Absolute minimum EDC

[getahl]

Wallet, keys, and phone, with a aaa Fenix light in my pocket, and a n Esquire or Classic on my keychain. That's about as barebones as I get, although I hate using my keychain as a handle, so I'll add a Dragonfly for pocket carry. Don't like Photons too much, as the batteries are a pain to find on short notice.

[stealth007s]

Wallet, keys, and phone, with a aaa Fenix light in my pocket, and a n Esquire or Classic on my keychain. That's about as barebones as I get, although I hate using my keychain as a handle, so I'll add a Dragonfly for pocket carry. Don't like Photons too much, as the batteries are a pain to find on short notice.

I've owned my Photon for over ten years and haven't replaced the batteries yet

[jerseydevil]

My minimum is my usual keychain carry - an Executive, a Fenix E01, and a P-51 can opener.  You'd be surprised how versitile the can opener can be in some situations... 

[TurkTeen]

I only have a vic midnite manager as a multitool, and when you are 13 years old, you don't have much uses for it...but I can say that a Compact with a Photon Micro II would cover me up pretty well, maybe with teeny-tiny first aid kit I have. And a swisscard classic in my wallet would be fine.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I realize I pretty much missed the point about "absolute minimum".

That'd be something like my S4 or my Exec, and my Preon in a 1xAAA config, or a Q-mini.

My preference is my ZL SC60w and a smaller 91mm SAK like a Compact or my Yeoman, or if I think I'll need more capable pliers my S2 or CS4.

[mtool78]

This one is easy to answers, I have Micra and Fenix E01 attached to my keys - so those are always with me. Then depending which jacket I'm wearing I may also have Crunch, Vic Mechanic or Skeletool in my pockets. Photon would be a good replacement for E01 but I like the wear and scratches that Fenix has taken from keys.

[Gareth]

In the spirit of this thread I only carried a Fenix E05 and a Vic Rambler today.  I just about survived, and the world seem to still be spinning, so I think I got away with it.

[El Rago]

I go with something like mtool78. A modded Solitaire, a Dime, and A Skeletool. Sometimes I even leave the the Skeletool at home.

[peacemaker885]

I had exactly the same thoughts. However the CR2016 (or maybe the CR2032 on emergencies) power most if not all keyless entry car remotes. This makes it relatively easy to buy in any big retailer, at least thats the case here in the USA.

[getahl]

Wallet, keys, and phone, with a aaa Fenix light in my pocket, and a n Esquire or Classic on my keychain. That's about as barebones as I get, although I hate using my keychain as a handle, so I'll add a Dragonfly for pocket carry. Don't like Photons too much, as the batteries are a pain to find on short notice.

I've owned my Photon for over ten years and haven't replaced the batteries yet

Do they typically last the long? I was under the impression they lasted about as long as AA or AAA! Perhaps I've been misled hehe

[Lynn LeFey]

I bought some fauxtons, took one apart, and checked out the battery. it turned out to be a pretty good cell, and estimations I'd found was that it would run about 10 hours. I use my little keychain light about 30 seconds, every other week. At that rate, it'd take... emmm...

26 minutes a year...

So about 20 years?

Of course, an emergency might find it doing minutes, to maybe even an hour all at one time.

But it REALLY depends on how much you use a light.

[Steinar]

Also, remember the red, orange and yellow Photons are supposed to have about ten times the runtime of the green, white, etc. At least that's what e.g. http://www.heinnie.com/Flashlights/Photon-Flashlights/Microlight-II/p-97-269-844/ claims. Given 100 hrs runtime, give or take, a battery will last for quite a while if the light is only used for quick flashes to insert a key and stuff like that.

[gregozedobe]

How long batteries will last in a Photon depends on how much it is used and how good a quality the batteries are.  Good batteries have a shelf life of 5 years or more, crap batteries may have gone flat even before you put them in your light.

Given how photons (and fauxtons) over-drive the LED at first, the brightness will drop off quickly at first (over 15-30 minutes), then stabilise for a while before going into a long decline.  Many people don't notice the reduction in illumination until they either put fresh batteries in or compare with another light that has fresh batteries.

[AimlessWanderer]

I think for me a Photon is ultimate backup, but even for minimal EDC I go for an AAA light (though I do use my lights quite a bit).

I was out of town at a wedding this weekend, and wanted to make sure I had the basics without being too loaded up. First choice was a Wenger Deluxe Cigar Cutter ... and yes the cigar cutter was used  Next was a Quark Mini Ti 123 with an alox rambler and Mini Bear Jaws (which was used to repair a bridemaids necklace). I also wanted to have a reasonable sized but slimline pliers tool which wouldn't distort the jacket, so I carried a Jeep branded "Spyderguppie" - that wasn't needed though

Aside from this the other essentials were a wallet and phone, and I did wear a wrist watch too which isn't a common thing for me. So not that minimalist really, but I felt comfortable with it 

[Mr. Whippy]

For me, it depends on the circumstances.

If I'm traveling, I go with a PocketWrench II, Leatherman carabiner and small flashlight (often Lummi Raw).  I don't really think that's truly ready, since there's no blade or pliers, but it works for about 75% of needs.

At work, Minimum EDC is my Vic Executive, Mod'ed Vic (Quantum Mechanic), and the PocketWrench II, Leatherman carabiner and small light.  Any less, and I have to go search for tools.

It differs once I'm home on the farm...

[hiljentaa]

Oooh, I like the tool-set on that Vic, Whippy...

