all your EDC and then some. Spare magazine pouch upfront and you can through a couple rifle mags or 20 12ga shells in each back pocket if needed.

Glock Hat

Much needed to keep the sun from your face and head.
I’ve used this Glock hat for a few years now. At this point I feel that although it does contradict my main philosophy of “gray man” wardrobe, I did notice a couple things. First, I LIKE wearing it. That’s always important. Second, and this you only notice after wearing it for some time, is that while I got zero negative comments or even weird looks, I did get a few “cool hat bro” approving nods and thumbs up from people in the know. Not everyone knows what Glock Perfection means and those that do will most likely be gun people.

Seiko Orange Monster

I love the Seiko Monster series. They are true diver watches. Big, built like a tank and just look solid, like a piece of stainless machinery. Although my standard go to watch is still the Protrek PRG 250T, I do wear this one a good bit during the summer. The orange dial looks amazing and the pics don’t do it justice.

Leatherman Charge Tti
This one is with me year round but just a reminder. The Leatherman Charge Tti is such a fantastic tool and has served me so well over the years. My most used EDC tool, hands down. Its been with me many summers, many beaches and it has been a trusted companion. A minimum amount of care, a couple drops of oil and it handles a trip to the beach perfectly well.
WileyX Valor

I somewhat recently updated my shades to these polarized Valor, retiring my much loved WileyX Revlovr. Let me tell you, if you haven’t tried polarized eyewear yet, do it. The difference is very much noticeable and worth every penny.

LG G6

People sometimes ask about a good phone that doesn’t cost a fortune and fits the requirements for people with a survival and preparedness mentality. To me that means toughness and waterproofing, without sacrificing what a smartphone is supposed to be.

Sure, there are specific “rugged” phones, but you give up having the performance of flagship models in terms of camera, display and other features. Not with the LG G6.
My previous phone was a Note 2 which I kept in an Otterbox defender case. Tough as nails but not waterproof and dorky as hell with the large case carried in the belt.
I keep my LG G6 in a Spigen Tough Armor case, added a Spigen screen protector and that was it. Its resistant enough, IP68-rated for water and dust-resistance (the Iphone X is only IP67)
IP67 means the unit can be dropped into a body of water up to a meter deep for half an hour, while IP68 guarantees protection in water up to 30 meters deep for the same period of time. Both are resistant to dust.
Its still a big 5.7” display but thanks to having no front button (centered in the back, like they all should be) and 18:9 ratio, it slips perfectly into my jeans pocket.

Salomon Ultra shoes
I have a couple of Salomon Quest 4D boots which I use all the time but they are a bit bulky for summer.
The Salomon X Ultra are comfortable, light trekking shoes. Surprisingly durable too, unlike my last pair of Merrells that fell apart in a couple months.
So, do you have anything in your EDC that changes depending on the season or weather?
Let me know in the comments below.
Take care!
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”