Managing Your Cripple EDC (Every Day Carry)

Keeping your EDC items manageable and within easy reach is super important when it comes to moving about the world safely and efficiently.

I’ll be going into my personal EDC items in a different post, but for now here’s some general things to keep in mind for your EDC.

Keep it on Your Chair (If That’s What it’s For)

Whether it’s tools, tubes, or tire levers, if it’s something that is meant for your wheelchair it should stay on your wheelchair and not go in your EDC bag. This is so you can switch bags without risking forgetting an important and possibly lifesaving tool or piece of equipment you need to always have when you go out. Place these items in something like a tool wrap or a small bag that fits somewhere secure and out of the way on your chair.

Keep it Prioritized

When deciding where to put things in your EDC bag, place more frequently used items like phone charging cables, headphones, gloves, etc., in outside pockets that can be easily reached without much effort. From their move inward and place less frequently used items in inner pockets.

If you can, leave the largest space in your bag empty for those times you need to carry an unexpected item or two.

Keep it Organized

Pulling items out of your EDC bag should not be a search and rescue mission. Your bag should be put together in such a way that it only takes a few seconds to get what you need out of it.

If you have bunch of small, loose stuff like charging cables, accessories, etc., that you need to keep track of I highly recommend you get yourself a Grid‐It. I carry about half a dozen different charging cables with me and I keep them all flat and untangled with one of those.

Keep it Light

If you’ve got stuff in your bag that you hardly ever access and isn’t for any kind of emergency situation, it might be time to scale back or remove it from your EDC altogether. For example, if you find yourself carrying 5 lightning cables and only 2 apple devices, remove the three you don’t need.

If you have two or more items that perform the same basic functions (e.g., a portable battery for your phone and another for your laptop), consider consolidating them down to a single item.

Keep it Small

If there’s a small or travel version of a larger item you have in your EDC, consider buying it.

For example, I have a small travel size can of WD-40 I keep with my tool wrap and I swapped out my 3ft micro USB cable for a more sturdy and compact 4 inch one that takes up less space on my Grid‐It.

Keep it Simple

This goes for both your EDC items and the bag they go in. Your EDC should be put together in such a way that you can quickly and easily transfer the entire rig from one bag to another if needed. Also, your bag should not have so many zippers, pockets, and hidden places that you risk forgetting to bring something with you.

Keep it With You

Your EDC bag should be so ubiquitous that it feels weird for you to go out without it and it should be small and light enough that you don’t notice it when you’re carrying it.