everydaycarry-essentials.com – Page 13 – Your Everyday Carry/Concealed Carry Information Place

April 20, 2019February 5, 2020

Everyday Carry Holsters – Which Do I Use?

We have discussed my desire to carry a firearm and include it in my everyday carry essentials. There are many types of holsters to use for your EDC handgun and many carry positions. Before I talk about my preferences, I need to get some general information put into place. Handguns can be carried on your belt, under your arm, on your chest, on your ankle, in your pocket, just to name a few. Then you can carry them in a backpack, in a vest, in a jacket and anywhere else that someone chooses to carry their handgun.

Belt Holster Carry And The Positions They Are Worn

When you are speaking of carrying a firearm on your belt, it is important to understand the system that is used to describe the position in which the holster is carried. If you think about a clock and the way it is numbered from 1 to 12, that is how your belt is numbered too. A person’s front pocket would be between 1 & 2 and 10 & 11, the back pocket would be 4 & 5 and 7 & 8. Now if we look at some various types of holsters that can be worn, this will leave everyone on the same page. Outside the Waistband (OWB) is when your gun is on the outside of your belt and they are usually worn in positions 3-5 and 7-9. Inside the Waistband (IWB) holsters are when your handgun is carried inside your waistband, inside your pants and are usually worn in positions 4-5 and 7-8. Appendix carry is becoming very popular and is worn inside the waistband in positions 1-2 and 10-11. To make sure you are all clear, the positions given were both for right and left-handed individuals.

Other Types of Holster Carry

Many people still use the underarm carry or commonly called wearing a shoulder holster. This was very popular around the early 2000’s when many of the TV show detectives wore that method of carry, Miami Vice, etc. Now it is not as popular as it was then, but they are still used by many people today. Chest holster carry is becoming more popular with backpackers and other active people. These holsters are worn on the outside of your clothing along with a backpack or other types of gear and still be functional. Ankle holsters are popular too, especially when a backup firearm is needed. The draw is not as quick but with the right sized handgun, it can work well. Pocket carry can be very effective and your gun can be carried in your pants, vest, jacket, etc. and the draw can be quick. Some people will put their handgun in their pocket without a holster but I only recoment pocket carry utilizing a holster designed for pocket carry.

What Are My Favorite Holsters To Use

I wear all Kydex holsters as I like the protection that they give my firearm’s and retention is excellent so I do not need a hammer strap. When compared to leather, the Kydex holsters do not wear the finish off the gun as much as leather and you do not have to condition Kydex like you do leather, just keep them clean so they do not collect dirt that may scratch the handgun’s finish. It is also very important to wear a belt that is designed to carry a firearm. A thin dress belt does not hold the weight of a handgun very well and tends to sag under pressure. It takes a lot of weight off your pants and keeps it on the belt.

One holster I wear quite a lot is my Aholster OWB holster, it snaps on my belt and is very comfortable. For an OWB holster, it hugs your body nice and tight and keeps the gun butt next to your body. That being said it is not the most concealable due to the fact that the barrel is outside of your belt, so that means the full length of the handgun is outside your pants and must be covered to stay concealed. So this particilar holster does work well in the Fall and Winter months when heavier clothing is worn. In the Spring and Summer time when lighter clothing is worn, it is more of a challenge to conceal this holster.

My favorite holster to wear is my Comp-tac IWB holster, it conceals very well and hugs your body really nice. Since the barrel is inside your pants, the only portion of the gun that is visible is the butt of the gun and that is tucked-in very tight to your body. This is one of the best type of holsters to conceal, and it works well all times of the year, no matter how much clothes you have on. The only thing to consider is the fact that it is also a little more uncomfortable to wear. It took me a little while to get used to having that big bunch of gun inside my waistband. That being said, it is the main holster I wear to this day. Many people like a new variation of this holster called a “Hybrid” which is a half Kydex, half leather because they say they are more comfortable.

One of my newest holsters is from Gunfighters, INC. Kenai Chest holster. It is designed to be worn on the outside of your clothes with a backpack or other gear and not get in the way of most anything. I use it when riding horses, motorcycles, 4-wheelers, also walking, hiking and backpacking, etc. This rig is extremely comfortable, easy to get to and stays out of the way. The harness securs the holster around your shoulder, holding the gun in place and carrying all the weight of the firearm, therefore feels light as ever. The handgun snaps in place and holds the gun very secure. Many times when I walk on public roads around our place I do not want to keep the handgun in plain sight so I wear a yellow safety vest that has the sides open for an easy draw but covers the handgun just a bit – it works great!