[Landrew]

Oh yeah, LED lights go a long, long time on low brightness after the battery wears down.  If you believe the hours of light numbers, cut that down to about 1/3 for time of useful brightness.

[Singh]

My setup is pretty simple:

1.Quark Mini AA light
2.Vic Classic SD (attached to the Quark)
3.Modded Ti Victorinox Pioneer with scissors

Oh, and my keys, wallet, dumbphone, and wrissmurfch

[Buzzbait]

I just got off a long stretch of EDC minimalism, or at least minimal for me. I used to be a hearty multitool on the belt kind of guy, along with a small Vic Classic, a full-sized locking knife, and an Arc AAA flashlight.

I moved to a Vic Farmer, Vic Executive, and a Photon Freedom about three years ago, when I started bike commuting to work. When you bike 30 miles every day, you start shaving down the dead weight quickly. Then after a year or so, I moved down from a Farmer to a Pioneer. That's about as minimalist as I can get.

It's now winter, and I won't be doing any bike commuting until spring, so my pants and belt have become loaded with tools once again. But that will most likely end on that first warm day of spring.

[Corso]

Absolute minimum for me would be a Victorinox Midnite manager.

[legtu]

my absolute minimum would be my phone, vic classic and an aaa light (or something similar in size).

[BigBill5953]

For me, it's different levels of carry... I keep dedicated selections of tools in various packs/bags so no matter what I'm carrying, I know I'll have something.  It gives me a small measure of redundancy too, so if I lose or break something, I'm usually still covered.

On my person, usually in a pocket, is a small light and pocket or key-chain sized tool.  Lately it's been my Squirt S4 and HCRI Q-mini AA.  I also alternate between the S4 and my Vic Exec.

On my key-chain, I've got my Wenger evo-81 and a Photon Freedom Micro with a covert nose.

In my EDC bag is my Stretch 2, Juice S2, CT 41, and my HCRI Preon 2.

In my day-hiking hydro-pack/PSK, I have my BK14, Skele-CX, modded Vic Hunter, and my neutral white Q-mini AA.

In the glove box of my wife's Sienna I've got my ST300 and my Jetbeam PA40.

In my adventure pack it's my Gerber Big Rock, my Juice CS4, Wenger PER Ranger 179, regular Quark AA, Zebralight H51Fw, and sometimes my Sven Saw and my Condor Golok.

In my bike toolkit I carry my Crunch along with a selection of other bike tools, and I have a Zebralight H51Fr as my tail-light, a Romisen RC 29-II on my handlebars, my Jetbeam Jet-III Pro St on top of my helmet, and my Zebralight H502d under my helmet's visor.

If you cant find where you are going in the dark, we're all screwed!

Kidding aside, you seem extremely prepared. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

For me, it's different levels of carry... I keep dedicated selections of tools in various packs/bags so no matter what I'm carrying, I know I'll have something.  It gives me a small measure of redundancy too, so if I lose or break something, I'm usually still covered.

On my person, usually in a pocket, is a small light and pocket or key-chain sized tool.  Lately it's been my Squirt S4 and HCRI Q-mini AA.  I also alternate between the S4 and my Vic Exec.

On my key-chain, I've got my Wenger evo-81 and a Photon Freedom Micro with a covert nose.

In my EDC bag is my Stretch 2, Juice S2, CT 41, and my HCRI Preon 2.

In my day-hiking hydro-pack/PSK, I have my BK14, Skele-CX, modded Vic Hunter, and my neutral white Q-mini AA.

In the glove box of my wife's Sienna I've got my ST300 and my Jetbeam PA40.

In my adventure pack it's my Gerber Big Rock, my Juice CS4, Wenger PER Ranger 179, regular Quark AA, Zebralight H51Fw, and sometimes my Sven Saw and my Condor Golok.

In my bike toolkit I carry my Crunch along with a selection of other bike tools, and I have a Zebralight H51Fr as my tail-light, a Romisen RC 29-II on my handlebars, my Jetbeam Jet-III Pro St on top of my helmet, and my Zebralight H502d under my helmet's visor.

If you cant find where you are going in the dark, we're all screwed!

Kidding aside, you seem extremely prepared. 

Thanks.    

Many years of not owning a motor vehicle have taught me (some times the hard way!) to be self sufficient...     My bicycle(s) was (were) my only source of transportation from the time I was 19 until I was 31. 

I also hate shuffling stuff around from bag to bag for different occasions, and by having multiple bags I can easily lend one to my wife or son, or a friend, when going out on a hike, a camping trip, etc.  Requires a little more time put into planning them all out, and keeping track of where things are, but in the long run I think it saves me time when it's most important; getting ready to head out the door and go.

[SolomonKane79]

Opinel outdoor and Smith&Wesson tacticalpen/led light.

[Dr Gonzo]

Never leave home without my Key wallet with Maratac AAA & Leatherman Micra

[Gareth]

Using a little key wallet is a great idea mate.

[Dr Gonzo]

Using a little key wallet is a great idea mate.

Cheers man...I got it from TK Maxx, think it was about £15 and its Timberland so quite good quality
I've had it a while now and its still going strong, it holds both those tools and 2 mortice + 1 yale key and there is one clip space left...I did replace some of the clips with better ones, I'll get round to doing them all someday

[Gareth]

TBH I've not seen one of them in years but I might keep my eyes open from now on.  That does look like a nice bit of leather.

[Dr Gonzo]

TBH I've not seen one of them in years but I might keep my eyes open from now on.  That does look like a nice bit of leather.

They're handy things
Good way off keeping keys away from other EDC

[nuphoria]

Works really well for a couple of small tools