Does your EDC meet the 80-20 Principal?

​The Pareto principle (also known as the 80–20 rule, or the law of the vital few) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.
 
The Pareto principle can be applied to almost all walks of life.  20% of your energy produces 80% of your results, 20% of your stock picks account for 80% of your portfolio appreciation, 20% of the people in society account for 80% of progress… you get the picture. 
 
Why shouldn't this principal be used in our everyday carry systems? 

---

     I see so many guys (and gals) load their pockets and packs down with everything under the sun, just hoping that someday they may use that bobby pin.  That’s the name of the game, being prepared for everything, right?  I don't think so.  Everything you choose to carry takes up pocket real estate.  Not only does it get bulky and cumbersome, but on a hot summer day when all you will be wearing is a pair of shorts and t-shirt, having bulging pockets jammed full of crap that you have never used, just looks stupid.  
 
     I can hear you now, “why don’t you carry a small pack or a ‘tactical’ hip pouch like one from Maxpedition?”  First of all, tactical and hip pouch are two words that should never be used in the same sentence.  Secondly, remember how I said bulging pockets looked stupid?  Well, I would rather have bulging pockets than wear one of those damned fanny packs.
 
     Back to the 80-20 principal -  why not decide what 5-6 items you use 80% of the time, and cut everything else out?  When I was simplifying my carry system, I tried to get the most bang for the size of the product.  Like with everything else, you will have to make some compromises with your carry items.  For example, do you carry a light that has 500-lumen output, or settle for one that is half the size and weight, but only puts out 300 lumens?  More on this in a bit…
 
 
    I asked myself, if I could only EDC six things in my pockets, what would they be?  The list does not include phone, as that is a non-negotiable.

​

My 6 Carry Essentials

1. A medium sized, hard-use folding knife.  My knife has a tendency to change, but this is usually due to personal style preferences.  When I pick a knife out I always make sure it uses premium steel, had a rock solid lockup, and is from a company that has a reputation for making excellent products.  I have carried knives from Benchmade, Spyderco, and Zero Tolerance, all of which exceeded my expectations, however I am currently carrying a Strider model SNG DGG.
2. A compact, but capable light.  There are a lot of great offerings for lights, and this is a category in which I had to make a compromise.  I had to decide whether I wanted a light with higher output but bigger size, or slightly lower output and half the size.  Needless to say, my all-time favorite light (the Surefire EB1 Backup) got benched because of its size and weight.  I ended up deciding on the Fenix LD09.  The Fenix only has 130 Lumen max output, about half of the 250 lumen output from the EB1, but the Fenix is about have the size and weight, not to mention, it takes a standard AAA battery, which is easier to find than the CR123 battery needed by the Surefire.
3. I always carry a Field Notes notebook to jot down ideas or notes.  They are cheap, light, thin, and slip into your back pocket so easily, you have to make a conscious effort not to forget about it and let it go through the washing machine.
4. One of the bulkiest and heaviest items that people cart around with them is their wallet!  Why?!?  There are so many good offerings of slim wallets on the market.  I know you like that picture of your dog, and you think you “need” 18 different credit cards, but the truth is, your wallet may be taking up a lot of your EDC pocket real estate.  I recently bought and excellent handmade Kydex wallet from Armatus Carry and I will never go back to another bi or trifold wallet again!  This wallet carries up to 8 credit cards, which forced me to minimalize my carry, and it also features a mil-spec pull-the-dot snap to keep your cards and cash secure.
5. A multitool.  It doesn't really matter which one, however I prefer to keep it a minimal as possible.  For my daily multitool, I chose the Leatherman ST300.  I know I could have found a lighter multitool, and in fact, I have carried a variety.  I decided to accept the extra weight of the ST300 because it is such a hardcore, heavy duty tool.  Sometimes for work, I have to use the pliers heavily, and I want to have a tool that I can rely on 100%.
6. A key organizer.  I HATE keys jingling around in my pocket!  Thankfully companies like Keybar and Keysmart have fixed that problem for us with the Swiss Army Knife approach to key organization.  On top of the awesome key organization, you can also incorporate items such as USB drives and bottle openers, killing two birds with one stone.

Obviously, I understand that your EDC will vary depending on your preferences and situations.  My point in writing this article is to emphasize that you shouldn't needlessly weigh your pockets down with items, that you may, or more likely, may not use at some point.  Incorporate the Pareto Principle to your carry, and not only will your pockets lighten, but you’ll feel like you are getting more good use out of the items that you actually do need on a daily basis.