6 EDC Essentials to Store in Your Camo Cargo Shorts

One of the great things about camo cargo shorts is that, whatever shortcomings they do suffer (no pun intended) they have plenty of room to store your EDC essentials.

That being the case, here are 6 things you should never be without. 

A Knife

This is spot number one on here because a knife is the most essential tool out there, period. Whether you carry a fixed blade or a folder is up to you, but once you start carrying a knife daily, you’ll be wondering how you ever got by without. 

The list of things you can accomplish with a knife is utterly exhaustive, but here are just a few of the many reasons you should double check your pockets to make sure your blade is there before you head out the door for the day: 

• You can open packages and envelopes with it. 
• You can trim line, cordage, or other loose materials with it.
• You can do basic food prep with a knife. 
• You can use a knife to sharpen a pencil or prepare wood for a fire. 
• A knife can be used as an exit tool to cut straps or seatbelts free.
• For first aid, a knife can be used to cut away clothing and trim dressings and bandages. 
• Cut zip ties and clothing tags.
• The spine of a knife can be used as a scraping tool. 
• You can strike a fire from a ferro fire starter with a knife. 

This is just a short list; there are many, many other tasks you can accomplish with a knife, but regardless, you should carry one that works for you. 

And, while most people carry folders for EDC, don’t discredit the utility of a fixed blade. There are smaller fixed blades you can easily carry concealed around your neck, in a boot, or even in your pocket through static-line carry.

A Multitool

What a knife can’t accomplish (which realistically, at the end of it, won’t be much) you’ll be able to get done with a multitool, preferably a folding multitool like a Leatherman that has pliers and a bunch of other tools built into it.

Just what your multitool contains is a matter of personal preference, but here are a few good things a multitool should have: 

• Pliers 
• Wire cutters or wire strippers (or both)
• Screwdrivers (potentially with multiple different bits
• Can and bottle openers
• Scissors 
• Saw blades
• A knife blade

Now, on that latter observation, if your multitool has a knife blade, you can potentially forgo carrying a dedicated pocket knife. Just remember, two is one and one is none, so it’s always better to be prepared with a redundant backup.

Keep in mind that many multitools come with other tools that are mentioned in addition to these, but if it has at least these bare essentials, you’re off to a good start. 

An EDC flashlight

After a knife and a multitool, an EDC flashlight is an indispensable part of any daily loadout. Just like a knife, once you start carrying a flashlight on the daily, you’ll be wondering how you ever did without. 

Dark closets, cabinets, basements, and just going outside at night when you don’t have another light on you will no longer pose a challenge. 

Whether you get an EDC flashlight with a rechargeable battery or one that takes disposable batteries is up to you, and both can be serviceable. 

Either way, here are some other features to look for in an EDC flashlight: 

• Multiple brightness settings. 
• Multiple light modes, such as red light modes, which are superior at night because they don’t compromise your night vision, and blacklights. 
• A magnetic base that will enable you to use the light hands-free.
• A reversible clip that will let you fix the light to the bill of a cap so that it can be used as a headlamp.
• A lightweight or compact profile that makes the light easier to carry.
• And a high IP rating so that the light will be sealed against moisture and particulate ingress. 

These are just a few of the features you might want to look for in an EDC flashlight, but as with everything else covered on this list, they represent a pretty good place to start.

A Lighter

A lighter is another EDC essential, and there are three main ways to go. You can either carry an electronic arc lighter, a butane lighter, or a lighter that takes liquid fuel, like a Zippo.

The electronic arc lighter will prove windproof, and you won’t ever need to carry “fuel” but it will need to be recharged from time to time. 

Butane lighters won’t leak on you the way lighters that require liquid fuel will, but they’re also terrible in the cold and even jet lighters are usually not that windproof. 

Some liquid fuel lighters, like Zippos, are very effective in the cold, and some of them are windproof, but they will chew up a lot of fuel, and some of them will leak fuel, too. 

A Pen 

There is a saying, if something is worth remembering, it’s worth writing down. That being the case, you should always carry a pen with you.

A few things you should look for: 

• The pen should be compact. 
• It should have a clip that makes it easy to carry.
• It should be easy to use one handed; caps are alright but they require two hands to use. A bolt action pen is likely better.
• Cartridges should be easy to find and affordable to replace. 
• Ideally the pen should be waterproof. 

A Notepad 

A notepad is the other half of “if it’s worth remembering, it’s worth writing down.” The one note we have here is that, before you get a notepad and stick it in one of the pockets of your camo cargo shorts, make it one of the ones that’s waterproof. These are made with “paper” that is actually thin plastic, making them waterproof and therefore much more durable than real paper. 

Need a New Pair of Camo Cargo Shorts for the Wardrobe?

Here for a new pair of camo cargo shorts, or else any of these other EDC essentials? Check out what we offer here at Fatigues Army Navy and if you have questions (or would like recommendations) get in touch with us.