What is BUDGET EDC? (Rebuilding my whole kit but with a $30 Limit)
This is my interpretation of "Budget", is there a better way to do it than this?
0:00 What is budget EDC?
0:48 Defining a reasonable limit
2:14 Key organizer
Keyport Pivot amzn.to/3TRRmWI
Keyport Pocket Flare amzn.to/4a74nB8
Nite Ize DooHickey
amzn.to/3vgopdw
Wire Keyrings
amzn.to/49aBOBJ
6:49 Wallet
patriotleathergoods.bigcartel...
Gondek EDC
www.gondekedc.com/
Hide and Drink Wallets (Just some examples)
Wallet 1 amzn.to/3Vsw4Qn
Wallet 2 amzn.to/3IQH4Qb
Wallet 3 amzn.to/3Vp4Gmu
Wallet 4 amzn.to/4anD9WI
10:41 Fixed Blade
Demko Armiger 4
demkoknives.com/maxleveledc
on Amazon
amzn.to/4a7P0rZ
Peacemaker 3
amzn.to/4a3izLB
Peacemaker 2
amzn.to/3vf5e3P
15:40 Holsters
My video on Holsters
• Multitool Sheaths. Fin...
17:06 Multitool
Bibury 19 in 1 (use coupons)
amzn.to/493jaeU
Teale Designs Pry
instagram.com/teale_desig...
20:13 Flashlights (all under $30)
Sofirn SC21 amzn.to/3TORhCT
Sofirn SP10 Pro amzn.to/4aqjQw1
Sofirn SC18 amzn.to/3TOf6La
Olight I3T2 amzn.to/3VO4aPh
Olight I1R2 Pro amzn.to/3TsmRoJ
RovyVon A3 Pro amzn.to/3vojW8r
24:04 Folding Knives
Monikala Assault Team
amzn.to/4cqpeRF
Under $30 Master List
amzn.to/3Qy5nFT
27:30 Watches
Vaer Watches
vaer-watches.sjv.io/PyEZ7e
Casio Calculator Watch
amzn.to/43sKAtB
Casio MRW200H-4BV
amzn.to/3TvyJGD
Casio amzn.to/3PuLJuY
31:35 Roundup
A refreshing video on EDC. So many videos have items with outrageous prices. It sometimes seems like some try to get the most expensive items they can find or promote. I keep it simple, elegant and affordable (a relative thing). Just because you can, does not mean you should. Thanks for sharing.
I love to cover budget gear..I should do it more often
Finally, a sensible definition of "budget" that isn't tossing in hundreds of dollars of niche electronics. Even as a tech junkie, I get tired of people trying to position a $400 ReMarkable tablet or something as an "easily affordable must-have".
budget videos are ALWAYS necessary in the current knives/EDC environment. I'm more than willing to drop a couple hundred on a good item I want, but I wouldn't be where I am today without being gifted a budget knife at a young age. the market will point at all the people like us with money to spend and say target them, but we gotta think about the future
Thanks for looking out for the entry-level or those unable/unwilling to spend a lot on the EDC stuff. Cheers 💜👐
Casio F 91W, Coast G10 flashlight, F-301 compact Zebra pen, Victorinox Spartan, 4" Crescent RT24 mini plier, Orbit key organizer, Swiss Card and Buffway minimalist wallet. So far these budget items have survived a year in my EDC and still going. I do like some of your picks :)
Check out the Casio AE1500, W735, DW290
That’s straight up the best breakdown of measuring “budget” I’ve seen. Love it
I also like the idea of equating it to something you really love...a friend I had used to call it his "Ice cream test"
4:00 Friggin' genius! I have been toying with the idea of buying or making some kind of key organizer, but this right here is all I need. Something to keep them together just *a little* more neatly and stop them jangling so much. Thanks so much for this tip!
Glad I could help!
Love your thinking brother I've bought a couple EDC items after I watched your video and you didn't steer me wrong and for that I thank you.
Glad I could help! What did you get??
@@maxlvledcseen the poshland bc-1092 on Amazon?
Have the calculator watch from the large 80s I was called a nerd.😊
great vid mate. Always look forward to the kit vids
Amen, Hide & Drink is awesome! I love their products, and that it’s handmade by folks in Latin America.
