The hardest thing about accumulating a good collection of EDC gear is having to leave a ton of them home each time you go out. You only have so much pocket space for gear, after all, so there’s no chance you can carry every single item you want to keep om hand. Plus, even if you can fit a big stash of gear in your pocket, we doubt you want all that heft weighing your pants down.
The best EDC pouches offer an easy way to pack gear every time you leave the house. Whether you’re going to work, traveling abroad, or spending a weekend at camp, a good EDC pouch lets you keep your favorite EDC items within easy reach. From multi-tools and pocket knives to flashlights and chargers, these things offer enough room to accommodate your essential gear without having to bear down on your pockets.
EDC pouches go by many names. Some people call them pocket organizers, utility pouches, or field pouches. Those marketed towards consumer electronics tend to get called tech pouches, while those designed to be taken on trips are often called travel pouches. Whichever the name, these small bags are all designed to be easy to carry, organize various small items neatly, and allow you easy access to your essential gear at any time of the day.
These are the best EDC pouches and pocket organizers for packing your everyday carry gear.
One Tigris Tactical Pouch
Pros
- Tough 1000D nylon construction
- Light and compact
- MOLLE-compatible attachment in the back
Cons
- Not many organization options
- Might be too small for a bigger EDC stash
This small pouch (6.3 x 3.7 x 2.2 inches, height x width x depth) is perfect for clipping onto your belt, allowing you to have all your EDC tools within arm’s reach. Inside, it has a main compartment with a small open pocket in the back, so there isn’t a lot of options for organization. With its small size, though, most pocket tools you stash inside should be easy to see anyway, with things only getting tougher if you’re packing in small items like memory cards and earbuds. If you’re doing that, you might want to use the exterior pocket for really small items and keep the interior for bigger stuff like wallets, pocket knives, and similar-sized gear. Features include 1000D nylon construction, dual-zipper closure, and MOLLE straps in the rear for attaching to belts, bags, and other items.
Condor Pocket Pouch
Pros
- Tons of organization options for such a small pouch
- MOLLE-compatible rear straps
- Comes with Velcro patch for customized aesthetics
Cons
- Polyester construction isn’t the most durable
- Uses plastic hardware
While not that much bigger than the previous EDC pouch in the list at 6.75 x 4.75 x 1 inches (height x width x depth), this one offers more organization options with its clamshell design and multiple compartments. On one side of the clamshell, it comes with two vertical pockets, each sized to hold a standard multi-tool or pocket knife, as well as a fold out mesh sleeve sized to hold a tool card or a slim power bank. On the other side, you get a single wide pocket with five elastic loops in front of it. Both sides also get attachment loops, while another mesh pocket sits out front. Like we said, this allows quite the impressive organization for such a small pouch. There’s an attachment in the back that you can use to clip it to a belt or vest, as well as a loop for hanging on a hook once you’re home.
EasyAnt Leather Pocket Organizer
Pros
- Good-looking leather sheath
- Fits in most jacket and backpack pockets
Cons
- Not usable if you need to bring more gear
- Can’t be used as a holster (unless you DIY a strap or clip in the back)
We love the look of this leather sheath, which comes with three pockets for use as a barebones EDC pouch. At 5.1 inches wide, this should fit comfortably in many jacket pockets and external pockets on backpacks, allowing you to tidy up your gear in a safe place. What can you carry on this thing? Well, there’s one pocket sized for a multi-tool. another sized for a pocket torch, and a last one for a pen. Yes, it limits the amount of gear you can carry, but, if we’re being honest, those three items actually make the basic EDC essentials for many individuals. We do wish it had a MOLEE strap in the back for wearing as a holster, but you can probably do that on your own (with a little DIY work, of course).
Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer
Pros
- Big pouch allows you to organize a dozen or so EDC items
- Clamshell opening gives full access to the contents
- Sturdy nylon construction
Cons
- Might be too big for some people.
With a clamshell opening, this EDC pouch allows easy access to the main compartment, where you get one large pocket and multiple elastic loops on each side. The loops are larger on the right side, which should make a good place for pocket knives and multi-tool, while the smaller loops should offer excellent storage for items like pens, utility knives, and cables of all sorts. Outside, it gets an external mesh pocket for items you want out in the open and a Velcro patch for giving the pouch some personalized flair. While it can’t be clipped to a belt, it does have webbing in the back for attaching to backpacks or vests, as well as a top handle for carrying in hand. Why is it called Fatty? Apparently, this is a “fatter” version of the outfit’s popular pocket organizer, which might make a good alternative if you want something smaller.