My pocket holster is made by Aholster (same as my OWB holster), and works very well. I do not use it for my Glock 30 because it is too big for pocket carry, but I had one made for my Glock 26. That handgun is known as the “Baby Glock” and is fairly easy to carry concealed. But some people will argue that the G26 is still too large for pocket carry, but with some good wardrobe choices it works for me. Pocket holsters are made right or left-handed and will fit in about any pocket you desire. If you use them in your pants pocket, they must be slash-style pockets, Jean-style pockets will not work very well, too tight! But most vests, jackets, etc. will work really well. As you can see by the picture I placed some black duct tape on the holster that covers the open end of the holster, pocket carry has one draw-back – pocket-lint! It can get everywhere and can possibly jam-up your gun. So covering up the open-end decreases the chances of pocket-lint in your gun.

My last holster is a Comp-tac Paddle holster, which I do not use anymore. This was my first holster for my Glock 30 and it seemed like a great idea at the time. It is made really well and holds the gun very secure (snaps in place), and that’s very important. This paddle holster was very comfortable to wear and I liked it except for one thing, it was very difficult to conceal. It works well for open carry but as a concealment holster it did not work for me. So I replaced that with Comp-tas’s IWB holster and have been wearing that for about 15 years.

Why Those Brands?

There are many holster makers and sometimes it is difficult to decide who you want to make your holster. And even when you have done the research, decided on the holster maker and narrowed it down to the specific holster you want, they do not always work. I have some other holster that did not work out for me for one reason or another and they are sitting in a box at home, this will probably happen to you too.

Some people like to go to a firearms dealer, see what they suggest and then purchase a holster from them. While that works for some people, it does not work for me. I like to research my topics, read reviews about the subject matter I am looking into and then move in that direction. That’s my plan of attack for holster makers and it usually works. There are three holster makers that I am high-lighting in this article:

Comp-tac (comp-tac.com)
Aholster (www.lefthandholster.com)
Gunfighters,INC (gunfightersinc.com)

These holster makers all do quality work and also have great customer service and stand behind their products. Give them a look on their websites, I am sure you will not be disappointed.

If you ever need help or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be more than happy to get back to you.

All the best,

Larry

January 4, 2019February 27, 2020

MAXPEDITION KODIAK GEARSLINGER BACKPACK

Product Review

An Awesome EDC Backpack

Product : Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslinger Backpack

Price: $141.91

Durability: Very High

Cheapest Place to Buy This Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9.5 to 10

MAXPEDITION KODIAK GEARSLINGER BACKPACK – PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

The granddaddy of fixed strap Gearslingers, optimized to meet rugged and urban conditions and offering enhanced space with additional pockets and all the great Gearslinger features. This single shoulder backpack is designed to maximize utility when rotated towards front of body and fits up to a 15.4″ laptop computer. It’s hard to believe a bag of this size would be so comfortable, but the Kodiak is designed durably with high carry potential, so it’s always ready for domestic or international travel. If you’re looking for maximum space and utility combined with instant accessibility, this is the everyday carry for you.

GEARSLINGER® FIXED STRAPS

The ergonomic fixed-strap Gearslinger rotates 270 degrees to the front of the body, giving you complete top-down access to horizontal pockets. You can easily get to your gear while sitting, standing or moving throughout your day.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS BACKPACK:

Overall size: 13.5″(L) x 7.5″(W) x 20″(H) View Product Dimensions Diagram
Main compartment: 11″(L) x 6″(W) x 20″(H)
Volume: 1380 cu.in. / 22.6L
Weight: 3.0 lbs.