I’m with VineClimber when it comes to knives: I don’t want to scare people. I love knives, but if I saw a stranger with a fixed blade in town, it would make me a little nervous. Camping or in the wilderness would be fine.
Some people get nervous really easily I guess.
@@starkparker16I guess!
Where I live everyone carries a 9mm so no one is scared of a knife lol
@@starkparker16 Oh but you know in some places or countries even me with my multitools scared some people. And mostly wemen... I would have loved to see people who enjoys multitools, but no one in my work really enjoys them even if they paid me to get Budget ones.
Vineclimber is the best!
Nice seeing people thinking with a budget in mind.
Incredibly well done video, man. I would go as far as to say the gold standard of EDC vids. Thank you very much, I will be sharing with my friends/family! God bless 💪
wow! that means a lot thanks.
Great suggestions Dom!
This is a wonderful video, Dom. Love it!
You are the best edc KZheadr!! You do great job!
Really enjoyed this video 👍 $30 is definitely the magic number for budget quality EDC !
I've been using the "Willuck 9 in 1 multitool " for a couple weeks. It doesn't have pliers, but has a sizeable scissors/knife blade/saw/file/can, bottle opener/window breaker. $17.65 USD. Doesn't have drivers/or an awl/ or toothpick, tweezer. But i like it because the scissors work great. And then i mostly use the knife & bottle opener. For a bit driver i use the Nitize ratcheting pry tool. If i need pliers i go for the Knipex 4". Enjoyed your video, keep up the great work.
I use clip and carry kydex sheaths for my multipliers. I bought a custom kydex sheath off Etsy for my Gerber StrongArm from-Liberty Tree Glory Days for $40, pancake kydex with Teklok clip. Easy on, easy off. All I need to do is loosen my belt and I can just unclip everything in a second and have an empty belt. Very good for people who may need to squeeze in and out of tight spaces or need to change quickly lol
I have been EDCing a fixed blade knife for the past ten years: a Cold Steel Super Edge, mostly for cutting packing straps, handle down on my belt (with a kevlar thread 'belt loop' on the original sheath) in the 4 o'clock position. Much easier to 'deploy' than a pocket knife and just as legal to carry and 'non-eye-brow-raising'. Something like the CS Peacemaker III - which you just 'made me' put into my shopping cart at Knifestock, thank you very much ; ) - would still be legal to carry in Germany, but would probably shift me in the perception of my colleagues from "quirky" (for all the gear I carry) to "disconcerting".
Lols! Glad I'm not the only one.
I think your thinking is spot on. Am always looking for the best deal and $30 isn't a bad place to start. Please note, the Biburry link didn't work and there isn't a link for the other multitool prybar either.
The Wurkkos ts10 is such a great light, love almost everything about it! Highly recommended!
Dom sold me on one last year. 👍
Nice, common sense video. Well done. I recently acquired the Bibury, and so far, I am quite happy with it. Nothing heavy duty, but common "non-trades" type stuff.
Casio Calculator Watch, The best Watch ever ! I have a few of them. People always tell me about hey dude your Watch is cool 😅 Or hey I had one of these.
I went with a Casio W217H - love the Illuminator backlight, and the simplicity of the display really works for me. I also have a couple of Easy Reader analog designs. They are a bit more than $30, but they are on sale pretty regularly - again the Indiglo backlight was a key selling feature for me. One other bit I would say is that if you keep up with what Sencut knives have been discontinued recently, you can grab some excellent deals. I've picked up several in the $25 range, and using White Mountain Knives means I don't pay tax or shipping on that. WMK also lets you use a 10% discount code from several KZhead knife channels. Oh, and one more, lol. Don't forget some of the slightly older classic great knives. A CJRB Feldspar is still a great knife, as is a Dozier Folding Hunter. If there was a list of, say, the best knives from 2017-2021, those are all still very good options, and more frequently on sale than this year's models.
For Casio recommendations, consider one with "Lap Memory" like the WS2100H. It records the date and time of each stopwatch record.
What’s funny that sometimes regardless of what you make your budget stays the same lol. Sometimes saving money from days when you had to becomes a habit when you don’t need to. Appreciate your budget reviews and that Gordon knife is still my go to. Unless I stumble on the new Icon;)
I once open carried a mora on my belt for a week. I didn't need it for anything in particular, but it was light and good for food prep. If they made a mora with a thinner handle and better sheath I could definitely see carrying it. 😁. If they kept it under 30 they'd sell like hotcakes.
I think with knives I personally wouldn't go at or under $30. But wallets (Chums $10), flashlights (Streamlight 66318 at $19, Fenix E01 V2 ($15), Olight 13TEOS ($18). Multitool for sure, Burberry at around $30 or Victorinox stuff (ie Rambler at $26). But knives -- man I feel like it's worth paying more for especially when it's something kinda related to safety (on 2 fronts, cutting yourself and the never used self-defense). There's so many things that need to go right with a knife and a lot of the cheaper ones don't cover the bases. The Praxis is good value at $30 though but there are much better if you are willing to pay more.
Nah, there are plenty of good quality knifes for under $30, which will serve you good and last you a life time. Cold Steel, Buck Knives, Sencut, CRKT, Mora Kniv... Of course, it depends what are you using them for, but for a light EDC, there really are dozens of very solid choices.
But you can get far better for just a smidge more is my point. Even going through your list I don't think they're ideal. Mora is more for outdoorsy not EDC, not something I'd carry with me in my pocket whether it be the Companion or Eldritch. Buck and Cold Steel I don't dig the way they look, often far bulkier than I like. Sencut is like a worse version of Civivi knives. CRKT are good but again their better knives are a bit more than $30.@@damyr
@@Dracomies I mean, I don't disagree, but still there are plenty of good choices for under $30, especially for light EDC, which is a topic of this video. If it would be $50, then the choice would be even broader, but it isn't. Btw, I've named just a few examples... there are more.
I think you're right for sure. But I'm just saying that where flashlights, diminishing returns hit pretty close to $30 - knives I think go a smidge higher is all I'm saying. It's worth paying a smidge more :P @@damyr
@@Dracomies I agree, but I'd say it still depends of usage and conditions you're living. Like for a light EDC in urban conditions, even a $200 folder wouldn't be much more relevant than a $30 one. For instance... Currently, I'm sporting a Victorinox Spartan. And it's just perfect for me right now, as I truly don't need anything better.
First of all, I really cracked up at a title with Budget in it to then be presented with the Great Wall of Milwaukee backdrop! Love it.. and nice to match a face to the voice I've heard so much lately. I agree that a presenter should set the limit of "Budget" on what would be considered the lowest common denominator with the caveat "your budget may differ based on your personal income" as well as a basic mathematical formula such as your verbal example of (Hourly wage x 3) per Item. As far as your idea for the key system, I think it is a good idea with an outside of the (current) box solution. I wonder if it might be effective with keys such as the Kwikset key blanks to have the steel twisted rope in the middle hole but to go with two bungie cords with one being through each of the outer holes opposite the wire connector? In my mind, they would both hold more securely preventing the raddling/jingling of the keys as well as providing a rebounding of the key that had been used back into the fold. You could easily change the spring torsion by using different sized bungie cords as well as how tightly you tie them. As for non Kwikset styled keys, keys generally being brass, it would not be difficult to to add the extra holes to each side of the original. I've been using a Keybar for about 7 or 8 years now and while I had their Emerson Wave style OHO add on I just didn't care for it so I drilled an additional small hole in the outer layer keys to ad a thumbstud which has worked great. I don't carry the large number of keys I once needed to but you could easily add two of the Keybar OHO tabs to the 2nd layer of each side for easy access as well leaving only more central key layers that you don't use as much to require you to dig for by fanning them all out.
Flashlights, have you checked out the Acebeam Pokelite AA? I just picked one up because it will run on a rechargeable 14500 which is included, but will also work with disposable AA's. My other lights are all either or.
Some links to the aftermarket parts on your Casio would be awesome. I love the look of that watch!
great info
@maxlvledc can you send a link to what band you purchased for the Casio ae1200? I really like that band. Thanks!
The Casio Royal (AE1200WH-1A) is a GOAT!
