When I first discovered DPx many, many years ago when I started to get into better EDC gear, I will admit, I didn’t feel cool enough to own one. From the laughing skull logo, to the amazing fit and finish, and even the awesome consideration to make lefty models, DPx knives have always felt out of my league (in a good way), and a brand I’ve kept in the back of my mind in the years since. While I haven’t had the chance to handle or own one in a long time, the HEST’s fourth version released this year is quite possibly its ultimate iteration.

Its biggest and most important change is the HEST 4.0’s use of this year’s superlative steel, CPM MagnaCut, as well as being one of the rare DPx flipper folders. In many ways the steel is perfect for the type of knife the HEST aims to be, one with zero compromises and built for a lifetime of hard use, thanks to its top-tier properties across the board. The drop point blade itself is a big chunk of steel at 3.15″ long and 0.19″ thick, and carries the signature DPx features like the blade notch and wire stripper jimping. The handle is a sandwich of American heavy grip G-10 and grade 5 titanium, and houses its framelock, the bearings that give the HEST a truly satisfying snap, and rounded out with the HEST standard hex bit driver and replaceable tungsted carbide glass breaker. The handle also allows for a full-handed grip, with the front flipper tab and rear shape locking in your fingers, and the G-10 doing its job to really lock in your grip. The clip is also reversible, with a large curve touching and adding additional frame lock strength should you keep it in right-hand orientation.

I think the HEST 4.0 is “the one” for me, and not just when it comes to DPx knives. I felt it from the moment I unboxed it and flipped it open for the first time, and cemented itself the moment I cut something with a fully locked-in grip. It’s everything I want from a tactical/hard-use knife, and the only conceivable drawback I can come up with is it doesn’t come as a lefty, but even then, it’s a small price to pay for a blade of this caliber. The DPx HEST/F 4.0 Milspec MagnaCut is available know from DPx’s site, and be sure to also check out its sibling in Micarta for those who prefer it.

With a legacy tracing back to special forces roots and a build quality proven through the years both as an EDC bag and rucking companion, the GR1 is one of the most iconic bags in the carry community. Huckberry’s Slick variant has been a popular choice thanks to its minimalist design removing all the tactical trappings of the original—specifically all tracings of MOLLE webbing and the main patch field—while still maintaining its signature bombproof construction and minimal (but effective) set of features.

In the years since the original Slicks released, GORUCK has made big upgrades to their standard GR1s, starting with the use of 210D CORDURA for the back panel and the underside of the shoulder straps, a feature that came from their Rucker line to reduce abrasion on skin and clothing. Soon after, a much-requested quick access pocket on the top of recent GORUCK collaborations made their way into all three main backpack lines, helping the once-tactical silhouette transition into more urban and travel-friendly missions. Today, this combination of the 210D backing and QAP finds its way onto the latest batch of Huckberry Slicks, making them, in my opinion, one of the best EDC bags you can get. Versatile full clamshell-opening main compartment, a rock-solid laptop compartment, the best of both worlds 1000D construction and 210D comfort, and now a perfect top pocket for essential access on the go—it doesn’t get much better than this.

The GORUCK x Huckberry GR1 Slick is now available on Huckberry in Black and Coyote Tan in both 21L and 26L sizes, with a Ranger Green colorway releasing later this September.

Arcane Design continues to be one of the most interesting knife brands on the market to me, with founder Israel Bacchus’s sci-fi and horror-infused designs right up my alley for unique but fully functional designs. Their latest release is the AUTOMATON, a beefy drop point home to a big blade and draped in premium details. The 3.5″ S90V blade comes hollow ground on both the main edge and the top swedge creating a nice contrasting finish, deploying on dual textured thumbstuds. The AUTOMATON uses a liner lock built into the slim, titanium handle accented by a custom pivot collar (I just love the lines and grooves on this, playing into the rest of the details like the handle chamfering) and a deep carry pocket clip. Like many Arcane Design models, you have plenty of options for the finish, material, and color variant for your knife.

Hot on the heels of the AUTOMATON is the CRYPT Ancient Purple variant releasing on September 5th, giving the Persian flipper an antiqued purple titanium handle to house its satin or PVD-finished 3.5″ M390 blade. Unlike the AUTOMATON, the CRYPT isn’t a preorder and will be ready to ship this Thursday, so keep an eye out on Arcane Design’s socials and newsletter for the news on both drops.

