The 9 Best EDC Bags for Everyday Carry

Each year, the manufacturers who listen to their customers learn a little more about how their products are being used and what can be done to improve them. Then technology keeps advancing so the quality of materials and the designs improve year on year.

From backpacks to sling bags, messenger, laptop bags, pocket organizers and even a designer bag there is something to suit everyone’s taste and pocket and most importantly a bag that will fit all the EDC items.

We have rounded up a select few popular EDC bags you should consider.

What Kind of EDC Bag Should You Choose?

This is one of those topics that never seems to go out of style in the prepping community, and though some jaded individuals might just chalk it up to perennial “ready room” conversation, this is actually a subject that merits a considerable amount of dissection and investigation.

It is a plain fact that not all equipment is created equal, and that certainly goes for your choice of backpack or other EDC luggage.

Why? Isn’t a bag just a bag? No; with this as with all equipment selections your mission, or objective, should drive your gear choices. Choosing a non-optimal bag might not be the end of the world, but it might mean the loss of your gear or other non desirable outcomes.

Consider that choosing the wrong bag or one that is poorly optimized for your specific context could actually be the thing that instigates trouble in the first place. If you wouldn’t carry a knife, a pistol or a medical kit with next to no consideration being given to that selection process, don’t do that when it comes to a backpack.

If you will take a little bit of extra time to really dig into the specifics of your usage context you’ll find that your bag enhances your life and your equipment selections instead of making them more difficult. Your gear will be more accessible, you’ll be more likely to have it with you when you need it and you will attract less attention; all good things in my book!

Before we get to the list of bags proper take a few minutes to review the considerations presented below and then evaluate your specific needs and goals against them. If you do that, you are sure to come up with the perfect EDC bag.

What Do You Need to Carry?

This is the crux of the EDC bag, its entire reason for existence: What do you need to carry that will not fit in your pockets, on your belt or somewhere else on your body? You need more personal cargo space and that is why you are turning to some kind of backpack.

Generally speaking, a few items that are simply a bit too big or bulky to carry easily and effectively on the body or are not first line items only require a small bag. Larger items, or many smaller ones will require correspondingly larger luggage to effectively and safely carry them.

You might be able to get away with something as small as an over-the-shoulder satchel or small briefcase. Somewhere in the middle you will have a common backpack or messenger bag, and at the upper end of the spectrum a larger tactical pack or commuter bag. There is no right answer here except the one that fulfills your needs when it comes to equipment carry.

Something else to consider: most people, but especially preppers, fall prey to what I call “kitchen sink syndrome” where a larger piece of luggage that has a surplus of capacity will invariably be filled with additional goodies that they wouldn’t normally carry

This is not necessarily a bad thing, because being prepared for many eventualities will only help keep you safer in the long run, but you don’t want to start hauling so much kit around that it compromises your mobility, your appearance or your incentive to actually take it with you everywhere.

Don’t put the wagon ahead of the horse! Identify the things you need and then choose a pack that will let you carry them with perhaps a little bit of extra room to be on the safe side.

What Setting Are You Carrying In?

If you are going to be carrying a piece of luggage all day every day, or at least much of the time, it pays to carefully consider the environment that you’ll be carrying it in. This is one area that many well-intentioned preppers either overlook or write-off entirely.

Maybe they think they are being vain, or maybe they think people don’t pay that much attention to their appearance or what they are carrying, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The bottom line is that you are judged on your appearance, and first impressions especially make a big difference as to whether or not you will glide under-the-radar or stick out like a sore thumb. Let’s face it: we live in a time we’re many people, civilians and government agency personnel alike, are on edge.

Would you like to be selected for a more intensive security screening or perhaps a random stop by police officers? How would you feel if they discover you are carrying not just weapons, but medical equipment and other survival gear? What will that look like to them? It might look an awful lot like a kitted-out terrorist… 

If you want to avoid that kind of embarrassment and potential trouble you should make every attempt to blend into your environment. Your clothes bearing and demeanor are obviously the most important elements of this but carrying a backpack that is basically a flashing neon sign advertising what you are really about is a non-starter. If you work in a white-collar environment, you should consider a nice briefcase or a posh leather bag of some kind.

If you live near a military base or an area where hunting is very popular a camouflage or tactical bag will likely not attract much notice. If you are in doubt, a plain, common backpack will rarely draw much attention anywhere it has “cover” for appearing.

