I’ll go to the end with this series of EDC articles, and that seems appropriate. I meticulously choose the products I use every day, but it hardly leads to a larger EDC concept. This fills up bags with lots of random stuff, often. Items often pile up over time, and whenever you empty your bag and go beyond the contents, you vow to reduce the amount of things you carry. Now, I have to say that I’ve just empty my bags more often and removed the ones I’m not using and become more efficient. Still, this is a lengthier introduction to the nasty and unintentional storyline than a well-curated bag of everyday items that some of the other Fratello team members share. Let’s go!
Watches – Traska Commuter 38 Adriatic Blue
Before you jump into a messy bag, the watch you’ll see is the Traska Commuter 38 Adriatic Blue. When I type this we have it for review. This is part of the brand’s Commuter collection available in sizes 34, 36 and 38mm. I requested the 38mm version on the Sunray Blue dial and I have to say I was very impressed with Traska’s achievement in making this one of the best affordable everyday wearers at the moment.
Commuters offer everything they need from their modern daily watches. A well-made bracelet with a slim profile, foldable fasteners and a micro-finishing system, and a reliable Miyota caliber. Plus, its Rolex-esque look makes it easy. I’ll write a more detailed review right away, but for now, at the price range of 600 euros, it’s hard to beat Traska commuters.
Bags – Work in progress
The bags I use to accommodate my belongings have changed quite a bit over the past few years. In a previous EDC series article, I mentioned that I use an omega bag. It has been abandoned for a long time due to a broken zipper. I used the same Uniqlo bag that Nacho uses, but I couldn’t hold onto it because it simply tips each time. I’m looking for a great bag and I have to say that the canvas Joseph Bonnie bag used by Thomas is a great option. It’s smaller than the Zara bag I currently use internally, making it easier to drag less. As I get older, talk about how motivated you to live. It’s about “less” rather than “more.” A small bag might help me with that.
The black nylon shopping bag I currently use is practical as it has an open top. It also has some small zipper pockets inside and outside. This is perfect for holding my more valuable belongings. However, the quality of the materials is simply poor, so the bags are refilled for replacement. The nylon began to tear, and it is often the beginning of the end. Thomas’ Joseph Bonnie Marley Maverick bags are a great option as they are better quality and smaller in size. I owned a black helmet bag from a Dutch brand. I loved the bag and fell in love with the style. Something like Thomas would be a great alternative to my current bag.
Camera – Still Olympus Pen E-PL8
My camera hasn’t changed since I wrote my last EDC article three years ago. I still worship the Olympus Pen E-PL8. I was a lazy photographer and led to a fun interaction with resident Fratello photographer Max. He enjoys me by not using it enough, and he’s right. Taking photos is a fun and creative challenge and should be used more as it slows you down during a busy day. Use a pen with a standard 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. But I want to add a macro lens to that setup to make it easier to capture objects and details close by.
Planner – Hobonichi Techo in 2025
Speaking of busy days, I use two Hobonichi Planners next to my iPhone calendar to write down what’s going on. After trying out different brands from Japanese brands like Kokuyo, Midori and Maruman, I was a fan of Japanese brand planners. Additionally, I briefly experimented with planners from Sterling Ink, Leuchtturm1917, and Moleskine, but quickly learned that Japan would rule the stationery universe.
I currently have two Hobonichi Techo planners with Midori Chiratto Index Clips. Japanese brands are excellent at creating the best over-engineering planners and are amazing when it comes to design details. Additionally, Hobonichi Techo Planners uses Tomoe River Paper. This is perfect for a variety of pens, especially fountain pens. I’m using the Hobonichi Techo Weeks Planner to keep up with my Fratello editing schedule. It is very practical, with the left page showing the day of the week and the right page leaving room for notes.
