Everyday carry is this whole culture of people who carefully curate specific items to carry every day.
Fancy backpacks. Multiple wallets. Specific pens. Multitools. EDC kits.
There are entire online communities dedicated to photographing and discussing everyday carry setups.
I looked at these setups and thought “okay I want to carry useful stuff.”
So I bought a fancy backpack that cost eighty euros. I bought a multitools that cost forty euros. I bought special pens. I bought a nice wallet. I bought an organizer.
I was carrying like fifteen items every day.
Then I realized I actually used maybe five of those items regularly.
Like I had a multitools I never opened. A notebook I never wrote in. A pen that was too expensive to actually use. A compartment in my backpack that always stayed empty.
I was carrying items based on some curated idea of myself.
Not based on what I actually carried.
So I stripped everything down to what I genuinely use every day.
It turns out I use five things regularly. Everything else is extra.
What Makes An Everyday Carry Item Actually Useful
You use it multiple times per day.
Like minimum three times daily. If you’re using something once a week, it’s not really everyday carry.
It solves a real problem you have.
Like you carry it because you need it, not because it looks cool.
It fits in the bag or pockets you already have.
If it doesn’t fit, you’ll stop carrying it.
It’s durable enough to survive daily use.
If it breaks after two weeks, it’s not useful.
I had a huge backpack when I only ever carried a laptop and a water bottle.
It was ridiculously oversized for what I actually needed.
My backpack looked empty half the time.
It was uncomfortable because it was too big.
I got a smaller backpack that fits exactly what I carry.
Now I don’t have empty space. The backpack isn’t too big.
I actually use it.
A good everyday carry backpack needs to:
Fit the stuff you actually carry. Not aspirational stuff. Real stuff.
What do you actually carry every single day?
Laptop? Phone? Lunch? Water bottle? Notebook?
Figure out the actual items and get a backpack sized for those items.
Have a laptop compartment if you carry a laptop. Or not, if you don't.
Don’t buy a backpack designed for something you don’t use.
Not be so fancy that you worry about scratching it or damaging it.
If you’re stressed about your backpack getting damaged, you won’t use it.
Have straps that don't hurt your back if you're carrying it several hours a day.
Some backpack straps dig in. Some don’t. Test this before buying.
Be weather-resistant or at least not destroyed by light rain.
Your backpack will encounter rain sometimes.
Cost: €30-100 for something decent. Expensive brands are €200+ but you don’t need to spend that if it fits your stuff and is comfortable.
I carry a water bottle every day.
I’d genuinely forget to drink water without it.
I use it at minimum five times per day.
It’s one of the most used items in my everyday carry.
A good water bottle for everyday carry needs to:
Fit in your backpack or cup holder without being awkward.
If it doesn’t fit, you won’t carry it.
Not leak if it tips over or gets jostled in your bag.
If it leaks, your stuff gets wet.
Keep water at the temperature you prefer for the duration you're away from home.
Cost: €20-50.
I had a wallet with seventeen card slots.
I use five cards daily.
The other twelve slots were empty.
It was unnecessarily bulky.
I switched to a simple wallet with five slots.
Now it fits my actual cards without extra bulk.
I actually use it.
A good wallet for everyday carry needs to:
Hold exactly the cards you actually carry.
Not aspirational cards. Real cards you use.
Count your cards right now. Get a wallet with that many slots. Not more.
Hold cash if you carry cash.
Some people don’t carry cash. Some people do.
Fit in your back pocket or bag without being bulky.
If the wallet is huge, you won’t carry it.
Not be so fancy that you worry about damage or loss.
You carry your wallet everywhere. It’s going to get damaged. Accept this.
Cost: €20-50.
I work at a desk and use my phone constantly.
A basic phone stand changed how I work.
I can see my phone without holding it.
I can check notifications without picking it up.
But this only matters if you work at a desk and use your phone there.
A good phone stand needs to:
Hold your phone at a comfortable viewing angle for you.
Different angles work for different people.
Not tip over easily if you touch it or use it.
If it’s unstable, you’ll stop using it.
Not be awkward to use and put away.
If putting the phone in and taking it out is annoying, you won’t use it.
Cost: €10-30.
I’m away from a charger sometimes for a full day.
A portable charger makes sure my phone doesn’t die.
I use it maybe two or three times per week.
But this only matters if you’re frequently away from a charger.
If you’re always near a charger, you don’t need this.
A good portable charger needs to:
Charge your phone at least once fully.
Some charge it halfway. That’s useless.
Not be so heavy that carrying it is annoying.
If it weighs as much as a brick, you won’t carry it.
Actually work. Cheap ones are unreliable.
A portable charger that doesn’t work is worse than having none.
Be something you don't mind losing if you accidentally leave it somewhere.
You might lose it someday. Accept this.
Cost: €20-60.
Budget vs Premium Everyday Carry
Budget: Most everyday carry items work fine at budget price.
A €30 backpack works as well as a €100 backpack if it fits what you carry.
A €20 wallet works as well as an €80 wallet if it holds your cards.
Premium: Only buy premium if you use it constantly and it genuinely improves your experience.
If you carry a backpack eight hours a day and comfort matters, a premium backpack might be worth €100 because you’ll be happier.
What Not to Buy
Don’t buy everyday carry items based on aesthetics or photos online.
Don’t carry multiple of something if one works fine.
Don’t carry items you don’t actually use.
Final Recommendation
Your everyday carry should be things you actually use every day.
Not things you think you should carry.
Not things that look cool.
Actual things you need.
Strip away everything else.