This isn’t rocket science. Keep your bag as innocuous as possible by making sure it does not clash with the local culture and setting.

How Do You Travel?

How you’re going to travel with your bag will also inform your selection. Are you a commuter? If so, how? If you take your personal vehicle to and from your work environment you will have more discretion in the type of bag you carry, especially if you plan on leaving it in your vehicle while you were at the office, whatever that is for you.

If you take public transportation, be it a bus, train or subway you will once again be subject to additional scrutiny and potentially inspections. You also need to keep your bag as compact as possible so it can fit in luggage bins, under seats or just sit comfortably in your lap.

If you take public transportation you should carefully consider the size of the EDC bag that you select. Larger bags might be forced into storage, whereas smaller bags might be able to stay with you, or at least near you.

Even if you drive yourself on your daily commute and plan on leaving your EDC bag in your vehicle consider that you might be forced to take it with you on foot due to an emergency or some other occurrence. Will your bag be unduly burdensome in such a scenario?

Features

Any EDC bag or other piece of luggage can obviously hold your gear, but how it holds that gear and what other features the bag provides can significantly impact your overall experience and capability.

By way of a “for instance”, a single compartment duffel bag or gym bag might be entirely adequate if you are carrying a small bundle of equipment that is well secured, or smaller individual sub-loads, but it can turn into a rat’s nest if you are carrying several smaller items, cords, electronics and so forth.

On the other hand, a bag that is comprised of many smaller compartments gives up some capacity in order to provide structure, dividers, pouches and so forth. This can be a boon for organization but such packs are also heavier, all things equal. Many packs of this type will also have such features as dedicated compartments for hydration bladders, if you require one, cable routing and other niceties.

Still more features abound. External webbing provides mounting points for expansion pouches or even externally carried equipment that you can lash to the pack. Some packs have built-in, stowable rain flys or camouflage covers. Some even have built-in battery banks that you can use to recharge your electronics on the go.

That does it for the features that you should consider. In the remainder of this article we will share with you our 20 top picks for EDC bags that can serve any purpose.

Backpacks

XD Designs Bobby XL Anti-Theft

  • Pros: One of very few bags with intelligent anti-theft features, onboard charger is handy, clean aesthetic.
  • Cons: Expensive on a cu/in. basis, access not particularly convenient.
Bobby XL by XDDesign Review (Barcelona Pickpockets)

If you inhabit any of the largest cities around the world, you’ll have to be legitimately worried an assailant might try to cut your bag right off of your body or, if they are sneakier, slash open your pack and access its contents while you are wearing it. It sounds hard to believe, but this is a common modus operandi for some thieves in cities all around the globe.

It stands to reason that a savvy urban-dwelling prepper you should be prepared for such an eventuality by choosing a backpack that will not only blend in to an urban environment but also resist these lightning-fast or surreptitious snatch-and-grab attacks. The XD Designs Bobby XL is an ingenious bag that is designed and built from the ground up as an anti-theft pack that still features a layout and capacity that one would expect from any premium backpack. 

The interior of the pack and even its external compartments are only deliberately accessible from the backside of the pack, that is the part that lies against your back when it is worn.  This design element alone will halt a timid pickpocket. For the more brazen highwayman, just below the skin of the bag you will find a slash proof shell that will stop even a razor knife in its tracks, safeguarding your goods. 

Rounding out this excellent backpack you will find a built-in battery pack with through-charging capability, a modern interior and a sleek, “iPod” aesthetic that looks at home both at the gym and at the office.

Get the Bobby Xl from Amazon.

5.11 Tactical Military Backpack – RUSH12

  • Pros: Plenty of storage, good potential for expansion.
  • Cons: Overtly tactical appearance, a bit underbuilt.
511 Tactical Rush 12 - In Depth Review - Out West with Chris

The Rush 12 is incredibly popular. It comes in 4 colors to suit different tastes and uses – Black, Multicam Sandstone and Double Tap.

The design of this bag is great for someone who has to carry a reasonable amount of gear and equipment on their daily commute. The main compartment is 18″ x 11″ x 6.5″ and it has a 21.2 liter capacity (1296 cubic inch)

For people who like to be organized instead of rummaging around in a pack that has only two or so compartment this bag has 16 compartments including a fleece-lined sunglasses pocket. Winner!

Then the zipper pocket inside the outside storage area fits an iPad mini snugly – so no extra case needed for that or a tablet of similar size either. In the main compartment you can fit a laptop and accessories.

