Showcase #102: Student from Connecticut, USA

Welcome to the Urban EDC Showcase! Each week, we feature one member of the EDC community and the gear they rely on every day. Want to be featured? Submit your gear photo.

As a camping and outdoors enthusiast, Alex (@abarhandmade) lives by the “always be prepared” concept. This translates to his obsession for finding the coolest gear to add to his personal collection. Read on for the full rig rundown of Alex’s purposefully minimal and impeccably thought-out everyday carry.

Featured Tools:

• Knife: Spyderco Tenacious
  The knife is the ever-reliable Spyderco Tenacious with green scales and a black blade. I was looking for a rugged but reasonably-priced knife to build my EDC around, and the Tenacious checked every box. It has done every task I've ever needed it to, and with the low price tag, I don't have to worry about it getting a little beat up, which is some nice peace of mind.
  
  I was just about to convince myself to spend the extra cash on the extremely popular Paramilitary 2, but when I saw its little cousin in this color combo I just couldn't resist. It's also rocking a couple of TISurvival titanium modular beads which complete the unique look.
  
  
• Flashlight: Prometheus Lights Beta-QR v2
  The Prometheus Lights Beta-QR v2 ended up falling into the same shopping cart as the Alox. The Urban Organizer had been displayed using the same flashlight and knife, so I figured it was meant to be. I love the matte black finish on it, giving it a discreet and smooth look, as well as the brass highlight on the back of it which goes well with my zippo. It's extremely bright for its size, and the signature Prometheus ribbing makes for a good grip and gives it a sturdy and robust feeling.
  
  
• SAK: Victorinox Alox Cadet
  After purchasing the organizer and first only keeping a small Victorinox 58mm in the small pocket, I really wanted to upgrade. So when I saw the limited edition 2017 Olive Green Victorinox Alox Cadet, I had to have it. It fits perfectly in with the black organizer and black and green Tenacious, which was almost too good to be true. In all honesty, I probably use it for 75% of my cutting tasks (mostly because I have it on me 100% of the time). It's the perfect size and it's ribbed aluminum scales give a really nice indestructible feel.
  
  
• Organizer: Urban Organizer Mini
  Before seeing the Urban Organizer Mini, the thought of having a flashlight, Swiss Army Knife, and wallet all in one compact package had never occurred to me. Now though, I carry it and its contents everywhere I go, with very few exceptions. It fits a Cadet and small flashlight perfectly, and a little cash and a couple credit cards (or ID) slip right in seamlessly. It is the item I never knew I needed but now cannot do without.
  
  
• Lighter: Zippo
  For my lighter, I carry a classic zippo in the beautiful antique brass Tree of Life case. In my otherwise color-coordinated carry, this little guy is almost the centerpiece. I love the mechanical novelty of Zippos, and often this lighter is almost like a fidget toy to me: flipping it open and closed, sparking the wick with that satisfying flick.
  
  On a more serious note, it has proved its usefulness whenever I take it with me camping, and the main reason I carry this with me often is because of some words to live by that I heard a few years back - "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."

Background:

My name is Alex and I’m 18 years old and currently a senior in high school (whooo) in the state of Connecticut, USA.

In my free time, I enjoy making lanyard beads and other random things out of scrap wood I find near my dad's workbench. I am actually hoping to get enough quality items together to start a small online shop in the near future. I enjoy camping very much, and I have been on multiple backcountry hikes in the Appalachian Mountains. Besides that, I'm obsessed with finding cool gear to possibly add to my collection, so I do spend a lot of time looking at that sort of stuff online.

I got into the EDC/Knife community relatively recently, and it was purely through a combination of my fascination with camping, and my love of the "always be prepared" concept. I actually found Urban EDC Supply through one of their special suppliers, DB Blades. One day I came across his knife-making video of his little Keychain Cutters (soon to be sent to Urban EDC Supply) and the rest is history.

Favorite EDC Tool:

My favorite item in my brief but functional carry has to be the Urban Organizer Mini and its contents, mainly just because I never leave the house without it and I know I'll continue to have it through college and beyond.

Next On Your Gear Radar:

Next on my gear radar would have to be a durable carabiner/pry bar that I could have on my car keys keychain, as I think that would add a nice new dimension to my carry.