Ever wondered why pirates with severed arms had hooks in their place? I’ve often wondered too and the one conclusion I keep coming to is that the hook allows you to the most number of basic activities – from pushing to pulling, carrying, and occasionally swiping. Moreover, you could zipline with it, and that sort of sounds like something pirates do a lot. Looking at the award-winning Handy EDC, I’m often reminded of that hook. It isn’t really a replacement for the hand but is a clever extension of it, allowing you to conduct most of your outdoor activities without touching a single foreign surface. Developed as a result of the pandemic, the Handy is a clever little EDC that lets you do practically most activities that require pushing, pulling, carrying, or pressing.

Crafted from metal, Handy is an open-source tool designed to keep you safe and germ-free. Its simple design allows it to easily slip onto your fingers like brass knuckles, giving you a great degree of control. Hooks on the opposite end come with protruded dots for easily pressing buttons on a keypad or elevator, while the hooks themselves act as useful devices for pulling open doors, twisting handles, or even carrying bags. When all’s said and done, just slide Handy into your pocket, or better still, attach it to your keychain using its dedicated keychain-hole. Handy comes in two sizes, a larger one that’s open-source and 3D printable, and a smaller one that you can pre-order on designer Matteo Zallio’s website.

The Handy EDC is a winner of the International Design Award for the year 2020.

Designers: Matteo Zallio & Giulia Scagliotti