For concealed carry the interior provides snug fitting compartments to store your weapons. The internal admin panel means all your small accessories that usually get lost within backpacks are ready to hand.

There is a built in hydration pocket but the wrap-around MOLLE/SlickStick web platform allows you to add other add-ons or an extra hydration system if you need.

The users range from scholars and hunters to airline passengers, and it’s even been used as a tactical assault pack – so it’s pretty versatile. Some people have managed to stuff all their clothes and toiletries in here for a long weekend away.

The fact that it’s made from water-resistant 1050D nylon means your stuff isn’t going to get wet in a rain shower. The fabric is sturdy and the stitching strong.

The zippers are YKK self-repairing and the pull-tabs for opening are glove-friendly. Zippers are what set aside top quality gear from cheaper products.

The straps are fairly broad with a contoured yoke shoulder strap making it very comfortable for carrying securely for long periods of time.

Basically it’s a versatile bag, which means you don’t have to keep swapping bags. This bag will take you from college or work to a weekend away without any trouble – and it will last and last. That’s a true everyday carry bag for you!

Get the Tactical Rush 5.11 from Amazon.

Oakley Utility Backpack

  • Pros: Modern aesthetic blends anywhere, rugged, ample organization.
  • Cons: External storage is small and minimally useful.
The Oakley 23L Utility Bag - FOS900549

Oakley is most famously known for cutting edge, high-performance eyewear, but they have long been making similarly high performance soft goods for sporting endeavors and even military operations.

You might not be tackling Alpine slopes or a desert battlefield, but you can still make use of Oakley’s excellent backpacks for your EDC. Oakley’s Utility backpack is an ideal solution for a midsize pack, one that is intelligently designed and constructed with excellent quality control.

Compared to its more mundane brethren on this list, the Utility backpack appears a little sportier, or you might say trendy. This can be an advantage in certain environments if you need to blend in, but no matter what the environment you will definitely appreciate its generous capacity, built-in organizers, external admin pockets and padded main compartment with reinforced bottom that will resist cutting and tearing no matter what you drop it on.

As befits the hard-use lifestyle the utility pack is bar-tacked all over with multi-directional handles to assist you with carrying it in any orientation and it also features highly ergonomic and generously padded shoulder straps along with a sternum strap for maximum stability and comfort even when it’s loaded heavy.

Some external straps and pockets enable you to grab gear at the last minute, stow and go. This is a modern upgrade of the timeless backpack design popularized by JanSport.

Get the Oakley Utility Backpack from Amazon.

Grey Ghost Gear Hideout

  • Pros: Extremely light, handy, easily stored as contingency item or as supplemental storage.
  • Cons: Only suitable for low weight/ light duty applications, minimalist design is formless.
Grey Ghost Gear Hideout Review

For some people, saving weight and space is everything, or minimizing profile until you have no choice. For the folks who might have a need for a lightweight, light-duty backpack, Grey Ghost Gear’s recently discontinued Turnout pack is an excellent option, and one that can easily be stashed virtually anywhere until you need it with nary a thought.

Unlike certain novelty backpacks that are imported by the barge-load from overseas, the Hideout is actually made to last and put in some work, so long as that amount of work is a comparatively light load.

It even features an external zipper pocket for basic organization and a clippable beavertail for external cargo. This isn’t a backpack you want to take to war, but then again, chances are you aren’t going to war.

Get the Grey Ghost Gear Hideout from Amazon.

Grey Ghost Gear Gypsy

  • Pros: Built tough, timeless appearance, suitable for off-body carry of weapons.
  • Cons: Pricey, full access of main compartment requires unzipping of two separate zippers.

Grey Ghost Gear Gyspy Bag Review and EDC Setup

Grey Ghost Gear’s second entry on this list, the Gypsy backpack is what you might call a radical departure from their typical tactically oriented line of packs, one that looks like it fits in better on the hiking or biking trail then on an urban stakeout or a military hide. That being said, the company’s tactical DNA is literally woven throughout the Gypsy.

The Gypsy is a traditional flap-top design, one made with an extensive use of waxed canvas throughout and high-strength nylon where appropriate.

Zippered pockets on the outside along with smaller flat pouches will give you plenty of places to store and organize your most frequently needed items. A small load-bearing panel easily allow you to lash or attach a supplementary piece of gear or two near the bottom.

