My 2023 Altoids EDC Essentials Kit (Everyday Carry)

[@Scotland2306]

May suggest keeping emergency contact numbers written inside the field notes in case of mobile phone loss.

[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

This. YOUR number for lost and found, other's numbers in case you are found injured/unconscious, or your phone dies/lost/stolen. 👍 I have one in my Altoids EDC tin, on my channel.

[@Reducer]

Not just for numbers, but the idea of printing some labels with a label maker to stick to the inside (or outside) of it popped into my head.

[@JonGadget]

yes 👍

[@jo-annel.wright2975]

A calling card will do the trick too...

[@winthaoo]

Emergency contact number: 911.

[@DonaldChapman]

One of the best Altoids EDC kits ever put together.

[@JonGadget]

Thank you - it took some time!

[@jamierepa1382]

Usually I'm lucky if I get one good idea from these videos, today I got five. Thank you.

[@aamadeus3884]

I wasn’t planning to create an EDC kit but after watching your video, I am totally going to! I really enjoyed how organized and how well-thought out the items are. They don’t just look great they actually work. Thank you for your video.

[@vgamedude12]

Something is so satisfying about seeing all these little gadgets stacked inside there.

[@TestSpaceMonkey]

Another compact alternative for that tinder sheet might be birthday candles - they are also compact and give you some reach/flame duration for lighting things. Bonus: if you find some of the gag/novelty ones that can't be blown out they are quite wind resistant too!

[@KevinAdams06]

Great suggestion.

[@michaellorenzen8200]

rubber bands work very well for fire starters and have a million other uses in addition travel nicely on the outside of the tin keeping it from popping open 👍

[@michaellorenzen8200]

excellent suggestion 😃

[@IronMountainx]

😂😂 I'm obviously not up to speed on this urban survival nonsense as when you talk about tinder I'm thinking naked people

[@rpio5100]

Candles melt in the heat

[@puffytuffet]

Great ideas! I hate carrying a purse everywhere and would love to just be able to grab my phone and a tin and go. Mine will have to be adapted with an emergency tampon and a chap stick, but a lot of the other stuff will be the same. Thanks for the ideas!

[@BTPFTW]

I'm not even sure if a panty liner would fit in there. Let alone an applicatorless tampon But yes. I want more emergency tampon kit ideas

[@OmarLemusTactic]

Yes toiletries for ladies are a must for the wife or daughters. That’s why an EDC per person is a fine project for each member of the family.

[@embersthenashes5120]

Often overlooked by guys when making emergency/prepper kits of all kinds (though agree it’d be tough to fit anything much in this tin). Sanitary pads are also pretty good for compression to stop a bleed from a head wound etc. I keep a pack in my emergency car kit.

[@prozaccowboy]

Small vibe

[@ba2724]

Pound for pound, this may be one of the most well thought out ‘EDC’ kits. Bravo, sir, bravo.

[@toms_dayoff]

In my pre-teen days in the '80s, I had a small green plastic box (bike repair kit) with some matches, some band-aids, and some fishing gear. Later a harpoon tip was added, filed from a strip of sheet metal. You always had a pocket knife in your sack anyway, just like a clean handkerchief. So we went looking for adventure in the local forests and dreamed of a life as a trapper with the Inuits. 😄😄😄

[@NocnaDusza]

OMG, I remember those days! I also had an uncle that owned like a zillion pocket knives and was always happy to teach me how to use them. I miss the 90s... (I am bit younger than you I guess xD)

[@drewkulenguski3148]

i kept a altoids tin for a while that kept all my papers, tips, lighter and used the lid as a tiny rolling tray. Absolutely perfect setup for rolling small j's. So convenient. Now i dont smoke so i just have one for camping with simple firestarting stuff in it but when i did that was the best altoid tin use id ever found

[@shaggy7599]

lol i used to keep my green in a altoid tin during hs... nobody said anything so it worked pretty well i gotta say

[@angelas4681]

Brilliant. Thank you, KZbin Algo, for bringing me this channel.

[@se8asti4ns57]

Very nice altoid box but i think a victorinox compact is better in this box to save some space. With the compact you have the pen already, the scisors, blade, bottle opener and you can replace the toothpic with the firesteel. The micra, the pen and the lose firesteel is not needed anymore and you save some space. It's just my opinion. Anyway a nice kit. 👍

[@JonGadget]

Investing suggestion - I'll explore this (I'm away at the moment) but I've a feeling it won't fit parallel in the tin - I'll give it a go and see.

