It is easy for fear to take hold of our minds when we face risks and are not prepared for those risks. Risk will always exist. There is a risk in nearly everything we do in life. What we must evaluate is the risk versus gain in what we do.
We must mitigate those risks to the best of our ability. One way to do so is to think about where you are going and what you have on you. Prepare now. This is your everyday carry.
Imagine yourself in the following situation. Could you survive with what you have on your person?
Building off the known threat landscape (civil unrest, pandemic, and natural disasters) and having the proper mindset, we can begin to prepare our EDC gear. Your everyday carry essentials should be tailored to your environment, budget, and personal needs.
Here are some solid everyday carry essentials to get you started.
No matter the situation, you must have a knife in your kit of EDC essentials. The knife you have must be ready to act in several capacities and fill several roles. The SOG Vision XR (serrated) features a Tanto-style blade that gives you three different cutting edges. The font upswept tip area is immensely strong and provides the first cutting edge. The long straight edge traveling along the blade provides the second yet separate edge, and the serrations near the pivot area provide the third cutting edge. I prefer a partially serrated blade to be able to make quick work of seat belts, rope, clothing, or other material that you might need to cut through quickly.
The blade should be made of stainless steel, hold an edge, and be easy to maintain. The handle should be made of a material that doesn’t degrade or break down. One EDC knife that fulfills these must-haves is the SOG Vision XR.
Depending on where I’m going, how far away it is, and how long I’m going to be there dictates whether or not I have a light on me. When I leave the house to go anywhere, even in broad daylight, I have a small EDC flashlight in my pocket.
My reasoning is if I’m in a store, my daughter’s school, or other places of business and the lights go out, I need to be able to identify my egress route. You cannot rely on emergency lighting. A flashlight is an absolute must when traveling through airports too.
The Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA flashlight is damn near the perfect size to throw into your pocket for the day. A combination of the size and the serrated bezel make this a great option for personal protection.
Not to mention it has the capability of using either a single AA or single CR123 battery. I know of three former SMU (Special Missions Unit) operators that swear by the Streamlight ProTac series of flashlights, which should tell you something.
Sized perfectly for individual use, The Solo First Aid Kit from MY MEDIC easily fits into a cargo pocket, EDC backpack, or belt. Intended for individual use, the Solo First Aid Kit is loaded with the supplies you need for bleeding, burns, and cuts & scrapes. High-quality construction throughout and several small design details make this kit stand above the rest.
Accessing medical supplies quickly is paramount so My Medic uses high-quality anti-snag zippers with paracord pull tabs for ease of grip. Once opened, the Solo FAK lays flat allowing easy access to the organized contents. The advanced level SOLO kit includes a tourniquet for more trauma-type incidents. Remember that seconds count when first responders are minutes away. Be prepared to save your life or the life of someone else.
EDC Backpack | SOG (Studies and Observations Group)
Ever since SOG began teasing the release of their new Surrept line of packs, I’ve had my eye on them. SOG (Studies and Observations Group) is known throughout the tactical industry as the benchmark in tactical knives and other equipment. So when something as accessible as this new line of low-vis backpacks hits their shelves, people take notice.
What caught my eye about the new packs are the incredibly neutral, yet aesthetically pleasing look of the bags. I’m so fed up with molle webbing, Velcro, and anything else that is meant to make your bag look like you’re ready for the impending apocalypse.
I needed a single backpack that could sustain me for multi-day trips. When the Surrept/16 daypack first arrived at my doorstep, I fell in love. The construction, color, feel, and look are out of the box impressive. No need to check any bags when you have the Surrept/16. It’s the perfect EDC backpack to take around the city for a day or a multi-day trip. Sleek, slim and let’s just admit it, sexy. SOG remains an industry leader to continue to drool over, and they’re not going anywhere.
The world we live in today has become unpredictable and to a point dangerous. You never know when and if something bad is going to happen, but we can’t stop living life just because of what we see on the news every night. You can do certain things and carry certain gear to increase your odds of survival in the event you find yourself in the midst of an active shooter situation or terror attack.
For those of you that do not carry concealed or find yourself at a venue that does not permit that, what can you do to protect yourself from an active shooter? If you carry a sling bag or backpack as an everyday carry bag, you can insert a soft backpack armor panel into the laptop sleeve, which gives your bag a ballistic shield against most handgun rounds.
I have been carrying a soft armor insert inside my backpacks for several years now. I’ve flown both domestically and internationally without any issues from airport security or customs. When you need to add a layer of protection in restricted environments, a level 3a backpack armor insert is the way to go.
Regardless of whether you identify as a Beretta, SIG, or 1911 fan, adding a Glock to your personal arsenal seems like the right thing to do. Most shooters eventually find that a specific Glock platform fits the bill perfectly for concealed carry. For many, that is the Glock 43X.
This slimline 9mm pistol is touted by many as the ideal concealed carry firearm. The slightly elongated Glock 43X offers an almost perfectly sized grip and a 10-round magazine capacity.
The Glock 43X is only .87-inch wide at the grip. The pistol’s overall length is 6.5 inches and 5.3 inches tall. The barrel is 3.4 inches long. This pistol has a lot of barrel for such a concealable gun. This added barrel length provides a full powder burn with most ammunition loads. The full powder burn is important because it limits muzzle flash, which is beneficial in low-light situations.
Bottom line is that the Glock 43X is compact enough to easily conceal or use for deep carry, but large enough to grip and shoot accurately. What else could you ask for in a deep concealment subcompact pistol?
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