My first attempt at an EDC tin
EDC tin
I have known about EDC tins for years, but I didn’t really think it was something I was interested in carrying and never really learned much about what people liked to put into them. Cool idea but I didn’t necessarily think it was for me.
Fast forward to a few months ago when I was falling down a YouTube rabbit hole and came across a video from Marcus O’Brien (My Altoids Urban EDC Tin Upgrade 2023 | 10 Years Later). He’d been carrying an Altoids tin kit for about ten years and decided to revisit what was in it for a video.
He opened the video by talking about the goals he had for the things that he packed in it. What problems did he want to be able to solve on the go? He basically categorized it into being able to fix broken things for yourself or others, fix humans (basic first aid), a bit of cash just in case, and basic urban survival gear.
This video was my initial inspiration for trying to figure out what would be useful to put in a tin, but I didn’t just want to recreate what Marcus had done. I watched a bunch of similar videos for inspiration before buying some things online to give this a try. I decided that my first tin wouldn’t be specifically for me because first I wanted to try to create a more general use tin before narrowing down what I would want to carry for myself. (There will be a future post on the one that I made for myself!)
Figuring out what will be useful, what will fit, what’s priority… It takes some thought! And one thing that many videos that I watched mentioned was to make sure you keep revisiting what’s in your tin. The best thing you can do is revisit these from time to time. Swap out things you decide you don’t need. Add things you think you will need. And of course, as you use things make sure you replace them!
EDC tin and contents
Here is a list of the items that I decided to include as well as some thoughts on each. This may be a bit of a TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) kind of section so for convenience, at the bottom of this post, I will give links to all of the items I mention for purchase. Often items are in multi-packs but that can be handy so that when you use something up you’ve got replacements ready! Here’s what’s in the tin:
Let’s start with the tin! Many people use actual Altoids tins that they save and clean out to use. You just have to find the right size for your needs. It will depend on what you want to carry and where you plan to carry it. If it’s going in a pants pocket, you might want something smaller. But if you are putting it in a bag then you can probably get away with a larger one. In the links below I will include links to a hinged tin and one that is not hinged. That’s also just personal preference. Some people prefer to have the lid fully disconnected when opened and others prefer everything to stay connected. Just be sure to look closely at listings for lid type and dimensions. And don’t forget depths… Not just width and length!
Mini slide top tins: These are just like the ones you used to see for things like lip balm back in the day (if you’re old like me!). These mini tins come in handy to hold smaller items and they nest well in the larger tins. Helpful for keeping things from rattling around as much and makes it easier to find some of the smaller items in the kit. Inside this kit I used this mini tin to house the super glue (if it leaks hopefully, it will be contained!), a couple small paper clips, and a couple small safety pins.
Small plastic baggies: You might even have some of these laying around from when you buy products with small pieces. I found a pack of them online with three different sized baggies in one pack. Handy for keeping items together that you don’t want to get separated or keeping certain items more sanitary. You’ll see in my kit photo that I put the dental picks in one. That’s the kind of thing you want kept clean! Also, could be handy for holding the super glue gel tube if you’re worried about leaks.
A small multi-tool: For people that carry a pocket knife or a multi-tool with them already then this might not be something you want in your tin in order to reduce redundancies (and bulk/weight). For this general kit I wanted to include a small basic one. This one isn’t any kind of powerhouse like you’ll find with a Leatherman or Gerber, but it’s got multiple basic tools and will get the job done if you find yourself needing a basic knife, plier, or other small tool.
Folding scissors: This is another tool that you may or may not want depending on if you carry a pocket knife or multi-tool since many of those come with scissors. But if not, then these little folding scissors are handy! And they fold away nicely so that the blades are secured. I remember having these types of scissors in a cross-stitch kit that I used to have when I was younger so look around… You might already have something like this around your house!
First aid supplies: Chances are you have some things around the house that you can just grab to include for this part of the tin. A few bandages, a packet of antibiotic ointment, some alcohol prep pads, etc… In the full list of links at the bottom I’ll include a link to an inexpensive mini first aid kit that you could get and use some of the contents of that if needed.
Travel sewing kit: This is another item that you might already have laying around the house. Or maybe you got one from a hotel where you stayed. (I mean… We’ve ALL taken those… Right???) Otherwise, a pack is easy to find online (see links below).
Tweezers: So many videos that I watched talked about having tweezers in their tin. And almost all of them specifically talked about Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper Keychain Tweezers. They seem to be super popular among people in the EDC community. And I must agree… They are great tweezers!
Eyeglass repair kit: This could come in handy for regular glasses or sunglasses. The kit that I bought came with a microfiber cloth, two small screwdrivers, and a little baggie with some screws as well as nose pads.
Flashlight: The category of flashlights in terms of EDC gear is HUGE and changing all the time. There are so many out there and choosing one will really depend on what you want to do with it, battery vs. rechargeable, how often you think you’ll use it, clip or no clip, how bright does it need to be… and so much more! I selected the one you see in this tin because it had decent reviews from users, was very compact, could be attached to a keychain if desired, and used a AAA battery. The flashlight itself isn’t much bigger than a battery! I love rechargeable gear but, in this case, decided to go battery so that it can be swapped on the go.
Single use super glue gel tube: I don’t think any explanation is needed for all the uses that super glue can have! However, the container it’s in for on the go is up for discussion. A regular bottle of super glue would be too large, dry out before getting used, and has the potential to leak. These mini single use bottles are great because it’s just enough for one application, so you don’t have to worry about it drying out and hopefully not leaking. But in order to extra protect the rest of the tin contents from leaks I have put the gel with the cap (used to pierce the seal at time of use) in one of the mini slide top tins.
Mini S-shaped carabiners: I don’t have a specific use in mind for these mini S-shaped carabiners but I figured they could be handy to have around. Maybe for a zipper when the zipper pull breaks? You need to attach your keys to something and don’t have a clip? If the S shaped ones don’t seem like they’d be good for you it’s easy enough to look around for other shapes, types, and sizes.
Eyedrops: These eye rewetting drops are intended for contact lens wearers (which I am). But they are just single use tubes of sterile saline solution so anyone can use them if needed. So, these can really be handy for anyone who needs to wet their dry eyes or maybe if you get dust in your eye and need to try to get it out.
Pill holder: This little holder is great if you need to bring your daily pills with you or just need some pain pills, allergy medication, etc… along for the ride. How many pills you can fit will depend on the size and shape of the pill. But I was able to get about 6-8 ibuprofen pills in one. And it comes with a ring you can add/remove if you decide you want to put it on your keys. It also comes with extra rubber O-rings for the cap, so it stays sealed well (in case you need to replace the O-ring). I don’t know if I’d trust calling it waterproof but certainly water resistant.
Dental picks: Not much to say about these soft-pick dental picks. They do the job and when you need a toothpick you just need a toothpick! This is one place where the little baggies came in handy for housing these picks so that they stay clean until you need them.
Misc.: In addition to all the items above there are some other random things in the kit that I added that I already had laying around the house. I attached a couple of large paperclips to the sewing kit cardboard. Inside the mini slide top tin with the super glue gel, I put in a couple of small paperclips and a couple of small safety pins. Another addition I’d probably make now would be to put a couple of rubber bands in there as well.
Products mentioned in this post: