Everyday Carry Essentials – Gear That Can Save Your Life

Bring the items you need for daily use, as well as personal preparation items that each of you should have access to at all times when you leave the house. These are tools that can be useful in a variety of situations, but more importantly, they all have one or more life-saving properties when used in the right context. Most of us don’t walk out the front door without our keys, wallet and cell phone, but there are other EDC elements to consider if you want the edge over the next one when your life is on the line.

In this article, we will go into more detail about the excellent commuting equipment and how you can use it to improve your preparation wherever you go. I will also give you some recommendations for clothing that I have personally used on a daily basis, and some situations where this EDC equipment can save your ass, or where you may want to make a different choice based on your own reality.

What is transport in everyday life?

Before we go into detail, let’s put into context what it means to wear daily. Quite simply, EDC is the gear you carry with you every day. There are many ways to look at this issue, and the degree of daily wear and tear can vary depending on your particular situation. For example, a woman working as a delivery driver does not have the same daily needs as a man working in a city office.

This is what I used to wear in the winter when I could get away with a full-size rifle under my clothes.

One of the hardest things about commuting is having the discipline to wear this equipment consistently and reliably. With guns, it’s probably more plausible. Where you go and what you wear, even the seasons have historically influenced my daily clothing choices, but below we’ll talk about strategies to make your outfit fit you.

There are regional considerations, and what works for someone who works in a meat processing plant in Texas will not work for an advertising agency in London. The advantage of EDC equipment is that it can be adapted as much as possible to your situation and preferences.

Daily wear

Now that we’ve defined the terms a bit, some of you may be wondering what these everyday objects are. Good question! The following list of EDC options is not exhaustive, all elements are optional and some can be combined. However, this list gives us a starting point and therefore they follow here in no particular order:

  • Key ring
  • Flashlight
  • Knife
  • How to make a fire
  • A gun with a holster
  • Multitool
  • Editorial implementation
  • Written material
  • Mobile phone
  • See
  • Extra magazine for the pistol
  • IFAK – Individual first aid kit
  • Wallet – Something to store money, cards and identification.
  • Handkerchief or bandana
  • Reserve (emergency) Species
  • Length of paracord
  • USB key with emergency documents
  • Non-lethal protection (pepper spray or irritant gas)

At first glance, you might wonder who carries all this stuff around with them every day? Or how to transport all this equipment? Especially when some of you (including me) sometimes leave the house in shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. Some of you ladies might even say you carry all this and more in your purse. I admit that I don’t carry all this stuff with me every day. What I carry changes depending on many factors. Some are in my work backpack. Some are parked in my car out front, but let’s start with the basics.

When I walked through the door, I always went to work:

  • The keys – which contain a small FireStash lighter.
  • Portfolio
  • Mobile phone
  • See
  • Knife
  • Flashlight
  • Reserve (emergency) Species

The above list is what I consider to be the basic EDC items that you should have with you everywhere. Yeah, it’s always better to carry a gun. Especially when you need it, but sometimes it’s not practical. Sometimes, even with a concealed carry permit, it’s not legal.

For example, if you have to go to court to pay a ticket because your sign fell down…. It’s not the kind of place you want to walk into with a gun. However, all other points mentioned above are acceptable. If you were flying on vacation or business to a city where guns are explicitly banned, like B. Chicago, you wouldn’t have such a safe weapon either, but you could go straight through the TSA with the above list, as long as it’s well hidden in your checked luggage. Of course, it’s relatively painless to fly a firearm, unless you’re flying in a restricted area and assume you’ve done your research.

But what about that list of everyday things that can save your life? These are the basics. Keys, although they are an obvious necessity if you have a car, if you want to get to your car and leave. The keys can also be used as a defensive weapon in case of emergency. Knives are useful for self-defense, although to me it’s not better (I’ll get to that later) than anything else. You can also use them to cut and trim many things. A knife is one of the simplest tools you’ll ever want to do without.

Knives can be used to split large pieces of wood if used properly (called sticks). With emergency money you have a backup solution in case your credit card or ATM breaks down or is closed for vacation…. With money you have another way to buy food, supplies or fuel to get home, and you have a way to light a fire to stay warm and see a light in the dark. In addition, your watch (preferably analog, but also digital) can help you find your way back north if you get lost.

How much emergency money should you carry? It depends on your personal situation. For me, carrying a few hundred dollars in an emergency would never be an option. I started with $40 because I figured I could almost fill up the gas tank with it, or pay for food if I forgot my debit card, or needed some props – like a baseball bat in case I got involved in a riot….. Now I have 100 dollars. It serves the same purpose, but gives me a little more flexibility.

I also have the following items depending on the season/situation:

  • Handgun
  • Multitool
  • Handkerchief

Why don’t I always carry my gun? For me, hidden portage is a situational activity. Now, it’s tough where I work, although I haven’t ruled it out, and I have a full-size pistol 50 yards from the side door in my car. I have a handkerchief in my work backpack, but in the colder months I usually carry it in my back pocket when clothes are looser and stuff is easier to hide. If I’m not at work, the gun goes off.

Currently, my concealed weapon is a Glock 43 that I carry as an appendage. There are many ways to carry a concealed firearm, and for me it’s the best choice.

What EDC items do I never carry?

From the above list I will tell you that I have never carried pepper spray or IFAK, although I have two in my truck with a full medical roll and one in my bag on the way home. I also don’t have a spare magazine for my Concealed Carry gun, but I do have spare magazines in my truck for my other gun (and my other gun). Paracord is another thing I rarely wear. I wore the old paracord bracelet for a while and I still wear it when I go camping, but not every day. But I have some in my front pocket if you need it.