Nothing on the exterior of the pack advertises its tactical lineage; you can only see that once you open the main flap, revealing a generous internal compartment with divider and a row of PALS webbing immediately beneath the flat.

The entire front of the pack unzips and lays down flat allowing better access to the interior and smaller organizational pouches within. A large Velcro field allows attachment of a modular holster and magazine carriers enabling you to utilize the Gypsy as a concealed carry pack if you choose.

The Gypsy is an excellent low-profile pack that does not draw attention in many environments, while sacrificing nothing in the way of cargo capacity EDC-centric features.

Get the Grey Ghost backpack here.

Maxpedition Advance Gear Research Lithvore

  • Pros: Rugged, intelligent layout, can pass as civilian backpack.
  • Cons: Lack of proper civilian colorways hurts a little, interior feels a bit crowded.
Maxpedition Lithvore EDC Pack Review

Quality and price go hand in hand –so near the top end of the range is this backpack from Maxpedition made from 500D Hex Ripstop and with a laser cut ATLAS attachment lattice system.

The zippers are YKK® with Positive Grip Pulls, it has expandable bottle holders and Shapeshift™ Webbing.

The buckles are quality Duraflex® Xlite® Buckles and the bag comes with a logo embossed 420D Nylon Liner. Teflon® fabric protector is used to increase grime resistance and for easy maintenance.

The main compartment has an easy slip in pouch for a laptop while the front opening pouch comes with a handy organizer system for all those little things you need on a daily basis like USB stick, charger cords, headphones, a pen and a whole lot more.

Both the front pouch and the main compartment have clamshell opening so you can see what you have at a glance with mesh pockets to keep everything in place. The ergonomic shoulder straps provide maximum comfort on this quality bag.

Get the Lithvore from Amazon.

Sling Packs

Maxpedition Noatak, Sitka and Kodiak Gearslingers

  • Pros: Excellent organizational features, rugged.
  • Cons: Overtly tactical, has a tendency to yaw and sway when loaded and moving quickly.
Maxpedition Sitka • Tactical Sling Bag Gearslinger • Field Review

Maxpedition is a name well-known to users about tactical and low profile backpacks and other assorted nylon gear, and one of our favorite products among their Gearslinger lineup are the related Noatak, Sitka and Kodiak sling packs.

Sized small, medium and large respectively, as you might have deduced “gearslinger” is Maxpedition’s term for a backpack that utilizes a single, cross body strap for carry. Though this does restrict the maximum weight that the pack can carry comfortably and reduce stability somewhat, the advantages for an EDC pack are many.

The biggest perk shared among these designs which are identical except for their capacity is that the pack can quickly and easily be swung around to the front of the body, with pouches set up to allow easy accessibility to everything stored inside the external and internal compartments. A built-in concealment pouch is perfect for a handgun and a couple of spare magazines while an abundance of external webbing, cordage and other attachment points allow you to expand the pack at will or carry items externally.

Other intelligent features include attachment points on the main strap for commonly used items and a stowable “wishbone” or “Y” strap that can yield a little extra stability when moving quickly.  The interior provides plenty of room for either an appropriately-sized laptop or hydration bladder and assuming the tactical appearance is not a deal-breaker for your environment these make great commuter bags or even in car organizers you can toss over a backrest.

Get the Maxpedition Sitka from Amazon.

3V Gear Outlaw Over the Shoulder Day Bag

  • Pros: Solid quality for price, works well as in-car organizer.
  • Cons: External storage lacking without expansion.
My EDC - Every Day Carry w/ The 3V Gear Outlaw Sling Pack

This bag comes in black, coyote tan and olive drab – probably black is the best for EDC in the city. This bag is made from heavy-duty 600D PVC nylon with reinforced top and side handles.

Besides the shoulder strap designed for the left shoulder for better weapon shouldering, the main compartment comes with place for concealed carry weapon (CCW) and accessories.

The bag can also be worn slung to the front and can be comfortably accessed while seated. The day bag is MOLLE and PALs compatible with an air mesh strap and hydration sleeve.

The zipper pulls also have built in theft deterrent devices and there are enough compartments to fit all your EDC gear neatly. The price is the draw-card as it’s not as expensive as the Maxpedition brand – but bear in mind that the more you pay for an item the longer it is likely to last!

Vertx Dead Letter Sling

  • Pros: Clean civilian aesthetic, highly adaptable, solid choice for off-body carry of weapons.
  • Cons: Access and carry take some getting used to, proper setup requires additional add-ons.

