The 007 Everyday Carry

James Bond was the man; confident, refined, self-reliant and lethal. The guy seemed to have it all. He certainly had the skills people dream of, but for me, I was most impressed with his uber cool critically useful secret tools and gadgets that he used to get the job done: Packs of gum that shot bullets, GPS watches (before anyone heard of GPS), devices to crack safes, hidden weapons. 

He had a tool for everything and just at the right time. The coolest part was that his super cool tools were so small and ingenious that they could easily be hidden inside his tailored suit. 

In essence, Bond was the father of cool and the grandfather of the EDC movement. Unless you are in the CIA, you probably can not everyday carry an exploding pack of gum, as useful that that might be.  However, what’s wrong with wanting to be self reliant and having the right tool for the job hidden on your body and available when you need it? 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about walking around town wearing a Batman belt full of tools and trinkets or filling your pockets to the seams with gear “just in case” we need it. 

Firstly, carrying all that gear is uncomfortable as hell, and it tears up your clothes.  Also, you look like a paranoid person who would scare women and children. The ultimate EDC man is James Bond, the man who always has the tools he needs for self reliance and self-defence but blends in with the crowd as the every-man. He always has the right tools for the job, and no one has a clue! Now, that is cool! 

Let’s take a look at some of the critical must have EDC tools for today’s every-man 007. Aside from an Austin Martin DBS and exploding bubble gum, the everyday 007 should focus on three critical elements to his EDC: his pen, his knife, and his watch. 

Pen:

I love the look and feel of a Montblanc Pen, I mean there is no question the thing is sexy. However, it is not really that exclusive.  Almost all  businessmen who make a decent income will carry a Montblanc and it certainly is not a self-defence tool. I promise you, no matter how much a Montblanc costs, it will never help you tighten a screw. You know what pen is exclusive, a tenth of the price and a phenomenal self-defence tool? the TacTool Pen by A-TAC. Aside from exclusivity, it can actually tighten both a Philips and Flat head screw and in my opinion, writes smoother than a Montblanc. 

The A-TAC TacTool Pen truly delivers a ton of gear in a small and discreet package. At approximately 6” inches long, it contains both a Phillips and Flat-head screwdriver, and a blunt strike trip designed to be a devastating self-defence (not murderous stabbing) tool. As well, it does its primary job as a precision writing instrument (that accepts a standard G2 ink cartridge) very well. All this magic is wrapped up in a nearly indestructible black anodized aircraft grade aluminum, providing the user with a tool that’s discreet to carry. 

Knife:

The Everyday 007 never leaves home without his tactical knife. The selection of his EDC knife is perhaps his most challenging decision. He needs a knife that opens as quickly as possible, and cuts both rough and precise material. His knife should help him escape a car wreck, rescue someone and still fight off a villain in a life or death situation. How does he do all that without loading up a rucksack with enough equipment to buckle the legs of the hardest Special Forces Operator? He buys the Ghost Knife from A-TAC.

With a blade length of 3.22” and the handle measuring 4.15”, the Ghost is big enough to tackle nearly any job while fitting seamlessly in your pants pocket or waistband. The blade consists of enhanced steel exceeding industry standards and crafted in a combination, serrated and straight edge blade. The Ghost allows for precision cuts while also taking care of robust materials with ease.  The blade contains a window break, designed to be used with the blade closed. This revolutionary design allows the glass break to be used immediately upon drawing it from the pocket. 

The handle is engineered to fit the hand securely and comfortably while being as thin and small as possible, allowing it to be nearly unnoticeable when carried. It is crafted with light weight sexy carbon fiber paired with either G-10 or Aluminum. The handle contains premium ball bearing pivots for lightning fast blade deployment, and once the blade is deployed it’s locked in place by an enhanced liner lock 0.3mm thicker than industry standard. The end of the handle contains a covert, fold out seat belt cutter designed for instant use in an emergency. 

One thing I really like about the Ghost knife is that it comes with two different pocket clips allowing the user to customize the way it is carried depending upon their needs. The deep clip allows for the knife to be nearly unseen in the pocket for a discrete carry while the conventional clip allows for the top of the knife to be visible providing the user with easier access when brandishing the knife. 

Watch:

One of the things James Bond is known for is his love for luxury watches and luxury automobiles, specifically the Austin Martin. Personally, the goal of owning an Austin Martin isn't actually a goal but more of a dream. However, owning a really cool watch that James Bond wears is a quasi-tangible goal worth working towards.  Although 007 started his love affair with watches wearing a Rolex, in the later years he moved onto the more discreet but equally sexy Omega watch brand.

The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m is a dive watch capable of depths up to 600m and constructed of stainless steel, ceramic and sapphire crystal making it rugged enough to take to war and beautiful enough to wear with a tux. Talk about self-reliant, its self-winding automatic movement makes for a watch that will run forever with no need for a battery. Omega watches are subtle and not huge “in your face watch” designs like other luxury brands but still retain a stunning beauty that rivals other time pieces double the price. 

So there you have it, the 3 most important pieces of Everyday Carry you should have on you at all times, which would make James Bond proud!