Exterior front

Y-compression strap made from 1″ webbing
One (1) 9.5″(L) x 2″(H) loop field for patches
Sleeve and bungee cord retainer
5 rows of 3-channel PALS webbing
One (1) 9″(L) x 2″(W) x 4.5″(H) zippered pouch
One (1) 9″(L) x 3″(H) internal slip pocket
Internal 3-channel elastic organization
One (1) 9.5″(L) x 10.5″(H) external horizontal zippered pocket with Button-Lock™ security strap
One (1) 10″(L) x 10.5″(H) x 2″(W) zippered pouch
One (1) 10.5″(L) x 7″(H) internal horizontal see-through plastic slip pocket
One (1) 8″(L) x 6.5″(H) internal horizontal slip pocket
One (1) 13″(L) x 8″(H) internal horizontal slip pocket

Exterior rear

One (1) 11″(L) x 19″(H) zippered compartment with internal loop field to accommodate 100oz/3L water reservoir or CCW
Breathable padding for comfort

Exterior left

One (1) 9.5″(H) x 3″ diameter cord cinch pouch for 32oz/1L water bottle or radio

Exterior right

Grab handle made from 1″ webbing
Anti-theft zipper capture system
D-Ring
3 channels of PALS webbing

Exterior top

1.25″ integral padded grab handle

Main interior front

One (1) 11″(L) x 7″(H) zippered mesh pocket
One (1) 5″ x 7″(H) zippered mesh pocket
One (1) 16″(L) x 8.5″(H) slip pocket
Enclosure strap made from 1″ webbing with side release buckle

Main interior rear

One (1) 11.5″(L) x 10″(H) slip pocket
One (1) 7.5″(L) x 10″(H) slip pocket
One 18″(L) x 10″(H) slip pocket with 10.5″(L) x 7″(H) internal loop field for CCW
Enclosure strap made from 1″ webbing with quick release buckle

Straps

Integral 3″ ergonomic shoulder strap with 2″ quick release buckle, 7 rows of PALS webbing, and metal spring clip
Concealable sternum strap made from 0.75″ webbing with distress whistle buckle

Additional storage

4″(L) x 5″(H) waist pad with 2 channels of PALS webbing

Other features

Full clamshell opening
Fits up to 15.4″ laptop computer

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BACKPACK:

This backpack has many storage compartments that is good for Everyday Carry enthusiast. No matter what you want to carry, there is a place for it in this pack. Plus it is nice to have a place to carry a bottle of water or soda or a stainless steel coffee cup or any other fluid container. Since I do carry a concealed firearm, I like the fact that there is a hidden compartment for my handgun. It is safe, hidden but ready to access if needed, all you need is Maxpedition’s universal CCW holster. My favorite thing about this backpack is the way it rotates to your chest in a easy, fluid motion, making all the contents of the pack ready and waiting for you. It is handy and convenient for anyone that uses this backpack.

WHAT I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THIS BACKPACK:

I enjoy this backpack so much therefore I do not have very much to change on the design. If I was to use this pack for long hikes I would like a little more padding on the shoulder straps, I used it on a couple long hikes and my shoulders got a little fatigued. But with that being said, I like this pack for EDC so the duration of time that I am carrying it is not that long. The main compartment where I carry my laptop could have a little more padding too, it would give it more protection if needed.

FINAL REMARKS:

As you can tell by my comments, I really like this backpack. If you want an EDC Backpack that will carry just about everything you need, this pack is for you. Plenty of ways to organize the items you need and it is presented in a very logical manner. There are some great color options to fit whatever your needs are.

If you are interested in this product, click here. If you are interested in similar products, click on the link below and it will take you to my Backpack page. Thanks for reading this product review.

Go to EDC Backpacks

If you have any questions about my review or anything else related to Everyday Carry, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you.

All the best,

Larry

Founder of EDC Essentials

December 30, 2018February 5, 2020

Why Is Your Everyday Carry Gear So Important?

In my “About Larry” page, I touched on a story about my life and what our family went through one July night, and I have had a few people ask for the rest of the story. So I thought I would write a more detailed account so you know where my head is at and why I feel everyday carry (EDC) is so very important.

A Night To Remember

On Monday July 28, 1997 my life changed forever, I will never forget the events that happened and they will always change the way I look at life. We were having some of the heaviest rains I had ever seen in the Colorado Front Range, so everything was very very wet. It was about 10:30 pm and my wife and 18-month-old son were sleeping in our home and I was staying up late working on my computer. As I worked at my desk I heard some funny sounds coming from under the house, but at that point I did not give them a second thought. But as I continued working, those strange sounds from under the house kept occuring, they were weird sounds that were just not right! I got up from my desk and looked out the front room window and all I could see was water. I ran to the backyard window and all I saw was lots of water! It looked like there was at least one foot of water all the way around the house. We lived in an area that had high land all around us so it was filling up just like a swimming pool. At this point my adrenaline was beginning to rise and my stress level began to go up.