[@makr7895]

Telling Jon about the Victorinox Compact is pretty much preaching to the choir, as it's his EDC anyway. 😊

[@nursestew]

Another stellar video! Most Altoid kits seem stuffed with useless nonsense. Every piece of kit here not only fits perfectly but is uber usefull. Great job Jon!

[@JonGadget]

thanks for the great feedback - it took quite a while to put together!

[@MichaelUy]

This is stuffed with useless nonsense. This kinda shit pretends like pockets don't exist. Pockets which can carry versions of these garbage trinkets that are more practically sized. This video just wants so hard for you to think it was smart.

[@adamkane7513]

You make a lot of EDC vids, *JG.* Every single one has impressed me. I am going to trim down what I carry as I now realise I don't need certain items as a city dweller.

[@GeneralE1000.]

This is absolutely a MacGyver's basics EDC kit for the common person (of course, he is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill person). I love it!

[@kaizen5023]

Great tip on the mini tin, perfect for sewing kit! I wouldn't use that thread from the cheap sewing kit though, you can usually break that thread with your hands just by pulling on it. I like ulpholstery thread and heavy needles. If I have to sew something in the field it is usually a serious problem like reattaching a pack buckle.

[@davewest5776]

Try triangular needles brilliant for heavy material ie leather and canvas 😊

[@pjotrh]

One item I added to my edc urban kit, is one of those plastic triangular pry tools from an Ifixit phone repair kit. Super flat (1 or 2mm), sharp edge, but won’t damage things. I use it so often !

[@JonGadget]

nice idea

[@deforestthornburgh4464]

A guitar pick makes it very useful pry tool and scraper too. They even come in different gauges.

[@BobBesco]

I have put several kits together over the years but none match the elegant soluton you show here. The inspiration is greatly appreciated.

[@Sanguivore]

This is such a cool and well-thought-out Altoids EDC kit! :D Thanks for sharing!

[@cosmicbricks3339]

Fr

[@frogturtle]

Nitecore actually makes a 5000 mAh battery bank that fits in an altoid tin, it’s cylindrical and USBC. it takes up quite a bit of space in the tin, but the utility of having a power bank in there could be really useful

[@adolfosolano1470]

For flashlights I use Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries. They last longer in use, provide more lighting and their expiration date is decades!

[@JonGadget]

great suggestion

[@ericsteel173]

Another benefit of the Ultimate Lithiums is that don’t leak alkaline, which can ruin electronics.

[@papik1965]

What a fantastic collection in such a tiny space….love it!😊. And more so, really just enjoy watching your videos about everyday great things to carry. Thanks!

[@JonGadget]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@juansmith3169]

A masterpiece of efficiency. I say in all sincerity that of the scores of Altoids tin kits I have seen on KZbin (and my own efforts as well) yours is truly a masterpiece. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@JonGadget]

thanks for the kind comment

[@ghostmaloneedc4254]

I think the micra is highly underrated, I carry one myself in a kit every day. Fantastic small multi tool.

[@johnnyxmusic]

I’ve got a Gerber Dime… Actually, I have a few of them. And it’s surprising how powerful the flyers are. I have a teeny weenie little torn, ox knife that has a skinny little blade and a nice pair of scissors and a file on it and the toothpick and tweezers. It’s the smallest one I’ve ever seen and that’s my basic carry for work.

[@JonGadget]

good for the price 👍 I've compared these in earlier video

[@richardbiddlestone5012]

I have an EDC tin (a lock-down project) and have found it to be very useful indeed these past couple of years. I have a Leatherman PS squirt in it and have found the pliers to be indispensable. I do wish the scissors were bigger but couldn't do without those pliers. I might be modifying the contents of my tin after watching this video though.

[@escapetherace1943]

@@johnnyxmusic I own both and the dime is better than the micra, hands down. Yeah the knife is garbage but honestly all micro multitools are, I mainly use the pliers on it and I filed the tips on it so they are narrower (used them to repair something where they were too fat to squeeze inside of a narrow hole just slightly yet I had a file.

