I don’t want to write a listicle that is basically a reprint of the GOTY article, which, of course, is coming. The hope here is that this list will include stuff that you might not think of when asking for gear or purchasing it for others. I have used and tried everything on this list and they all come highly recommended. The only thing I don’t personally own are the Glasstones and it is just a matter of time.

Under $20

Pale Blue Rechargeable Cells (Amazon Link)

With all the popular formats except for 18650, the Pale Blue ecosystem is incredibly well thought out. They might not work with the most esoteric stuff—flat tops for example—but for most stuff, including our torches, these batteries, which have on board charging via USB-C, will work. And for regular household stuff, you will definitely, 100% be covered. Plus the charging cable and wall charger are super thought out with a single plug capable of charging up to 8 cells.

Split Ring Pliers (Amazon Link)

Even as I transition into a no key future, I still use a lot of split rings and if you do too no piece of maintenance kit is more useful than these pliers. Find them in the fishing aisle instead of the EDC store online and save $15.

Under $50

Wiha Bit set (Amazon Link)

There are a lot of bit sets out there, including some stupidly expensive, MokuTi versions with overwrought machined parts and spinning tops. I guess this is for those people that have run out of places to put rainbow trash metal on their knives and now need some place else to horde this garbage. There are even a bunch of different Wiha Bit sets. But THIS is THE bit set of bit sets. The bits are Wiha quality, which means they are durable and grippy. The driver itself is good, really simple and nice (its plastic, but its light and it works). But it is the metal case that really makes this thing shine. You can pack it anywhere and not worry about it. You can throw it in a drawer, a pack, a toolbox and never worry. This is the one. Bite the bullet, pay the price, and you will never regret it.

Knipex Cobra XS (Amazon Link)

Its Ku Nip Ex. Trust me. I did a ton of research after I bought one for review. This is not only a decent item to carry daily, its size makes it incredibly useful. The ultra hard teeth give this thing grip under any circumstances. It will grip even rounded parts of steel, like the stand offs in knife handles or the dreaded lanyard tube in the PM2. I’d love to see a Leatherman Knipex collab that gave a mutlitool jaws this grippy. These pliers are so useful that I store them on the pegboard behind my bench in my workshop. Unsurprisingly they are among the three most used pliers (along with a large set of Channel Lock adjustable jaw pliers and needle nosed pliers).

Under $100

Geier Elkskin Gloves

When your website looks like something made in Geocities and you don’t sell products directly, but you are still surviving, the product must be incredible. Geier gloves are just that. I have had a pair of the unlined elkskin for years and they still work quite well. They are pricey compared to the Home Depot version, clocking in at $74, but they last years longer. I think I am going to spring for some kangaroo next time around for added durability, but the base models are pretty good. They are grippy without being tacky, tough without being inflexible. They are just great. A word of warning—don’t dig in dirt with them. You can get them dirty, of course, but don’t root around in soil to plant things with them on. They will dry rot pretty quickly after that. Let’s just say my wife bought me a new pair after borrowing my Geiers.

Fenix CL30R Camp Lantern (Amazon Link)

This one either just squeaks in under or over the limit, but either way it is worth it. It is, without question, the best camp lantern/power supply I have ever seen. With its uber flexible battery set up (you can run it off of any of the follow: 1, 2, or 3 18650s or 2, 4, or 6 CR123as), its long battery life, and good diffuser, this is a tool that is wonderful to have around even if you never carry it in your pocket. Every house should have one in case of emergencies.

Under $500

Shapton Glasstone 3 Stone Starter Set (Amazon Link)

Few substances are as flat as glass. This is what makes the scary sharp sharpening method so effective. But if you don’t want to deal with the mess, water, and hassle, and you want the glass to be tempered, the Glasstones are really nice. I have used them a few times and while I don’t have quite the steady enough hand yet to make them work, they are on the long term Wishlist. At $254, you will have a few bucks to spare.

Gerstner International 11 Draw Oak Chest (Amazon Link)

While prices vary considerably, if you scout around you can still land one of these for under $500. Why not the version made in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio? Its on sale as I write this in early November for $1,355. The International version isn’t bad by any means, leagues better than some of the clunky, ugly, and soon-to-be dated looking or rusted metal tool chests. If you want something to hold your gear that looks as nice and as timeless as your best stuff, get this chest. I really wish other companies did branded collabs with Gerstner. Benchmade did one a while ago, but borked it right at the end by dying the wood blue. Why would you do that? Honestly, it should be illegal to dye wood this beautiful the color blue. Or any other color for that matter.