everydaycarry-essentials.com – Page 15 – Your Everyday Carry/Concealed Carry Information Place

December 20, 2019April 17, 2020

VERTX DEAD LETTER SLING PACK

Product Review

An Awesome Backpack For Left or Right-Handed People

Product: Vertx Dead Letter Sling Pack

Price: $148.20

Durability: Very High

Best Place To Buy This Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9.5

Quick Product Overview:

This mid-sized sling pack works and plays well because of the versatility built into this pack. The Dead Letter Sling’s appearance and functionality can be modified in seconds to adapt to your immediate needs. Multiple carry options lets you move discreetly on the street with the invisible CCW and ballistic panel capabilities as well as a full complement of office-friendly organization.

Specifications Of This Product:

Gender:	Unisex
Pack Volume:	12 liters
Hydration Compatible:	No
Fabric/Material:	500 Denier Cordura Nylon
Dimensions:	19.5 x 13.5 x 5 inches
Zipper Type:	YKK

Features of the pack:

Convertible front flap stows behind loop-faced MOLLE webbing panel to provide ready access to items mounted there and to rapidly change the bag’s appearance.
Snaps on front flap zipper pulls prevent accidental opening and G-hooks enable front flap to convert to a sling for larger items.
Ambidextrous sling carry design has subtle color-coded stitching makes setup between right & left-handed carry easy.
Adjustable padded shoulder strap with multiple web attachments for accessories.
Padded breifcase-style carry handle enables messenger bag-style carry.
Main compartment opens wide for access to a laptop sleeve, zippered abrasion-resistant mesh pocket with key lanyard, a large loop panel for Tactigami and other hook and loop-compatible accessories and two gear slots.
3-D molded back panel enhances airflow and comfort and has a pass-through for rolling luggage handles.
Light-colored interior improves interior visibility.
VELCRO Brand loop for top-of-the-line retention of Tactigami and other hook and loop-compatible accessories.
Weapon-compatible concealed carry platform with loop lining, a sling attachment point and a Rapid Access Pull tab.
Concealed carry platform has ballistic panels pocket.
CCW compartment has two retention G-hooks to prevent unintended opening when accessing gear.
YKK self-repairing nylon coil zippers.
Quiet positive-grip zipper pull-tabs.
Abrasion-resistant mesh used on internal pockets.

What I Like About This Backpack:

My top four “likes” about the Vertx Dead Letter Sling Pack:

This pack works for left-handed people! Many times it feels like we live in a right-handed world, and “we” left-handers have to learn to adapt. But not this time! Thank you Vertx for beginning to make your packs workable for lefties.
This 12 L capacity helps me to keep my capacity to just what I need. It is necessary to think about my needs and thats a good thing.
This pack is setup for concealed carry and has a ton of room to do it. One quick pull on the “Rapid Access Tab” and the pack is pulled from your shoulder to the front of your body and the compartment is opened up, all in one motion. Way Cool! The easier you can get to your firearm, the faster it can be deployed. Excellent design!
This pack is so versatile! I can carry it by the handle, or over my shoulder like a messenger bag, or I can carry it over my back like a sling pack, all in one backpack. One pack that can be carried three different ways.

This pack is great looking – especially the green color and it does not shout “gun”!

What I Would Change About This Backpack

I really like this backpack, it meets most all of my needs. There is one little thing that I would change. The bottom of this pack is not flat! It is kind of rounded and if you set this pack down on your seat or floorboard, it rolls over and lays flat. Mind you that is not at all a deal breaker, just something I might change. The solution to that is to always plce the front of the backpack toward the seat-back, that way it does not roll forward.

Final Remarks:

The Vertx Dead Letter Sling Pack is an awesome pack that I highly recommend. It is one of those packs that just work! Is it perfect – No! But there are so many more pluses to this pack that the couple of things you might change do not even count. It carries 12 L of gear in a very organized manner. It can be setup for left or right-handed people and it carries a concealed handgun in a fast to access but secure manner. No matter how you carry it, it works well and that’s a good thing. Keep up the good work Vertx and maybe you can work on some of your other packs to work for lefties.

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 EDC Backpack page, Thanks for reading this product review.

Go To EDC Backpack.

If you have a question about this product review or anything else related to everyday carry (EDC), 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 6, 2019May 6, 2020

The End Of The Year Brings Worthwhile Additions To My EDC

With the end of the year coming closer, I wanted to talk about a few changes that I have made to my everyday carry (EDC) gear and give you some reasons why I made those changes. It is easy to get lazy about what you wear or take with you on a daily basis and do not re-evaluate your needs. Sometimes it is necessary to make changes for the good of the cause, change is not always bad!

