Fratello EDC: Daan Shares His Everyday Carry Essentials From The North Face, Montblanc, Bellroy, Serengeti, And More

I am not entirely sure why, but back in 2022, I didn’t participate in the Fratello EDC (Everyday Carry) series. That’s great because it allows me to go all out this time. Some of the things I’ll mention today have been with me for quite a few years now, while others are more recent acquisitions. One thing’s for sure, though: I would heartily recommend all of these EDC items, as I love using every one of them, all day, every day.

When I started listing the things I carry with me each day, I noticed some of these purchases are inspired by my Fratello colleagues. For example, I found my Borealis Tote bag by The North Face when I was looking for something similar to Lex’s camouflage M/S Canvas Shopper by Mismo. The fountain pens below would probably also not have been there either if it weren’t for all my Fratello teammates who are heavily invested in pens. All right, let’s dive in.

The North Face Borealis Tote (Khaki)

Indeed, my daily bag was very much influenced by Lex’s magnificent canvas tote by Mismo. However, as I didn’t know if a tote bag would be my thing, I wasn’t ready to drop more than €300 on one. At the time, I was using the Peak Design Everyday Backpack as my daily carrier. That’s a great camera bag, but if you’re not carrying a camera, it is a bit bulky, and I’m also not much of a backpack person. When I started looking for more affordable tote bags as alternatives, I stumbled upon The North Face’s Borealis Tote.

The Borealis backpack, with its elastic string on the front, is a legendary bag within TNF’s collection. It makes sense that the brand now offers other kinds of bags inspired by it, but I certainly wasn’t aware of them. I was positively surprised by the look of the tote variant in khaki. Besides, its discounted price of €50 (down from €70) made it the perfect candidate for seeing whether a tote bag was for me or not. I’ve now used it since January, and it has been great.

It holds 22 liters, and aside from a big zipped mesh pocket, a lightly padded laptop sleeve, a big water bottle pocket on each side, and a small zipper pocket on the outside, there isn’t much organization. Honestly, that’s a breath of fresh air after having used the Everyday Backpack by Peak Design. The space is there when I need it, but when it’s not full, it’s not bulky.

The Bellroy Desk Caddy (Eucalyptus)

However, what I did miss was a space to stow all my cables, USB hubs, AirPods, and other electronic accessories. I started looking for a so-called “tech pouch.” Again, Peak Design has some great options, and so does Evergoods with its Cap 2. However, I also had very good experiences with my Bellroy 10L Camera Sling (sidenote: I also use it as a camera cube inside the Borealis Tote). So, I looked at what the company had available in terms of tech solutions. I ended up getting the Desk Caddy in eucalyptus green for €65.

I like that it’s not that big, that it can stand by itself wherever I decide to work, and that it shows me everything that’s inside when I zip it open and flip its front inside out. It holds all the cables and plugs I need to charge my Apple Macbook Air, iPhone, AirPods, battery pack, and more. There’s also a nice place to store a passport, including a cover, and I keep multiple pens inside. The elasticated mesh pocket is perfect for smaller adapters, spring-bar tools, and other small items.

The other thing I love is that whenever I switch bags, I only have to grab the pouch, and I’m done. RJ makes fun of me every time I set up my “toilet bag” on my desk, but he also uses many of the items I keep in there. I almost feel like the Fratello Desk Caddy.

So, what’s inside? — Orbitkey Multi-Tool v2

I always keep my keys in the left pocket of my pants. That way, I never forget them when I leave the house. In the past, I tried putting them in a key organizer, but I always find those finicky to use and unnecessarily bulky. What stayed, though, was Orbitkey’s Multi-Tool v2. Mine is the stainless steel version with a black titanium coating. That coating has already worn off quite a bit, but the tool is still very functional.

The company says it includes nine tools. However, the ones I use the most are the sharp edges to open boxes, the bottle opener, and its screwdriver capabilities. It’s so handy to have something like this with me at all times. It was totally worth the €12 I paid for it.

Apple MagSafe (leather!) Wallet

Another thing that is always in my pocket is Apple’s MagSafe Wallet. I don’t use a cover on my iPhone 16 Pro because I feel makes it too bulky. However, I love Apple’s leather MagSafe Wallet. It holds three of my most important cards — my driver’s license to ID myself at any given time along with a debit card and my Tesla keycard in case my phone options don’t work for any reason.

Apart from my driver’s license, I don’t think I’ve used the cards since they’ve been in there. But the reason I love Apple’s leather MagSafe Wallet is that it improves my grip on the phone. Especially the leather option, which the company stopped making, is great because it ages nicely. What I also love is that it’s there when I need it, but it’s also very easy to remove when I want to charge my phone wirelessly, for example. You can still find the leather version of Apple’s MagSafe Wallet at various retailers. The great thing is that it’s often discounted and priced at around €30 instead of the original €65.

