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.
All the way from Cologne, Germany, we have Marvin (@marvin_loos) with us today to tell us about his everyday carry. Marvin is currently an industrial mechanic apprentice and he believes strongly in always being prepared for both the expected and unexpected tasks in everyday life. Read on to learn more about Marvin’s carry and his highly admirable DIY mindset.
Featured Tools:
- Multi-tool: Leatherman Rev
For me, this is a no-nonsense EDC multi-tool. It has just everything that I need on a daily basis. Not more and not less. Its most important feature for me is the pliers which give me a stronger and also more precise grip than I have with my fingers – ideal for tightening screws or loosening up knots.
- Knife 01: Pohl Force
The Bravo One Survival is my favorite and most carried EDC knife. It's my primary cutting tool and I use it for almost every cutting job. I'm carrying it almost every day for a couple of years now. It has a great partially serrated blade in 440C steel. For me, this knife is the ideal choice for almost every task.
- Knife 02: Böker Plus Tantodashi
The Böker Plus Tantodashi is a special collaboration with Eddleman Knives. I just have a weakness for fixed blade knives. I really like their stability, strength and the fact that they don't have any moving parts. They just work – even in the most extreme and stressful of situations.
- Flashlight: Led Lenser P2
For me, this is the perfect EDC flashlight. Not so bright as to be blinded when using it in tight spaces, yet it’s bright enough for most urban EDC tasks. It has a great size because it runs on AAA batteries, has a nice focus system and has insane runtimes.
- SAK: Victorinox Pioneer Alox
I just love SAKs. Especially the Alox series. My favorite model is the Pioneer Alox which I've been carrying for a few years now. It's a non-threatening option when a knife is needed but you don't want to scare anyone; e.g. in public places. It also offers additional tools such as screwdrivers to my daily arsenal.
Background:
My name is Marvin, living in Kreuztal near Siegen, which is about an hour from Cologne. Right now, I’m now an industrial mechanic apprentice, which is apt because I have a great DIY mindset. I really like to always be prepared for both the expected and the unexpected - because you never know what the day might throw your way.
For me, EDC has become a kind of a hobby, because it takes place in almost every moment of my life – my pockets are never empty! My main hobby actually is Ju-Jitsu and self-defense in general. To cover this aspect of being prepared I usually carry a fixed blade as a defensive option. And as strange as it may sound, I'll sharpen and maintain my knives when I want to relax.
I do not really know if there was an exact point where I first came in contact with EDC. But I think it was my father who inspired me with the mindset of being prepared. He has always carried and still carries a flashlight and a knife every day, so this is a pretty common thing for me since my childhood.
It all started when my father gave me my first knife - a fixed blade which I've always taken with me when I went in the woods with him. And when we were in the woods, he constantly had to stop me from chopping down the entire local tree stock!
That fixed blade was soon followed by my first swiss army knife: a Victorinox Huntsman. This has pretty much every tool a young boy needs to survive a day playing in the woods and around the house.
Over the years, more knives, multitools and flashlights have found their way into my pockets and into my collection. I have also evolved with my collection. Now I'm at the point where I am the one who shares the enthusiasm for great gear with others.
I even managed to persuade my father to replace his 20+ years old Puma Back Packer and his Mini Maglite. Now he's carrying a Pohl Force Bravo Two Survival and a Led Lenser P3 – that's how the circle closes and I'm pretty proud of that.
Favorite EDC Tool:
That's a pretty tough question! It’s between the Led Lenser P2 and the Pohl Force Bravo One Survival. I think I'll go with the Bravo One, because it's a companion that has accompanied me for years and I think it's definitely going to be in my pocket for many more.
Next On Your Gear Radar:
At the moment I have an eye on the Böker Plus Kwaiken Fixed.