Equipment: Every Day Equipment

As you acquire more and more equipment, you'll find that there are three basic classifications: equipment that you keep at your base of operations (e.g. large radios, safes), specialized equipment (transmitters, dead-drops), and equipment that can be carried every day. Any equipment that is carried all the time needs to meet a few criteria: it must be small, versatile, and plausible enough to carry around with you. The concealed lighter is a good example since it has multiple functions, and its concealment makes it a plausible item to carry with you. A collapsible baton is not - it has one purpose that is very clearly communicated when it is seen.

If you are keen on espionage equipment, you will likely feel out of place if you don't have some resources at your daily disposal. Some equipment to consider:

• A multitool. Do not underestimate the value of carrying of Swiss Army knife or Leatherman. These tools give you immediate access to electronics, and also provide the opportunity to improvise additional equipment. I've used a very basic knife to re-enter my apartment after being locked out, and I've created picks from plastic using my Gerber tool. The versatility is something you'll find you can rely on. My recommendations:
  
• Swiss Army "Tinker". The tools offer balance of good functionality and small size - nothing useless here. Taking apart or jury-rigging a device is easily within its capabilities. Something that will give it an added edge for espionage: take off one of the plastic sides so it can be easily attached and removed. In this way you can conceal even smaller tools or papers.
• Gerber Suspension. A great price for a really good multitool - a bargain for the cost. It can be your primary tool for electronics, cutting through a wire fence, or disassembling anything you come across. The pliers are extremely comfortable, and the secondary tools are easily accessible when closed.
• Gerber Legend Series. Both of these tools are on the expensive side, but they are good quality tools that are easily maintained (including replaceable tungsten wire cutters) and provide a wide functionality. The designers clearly focused on human factors as evidenced by the thumb-deployed knife blade and the well-designed handles. The Philips screwdriver will fit a standard socket driver, allowing it access to additional tools (don't be fooled by the Gerber Accessory kit - any socket will work). The Urban Legend is the one I own, and that appears to be a better deal than the Legend; the Legend only offers an replaceable saw and a slightly larger body.
• Leatherman Wave or Crunch. I have not used these as much as some of my associates, but everyone seems to swear by them. Our photography agent has told me he can maintain his motorcycle almost exclusively with his Crunch.
  

• A UV light. Another basic but vital piece of equipment, but it offers additional cloak-and-dagger features:

• The basic light illuminates a room adequately. The battery lasts a very long time, and the LED itself will not need to be replaced.
• The UV qualities will detect liquid in a disturbing way. If you use it in a hotel, you will find many things that you did not expect. However, if or when you have the need to detect such things, and the UV light is the only way to go.
• Small breaks or imperfections in walls or objects are made more evident with a UV light. You can detect if someone has modified a section of your wall or tampered with a particular product.
• Common "invisible ink" is displayed with UV. These pens are readily available and can be used to mark possession to help protect against theft, or can be written between lines of a normal letter to pass on covert messages.
• When using it with powder (sawdust or UV specific), you can detect what keys a person has pressed on a security keypad.
• Any watch that is luminescent can be "charged" with the UV light. The watch glows extremely brightly for 2 - 5 minutes, and then has a good glow for an hour or more.

The beauty of the UV light is that it is like the classic espionage gadget - it has so much functionality, and it is hidden in plain sight. Even recently I had to use my Photon to determine what someone had written on a notepad; the UV made the pen pressure marks more evident so we could see what was written on the prior sheet. Some models offer additional modes, including a SOS flash, a rapid beacon flash, and low / high power modes.

I typically use the Violet Photon Light and have been very happy with it. Typically the UV versions of Photon lights are more expensive than their standard light. The "Violet" version, however, is usually the same price and has ample UV to meet all of your needs. EBay has several reasonably priced items at any given time and will be your best bet in acquiring one. Just make sure it has a black case instead of purple one

As you find yourself more enthralled with what you can carry everyday, there is a forum that will help you considerably and perhaps make you totally obsessed at http://www.edcforums.com/.