Everyday Carry Magazine 01 (EDC Magazine) by edcmagazine

Torches - Knives - Bags - Tools - Destruction Testing

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WHAT'S IN YOUR POCKETS Everything EDC In One Place - High End Gear Reviews OCT / NOV 2018 Â£4.99

Issue 01

Leatherman Special

Do It Yourself Make Your Own Piece Of EDC With Thousands Of Applications!

Gear Reviews We Review New & Old Gear To See How It Performs

Destruction Tests

Of The Best. EDC Knife Guide P82

What Can Your Tools Really Handle!

What's In Your Pockets

Everyday Carry Magazine

CONTENTS Section 1

Every Edition

Intro

Comparing X to Y

Tools Under 20

New

Noteworthy

Multi-use Gear

Readers Pocket Dump

Destruction Test

Sharpen Your Knowledge

Not Quite EDC

Weekend Extra Carry

10 Uses For.....

Competition

Section 2

Gear Reviews

Leatherman Surge

Nitecore HC60

V3 Trifecta

Helikon Tex UTP

Boker Pry Bar

Section 3

Features

Leatherman Modifications

Do It Yourself

EDC Knife Guide

ALWAYS BE READY

76 3

Everyday Carry Magazine

LEATHERMAN

SURGE

Gear Review

Everyday Carry Magazine

Specifications 21 Tools Needle nose pliers Regular Pliers 154CM Replaceable wire cutters Heavy wire cutters Stranded wire cutters Electrical crimp Wire stripper 420HC Knife blade 420HC Serrated knife blade Interchangeable saw Spring action scissors Awl (with thread loop) Can / Bottle opener Wood and metal file Diamond coated file Blade exchanger system Large bit driver 9 inch ruler Small flat head screwdriver Large flat head screwdriver Overall length closed: 11.5 cm Weight: 335 grams

The Leatherman SURGE What an ANIMAL! This is the brute of the Leatherman family. It's built for serious abuse. This tool is aimed at the handy man come survivalist that requires a sturdy, durable and heavy-duty tool for use day in day out. The Surge can easily handle tasks that other Multitools could only dream of. Leatherman have gone the extra mile with the updated Surge. Unlike the older models, it has interchangeable 154CM wire cutters meaning you can cut through those difficult items, such as barbed wire, safe in the knowledge that if they do get damaged you can just take them out and replace them with a new set thus not permanently damaging your multitool. This is not all that is interchangeable though. The Surge, like many other Leathermans, has the bit kit system allowing you to swap out bits for the exact size required. The Surge has a real unique playing card which is that the saw blade can be swapped out allowing you to switch your tool for different uses. For example: a wood blade, metal blade, wood file, metal file, diamond file. Then staying with this unique idea the blade exchanger has a universal securing system which allows you to attach loads of standard jigsaw blades. This opens up a world of useability from steel cutting blades to longer and larger toothed wood saw blades. 5

Everyday Carry Magazine

Construction and Materials This is one powerhouse of a multitool built to withstand all that’s thrown at it, from the 420HC knife blade to the 154CM heavy wire cutters you know you’re getting quality. All tools deploy easily with a solid frame lock on the external tools and a back lock on the inner tools making it beautiful and safe to use.

Durability This is, as I’ve said before, a solid heavy duty Multitool. Upon testing, it vigorously withstood all we threw at it. The Surge is large and in charge but it may be too big and heavy for some. The tool makes up for this by allowing the user to have that extra usability and performance.

Everyday Carry Magazine

Value It comes in at around ÂŁ110 which is in the mid range for Leatherman multitools but you are getting a superb quality tool which at the very least is going to last 25 years (due to their guarantee). Let's be clear, this tool is not for everyone due to its size and weight, but it is for a lot of people. Its uses are incredibly versatile.

The Final Verdict We love the Surge. We love the fact that it will handle everything we can throw at it. The only thing I can see Leatherman improving on is the overall weight although I feel this is a small price to pay for such a brute of a tool. The real selling point for us is the ability to be able to take on multiple daily tasks from small to large with such a small tool. The Surge truly is a toolbox in your pocket!

Rating 10 10 7

Everyday Carry Magazine

Modifications Over the next couple of pages we are going to talk about some small, simple modifications that can be done to your Leatherman Surge (as well as a lot of other multitools) that take no time, are very cheap and easy but bring a whole new dimension to your Surge without making any mechanical modifications to your tool.

Modification 1 Sharpening Rod Rod

This is as easy as it comes. Simply buy a small, cheap, Mini V Crock Stick Sharpener (see image) and remove one of the ceramic rods from its clips. Then place the rod underneath the Surge Scissors (see image above) The ceramic rod will sit there comfortably without affecting any functionality of the scissors or anything else on the Surge. The only thing to remember is to not lose the rod when you are using your scissors but this is a very minor inconvenience to ensure you have the ability to sharpen during hard use of your blades out in the field! This modification costs around £4 and that is for two Lansky rods (one in your Surge and a spare!)

Modification 2 Ferrocerium Rod

This is very similar to Modification 1 but with a Ferro Rod. First of all you will need to source a small blank Ferro Rod. I have found two different size rods that fit in nicely and they are 2.38 x 50.8 mm and a slightly larger and very exact fitting rod of 3.81 x 50.8 mm The small Ferro Rod will fit very easily but is a little brittle, the larger rod fits exactly into the Surge and gives you more strikes. To fit the Ferro Rod into your Surge simply lift the saw blade (blade exchanger) and tuck your Ferro Rod in the small space under the tool. This again makes no difference to the functionality of the blade exchanger or the Surge as a whole but it does bring another huge dimension to your multitool THE ABILITY TO MAKE FIRE! When you want to use your Ferro Rod simply take it out from behind your saw and then use the back of the saw blade as the striker which it is ideal for due to the type of steel and its perfect right angle. This modification costs around £2-£3.

Modification 3 Tinder Fire Wick This modification couples in with modification 2 brilliantly. So you want to make a quick fire, you have no lighter but you do have your Leatherman Surge with your Ferro Rod in! What could be easier than also having tinder that will take a spark very easily and burn for a very long time for its size. The “Baddest Bee Fire Fuses” are brilliant. These are something I have used for a long time with no problems at all. These fire fuses are very small, lightweight, waterproof, inexpensive and very effective. You simply fluff up one end very finely on the fire fuse and it will catch a spark, light very easily and burn for more than long enough to start a fire.

If you look inside your Surge there are two little stoppers (one on each side) that the pliers, when closed, stop on (see image). This is where you can easily tuck a Fire Fuse. Simply tuck the Fire Fuse under this little stopper on the side of the bit exchanger (see image). This will sit here absolutely fine until needed. The fuse does not impede the closing of your tool nor does it get in the way of any tool or locking mechanism (see image). It will slightly mould to the shape needed around the bulk of the plier head and the bit exchanger with no problems at all. Now you have the ability to make a very quick and easy fire whenever needed with just your Surge! This modification costs around £5 for 8 fuses - that's about 60p a fuse.

Modification 4 Fish Hooks This is not for everyone but just for the people who want that little extra 'just in case' gear on them. In the other side of the Surge there is the other little stopper. There is not quite as much room in this side due to the Awl and large Flat Head Drivers but there is more than enough room there to put a pill capsule with a couple of fish hooks in.

Start by finding a pill that comfortably fits in the space and then empty the contents out. Then place a couple of fish hooks (size 5 or below) into the empty pill capsule and press the capsule down into place with something like the back of your file. Slide it slightly under the stopper then close and open your Surge a couple of times to flatten the capsule. After the capsule is flattened and in its found space it will not impede the closing of the pliers - or the opening or closing of any of the tools. This is more of a worst case scenario modification but still worth knowing I think! This modification costs around £1

WELCOME TO THE ALL NEW

Everyday Carry

MAGAZINE We at EDC Magazine want to bring you a very comprehensive, interesting, destruction testing, gear reviewing, informational, interactive Magazine into a very niche but passionate corner of the market for the 21st century person who wants to be prepared for everyday life.

