Video Overview
Big thanks to HICONSUMPTION for another Gear Haul roundup that actually earns its runtime. In 9 Best New EDC Gear Essentials (2026 Guide), the team walks through nine fresh drops that landed at HQ—earbuds, a morphing pocket axe, a factory-modded G-Shock, a flat EDC light, a new Tactile Turn pen, MKC’s first folder, a MagSafe game pad, an OtterBox with built-in bungee storage, and a 100-piece collab lighter. The video is sponsored by Soundcore, and HICONSUMPTION is clear about that up front while still calling out real tradeoffs on every pick.
Items & Gear List
- Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro / Pro Max – Purchase on Amazon ($169.99 / $229.99)
- CRKT Provoke X Morphing Axe – View at CRKT ($350)
- G-SHOCK DW-5600MNC-1 – View at Casio ($165)
- Wuben X5 – Purchase on Amazon ($99.99)
- Tactile Turn Clip Action Pen – View at Tactile Turn ($119)
- MKC The Montana – View at Montana Knife Company ($390)
- OhSnap MCON Magnetic Controller – View at OhSnap ($149)
- OtterBox Sole Series Pack – View at OtterBox ($59.99)
- Last Manner x Tokyo Pipe Co. Douglass Field S+ – View at Last Manner ($195)
Editor’s Insight
HICONSUMPTION deserves a second shoutout for treating this as a mixed bag on purpose. Not every item is a “buy it today” value play. Some are expensive curios, some are daily drivers, and a couple sit in that fun middle ground where the story matters as much as the specs. That range is what makes a gear haul useful—you can skip the showpieces and still leave with a shortlist.
Start with the sponsor piece, because it is the most practical mass-market pick. The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max share the same buds: 9.2 mm drivers, an AI noise-cancel chip, IP55 rating, and about 6.5 hours per charge with more in the case. HICONSUMPTION hammers the call quality angle—eight mics and a Guinness claim for speech clarity—and that matches what most people actually need from wireless buds. The Pro Max case adds the AMOLED controls, AI note-taking, and live translation, but the team is honest that pure music still trails Sony or Samsung flagships. For most buyers, the $169 Pro is the smarter default.
The CRKT Provoke X is pure over-engineered fun. Joe Caswell’s Kinematic deployment turns an 8.69-inch slab into a locked axe head with a wrist flick, then Deadbolt holds it. SUJ2 steel is picked for impact resistance, not edge retention, which fits an axe better than a slicer. At $350 and about 13 ounces, it will not replace a real camp hatchet. It will, however, scratch the itch for anyone who already owns the Provoke karambit family and wants the next chapter.
On the wrist, the G-SHOCK DW-5600MNC-1 is a factory answer to years of aftermarket square mods. Casio finally ships a stretchy cloth strap with a Fidlock magnetic buckle on the classic 5600 chassis. Comfort is excellent and one-hand open/close is slick, but HICONSUMPTION flags the real caveats: some owners snag the proud clasp, and you are still on the basic non-solar 3229/3525-class module. The $165 premium is almost entirely the strap. Collectors who already own squares will like it. Everyone else may do better with a base DW5600 and an aftermarket Fidlock kit.
The Wuben X5 and Tactile Turn Clip Action Pen are the clean daily-carry upgrades. Wuben’s flat 6061 body packs white light (up to 1300 lumens), UV, and a green laser without menu hell—rotary for white/UV, dedicated tail switch for the laser—plus USB-C and AAA backup. Tactile Turn finally folds the bolt into the clip itself: push the titanium clip down a J-channel to deploy, pull up to retract. At 5.6 inches and 1.24 ounces in standard length (short is 5.1 inches), it feels like the bolt-action pen many people already love, just with one less part to snag. Both are the kind of tools you forget about until you need them.
MKC’s Montana is the headline knife of the bunch. After years of fixed blades, Josh Smith’s first production folder lands with a full-flat MagnaCut blade, hard liners, bronze-caged silicon nitride bearings, titanium hardware, and a deep-carry clip. Specs sit in the sweet EDC zone: 3.25-inch blade, 7.625 inches open, 4.31 inches closed, 2.84 ounces. Nearly $400 is a lot for a package opener, but you are paying for USA work, lifetime sharpening through MKC Generations, and lock geometry built to load in compression. If you want one “serious” folder from this list, this is it—when stock returns.
The tech and pocket-utility half of the list is more mixed. OhSnap’s MCON MagSafe controller started as a college 3D-print that blew up online; the retail unit brings Hall-effect sticks and triggers, multipoint Bluetooth, and a kickback mode that turns the cover into a wireless pad. HICONSUMPTION likes the feel but notes recessed sticks, narrow triggers, and a stiff $149 list that has already been spotted nearer $99 at big-box stores. OtterBox’s Sole Series Pack is simpler: classic drop protection plus a rear bungee that cinches lip balm, keys, or a keycard to the phone. At about $60, it is the easiest “why not” add for iPhone 17 users who already live in MagSafe land.
Closing the haul, the Last Manner x Tokyo Pipe Co. Douglass Field S+ is the pure object-of-desire pick. One hundred numbered pieces, brass waffle texture, 45 parts machined to tight Japanese tolerances, airtight body, windguard, and spare flint/fuel storage in the base. At $195 it is a collector lighter with real field manners, not a disposable bic with a story. If that lineage means nothing to you, skip it. If you already chase Douglass reissues, this collab is the one that will sell out first.
Closing Remarks
This is a strong June gear haul because it does not pretend every item is essential. Watch HICONSUMPTION’s full video above for the hands-on notes, wrist and pocket shots, and the honest soft spots they call out on each pick. Then shop the list with a clear filter: daily drivers (Soundcore, Wuben, Tactile Turn, OtterBox), serious tools (MKC Montana), and fun flex pieces (Provoke X, Douglass collab, MCON). Which of these nine is actually making it into your rotation?