I used to carry a small USB drive on my keychain and they were very handy, but I took them off to keep them in my backpack. I get it at least five days a week. I have things to write in my backpack, but I never walk around with a doodle in my rain pen and notepad. Not that I have anything against them, but they’ve been of no use to me until today.

When I travel by plane, I make sure I have all these items minus the weapon in the situations described above. I’ve even been known to add shemma and water filtration, but that’s for plans to walk home if needed. When I drive, I carry a couple of guns. Instead of carrying all of the above, I carry a small toiletry bag with a knife, headlamp, flashlight, tape, leather and a lighter. It’s usually in my console compartment in the truck. When I travel in another car, this case is in my luggage.

What is the best way to carry a daily carry bag?

I carry most of my daily carry-on luggage in my pockets, but the more I have, the less ideal it is for me. Unless I’m wearing tactical pants with nice pockets for a knife and a heavy belt to hang things on. I used to carry both a flashlight and a multi-tool in a sleeping bag, and in some cases it’s still good.

The Cool Expedition Pockets Organizer is a great option for storing many everyday items.

The key to each of these items is to have them with you so you don’t have to do without. If you z. B. you had all your stuff in your work backpack and you go to lunch or to the bathroom, maybe you should leave these things behind. I try to find a balance on the days when I don’t have everything physical.

Some people prefer to keep all their everyday items in a small bag, as shown in the photo above. It has its advantages and everything stays clear and sharp. As long as you have access to it when you need it, this approach works. Try to determine what would work in your current situation.

How can you ensure that you take your daily hand baggage with you?

For starters, it only takes a minute or two to get used to something new. Habits are easy to break because they usually require extra effort. Remember the exercise program you started at the beginning of the year? Learning a new routine takes time, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

  • Start with a 30-day plan – you know it takes time to develop a new habit, and you’re still learning about some of these issues.
  • Make it part of your daily routine – It will seem obvious, but I keep all my equipment in one place. Then, when I get dressed, I just put them in my pockets or on my belt. The less you have to search, the easier it will be for you to load them up before you leave home and realize you forgot them.
  • If you’re just starting out with carrying concealed cases, it’s probably best to try a few cases at home before venturing out. Put on your holster for the day. Sit at the dinner table, go to the bathroom with him, lean back in the yard to pick up stuff. You’ll soon see where to plug in. Try it with different clothes too. In the summer months I use a pocket case with a .380 when needed. It’s not perfect, but it’s still a viable solution that fits my situation.
  • Come back after two weeks – ideally you should re-evaluate what works and what doesn’t. You need to know what you want to change, because it’s either embarrassing or it just hasn’t worked out. Congratulate yourself on your progress and keep up the good work.

Tips for everyday use

What is the best pocket knife to carry every day?

Now let’s move on to everyday clothing, and let’s look at the first three that you might not be wearing right now. When you look at a good everyday knife, you quickly come to the question of which one is the best. As you probably know, there are a million different types of knives with prices all over the map. You could easily spend a few hundred dollars on a knife, but I don’t think that’s really necessary.

So the question is, what is the best knife to wear every day? It’s what you have with you when you need it. Period. Some go into details such as the composition of the steel, the texture of the handles, the sharpening of the cutting surface, and these are certainly reliable and useful information. However, you have to take it with you every day on your way to work, and the best knife in the world you leave at home always loses the upper hand over the one you have in your pocket.

There are cheaper options too, but make sure you balance cost with quality. Something like a knife should be reliable.

Smith & Wesson Extreme Operations

Durable 7Cr17MoV carbon steel blade with black oxide finish, black aluminum handle

What is the best multi-tool for everyday use?

Multi-tools are great creations, but from what I’ve heard, most people use them to open boxes. Honestly, I’ve done the same thing, and it seems like every year we get more and more boxes. However, it is a mistake to neglect the usefulness of these daily carriers.

I have used almost every attachment on my multi-tool at one time or another. Leatherwave won’t let you down.

Wave of leather

The Leatherman Wave is an excellent multi-tool that will serve you well for most applications. Quiverpack with 18 tools including pliers, spare wire cutters, wire strippers, knife, saw, spring loaded scissors, ruler, can openers and bottle openers, files and screwdrivers

Wizard is Wave’s little brother and gives you a lot of basic tools at a lower price, and it’s also a little simpler.

Leather wig.

Wingman is your tool of choice for projects at home, at work or in the workplace. Equipped with 14 tools for almost any job: Knife, pliers, screwdriver, wire stripper, scissors, can opener, bottle and can opener, file and ruler

What is the best flashlight for everyday use?

You don’t see flashlights in most people, but you’re not like most people, are you? The usefulness of a flashlight is obvious, and I use mine all the time for simple tasks, in general, but it’s useful to have light when you need it.

There are probably as many flashlight options as there are knives, but as I said before, they try to balance cost and quality. Read the reviews and make sure you don’t buy something unreliable when you need it. The flip side of the coin is that you probably don’t need to spend $100 on a great flashlight.

Sales

LED Tactical Flashlight GearLight S1000

They are currently number one on Amazon, and you get two for this great price. I generally prefer AA or CR123 batteries in my flashlights, but I also have a lot of AAA batteries.

I own the projector below and it is a great light. Yes, it’s more expensive than the previous two, but the quality is undeniable and Streamlight is a well-known brand.

Sales

Light grazing 88052 ProTac

1,000 lumens! This highly illuminated tactical flashlight is USB rechargeable, so you can charge it on the go from almost any USB source without removing the battery. The anodized aluminum Type II Military Spec case makes the light extremely durable and wear-resistant.

It’s your turn! What do you think of the idea of wearing things every day that you think are useful or essential to your survival?

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