[@johnnyxmusic]

@@escapetherace1943 I mean I’m not trying to take sides. And I haven’t tried the micra. And I do like a pair of scissors… That’s why I was astonished to find a teeny weenie little Victorinox has a very good pair of scissors in it. But was really astonishing to me is the fact that it’s something the size of a dime you can have a very usable pair of pliers. Holy moly you can use them in a fight. Imagine pinching a guy anywhere on his body with those pliers. He is down on his knees. 🤪😜😝

[@EXPLORADORESDAROCHA]

Perfect EDC, very well thought out. A hug from Brazil.

[@phillipfaile3122]

The first 20 seconds, yes. Amen. Bravo. Exactly. That's my view on putting these together, task oriented stuff. Minimalist kits.

[@TheReasonableGentleman]

I’m a newer subscriber, but definitely love your channel. The level of detail you provide, and the logic and reasoning that you put into each piece of gear that you include in almost all of your videos is extremely insightful.

[@Mike70005]

Very nice and practical kit. My suggestion is to replace the rubber band that you used to hold the kit closed with an elastic ponytail holder. Rubber bands tend to dry rot. The cloth covered retail holders do not and yet perform essentially the same function as a?rubber band.

[@simpler_times81]

Great video, thanks. I'd love a kitchen junk drawer essentials kit video! Not a carry kit but a kit you'd keep in you kitchen drawer to replace all that junk that can do a lot of regular around the house jobs. Knife/Multi tool, sewing kit, tapes etc. That'd be great :)

[@grannieannie1371]

I adore your kits. Thank you for reminding me of the micra. A severely underrated multitool.

[@JonGadget]

it is a great tool 👍

[@c10seth]

I absolutely love your videos. Excellent production quality, aesthetically pleasing, friendly, and a calm deliberate delivery of facts and subjective opinion based on years of experience. Thank you.

[@daryldawe3943]

This is the best altoids kit I have seen great job

[@JonGadget]

Thank you

[@Greatgadgetsgear]

Nice to see someone else build these type kits! It’s amazing how much useful things we can fit into those tins! Nice job.

[@atongs_edc]

This is probably the most practical and useful iteration of the Altoids Kit, Jon.

[@JonGadget]

Great to hear - thank you

[@rahuls331]

This has to be the best comprehensive kit. Thank you!

[@bradimming1]

I've had the Leatherman Micra for several years now. While the tweezer isn't great for tweezing, its perfect for unlocking a standard "privacy door knob" with the pinhole.

[@IhorVyshniakov]

Great kit made by years, thanks you for sharing it with community

[@DylanLey]

Altoids kits never get old!

[@NickfromNLondon]

Years ago in the TA I used an old Elastoplast tin in the breast pocket of my combat jacket, with black nasty along the back edge as the hinges wore out. Thinner than an Altoids tin but larger in plan. The things not shown here were antiseptic wipes for cuts, book of matches as thinner than lighter, pencil from IKEA, pen from Argos/betting shop. Secured with elastic bands.

[@milododds1]

Reducing friction in every day life is a great goal. Amazing how you were able to find the narrowest and slimmest things, I can see it’s all high quality. Magnet fishing is a great idea. Yeah extra meds are important, Benadryl can save a life which it did for a kid who showed up at our baseball field who had a nut reaction to cashews.

[@mackie32x4]

Very true about the Micra. I had one for many years until Newark Airport TSA took it claiming the blade was too long. Right.....

[@NoNonsense316]

This is a great kit and easy to assemble. Thank you for sharing!

[@JonGadget]

thank you

[@Sketchscape]

A very nice Altoids EDC kit. I have one too as well as bigger tins from County Comm. I have one for every type of charging cables and a small first aid kit. I line each one with self adhesive foam sheets on the inside to eliminate most noise the items make when you carry the tins.

[@JonGadget]

thanks for sharing - good stuff

[@lighthouse6543]

This is the first video about an "altoids edc kit" ive ever seen and this is so cool!!!

[@LS-lb7pw]

A well done mini EDC Jon. You never disappoint. I've learned so much from you. Thank you!

[@JonGadget]

You're welcome and thank you

[@ricdonato4328]

Very interesting. Your kit is very well thought out. Although I have used a Leatherman Wave for over twenty years, I never heard of a Micra. After watching your SAK videos I now own the Huntsman, with the pocket clip.

