Building the Best EDC Carry at Bass Pro: 8 Pieces of Gear Worth Your Money

Introduction

Big box stores get a bad reputation among everyday carry enthusiasts, but a trip through Bass Pro tells a different story. Between the knives, multi-tools, lights, and fire starters on the shelves, it is entirely possible to build a complete, genuinely useful carry for a fraction of what a premium setup costs. We put together a full kit that comes in at about $322, and these eight pieces are the ones that earned a place in it.

The Knife Verdict: Kershaw Iridium

Three budget-friendly knives went head to head to find the best bang for buck, and the Kershaw Iridium came out on top. Its D2 tool steel blade in a reverse tanto shape is a genuinely utilitarian cutter, and at roughly $63 it is hard to justify paying two or three times more for a premium production knife with the same job description.

That is the recurring theme with the $60 knife segment: it has gotten so good over the years that the point of diminishing returns keeps moving lower. The Iridium is imported, so if American-made matters to you, the premium cabinet is still an option. But for pure value, this is the knife to grab at Bass Pro right now.

The Runner-Up: Gerber Fastball

The Gerber Fastball, also in D2, proved once again that Gerber’s recent $50 to $60 offerings are seriously impressive for the money. The lock bar stabilizer adds confidence to the deployment, and the matte green finish is a nice touch.

There is a bit of blade play and the pocket clip is oversized, which holds it back from taking the top spot. Even so, it is a solid knife that you would not regret carrying daily.

The Comfort Pick: CRKT Overland

The CRKT Overland feels every bit as good as CRKT’s fixed blade Overland models, with a frame lock that will win over anyone who prefers that lock style. The ergonomics are arguably the most comfortable of the three knives tested.

The catch is the blade steel: 8Cr13MoV at a $50 to $60 price point, when D2 options sit in the same bracket. It is not a bad knife at all, and design lovers may still prefer it, but on value alone the D2 alternatives edge it out.

A Worthwhile Wildcard: CRKT Tuna

The CRKT Tuna, from designer Lucas Burnley, is a compact knife that many people have handled in custom form but far fewer have tried in its production version. It is less of a value pick and more of a design-forward piece that rounds out a carry nicely.

If you appreciate small, thoughtfully shaped knives, the Tuna is worth a look alongside the main picks.

The Multi-Tool: Leatherman Signal

The Leatherman Signal is the outdoorsy entry in Leatherman’s lineup, and it brings a ferro rod, a diamond file, full pliers, an interchangeable bit driver, a can opener, a reamer, a carabiner that doubles as a bottle opener, and locking outside blades including a combo edge knife and a saw.

One underrated detail: a secondary lock keeps the handles closed, which some modern Leathermans handle differently. At $140, it is a great multi-tool, though the serrated primary blade and the somewhat weak pocket clip are worth noting. Aftermarket accessories can replace the ferro rod and whistle storage with bit storage and tweezers, making it more EDC-friendly if that suits you better.

The Flashlight: Streamlight Wedge XT

The Streamlight Wedge XT is a slim, simple-operating flashlight with USB-C charging and an IPX7 water resistance rating, meaning it should survive submersion at one meter for 30 minutes. It is smaller than several popular EDC lights and easier to live with than the original Wedge.

The main compromise is the interface: it defaults to high mode, so you have to double tap to reach low, and the low mode could be dimmer. At $100 you need to really like the form factor, but it is arguably the best flashlight you will find on a Bass Pro shelf.

The Pocket Tool: Gerber Armbar Mini

The Gerber Armbar Mini packs six tools into a tiny package: tweezers, a flathead driver, a plain edge blade, micro scissors, a Phillips driver, and a bottle opener. The scissors are the same ones from the Gerber Dime, making this feel like half a Dime.

The verdict is mixed. The inclusion of a knife means you cannot fly with it, and the micro drivers are painful to deploy. Many buyers already carry a knife, and a file in place of the blade would have made this a stronger keychain tool. At $20 it is interesting, but a Dime may still be the better buy.

Fire Starting: Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL

The Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL is a watertight ferro rod with a built-in striker, a tinder storage compartment, and a paracord lanyard that can carry fire cord. It throws sparks easily and threads apart, so you can buy a replacement rod once you wear the original out.

At around $30, it is not the cheapest ferro rod available, but the build quality, American manufacturing, and replaceable design make it a long-term carry piece rather than a disposable one.

The Everyday Basics: Wallet and Key Management

Rounding out the carry are the unglamorous essentials. A Chums wallet at $11.99 offers card access, zip pockets on each side, and enough space to double as a small EDC pouch for a light and other small gear. It has been a recurring pick in builds like this for good reason.

Key management comes from Nite Ize micro carabiners, about $3 each in a multi-pack, plus a larger locking carabiner in the five to six dollar range for keys. On a trip like this, these small items are about as good as you will find at a big box store.

Overall Buying Advice

The complete carry, including the Iridium, Signal, Wedge XT, and the basics, came to $322.49. Skipping the $1,200 watch and the premium knife cabinet is what keeps the build realistic. A Benchmade or a Kershaw Live Wire would have pushed the total toward $450 to $500 without making the carry functionally better for most people.

The honest takeaway is that imported knives in the $60 range have narrowed the gap so much that the question is now personal: do you want American-made, or do you want maximum value? Both answers are legitimate, but for pure bang for buck, the budget-first approach wins here.

Conclusion

A complete, well-matched everyday carry does not require a premium budget. The Kershaw Iridium anchors the blade, the Leatherman Signal covers tools and outdoor utility, the Streamlight Wedge XT handles lighting, and the Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL adds reliable fire starting. Add the wallet and key basics and you have a carry that is happy to be used every day, at a price that leaves room in the budget for everything else.