It’s been a minute since we checked in with our friend Matt and his wonderful workshop of wearables, carryables, and skill toys over at aroundsquare, so it’s right on time to browse what he’s cooked up for his August 2024 drop. This month’s collection features fresh takes on some of his classic fidgetables, including the Podushka Chetki, a rounder, chunkier, and more comfortable version of the traditional Eastern European chetki, in a green sandalwood showing off the wood’s unique grain patterns. There’s also the Deadeye Donut Hollows, an evolution of the hollowed-out Deadeye coin in titanium, introducing more thickness to allow a larger surface area for better handling and manipulation. Last but certainly not least is a reintroduction of the thinner Knucklebone Sliminis in a stunning exotic Zircuti. On the wearables front, my personal favorite MKUltras arrive on thinner 1.2mm cord, with thinner beads in the form of Picos and Micro Barrels, offering a lower profile and oval options from the usual rounder selection.

There are a few more releases and restocks as a part of this drop that Matt goes over in the preview linked below, and as of this writing the majority of the pieces are still available and with an early discount.

While Vosteed is on a tear putting out fresh and innovative knives, including outstanding collaborations with makers like TuffKnives, as well as their recent hit with the Ankylo’s V-anchor pivot lock, my favorite knife from the brand still has to be the Thunderbird. On paper, it shouldn’t be; it’s a larger blade than I generally prefer at 3.25″, tanto isn’t always my first choice for a shape, and the Trek Lock also isn’t technically fully ambidextrous (though operates fine as a lefty).

But then all it takes is to flip the Thunderbird open a few times to truly understand what it’s about. The knife is incredibly fun to use and deploy across all six of its possible deployment methods between its thumb cutout, fuller, and flipper tabs. The larger blade lends itself to an extremely satisfying heft as it swings out on caged ceramic ball bearings. The Thunderbird’s original G-10 handles are grippy and lightweight, its titanium handles sound amazing with a satisfying ring when deploying the blade, and now its latest iteration with PEI handles hops on trend with the popular material. You get the lightest version of the knife yet at 2.88 ounces, while also a peek into its mechanism and skeletonized liners. Is this the best version of the Thunderbird yet? That remains to be seen, but in the meantime, one I’m excited to get my hands on and add to the rest of the flock.

While I love Vosteed for their supremely fidgety folding knives, it’s also nice to see them try new things in different form factors, and fixed blades are one of my particular EDC passions. The Mink XL is an upgrade to the original clip point Mink they released last year, an outdoors-focused fixie offering great value for those looking to cover their blade bases from the brand. This year’s new Mink XL retains the same use of full-tang Nitro-V steel paired with Micarta handles, but this time in a larger 3.99″ sheepsfoot profile, giving you a bigger blade and all the edge length you need for heavier piercing and cutting tasks. Double jimping on the blade gives you grip versatility when needed, and a multi-point Kydex sheath gives you the same flexibility when it comes time to stow away the Mink. The Vosteed Mink XL is available now from Vosteed in two colors.

Calling back to the simpler times of trading sports cards and tapping into our sensibilities as adult EDC collectors, Big Idea Design are releasing their second set of Everyday Cards, a fun project highlighting esteemed makers, creators, and brands within the everyday carry community. The set of 10 cards includes some of our friends in the industry, including Will Hodges from Tactile Turn, Taylor Welden from Carryology, and even our very own Editor-in-Chief Bernard. Each card features custom hand-illustrated artwork from Black Ink Branded, comes with neat trivia about each featured personality or brand, and is printed on Ecofoil holographic cardstock to make it a truly premium collectible. The set is made in the USA and ships completely protected in both rigid and soft card protector sleeves to ensure they make it to you as fresh as out of a pack.

Collect the Everyday Cards for yourself, trade them with the community if you missed the original set, or take them with you to the next EDC convention to get them signed—the Everyday Cards 2nd Edition are available now for pre-order from BigIDesign’s site through to August 30th.

In a market flooded with enthusiast-grade crossbody EDC slings and fanny pack favorites, it’s always nice to try a fresh take on the conventional formula, or in this case, orientation. The Unit Vertical Pouch is the latest iteration of DSPTCH’s unique, holster-like sling, which sits upright on your chest (think of half a vest) and secured by a 3-way harness and stabilizing strap with . It’s a really interesting take on the holster/crossbody/chest rig style for slings, and one DSPTCH has been iterating for years until this newest version which is designed to carry light and sit at a low profile that can fit comfortably under a jacket. The sling itself sticks to simple and efficient basics: a symmetrical back and front drop-in pocket (allowing ambidextrous configuration), and a single YKK AquaGuard zipper for its main compartment. There’s a little under 1L of room (so stick to the essentials), including a suspended mesh pocket to separate your phone from your other gear, and a simple key leash for the dangly stuff. True to DSPTCH’s technical leanings, the Unit Vertical Pouch comes in the latest and greatest material fabrics, including 420D Robic nylon, EPX200 ECOPAK with mixed colors, and a 5 oz Dyneema option.

