If you’re like me, your EDC gear doesn’t just need to perform—it needs to survive everything from daily pocket purgatory to the occasional drop into the unknown abyss behind your car seat. Arc Company gets that. Their mission? Build products like trees grow rings—stronger with every challenge and a testament to resilience. I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for poetic branding… especially when it comes wrapped in 1000D Cordura.

I’ve been carrying a few of Arc Company’s offerings lately: the Boulder Wallet, Rambler XL, Ripcord Case, and Mini Grunt. Here’s how they’ve fared in the jungle that is my day-to-day life.

When you spend enough time in the EDC world, you start to realize that some of the best gear doesn’t come from big companies or fancy marketing — it comes from people who live this stuff. People who understand why we care about the little things we carry every day. Gearhunter is one of those brands.

There are a handful of knives in this industry that go beyond just being tools — they become icons. The Benchmade 940 Osborne is one of those rare blades that helped define what an everyday carry knife could be. Designed by the late Warren Osborne, a custom knife maker whose work was as elegant as it was functional, the 940 wasn’t chasing trends — it set them.

Scott Stills is a name that’s been making waves in the knife world. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, he’s a custom knife maker with an undeniable passion for the craft. Like many, he started with fixed blades before quickly moving to folders, which were always his true goal. His brand, Edgy Bladeworks, reflects his dark sense of humor and appreciation for alternative art forms, but at its core, it’s about pushing boundaries in knife design. Scott's enthusiasm is evident in every knife he creates, and the Tipper is one he personally carries in custom form every day. His work embodies both artistic expression and practical function, and it’s exciting to see his creations brought to a wider audience through collaborations like this one with Kansept.

Social media influences our lives more than it probably should. It’s not just a way to connect with people anymore—it’s a marketplace, a never-ending stream of ads and product demos. One brand that kept appearing on my feed was JoyRaining, a knife company that seemed too good to be true. High-quality Damascus knives for under $20? That level of affordability usually screams "too good to be true," so I had to see for myself.

Who is JoyRaining?

JoyRaining is the Western-friendly name for 玖润 (Jiurun), a knife manufacturer based in Yangjiang, China—a city well known for its knife production. The company has over a decade of experience in knife-making, and the head of operations has been in the business for over 20 years. That alone gives them some credibility, but I still had my doubts. Cheap knives flooding TikTok don’t exactly inspire confidence.

For the sake of both curiosity and a fair review, I picked up two knives from their TikTok shop: a small Damascus slipjoint and a larger one with a more traditional hunting-style design.

GiantMouse has always had a strong identity in the knife world—stylish, functional, and a little rebellious. The original Biblio was a hit, a compact EDC knife with great lines and an ergonomic design. But for those of us who prefer a little more real estate in our folders, GiantMouse answered with the Biblio XL—a larger, refined version of their fan-favorite design.