How Retailers Can Build a Successful EDC Product Range

Everyday Carry (EDC) is more than a trend – it’s a growing lifestyle movement offering retailers new opportunities. From knives and multitools to flashlights, watches, and practical accessories, EDC represents high-quality, functional products that make daily life easier. This article explains how retailers can expand their range, attract new audiences, and leverage innovations and brands like Spyderco to benefit from the boom. Discover why EDC is a must-have for 2026.

Written by David Guest

Multiple hands removing tools from an everyday carry pouch. — Everyday carry is a fast-growing category with many product types and a distinct style.

As retailers in the shooting and outdoor industry, it’s imperative that you stay on top of trends and shifts in the market. Despite our sectors being quite traditional overall, things are still changing and modernising at a solid pace – with today’s customers changing their tastes and habits with each passing year. One area where that appears to be happening at a slightly quicker pace is the knife and blade category.

Knife enthusiasts are gear geeks by definition. They love the latest models, they follow fashion as strongly as function, and they are open to trying new things and experiencing new products. They also love being organised and including their knife as part of a kit that they take out to enjoy their hobby or interest.

Over the past decade, this habit has evolved to become a category in its own right. A modern trend that is opening knife ownership up to new demographics and making it more accessible and interesting. You’ve probably heard of it… Those in the know refer to it as everyday carry or EDC.

Not only is this an exciting new sector that is growing in appeal with knife users and general gear enthusiasts around the world, but it also represents a chance for retailers to expand their ranges, reach new customers, and ultimately boost their bottom lines. So, where do you start?

Just what is everyday carry?

It’s actually as simple as it sounds. EDC is essentially a curated collection of items that someone carries with them in daily life or when out in the field while hiking, hunting, shooting, fishing, camping, and more.

In that case, then surely almost anything can be considered EDC kit? That’s largely correct – though the sector certainly has a look and feel that is clean, tactical, and efficient. A typical EDC gear collection could include a pocket knife, folding knife, bottle opener, multi tool, first aid kit, pens, items for self defense, a torch or other lighting solution, a lighter, watches, and a wallet, to name just a few. Many of these items are ones that people – especially hunters, shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts – use every day anyway, so what makes them EDC? To answer that, we spoke to Sam from Raven Artworx, a leading photographer and influencer in the space, to help define EDC culture and what makes the items you carry daily fit the EDC category.

“I was an EDC enthusiast before I even knew what EDC was,” Sam jokes. “I have a weird obsession with organisation and accessories. No matter what hobby I had, I was always looking for gear and accessories to help me organise everything. It started with pouches for my cables and soon went on to dedicated tools for my bikes. From there, it’s only a step to the EDC world, which was a rabbit hole I dove in headfirst.

“In truth, everybody is ‘EDC-ing’ something. Sometimes it’s your phone and wallet, sometimes a specific key chain, and some people carry a Swiss Army Knife and a pen daily. It’s something everybody does to make their daily routines as comfortable for them as possible. If you’re a tradesperson, you may find a belt holder very useful in your daily routine. If you’re a photographer you may need a small pry bar to switch your camera plates quickly. EDC gear can help you be prepared and be more efficient with whatever task you’re facing on a daily basis.

“It also brings an analogue aspect to our otherwise very digital life. Writing down something with a well-crafted pen carries so much more weight than typing something on your computer. And when it comes to cutting thread off your shirt, slicing an apple or opening packages, a knife just does a better job than your phone.”

What kinds of products are EDC essentials?

As already outlined, a great swathe of products can be considered or positioned as EDC gear. Of course, many retailers in the hunting and shooting sector may stock some EDC essentials such as multi tools, knives, and blades. But you could realistically add many other products like water bottles, bottle openers, pens, watches, and even luggage – including traditional backpacks, tactical-style bags, and small EDC pouches. This will also open up opportunities to stock a wider range of brands than before, and allow you to deepen relationships with well-known knife brands that are paying attention to this trend. One such brand is American blade producer Spyderco.

See Spydercos Exhibitor Profile for IWA 2026!

A layout of EDC products and a phone on a black desk. — EDC doesn’t have to be wholly tactical, it can also have a wider scope.

“Several factors like social media and the desire to share a personalised EDC collection, have certainly influenced the growth of this sector, along with a general resurgence in getting outside, experiencing life and planning practical high-quality items that are easy to carry. These items are relatively small and fun to carry, yet still very purposeful, high-quality products that can be coordinated to your day.