For the watch I'd go with the casio AE1200. I own every casio you showed and that one wins my wrist the most amd was 22 dollars. Huge screen/digits, dual time, amazing back light and 5 alarms for 22 bucks. Especially great for the visually challenged like myself
It's the GOAT imo
If youre carrying a fixed blade relace the folder with a folding or otf utility knife instead. Workpro button folder for cheapness. Itll get more use than a regular folder or the fixed blade combined
Teal Designs fixed blade utility knives are pretty awesome.
I had a Casio Calculator watch. One time a continuous tone started. I didn't know where it was coming from. At first, I thought it might be a smoke detector. So I checked all of the smoke detectors. No sound from them. Finally, I found the tone was coming from my watch, which I was not wearing at the time. I had to remove the battery to make it stop.
Waiting on that Demko Armiger 4 in Magnacut😎💯
Me too! 😬
Gotta recommend the streamlight microstream rechargeable for right around $30. I wouldn’t even consider replacing it as a compact edc light. It’s tiny, bright and tough.
I just use a Lego Stormtrooper keyring for about $4 at the Lego store.
MarineX made a budget EDC video and used a very similar measurement. Your budget is equivalent to hours of work. So by default that’s two hours of paid labor per item. You can tailor that based on your hourly wage and your more immediate needs. Still it was a good way to put the term “budget” into perspective.
I did 4 at minimum wage but Franky I don't know anyone who has a job with pay that low. Still it's a good metric.
I need to find one of those sheaths in Cordura... Dew, rain and Sweat reak havoc on leather
@maxlvledc got good recommendations on a pocket clip snody boss?
Viperade products are amazing. I love mine
Facts
Based on the title I thought $30 was what you were spending for the whole EDC kit. Now that would be quite the feat. $30 per item with over a dozen items is much greater than I expected but I now understand.
No one buys their whole kit at once unless they are doing some challenge. Adding smaller pieces one at a time makes sense.
Yeah i carry a fixed blade every day so you are not the only one with a fixed blade in there EDC kit..i am rocking the esee xancudo S35VN steel.. and i have a Bradford guardian 3.5 with magnacut on the way...
That's an S-Tier edc fixed blade imo
@@maxlvledc yeah i know but i figured if i was going to purchase a fixed blade might as well make it count... but i am interested in trying out the kansept corvid fixed blade in 14c not the one in S35VN.. do you own that fixed blade? If so is it worth buying??
I would go with the Miguron Talism or Olitans. I prefer smaller folding knives. I really like seeing budget videos and would like to see you do something like that in a store if that would be possible.
Very very hard. I've yet to find an single store that does a good job.
Does the new Roxon Flex work in the sheath? Wasn’t sure if it’s size and ergonomic shape made it not fit for those nice sheaths (granted I know you can condition the leather and get it to stretch out for better fit)
It works in both the large and small slots on my sheaths
@@maxlvledc what about the wurkkos FC11? I’m thinking about getting one of those as my two other 18650 lights are too tactical user interface and have bright hotspots and heard the FC11 has more spill. Just not sure if it’s too thick for some of these sheaths (I know tale of knives offers two different light spot sizes)
Good video . Pleased not to see too many flashlights..😂😂😂
What kind of band do you have on the Casio AE1200?
SKXMOD
If you consider your audience outside of the US, then you can have a quite different perspective. Ty, for all that budget content, it's a lot less "budget" outside of a few richest coutries. Nice job.
What is that clip attaching your car fob to your keys?
For some reason, it is really difficult to get a jetsetter in Australia outside of Amazon. Btw is that one light supposed to be glowing red the whole time?
Yep. It's an aux set of leds. It can be programmed to come in lower or to be turned off.
Nifty.
Are they any flashlights or headlamp that have head that can both tilt up and down and to the right or to the left?
Hmmmm, good question. Not sure.
My collection is heavy. I don’t mind the weight. I consider it budget though not as cheap as some of your entries. I made my own wallet. I also have a small case for extra credit cards. And another case for business cards. One of my three key rings has two leather fobs I made. One is a belt dangler. The other carries the fob for my truck. For edc folding knife I’d recommend the QSP hawk. I’m looking for a multi tool that doesn’t duplicate a Swiss Army knife. My light is a nebo torchy. Another huge discussion area surrounds carrying “boom sticks” on ones person. I recommend the Bersa TPR 380 plus or, if you want more punch in your pew pew, the CZ P01.