[@JonGadget]

thanks for the feedback

[@steveb1972]

Jon I’d love to see what you do with a tiny purse size Altoid tin!

[@loridoyle3591]

Thanks for demonstrating your repacking. Clearly I need to notice the order and placing of each item i put in my mini EDC kits. I’m great at fitting everything the first time, but as soon as I take something out to use, it feels like everything has multiplied in size!!😅

[@occamraiser]

Impressively well thought out kit, certainly something to throw in the glove box of your car if you add a couple of fuses.

[@johnkearns2086]

Quick tip for storing the duct tape. Find some wax paper - the sort of stuff you'd get on a roll of white adhesive labels for envelopes or a kid's sticker sheet. The duct tape peels off really easy. Just found all this EDC stuff a few weeks ago and made a similar tin just before a small driving holiday with the kids. Already saved the day by repairing a kite on the beach with the gorilla tape. Great stuff.

[@frankie4294]

Really getting interesting edc lately and you just popped up and I absolutely love your channel. Your energy, your cinematography, it's all perfect. This was a great video!!

[@bc4yt]

Really well thought out, one of the absolute best kits I've ever seen 👍

[@Mrs.Silversmith]

And for all the people who have wondered "What the heck do women keep in their purse?" the answer is most of the stuff in this kit. It's no wonder we are rather attached to our purses.

[@muazqamar]

A Friday upload instead of Saturday, what a treat! 14 minutes is not nearly long enough for your videos. I could honestly watch you for hours. I couldn't think you could go small than micro EDC kit but this is next level

[@JonGadget]

Thanks for the great feedback - it took a while to put together! I've not been able to of weekly videos recently due to holiday breaks and I picked up a chest infection which got in the way too - went for Friday since it's been over a week since the last one

[@MIRANDAFONSO]

@@JonGadget I started yesterday following you: good god: what a Christmas Eve! I m buying all your reviews. Thank you so much!

[@larrymackerethjr.3812]

Useful video. Some great ideas. A lot of this stuff I had no clue existed. Very cool gadgetry. Thank you. And thank you Jesus. ✝️😀

[@davidsaxby5400]

I’ve used the lever gear cable since first seeing it here. I can also highly recommend the company, I’ve recently received great customer service from them when mine developed a fault. They were quick to respond and offered a solution straight away. I’ll use them again and again.

[@JonGadget]

great to know 👍

[@engineeredlifeform]

Sewing kit! I was in the office the other day, and a colleague needed to access a reset switch in his laptop, but it was a very small hole. I carry a sewing kit in my laptop bag, so he used the needle and was soon back up and running, but surprised I had a sewing kit. I explained ever since I split my trousers lifting a computer rack, I keep a sewing kit.

[@bellywitchproductions2183]

That's one of the best Altoid kits I've seen. Very inspiring

[@joerowland7350]

Nice bit of kit I Ben make survival kits for 40 year One tip if cut a bike tube you make a band that Will go around the edge n make it water prof

[@irwin808]

I came back to this video for ideas I missed last time. Great info.

[@cahlash]

Great kit Jon! Been enjoying your content quite a bit! You've been giving me a lot of great new ideas for my personal EDC as well as gear for the Scouting adventures my daughter and I have been participating in lately.

[@choppermike3329]

Hey Jon, those alkaline batteries tend to leak quite often and end up ruining your light. A lithium battery will never leak and will last many times longer than a alkaline. Worth the money. Great video.

[@JonGadget]

Thanks for the feedback. Will update kit 👍

[@richardskinner4198]

Another great video .I learn quite a bit listening to you so thank you for all you work and advice .

[@cjrogers1524]

Practical, classy, simple, tasteful, useful. Awesome 👍 what a gent

[@ramonjr-ca]

Wow what a great kit. Can you share more experiences from times when you actually had to open up your kit to use specific tools for specific tasks that got you out of a bind? Thank you

[@JonGadget]

Will do!

[@AnnieGill7]

Wow Jon, that was just neat and fun to watch! Thanks. You fit so much in that tin, I was amazed! Happy 2024‼️👍🏼🐾❤️

[@markw.3743]

Jon another small and flat fire tender is a guitar pick ! Made from cellulose it’s very flammable and waterproof . Thanks

[@JonGadget]

good to know!

