Relatively often, I’m asked what gear I carry. I’ve been Every Day Carrying (EDC) a lot of the same stuff over the years. Gun, knife, phone, light, etc. However, as the seasons change and the temperature rises, I modify it a little bit. What’s my current EDC, and how does it change as we enter Spring, and Summer?
Clothing
It may come as a shocker, but I wear clothes. I know, I know, wild stuff. I want to mention the clothing I wear, as it dictates a lot of what I carry. When I’m out and about, I’m generally wearing a pair of slim cargo slacks, or cargo shorts, and a light hoodie. Even in the hot summers, a light hoodie in SLC isn’t too uncommon to see, as it keeps the sun off of the skin. However, I’m often times in gym clothes. Lightweight shorts, and a similar hoodie. The big difference here is the lack of belt loops, and the lack of pockets. When I’ve got slacks or cargo shorts on, I’ve got the ability to wear a normal belt, and can carry my gear in my pockets. When I’m in the gym clothing, I’ve got to carry my gear in a different manner.
So how do we split it up?
The EDC Gear Itself
What I’m carrying in both types of clothing is generally the same stuff, just in a different manner. Rather than show how it’s carried first, lets cover the gear itself.
In the warmer seasons, I’ve found myself EDC’ing a Glock 48 as my primary gun, and (generally) a Smith 442 as my BUG. I carry the Glock 48 in a PHLster Skeleton holster, and the 442 is either in a Galco Pocket Protector, or a Boraii Eagle. The Glock is appendix, with the 442 in my front right pocket. I do carry a spare Glock magazine, and that rides in a Mastermind Tactics Low-Pro mag pouch. These holsters and pouches work for me, with the clothing I wear. With discussing weapons, I have begun carrying a POM OC spray can, as an option “between a harsh word and a gun”.
I’m still EDC’ing the Surfire EDCL2-T that I’ve been using for the last 5 years. The light is great, and has pretty good output. My wallet is still the same ThruPack one, and I’m carrying a SAK daily too. A Fisher space pen and tube of chapstick is also riding in the system, as is a Field Notes notebook. For my pocket knife, it’s almost always been a Spyderco Military, or a Microtech Socom Elite. I’ve got my keys on me too, and I carry a spare “valet” key for my truck, as I’ve gotten locked out too many times to not want one. Like everyone else, I’ve got a flavor of generic cell phone on my person.
I’m still wearing a watch, and the classic Casio F91W-1 digital watch. It works, it’s light, and I like it.
Now, let’s get into the carriage of the gear.
EDC’ing In Pants
When I’m wearing my regular slacks or cargo shorts, I’ve got a belt on. The belts I switch between are the Blue Alpha Gear Low Profile EDC Belt, and the inner belt to my AWS Inc. SMU belt. These are both pretty adjustable, and are comfortable without being too rigid. Obviously, belt choice is a very personal, “you” decision.
When I’ve got the khakis on, I’ve got access to 6 pockets, with 4 on the front, and two on the back. I tend to keep my pen and valet key in a back pocket, along with my pocket knife clipped there. These are fairly flat, and don’t hurt my butt when I sit. Don’t wanna hurt the glutes!
In my front right pocket, the 442 is riding in its holster. I tend to toss my Field Notes in front of the gun too, as it breaks up the outline of it, without hurting access. In the front left pocket, my EDCL2-T and phone tend to ride. Down in the cargo pockets, my left pocket holds my regular keys, chap stick, wallet, and SAK. The front right cargo pocket has my OC spray clipped to it, and if I decide to carry a speed strip of 38spl for the 442, it’s in that pocket too.
It might not seem like that, but I’m not a massive gearhead. I like good gear, but I’m not really deep into every element of it. My pants are fine example of this, as I wear Wal-Mart purchased Wrangler khakis. I’ve found a cut and fit that work for me, and make EDC’ing this stuff easy.
What about when I’m in gym clothes?
EDC’ing In Gym Shorts
Last year, I was off body carrying my gun in a Mystery Ranch fanny pack, but I’ve since changed up the system. With having the gun in the pack, it has to stay on our body. That became a pain, as I got deeper into weightlifting. As such, I decided to try out a different carry method.
A good friend recommended the Mastermind Tactics Covert Belt as a concealment belt for use in clothes without belt loops. The PHLster Enigma is extremely popular, but for my uses, it just really didn’t fit my bill. The Covert Belt has rubber lining, so it doesn’t move when I’m carrying, and allows me to keep the gun in the same place. I’m still carrying the G48 in the Skeleton AIWB, with the same Mastermind pouch on the belt.
In my shorts pockets, I’m not carrying much. My phone will be in my left pocket, and my OC spray clipped to the right. With the shorts I have, I forgo the 442, as it just isn’t feasible to carry it with my current setup, as the pockets are too shallow. I’ve tried it, and it just doesn’t really work.
All of the other things ride in a fanny pack. Now, I can remove my fanny pack, and not lose the gun. This has been super helpful at the gym, especially when hitting legs. I’m generally using my ThruPack Summit Bum, as it is comfy, and carries all of my stuff well. Since all of the self defense tools are on me, the orientation of gear in the fanny pack doesn’t really need to be super neat. At the gym, I add my wireless earbuds as part of my gear, as you need some tunes to enjoy while you lift.
What’s Different From The Fall/Winter EDC?
The primary difference is the primary gun. In the Fall/Winter of Utah, it gets cold, and I can layer up. As such, I can carry, and properly conceal a larger gun. Over the last season, I rotated between a Glock 17 and a Glock 45, in a PHLster Floodlight V1. With a hoody and a fleece, and possibly a coat, those guns hid well. That is not the case when it gets warm, and I lose 3 cover layers. The G48 is a gun that I shoot extremely well, nearly as well as the full size blasters. However, it disappears beneath basically every piece of clothing I wear, so it is much better for warm weather carry.
Year round, the G48 is my gym gun, as a G17 or similar sized gun just ain’t gonna conceal when I’m in gym clothes.
Aside from the gun, the rest of the EDC has stayed the same through the seasons.
Conclusions
My EDC is not a template to follow, merely the things I carry around. I use all of the items daily, aside from the weapons. Obviously they still get carried, but I’m not getting to gunfights at the grocery store every day. Now, you may be wondering where the medical supplies are, and they are in my EDC backpack that comes with me whenever I take my vehicle anywhere. I also keep a TQ and a compression bandage in the light windbreaker that I wear pretty often, but with my current attire and places I frequent, carrying those supplies on my person 24/7 isn’t possible. If I’m going to be out and about, I keep a back pocket clear to toss my CAT into.
What do you EDC, and how do you carry it?
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