EDC Pocket Dump - Updated for 2025

Back in October of 2024 I first wrote a pocket dump post. Even though it has largely stayed the same, I wanted to update the changes and add in my hearing aids. This is part of a series I’ve been writing about my various EDC carries including most recently about my backpack tech kit.

Although a lot is the same, I want to keep it an annual update.

I was inspired by Joel to write a post about the items I keep in my EDC backpack and in my pockets. I’m going to break up my posts so it isn’t just one massive list. This post is about what I carry on my person everyday, also called a pocket dump.

I like to follow the EDC community. For the uninitiated, EDC stands for “everyday carry” and is roughly split into two groups. One is old school preppers. People who like to be prepared for emergencies and catastrophes that can happen at any moment. The other are people who enjoy being prepared so they can perform efficiently and effectively anywhere in the world.

I fall in the first group, while also attempting to be effective at my job as a landscape contractor.

What’s in my pockets

1. Hip pack

Call it what you want: A hip pack, fanny pack, messenger bag, or whatever. This is a small back worn around the waist or across your chest. I use an affordable no-name bag from Amazon and wear it around my waist while I work. I don’t like to have things in my pockets as I spend a lot of time working while kneeling. I go through about one a year due to the harsh work of a contractor.

Most days this bag holds everything else listed below while I work.

2. Keys

Aside from my keys, I keep two tools on my key rings.

First is this small Everbrite Keychain Flashlight It uses a AAA battery and is made of metal, plus it works every time I need it.

Second is this Doohicky Keychain Tool. It is a very small and lightweight multi-tool that has a philips and flathead screwdriver, wrench, saw, nail puller, and scorer. I’ll often be walking a jobsite and have nothing on my but my keys. I use this tool to open boxes, adjust sprinklers, and tighten bolts and screws.

3. Multi-tool

In addition to the multi-tool on my keys, I carry a full-sized Leatherman on my belt and it gets a lot of use. Mine is a Leatherman Super Tool 200 I received as a gift from my wife many years ago.

This isn’t the only Leatherman I carry. The Super Tool 200 I wear on my belt on work days. When I’m not working I carry a Leatherman PST (personal survival tool). The version I have is the “small letter” with ruler from the early 90’s. I like it because it fits neatly in the fifth pocket of my jeans.

4. Headphones

Not going to surprise anyone that I use the absolute cheapest bluetooth earbuds I can find. I very hard-of-hearing, so sound quality doesn’t matter much to me. All they need to do is provide clear, flat sound so I can understand speech. I don’t listen to music. All I do is listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and make phone calls. That is why clear speech is the most important. Due to my hearing loss, having full sound is actually a hinderance and I need as flat sounding speech as possible.

One earbud in my previous set stopped charging, so my current headphones are the Anker Soundcore P20i. Like my bag, I go through about a set a year.

5. Phone

At the beginning of the year I purchased a Moto Stylus 5G 2024 and used it up until a couple weeks ago. It has been a disaster and I am now back on the Samsung Galaxy S10e. More thoughts on my 9 months with the Stylus 5G here.

Three years ago I purchased a used Samsung Galaxy S10e and I hated to move on from it. It has everything: SD card slot, headphone jack, DisplayPort Alt Mode with Samsung Dex, plus it is smaller than most current midrange devices.

It is no longer getting updates from Samsung, but I don’t want to part with this device. It is everything I want in a phone and doesn’t have any A.I. features. It is not only my phone, but also a EDC laptop which I can use side-by-side with my Chromebook, which I have written about a lot on this blog.

See this post for all of the apps I have installed on my phone.

6. Wallet

At Xmas my wife bought me a new wallet. My previous wallet was barely hanging on, so I was excited to get a new one.

Attached to the inside of the wallet is a money clip that says “Dad” in the shape on a number one. My son got this for me as a Xmas gift while he was in elementary school. The school put together a small store and let kids purchase gifts. My son picked this out for me and I will cherish it forever.

7. Hearing aids

In February of this year I replaced my hearing aids after one of them stopped working. I ended up getting a set of Rexton hearing aids from Costco. This was hard because in the good old US of A hearing aids are not covered by insurance. So, I had to pay completely out of pocket. I went with Costco for the cost and the warranty.

I don’t use any of the bluetooth features or have them connected to my phone because the experience is awful. For example. if a website has auto-playing video, my phone thinks my hearing aids are headphones and just starts piping the sound straight into my brain.

I obviously can’t wear the hearing aids and earbuds at the same time, so I work most of the day with my hearing aids out. This is not just for my earbuds, but also because I get too sweaty to have them in. Plus, I work with sprinklers and I don’t want to get them wet.

8. Cooling neck gaiter

I get overheated easily, which is a major problem when working outside all day every day. I will be pouring sweat in 50F temperatures. So, when its 80F and above, I need a way to cool down and keep cool so I don’t keel over from heat exhaustion (which has happed twice in the last 3 years).

I picked up a cooling neck gaiter that I wear around my neck and can pull up over the top of my head. This is a recent add to my carry, so I don’t have a full verdict yet. However, in my limited use I am happy with the results. To be honest, I get so overheated I could wear this in January in a snow storm and still be sweaty.

9. Watch

For my birthday this year my wife got me a Casio 700UC G-Shock and I love this thing. I needed something that could withstand heavy abuse and be completely submerged in up to 2 feet of water. I needed a watch so I can check the time without having to get out my phone, set timers and alarms, and add a little flair to my wrist. I have already abused this watch as you can imagine someone who does landscaping for a living would.

10. Sunglasses

Another recent pickup. Actually, just in the last few weeks. I get a lot of dirt and debris in my eyes while working. Nothing serious, like a saw blade breaking. We are talking small amounts of dirt or plant debris. For example, when I’m digging in a heavily rooted area, the roots will sometimes fling dirt straight up. Or, I’ll be working on a sprinkler behind a bush and a small branch will whip back and hit me directly on the eyeball. I needed something that will prevent light debris, but not full on safety glasses. I have those for when I’m using machinery. So I picked up this cheap set.

- - - - -

Did you like this post? Give it an upvote by clicking on the arrows below! Sending me an upvote is like you and I giving each other a high five.

🙏 😎

If you enjoy the random stuff I write here, post to Mastodon, or watch on YouTube, and are feeling generous, I am open to tips of Ko-fi.