Best EDC Gear of 2024: Our Favorite Knives, Lights, Bags, and Watches

Introduction

Every year we like to step back and reflect on the everyday carry releases that genuinely earned a spot in pockets, pouches, and rotations. The 2024 crop was strong across the board: knives got more inventive, flashlights pushed both portability and features, bags leaned into technical fabrics, and the watch releases ranged from rugged tool watches to a quiet horological sleeper. Here are the picks that stood out, based on personal use, editor picks, and what the broader EDC community kept talking about all year.

Favorite Knives of the Year

WE Knife OAO

The WE Knife OAO stopped us in our tracks the first time we saw it. It is a titanium integral frame lock with a hidden pivot and flipper deployment, wrapped in a clean futuristic design that feels straight out of a sci-fi game. It is one of those knives where the engineering and the aesthetics reinforce each other.

WE Knife Tyro

A favorite of our editor and podcast co-host, the WE Knife Tyro stands out for its fully ambidextrous super lock, which left-handed users will especially appreciate. The geometry of the titanium handle is interesting without being gimmicky, and the finishing is nicely executed. It is a well-balanced design for daily carry.

Riot XOOU

The Riot XOOU is basically a gravity utility blade, and it is a ton of fun. The deployment mechanism is unique and endlessly fidgety, but it stays practical, and it is relatively affordable compared to more premium standard configurations of the EXO. A great pick if you want personality without a premium price.

Aroundsquare Base

The knife that got carried the most out of dozens tested last year. The Aroundsquare Base is roughly the size of a pack of gum, so it disappears into a pocket or slips into an EDC pouch as a backup. Underneath the small footprint is a grade 5 titanium frame lock with a surprisingly useful American Tanto blade in S35VN. It looks good, feels good in hand, and punches well above its size.

Ridge Everyday Folder

The Ridge Everyday Folder earned its place as a go-to daily driver whenever a smaller crossbar lock that could take some abuse was needed. It was used and liked extensively over the year, and it remains an easy recommendation for anyone who wants a compact, durable folder they do not have to baby.

Bossted Talarurus

Bossted released a lot of knives, but the Talarurus stood out with a unique yet satisfying design. The modified harpoon blade shape is a highlight, and the thumb-disc deployment feels great in use. If you want a knife with real design character, this one deserves a look.

Flashlights

Portability and functionality both pushed forward this year, and no brand embodied that better than Loop Gear, whose lights were carried all year: the smaller SK03 in summer and the larger SK05 in winter. Both share a futuristic design language that looks like it came out of sci-fi anime, backed by equally futuristic features.

Loop Gear SK03

The Loop Gear SK03 packs clever versatility into a small body. Its pocket clip can articulate into a magnetic stand, and it includes a built-in bottle opener and blade for opening packages. It is the kind of light that finds uses you did not plan for.

Loop Gear SK05

The larger winter carry, the Loop Gear SK05, features a cool rotary switch UI for controlling its multi-head emitter and side lights. The interface makes switching between modes quick and intuitive, and the design matches the futuristic personality of its smaller sibling.

Nikore EDC23

The Nikore EDC23 is the newest and smallest member of the brand’s rectangular EDC flashlight family. It takes the best features from its predecessors, like the OLED screens and physical lockout, and crams them into a more pocket-friendly package. A smart distillation of a proven formula.

Multitools

The multitool space this year was less about reinvention and more about accessibility, with classics from Leatherman updated in new colors. That matters more than it sounds: more color options help bring new people into the hobby.

Leatherman Signal

The pick of the bunch was the pink and yellow Leatherman Signal, which got plenty of carry time over the summer. Under the fresh colors it is the same go-anywhere multitool people know, now with a look that stands out in a sea of stainless.

Gear Infusion Ghost TI

The Gear Infusion Ghost TI spent the year on a keychain as a preferred ultra-minimalist utility knife. Its thoughtfully designed titanium frame makes it barely there until you need it, which is exactly what a last-resort cutting tool should be.

Bags

For bags, the preference leans toward urban EDC designs that use technical fabrics or construction methods, and 2024 delivered several excellent examples.

Dispatch Sling Bag

The Dispatch sling bag is made from Dyneema, a fabric renowned for its strength-to-weight ratio and weather resistance. The execution on this genuinely large full-size shoulder bag is excellent, and it is refreshing to see big bags make a comeback after years of small cross-body dominance. This one can even work as a statement piece.

Aer Ultra Collection

The Aer Ultra collection takes the brand’s work-travel-EDC-focused bags and rebuilds them in Ultra fabric, something our co-host was genuinely impressed by. Ultra sits in an ideal middle ground between the popular weatherproof X-Pac and Dyneema: it uses Dyneema fibers to stay light and abrasion resistant, but without the crinkle of Dyneema. A very promising best-of-both-worlds material.

Evergoods Element Pouch

The Evergoods Element Pouch is waterproof in materials, hardware, and construction methods, which is surprisingly hard to find at this level. The high-viz yellow colorway is different and cool, and at around 35 dollars it is not a crazy investment. An easy add-on to any setup.

Watches

Watches rounded out the year with a personal favorite category, and 2024 delivered everything from rugged titanium to a vintage-inspired stunner.

Timex Expedition GMT Titanium

Timex has been stepping up lately with vintage-inspired designs and interesting collaborations, and the latest Expedition GMT Titanium is the release worth picking. It is a go-anywhere, do-anything tool watch with 200-meter water resistance and a titanium case, plus a date window and GMT hand. Proportions are good too, at 41mm and under 12mm thick, and titanium keeps it lighter and more comfortable on the wrist than steel.

Casio CRW001 Ring Watch

Casio hardly needs an introduction, and nearly anything in the G-Shock lineup is solid for EDC. The CRW001 ring watch, though, was a genuinely neat surprise: an unexpected form factor with a design based on the iconic square watches. It was a hyped release and hard to get, which says a lot about the demand.

Grand Seiko SLGW005

The personal favorite release of the year, the Grand Seiko SLGW005 is a modern recreation of a late 60s to early 70s vintage design, with that timeless Japanese aesthetic intact. Under the hood sits an insane new high-beat movement packed with innovation and exceptional finishing. It is a sleeper in the best possible way, and one many collectors will still hope to add one day.

Buying Advice

The common thread across these picks is that each one solves a real carry problem without overcomplicating it. If you are upgrading your knife rotation, start with a compact daily driver like the Aroundsquare Base or a character piece like the Talarurus. For lighting, decide whether you value clever versatility or interface refinement. On the bag side, technical fabrics like Dyneema and Ultra are worth the premium if you carry in mixed weather. And for the wrist, match the watch to your lifestyle: a titanium GMT for travel, a fun Casio for daily wear, or a Grand Seiko if you are ready to invest in something timeless.

Conclusion

2024 was a strong year for everyday carry, with genuine innovation in knives, flashlights, bags, and watches alike. Whether one of these picks slots into your rotation or simply inspires your next upgrade, the takeaway is the same: the best EDC gear is the gear you actually reach for every day.