An ideal commuter bag for the office bound tactical commando, Vertx’s Dead Letter sling bag combines the best features of a briefcase, a messenger bag and a sling pack.

A two-compartment configuration designed with an outer admin compartment and inner primary compartment with both being completely lined with soft Velcro for Vertx’s  Tactigami line of attachments, this is one pack that is configurable for any requirement.

Fully compatible with a variety of holsters and magazine carriers, the primary compartment is accessible with a rapid deployment pull-tab and also features a sleeve that can accept ballistic panels so you can utilize the bag as hasty armor.

Retention hooks prevent inadvertent full-opening when accessing gear and the top layer of the pack has a convertible front flap that stows behind the soft panel in order to alter the bags appearance or speed up access to critical gear. This is one pack that can emphasize discretion or tactical readiness at your command.

As befits a pack oriented for cubicle or office carry, it holds a large tablet or laptop in an abrasion resistant sleeve and features several auxiliary mounting points for Tactigami compatible pouches or ID patches. Versatile, highly adaptable and extremely rugged this might be the ultimate small pack for the urban commando.

Get the Vertx Dead Letter Sling from Amazon.

Neatpack SL01 Sling bag

  • Pros: Sporty appearance, ample capacity, built in RFID blocking great feature for travel.
  • Cons: Durability is only fair, yaws when loaded heavily, lopsided main compartment.
Sling Bag from Neatpack [REVIEW]

This is for those who prefer to travel fairly light, as the product’s dimensions are 12.5 x 4 x 18.5 inches. The Neatpack sling bag can be worn over either shoulder or cross body for extra security.

Made from a tough polyester material that is water resistant the bag comes in black, grey and rustic red with black trim. The ergonomically designed and padded shoulder strap has a cell phone pocket with access for headphone cords.

The main compartment is fully lined – great for camera equipment. Then there’s a pocket that will fit a tablet or a small laptop – up to 12”. Zippers are of sturdy construction.

The front lined zipper pocket has three elastic loops to make it easy to access small items like your charger cord or small flashlight – items that could get tangled or lost in a bigger space.

Another compartment has pen sleeves, slots for bankcards and a key clip as well as a mesh zip pocket for other documents. There is also a mesh pocket with an adjustable loop for carrying a water bottle.

On the back of the pack – where it will be worn against your body is a hidden RFID blocking pocket. A common concern for commuters is RFID skimming which enables digital theft by pickpockets of smart credit cards.

The device used by the thieves enables them to read and duplicate the cards without you knowing any better – until you swipe your card.

Get the Neatpack SL01 bag from Amazon.

Icarercase Fashion Cross Body Bag Sling Bag Chest Pack

  • Pros: Fashion-forward sling pack, rugged leather construction.
  • Cons: Minimal capacity, leather requires more care than synthetics.

At 11.8” x 5.7” x 3.3”mm this one shoulder design allows for carrying on either shoulder and has an adjustable webbing strap. The interior is comprised of one main zippered pocket, with three interior pockets for maximum organization.

There is also a front pocket and a back zippered pocket plus a back cardholder pocket for maximum security. This will met most people’s EDC demands if they don’t have to carry a laptop.

It will fit a tablet, pone, wallet, keys and all the other EDC paraphernalia comfortably. The best part is the bag is made from genuine cowhide leather giving it an element of luxury and durability.

Get the icarercase shoulder backpack from Amazon.

Messenger Bags

Direct Action Messenger Tactical Bag

  • Pros: Tactical briefcase format is unique, excellent organization.
  • Cons: Will struggle to go unnoticed in most office settings.

This is a tough fairly compact bag at 5.1 x 13.8 x 10.2 inches, which doesn’t shout “tactical” making it ideal to carry to the office or to the workplace. It was however designed for advanced military and law enforcement operators.

This durable bag, made from water resistant coated 100% Cordura 500D fabric that comes in various color options. The coyote brown is a practical EDC color but you might prefer the snowdrift or one of the others in the range.

The Kryptek, PenCott and Multicam models are NIR (Near-infrared) treated, meaning it will help prevent detection with nightvison – FYI.

There’s space for a laptop and a notebook and file in the main compartment which comes divided into two sections, one secured with Velcro and the other open – remember the flap top does cover these compartments.

The 13” Macbook Air fits in quite snugly in the smaller compartment with its thin quilted fleece type lining.

