Best EDC Knives, Multitools and Flashlights: Reviewers’ Tested Picks

Quick answer: The best EDC knife, multitool and flashlight are the ones you’ll actually carry. Outdoor Life tested more than 50 EDC knives and named the Kershaw Bel Air its best overall folder; its multitool pick is the Leatherman Skeletool CX and its flashlight pick the Nitecore EDC 29. Picks, criteria and test dates are below.

Best EDC Knives

Outdoor Life’s Scott Einsmann tested knives by cutting “hundreds of feet of cardboard, oak dowels, and paracord in addition to dozens of apples, wire ties, and water bottles,” with “plenty of pocket time with over 50 knives” (published January 2, 2026). His rule: “my first priority is always cutting.” His picks:

His cut test included “10 feet of cardboard,” “10 zip ties,” rope and paracord cuts, and a “0.5-inch, oak dowel.” After that, he “took into consideration things like build quality, ease of carry, fidget factor, and value.” Knife laws vary by state and city, so check before you carry one.

Best EDC Multitools

Outdoor Life’s Tyler Freel lists “three primary factors that you should consider when shopping for an EDC multi tool”:

• “Does it fit my carry style/needs?”
• “How well do the tools work?”
• “Do the tools fill my day-to-day needs?”

He adds: “An EDC multi tool doesn’t necessarily need lots of tools, but it needs to fill a few core needs that you regularly have.” His picks (updated March 28, 2024): Best Overall, the Leatherman Skeletool CX; Best Value, the Milwaukee Fastback 5-in-1 with Driver; Best Without a Blade, the Griaitus Multitool Pry Bar; Best Low-Profile, the Gerber Lockdown Slim Pry. In the knife roundup, Einsmann’s multitool pick is the Leatherman Arc, with the Swiss Army Compact as “Easiest to Carry.”

Best EDC Flashlights

For flashlights, Einsmann carried 14 lights for six months and graded them on beam distance, weight and an “EDC score” for “how they carried, the user interface, ergonomics, and how well they integrated with my daily life” (updated January 28, 2025). His view: “choosing the EDC flashlight that graces your pocket comes down to personal preference.”

• Best Overall: Nitecore EDC 29 (run time listed as “2 hours at 1,200 lumens,” 5.6 ounces).
• Best Value: Loop Gear SK03.
• Best Keychain: Nitecore Tini2 Ti.
• Best Compact: Olight Baton 3 and Nitecore EDC 25.
• Best Budget Compact: Thrunite Archer Mini.

Where It All Goes at Night

Our EDC dump tray is 10″ × 7″ and sized for “your wallet, keys, watch, spare mag, knife, earbuds and a holstered pistol laid flat,” per its product page. For tray styles, see valet vs dump trays; for staging a tray with a pistol, see our EDC tray with gun holder tips.

The Rest of an EDC Kit

A knife, a light and a multitool are the core three. For the full list, including a first-aid kit and the carry setup, see our must-have EDC gear list. For what EDC means, see our EDC gear meaning guide, and for carrying tools on a belt, our EDC belt pouch guide.

EDC Knives, Multitools and Flashlights: Questions People Ask

What is the best EDC knife?
Outdoor Life’s best overall folder is the Kershaw Bel Air, and its best value pick is the Civivi Yonder, from a test of more than 50 knives.

What is the best EDC multitool?
Outdoor Life’s Tyler Freel picked the Leatherman Skeletool CX as best overall.

What is the best EDC flashlight?
Outdoor Life’s best overall is the Nitecore EDC 29; its best compact picks are the Olight Baton 3 and Nitecore EDC 25.

Is a fixed blade good for EDC?
Outdoor Life includes a fixed-blade category; its best for pocket carry is the Big Idea Designs Lookout. Check local knife laws first.

Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the EDC dump tray, the Cloudster Pillow and the Cloudster magnetic mag carriers, and carry Kore belts. We don’t sell knives, multitools or flashlights, and haven’t tested the products named here.