Video Overview

A milestone video from Jon Gadget — five years of reviewing everyday carry gear distilled into his definitive top 20. Jon covers the full spectrum of EDC: flashlights, multi-tools, bags, tech accessories, clothing, and the small carry items that survive years of rotation and still earn a place in the loadout. What makes this list credible is the time horizon — these aren’t products he reviewed once and moved on from. These are the pieces he’s returned to consistently over half a decade of daily carry and travel. If you’re looking to build or refine an EDC kit with gear that actually lasts, this is worth watching from start to finish.

Items and/or Gear Mentioned in the Video

• Rovyvon A8 USB-C Flashlight – Purchase on Amazon
• Keysmart Pocket Hanger – Purchase on Amazon
• Victorinox Compact Swiss Army Knife – Purchase on Amazon
• Bellroy Venture Sling 9L – Purchase on Amazon
• Leatherman ARC Multi-Tool – Purchase on Amazon
• Alpaka Zip Pouch – Purchase on Amazon
• Pocket Tripod Pro V2 – Purchase on Amazon
• Nitecore NB10000 GEN4 Power Bank – Purchase on Amazon
• Lautie Choc Slider – Purchase on Amazon
• LTT Scribedriver Bolt Action Pen – Purchase on Amazon
• NanoBag Daypack – Purchase on Amazon
• RAB Phantom Jacket – Purchase on Amazon
• RAB Pants/Trousers – Purchase on Amazon
• Nitecore EDC37 Flashlight – Purchase on Amazon
• Maxpedition Pico Pouch – Purchase on Amazon
• Maxpedition Micro Pouch – Purchase on Amazon
• Maxpedition Mini Pouch – Purchase on Amazon
• Hoto Precision Screwdriver – Purchase on Amazon
• Vonmahlen Evergreen Mag 5k Power Bank – Purchase on Amazon
• CuloClean Bottletop Bidet – Purchase on Amazon
• Matador NanoDry Towel – Purchase on Amazon
• Bellroy Venture Ready Backpack 20L – Purchase on Amazon
• Metmo Pocket Driver – Purchase on Amazon
• Victorinox Companion Slim Alox – Purchase on Amazon
• Soundcore Select Go 4 Bluetooth Speaker – Purchase on Amazon
• Kangol 507 Flat Cap – Purchase on Amazon

Three items stand out as particularly distinctive. The Leatherman ARC represents Leatherman’s current flagship — titanium construction, one-hand tool deployment, and a design that finally addresses the locking mechanism complaints of earlier models. The Nitecore EDC37 pushes 4000 lumens from a pocket-sized body, positioning it among the most capable EDC flashlights at its size. And the Victorinox Companion Slim Alox shows Jon’s preference for refined minimalism — a Swiss Army knife that trims weight and bulk without sacrificing the core toolset.

Editor’s Insight

Five years is a meaningful time horizon in the EDC world. Gear trends cycle quickly — what’s considered essential in 2021 often looks dated by 2024. What survives that cycle is revealing. Jon Gadget’s top 20 list functions as an inadvertent filter: these are the products that held up to daily scrutiny across hundreds of reviews of competing options. That longevity is its own endorsement.

The Rovyvon A8 USB-C leads the list and its inclusion is telling. Rovyvon solved a specific problem elegantly: a AAA-sized keychain light with USB-C charging, which eliminates the proprietary charging hassle that made earlier Rovyvon models slightly inconvenient. At 650 lumens peak output from a form factor that disappears on a keychain, the A8 occupies a niche nothing else fills as well. Jon has reviewed dozens of keychain lights since, and the A8 keeps its spot.

The Leatherman ARC is the most significant tool on the list. Leatherman’s previous flagship — the Wave and Charge series — had earned a loyal following but accumulated design complaints over two decades: the blade deployed awkwardly, locking pliers weren’t standard, and the overall form factor had aged. The ARC addressed most of those complaints simultaneously: one-hand accessible blade, locking pliers, titanium scales, and a hinge design that holds up to heavy use. At $250, it’s a genuine investment, but for daily use over five years, it amortizes well.

The Nitecore EDC37 represents a specific flashlight philosophy: maximum output in minimum volume. At 4000 lumens, it exceeds what most users will ever need on a daily carry, but the lower modes — the 30-lumen everyday mode, the 1-lumen moonlight — are where you actually live with it day to day. High output is a rescue and emergency capability, not a daily use case. The EDC37’s value is that it gives you that rescue capability without requiring you to carry a larger light for everyday use.

The Bellroy items — Venture Sling 9L and Venture Ready Pack 20L — reflect Jon’s preference for bags that serve multiple contexts without specializing in any one. Bellroy’s strength is aesthetic restraint and organizational intelligence: bags that look at home in professional environments while carrying tech loadouts efficiently. The 9L sling and 20L pack represent different carry scenarios — one-bag travel versus daily commuting — that Jon rotates between depending on the day’s needs.

The Maxpedition pouch trio is worth examining as a system. The Pico, Micro, and Mini represent different organizational scales within the same modular philosophy. Maxpedition’s MOLLE-compatible design means they can attach to bags, belt loops, or larger packs — making them flexible organizational tools rather than standalone accessories. Jon including all three suggests he uses them as a modular system rather than a single pouch.

The Victorinox Companion Slim Alox and Victorinox Compact represent two different Swiss Army knife philosophies. The Compact is the classic urban EDC choice — scissors, blade, nail file, screwdriver, toothpick — in the standard 91mm form factor. The Companion Slim Alox is the modernized minimal version: fewer tools, Alox scales instead of cellidor, thinner profile. Both made the top 20, which suggests Jon uses them in different contexts rather than considering them redundant.

The more unusual inclusions — CuloClean, Matador NanoDry towel, NanoBag daypack — reflect the travel optimization angle that distinguishes Jon’s carry from pure gear enthusiasm. These are items that solve very specific friction points in travel: hygiene on the go, quick-dry after swimming, an ultralight packable layer for spontaneous shopping or overflow packing. They’re not glamorous EDC, but they represent the unglamorous-but-actually-useful category that makes travel meaningfully better. A big thanks to Jon Gadget for sharing five years of considered carry experience — watch the full video for his specific commentary on each item.

Closing Remarks

Jon Gadget’s top 20 after five years is one of the more honest gear roundups you’ll find — this is what actually survives the daily rotation, not what looks good in a review. Whether you’re building your first EDC kit or refining an established loadout, there’s something on this list worth your attention. What gear from your collection has stood the test of time? Share it in the comments. Affiliate links support the site at no extra cost to you.