The Continuing Evolution of EDC

Any of you that carry a gun on a daily basis are probably well familiar with my plight: the continual evolution of the EDC.  The gear we carry changes, and the way in which we carry it changes.  I think we all strive to find the optimum between utility and realistic comfort and convenience.  Having recently changed some thing in my own carry, I have given this ongoing practice some thought that I wish to raise:

I think the continual and at least occasional changing of our gear or the way we carry it is inevitable, but I caution you in this: you should strive to be consistent regarding where it is carried.  The most obvious example would be your gun.  Switching between carry modes, like pocket carry to strong-side-hip carry, to appendix carry, etc…, on a regular basis is not good.  A great deal of practice and conditioning should go into your draw stroke and this will ingrain into you a habit for going immediately to that location to retrieve that tool.

Likewise, the carry of other essential tool should remain fairly consistent.  I like keeping my light in a predictable place, and my knife in a predictable place.  If you carry a fixed blade on your waist or a folder clipped to your pocket, the exact model of know if probably less important as the consistency of the location, as long as the tool operates in the accustomed manner.

Something that should indeed drive our EDC is the changing nature of threats we may face, as well as the changing technology which helps us deal with such.  An example of changing and improving technology is medical gear.  If you carry a gun but not some trauma gear you are doing it wrong.  Carrying a good professional level tourniquet is in order this day and age.  They save lives and having one should be part of your approach to the prepared life.  A lot of guys who carry 1200 lumen flashlights, in addition to a weapon mounted light, will walk around with no medical equipment.  Show me where a civilian has used a flashlight in conjunction with a gun outside of the home.  Go ahead, I will wait……..  Now show me where civilians have saved the lives of others using dedicated or make-shift tourniquets.  Exactly.

While I keep a true “tactical” flashlight next to my bedside handgun, and have a weapon mounted light also on that handgun, I use just a small, but comparatively bright, light for EDC.  I do, however, carry a tourniquet and Quick Clot gauze on me when out and about.  I think statistics and reality make the argument for me, and I think such reality should guide the decisions we all make.  Don’t make decisions based on what looks cool on youtube.