Who are we and why are we doing this? We are a group of very passionate Everyday Carry enthusiasts, have strong links to the publishing industry and well simply there is nothing else out there like it. Everyday Carry is such an important thing in our day to day lives, most people don’t even realise they do it and others like me 20 years ago were going through life just being unprepared for life’s unpredictabilities. EDC for us is about being ready for all of life’s little tests. It simply is the most satisfying feeling when life throws something at you that you weren’t expecting and you're there ready to deal with it while others walk around in blissful ignorance. We are a group from all different walks of life but have all experienced something along the way that has made us stop and think “why would I leave things to chance and luck again when I can just keep a couple of everyday vital items on my person to deal with everyday problems or emergencies!” Whether that was because of working in a hostile environment or just looking after our children/families day to day. We would say the most important thing about EDC is your knowledge and your mind set to everyday life and the potential dangers and problems that come with it. Then comes in the tools that we carry to make things that much bit easier and safer! The bottom line of EDC is… being prepared. In this magazine we are going to show you the best new products available, destruction testing new items and those old tools you have been using for years to see what they can really take in that time of need. We will give you our honest feedback on products by reviewing them through and through - we know that if it’s no good for us then it’s no good for you! We want to hear from you! Send us your EDC pictures, questions, tell us your stories and ask us to review products that really matter to you and we will try our hardest to get this done. So enjoy, give us your feedback and always remember to 10

BE PREPARED. 15 11

Everyday Carry Magazine

Compairing Y ComparingX Xto to Y

Nalgene Stainless Steel Bottle VS Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle

Everyday Carry Magazine

Which water bottle is the best? In the ultimate Stainless Steel water bottle showdown, we put the Nalgene 1,120 ml, wide mouth, stainless steel bottle and the Klean Kanteen 1182ml, wide mouth, stainless steel bottle head-to-head in a rigorous side-by-side showdown! So, I want an everyday water bottle that is durable and has the ability to boil water if I'm out and about somewhere and there is no clean water supply (I like all of my gear to serve multiple purposes!) So I need a well-made steel water bottle that's environmentally friendly, toxin-free, no BPA, phthalates, lead, or other toxins and is going to last through thick and thin! After a lot of research and thought, I came up with the Klean Kanteen 1182ml, wide mouth, stainless steel bottle and the Nalgene 1,120 ml, wide mouth, stainless steel bottle. Both of these products are highly reviewed. They are both capable of boiling water, accepting most water filters, cooking food (in a worst case scenario) as well as being dishwasher safe and having strong lids.

Everyday Carry Magazine

I first got my hands on the Klean Kanteen so I started using it day to day. In the hand it felt strong and light but I quite quickly realised that my water was tasting very metallic. Was that just one of those things using a steel water bottle? I had no idea to be honest so I thought I'll try the Nalgene (which had just arrived) to see if that was the same. First, I thought I would look into the type of steel the two bottles were made out of and found that there wasn’t much in it at all. The Klean is made out of 18/8 stainless steel and the Nalgene is made from 18/10 stainless steel. These numbers relate to the chromium and nickel content in the steel with the first number being the percentage of chromium and the second number being the percentage of nickel in the steel both perfectly fine steels for a water bottle (that didn’t help very much but good to know going forward).

I started using the Nalgene the next day and soon realised that it didn’t taste metallic at all, so that answered my “do all steel water bottles make water taste metallic” question! In the hand the Nalgene feels like it's built like a tank, agreeable a little heavier than the Klean Kanteen (105 grams to be exact) but for the extra durability and wall thickness, I think it's more than worth it. The bottle had no weld running along the length of the bottle, instead the weld was around the top circumference of the bottle. I much preferred this because if you use your bottle to boil water regularly I would be concerned about the weld on the Klean being full length and the weld eventually failing - this would not be the case on the Nalgene. 16

Everyday Carry Magazine

After about a week of having these two bottles I thought I would sit down and compare the rest of the two bottles together. The Nalgene has a brilliant attachment point around the whole neck of the bottle which can be used for attaching the lid (as comes so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never lose the lid), attaching cord to hang from your pack, using twigs to lift in and out of your fire or for using wire to place your bottle over a fire to boil water. The Klean Kanteen only has one place to attach anything and that is via the plastic looped lid. This means there is no way of suspending the bottle easily over a fire because obviously you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep your lid on whilst boiling water. You could just stand both bottles in or next to your fire to boil but I like to have the ability to be able to hang my bottle as well. Also, if in time the plastic looped lid broke there is no other way of carrying the bottle short of a pouch. When it came to cleaning, both bottles were very much the same but the Nalgene just pipped it again because the Klean has the screw thread stamped into the neck of the bottle which can be a bit awkward to clean and is more likely to be a build up point for grime!

So if you want a good size, stainless steel, ultra-durable, able to boil water, everyday or indeed an out and about water bottle go for the NALGENE 1,120 ml wide mouth canteen it is solid and reliable. This simple but very effective water container will be with me for a long time to come!

Tools Under 20 18

Titaner Ti Toothpick

Ready

Around £10.95

Nagao Higonokami Mini Knife

Maxpedit

Around £10.95

These items are all found for £20 or under. If you would like to Image

yman Hostage Escape Card

Around £10.95

tion TCP Triangle Coin Pouch

Around £9.95

HeroClip Carabiner Clip

Around £19.95

Matador Droplet Wet Bag

Around £10.95

have a closer look at the items on this page and can't find them online please contact us. es supplied by Heinnie Haynes.

Gear Review

Everyday Carry Magazine

Nitecore HC60

Nitecore HC60 The Only Light Source You'll Need

The Nitecore HC60 is one of the most versatile and all round brilliant torches around today, let me tell you why!

I am very particular when it comes to what I look for in a torch. I want it all and the HC60

has it all.....

* Durable * Light * Small * Waterproof * Good Throw * Reliable * Compatible with Different Batteries * Rechargeable * Multi Carry & Use Options * Variable light settings with an ultra low, long lasting setting and a blistering high beam that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a 2 minute wonder! 22

Specifications Brightness Levels and Runtimes: Using 1 x 18650 battery Turbo: 1000 lumens - 1 hr runtime High: 420 lumens - 2 hrs 30 mins runtime Mid: 210 lumens - 7 hrs 15 mins runtime Low: 38 lumens - 25 hrs runtime Ultralow: 1 lumen - 680 hrs runtime Using 2 x CR123 batteries Turbo: 1000 lumens - 45 mins runtime High: 420 lumens - 2 hrs 15 mins runtime Mid: 210 lumens - 4 hrs 30 mins runtime Low: 38 lumens - 22 hrs runtime Ultralow: 1 lumen - 340 hrs runtime

Max Output: 1000 lumens Max Beam Distance: 117 m Max Beam Intensity: 3400 cd Reflector: Smooth Battery: 1Ă&#x2014; 18650 or 2 Ă&#x2014; CR123 Length: 79mm / 3.11 inch Head Size: 18.5mm / 0.72 inch Weight: 98.5g / 3.47 oz LED: CREE XM-L2 U2

Plus: Location Beacon, SOS & Strobe mode Waterproof to 1 meter Resistant to impact from up to 1.5 meters Available in cool white or warm neutral white 23

Everyday Carry Magazine

The HC60 comes with a very nice light and comfortable headband with a strong rubber mount that allows the light to be angled up and down 90 degrees making it an easy to use head torch. My HC60 has been well used all throughout the winter months while in woodlands looking for fallen trees to process and use for fire wood back home, it's rugged and hasn't let me down. I mainly use the Low setting of 38 lumens while processing the wood and Mid setting of 210 lumens whilst looking around which works perfectly - I can see whatever I need to with ease. If I need to see further, like a large field, I switch to the 1000 lumen setting. This lights up whatever I'm aiming it at like a Christmas tree. This amazing little torch will stay at this intense beam for a whole hour, after this it will get a little dimmer and will go to the next high setting of 600 lumens (which is my preferred favourite) with a two and a half hour burn time. When wild camping this is my primary light source. It's more than bright enough for anything I throw at it and then whilst relaxing at night reading and as a general night light, it's perfect. For me, one of the HC60's best features is that at 1 lumen it will last for a massive 680 hoursâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś.. That's nearly a whole month of constant light at 1 lumen 24 hours a day for 28 days. This truly appeals to the 'survivalist' in me.

Another reason I think this little monster is one of the best head torches on the market is its ability to convert into a small, compact EDC torch that will fit perfectly in your pocket simply by unscrewing the two end caps and removing the torch from its mount. With all that power and burn time I challenge you to find a more smaller, more versatile, cheaper competitor!

With 5 power settings, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to choose the correct amount of power needed for the task at hand and it remembers what level you were at when you used it last. Double clicking the button from 'off' sets it into its specialist modes. The first mode is a rapid strobe, the second is an SOS pattern and the third setting strobes every 2 seconds for a location beacon.

Everyday Carry Magazine

The maximum beam distance on the HC60 is a good 117m at full power with an extremely wide 100 degree beam angle and a good strong hotspot just over 20 degrees for distance. This makes for a really good all round beam. To keep the HC60 safe while in use, it has a dual cooling system featuring an integrated temperature sensor and intelligent temperature control. This provides safe and stable operation thus extending the life of the LED. After use just take it home, plug in via its built in micro USB port and the innovative charging system ensuring that the power to the battery is terminated automatically once charging is complete. This means you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about damaging your battery with over charging - it's really that simple.

Final Thought This is by far the best head torch I have ever used. Nitecore have excelled in this product. Over the 2 years of owning the HC60 it has never gone wrong - it has held up perfectly in temperatures of 35c down to -9c. Its taken a bashing more times than once and never had a problem. The only one very small gripe I have is the power button located on the front, it is small and sometimes a little tricky to find especially with gloves on but I have got used to it over time. All in all this is an animal of a head torch and I will be waiting in anticipation to see if Nitecore can come up with a new product that is even better.

Rating 8/10

Everyday Carry Magazine

Q&A This page is dedicated to answering any questions from you - our readers. So please feel free to send us any questions you might have regarding a product, what product you would like us to put through a rigorous destruction test, or if it is just a general question please do not hesitate to reach out to us because we want to interact with you as much as we can.