The larger compartment has the whole one side of the interior covered lined with the loop side of Velcro so you can adjust options by adding interior storage.

There are multi pockets for pens, chargers and all the other EDC paraphernalia. One side compartment has space for a small water bottle or thermos.

On the inside of the flap is a nylon mesh pocket with an elasticized edge. In all, it has a number of pockets on the flap and on the front of the bag making access fairly easy. The bag has no less than three tethers for keys! No mixing up various key sets.

The compartment on the other end of the bag has zippers allowing it to open up around two thirds of the way down making access for a small tablet or cell phone easy or whatever else you need on your daily commute – trail mix, Snickers bar? There are MOLLE attachments so you can add to the bag.

The messenger bag flap comes with zippered compartments and secures to the front compartment with Velcro as well as buckles. Once the flap is down and fastened then there’s a comfortable handle made of nylon webbing.

Duraflex D rings attached on either side of the handles and on the back of the bag give a person options for attaching the waistband – this is for additional security when carrying the bag slung across the body, messenger style.

Generally the down sides to the bag all relate to size and accessibility– some people wish the laptop compartment was bigger and that the water bottle pocket was deeper and wider.

For those who want concealed carry weapon space then this isn’t very practical as the Velcro and buckles plus putting back the flap are going to slow you down in the eventuality you need the weapon in a hurry. But these features do prevent pickpocketing – so what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts.

Get the Direct Action Backpack from Amazon.

13″ MacBook EDC Kit

  • Pros: Very low profile considering it has external PALS webbing, compact.
  • Cons: Not the most comfortable bag to carry, no external storage.

For businessmen and women this sleek and stylish laptop bag at 13.4″ wide x 9.5″ high x 1.6″ deep has space for all the essentials for people on the go having meetings and calling on customers. It will fit a 13″ Macbook, iPad, mouse, various cables, and other stationery.

The exterior is made from 900 denier polyester canvas and can take it’s fair share of wear and tear, while the padded neoprene lined interior ensures your equipment will stay safe.

It has four stash pockets and MOLLE nylon exterior webbing so you can have add-ons. A detachable shoulder strap and YKK zippers complete this popular item.

Get the Macbook EDC Kit here.

ITS Messenger Bag

  • Pros: Highly versatile, configurable, looks great.
  • Cons: Cobra buckles are an obvious flag to those in the know, expensive, only two colorways.
ITS Discreet Messenger Bag Walkthrough

Though they took a long time to catch on here in North America, I think it is fair to say at this late date that messenger bags are here to stay, and are an altogether common sight in major cities.

Your fire-breathing bros might deride them as man purses, but a good messenger bag is decidedly utilitarian, easier to carry and easier to protect in a crowd than a backpack, and far more socially acceptable in certain dress codes.

That being said, good looks don’t do anything for us without capability, and you’ll be thankful to know that the ITS Tactical Discreet Messenger bag is among the very best in its category regarding both aesthetics and performance.

This is a messenger bag that looks great thanks to its traditional waxed canvas construction that will age well and gracefully as it wears on the outside, but inside it is all business. Designed to allow a significant degree of customization alongside multiple snapping compartments the bag also incorporates Velcro fields that will allow you to attach your own mating pouches, holsters, organizers and more.

The bag is held shut by two mega-duty AustriAlpin Cobra buckles, adding a little bit of apocalypse-chic strength to an otherwise classic look.

When you need to roll heavy without looking like you are rolling heavy, this is one messenger bag that definitely delivers and is well worth the price tag. The discreet messenger bag easily holds survival gear, medical kit, weapons and more without popping stitches or sagging.

Get the ITS bag from It’s Tactical.

Other Bags

MARC JACOBS Recruit North/South Leather Crossbody

  • Pros: Can go almost anywhere, surprisingly thoughtful organization.
  • Cons: Purse is often target and casus belli for attack.

This designer bag, available from Bloomingdale’s, is surprisingly spacious and will go with various outfits from corporate office wear to skinny jeans. Its sleek black genuine leather says style with a capital S.

The crossbody style makes is great when you have kids in tow and want both hands free but the adjustable crossbody strap is detachable if you want it as a sling bag. It’s lined and comes with a zip closure.

There’s an exterior zip pocket and an exterior slip pocket. Its 9″wide x 1.5″deep x 10″ in height and has a 23″ strap drop.

It will fit your tablet and phone, and you can use a small organizer like the Maxpedition pocket organizer to carry all the loose stuff that normally spills out of women’s handbags.