Cargo Works MOLLE Pouch
Pros
- Big pouch plenty of EDC items, including bigger ones
- 1000D nylon construction
- MOLLE webbing both front and back
- Lots of useful features
Cons
- Might be too big for some
- Styling veers too much on the tactical side
Another bigger EDC pouch, this one measures 9.5 x 6.3 x 2 inches (width x height x depth), making it a great choice for folks who want to bring a generous stash of their EDC gear on the go. It opens clamshell-style, so you get easy access to the entire main compartment, making it easy to organize stuff and retrieve them as needed. On the right side, you get two large expandable pockets that can fit wallets, smartphones, and mobile hotspots, along with two smaller elastic pockets that should fit most pocket knives. On the right side, you get a large zippered pocket that will make a great place to stash a notebook or a foldable work mat, while two rows of five elastic bands in front of it let you secure multi-tools, flashlights, and all sorts of other gear. In the middle, there’s even two elastic loops for accommodating a larger tool. Out front, it gets multiple rows of MOLLE webbing and hook-and-loop panels for attaching additional gear, with more MOLLE webbing and four annex clips on the back for attaching it to bigger bags. There’s even webbing loops on top for attaching a shoulder strap or a carry handle.
Knafs Tool Burrito
Pros
- Sleek tool roll form factor for EDC gear
- Includes a work mat and corner magnets
- Flexible closure accommodates different loads
Cons
- Doesn’t accommodate larger EDC tools
We’ve seen some tool rolls designed for as an EDC pouch over the years, many of which have ceased production. We guess, the style isn’t as popular as we thought it would be. If you still want to use a tool roll as an EDC pouch, though, there are options, including this one from Knafs, which was originally designed for holding knife maintenance tools . It only has room for limited tools, so you only get four bigger loops sized for medium-sized pocket tools and eight smaller loops in front of them for smaller items like pens and pry bars. There’s also a pair of slim pockets on the back, as well as a zippered mesh pocket on the side for holding any loose items. If you like having a work mat in your EDC kit, then you’ll absolutely love the one integrated at the bottom of the roll, essentially giving you a work surface for your various tasks. Features include cotton waxed canvas construction, double-stitched webbing edges, corner magnets for securing loose hardware, and a corded closure that can accommodate different sizes of load. If you need something bigger, they have one called the Burrito Grande, although it’s a tad too big for our liking (you can carry an entire EDC collection in there).
Alpaka Hub Pouch
Pros
- Durable, waterproof construction
- Compact yet offers plenty of organization options
- Sized to fit in the palm of your hand
Cons
- Zippers pulls are unnecessarily too big
- Too small to accommodate larger multi-tools and pocket knives
We love the compact size of this EDC pouch, which manages to cram a good amount of organization options in its limited palm-sized proportions. Despite measuring just 4.7 x 3.5 x 1 inches (width x height x thickness), it manages to fit six pockets and two loops in its clamshell main compartment, allowing you to organize your EDC stash in a neat and tidy manner. It’s downright impressive. There’s also a zippered external pocket for items you want to reach more easily. Because of its smaller proportions, you can actually fit this pouch in most pockets (including on some pants), although a loop on the side lets you hang it on bags, vests, and more for a more convenient carrying option (you don’t want all that weight in your pocket).
GoRuck GR1 Field Pocket
Pros
- Durable 1000D Cordura construction
- Bottom handle makes it easy to carry in hand
- Accommodates both big and small items
Cons
- Limited organization options
According to GoRuck, they styled their EDC pouch after special forces medical packs, making for a utilitarian design that EDC enthusiasts can probably appreciate. It follows the same build ethos as the outfit’s backpacks, so this thing should be extremely hardwearing, ensuring you can use it for the long haul. Like many pouches in the list, it uses a clamshell opening, so you get unimpeded access to the main compartment. Each side of the clamshell, by the way, gets a wide zippered pocket and a mesh pocket with a thick edge for clipping your tools to keep them in place. Sure, it’s not as neat as using elastic loops for organizing, but it does the trick for the most part, provided most of your tools have clips in tow. According to the outfit, the main compartment has a total capacity of 3L, so you can load up a good load of gear on this thing. Outside, the bag comes with a strap at the bottom that you can use to secure it on hand when carrying, although it also has MOLLE webbing in the back for attaching to bags, belts, and any other gear you have with you.