How to contact us: Email: info@edcmagazine.co.uk Facebook: @EverydayCarryMagazine

Gear Review

Everyday Carry Magazine

One Item - A Multitude of Uses V3 Trifector 51

Sleeping Bag Blanket BIVVY Signal Tarp All this in one standalone piece of kit. What more could you want! 27

hroughout my life I’m always looking for better and better gear. Whether it be the better knives, bags, torches, multitools for EDC, camping or even for a worst case scenario, I strive to find the best. A lot of the time the humble sleeping bag is vastly over looked. A sleeping bag is just a sleeping bag right? Wrong! They vary greatly in quality, size and cost. They can be bulky and take up a lot of room - not ideal. So surely there has got to be a better option, something more practical , smaller, lighter, multi-use and maybe even water resistant for those summer nights or a worst case scenario. Introducing the 2Go systems V3 Trifector. This is a clever piece of kit that offers things that its competitors simply can not match. Made from Tyvek 1460C or “Spunbonded Oleffin” with water resistant zipper. Tyvek 1460C blocks 98% of the suns ultraviolet rays, it is ultra soft, tear resistant, water resistant and breathable!

What makes the V3 Trifector stand out from the crowd is it can be used for so many application and emergency situations such as: * Thermal Sleeping Bag * Tarp * Thermal BIVVY * Emergence Signalling Device * Thermal Blanket * A Cooling Blanket (by turning inside out to reflect the suns rays) * Thermal Sleeping Bag (within a traditional sleeping bag) The V3 has 9 tie-down loops (3 on each edge and 3 running down the centre) that allows shock cord or paracord to be attached allowing you to string it up in plenty of different configurations.

he first things you notice abo weight. It comes tightly wrapped in inches. It literally takes up minima This means that you can store thi boot of your car, in your go bag an pocket if you so wished. So bang g big heavy sleeping bag to your bac just out on the trail and want to ta option!

The measurements for the BIVVY c and 71 by 88 inches in its tarp/blan So to use it, you just pull it out and Now the first thing I thought was, " it's going to rip" but to my surprise durable. For this test we laid it dow with rough sticks and fallen debre The actual maximum tensile stren pounds.

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Final Thoughts

This, in my opinion, is the way for very cold environments or out for just love how it does what it says i little bag will adapt for whatever yo leaders in this field and have devel exceptional quality, even down to with waterproof tape. I would now always choose to have EDC bag - it's there for when you're just want something to sit down o floor. We at EDC magazine are so exited products (other reviews to follow) about ways to camp out. They give something to think about and mak products to come! To view all of th

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Gear Review

Everyday Carry Magazine

he days are getting shorter and colder this time of year so you want a good pair of trousers to carry all your vital EDC gear throughout the winter months. Your everyday trousers also need to be strong, hard wearing, quick drying and able to comfortably and effectively carry your EDC.

The answer is the

HELIKON UTP

The Helikon Tex UTP have all the EDC versatility youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need and then someâ&#x20AC;Ś. The Ripstop UTP (Urban Tactical Pants) have been fantastically thought out and designed for the amount of items they can carry and especially for the wearers comfort while the pockets are fully loaded. We truly are shocked at the amount these trousers can comfortably and covertly carry on a daily basis by using a brilliant layout of the pockets. Your equipment can be placed close to the centre of mass around the hips and waist, and it fits in with the natural contours of the human body perfectly. The UTP have a velcro waist fastener for additional adjustment, elastic in the rear of the waist band (for comfort whilst actively moving) and YKK zippers all round. The material used is strong, light and slightly stretchy: 60% Cotton, 37% Polyester, 3% Elastane. The trousers also feature profiled front and rear parts of leg around the knees. The front of the knee is additionally strengthened by two layers of material and these two layers create an internal pocket for knee padding to be fitted if needed. These characteristics ensure freedom of movement and help limit rising trouser legs whilst crouching or kneeling. 32

Two Front Hand Pockets You would say these pockets are standard and simple but they're not. They are both reinforced with a double layer of material along the opening seam of the pocket so knife and torch clips etc donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wear away the edge of the material. They are a nice deep pocket aligned around the velcro pockets on the front of the thigh, so when they are both loaded they do not clash together.

Two Large Thigh Zipped Pockets These two zipped pockets are fitted with reverse YKK zippers. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look large or protruding because they are cleverly designed to look flat but they expand to hold a lot of larger gear - like battery packs, wallets or pouches.

Two Front Thigh Velcro Secured Pockets These two left and right velcro closing thigh pockets are brilliant for holding your phone or multi-tool sized tools, meaning you don't have to worry about them until they are needed.

Internal Front Low Profile Pockets These two pockets are designed for holding pistol mags discreetly so that gives you an idea of the size of these pockets. When we first saw these pockets we thought they might be uncomfortable and a bit in the way but we were wrong. Once again, Helikon have placed these two small pockets in the right place and at the right angle for them to store smaller items comfortably and securely.

Rear Seat Pockets These two rear seat pockets are very large and wrap around the buttocks so not to be uncomfortable when sitting down. You can easily fit a 500ml bottle of water or an iPad mini into these pockets with space for more (I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend sitting down with an iPad mini in the back pocket though!)

Rear Seat Pocket Inside A Pocket Inside and just slightly above both of the rear seat pockets is a thin and long slip pocket for a torch, pen or pry bar size tool. Their depth may be adapted by sewing them at a certain height or by unstitching pleats to make them longer.

Everyday Carry Magazine

That's 12 different size pockets for all your Everyday Carry essentials in a pair of lightweight, durable and good looking trousers. We honestly can’t get over how well designed these trousers are. The pockets are so fantastically designed around the bodies natural ergonomics for brilliant comfort and capacity. The amount of gear you can comfortably carry in these trousers is phenomenal! Seven large belt loops all around allow wide belts up to 50mm and two key loops above the hand pockets allow for keyring, d-ring or karabiner attachment. We really like that your most important tools are always easily at hand but secure enough that you don’t have to worry about loosing them. The only one small problem with the UTP is colour fade but this isn’t because Helicon have skimmed a corner, it’s due to the Ripstop material being notoriously hard to dye because it is a hard wearing, man made, synthetic material. The UTP come in 11 different colours, a long and regular leg fitting, and three different types of material - Ripstop / Canvas / Denim. In short, what we truly love about these trousers is there is no need for that extra EDC organiser or 'man bag'. They are like a well designed EDC bag with all the organisation and capacity that fit perfectly into your everyday life with no fuss and for a good price!

Price around: £60

New Noteworthy

Everyday Carry Magazine

Titanium Capsule Lighter The bullet form Heinnie Haynes® Titanium Capsule Lighter is CNC machined from one billet of high quality sandblasted Titanium with 2mm thick walls. It is completely corrosion free, unbelievably strong and totally waterproof. It has a deep screwing lid with a waterproof 'o' ring seal and the ‘H’ logo lasered into the bottom. This version of the capsule has a flint lighter mechanism included. On your next camp out wear one of these round your neck and you’ll be the go to fire lighter.

£42.95

£24.95

Don't be fooled by it's diminutive appearance, this little lighting powerhouse features a cool white 550 lumen beam. It doesn't lack in functionality either. With the addition of a belt, pocket, webbing clip and a magnetised end it is ideally suited to throw a beam from any angle and into any corner. Made from aircraft grade premium type III hard-anodised aluminium with an anti-abrasive finish and with a Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating. The battery chamber is also 'o' ring sealed so is waterproof to 2 metres. The 550 lumen strobe is a handy feature too. When engaged it is a debilitating tool. There are also three other levels of power for close work.

Manker E04 Images and text supplied by HH

Everyday Carry Magazine

SOG PowerAccess Deluxe The latest and greatest addition to the PowerAccess multi-tool family, the PowerAccess Deluxe has 20 tools, the most of any SOG product to date. In addition the Deluxe features the compound leverage that you know and love, for the most possible strength. And if that wasn't enough, it comes with a magnetic hex bit holder that's fully compatible with the SOG hex bit kit.

ÂŁ27.95

The Nitecore TINI is a mini key ring size torch with the added benefit of being rechargeable. The TINI weighs in at only 13.4 grams and fits perfectly onto a key ring so it's with you when you need it most. A built-in high capacity 280mAh Li-ion battery can run for up to 60 hours, charges via micro-usb and boasts a maximum output of 380 lumens. A textured reflector and lens provides a uniformed and soft lighting affect. Turbo: 380 Lumens - 15 minute runtime High: 145 Lumens 1 hour runtime Mid: 38 Lumens - 4 hour runtime Low: 1 Lumen - 60 hour runtime

Nitecore Tini 38

ÂŁ83.95

Everyday Carry Magazine

Matador Mini Pocket Blanket Minimalism at its best, this mini version of the Matador Pocket Blanket is even more compact. Water repellant and puncture resistant, it’s perfect for sitting without getting dirty. Enjoy lunch on a solo hike, read a book at the park, or take a seat at the top of a mountain. Wherever your adventures take you, you’ll never be without a place to relax.