Good belts Can Make A World Of Difference

The last time I purchased a new gun belt was about 15-years-ago and that says a lot about the quality of a good thick leather gun belt. While it will last for a good many more years, I felt it was showing enough wear that I needed to buy a new EDC belt for daily use and make that old belt my secondary belt. My first choice was again a good thick leather belt, it is what I have always wore and I still like them. The hard part was choosing which company to buy from. After much reading and thinking, I decided to go with Relentless Tactical The Ultimate Concealed Carry Gun Belt in brown leather. I have heard great things about their gun belts and wanted to see if all those things were true. Well I am proud to say that there belts are really nice and high quality. The finish is excellent and it really looks good. At the present time I am using their buckle and it works great, I may go back to me own buckle but time will tell. I have used this belt with my Glock 30, a magazine holder, flashlight holder on it and there is no evidence that it sags under the extra weight. The only drawback to this belt is it does not work very well with my appendix carry holster from Alpha One. This rig is a holster and magazine holder in one and it won’t fit with the buckle in front. I tried moving the buckle to the side but that just is not workable for me. So I realized that I needed to buy a different type of gun belt for this style of carry.

All my research lead me toward a non-leather style belt that was a bit thinner then leather but just as strong, with a buckle that did not have the overlap like my leather belt. I decided on the Blue Alpha Gear Cobra EDC Belt because I heard many good things about this belt. These belts are really nice, easy to adjust and fast to put on. One nice thing about this belt is the Cobra buckle, one of the ends is small enough to fit through a normal blue jean belt loop and that is handier than having to take your belt apart in order to thread it through your belt loops and then put it back together. When I am wearing my appendix holster/magazine combination, it is easy to slide the buckle to the side enough to fit this holster. Just what I needed! So far I really like this belt and it has changed my idea of the nylon web belts. I used to only wear leather belts and I would never even consider wearing anything else. This belt is a game changer!

A Knife That Is Extremely Smooth And Less Bulk In My Pocket

I really enjoyed my Schrade SCH109 folding pocket knife for many years, it worked nice and kept a great edge on the blade. But unfortunately because of the large thumb-stud it also dug into my leg at times and really was uncomfortable. That forced me to look at other folding knives to see if I could change that problem. I have always liked the knives from CRKT, ever since I purchased the CRKT 6773Z Crawford-Kasper Knife. It was extremely smooth and also very sharp. While I really liked this knife, it is a very large knife and thicker then I wanted to carry in my pocket. So I looked at other CRKT knives and found the CRKT Hi Jinx Z Knife, a very nice knife. This knife is a flipper-style knife without a thumb stud to dig into my leg, the deployment of the blade is extremely smooth, and the handle is thinner then my Schrade SCH109, this is exactly what I wanted. As with my other CRKT, the blade was very sharp right out of the box and did not require any touch-ups with my ceramic stone. There is enough texture on the handle that made gripping the knife an easy thing to do. The handle was contoured enough that I had no hot spots when I used the knife. So it is an excellent knife for my needs.

Before I move on to a new subject I wanted to add a little about my Husky Foldable Utility Knife. I do a fair amount of opening packages, cutting cardboard and doing things that is not the best on a knife blade. Rather then ruin my good folder I have added this folding utility knife to my gear. It has a clip to place it in my pocket or fasten it to my EDC Pack, which is really handy. But most of all I like the way it is so easy to replace the knife blade itself. Therefore you always have a sharp blade in your knife. These a very handy and very reasonable to purchase.

A Pack That Works For A Lefty!

For many years I have used the Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslinger Sling Pack for my EDC pack, it is a sling pack that can easily be switched from left-handed to right-handed. It is an extremely awesome pack that has a lot of pockets for storage but I only had one complaint, it was too big for me and I tended to put too much gear inside it. That is a problem of mine, if it holds more I will fill it! So I was in the market for a new EDC pack, something smaller, that will conceal a handgun and hold all my essentials. The Vertx line of packs is something I really wanted to try, they seem to be excellent backpacks for the money spent. The problem was that most of their backpacks were designed for right-handed-people which would not work for me. But finally they came up with a backpack the would work for lefties, it is the Vertx Dead Letter Sling Pack. It is a briefcase style pack that holds 12 liters (L) of gear. That’s not a lot of space but it is perfect for my EDC needs. The thing that is nice about this pack is that it can be setup for left or right-handed people, just by moving the strap around using different buckle attachments. The stitching on the buckles is a different color so it is easy to figure out the right way to use the buckles. This pack is very versatile, you can carry it using the handle on use the shoulder strap. If you use the shoulder strap it can be configured like a normal shoulder strap for a briefcase or setup as a sling pack for either a right or left-handed person. I got mine from LA Police Gear, they had a sale going on this pack and they sent me a Vertx medium sized velcro pouch free with the pack. There is a lot of Hook and Loop panels within this pack that would fit many different Hook and Loop attachments. I added two small pouches and now I have more space for small items. With 12 L of space in this pack it is necessary to know what you are going to put in this EDC pack and then what type of pouches, straps, holders, etc. you need to utilize. This pack has a huge pocket designed for concealed carry, It will hold one or two handgun holsters, magazine holder and much more room as you see fit. This pack will even have enough room for some of the larger foldable automatic weapons. But if you choose not to utilize that pocket for a concealed carry option, it will easily fit a full-sized laptop computer. This is one of the nicest packs I have owned and it really serves my needs.