[@edwardfletcher7790]

This is a brilliant and really well researched kit 👍😆 It's easy to make your own Spartan fire with candle wax and cotton off cuts. If you swap several ranger bands (bike inner tube sections) for the rubber band them you've got much better fire starter...

[@brycejankey5846]

I know you probably won’t see this but you’re videos have helped me tremendously with EDC. I have two EDC Altoids tins and two slim EDC Altoids tins.

[@s4vi0r]

Hello Jon! As always: Great video. I would like your suggestion on a bag small enough to carry on a daily basis to various places such as malls, walks in parks, etc. , but that it had a basic emergency kit, as well as essentials such as a pocket knife, multitools, lighter, flashlight, etc. . A big hug and I hope you come to Brazil one day!

[@richardkut3976]

Excellent kit, thank you.

[@MarkB-sc5ms]

Another great video! I knew I'd been saving my old altoid tins for a reason. . .now I know what it is! Cheers! 🙂

[@escapetherace1943]

you weren't saving it for an "edc" kit full of garbage you will never use, you were saving it to make charcloth with 😉

[@MarkB-sc5ms]

@@escapetherace1943 I've used all the things in that kit before, and a few times I've needed them and not had them. I've never needed charcloth. Made fire thousands of times - no charcloth.

[@escapetherace1943]

@@MarkB-sc5ms because it's an antiquated way to carry tinder, but still useful knowledge.

[@franzjaegers]

There is a gluegun from Bosch called Gluey wich uses tiny gluesticks that are only 20mm by 7mm. Not only transparent sticks but also coloured sticks and glitter sticks are available.

[@j.e.7028]

Love it...I'm no hiker or go off into the wilderness,in fact,I'm in London,but really enjoying this !!

[@disfuncionexe]

you live in London lmaoooooooooo good luck not getting stabbed

[@ELaster1]

Amazing kit 🎉 I'm pretty sure this is as "survival" tin kit as any other "survival" tin kit video

[@JonGadget]

Thanks Eyal but wouldn't catch a fish 😁

[@ELaster1]

@@JonGadget You could if it was magnetic

[@ELaster1]

@@JonGadget Ah yes, the ubiquitous fishing kit, always proves itself useful when I go to work by train and find myself next to a clean river far from civilization

[@decrepitheadbanger666]

Cut an emery board in half and add it to your kit. I can’t name the number of times I’ve split a nail and I wish I had emery board instead of just a metal file in my Leatherman micra.

[@milododds1]

Yeah we use that tape within the HAM radio community for holding cables together. I like your choice of pocket knife for this kit. Albeit I always carry a pocket knife, feel naked without one. I too have lost track of my Leatherman Micra, just purchased my first full sized Leatherman and chose the black oxide Surge that I included a 1/4” mini ratchet and bits.

[@JP-qn4uo]

Use a data blocker if charging in cafes/airports! Juice jacking is super common!

[@eachday9538]

Logical and highly refined, I'm impressed

[@JonGadget]

thank you

[@kat8559]

i always like feeling prepared (i carry just about everything in my purse, and it's bulky as hell) so I got some great tips from this. the self-adhesive tape was jaw-dropping, the wire/fishing line is a good shout, and now I want a magnet. also, checking out the leatherman scissors tool now. I know I'll be returning to this video in the future!

[@Kallys23]

I tend towards a ranger band both on the lighter as well as around the tin to hold it closed. Maybe 2 or 3 bands, depending on factors.

[@andrescolintv]

This was such a great fun video. Keep up the great work cheers

[@hhbeck-ziegler9333]

You have some smarter solutions than many who put together these tin cans. But everyone needs different items living in different locations but this looks good even i would replace some things like getting a stronger knifeblade for use that can fit in the can. But thats me. You can always have a small neck knife separated and always on the go too.

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

If you use the ferro rod, it breakers easily so I use a backing stick or rock to support it, I also use a thumb push

[@martysmith2756]

Jon, you are a huge nerd after my own heart; subscribed!

[@nuancolar7304]

Altoids tins can also be a great basis for a system - that is, multiple tins containing categorized items for each tin, such as firemaking items, fishing, sewing/repair, sharpening, etc. Many EDC carry packs have sectional spaces that will accommodate 6, 10 or even a dozen tins stacked against each other. Not a bad way to organize for quick access.