£4.95

£27.95 Gather all your keys into one place and connect them to yourself securely via a magnet that has a 1.3kg breaking strain. Four reasons you need one in your life: • You won't need to deal with painful keyrings. • Easily connect your car keyfob in seconds. • You can remove your lock knife before venturing into public. • Hang your keys from any metallic surface.

KeySmart MagConnect Images and text supplied by HH

Everyday Carry Magazine

Nitecore LC10 Charger Power Bank The Nitecore LC10 is an extremely lightweight, portable battery charger, featuring magnetic 'tabs' which attached to either end of a Li-ion/IMR battery. The charger is compatible with a range of power sources, including solar panels, car charging adapters, power banks and PCs or laptops. As it can be used with a variety of devices, the LC10 can be used at home, work or when you are on the go. The Nitcore LC10 also serves as a power bank, charging devices such as torches, headlamp, cameras and phones. In addition, the charger comes with a lightning adapter allowing it to be used with iOS devices.

ÂŁ49.95

The magnetic charging tabs intelligenty identify the positive and negative end of the battery, ensuring no confusion when setting it up. The LC10 has a charging current up to 1A.

ÂŁ19.95

When you factor in power to size to price ratios the Manker T02 with Cool White beam is one of the best. At just 10.5cm long with a maximum output of 1500 lumens this little torch is a beast. It has a flattened body shape which fits more naturally in the hand and makes operating the function button with the thumb very straight forward. The deep, smooth reflector means that the beam will throw to around 211 metres on turbo mode and the strobe at the same 1500 lumen output delivers a debilitating light display. The other levels of output ensure the light can be used for any number of other jobs with its moonlight setting and other four modes.

Manker T02 Cool White Images and text supplied by HH

Everyday Carry Magazine

Trayvax Element Metal The Trayvax Element is an all-American classic take on the classic leather wallet. This beauty oozes quality. From the chunky 2.5mm stainless steel plate which forms the backbone of this wallet, to the top-grain, oil-tanned leather which encloses your cards, you’ll know that you own something special. The leather is secured to the steel with a length of MIL-SPEC paracord, very well finished off. It’s supplied with instructions on how to mould the leather to the shape of the cards in your EDC. It’ll comfortably carry between one and five bank cards and up to five bank notes held in place on the internal money clip. Of course, no American classic would be complete without a bottle opener, and there’s one built in to the structure of the backbone of this wallet.

£287.95

£51.95 The Nitecore TM10K flashlight has an incredible maximum output of 10,000 lumens from the 6 x Cree XHP35 HD LED and is powered by a built-in, rechargeable 21700 Li-ion battery. Initially Nitecore thought of an IMR 18650 to power the TM10K, however they turned their attention to the 21700, originally designed for electric cars and featuring a higher performance and larger capacity. Brightness Levels: Turbo: 10,000 lumens (The Turbo mode will produce extreme heat during long time activation and is therefore preset to be limited to no more than 7 seconds per activation.) High: 1000 lumens - 2 hrs runtime (The High mode is customisable between 400 and 2000 lumens; the default is 1000 lumens.) Mid: 300 lumens - 7 hrs runtime Low: 100 lumens - 14 hrs runtime 41 Ultralow: 3 lumens - 200 hrs runtime

Nitecore TM10K

Everyday Carry Magazine

Multi-Use Gear

T SO MUCH FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL SPECS Length: 4.3 inches Weight: 0.70 oz Material: Black Hard Anodised Aluminium

PRICE: Around £20 WHAT IS IT? The SOG flint is a compact 5 in one tool. It kicks arse even though it’s the size of a pencil and is just slightly heavier than one. Its got a slick, black finish with all the curves in the right places and it fits comfortably in your hand ready for the tasks it's needed for. 42

Everyday Carry Magazine

WHO IS IT FOR? This is for the person who wants to be prepared for the worst possible situation whilst carrying a minimalist tool that’s rugged and durable down to the last detail. Let’s be clear about this though, this tool has been designed for when the proverbial hits the fan and you need to attract attention, keep warm, get out of somewhere quickly or fend off an attacker. This is for someone who needs help in a serious situation and the SOG flint does this well in such a tiny package.

The SOG Flint WHAT DOES IT DO? The main features of this clever little bit of kit are as follows: • High pitched whistle to attract attention • Ferro rod and striker to really get the sparks flying • Tinder box for getting things fired up • Glass breaker for escaping shite situations • The whole thing as a self-defence tool that can be used like a kubatan What a whistle! It is incredibly loud and high pitched. If you were stranded and needed to be heard, this will do it. You can signal with it and could easily be heard a mile away. The Ferro Rod and striker give good strong sparks which allows you to get enough on to your tinder to ignite. A really nice touch with the SOG flint is that the screwing parts are all sealed with O-rings making it completely waterproof, so you know that if it's pouring down with rain, gets dropped in water or any other similar situations your tinder is always going to be bone dry and ready to go. The tinder box is a nice simple feature which is suitable for different types tinder such as cotton wool / steel wool / lint etc. 43

Everyday Carry Magazine

The glass breaker is an awesome powerful feature. The reason for this, I believe, is in the design you can wrap your hand around the flint in a comfortable grip due to the good positioning of the groves. This means you can generate a massive driving force into the point of the glass breaker. Making a huge impact on such a tiny surface area is the trick to the SOG flint's glass-breaking ability. It can also be used as a self defense weapon. If we look at this in its simplest form, the SOG flint is going to be useful for someone to fend off an attacker. For example, jabbing it into someone who is trying to hurt you is going to cause them a significant amount of pain due to the small area on the glass breaker's tip. It's beautifully light and strong so could be used by literally anyone in a bad situation.

Everyday Carry Magazine

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE SOG FLINT My thoughts are - what a brilliant little multi-use tool for the money and size to help you when and if you ever need it. SOG have made some good products but we feel this is one of their best. It combines all the stuff that you need in a bad situation in one compact, smaller than a pencil sized tool. Yes, you could argue that you could get better results with separate larger items, such as a large fire starter and a large whistle, but it's important to remember what this is forâ&#x20AC;Ś. a bad situation at a spare of the moment scenario! You could carry all that stuff in your pockets or bags (and you probably do because you know that your planning on using them) but remember this tool can be carried around with you in your pocket, on your keys or in your car everyday. It's small, light and it's not going to get in the way. The SOG flint is ultimately preparing you to deal with a bad situation making it, hopefully, a more manageable one.

Rating 9/10

Pocket Dump

Everyday Carry Magazine

Readers Eve Luke - Essex UK

Simon - Lincolnshire UK

• BeeHanks Custom Caddy Wallet

• Leatherman Wave

• Leatherman Signal REI Edition

• Victorinox Swiss Champ

• Victorinox Huntsman

• Victorinox Gentleman's Knife • Victorinox Jelly

• ESSE BRK-R1

• Gerber Shard

• Maxpedition Compact Admin Pouch

• Spyderco Bug

• Anker Power Pack + Cables

• Spyderco UKPK in CTS BD1 • Olight S1R

• Darth Vader Wallet

• Elite EDC Moral Patch

• Tactical Pen

• Beard Comb

• Apple i-Pod

• Ti Straw

• Penlite (aaa)

• Sea to Summit Ti Spork

• Ultrafire cree Rechargeable Torch

• Casio Watch

• Pocket Diamond Sharpening Rod

ALWAYS BE READY

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eryDay Carry Shawn - USA

Rich - Suffolk UK

• CRKT NOBO (not in image) • 40oz Hydro Flask (not in image) • KA-BAR Turok • TWO SUNS night morning design Tanto • CRKT Batum • Benchmade Contego • Ruike P108-AN • Kershaw Bevy • Leatherman Surge • S&W 9mm Shield • Purple Note Book • Hankenstein Green Hank • Sammi JJ Gladrags Blackish bank • Klaurs GL20 • Fenix HP12 • Hand made sheath for crkt nobo

• Hank by Beehanks • Flyaway Toys Lego Spinner • Beehanks EDC Caddy • Olight S Mini Baton • Messograf Pen and Mechanical Pencil • EDC Cooperative Darkstar Notebook • Minh Prybar • Black Oak Edition Opinel • 'Cigar' Holder (yeh ok knuck) by Anchor Down Iron Works • Keybar with a homemade flipper blade • Tie-fighter Card Wallet by Scorpion EDC • Leatherman Tread • Casio G-Shock

ALWAYS BE READY

Everyday Carry Magazine

Readers Eve Stig - Essex UK

Res - Southport UK

• Firefly Pickle Rick Hank

• Victorinox Cadet ltd 2018

• Knucklehead Mech Mod for Vaping

• Northwoods Fremont Jack Red Linen Micarta

• Leatherman Skeletool cx

• Peter Atwoods Keyton Tool

• ZT0095

• Fisher Space Pen Chrome Bullet

• Skagen Pen

• Latitude 43 Stay Wild Patch

• Olight S1R Baton

• The SAK Collector- #SAKARMY Wooden Patch Series 2

• Citizen eco Drive Watch (not in image)

