Electrician’s Pocket Caddy
Lightweight, quickly deployable, stable, and fits the essentials.
I currently work in the low voltage industry servicing access control equipment, keypads, mag locks, cameras, gates and more. There are times when I may be on a bigger install, however, I usually only need a select few tools with me.
I have used many different tool belt systems over the years ranging from the cheaper big box store pouches that clip on or are belt wearable, to Atlas 46 full rigs with a belt, suspenders, multiple pouches etc. Atlas 46 makes an amazing product, however, for my needs I have found that most of the time I want something light, quickly deployable and removable, and that holds 95% of what I need for everyday service calls. I can carry everything and more in my Atlas 46 rig but it becomes heavy, bulky, and difficult to wear in the winter with a jacket.
The Occidental Leather Electrician’s Pocket Caddy has thus far been the answer to my needs. I started out using the standard 5057 Pocket Caddy which is also a great pouch but I needed to fit just a few more tools in order to round out my system. Either Caddy fits perfectly in the front pocket of the Levi 505 jeans that I wear on a daily basis, but my father also tried on this pouch and it fit well in his front pocket.
The reason I like the Occidental Leather Electrician’s Pocket Caddy so much is because it is light, fits the essential tools that I need, is quickly deployable and removable, and because the back panel that slides into your pocket is wide thus making the pouch very stable and not prone to moving around like clip-on pouches with very narrow attachment points. If you want to wear the pouch on your belt you have the option, but I chose to use the pocket panel and placed an allen wrench in the belt loop with a rubber band so it does not fall out.
The stitching looks pretty decent on this pouch but time will tell how well it holds. There are also rivets for added strength. A couple negatives for me which aren’t too major are that Occidental Leather claims in their description that a meter can fit in the front-left largest pouch. Unfortunately for the type of multi-meter that I use this is not possible and I wish that there was one more large pocket that would fit my meter. I would also like to see a dedicated slot or two for markers or pencils and a loop for electrical tape. My final small issue is that the pocket panel can make your leg a little warm.
At the time of this writing, the 5057 pocket caddy is available on Amazon for $37.90. The 5053 is available for $51.90. I think this is a fantastic price for the quality and functionality of either of these pouches. I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a quick, light, durable, and compact solution to carrying a moderate amount of tools.
**Update March 8, 2025**
Rough dimensions of the pouch: 6″ W x 9.5 T x 2.5″ D (not including pocket insert; the actual stick-out off the leg).
As a solution for where to place my meter, I purchased a heavy duty, 5″ x 1/2″ rubber band and put it around the entire case. This leaves a perfect spot to hold a meter.
