Why so ridiculous on EDC?

A few times in my 20+ years of ccw I've toyed with packing a backup and a folder.

Problem was you not only have to carry the items securely and concealed, but you have to be able to access them quickly (not to mention don and doff them... maybe more than once a day.)

So I ended up with a winter carry of Glock 26 and saber pepper spray, and summer carry of Centennial .38 and same pepper spray.

Simple set up and I practice weekly!

Deaf

I carry two knives. One is an assisted open knife clipped in my left front pocket. It isn't used much. The other one is a stockman-style 3-blade pocket knife. (It's a cheap one. I keep hitting the pawn shops and interwebs for a real Schrade or Old Timer with much better steel. It's a nostalgia thing.) It gets used all the time for cutting, gutting (mostly fish), and other stuff. I don't carry a flashlight on me most of the time, but I'll probably start. I always have at least one in my truck.

I don't get too caught up in what other people carry unless they're carrying a leaking can of pepper spray. That makes for an uncomfortable office pretty quickly.

Matt

RetiredUSNChief said:

But for those who DO care...I'll eventually get into the button-pushing game when I get one of my other pistols on my wish list: A Wildey .475 Magnum with a 1- to 12 inch barrel.

I'm seriously gonna contact CraigC about making an IWB holster when I get one. And then Ima gonna post pics.

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. That last line really made me laugh man.

I don't "care" what people carry or do... but I still "judge" them based on my outlook. The most effort I've ever done, other than making fun of my friends, on what people carry is typing up this post.

I think carrying a ton of "tacticool" gear is useless, because most gear that people carry on Youtube or other venues aren't useful, therefore "tacticool". I don't need gimmicky little items to help me in combat at Starbucks or the mall or where ever... because normally I deal with reality.

I carry at all time my cell, my keys, my wallet... sometimes a pocket knife and sometimes my carry pistol. Carrying useful stuff like lights, knives, and such is cool... you just don't need 7 knives and a lockpick kit.

But when I see a dude decked out in all 5.11 gear and his MOLLE fanny pack with his Magpul tshirt and tactical Oakleys with his FDE combat boots, I know he is hiding a bunch of goodies in those 47 1/2 cargo pockets.

But when you see me rockin' my clean Jordans, fresh Levis, and a snap back that says "#Holla at ya boi", no one suspects I am packing goodies. But you know what they say:

haters gonna hate

.
^ ^ ^ Hahrr!



Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

At the risk of running this quote into the ground, I'm gonna quote it again in reply to something the OP mentioned...

OP

I don't carry a spare mag (never needed to pull my gun, let alone reload it)

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Officers'Wife

...my grandfather advised, if you [run through a mag] and still need more you either started shooting too soon or shouldn't have shot at all.

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lol.



Carry on, my EDC warri0rz!

It can be a bit ridiculous the amount of stuff people carry with them.

That said, http://everydaycarryblog.com/ is interesting pictures of people's pocket dumps.
I'd say half were realistic, the other half look like they are ready to going camping.

I just need my wallet, phone, keys, and pocket .380.
I don't like knives or blades at all, but a super mini flashlight would be handy sometimes.

460Kodiak said:

. That last line really made me laugh man.

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Thanks!

What makes it really funny is I'm not kidding!

I EDC carry wallet, Esee 6, Spyderco DragonFly, Thrunite TN12, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Udap Clip-On Commander spray. All held up by my 8 Legs Web Belt.

What!?! A fella don't like knives?!?

A gun is what I use to get close enough to use my knife.

tipoc

Besides my gun, I carry my tactical wallet, tactical keys, and of course the ever necessary tactical chapstick with a laser sight.

To me less is best. I carry around enough "stuff" on my person when I'm working to make me fearful of large bodies of water out of concern if I fall in I will never make my way back to the surface.

For EDC either of these is good to go, along of course with my wallet, keys, and an actual penlight flashlight.

This is interesting...

http://everydaycarryblog.com/

They have links to where everything in my pocket can be bought. If I put a pic of my pocket contents someone will sell the stuff. Do I get a cut for advertising it?

I just realized I have an old condom in my wallet. The stamp on it says "Best if used by 1997". Kinda sad.

tipoc

I just watched a small number of EDC videos on youtube ...

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Why?

Well, that describes my initial reaction upon reading the 1st 11 words of your thread.

I must confess that I do not understand the fascination that other peoples' "EDC" choices present for many (apparently) folks.

One more case of "diff'rent strokes", I suppose.

I just watched a small number of EDC videos on youtube and seriously where the crap do people put all that crap? 4 knives, 3 pens, wallet, fake wallet, swiss army knife, multi tool, notepad, combat tacticool belt, emergency first aid kit, backup magazine, backup gun, backup magazine for backup gun, 5th knife, brass knuckles, pokey stick thing that goes on keychain, etc ad nauseam. I'm not even mentioning the 5 or 6 flashlights they carry. I consider what I carry a bit much.

My personal carry gear is XD9sc, holster, wallet, keys, pen, pocket knife, Streamlight and phone. The end. Occasionally chapstick. I don't carry a spare mag (never needed to pull my gun, let alone reload it) Also why on earth do people carry "combat" knives? If you have reason to stab them you have reason to shoot them. I understand if that is all you have to defend yourself then fine go ahead but there is no need for carrying more than 2 knives on your person. There is one video that last more than 30 minutes and the guy has over 30 things on his person including 6 different knives, 3 flashlights and multiple pens.

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One of the pitfalls of thinking through what EDC stuff meets *my* needs/wants is falling into the mindset that everybody who carries less stuff than me is oblivious, and everybody who carries more stuff than me is a poser/mall ninja. The guy who carries a 5-shot snubbie, no flashlight, no pepper spray, and no pocketknife might view you the same as you view someone who carries 2 spare mags and a trauma kit.