• Creations Unknown Stealth Buddy

ALWAYS BE READY

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eryDay Carry Simon - Coventry UK • TAD OP1 Bag • TAD Emerson Super Commander • Olight S1Mini in Rainbow Titanium • Koch NotchXL Pry Bar with Lanyard • Tekiti One Dragon pen • 1oz solid silver spinning coin • Worry Coin with Tekiti Case • Star Hank

Geoff - The Fens UK • Keys • Whistle • Nite Tritium • Uncle Bills Silver Grippers • Petrol Clipper • Custom Bushcraft SAK • DC4 Custom Strop Pocket By Franci Lawrence • Buckeye Koidak Pouch By Toby Hobby • Olight Nova warm • Burts Bees • Ceramic Scraper and Ferro Rod • Live Fire Tinder • Spare Button Cell for Petzl • Mini Driver • Ear Plugs • Petzl elite • Superglue • FAK with Leatherman Micra • Leather Journal with Cross Pen • Ben Orford Nomad Folder • Garmin Fenix 3 • Leather Minimalist Wallet by Ron Swanson • Wool Buff

ALWAYS BE READY

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Readers Eve Mihai - Norfolk UK

Graham - Suffolk UK

• Spyderco Pingo

• UK Legal SAK ALOX Cadet

• Spyderco Bug • Orange Victorinox Lanyard • Leatherman Juice S2 • Eagletac D25 • Nitecore Tip

• Custom Leather Slip by Joe Miller

• Olight S1R Baton

• Casio Protrek 270 prg • EDC Coop Hank (not in image) • Samsung S6 (not in image) • Leather Card Holder / Wallet

• “The patch money can’t buy” EDC CoOperative

ALWAYS BE READY

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eryDay Carry Liam - Manchester UK

Scott - County Durham UK

• CRKT Liong Mai Slip Joint Knife - HH Red Edition

• Leatherman Charge AL, customised with

• Schrade Pen

Copper Scales and Titanium Screws

• Olight Mini Torch

• Tinder Card

• Coast HP3R Pen Light

• Leatherman S1 Torch • Hazard 4 Badger ID Holder

• KA-BAR Spork

• Beehanks Caddy • Fire Steel • Leatherman Juice CS3 • Mini Bottle Opener • EDC Co-operative Poker Chip

• Fisher Space Pen • Titaner Toothpick

• Slip Joint Collectors U.K. Gold Coin

• Custom made Copper and Titanium Key

• Beard & Owl Hank (slip joint collector embossed)

Holder with a Barefoot Humble Bead

ALWAYS BE READY

Everyday Carry Magazine

Destruction Test

Everyday Carry Magazine

LEATHERMAN SURGE DESTRUCTION AND HARD USE TEST

Everyday Carry Magazine

LEATHERMAN SURGE DESTRUCTION AND HARD USE TEST Here at EDC Magazine, we love the Surge. We like the look, practicality and its all round ability to get stuff done. This got us thinking….. How far can you actually push a Surge? At what point is it actually going to say enough is enough and break? All of us own a Surge and constantly wonder how far we can go to push the boundaries of this beast, so we decided to create the ultimate test.

Before We Start

The Leatherman Surge is not designed for a couple of the tasks that we put it through but this is just a testament to the quality of this tool.

Test 1: The "Wire” Cutters

The Surge has got chunky replaceable cutters at the base of the pliers. In the past I’ve used these to cut through dense wire with no struggle so we planned a series of tests to see how far we could push these little (In comparison) wire cutters. It went through the following like butter: 2mm thick strimmer cord 2mm steel cable 7mm mains wire 12mm mains wire Standard chain link fence

This wasn’t even really a challenge for the Surge…. So we put up the ante. We then put through two different kinds of bike lock - the first being a standard small bike chain and this wasn’t an issue at all. Then, a multi strand steel bike lock. Two cuts and it was through!

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2mm thick industrial strimmer wire.

Cut through and could not have been easier.

7mm thick mains wire.

Cut through with no problems at all.

Standard small bike lock chain.

Clipped through this with ease.

2mm thick steel cable.

Cut through like it wasn't there, no jamming at all.

12mm thick mains cable with 13 cores.

Cut through easily with a little rubber sheath just needing an extra cut.

Multi strand steel bike lock (standard cable bike lock)

Two cuts to get through this one with quite heavy pressure.

Everyday Carry Magazine

t was at this point we realised how much abuse this thing could take. So we tried a 4mm thick galvanised nail but there was a problem - none of us had the strength to crush it through the nail, so luckily the vice stepped in and saved the day. As we wound the vice up tighter and tighter, the Surge started to bend slightly and we were sure it was going to break. Still, tighter we went and then, sure enough, a ping sound! To our amazement the nail was cut in half! We were stunned. Not only had it gone through, there was hardly any visible damage to the cutting blades - just a tiny bit of burring. At this point we were satisfied that the Surge's cutters were quite simply staggering.

Test 2: Knife Blade

The Surge arrived with a sharp edge but we gave it a little work to make it razor sharp before we started this test. We started off with some light whittling and quickly decided we needed something more challenging. So, taking a piece of 15mm mains wire, we sliced it like you would a stick. It cut deep into the cable, then with another cut it went through fine (bearing in mind this cable was a 13 core cable with one of them being a chunky earth wire) so, again, we upped the ante. Taking a piece of solid seasoned oak, we put the blade through a battening test. To our shock the blade went through ok, alas upon inspection of the blade we found that we had put a small chip in the fine edge (not really that surprising considering it was two year dried oak, we went through a knot and the blade is only a couple of mm thick!) We had also bent the locking mechanism quite badly but after a little bending back of the frame lock, the knife blade was weakened but back in the game. We then drove the blade two thirds down into a piece of oak with a hammer. Then, with difficulty, pulled it back out to find the blade was exactly the same as when it went in. Then, we stabbed the knife tip into a flattened piece of copper pipe repeatedly. This only slightly burred the very fine tip of blade.

Test 3: Saw Blade

The saw blade is only 62mm long but if it came down to it, how thick of a log could you cut? Again, out came the seasoned oak log - it was 5 inches thick! It took us taking it in turns but we got through it in 12 minutes. This just proves that in a shite situation you can achieve a lot with a little.

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Test 4: Flat Head Driver I've always been interested in what this overlooked little tool could be used for. One job I have always used it for is a small pry bar, but how much pressure would be too much? We took 5 large horse shoe nails and drove them into a thick piece of oak with a hammer, leaving just enough room to insert the flat blade.

Using some slow but really strong pressure, the flat blade pulled them out with the utmost ease. We were adamant that this would brake the lock because of the amount of pressure going straight through the locking mechanism in an unintended fashion! This just showed us that the blade and lock could withstand a lot, so yes, you guessed it - we upped the ante! Taking a 1200mm bolt, winding it in really hard with a large spanner about 3 inches into a piece of 4 by 2 timber, then cutting a deep flat groove into the bolt head (to allow the flat head driver to be seated into it perfectly) it was time to test it out properly. All of us were thinking that the shear torc of it would just bend and brake the flat head driver. Again, to our utter amazement, it didn't. Putting my body weight behind it and all of my grip strength to get it going, it slowly movedâ&#x20AC;Ś.. then a bit more and so on. The Surge twisted slightly but just kept going until it was free. Incredible. The only damage this caused was a slight twisting of the head of the driver steal - probably where I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have it in the groove properly at some point. Finally, we wanted to see if it could take being used as a small chisel. So, taking a mallet and resting the flat blade driver onto a piece of 2 by 4, we used away. It went in easily and worked fine as a quick fix chisel. After struggling to remove it there was no extra damage to the flat head at all.

Everyday Carry Magazine

Test 5: Awl

After all the results, and feeling quite confident with ourselves, the Awl took a hammering. We took a piece of the 4 by 2 timber and drilled a hole in it - this took under a minute. We slammed it into different timbers and the result was always the same no damage. I am very confident that this could easily be used as an escape tool going through glass in a car or a double glazed window.

Test 6: Hammer

That's right, hammer test. I know there isn’t a hammer on the Surge but haven't you always wondered if they could be used as one? We have! So gloves on and sledge hammer fetched. First, we started with an engineering brick. I held the Surge in my hand, closed with the plier head facing down, like a pommel, then began to repeatedly hit the brick harder and harder. It took quite a few really hard hits to brake the brick due to it being so hard but what damage do you think the Leatherman sustained? Nothing that's right! Just a bit of brick dust mashed into the end. We then took the sledge hammer and placed the Surge on another larger brick braced with a long pair of grippers. Then, whack! One hit with the sledge hammer and the brick had broken in half. We then repeated this 4 more times to make sure it wasn’t a fluke - it wasn’t! Final, we moved onto some 3 1/2 inch thick concrete flooring. Again, closed with the plier head down, we started to hit the top nice and flat but hard. After 3 hits the Leatherman had punched through the concrete. After all that, the only thing wrong with the Leatherman Surge was that it was dirty! No damage was sustained to any part of the tool. So that's that. The Surge can definitely be used as a hammer if there isn’t a real one about!

