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The retired Heraclitus has settled on what works for him after 18 years.  Bravo to him.  I know mine’s constantly evolving, as is a lot of folks I know.

You know the drill, you get something you think is better than what you’ve got.  You try it and either incorporate it or discard it.  Sort of like techniques from firearm training classes.

Not sure why he calls it “A different river.

You be the judge.  In his words:

After carrying a handgun daily for over 18 years, I have finally arrived at an EDC setup that I am comfortable with. I only carry one handheld flashlight at a time (usually the Olight during the day and the Streamlight at night). I carry my spare magazine at 9 o’clock and the TQ just behind it. In my vehicle I carry four extra magazines, a large Trauma Kit and a Sabre Red MK-4 OC spray (stream).

GLOCK 19:  A great carry gun.  I’ve carried it for close to twenty years.  For me, it’s a perfect blend of size, capacity, and feel.  And I’ve shot about a gazillion and a half rounds from various GLOCK platforms, so they are as natural to me as walking.

He’s got lights, and a blade (Benchmade 710), along with a TQ.  That’s something I don’t carry on my person, but there’s on in the car.  Yeah, someone might *really* need one someday, but someone might also *really* need a fire extinguisher, but I don’t carry that on my person either.  (But I do in the car…)

Notice the ASP keychain miniature OC spray.   He likes it.  Obviously.  More power to him.  Me, not so much.  Yeah, I gave up chemical sprays after a couple of leakers inside my car (on hot summer days) and one in my pants when I bent over almost 30 years ago.  Oh, that was a memorable day.

 

 

 

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22 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve seen pepper spray used a few times and used it myself once. It worked alright, eventually. Not a bad choice for apprehending someone who is not presenting a significant danger. But I can’t see many circumstances where I would want to use it walking around conceal carrying. By the time it starts working on the bad guy usually everyone else, including the sprayer, is going to be at least a little effected as well.

    • I don’t carry pepper spray, but keep a can in the pocket door of my truck and keep one my MTB (in a pouch on the top bar at the stem), for 4-legged threats.

    • I have a 1.5 oz can of Sabre Red jell I keep clipped to my collar when pounding out miles on the bike at night, in case another asshole sics his dog on me, like one did to me years back.

      That incident convinced me to tool up when riding. If I can de-escalate with the pepper-jell first, that’s preferable to me.

      If my heart is in my throat when a dog is lunging at me while I’m twisted around in the bike saddle trying to get a sight picture on ‘Fang’, I’m not likely to take the time to study the surroundings to see if it’s a safe direction to shoot. Since I will be aiming down at Fang, I’m nearly guaranteed that bullet is gonna ricochet. And that ain’t too safe in the outskirts of suburbia. And I will be 100 percent responsible where that bullet goes…

  2. Big can of the Benchmade 710. No longer in production. Pepper spray makes sense but I never found a unit botk portable and easy to use.

  3. Nice EDC. I’m a fan of keeping the trigger stock and night sights, for a carry gun. But what do the black rings do on the flashlights and the spray? For retention? But then the knife and gun don’t have any extra grip.

    • Those black rings are plumbing O-rings, which are attached to the flashlights with small split ring keyrings. You put your index finger through the ring and your thumb on the tail switch of the light. It’s a really great way to retain a flashlight if you’re shooting a pistol with the Harries technique. If you want to transition to a normal two handed grip, just kind of flip the light over your support hand and it’s out of the way but not on the ground.
      I’ve put one on every flashlight I’ve owned for the last 10 years. I figured I wasn’t the only person to think of doing this, but I didn’t think it would take 10 years for me to see someone else doing it.

  4. Having a TQ because you carry a gun is straight up smart. Anybody with combat experience or who’s taken a TCCC course or better, fully understands this. If you gotta stop arterial bleeding, you don’t have much time. Paramedic response is usually too late, nor do they jump in a hot zone. They wait until it’s safe. By then, it’s bodybag time. Screw the fire extinguisher.

    • Your chance of encountering a fire is much greater than your chance of encountering a firefight, tacticool training aside.

      That said, while I carry an extinguisher in my car, I don’t think it would be easy to carry one around on my person all the time.

      • Obviously. I have a fire extinguisher in my car too, although I’ve never had to use one yet. But I’ve changed out flat tires out a few times without calling a tow truck.

        This article is not about statistics on vehicle gear. The point being, if you’re preparing for a deadly force encounter (wether it may happen or not) and plan on carry your gun every day, it’s realistic to know that the enemy isn’t always the one seriously bleeding when the smoke clears. TQs don’t take much room or weigh anything on one’s person. When applied properly and immediately, they save more lives when the faucet needs to be turned off right then and there.

  5. “I have finally arrived at an EDC setup that I am comfortable with”

    I wonder if that means the tool selection or the actual comfort? I don’t see how some of you guys wear an IWB plastic holster that’s poking you all day.

  6. I’ve been to the EDC website and scrolled through a couple pages of submitted EDCs without once seeing a firearm. Are they hidden from general browsing?

  7. Screw pepper spray. I keep a can of Black flag wasp and hornet spray in my vehicle. Has a 10+ foot range and works much better at stopping any attacker. Plus if you live in a state that doesn’t allow or requires a permit to carry pepper spray. It is a great alternative.

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