Considerations and Risk Assessment

     Needs versus wants.

     Choosing your edc should always be based on needs. If you don't need it you won't carry it with you all the time, unless of course you are  prepared for anything that could happen that's why you carry more items that you may use when the need arise. Anticipation will make sure you won't be caught off-guard when things and events go unmanageable.

     Covering the basics gives you just the basics if  it is all you need. A phone. Very minimalistic. You can rely on your friends and relatives for other concerns because that''s always the way it is from the very beginning and that nothing major happened to you up to now.  But if you are of the more self-reliant one and you understand the importance of being prepared anytime anywhere then a minimalistic edc will not suffice. 

     Risk assessment is also a vital step in choosing your edc items. Location and situation are the most deciding factors. If there is always a clear and present danger lurking in your neighborhood and if law permits in your locality then you can carry a self defense weapon like a gun or a taser or a large knife. If you are in a place where monsoon rain pours daily then an umbrella or a poncho is a must. If you live in places where temperature reaches up to 85 degrees and more then add an umbrella or a hat and sunglasses to your edc. If you live in disaster prone areas then you need more than an edc to anticipate any untoward events.

     And so first things first in selecting your edc items is to reexamine what you already carry on your person. I bet at least one or two of the listed edc items are already present there. Most probably the things you edc are those that survive your natural selection based on needs. Now you can add more items based on preparedness and wants, and your willingness to carry them on a daily basis.