Column: Losing your mind over a lost piece of EDC gear
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Sometimes, you don’t know how much you love something until you come close to losing it.
I’m talking gear, not relationships. Just kidding, sweetie.
Last week, I brought in a bunch of gear to the office to do my most recent column, running down the basics of EDC (everyday carry).
What is EDC? Here is a look at some daily carry items
After getting home, I realized I had misplaced my Leatherman Micra. If you are not familiar with the Micra, it is a small, keychain-style multitool that is scissors-based, not pliers-based.
Photos by Miguel Paredes/KTSM
I’ve carried one around for more than 20 years. Besides the scissors, it has a super sharp little blade, a combo flat/Phillips screwdriver, ruler in inches and centimeters, nail cleaner and nail file, tweezers, bottle opener and a medium and extra small screwdriver.
It is perfect for fishing, camping or just around the office or the home.
The scissors are quite handy and so is the blade. The other tools can be used for light duty in a pinch, making it a perfect part of my EDC.
After several hours of frantic searching, retracing my steps, self-recrimination and a little panic thrown in, it miraculously turned up in my car – between the driver’s seat and door – the same place my cell phone often ends up (must be a portal to the Galaxy of Lost Socks).
In between bouts of calling myself an idiot for losing my Leatherman, I pondered what I was going to do to possibly replace it.
The Micra is now priced at $49.99 on Leatherman’s website. Quite honestly, I like this tool a whole lot better when it was priced at around $25 or $30.
Last year, I paid about $30 for my recent version (I’ve lost this tool a couple of times before over the years, but at least those incidents involved fishing/camping trips and just maybe a few adult beverages).
I was contemplating a couple of tools to replace it – the Victorinox Classic SD and the bigger Pioneer X. Both have scissors, and Victorinox, the maker of Swiss Army Knives, has a reputation for making some of the best multitool scissors out there.
The Classic SD, reportedly the best-selling pocket knife in history, runs for $24 for the basic model on the Victorinox website. My issue with it: It is super small at 2.3 inches or 58 millimeters. For me, it just feels too tiny.
Note: My Micra is 2.5 inches when closed (so about the same size as the SD), but when it is folded out, it comes in at 4.2 inches and feels much more substantial.
The Victorinox Pioneer X is bigger at 3.7 inches or about 94 millimeters, but its price tag is $65. I was hesitating about paying $50 to replace my Micra but I’m going to buy the Pioneer X for $65? I don’t think so.
Walmart also has a brand of knives and multitools called Swiss Tech. The Listig is the Walmart version of the Classic SD and comes in at about $12 on the company’s website.
I was also thinking that I could turn my Gerber Armbar Cork (which I use for grilling) into my everyday carry. It does have a pretty decent pair of scissors.
Anyway, I was thinking about all those those all options when my Micra showed up as I was getting into my car to go to work last Sunday
After breathing a sigh of relief, I dug up a Nite Ize Microlock S-biner out of my EDC storage drawer. I am now using it to fasten my beloved mini-Leatherman to my Orbitkey organizer.
The S-biner is like a carabiner but in the shape of an “S,” with two loop compartments, instead of one. It uses a little lever to lock both parts of it into place.
So you can use it to fasten one end to your keys and the other end to a tool like the Micra, that you want to secure but also have quick access to if you need it.
The S-biner I had in my EDC stash is blue so it clashes with my key setup – an orange Orbitkey organizer and orange Olight iTHX flashlight.
So I’ve already ordered another S-biner, this time in black so it complements my existing carry.
Here are some links:
Note: Dave Burge is a digital content producer and web reporter for KTSM.com. All gear he reviews or talks about he has paid for out of his own pocket.
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