Hmm. What about just s dedicated plier as an addition?
@@maxlvledc I just saw one of your other videos with a cool mini-plier; i'm starting to think an all-in-one isn't best for me now...the mini tool "collection" may be better for my needs. (Besides...my cargo pants have a LIIIIITLE bit of room left in them!) 🙂
@@just-dl so many ways to do it, all of them good
@@maxlvledc and the fun is in the figuring it out….
Hello, do you have any recommendations similar to the Leatherman Juice? Thanks
Sadly no, best is sog powerpint atm
have you considered doing a video on knives with a blade length of less than 2.5 inches? some places have that as the legal limit on blade length
In the U.K. a fixed (even a locking folding) blade as an everyday carry are illegal, there are exceptions for work or if camping/bushcraft. I generally stick with a Swiss Army knife, great functionality and acceptable pretty much anywhere!
At least in the US, there are places with a 2.5" length limit. That rules out a standard 91 mm SAK. Like, Chicago, where I am. :-(
I’d renounce my citizenship over that draconian control.
Give me a simple sak spartan, buck 112 lightweight, and a analog Timex watch any day of the week.
For a Sub 30 knife, I found the DURATECH Folding Pocket Knife on Amazon and its pretty decent. Would love your take on it.
Yep, I'm a random channel commenting to you. Hello, lol... I own the wavy g10 DuraTech knife I got for 19$ My own take on mine is its solid, great detent, good lockup, and properly treated steel my only issue is the pivot started walking on me after 5 months (loosening itself) of use some vibratite fixed it right up though! Cheers 🍻
Oo! Thanks for this. Also will check out your channel
@maxlvledc Hey Thanks mate your channel is mentioned a lot, and all of your content is fantastic and well done
In the knife category the Civivi it's a good knife. I pay $29
First comment baby! Your channel is great brother!!
First reply to first comment let’s go!!!
Ty!
Great ideas I carry a fixed blade every day all day so my fancy flippers stay in my pocket where they belong 😊
Thoughts are Maratac/county comm products?
Awesome, they always rock imo
Can you please suggest a torchlight that is sturdy and slim,not rechargeable one and throws a good beam for hunting at night
Hmmm, sounds like you would need something more substantial..I'd go with wurkkos FC12, but it is rechargeable. Otherwise check out the nightcore NH12 which works with 2 aa
@@maxlvledc thank you so much.Is it nh or mh?
That Hogue Ritter looks so much like a Griptilian it's uncanny. Axis lock and all. Thought for a sec maybe it's the same designer, but iirc the Grippy is a Mel Pardue design.
I think this is one of the rare stories where there are several moving parts, but not actually much drama. Pardue sold the Grip design to Benchmade. Ritter worked with BM to put his blade design on their Grip body. Benchmade moved to only sell "Benchmade" knives, not Ritters, or RSK's, or the H&K knives they made at the time. So, Ritter had to find a new OEM for his knife. Hogue stepped in, and the patent had expired on the Axis lock, so Hogue now OEM's the knife. The money Ritter makes from that knife allows him to work full time on knife rights. I've also heard that Ritter and Pardue are friends, and there's no ill will there about the changes or developments of the knife. This is me looking things up and having read about it. I don't know the principals involved, but it makes sense to me.
Wow! Cool histroy.
That’s quite the back drop for a budget video 😂
Hahaha 😅
Where the Demko 4 can be found for less than $ 30 ??? I only found the 2 for that
Ah, that was my standard edc, the Peacemaker 3 was my Budget equivalent
What happened to the Cold Steel and Wurkkos links?
Oh woops! I'll add
Do you know of any flashlights that work as battery banks that charge phones faster than normal (i.e. fast charge)
Not fast charge...it's limited by the battery itself.
@@maxlvledc I thought so thank you for the reply
@@danbaucom np!
I am 62 years old and I don't make a lot of money. But I think a back up phone charging bank would be a good investment in my EDC. What would you recommend?