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Test 7: The Overall Strength Test

We realised that we were dealing with a tool that simply did not want to die, so it was time to bring out the big guns. So we put the Surge underneath a skip (half filled with hard core) with the plier head facing up and then jumped on it! IT DIDN'T MOVE!! So again, we jumped. This time the skip moved a little which resulted in the Surge falling over and being crushed by the hard steel corner of the skip! Ouch. That's that we thought but….. NOTHING, not even a scratch! "So what's worse than that?" we thought (we didn’t expect to be at this point) We need a game changer. So we made a small vice out of a couple of planks of wood, sandwiched them together and screwed it up tight around the Surge with the pliers open and facing up. “Here we go, this is going to destroy it” we all thought! We placed the Surge in its stand under an open upstairs window, then took 45KG OF SOLID OAK up to the window and dropped it straight onto the pointing up head of the pliers……BANG….. Done! But no, take a look at the pictures to see what happened….. It just took it, stuck into the oak solidly by a good inch. “ WHAT ARE THESE THINGS MADE OF?” we all thought, we couldn’t believe it. We then pried out the head of the pliers with a hammer and we had done it. One side of the plier heads had broken off inside the log. Whether we did this when we were prying them out or if it had happened on impact that was all that was wrong with them. The pliers still folded away and opened up fine and there were no other broken tools or mechanisms.

Everyday Carry Magazine

After Six Hours

So we had spent 6 hours hard-use testing and then trying to destroy the Leatherman Surge and all we had done is: • Brake one head of the pliers off. • Bend the knife frame lock. • Put a couple of small scratches on it. • Put a small bend in the head of the large flat head driver. • Take the fine edge off the main blade. After all this we felt quite defeated. So, what's one last ridiculous thing we can do to the Surge that would never normally happen to it? How about put it in a 300 fire for a couple of minutes! We put the tool straight on top of the coal and wood embers inside a log burner for 2 minutes (1 minute a side), took it out, let it cool on a plank of scorched wood for a while and you guessed it - it had no damage! Just a couple of scorch lines!!

So a massive salute to the never ending, multi-use tool that is the Surge. Unbelievable!

Sharpen Your Knowledge

Everyday Carry Magazine

HOW TO USE AN ANALOG WATCH AS A COMPASS!!! SOUTH

NORTH

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

You can use a watch to determine general direction by pointing the hour hand at the Sun. The midway point between the 12 o'clock position and the hour hand is South.

NORTH

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

In the Southern Hemisphere, point the 12 o'clock position at the Sun. North is then halfway between the Sun and the hour hand. SOUTH

You must account for Daylight Savings Time by subtracting an hour.

Everyday Carry Magazine

Not Quite EDC

Not Quite EDC, the clue is in the title! This is gear that most of us wouldn't normally carry around with us day to day but has fantastic application for a Saturday out in the woods with the kids, for instance! If it's processing wood for a fire, making a shelter or just taking the tops off those trees in the garden, the Fiskars X5 will do it all.

Specifications • Brand: Fiskars • Type of axe: Small hand axe • Axe head weight: 390 grams • Weight: 480 grams • Overall length: 22.8 cm • Handle length: 17.8 cm • Material handle: Fibreglass reinforced plastic 64

• Axe head length: 12.4 cm • Axe head thickness: 1.4 cm • Steel of the axe head: Carbon Steel • Blade length: 6.9 cm • Axe head finish: PTFE coating • Sheath: Yes • Sheath Material: Plastic with lock • Country of origin: Finland • Warranty: Lifetime

Ev ve e rr y yd da ay y C Ca a rr rr y y M Ma ag ga az z ii n ne e E

The Fiskars X5 is an amazing mini hatchet. It's got more power than a bare knuckle boxer! The first thing that strikes you about the X5 is its small size which comes in at just over 22cm and its complete weight of 480 grams. Don’t let this fool you, this little hatchet packs an incredible punch! This is a versatile lightweight hatchet which fits in any pack or clips on any belt. It can be used by anyone who is into the great outdoors, camping, bushcraft, any kind of fire building and around your garden in general. It can also be used as a pummel for knocking things in such as tent pegs or posts. It will take down things as small as twigs and up to 8 inch tree’s with no problem. Due to its size and sharpness it could even be used for food prep if need be.

The Test I come from a background of being a tree surgeon, so in my time I have learnt a few things about axes and hatchets in general. At one point in my life I used to process 4 tons a day…. by hand! When I first looked at the X5 my first thoughts were, really? It's so small and light how am I going to get enough force through it to cut? But I have learnt in life things are not always as they seem. So I picked it up to look at the head of it and it was razor sharp, so much so I could shave hair off my arm with it! I found a coppice in the woods and selected a 7inch piece of sweet chestnut (hardwood) I took my first swing. The weight is all on the axe head and the handle is completely hollow. This allows all the force to go down the shaft, driving into the head. The result was the X5 dug itself in a good 3inches. I was impressed. Again, I drove it into the branch the other way to form my opening and the X5 took a huge chunk out of it with ease. I worked my way around to the other side and with 3 more strikes, the branch was felled. This little hatchet does more than a lot of larger axes I’ve used.

Everyday Carry Magazine

Once the branch was on the ground, I started to process the fire wood with absolute ease. I found that with prolonged use my arm wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even tired due to it being so lightweight. The feeling you get is that the X5 becomes an extension of your hand, which allows you to buck limbs, chop firewood and process it quickly and efficiently. After a good hour and a half of chopping, incredibly the little brute was still razor sharp. The handle will be the first thing to put off a lot of the hardcore traditionalist but I promise you will not be put off once you start using it! The FiberComp handle is stronger than a wooden handle and where a wooden handle fails and breaks, the FiberComp handle can keep going without a problem. Couple this with the hollow FiberComp shaft being a fantastic shock absorber, you really will enjoy using this little hatchet. The axe head is also integrated into the handle and will not come off the stem under hard use conditions!

Everyday Carry Magazine

Final thoughts of the Fiskars X5 The tiny little hatchet is incredible. Fiskars have really thought about this little hatchet carefully, even down to the colouring of the handle being bright orange so you can easily find it on the forest floor. The balancing is spot on, allowing each strike to land accurately with the full force of your swing. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve thought about the people who will be using it even down to the lanyard hole in the handle and the belt attachment on the sheath. My only slight criticism would be the X5 could have slightly more grip on the handle but this was easily overcome by putting a bike inner tube over it. The X5 is the smallest in the X range of axeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from Fiskars and if this beast is anything to go by the X series is going to be the way forward for us from now on.

Rating 9 10

Everyday Carry Magazine

EliteEDC – providing Elite everyday carry items at affordable prices. Luke Hammond and Scott Denton founded the company in 2018, with a view to launch officially in 2019. Our goal as a company is find and provide custom elite EDC items at an affordable price, to save you the time and effort of trawling through the internet looking for those hard to find items. CEO Luke Hammond says “I have always been in to EDC, ever since I was a little boy. My pockets were always filled full of weird and wonderful things that I would carry around to amuse myself. It wasn’t until almost four years ago when my daughter was born that I discovered the EDC community. I was looking for a hobby that would not involve me having to leave the family home or cost a fortune. Delving further into different Facebook pages and after watching a lot of YouTube videos I found that I was not alone when it came to the thought process of carrying different items, that could make different day to day situations easier. I got a lot of inspiration from social media on how to tailor my carry to my individual and families needs as well as possible strangers needs. Knowing I have my small amount of EDC gear on me gives me confidence to take on any situation the day may throw at me. Weather it be treating cuts and grazes, charging phones or finding lost building blocks under the sofa I have faith in my gear to deal with those challenges.” Here at elite EDC we have built up many contacts and sources after many years of buying and collecting everyday carry goods ourselves, we hope to use these sources to help our customers after our official launch in 2019. As well as offering our clients custom items, we aim to offer a service where we can locate the more rarer discontinued items that customers are looking for and provide them at good prices. You can check out our Instagram and Facebook pages by doing a quick search for Elite EDC, why not drop us a message with photos of your EDC and we can possibly post them up on our social media too.

We are running a small giveaway to celebrate the launch of “EDC Magazine” – head over to our Facebook page for a chance to win one of our first batch of patches as well as some other great EDC items.

Weekend Extra Carry

Everyday Carry Magazine

Thirsty? No Water In Your Pack? Why Wait? 69

Everyday Carry Magazine

Weekend Extra Carry

Sawyer Mini Out on the trail for the day and you've run out of water..... Not to worry the Sawyer Mini has got your back!

Everyday Carry Magazine

The bottom line is: if you don't have one you need to get one! Sawyer really have revolutionised water filtration. A few years ago you had the choice to either carry a large pump water filter, use terrible tasting chemicals or spend 15 minutes boiling water before drinking. Now you have this tiny, light weight, extremely effective and cheap water filter, no larger than the palm of your hand, which will filter 100,000 gallons of water! From that alone itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a no-brainer. The Sawyer Mini weighs in at only 2 ounces. It comes with a straw, 16oz squeeze bag and a backwashing syringe.

