Home Depot EDC Finds: Five Everyday Carry Picks Worth a Look

Introduction

You don’t need a specialty store to put together a respectable everyday carry. A trip to a big-box hardware store turns out to be surprisingly productive: a dependable utility knife, a travel-friendly multi-tool, a value folding knife, a rugged budget flashlight, and a clever magnetic key connector, all picked up in one visit. Here is how each one stacks up.

What We Set Out to Find

The goal was simple: replace a full EDC loadout, knife, flashlight, multi-tool, wallet, watch, and keys, with items available in store. Some things, like a watch or a proper wallet, are simply not stocked on hardware store shelves, but the actual tools available were better than expected. The total for the five picks below came to roughly $110, which is not bad for gear you can walk out with the same day.

Milwaukee Fastback: The Best Value of the Haul

The Milwaukee Fastback is the standout deal here. At $8.97 it delivers exactly what you want from a folding utility knife: press the button, the blade opens, press again to close, and the lock keeps it secure when folded. It is fidgety, reliable, and practically disposable at this price. One note: this smaller version does not have blade storage in the handle, unlike the larger Fastback, which includes a pull-out storage slot. The pocket clip position is the long-standing complaint, but with a knife that locks closed, it hardly matters.

Gerber MP600: The Travel-Friendly Multi-Tool

The Gerber MP600 packs 14 tools: a fully serrated blade, a can opener, a Phillips head, a straight-edge locking blade, a large file, three flathead drivers in small, medium, and wide sizes, a bottle opener, wire cutters, and both needle nose and regular pliers. Everything locks, and it comes with a sheath. The catch: the tool access is stiff, and the locking collar came loose almost immediately out of the package, which is not a great look for a $54.97 tool. The big upside is a bladeless version of the MP600 that is far more travel-friendly for countries with strict knife laws, and it may even be suitable for air travel. Long-time Leatherman users may still prefer the spring-loaded pliers of the Gerber Center-Drive, but the MP600 remains a reasonable choice at this price.

For most people, the MP600 is a solid “good, not great” option. If you already own a Center-Drive or a Leatherman, you may not feel the need to switch.

SOG Flare: An Assisted-Opening Value Knife

The SOG Flare was one of the few genuinely good knife options in store, with 8Cr13MoV steel and a GRN handle. It offers a 3.5-inch satin polished blade, weighs 3.2 ounces, and has an overall length of 8 inches. The assisted opening fires the blade out quickly with a push of the thumb stud, and a sliding safety works like a firearm safety, red for live. The blade shape is genuinely nice, the knife feels solid, and the very deep-carry, reversible pocket clip is a plus. There is a bit of blade play and centering is mediocre, but at $29.97 it gets the job done.

If you prefer non-assisted knives, this may not be your pick, but for the price it is a solid workhorse.

Coast Polysteel 100: A Solid Budget Flashlight

The Coast Polysteel 100 is a single-mode-looking flashlight that actually hides a second mode. High beam outputs 110 lumens with a 42-meter beam distance, while low outputs 48 lumens with a 28-meter throw. Runtime runs 4 hours 15 minutes on high and about 14 hours on low. The beam has a defined hotspot with some spill, better for up-close work than throwing light downrange. The specs are the real selling point: IP58 water and dust resistance, plus crushproof and dropproof construction, ratings you can actually verify rather than vague “storm proof” marketing. At around $20 it is a fair value, though online alternatives like Streamlight may offer more for the money.

If you just want a tough, no-nonsense light to keep in a drawer or truck, this fits the bill.

Nite Ize SlideLock 360: A Clever Key Connector

The Nite Ize SlideLock 360 is a small accessory that punches above its price. At $14.98 it is a magnetic, double-locking carabiner with a locking collar: the two halves snap together magnetically and screw down so they rotate freely but will not come apart. Clip one side to your keys and the other to a belt loop, and you get a genuinely quick release. It is not something everyone will use, but for anyone who likes magnetic quick-release setups for keys or gear, it is handy to know it is stocked locally.

Overall Buying Advice

As a full package, this hardware-store haul is respectable: about $110 for a working knife, a multi-tool, a folding knife, a flashlight, and a key carabiner. The Fastback is the clear value winner; the SOG Flare and Coast Polysteel 100 are solid for the money; the MP600 is worth considering, especially the bladeless travel version, though build quality concerns are worth weighing. Wallets and watches are not realistically available in store, so plan on sourcing those elsewhere.

Conclusion

Hardware stores are a legitimately viable source for everyday carry basics. Not everything here is the best you can buy for the money, but each item does its job, and the Milwaukee Fastback alone justifies the trip. If you need a working EDC kit today without waiting on shipping, these five picks will serve you well.