Here’s the Stuff Every Gearhead Should Carry Daily

Confidence starts before you hit the road by dressing for wherever your adventure will take you. A good pair of polarized sunglasses are practical while driving and serve as a stylish accessory once you shut the door behind you. I’ve always been happy with Ray-Ban and rock the RB2180s, but I hope to grab a pair of Original Wayfarers. If large watches were my thing, I’d wrap my wrist with the Seiko Coutura, and if I wanted to keep it simple yet stylish, I’d go for the Essentials Japanese Quartz in Silver. Since I’ll be wearing Wayfarers, however, I'll opt for the retro look with the SNKP23 Recraft.

A car phone mount is a game changer. Apart from obvious benefits such as using Google Maps and viewing notifications as they come through, a mount gives you a handy place to store your phone. You can’t go wrong with the iOttie Easy One Touch 5 for versatility, but I’d opt for the CoolPow Universal Magnetic mount, as I prefer low-profile designs. Another thing I needed to take out of my pocket practically every time I sat down was my wallet, but that changed when I got a Secrid Slim Wallet. I had a bout of anxiety while writing this because I couldn’t see or feel it, but it was in my pocket, and that's the feeling I was going for.

On the road, a subscription to Amazon Music will let you ride to the beat of the Fast and Furious soundtracks. Tokyo Drift is a favorite of mine and something I use to get amped up before I go go-karting. Music is essential to driving for many, so whatever your genre, Amazon Music has you covered. It's also supported by Apple CarPlay. And if you want to gain a few followers while you're on the road, fitting your car with an Instagram Personalized Car-Wall-Vinyl is the easiest way to do it. Just kidding. Don't be this person.

Hopefully, you’ll never be in the situation where you need to cut your seatbelt and break glass to get yourself out of a car, but if you are, you’ll be damn glad of having the right knife on hand. Managing editor Jonathon Klein will talk about the need for one until the cows come home. If money was no object, I’d go for the Benchmade Bailout, as it has a glass breaker, is sharp as hell, and comes with Benchmade’s lifetime warranty. If you need a more budget-friendly option, the CRKT M16 will handle itself perfectly in an emergency, thanks to its dedicated seatbelt cutter and glass breaker. Trust us: You need a good pocket knife.

Last but not least, while it's not exactly an EDC offering, I love the Car Emergency Safety Kit, Noco GB40, and Compact Tool Set, which should be enough to get you out of most sticky situations and won’t take up much trunk space.

What are your go-to EDC essentials? Let us know in the comments.

The Drive and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. Read more.