The Sawyer is very durable, easy to use and very effective filtering 99.99999% of bacteria, protozoa or cysts from your drinking water. It does this by using technology derived from kidney dialysis! Hollow fibre membrane technology provides 0.1 micron filtration. This means there is no pore size larger than 0.1 microns, that makes it impossible for harmful bacteria to pass through the tiny U shaped hollow fibre micro tubes only allowing decontaminated water to pass through freely.

Sawyer Mini can filter 100,000 gallons of water 71

Everyday Carry Magazine

This type of water filtration allows for a good rate of filtration at around 500ml every 1 minute 10 seconds on testing. The test was done in a clear running stream with a very light squeeze on the supplied water bag.

To show the ease of use this is my 3 year old son drinking from the Sawyer Mini very easily in fact he continued to use it throughout the rest of the day.

The other big plus to this water filter is its versatility. It can be used with the supplied squeeze bag, supplied straw to drink directly from a water source, in-line on a hydration bag tube and directly onto any standard 28mm threaded disposable plastic bottle. Depending on what type of water you are filtering (clear & running or still & murky) this will change the filtering time and how quickly you will need to clean out your filter. This is no problem though, simply attach the supplied syringe filled with clean clear water and backwash. Do this a couple of times and then gently flick dry to store or use again.

PROS:

CONS:

Small Light Cheap (around £25) 100,000 Gallons Guarantee Extremely Versatile Added Accessories Easy Cleaning Durable

Supplied Syringe is larger than filter. Don’t let your filter freeze, it will ruin it. Doesn’t filter water extremely quickly.

VERDICT: Get one!

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10 Uses For A Tampon * Fire Tinder * Water Purifying * Medical Bandage * Puncture Wound Blood Flow Plug * Improvised Candle Wick * Finger Bandage * Dew Gatherer * Stopping Nose Bleeds * Insulation * Bait 74

10 Uses For ....

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#1 – As Fire Tinder: The cotton in tampons is very flammable and is excellent tinder for a

fire starter. Remove plastic, unravel cotton and fluff one end. It will very easily take a spark now.

#2 – Water Purifying: Though it’s by no means a perfect system, a tampon will help you

filter out large pieces of debris/dirt in your water. Take an empty water bottle and cut it in half. Take the cotton from the tampon and push it into the top half of the water bottle (where the cap would go). Pour your debris filled water into the side with the cotton in it, and let it drain into the bottom half of the bottle. This will not remove all the dirt and diseases that are in your water by any means but it will help remove the larger pieces of debris so you can then boil the water to make sure it’s completely sanitary.

#3 –

A Medical Bandage: Unwrap the tampon, unroll the cotton to a rectangle and apply

it to any wound to stem blood flow. Continue to apply pressure until bleeding stops (or tape the cotton to the wound for a long lasting pressure bandage).

#4 – Puncture Wound Blood Flow Plug: If you are unfortunate enough to have

sustained a puncture injury from a branch for example and the object has come out a tampon will help - Unwrap the tampon from its wrapper and plug the tampon straight into the wound. This will help stem the bleeding (then seek medical attention immediately)

#5 – Improvised Candle Wick: Fuel made from rendered animal fat or pine sap can be

put in a shell, hollowed out piece of wood or metal can ect, Remove the string from the bottom of the tampon, soak the string in the fuel, take the end of the string out and light. The wick will burn until the fuel is gone.

#6 – Finger Bandage: Remove the plastic sleeve, open up the tampon so it is a rectangle, wrap the cotton around the wound on the finger and apply pressure.

#7 – Dew Gatherer: If you are in dyer need for water, you can use an unravelled tampon

to collect dew early in the morning by using it like a sponge to soak up dew from leaves ect then wringing it out into a container.

#8 – To Stop A Nosebleed: If you’ve got a bad nosebleed, one of the best things to use is the cotton from a tampon. Roll the cotton in a small ball (you may need to break a piece off instead of using the whole thing) and push it up your nostril. The absorbent material will stop the bleeding and exert pressure on the area, making it heal faster.

#9 – Insulation: You can use a tampon (or even better if you have many) as extra insulation in clothing, boots, bedding ect.

#10 – Bait: Simply use the cotton to soak up animal blood or fat then use this as bait in your trap.

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Do It Yourself

Four small items in one small package, with hundreds of applications for pennies! 76

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Obviously ductape needs no introduction and I'm sure the little white fellas don't either! These two together are in my top EDC items. Let me tell you why and how to put it together.

What You Will Need #1- Ductape #2- Needle #3- Tampon #4- Ranger Band (inner tube) #5- Magnet

How To Make

1. Take a needle a little

shorter than the width of ductape and rub the needle with a magnet until the needle is magnetized.

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2. Now, start carefully

wrapping the tape around your magnetized needle until it's the same thickness as a tampon.

The uses for this tiny multi-use item are massive! The reason for magnetizing the needle, is if in an emergency situation you need a compass, simply place your needle on a leaf in a puddle or still water source and your magnetized needle will spin itself around and point North.

3. After youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the ductape and tampon the same size, cut a piece of pushbike inner tube about an inch long. Wrap the inner tube around the ductape and tampon, DONE! SIMPLE!

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The two main and most common uses for a tampon day to day in the field (obvious reason averted!) are as a emergency sterile bandage and as fire starting tinder. The two most common uses for ductape day to day and in the field are as a general fix for hundreds of applications and wound sealing. The two applications I want to focus on with an unrolled tampon coupled with ductape are: 1. Long lasting and quick & easily lit tinder. 2. Making a sterile pressure bandage.

TINDER A tampon unrolled and fluffed at one end will instantly catch a spark and ignite. Better still unwrap the tampon to a rectangle then put ductape on one side of the rectangle.

Fluff one end of the wool and easily ignite with a spark. This will burn for a lot longer making it easier to ignite damp wood etcâ&#x20AC;Ś Backing the opened up tampon with ductape takes the burn time up to about 4 minutes 20 seconds on testing.

2. 1.

At 30 seconds

Ignition

At 2:00 minutes

At 4:00 minutes

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PRESSURE BANDAGE Because of the tampons produced purpose, they are individually wrapped and sterile which make them perfect as a bandage! Unwrap the tampon, unroll the cotton to a rectangle and apply it to any wound to stem the blood flow. Then, tape the cotton to the wound with the ductape for a long-lasting pressure bandage. They are also very good for a finger laceration. Simply open up one end of the tampon, insert your finger and ductape around the cotton and lower finger to apply pressure and hold in place.

Let me give you a couple of examples where I have used this in day to day life and out and about over the last couple of weeks! Out one day product testing with a good friend of mine in a forest. I was processing some wood from a fallen tree to make a fire when, stupidly, I jammed my saw blade in the trunk of the tree and my hand slipped down the saw onto the top, very sharp, couple of teeth. They went through the flesh and down to the bone on my index finger at the first knuckle like a hot knife through butter! So now I’m in the middle of no where with my finger spurting out claret like no ones business. Apart from the normal “apply pressure and hold above the heart” I had my tampon and ductape close to hand in my pocket! I grabbed the tampon opened it up, pushed my finger laceration together, wrapped the rectangle piece of sterile cotton wool around the finger, then wrapped the ductape around that tightly. The bleeding stopped very quickly and I didn’t need to worry about knocking the wound open or not bending my finger and other things like that. So I’m currently sitting here now typing very slowly with one hand! The second time, I was on a day out kayaking with a few friends. I had a couple of very unfortunate problems that day. One was hitting a sharp rock with the front of my kayak, punching a hole about the size of your little finger in the underside of the front of the boat! Bugger! Luckily, I had my EDC ductape and tampon. I plugged the hole with the tampon leaving the plastic sleeve on, then pushed the ranger band down over the top of the tampon to make a secondary seal. This lasted all day perfectly! The second accident was only about half an hour after the first! My paddle broke the end off (not what you want when you’ve got a dodgy kayak and about 7 miles to go!) Again, out came my ductape and my Leatherman this time. I cut a thick fresh branch, whittled it down to the perfect tight fitting size of both ends of my paddle, bashed in both sides again with the Leatherman and then ductape around the middle. This held for the rest of the day! Where would I have been if it wasn’t for this incredibly cheap, tiny, simple and easily made piece 80 of EDC!! (wet, cold, lost and bored I reckon!)