I woke my wife to tell her the news and we were not quite sure what we should do next. After a brief discussion we decided to stay in our house and wait it out because it had always been our “safe place” and everything would be fine soon. But we knew we needed to get our cars out of the rising water before they got water damage. I went outside and jumped in my Nissan 4×4 Pickup, got it started and moved it to higher ground, just around the corner. With the high ground clearance the water had not done any damage to it yet. Next I went for my wife’s Toyota Hatchback, it was a two-wheel-drive car with low ground clearance so as I opened the drivers door water began to rush inside the car’s floorboard. I was able to get it started and quickly drove it around the corner next to mine before the engine stalled because of the high water. As I walked back toward the house I noticed the water was up to my knees, which was higher then when I first came out.

Surprisingly, the rains continued to come down hard and the water was rising higher and higher. As we waited in our house we noticed that water was seeping through the floor boards of my son’s bedroom and it was then that we decided to leave our home. We gathered our son, 2 dogs and 2 cats and went out the front door, wading through water that was above our knees to get to our vehicles. We put the dogs and cats in the topper, in my pickup so they would be safe and my wife and I went to the gas station behind our house which was much higher in elevation and the water was not there yet.

The Water Gets Deeper

As my wife stayed at the gas station, I walked back to our home around the corner to get a few valuables and move the TV and stereo to higher shelves so that the water would not damage them. As I walked to the front door to enter, the water was now at my crotch and getting harder to move. Once inside the house the water level inside was about one and a half feet up the walls. I was moving things around in the house when I heard this loud buzzing sound from the back porch where the washer and dryer was located and the hair on my legs began to stand straight out on my legs. That stunned me for a minute until I realized that was the water hitting the 220 outlet on the dryer. With electrical current in the water, I decided to get out of the house as fast as I could. As I opened our front door inwards, more water rushed in the house, but as I tried to push the screen door outward it would not move. I had to push extremely hard to get it to move at all and the harder I pushed the more the water pressure pushed me back. So I decided to try and inch my way through the door, I opened it enough to get my right arm and shoulder out the door, then the water pressure pushed it closed again and pinched me there. I pushed harder and slid up to my chest but again the water was rising and the pressure pushed the door harder on my chest. At this point the water pushed back so hard that I was having a hard time breathing, the harder I pushed, the harder it pushed back and it was getting very scary at that point. So I pushed one last time as hard as I could and was able to slide the door off my chest and then a little more until I got through the screen door. I was very happy at that point to be through that door so I could get back to my family.

The Horror Continued

As I was walking through the waste-deep water toward the gas station, I suddenly heard some loud screams from across the street. Looking at the house directly across from me I saw a door wide open and water rushing into the house. The half block of houses in that short block was about six to ten feet lower in elevation then our house and the water pressure was probably much greater then on our side of the road. My only thought was to try and help those people that were screaming, but as I started moving in their direction the water became deeper with every step due to the lower elevation. Soon the water was up to my neck and I still had about 10 feet to go to get to there front door. At that point I had to make a decision, should I try and help those girls, even though I cannot swim and may possibly drowned or should I turn around and move to safe ground. In my mind there was only one answer, I had to turn around, I had a wife and child to think of. That answer killed me because I felt I needed to help them in any way I could.

The End Is Near

As I walked back across the street to the chest-deep water, the footing under the water was getting very slick. The surface I was walking on was grass and the longer it remained wet the slicker it got. Suddenly I got an idea, if I could not swim to save them, maybe I could help pull them to safety through that wet grass. When I got to the gas station I asked the people there if anyone had a rope but all I could find was an electrical extension cord. By this time some neighbors from the other side of the street were yelling and trying to get to safety. I tied one end of the extension cord to a light post and the other end of the cord around my waist, then I waded out in the deep water so I could grab each person as they waded across and helped pull them across that slick footing. I am not sure how many people I helped out of the water but I do know those girls made it across along with many other neighbors in that block. When all those that needed help were safe, I untied myself and took the extension cord back to the gas station. I found my wife and son and we got in my pickup and drove to a friends house across town, that was about 11:30 pm. We left with just the clothes on our backs, no shoes, no extra clothes, no nothing.