“EDC collections serve as reminders that a knife in your pocket is a functional tool ready for when you need it. Spyderco continues to produce quality products that people know they can depend on if they need it, while keeping things interesting with new and different materials to elevate the EDC experience. We offer something for everyone in just about any situation and budget, so we can capture personal interest through functionality and collectability with various steels, colour schemes, themes, and price ranges.”

Building a range of EDC products

One of the great things about the everyday carry market is that you actually have quite a lot of freedom as a retailer as to which items you want to stock or present as EDC kit. The whole ethos behind everyday carry is that it's personal to the user, meaning a wide range of products and styles can be used to build a product portfolio.

Two people lay out their everyday carry equipment on a table. — Everyday carry products include knives, tools, torches, watches and more.

Sam explains: “Knives and EDC used to be a very ‘tacticool’ thing. Everything was black or grey, looked super mean and portrayed the image of a SWAT operator gearing up for a mission. We have moved away from that, and nowadays it has become more approachable and fun. You can see a ton of different materials and colours on knives or pens. The market has opened up to a much wider audience and is still drawing more and more people in.

“You can go the Walmart approach and stock a wide variety of budget-friendly gear, but you could also hand-pick smaller, but more relevant and high-quality brands.

“Either way, I’d suggest getting to know your audience, getting involved in the community, and trying to stay on top of trends and developments. Be part of the community. The knife and EDC community is very tight-knit, so if people see that you actually care for them and for the products you’re selling, that will get you way ahead of faceless competitors that just stock random products.”

This ethos is shared by Kelly at Spyderco. She adds: “With markets expanding and more people realising the need or desire for a knife in their pocket, knife sellers will undoubtedly gain from this trend. Engage with and understand the customer, and provide a standard offering of knives and complementary products to start. Grow the selection with a few outliers and limited-edition items to keep the customer interested. With each pocket, hand, and personality being unique, your offering should be as well.”

Brands are evolving to meet the EDC kit trend

Everyday carry has certainly injected some excitement into the knife market, which, while in a healthy position, has faced the same challenges that many other markets have in terms of global economic uncertainty.

EDC kit has allowed new brands to enter the fray and also long-established brands to try new things while leaning on their history and traditions. Spyderco is a great example of that – the company will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026 and has experienced noteworthy growth and expansion in recent years.

“Over the last few years, we have continued to expand our product range with highly sought-after blade steels like Rex 121, CPM 15V Sprint Runs, and Magnacut in our Salt Series,” says Kelly Towers. “All the while, continuing to maintain our long-standing steels like our proprietary CPM SPY27, CTS XHP and Japanese VG-10, and H2.

“EDC has certainly illuminated the knife category and has provided an opportunity for knives to be recognised as a simple, non-threatening, useful tool in our daily lives. Because the EDC trend also focuses on quality, it provides an opportunity to build on education and understanding of not only the tool, but also the materials and production of high-quality knives. The category has helped create a more comfortable approach for a broader customer base.

“As we step into 2026 and our 50th anniversary, the future is bright for Spyderco. Always driving innovation, you can expect to see some new products and materials alongside some of our quiet traditions.”

Knives and other EDC tools laid neatly on a black background. — Knife brands are innovating, both in terms of design and functionality, to meet the EDC trend.

Sam has also noticed knife brands innovating to ensure they stay relevant in this fast-growing trend: “I like it when brands don’t stagnate and dare to try something new. Benchmade, for example, has released the Narrows, which is an ultra-thin titanium folding knife with an improved version of their Axis Lock mechanism. It was not something you’d expect from Benchmade, but they dared to try something different.

“There has also been a resurgence of traditional things, wrapped in a modernised coat. Whether it’s classic, traditional slip joint knives with modern designs and materials from Jack Wolf Knives or a simple tool like the pen, equipped with super interesting mechanisms and materials from Tactile Turn and Big Idea Design.”

Find what you need at IWA OutdoorClassics

It goes without saying that the everyday carry trend has not been ignored by IWA OutdoorClassics. The knife market has always been an integral part of the show, and this year will be no different, with a special focus on EDC gear and how it can open up opportunities for retailers. Spyderco will be among the exhibitors who are showcasing the innovation and trends in this sector – Nürnberg from 26 February to 1 March is the perfect time and place to really dive into this topic and create a new sales channel for your store.

The market is sure to keep evolving and changing, and with it, so will the different laws around knives and carrying them in different countries. In Germany, a recent change in the law has caused some difficulties for the knife market in general. But EDC gear gives you a chance to sell other items that are not knives, allowing you to mitigate any potential loss in sales. Again, IWA OutdoorClassics is the place where you can network with the wider industry to come up with innovative solutions to tackle such changes. A world of ideas awaits…