Gear of the Week: 8 EDC Picks Worth a Second Look

Introduction

This week’s roundup spans a wide slice of the everyday carry world: electronics organizers, a wallet with a twist, a pair of small pocket knives, one standout US-made folder, a hunting multitool, and three compact flashlights. Some of these are easy recommendations, others come with caveats worth knowing before you spend money. Here is how they stack up.

Buddy Gadget Organizer

The Buddy organizers are compact electronics cases that press open from the bottom and use an aluminum shell. The larger version is packed with storage: micro SD card slots, a full-size SD card slot on top, and both USB-A and USB-C ports. It also functions as an SD and micro SD card reader, so you can offload and store data on the fly, essentially compartmentalizing a stack of larger cards if your workflow calls for it.

That said, the big one makes the most sense if you do a lot of video editing or photography. For most people, the smaller version is the better pick: it fits into far more kits, includes an SD card reader, and holds SD cards, nano SIMs, and converters with plenty of storage in a slim format. It seems like a natural fit for a vehicle kit.

The most interesting of the bunch is the variant with a built-in wireless charging pad. You can set a device on top to charge, or prop it up and keep using the phone while it charges. Inside there is a mirror, USB-A and micro USB cables, a built-in USB-C cable, a micro SD card reader, and general storage. If your phone keeps filling up with photos on vacation, being able to plug the phone in and offload images to a card is a genuinely useful combination. Of everything in the lineup, this one is the favorite.

Victorinox Swiss Card Wallet

Victorinox has been making wallets for a while, and this one takes a different approach: a modern top-loader wallet with a Swiss Card on the back, designed to mesh with the wallet so it stays put, sliding up in one direction and hooking onto the top. The Swiss Card carries the functions you would expect: a small blade, scissors, a file, tweezers, and a pen at the end.

The concept is interesting but not flawless. The price feels steep for something you could arguably replicate by pairing a minimalist wallet with a standard Swiss Card. The band that holds cash also sits too low; it should sit higher so folded bills tuck properly in the middle instead of sticking out where they could fall out. It is worth a closer look, especially at the price, before committing.

CJRB Micia

The CJRB Micia is a genuinely tiny knife: an aluminum frame, a button lock, a reversible clip, a blade under 2.5 inches, and accents around the lanyard hole that actually benefit from a lanyard, which helps with grip on knives this small. It is very fidgety in hand and non-intimidating, suited to light tasks and fifth-pocket carry, where it takes up almost no space.

It sits comfortably alongside similar small knives, with the button lock offering a fidget factor some alternatives lack. For people who want a small, friendly knife for occasional tasks, it ticks a lot of boxes, and pricing will be the deciding factor for many.

CJRB Mini Pyrite

The Mini Pyrite is the companion to the Micia with a sheep’s foot blade shape, and honestly it may be the more appealing of the two. It uses a liner lock instead of a button lock, which also makes it friendlier for left-handed carry, and the front of the handle offers a bit more finger space for comfort.

Both knives broaden the options in the small-knife category, and it is exciting to see what this company does next in this size range. If you like small folders, the Mini Pyrite deserves a look.

Gerber Saludo

Every so often a brand surprises, and the Gerber Saludo is one of those. It is made in the United States, runs S30V steel, and this version wears a custom red Cordura finish from Gerber’s custom shop, which offers several upgrade options. At a base price around $130 for a US-made knife with premium steel, it is very reasonable, especially since Gerber’s other S30V knives cost more.

People sometimes mistake it for a Bugout, but the feel is much closer to a Griptilian: a true, form-filling handle with excellent texturing, and a landing pad for the pocket clip so it does not rip up your pants. The clip is flush and well executed, and the action is impressively smooth given that it runs on washers rather than bearings. Add a reversible pocket clip and strong ergonomics, and this is simply a great knife. If you are picking one folder from Gerber right now, this is the one, and it is a prime candidate to watch during sale events.

Havalon Evolve

The Havalon Evolve is a specialized multitool built around hunting use, with a design similar to a Skeletool but slightly larger, at roughly 6.5 to 7 ounces. The standout feature is a replaceable scalpel holder, which ships with a small removal tool, spare blades, and saw attachments. The blades are thicker than standard scalpel blades, and there is a gut hook that doubles as a package opener.

It also has a full-size hex bit driver that accepts Leatherman bits, with onboard storage for additional bits. The pliers feel sturdier than a Skeletool’s, slightly narrower at the tip and more blunt-nosed. The main drawback is the ergonomics, which have a lot of little sharp edges. Still, the removable blade makes it a great option in settings where a visible knife blade is a problem, and around the $65 price point it has held its value while most other multitools have gone up in price.

Nitecore MH12 Pro

The Nitecore MH12 Pro is a very bright 21700-powered flashlight using a new UHi LED, and what stands out is how it manages heat at high output. It heats up quickly at maximum, but the lower modes carry a higher candela rating with long runtimes than most anything else can match, which gives this LED technology serious potential.

The side of the light has an output indicator and a battery indicator, and the tail cap pops off to reveal a USB-C charging port. Controls are a tail switch plus a side switch, with several modes including a burst-like high mode, and moonlight mode available by holding the side button while pressing the tail switch. The side switch is disabled when the light is off, so it will not accidentally turn on in a bag, and moonlight at around half a lumen lasts an extremely long time. This one probably deserves its own full review.

Fenix LD12R

The Fenix LD12R may be one of Fenix’s best designs yet. It runs on a 14500 or AA battery, pushes roughly 500 to 600 lumens at maximum with a very high candela rating, and its beam is impressively tight, coming close to brighter flagship lights, differing mainly in beam width. Dual battery support also makes it versatile and easy to travel with.

The signature feature is the side emitter: turn the light on, quickly rotate the head, and you can cycle through three side-light outputs. That means you can stand it on a table as a lamp, hang it, or use it in ways that never involve clipping it to a hat. There is also a magnet in the base, so you can stick it to metal and rotate the beam wherever you need it, which is excellent for working under a car hood or in tight spaces.

The single quibble is the pocket clip: it is plastic, presumably to integrate the magnets, and it does not sit deep enough in the pocket, leaving much of the light exposed. A deeper metal clip would raise this light even higher. Everything else impresses, including the waterproofing: instead of a silicone-covered port, it uses a screw-down head, and sealed it carries an IP68 rating, the best you can get outside dive lights.

Lumintop ADC1 15

The Lumintop ADC1 15 is a 14500 or AA powered keychain flashlight with a magnetic attachment, so you can clip it to and off your keys quickly, and stick it to anything metal for extra versatility. It offers around four or five output settings and includes mode memory.

It also comes with a silicone cover that is worth leaving on, which lets you stand it on a table and use it like a small lamp. At under $20 it is an easy, low-risk pick if you want a compact light with a magnetic twist.

Conclusion

This week’s picks reward different buyers in different ways. The Buddy organizer with wireless charging is the most versatile gadget of the group, while the Victorinox wallet is an interesting idea worth scrutinizing at its price. Knife fans get two excellent small folders from CJRB and a genuinely impressive US-made option in the Gerber Saludo, plus the Havalon Evolve for anyone who wants a specialized, scalpel-equipped multitool. On the lighting side, the Nitecore MH12 Pro delivers serious brightness in a 21700 body, the Fenix LD12R might be Fenix’s most thoughtful compact design yet, and the Lumintop ADC1 15 rounds things out as a cheap, clever keychain light. Whatever your corner of everyday carry, there is something here to consider.