If the world of enthusiast flashlights were a vehicle race, SureFire wouldn’t be the exotic supercar taking the podium, nor the technologically advanced EV giving everyone a run for their money. No, it would be the 70-ton tank in the back literally creating a lane for itself and reminding people that it’s still a force to be reckoned with. In the modern and highly value-competitive flashlight community SureFire rarely gets a nod anymore, but the EDC1-DFT Turbo reminds us that they’ll always be in the race.

While not the newest, it’s their most recent EDC-sized flashlight, a portable thrower with a crazy 95,000 candela beam throwing out to over 2,000 feet (616 meters). A standard mechanical tail switch controls its High/Low output of 650 and 25 lumens respectively when running on its included and micro USB-rechargeable 18350 battery. SureFire have also long been a proponent of the CR123A platform, and the “DF” in the name stands for Dual Fuel, letting you swap out the 18350 for a standard CR123A lithium primary at a reduced 55kcd/350lm output. Last but not least, if you’ve never handled a SureFire light before, the mil-spec, Hard Anodized Type III treatment on the EDC1-DFT’s aluminum body, like most SureFires, is in a league of its own. A two-way clip rounds out it features, and while the larger 1.258″ head may be tight for most pockets for EDC, it’s worth the space for this compact workhorse.

I first caught wind of Chas Fisher’s tactical knife from MelissaBackwoods’s review, and by the time I finished that video, I knew the Covert would shoot right up my knife wishlist. But it’s here where I make it abundantly clear: the purpose of the Beckwith / Covert is not everyday carry, even though it is a knife—local laws permitting—you can EDC. It was built first and foremost with self-defense in mind, and I go into writing this with an express interest in its design, materials, and features.

It’s the details that really make this fixed blade stand out to me. The exactly 3” tanto blade is not only sized great for carry but it utilizes the most effective blade shape for its purpose. I was also pleasantly surprised to see it made of 1/8” thick AEB-L, a super-tough stainless steel I’m familiar with in flipping balisongs, which take some of the worst abuse when it comes to knife use. So if it’s good enough to be flipped constantly and take a dive into the pavement, then it will serve its main duties well. The edge terminates at a substantial finger guard, and the full tang goes through the G-10 handle and liners, ending at a pommel which completes a secure pocket that can accommodate and lock in any grip. Paired with the thumb ramp and jimping in the right places, this knife is well-designed to stay put in your hand.

But when it comes time to carry, Fisher Blades made some thoughtful decisions there too, not the least of which is a compact Kydex sheath that you can select for either left or right orientation. It comes with a deep carry clip that still leaves some of the handle out to prevent a fully concealed carry and give you the quickest possible access point should you need the knife in a hurry. It was even considered that the clip give the sheath a slight cant so it sits more comfortably in a front pocket carry and not digging into your hip while seated. The knife and sheath both weigh a surprisingly light 4.5 oz, making it an even more compelling carry option.

I want to reiterate again that the Beckwith / Covert is designed primarily for self-defense. This is even reflected in the contents of the knife packaging, which includes a complete user manual as well as a copy of the U.S. Constitution. But as someone who has been carrying fixed blades for a while, the idea of a highly focused, impeccably designed tool is something I just can’t help but appreciate.

Chas Fisher and Fisher Blades are hard at work making regular drops of the Beckwith / Covert, and you can sign up for their newsletter where they make release announcements, including one scheduled for late September.

Disclaimer: Ridge is the parent company of EverydayCarry.com.

After a decade of trailblazing the modern minimalist wallet, Ridge have released a fresh new wallet silhouette, the Ridge Lite. It takes their patented plate-and-elastic design and cuts it almost exactly in half, giving you the most robust 1.77″ x 2.13″ card-holding square you can carry, so you can finally put away those rubber bands and binder clips you’ve been using all this time. The smaller size reduces the capacity of the original Ridge wallet’s 1-12 cards to a maximum of 8 as well as the ability to block out RFID, but the smaller size comes with a few practical benefits, including a feather-light 1-1.1 oz weight, a quicker way to fan out and access your cards, and being the absolute perfect size for the separate AirTag for Ridge Lite accessory to help keep track of it.

If you’ve been spoiled for choice for Ridge wallet designs and colors, the Lite comes strong out the gate with six colorways, including favorites like Gunmetal, Royal Black, Matte Olive, Basecamp Orange, and Lavender, each made from 6061 aluminum and all available at $65 (lower than even the most discounted original Ridge wallet), as well as a premium Carbon Fiber 3k option at $85. All six options also come with a Daily Driver Kit option which pairs the Ridge Lite with its matching Ridge KeyCase.

Like all Ridge products, the Ridge Lite also comes with a lifetime guarantee along with a 99-day risk-free trial to see if it’s the right wallet for you. And if you’re in the market to check it out, each purchase of a Ridge Lite gives you additional entries into the massive Ridge Sweepstakes happening right now. As an added bonus, EverydayCarry.com readers can use code EDC10 on checkout for an additional 10% off on your Ridge Lite order from Ridge.com.