Conclusion

We were not able to get back to our house until Thursday, July 31, 1997, some time in the afternoon, that was 3 days later. When we got into our house, we could see the water marks on the walls, we had 7 1/2 feet of water in our house, that’s a lot of water. Yes all was lost! That was a night I will never forget! They said during the peak of the storm that six inches of water fell during 1 1/2 hours, they called it a 500-year-storm.

Why did I bother telling this event to you? A person never knows what kind of events they will be involve in? Please understand I do not expect many people to go through this kind of situation but you never know. A person should ALWAYS be prepared! My family and I walked out of this situation with nothing but the clothes on our backs, not even a pair of shoes! Why? Because we were not prepared! We did not know this was going to happen to us, who could predict this? If a person or a family just thought about the possibility of something like this really happening to them, it might just change their life. They might think of things they would need and be prepared. That’s why everyday carry gear is so very important. EDC on your person, EDC in your backpack, EDC in a Bug-out-bag (BOB) could save your life. If I would have had a BOB in my pickup or a EDC backpack, etc. it might have helped our family in this situation. Having some of your essentials right there with you would make a difference. This is why I started this company, to give you an opportunity to hear my story and maybe think if it happened to you. Think about your preparation and what you might need. So check out my website, my product pages, my posts, and let me know what you think. Give me some feedback. Let me help you be prepared.

If you ever need some help or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be more than happy to get back to you.

All the best,

Larry

October 21, 2018February 5, 2020

My Everyday Carry Items And Why I Carry Concealed

Everyday Carry (EDC) is a broad term that means many things to many people. I have been aware of my EDC for many years and it can change depending on what what I am doing. I have EDC that I carry on my person and then I have EDC that I carry with me on a day to day basis in my Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslinger pack. You may call it my “man-purse” but never the less it goes with me every day, all day, where ever I go. But for the sake of this article, let’s narrow it down to what I carry with me on my person. I will cover my pack in another post.

What Are My Essential EDC Items

What do I carry with me on a daily basis in my pants or attached to my pants. First I start with a good belt, I need one that is stiff enough to carry whatever I need to carry without being too heavy. The EDC gear that goes on my belt consists of my cell phone, an UltraFire CREE flashlight, Next is my key ring in my left front pocket, my Schrade folding pocket knife in my right front pocket and my Maxpedition Micro Wallet that goes in my right hip pocket. Lastly is my Glock 30 (.45 auto) handgun, and yes I have a concealed carry permit, but more on that later.

Why Do I Carry These Items?

The gear I mentioned is what I carry on my person and some may not agree with my choices, but it makes sense to me. That is the important thing, it needs to make sense to the person who is wearing them. The belt I wear these days is leather and I like them. I like the way they feel and smell as compared to the tactical-style belts. I am not talking- down the tactical-style just for me leather is the way to go. They should be two-ply and glued and stitched together or one thick piece of leather for added strength. The belt must hold the weight of everything placed on it and not sag or bend.

A cell phone is pretty much normal these days, we all need them for work and our private lives. I use an iPhone and that works for me, but it may not suit you and your needs. My only comment about about cell phone is they need to be secure so that they will be there when you need it. I am not one to keep it in a pocket because in my opinion they can fall out easily. Whether it is in the case that they come with or one that is purchased, I feel this is the way to go so it will be there when it is needed.

I carry my flashlight on a daily basis too and some people as me why, is it really necessary? I live on a small farm and I am doing many things early in the morning or late in the evening, all of which is in the dark. Now I can go in the shop to grab my large flashlight to use or just pull my little flashlight out of my belt holder to get the job done in a hurry, you can chose what makes better sense to you.

Keyrings are a normal item, as everyone seems to have them. I keep my keys on a Colorado State University keyring (my employer and college) which also contains a short landyard that I made out of paracord. The paracord is a personal accent that is fun to make but also gives me a fast way to pull my keys out of my pocket if needed. Some people do not mind the jingle of keys in their pocket, others need a way to keep them quiet. I will address that in a future post.