Budget= $100-200 all in price (sub $100 preferred in the beginning ). At least until you catch the EDC bug.
I think total budget makes zero sense...no one buys all their gear at once.
We need many, many more videos in this category...
There is quite a lot of inexpnsive EDC gear that is more cost effective than high priced stuff. A $30 piece of gear that lasts half as long as sonething that costs $90 is the better choice but in practice it is often just as durable for the use we put it to.
Facts
👍🍻
We have a fb group with 30K members "Budget EDC" the funny thing is us Admins will post knives 200-999 value with all round expensive gear and the Kershaws, Civivis ect. Get many more likes and comments then our high end stuff haha
on the wallet thing, I've never gotten the minimalist thing. my insurance cards alone I have 3, add your bank and credit cards, licence, cash and whatever else you might need and a minimalist wallet is pretty much out of the question.
I can fit up to 15 cards in the leather wallet. If you have that many cards I'd do some consolidating.
Link to teal design pry bar?
Oh right! I'll add
I am a fan of Teale Designs, but I don't think it fits under the $30 threshold.
Facts, that was my personally carry. I covered the $5 doohikey in the earlier part of the video
Leatherman curl update
? What are you referring too?
The bibury is 125 in Australia 😂
Link to pry bar/ bit driver? 🤷🏻
Added
Wonderful level of commentary you attract to your channel. Mostly VERY informed or good "problem solver" type thinkers post here, and very few unwise remarks... H.U.E.O. People. (Heads up, eyes open.)
On my long form vids I have a truly awesome community...short form is a whole other story 😆
I have the watch you mentioned, it's meh, that's my EDC: AE1500WH
Omg , your personal edc has no limit on cost 😲
I mean, I'm going to buy what will work. Even if that means a $200 multitool. BUT I fully admit that it's unnecessary most of the time. Some of the best items in the world are under $30
I carry a custom fixed blade my uncle made. I have used it for years and it is made with D2. I tried a cold Steel and it rolled the edge the first use and they would not replace it. It rolled the edge breaking down a cardboard box at work which my uncles knife has done thousands of times with no issues. Can't trust cold Steel with the piss poor customer service I received.
Yeah after Andrew Demko left, the company kind of went to shit. I don’t know the gritty details of it but I know from skimming the forums that a lot of CS fans were pretty upset. Apparently he was one of three people who were basically behind the creative process on the bigger designs. So them leaving the company basically reworked the people in charge and, well, we all know what happens when a new manager takes over and tries to shake things up but ultimately just fucks up the company.
firearm?
This guy sounds like Louis Ck
Four hours wage isn't a very good metric. The more you earn, the more hours worth of wages. You can spend. Like I don't mind dropping a day's pay on gear and sometimes even a week's salary. If it's an item i really want, but when I was younger and bringing home twenty percent over minimum wage. Dropping a half a day's pay on something o didn't absolutely need. Was totally out of the question. I'd be surprised if people earning minimum wage. Could afford to drop two or three hours pay on a luxury item. The reason there is no definitive answer to what is a budget item. Is everyone's budget varies. We are all on a budget. Just because my budget is higher or lower than yours. Does not mean it isn't a budget. Maybe the top ten percent income earners don't really have a budget. The rest of bringing home five figures to lower six figures are all on a budget..
I disagree. If we are talking something that lasts a week that is one thing...but I still have 5 victorinox tools over 20 years old that are in fantastic condition and fall under the $30 price even now.
The every day man uses gear like this daily... he doesn't wear a rolex to lay bricks or farm.. They keep the pricey stuff like bling for practical folk... some of the gear you have is only for collectors really.
Wierdly the only Rolex wearer I know is an electrician. And it's got crazy Amazing work patina. I'm always in awe of people who genuinely use their tools.
Wtf does "defensive light" even mean?! Is it like assault weapon?
Same as a "tactical" light; quick access to strobe to point in an attackers face.
What I'm referring too is a light with tailswitch that accesses turbo or strobe (tactical is punished in the algorithm)
Oh good grief.
Any cool analog watches with backlight? Headlights under $30?
Any weekender from timex for around $40