Keep in mind that some of the people who EDC more than you/me may be first responders in their day job or have training to go with it (esp. the trauma kits). Some may live in a more remote area than you do and have to be a little more self-sufficient if injured. Some may live where LE response is 15 or 20 minutes away instead of 3 minutes. Some may have had some life experience in their past in which they really, really wished they had had a big flashlight/trauma kit/knife/spare mag/whatever.

As to spare magazines, if you are going to go to the trouble of carrying a pistol, it makes sense to me to carry a couple of spare magazines. Not only does it balance the weight and make things more symmetrical, but (1) it gives you options in case of a magazine failure, and (2) in the exceedingly unlikely event someone has to defend herself/himself, it seems to me that having a full magazine while waiting for first responders to arrive in 5 or 15 or 30 minutes would be a good idea.

I find that

Carrying a .44 Special with Corbons will do the trick every time. I'd carry a "combat" knife if I thought someone would invite me to a turkey dinner though.

My daughter informed me that I forgot to mention what I have had to start carrying lately:

Reading glasses and Aleve.

IMO, every man should have a few basics. Knife and light mostly. You wouldnt believe how often the people around me wanna borrow my stuff.

This is what I carry everywhere. If I am going somewhere where a gun is illegal the Delica is replaced by a larger BM 710.

The handiest tool is the streamlight. It gets used many times a day. Mostly at work (I'm a mechanic) but at home too. When something rolls under the fridge or I need to get a better look at anything (like cleaning guns) it is there.

Next would be the small SAK. I mainly use it for the nail file. It also has a pen. Not super ergonomic, I wouldnt write a novel, but it beats searching the house when I gotta jot down a phone number or make a note. The scissors gets used sometimes.

Knife is for packaging, hoses, twine, boxes, whatever comes about. Even eating lunch sometimes. And last ditch defensive weapon I guess.

The mini prybar keeps me from ubusing my knife.

I havent smoked in some time, but I still keep a small Bic lighter around. I rarely use it. Guess it is the one "survival" item I carry. Always works, cheap to replace, and available everywhere.

Human nature being what it is, I imagine one is far more likely to post a youtube vid about all the tacticool crap the supposedly "carry" than they are to actually carry it all day in and day out.

A malfunction more likely to happen in a CCW type fight, but will likely never happen on the range is the mag falling out from not being seated fully or mag release accidentally depressed under stress. The mag release can get depressed while carrying by bumping into something and I've seen a criminal dump the mag under stress in a gunfight dash-cam video. This is a good reason to have a spare mag. I admit to not carrying a spare that often though (see human nature part above).

You have to list all your stuff man - even a pack of chewing gum or a tin of breath mints.

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My carry gear is pretty simple. Pack of gum, mini-pill box with noon med., finger nail clipper, pocket knife, wallet, hanky half full of snot, chapstick (two tubes, one for lips, one for roids), car and truck keys, other misc. keys, cell phone, and a fire pager. When I leave the house I add a gun of some type. On rare occasions I'll also pack a condom and a mega dose of Viagra. Gotta make sure you have enough for a reload.

I don't even carry. Not even a sharp object. Not allowed to where I work, and I keep myself out of those high-risk situations where it would be necessary anyway.

Those people that choose to go Rambo, more power to them. They keep me safe

I guess its different for everyone. My wife and some of my friends think I'm crazy for carrying a gun, spare mag, pocket knife and small pen light. As for the spare mag, I didn't always carry one but now I do. Not so much for the extra ammo but for malfunctions. I think to say that you shoot your gun all the time and never have malfunctions is a little short sighted. Carry a back up mag is simple with a decent mag holder.

I'll eventually get into the button-pushing game when I get one of my other pistols on my wish list: A Wildey .475 Magnum with a 1- to 12 inch barrel.

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LMAO!

EDC

I always have a knife or two with me (Benchmade 710 and leatherman or an old laguiole). I keep em sharp and I end up need one for something quite often. I always carry a pen and a flashlight for the same reasons.

I typically edc a Sig P239 or an old (1936ish) S&W Pre-Model 10 (4 inch).
When I carry the sig, I carry two reloads because I bought a double mag carrier years ago and it still works great. Doesn't take up any room in my pocket and is easy to get to on my belt.

I typically carry a speed strip and an hks speed loader for the model 10.

I work with some super EDC guys with all the goodies. They are good guys and have the gear to cover every situation but sometimes I think they forget how to solve problems without "the perfect" tool for the job.

They forget how to adapt because they rely so much on their equipment.

/$0.02

Carrying a fixed blade fighting knife makes sense from a retention stand point. If someone makes a grab for your gun, you use one hand to trap the gun in your holster and another hand to fight off the attacker. If I was in that situation I would much rather have a knife (or another gun!) than just using my hands. Knives are also smaller, lighter, and typically easier to conceal than a gun because of their flat profile, so it's not as difficult to carry.

One thing that really struck me was the recent story about a licensed carrier who was attacked from behind in Wal Mart by "Good Samaritans" in order to take away his pistol. He was VERY lucky that none of those people shot him either intentionally or accidentally. It is always good to have a secondary weapon in case you need to fight for your primary.

Magazines are the number 1 failure point for semi auto pistols. If I'm actually having to use my gun, it's already a really bad day - I don't want to bet that it won't get worse. I also want to make sure that after the fight I have a topped off gun. I'd hate to be standing there with an empty gun hoping that the guy doesn't have friends near by...

Finally, other people may have different situations or threat levels. Im not sure I'd call someone receiving death threats or a woman who has an abusive exboyfriend or exhusband stalking her "paranoid" for carrying a backup gun, knife, or extra ammo.