Pocket organizers—often referred to as everyday carry or EDC organizers—are secure pouches that contain small essential items such as medicine, multitools, flashlights, notebooks, pens, electrical cords, chargers and phone accessories. Hikers, hobbyists, hunters, campers and anyone who is often outdoors and active throughout the year find pocket organizers useful. If you are looking for an option that is both high quality and versatile, consider the Maxpedition Gear Beefy Pocket Organizer.
While pocket organizers are a great tool for keeping essentials close at hand in your day-to-day activities, they come into their own when used on outdoor pursuits and work details where you need to cover some distance throughout the day. In this regard, they are ideal for use on camping or hiking trips, hunting expeditions and maintenance and construction work, or any type of outbound employment. They also are useful for those whose jobs keep them on their feet all day, such as medical professionals and tour guides.
If you are using your pocket organizer on the trail, you might use it to carry items that must be easily accessible, such as bear spray, a compass, flashlight, folding knife and/or multitool and basic first-aid essentials. If you are using it for work, you might carry a pen and waterproof notepad, diary, glasses and personal protective equipment. In addition to these, there are some items you will always want to carry, such as your keys, wallet and cellphone.
The acronym MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) describes the current pack gear used by the U.S. and British military. It allows for certain items, including some pocket organizers, to be easily attached and removed from backpacks, belts, vests and webbing. If you are using your pocket organizer for hiking and/or hunting, this feature can prove highly convenient.
A pocket organizer should have many general-purpose pockets to accommodate various small items, as well as some built-for-purpose compartments, depending on their intended design. Useful examples include one or more pen pockets, a phone compartment, a zippered compartment for smaller items and elasticated tie-down loops for cables and headphones.
A pocket organizer should be sturdy and weather-resistant if not fully waterproof. The best examples use ripstop fabric with a high denier rating, such as 1000D abrasion-resistant nylon or Cordura. Zippers should be chunky and unlikely to snag or stick, with YKK AquaGuard among the best options available. Zipper pulls should be easy to operate with paracord or webbing tabs to help with grip.
Some pocket organizers include clear windows to store cards and identification, and a keyring and lanyard to keep your keys and other valuable items securely attached. Consider portability when choosing your ideal organizer. The best incorporate belt loops and carry handles, and sometimes shoulder straps as well on larger models. If you use your pocket organizer to carry electrical items, consider one with a pass-through cable port for charging devices on the go.
Good quality pocket organizers start at around $20 for a basic model. Expect to spend around $40 for a high-quality option with plenty of features, with specialist designs costing as much as $90.
A. A pocket organizer is quick and easy to access and most are large enough to hold your passport, tickets, headphones and other travel essentials. Bear in mind that certain items such as blades, multitools, lighters and other outdoor essentials must be placed in checked luggage and not carried onboard.
A. Pocket organizers come in many colors, shapes and sizes. As such, there is a model to suit most people’s tastes and requirements and you can fill them with a variety of items.
Maxpedition Gear Beefy Pocket Organizer
What you need to know: This 1,000-denier nylon organizer is sturdily built and weatherproof, while its design accommodates a surprising number of items.
What you’ll love: The Maxpedition “Beefy” model uses complete YKK zipper and slide combinations, Duraflex buckles and military-grade webbing throughout. All stress points are reinforced and its material is treated with DuPont Teflon Fabric Protector for durability.
What you should consider: This organizer is quite roomy and may be excessively large for day-to-day requirements.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: This compact pocket organizer wallet from Viperade is ideal for keeping essential items within easy reach.
What you’ll love: The VE1 model manages to cram a coin purse, cellphone pocket and several large tools into its slim profile. It also has a MOLLE system into which you can insert several smaller everyday carry tools such as a folding knife and compass.
What you should consider: The organizer does not encase your items and it does not offer much protection against the elements.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Vanquest 2.0 Personal Pocket Maximizer
What you need to know: As its name suggests, the Maximizer is intended to hold everything you can’t fit in your pockets while at work or on the trail.
What you’ll love: This rugged pouch is covered in 1,000-denier Cordura with a ripstop nylon interior. It comes with a removable keychain and two paracord loops for attaching it to your person and has one external and two internal compartments.
What you should consider: This organizer is lacking a vertical belt loop, making it slightly less versatile if you are not using MOLLE-compatible gear.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Luke Mitchell writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