In my life a SHARP knife is a necessity! It is hard to believe how much you can use your knife on a daily basis. Sorry but “sharp” is a pet-peeve of mine, what good is having a dull knife! A dull knife that barely cuts anything is better let at home. I have had and used many folding knives throughout my life, some very expensive and others not so much. It always seems like I loose the expensive ones or someone borrows it and forgets to return it. So I now look for knives that are not that expensive but can definately do the job. I have really began to enjoy Schrade knives the last few years, they are nicely put together but do not break the bank. I carry the SCH109, nice wide blade, strongly built and keeps a good edge. More to come in this area too.

Next is my wallet, how many have you had in your lifetime? I used to want to carry everything in my wallet, so much that when I was driving I would have to remove it from my pocket and put it in my glove box, to avoid the sore hip. Then I began wanting to make a change, who needs all that stuff in your wallet? That’s where the “minimalist” thoughts came around. only keep what you absolutely need and get rid of the rest. Maxpedition has a great little wallet, it’s not the smallest around but it is a great step toward very small. It holds your drivers licence, health cards, and maybe 2-3 other cards, some money and a couple of other things and that’s it. It is so small I hardly know its there. Now its a breeze when I drive, I never have to remember where I put my wallet.

My final item is my Glock 30, some people will relate to this and others will not. If you want to get into the WHY do I carry a handgun, that will be addressed in the section below. I like the Glock 30 because it is very compact, accurate and always goes “bang” when I need it to. It may not be the lightest or thinnest handgun available, but it definately works for me. Since I carry a heavier handgun I realize the importance of using a good belt to carry my handgun and using a good holster to help conceal it is a necessity. In a later post I will discuss concealment holsters and why I use what I use.

Why Do I Carry A Handgun

Yes, my EDC gear does include a handgun, and in my opinion, an essential piece to include. I have had my concealed carry permit in Colorado for over 15 years so this has been a steady part of my EDC gear all the time.

It’s not just the fact that it is a constitutional right to carry a gun, but there is much more to it than that. Those of us that have gone through the concealed carry process realize we have gone through a required amount of training and also an FBI background check before we are allowed to have a concealed carry permit.
I feel it is very important to be able to protect myself, my loved ones and others around me if the need arises. Here in Colorado, it is an open carry state, so it is legal to wear a handgun outside your clothes and carry it in public. That being said, The location in which you are doing this dictates how accepted it is. During hunting season, in hunting areas it is tolerated quite well. Walking down main street of a large city (like Denver) might not be tolerated very well. Many people might sat isn’t it enough to carry openly, why do you need to carry concealed? The answer is No that is not enough! Personally I do not like carrying a handgun openly, it seems like most people feel very uneasy around someone that is carrying outside their clothing, like the “Old West” used to do. Plus if the situation comes up that you need to use your handgun, there is no element of surprise, everyone knows you have it.
But if you are wearing your handgun concealed, no one knows that that you are carrying one and if you had to use that firearm, you would surprise the “bad guy” and get the jump on the situation, thus helping to deter the situation.
Carrying a handgun helps you be more careful, more aware of the dangers around you and you practice more gun safety and self defense.
If you get you concealed carry permit then you should carry your firearm with you. Not leave it in your vehicle or keep it in your gun safe. It is better to have it with you and not need it then need it and not have it with you!

I believe it is important to utilize this right that we have but I also realize that it is not for everyone. I have been in some sketchy areas and situations and carrying a concealed handgun made these situations better.

Should EDC Include Concealed Carry

I hope my comments gave some insight on the question, Should a handgun be a part of your essential EDC gear? Not everyone agrees with that statement, but for me, the answer is yes. Each of you needs to ask yourself that question and be clear in your mind what that answer is. Why did I bring that up? Not every EDC Store contains or comments on concealed carry gear and that’s OK. But because I feel so strongly about concealed carry I will continue to provide good information, including concealed carry information in my website. I will not be selling firearms nor will I make reference to where to buy firearms. But I will provide you with good honest information about concealed products along with other EDC items to my readers and where they can be purchased.

If you have any questions about what I have said or would like to leave a comment, please leave it below.

Thanks,

Larry