Serengeti Geary sunglasses (orange tortoise acetate with light gold metal)

Now we finally get to what’s actually inside my bag. One thing I always carry with me is a pair of Serengeti sunglasses. If you’re not familiar with this brand, I highly recommend you check it out. The company’s lenses are absolutely amazing. I very much enjoy wearing polarized lenses to get rid of reflections. But Seregeti’s lenses also offer photochromic and high-definition technology. That first one darkens or lightens the lenses depending on the circumstances, and the HD technology provides the sharpest picture possible.

As a result, the eyes don’t have to work as hard, and especially when driving, these lenses make my eyes feel very relaxed. I know some people would rather not wear polarized glasses while driving a car, but I’ve done so for many years now, and I thoroughly enjoy it. I also don’t get the feeling I’m missing things because the lenses cancel out most reflections.

The only thing is that Serengeti’s frames run quite large. I don’t care that much because the brand’s lenses are so magnificent. I already owned two variants of the Raffaele model, and my latest addition is the more daring Geary model in orange tortoise acetate with light gold metal. It’s officially priced at €430, but you can find these glasses for substantially less.

The watch: Rolex Explorer ref. 114270

You might have noticed, but I took the pictures for this article myself with my iPhone 16 Pro. That’s not because I didn’t like Max’s pictures for Lex, Thomas, and RJ’s articles — on the contrary. However, I’m at my mother-in-law’s place in Spain for the summer, so I tried to manage everything by myself. This also means I had to choose the watches to take with me on this trip. I brought two — my MoonSwatch Mission to Saturn and, of course, my Rolex Explorer 114270 from 2004.

The MoonSwatch is there for when I don’t feel comfortable with the Rolex on my wrist, which is practically never. The Explorer is just such a nice GADA (go anywhere, do anything) watch. Its 36mm case never gets in the way, the Oyster bracelet looks and feels sturdy, and it was recently serviced, so I can wear it anywhere, including the pool, sea, or lake.

The pens: Pilot, Caran d’Ache, and Montblanc

A few years ago, I would’ve never thought I’d get into pens. However, while working at the Fratello office and hearing so much about and seeing so many different pens, it’s hard to resist the urge.

My first “real” pen: Pilot Capless/Vanishing Point

I remember when I asked RJ what would be a nice first fountain pen to get. I was thinking of a budget somewhere around €50. But he pointed me towards pens with a golden nib that started at around €200. That’s when I understood I needed a bit more time for research. It’s not that fountain pens with steel nibs aren’t great writers, but there’s just something about writing with a golden nib that makes it feel extra special. Part of it is mental, of course, but I believe there’s also an actual difference.

Anyway, after trying out many different pens at P.W. Akkerman in Amsterdam, I chose between the Lamy 2000 and the Pilot Capless (also called Vanishing Point). In the end, the Pilot’s superior grip, 18K gold nib, and ballpoint-like mechanism won me over. This is such a convenient pen, even though it looks a bit awkward at first, especially because the fingers grasp the clip while writing. I got used to that very quickly, and I think it’s one of the pen’s advantages because it makes it so easy to get the same grip every time.

The retracting mechanism also feels very sturdy, and I love that I don’t have to unscrew a cap and hold or post it before I start writing. I’m not ruling out the possibility of more Pilot Vanishing Points in my household in the future. Luckily, the price of €229 is holding me back a little.

Caran d’Ache 849 XL Roller Ball

One downside about fountain pens, though, is the fact that they can spill ink when you travel with them by plane. That’s why I looked for a nice rollerball alternative. I found it in the Caran d’Ache 849 XL Roller Ball. Like Lex, I also enjoy the 849’s hexagonal design. However, those ballpoint pens are quite thin, and I prefer the thicker grip I got used to with the Pilot. Then, I found the Caran d’Ache 849 XL Roller Ball, which is 10.4mm thick, 28% thicker than the slimmer ballpoint version. It costs €54.

The great thing is that it works with any Parker-style refill. I replaced the standard Caran d’Ache cartridge with a fine black/blue Ceramic Gel refill by Monteverde USA. It offers a similar experience to that of a fountain pen, so it’s a great alternative when I’m traveling.

Montblanc 242 (gray tiger eye)

My most recent acquisition is a Montblanc 242 from the 1950s in gray tiger eye. It was offered on the Dutch watch forum, and I asked the seller if he was interested in trading it for my Seiko SPB317 diver. I recently bought a vintage Seiko 6105-8000 (more on that in another article), so its modern counterpart became obsolete. Surprisingly, the seller agreed, and we ended up closing the deal.

As you can see in the pictures, the Montblanc 242 is slightly smaller than the other two pens, which I like. Although it’s from the 1950s, the pen and its fine 14K gold nib are still in great condition. It took me a few attempts to fill it, but it now writes very softly and smoothly. I love the gray tiger eye pattern on the body and cap in combination with the gold hardware. The Montblanc logo up top, with a slight patina, is the cherry on the cake. This one I’ll probably use most at my home desk.

What’s in your bag?

There you have it — a “quick” look into my EDC items. Let me know what you think and what you carry around with you all the time in the comments section.