Get the MARC JACOBS Recruit from Amazon.

Condor EDC Bag

  • Pros: Blends sling pack and satchel, excellent organization, ample cargo room in category.
  • Cons: Durability only so-so, overtly tactical appearance, requires attachment to belt for max stability.
Condor EDC Bag - the perfect multi-use adventure go bag - Mountain Venture

What users like about this bag is the fact that its light and easy to access, that you can use it for concealed carry and fit in everything else you might need for a day of sightseeing or work.

It’s a solidly constructed bag and has a modular MOLLE system for more pouches/bags.

Basically it’s for people on the move who want their EDC items neatly stashed in the various compartments, can carry a weapon without advertising the fact and need something with a low profile – it cinches in very neatly.

Its claim to fame is a secret compartment with a hook-and-loop closure between the admin area and the flap that is hard to spot that holds a wallet.

Do you have any suggestions of brilliant new EDC bags to add? Let us know what you picked in the comments below.

Get the Condor EDC bag from Amazon.

Maxpedition EDC Pocket Organizer

  • Pros: Ideal for on-body organization, works well as subload for any other pack.
  • Cons: Obviously minimal capacity by itself, pricey for what it is.
Maxpedition E.D.C. Pocket Organizer

This is great for using inside a handbag, attached to a larger bag or simply carried in the pocket of cargo pants or a jacket.

It’s small – just 5” long x 7” high x 1” wide but it can certainly get all those little items organized. The main compartment has full clamshell opening with dual zips.

This means you have everything you want at a glance. On the inside left there’s a slip pocket, an elastic organizer with 9 divisions and a key ring. On the right is a slip pocket, a tie down loop and an elastic organizer with 6 divisions.

Women can get their makeup, nail file, mini torch and all the EDC stuff women need in one tidy little container.

Guys can get their multitool, folding knife, and other EDC goods in here too without having to do some weird version of the Makarena dance as they frantically pat pockets to find what they need.

On the front exterior is a mesh slip pocket with hook and loop for a driver license or whichever card you need regularly. The back features attachment webbing.

Get the Maxpedition EDC organizer form here.

Maxpedition Fliegerduffel Adventure Bag

  • Pros: Mammoth storage capacity, one of the few duffels that wears well as a backpack.
  • Cons: Only suitable for those with drastic EDC gear requirements, overtly tactical in appearance.
Fliegerduffle "Adventure Bag" Maxpedition

For road warriors or people who need to haul a ton of gear, it is hard to go wrong with a duffel bag. Sometimes you just need a lot of room and not much else!  Maxpedition’s Fliegerduffel Adventure bag gives you all the advantages of the classic duffel while maximizing versatility, expandability and even furnishing the ability to comfortably carry the bag securely on your back like a backpack when you need to.

Sporting a comparatively massive 42 liter capacity and weighing in at nearly four pounds, this is the largest and beefiest bag on the list. But that impressive size will ensure you have room for all of your gear plus tools to spare and it is an easy matter to set the bag up for any objective or environment thanks to two rows of PALS webbing on every external surface. Heavy-duty YKK self-healing zippers ensure you won’t have a blowout that will see you spill your precious resources all over the side of the road when you stop for repairs or to pull security.

A mammoth main compartment with compression straps will if you keep everything where it needs to be, and the lid has two smaller organizers for rapid access gear or small components. The outside of the pack is similarly configured with smaller pouches and compartments for an admin panel or commonly used items.

Get the Maxpedition Fliegerduffel from Amazon.

Conclusion

No matter what kind of EDC requirements you have, there is a bag out there that can help fulfill them while becoming a part of your lifestyle seamlessly. Choosing an EDC bag should not be an afterthought; it should be afforded as much care and insight as any other piece of gear that you choose to carry.

Choosing the right bag will make your life easier, and draw less attention to yourself, where choosing the wrong bag is only going to see it become a burden and subject you to scrutiny that you might not be able to afford.

Take the time to review the list of bags and packs we have provided above, and you are sure to find a new favorite.

EDC bags pinterest image

last update: 12/09/2020


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3 thoughts on “The 9 Best EDC Bags for Everyday Carry”

  1. Couldn’t agree more with the Direct Action Messenger Bag… the quality is amazing. It has been my EDC bag for a while now and the quality far exceeds anything by Maxpedition, 5.11 Tactical or Cannae.

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