Today, August 12th, marks Aer’s 10th anniversary of being a staple in the carry community. Year after year they’ve iterated, improved, and expanded their collection to be some of the most capable and technical bags you can sling onto your shoulders. Mirroring their 5th anniversary X-Pac capsule, Aer pushes their bags to the limit again with a capsule release in Challenge Sailcloth’s Ultra material, currently the cutting edge of material science and one of the most premium pack fabrics you can purchase today.

As a quick primer, Ultra takes some properties and construction from both X-Pac and Dyneema, using a similar UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) fabric facing as the latter, laminated with an eco-friendly adhesive into a material sandwich like X-Pac. It’s the best of both worlds and sits at the Goldilocks middle of performance and aesthetic, reaping the benefits of X-Pac’s waterproofing and structure (but less rigid) as well as Dyneema’s light weight and crazy tensile strength without the crinkliness and noise. The Ultra400X used in Aer’s collection specifically comes with 400D face Ultra-PE blended with high-tenacity polyester laminated with Ultra-PE CrossPly and a 0.75 mil film backing.

Also like the 5th Anniversary, Aer have chosen to dress their most popular bags and accessories in Ultra, including the Travel Pack 3 ($299), Travel Pack 3 Small ($279), City Pack Pro ($259), Duffel Pack 3 ($229), City Sling 2 ($129), Day Sling 3 ($119), with the Travel Kit 2 ($79) and Hip Belt ($29) as complementary accessories. Other notable upgrades new to the Ultra Collection include new zipper pulls in Hypalon, green interior accents (which is a reference to Aer’s original brand color when they launched), as well as a custom Challenge Sailcloth Ultra logo with the same green pop.

I’ve been fortunate enough to test drive the City Pack Pro and Day Sling 3 from the Ultra Collection the past few months, and I can honestly say the material has become my personal favorite, on top of these two bags already being my favorite Aer models. I’m new to Ultra but I’ve been a fan of X-Pac since the start (incidentally, when Aer first launched their capsule and were one of the few makers with regular stock of X-Pac at the time along with Able Carry), and I’ve had some dabbling with Dyneema, but I think this Ultra400X is a great in-between the two materials. Having my favorites be selected to be dressed in it has been a treat.

I wasn’t there at the start 10 years ago (my first Aer bag was the first Fit Pack), but I’m glad to have experienced the brand grow over the past decade. Here’s to the next 10 years, along with a hope that Ultra becomes a standard option for all their bags moving forward. Happy Anniversary, Aer!

Hot on the heels of the Kickstarted original Ankylo, a more affordable new version joins the ranks with a tough 154CM alternative to the blade steel over its crowdfunded ELMAX-equipped brother. You still get the same chunky 3.18″ reverse tanto profile and aluminum handles (in plain black or frag pattern green), with the unique pivot v-anchor lock holding the beast together. Caged ceramic ball bearings still give it its signature Vosteed fidgetable flick, and a now-reversible clip ensures an ambidextrous carry for all EDCers. The Ankylo 154CM comes in at $129, $40 cheaper than its original iteration, available now from Vosteed direct or Amazon.

Vosteed’s 2024 lineup has been a steady stream of successful slicers, and their latest release is already turning heads as it seeks to be the slimmest knife on the market. The Parallel is the latest design by Vosteed founder Yue Dong, a new crossbar lock design pushing the limits of their manufacturing prowess with some of the thinnest dimensions we’ve seen on a knife. For starters, the Parallel comes with a 2.9″ reverse tanto blade in robust 154CM steel, shaved down to a crazy thin 0.078” (2mm). This rides on caged ceramic ball bearings into an equally thin 0.279″ (7.10mm) titanium handle, which houses the minimal lock, backspacer, and reversible wire clip. As expected, the Parallel tips the scales at a mere 2.29 oz, making it an effortless EDC. The Vosteed Parallel is available now in three colorways for $129 at Vosteed’s site linked above.

Amazon Prime Day is here. Think of it like Black Friday for online shopping at Amazon, but it lasts two full days this year. We also know that historically, the EDC deals—to put it mildly—haven’t been great. But we’re here to help. While there will be tons of deals to sort through in the general sale, we’ll do the hard work of scoping the site (and your other favorite brands) for the best deals on great gear for your everyday carry and posting them in this round-up throughout the entire event.

You’ll need a Prime membership to take advantage of all the savings, so be sure to sign up for a free trial here to shop if you’re not a member already.

As a heads up, many of today’s deals are time-sensitive, and often, the best gear are the ones that get picked for Lightning Deals, so be sure to bookmark this post and refresh often so you won’t miss a steal. Check out all of Amazon’s Prime Day promos at the button below, and scroll further for our curated list of EDC deals of note.

Last updated: 5:30 AM PDT