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EDC KNIFE BU

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8 Everyday Carry Folding Affordable, Qua

The knife is probably the most go to item in boxes, cutting rope or the other thousan needs to be right, and more importantly Here at EDC Magazine we have brought currently on the market. They range in s tested by us to give you a little more info 82

UYERS GUIDE

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Knives That Are Durable, ality And Sharp

n most EDC systems, whether it's opening nds of jobs that they are used for! So it y durable and sharp for the task in hand. t you 8 of our favourite knives that are size and price and have been thoroughly and choice when buying your next knife. 83

EDC KNIFE BU

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Zero Tolerance 0095BW Around £254 BLADE LENGTH: 3.85 in. (9.8 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 8.4 in. (21.3 cm) WEIGHT: 3.3 oz (93.5 g) BLADE MATERIAL: S35VN, Tungsten DLC BlackWash Finish HANDLE MATERIAL: Titanium, BlackWash Finish LOCKING MECHANISM: Titanium Frame Lock, Hardened Steel Lockbar Insert DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Flipper, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening System

Lets be clear, this knife is a sexy beast. The blade of the 0095BW has a beautiful BlackWash finish which blends right into the titanium handle. The effect on both the handle and blade is like a pre-worn (almost scratched up) look. We love this look because this knife is born for hard use and obviously with hard use comes the scratched up blade. But you don’t need to worry so much about making your sexy blade look a mess because it fits in perfectly with its all over look. Both the blade and handle are designed to fit perfectly into your hand allowing the knife to become an extension of you. The ZT 0095BW blade is made from S35VN steel and a solid titanium handle, KVT bearings and integrated frame lock with hardened lockbar insert. The “N” in S35VN signifies the use of Niobium (Nb) which gives this steel improved toughness over the more common S30V. This allows the knife blade to be sharper for longer. All in all this thing is an elegant animal.

UYERS GUIDE

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Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Around £139 BLADE LENGTH: 3.44 in. (8.7 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 8.28 in. (21 cm) WEIGHT: 3.75 oz (106.3 g) BLADE MATERIAL: CPM-S30V HANDLE MATERIAL: G-10 LOCKING MECHANISM: Compression Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Thumb Hole

The ParaMilitary 2 is the successor to the original ParaMilitary which first came out in 2004. The ParaMilitary came about as critics complained about the overwhelming size of the otherwise well regarded Military pocket knife. So Spyderco released the ParaMilitary 2 as a mid-sized version. This knife packs a punch. Spyderco is constantly striving for better products and it clearly shows in the ParaMilitary 2. • The G-10 handle has been slimmed at the end to improve handling and really gives a much better handling experience. • They upgraded the D pocket clip with 4-way positioning for tip up/down carry and left/right handed. The clip also positions the knife deeper into the pocket for increased concealment • The blade is a little larger and carries jimping on both sides. • A new pivoting system with bushings has been added for an improved deployment action which is more fluent. • The blade is slightly thinner, the corner no longer sticks out when closed. • The lanyard hole has been made larger The ParaMilitary 2 is not really heavy for its size at 3.75 ounces. It feels incredibly solid and firm in the hand as you tend to expect from Spyderco quality. When using this knife, everything feels just like it should be.

EDC KNIFE BU

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Benchmade 940 Around £216 BLADE LENGTH: 3.4 in. (8.64 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 7.87 in. (20 cm) WEIGHT: 2.9 oz (82.21 g) BLADE MATERIAL: S30V HANDLE MATERIAL: Aluminium LOCKING MECHANISM: AXIS Locking Mechanism DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Dual Thumb-Stud

The 940 combines excellent materials with a clever design. It is an exceptional EDC carry item. Everything about it works and it works well, the 940 is the best of the bunch. The only small downside to this is the price, but for a USA made folder with these kinds of quality and features, you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. The 940 has really made itself known as a brilliant design and it really makes it superb. I don’t doubt that for many people this will be a perfect EDC knife and it's one of our favourites!

UYERS GUIDE

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Kershaw 1990 Brawler Around Â£42 BLADE LENGTH: 3 in. (7.6 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 7.1 in. (18 cm) WEIGHT: 3.9 oz (110.6 g) BLADE MATERIAL: 8Cr13MoV, Black-Oxide Coating HANDLE MATERIAL: Glass-Filled Nylon LOCKING MECHANISM: Liner Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Flipper

The Kershaw 1990 Brawler is a medium sized EDC knife. This knife is brilliant for daily use opening boxes and slicing rope. It is so lightweight and fits comfortably and securely in the palm of your hand when open, and in your pocket when closed. This being the cheapest blade in our lineup you get a lot of knife for the price with the Brawler. I like this knife for its simplistic smooth looks, price and its durable abilities, making it a real contender for this list.

EDC KNIFE BU

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Zero Tolerance 0566 Around £160 BLADE LENGTH: 3.25 in. (8.25 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 7.70 in. (19.55 cm) WEIGHT: 5.3 oz (150 g) BLADE MATERIAL: S35VN HANDLE MATERIAL: Textured G10 Front, Stainless Steel Back LOCKING MECHANISM: Frame Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Flipper, Bronze Washers

The ZT 0566 knife like all ZT knives screams quality. This knife will take on anything you throw at it. It’s a beefy, strong and solid, comfortable knife. The flipper is smooth and reliable allowing it to be deployed easily. The guys at ZT really think about things in your everyday life and they do this by making this knife ready for your day to day life. For us, this knife is at the top of its class for its over all strength. If you love the ZT range with the motto proudly overbuilt, then you will love this knife.

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Cold Steel Recon 1 Around £130 BLADE LENGTH: 4 in. (10.16 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 9.37 in. (23.5 cm) WEIGHT: 5.4 oz (155 g) BLADE MATERIAL: CT-XHP, DLC Coating HANDLE MATERIAL: G10 LOCKING MECHANISM: Back Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Dual Thumb-Stud

The Recon 1 is an absolute beast of a knife being the largest in this line up. The original was amazing but had a few issues of its own. People spoke to Cold Steel and they listened. If you are looking for a well priced hard use folder, you really can’t do better than this Recon 1. The Recon 1 is quite similar to the Cold Steel Ak-47 and American Lawman. They have minor functional differences but they are all as tough as nails and ready for any task. We like the triad system on Cold Steel. You can use it to baton through wood if need be and know that the mechanism is not going to fail on you. This is a solid reliable EDC knife.

EDC KNIFE BU

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Boker Plus Kwaiken Flipper Around Â£160 BLADE LENGTH: 3.5 in. (8.9 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 8.4 in. (21.3 cm) WEIGHT: 5.39 oz (153 g) BLADE MATERIAL: VG10 HANDLE MATERIAL: Titanium LOCKING MECHANISM: Liner Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Flipper

The Kwaiken Flipper has a very sleek air about it. It's a real gentleman's pocket knife but don't let the sleek looks fool you, the Kwailken is packing a VG10 blade. VG10 is a premium high-carbon stainless steel which holds a wicked edge. The original had quite a few issues with it, such as the locking system failing and even the blade edge protruding out of the handle, but Boker have well and truly fixed this, coming back with a sleek, well balanced and powerful knife. The Boker Kwaiken is a hefty knife for looking so minimalistic. In closing, this is a well-constructed heavy little knife which is beautifully simple and doesn't pretend to be something that it's not.

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CRKT M16-04KS Around Â£62 BLADE LENGTH: 3.85 in. (9.8 cm) OVERALL LENGTH: 9.3 in. (23.6 cm) WEIGHT: 6.2 oz (175 g) BLADE MATERIAL: Sandvik 12c27 HANDLE MATERIAL: Stainless Steel LOCKING MECHANISM: Frame Lock DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM: Flipper, Thumb-Stud

CRKT M16-04KS what a brilliant knife! It is a good step up from the original CRKT M16. This is a fantastic budget EDC option, being our second cheapest knife in this lineup we don't think you can get better for the money! This is a very popular knife from CRKT. Designed by Kit Carson, this blade comes in different sizes suitable for EDC all the way up to Tactical applications. This knife allows you to make it what you need it to be. This is probably the best feature of it for me allowing you to be completely versatile with this tried and tested solid knife at a fantastic price point.

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A Tiny Tool With A Lot Of Power The Boker Mini Pry Bar is a brilliant piece of German-made kit. As far as we can find it is the only mini pry bar that replicates a large crow bar in the palm of your hand!

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Gear Review

Boker Minibar To start, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have a look at the hook beaked end. As you can see in image 2 & 5, the hooked end replicates the hook from a standard crow bar but obviously without the width. This gives it a huge amount of prying potential over a standard mini pry bar. I even managed to open an old school locked door with this little bar - very impressive for something so small! (image 6 & 7)

1 2

On the other end there is a blade (not a knife blade but a prying blade) ,again, replicating its larger brothers (image 1 & 4). This end is brilliant for getting in tight, little spaces that only your knife blade would normally be able to do. You can also use this end to open boxes, as a large flat head screw driver and a scraper. 94

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This mini bar also comes with some other added little extra tools built in. There is a quarter-inch Allen key (bit compatible) hole very handy for a quick fix. There is also a bottle opener, lanyard hole, removable pocket clip and an adjustable spanner for those small bolts - all built into this tiny tool (image 3)

Given its 4mm thick 440C steel body, this bar comes in nice and light at only 57 grams - that’s not bad at all for something so rugged.

Conclusion As a Mini Pry Bar and a small lever tool, it has enormous potential. It’s the only tool we can find that tries to replicate its much larger brother, the crowbar, in something so small but still very strong. It’s only small drawback is its price. Some would say, at around £35 to £43, it’s a bit expensive but you really are only going to buy one and for the amount of potential uses we think it’s spot on!

Type of steel: 440C Finish: stonewashed Length: 11.4 cm Width: 4.4 cm Thickness : 4 mm Weight: 57 grams Country of origin: Germany Warranty: 2 Years

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