[@steved9060]

Well thank you Jon. After years carrying an Altoids tin (OK, it's a Marks and Spencer mints tin. Posh eh?), you persuaded me to convert to a pouch. And now we're going back to tins 😢. Seriously, your channel is the best. Being UK based I appreciate your gadgets are (mostly) UK legal and useful in an urban environment. You've converted me to the Vic Manager from my old Sportsman. I never get funny looks when I use it in public - I suppose it looks more like a toy 😊. Does anyone remember who came up with using sections of plastic drinking straw with heat sealed ends to contain things like antiseptic cream? I find them really useful as they hold just enough and take up almost no space.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

How do you seal the straw ends? Something like a soldering iron?

[@steved9060]

@@barnabyvonrudal1 I just flatten one end in narrow pliers, melt with a lighter, carefully (!) push together against something metal and finish with my fingers. Obviously can't be any air gaps or contents will dry out. Fill with a syringe and repeat for the other end. The contents shouldn't touch this end or it won't seal properly.. Let me know how you get on?

[@daveh7720]

Excellent kit! In most kit videos I watch I can usually think of something I'd add or replace, but I can't think of a single change I'd want to make to this one. I need to get some of that Dyneema cord. I have some monofilament that's been great for what I use it for, but I definitelky want to try the braid. Thank you for suggesting it!

[@maryusa8526]

You have packed so many items into the Altoid tin! Love the mini tin also. It's perfect for sewing and other supplies. Thank you for sharing this. I dont have one yet, but with the links in your description area, I have begun the process. There is no way I will ever fish, so not having any such gear freed up the space for items I would use. 😊

[@jlogan2228]

I always have an "altoid tin" goody bag in my pocket that has some of what you have here. And its def a case of better to have and not need rhan need and not have.

[@nigelh3253]

Very useful, Jon. The point about the alkaline torch battery is a good one. And it's easy to carry/pick up a fresh AA one. The rechargeable batteries - well they need a charger! And as you say, don't store well. Thanks.

[@rogerhudson9732]

I use an Altoids/ Swiss herbal sweets tin to store my remote electronic car key fob and two house keys, a perfect Faraday cage. I tested it by entering the car as normal, putting the keys in the tin and the car immediately gave a 'no key' warning. Keep in a pocket or on a hall stand.

[@SlowmovingGiant]

i gave a compact camera case that i have used for many years, it stays in my backpack that goes with me 95% of the time when i go out. it is about the size of an altoids tin but i prefer the case. i keep cash - a few notes and coins, gerber dime, wenger card tool, 3 in 1 usb cable, nightcore tube flashlight and a few other things.

[@donaldnaymon3270]

Awesome kit. Great ideals. Thank you for sharing

[@kathys53]

Cutting cake? That's what fingers/hands are made for LOL Great kit! I use a wide ranger band around the circumference of the opening. I also slightly crimp the part that closes for a tighter hold. This helps with keeping water out a bit better.

[@JonGadget]

Thanks for the tips!

[@DG-hb8rh]

Nice usable kit thanks for sharing

[@kd5sth]

I ran an estimate on what it would cost to build this kit. Some of the items can be used for other kits and other items are more fixed cost. Building one would cost around $250 if you don' t have any items at all. Building multiple copies of the kit would improve the cost. I was pretty shocked how much this project would cost, but I'm new to EDC. I'd love to do it, and may do it slowly over time to ease the sting a bit.

[@fnurbz]

3 things: 1 fantastic kit 2 fantastic video 3 make the lighter a high viz light blue one

[@JonGadget]

thanks for that - yes - lighter colour could be better!

[@oneolddog8809]

I use these tins to store an assortment of essential items , have for many years.👍

[@Rlflfofofoekekekrk]

I stumbled upon this video and I definitely got some new ideas from it, thanks 😅 One thing for me missing is something to measure things. You could use one of those paper measuring tapes you can get for free from IKEA. You can fold those relatively small. I also carry a spare battery for my car since my keys were completely empty one time as well as a spare single house key.

[@arekusu.]

I considered making one of these and didn't even know it was a thing people did. Thanks for the tips!