WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR EDC ELECTRONICS KIT?

Love it or hate it but our lives are ruled by electronics nowadays, and each day more of these devices are coming with internal rechargeable batteries that require you to keep a charging cable close by. Since we rely on these devices so much, we need to include support for them in our everyday carry. So with that being said, here are the items I have in my EDC electronics kit:

1. Phone charging cable

   

No matter what brand of phone you use they all need a cable to charge. Yes many can use wireless charging however wireless chargers can be bulky and still require a cable, so why carry one around when you can just carry a cable? Cables are inexpensive, lightweight, and can be stored easily. I carry 2 phones every day, one for work which is an iPhone, and my personal phone which is an Android, so I carry both style cables for convenience, and while not necessary it's probably a good idea for you to carry both as we all know someone be it friends or family that use the other style of phone then what you may have. When it comes to cables find a brand that is durable and will last. Personally for my type-C charging cable for my Android I prefer the Anker 6-foot braided cable at Walmart for around $10, as I've had several and they've all been extremely durable: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anker-322-Braided-USB-C-to-USB-C-Cable-6ft-A81F6H11-1-Black/2387232905?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1600&from=/search 

For my work iPhone I use the cables they issue me but I might need to pick up an Anker brand cable to test.

2. Battery bank

   

What use is a charging cable without a way of charging? Having a battery bank gives you a way of charging on the go without being tethered to a wall outlet. There are many options with different capacities and connections on the market, so choose one that will fit your needs. Currently I use an ONN brand power bank I picked up at Walmart for around $25 that has served me well for over a year now: https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-10K-Dual-Port-Power-Delivery-Portable-Battery-with-AC-Plug-Black/174592216?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1400&from=/search 

This power bank has a built-in wall plug that can be used to charge the power bank or even be used as a charging adapter if I'm near an outlet. It has both Type-A and Type-C ports to accept most charging cables and can even charge 2 devices at a time. There are definitely better options on the market, however this one fits my needs perfectly and has served me well so far. 

3. Car charging port

   

I spend alot of time on the road everyday driving between jobs which means im constantly using GPS that sucks the power from my work Ipad and phone. Having a decent car charger to keep them topped off is a lifesaver. For one of these I recommend a fast charging outlet preferably with 2 ports so that multiple devices can be charged at once. Currently I use an inexpensive charging port I found at my apparently favorite store, Walmart. https://www.walmart.com/ip/32W-CAR-UNI-BLK/5129565721?fulfillmentIntent=In-store&filters=%5B%7B%22intent%22%3A%22fulfillmentIntent%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22In-store%22%5D%7D%5D&classType=REGULAR&from=/search 

This port has served me well surprisingly for over a year considering it's such a generic product. It has a fast charge USB-C that I use daily. 

4. Phone wall adapter

   

Nowadays these don't come with phones and need to be purchased separately but due to a lifetime of hoarding anything of use, I have quite a few of these hanging around that I use for all kinds of devices from LED light strips to my phone. They are compact and are handy to keep as a backup to charge your devices when you're indoors or to allow a friend to use. At the moment I carry 2 of these in my bag, one for USB-A and USB-C both of which are old Samsung brand chargers that I've had for years. 

5. Special cables

   

As I stated above, it seems as though everything needs its own cable nowadays, but luckily, USB-C is the most common, so I can get away with my phone charger for most things. Unfortunately, some devices have specialty cables that you might want to get spares of if you carry them daily. Currently I keep my OLIGHT charger and my Pixel watch charger handy.

6. Pouch

   

Keeping your gear organized is an important skill we all need to practice. You can only use gear you can find, so it may be a good idea to get a pouch for your electronics kit. At this moment I use a velcro-backed pouch that I found at my local surplus store, but many people trust the organizers from Maxpidition. https://www.maxpedition.com/pages/search-results-page?q=organizer

These are the items I carry daily that suit my needs. This post is more of a guide as my needs may not be as specific as yours. I feel this is a good starting point for most people but you can add or take away items to better suit your specific needs. Depending on need you may want to add items like: device cleaning wipes, SD cards, card readers, dongles, or USB drives. If you carry a laptop for work you may want to base your kit around it and include things like headphones, an HDMI cable, adapters, or a mouse. If you are a content creator you may want to include things like batteries or lenses. Experiment and find what's best for you, get some basic gear and upgrade as you go along and before you know it your kit will be complete.