For journaling, I use Hobonichi Techo Hon in A6 format. There’s one page a day, and it’s the format to write down everything ongoing, the music you’ve listened to, what you need to check, the ideas you want to tackle, and other more trivial things. Plus, I use it for more creative explosions I might have over the weekend. Both planners feature special limited edition covers created by Kyoto-based publisher unsodo. They found inspiration in a special design catalogue created 100 years ago called Bijutsukai, bringing a series of amazing covers.
Pen – leuchtturm1917 drehgriffel nr. 1 and Namis Studio frost
To write generally with a planner, I use a variety of different pens. But I’m very specific to my pick. Hobonichi Planners usually use Japanese gel pens. They are the smoothest and dryest, and the fastest, so they are the most practical. For journaling, use leuchtturm1917 drehgriffel nr. 1 Gel pen. After using a 0.7mm gel pen, I found this tiny white dregriffel to be perfect for writing at Hobonichi Tech headquarters. Fine (0.5mm) tips are perfect for small pages. At Hobonichi Techo Weeks, I usually use Uni-Ball organic colors at 0.7mm. These are beautiful, classic tones that are more saturated than regular pen colors.
Plus, I always have a King Jim Leather Face U Pen Case that holds 5 Pentel Energy BL77 Pens and a foldable Midori Multi-Ruler. I don’t use them much, but they have been useful several times in the past. But that’s not where I finish for my pen. I always have a Kaweko sports stainless steel sports ballpoint pen and a Namis Studio Frost Tifountain Pen with me. Finally, I also have mechanical pencils for some quick graffiti and drawings. This is the classic Verstatil 5359 from the Czech brand koh-i-noor, producing the most lovely pencils there.
Music – Loop earplugs and Apple Airpod
To music, a big part of my EDC. As some of you know, music has been a critical role in my life for so long. I have rarely been in a situation where I don’t play music, and many of my memories are tied to a particular song or artist. I also go and see artists and bands perform live as often as possible. I go to concerts quite a bit, so I always have a set of earplugs with me. My bag currently has two earplugs with loop switch. They have three noise filtering levels, which is a great feature. That being said, there is one problem with standard ready-made earplugs. It tends to filter the high notes too much. That’s why I quickly switch to personalized earplugs using better filters. But these are good things just in case.
There are several options to listen to music. I usually use a second generation airpod because it syncs well with my iPhone. Plus, I’m using a wired AJ’s 4 that I’ve had for years. Their sounds are much better than AirPods. Finally, the headphones I rarely use are the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones just for long distance travelling. They turned out to be too big for constantly dragging with me, so I leave them at home most of the time.
Tools – Opinel n°08 Walnut
The rest of the contents of my bag is a combination of various items. I always have a walnut version of Opinir n°08 with me to open the package or randomize other tasks. It’s a cheap knife, but still great for the tasks I use. Plus, I always have two pairs of glasses. Last year I had to switch from regular glasses to glasses with progressive lenses. Ah, this is a “perk” that will make you get older. The first pair of glasses is a pair of Ray-Ban RX6494 2861s that I use as computer glasses. The second one is the sunglasses from the brand of a Dutch optometrist that I really like. I recently purchased two pairs. This is a pair of classic brown turtle shell colours with light brown lenses.
To complete the grab bag of random items, I always set up a cheap screwdriver set with me and have Wimbledon keychains for a few weeks now. It’s a small replica of the Wimbledon men’s trophy that Janik Thinner lifted a few weeks ago after beating Carlos Alcaraz in this year’s Wimbledon men’s final. Robert Jean had a unique opportunity to visit Wimbledon with Rolex this year, and took this fun little keychain as a gift. As you may know, I’ve been playing tennis since I was 7 years old and visiting Wimbledon is still on my bucket list. I’ve visited Roland Garos many times and Wimbledon is something different and this little trophy is a great reminder.
My final thoughts on EDC
There you have it – the contents of my trick bag, also known as my EDC. The list of items reflects my personality and passion quite accurately. It gives you a good glimpse into what I care about and what practical I use every day. It will also end the Fratello EDC series. We hope you get a glimpse into the bag and enjoy watching the items we all use.