Change Is Not Always Bad

It is easy to get in a mindset that what you have carried with you for years is all you need to carry regardless of your situation. But we must remember that people’s needs can change depending on what they are doing each day, week, month or year. Or there is new gear that becomes available and that might suits your needs better. As I found out the folding knife I had carried for many years was just not comfortable anymore. For one reason or another our tastes may change and that’s OK. The whole reason I wrote this post was to say be flexible, be open to new things, be ready to make a change if you need to. Swapping out your knife for something different or updating your EDC backpack for something that works better may be what is the right thing to do. These changes I made were for the better and I like that.

If you have any questions about this post or anything else related to Everyday Carry (EDC), 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

October 26, 2019April 17, 2020

BLUE ALPHA GEAR COBRA EDC BELT

Product Review

A Great Nylon Web EDC Belt

Product: Blue Alpha Gear Cobra EDC Belt

Price: $59.97

Durability: Very High

Best Place To Buy This Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9.0

Quick Product Overview:

Whether you carry everyday, or just want a solid belt that will withstand abuse without sacrificing comfort, the Blue Alpha Gear COBRA® EDC Belt is a perfect choice. The EDC belts are made from two layers of high quality 1.5″ nylon webbing that are sewn together with matching color bonded nylon thread creating an extra strong and extra stiff belt that looks great. The sizing is specific to each pant size, yet allows for movement of your waistline or for the extra space you need for your IWB daily carry.

Specifications Of This Belt

Our EDC belts are made from two layers of high quality 1.5″ nylon webbing that are sewn together with matching color bonded nylon thread creating an extra strong and extra stiff belt that looks great. It has Hook and Loop to make quick and easy adjustments for your sizing. The Cobra buckle gives you fast and secure attachment together.

What I Like About This Belt:

It is not necessary to take apart your belt to get it through the belt loops like many other nylon belts, One end of the Cobra buckle is smaller and easily fits through the belt loops on my jeans. The Hook and Loop fasteners an the waist adjustments is fast, easy and secure. This web belt is extremely ridig and carries gear really nice, no bend, no sag, just very secure.

What Could Be Changed About This Belt:

Initially I was not a big fan of nylon web belts, but after using this belt I have come around to see them as an asset. I honestly cannot find anything to change, it’s a great belt and can carry about anything you need on your belt.

Final Remarks:

After using this belt on and off for the last six months I really like this belt! Will it replace my leather belt – NO! But I have a new respect for this type of belt. Old ways die hard and once a leather belt guy, always a leather belt guy. But I see why people like these belts and I have found a new respect for them. I will not hesitate to wear this belt whenever I wear my appendix holster and that occurs almost more then my IWB holster. Great Belt, I highly recommend it.

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 EDC Belts page, Thanks for reading this product review.

Go To EDC Belts.

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

Thanks,

Larry

Founder of EDC Essentials

October 21, 2019April 17, 2020

RELENTLESS TACTICAL ULTIMATE CONCEALED CARRY GUN BELT

Product Review

Awesome Leather Belt!

Product: Relentless Tactical Ultimate Concealed Carry Gun Belt

Price: $49.99

Durability: Very High

Best Place To Buy This Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9.0

Quick Product Overview:

The Relentless Tactical Ultimate Concealed Carry Gun Belt is strong enough to support your weapon along with extra ammo, yet stylish enough for discreet every day wear. If you have ever carried a gun on a holster, you know that the average department store belt just doesn’t measure up. The Ultimate Concealed Carry Leather Gun Belt won’t ever roll over, sag, split or stretch. They provide a Lifetime Warranty because we truly believe this is the best gun belt available and we stand behind each and every one we sell. The Ultimate Concealed Carry Leather Gun Belt is Handmade in the USA. If you are looking to exercise your Second Amendment rights, look no further than The Ultimate Concealed Carry Leather Gun Belt.

Specifications Of This Belt:

Made of one piece of Full Grain 14 oz. US Leather. The belt is 1.5 inches wide.
No plastic inserts or multiple piece lamination to worry about falling apart.
All of the material comes from the United States from the Premium, Full Grain leather to the screws, fasteners and the stainless-steel buckle.

What I Like About This Belt:

The Relentless Tactical Ultimate Concealed Carry Gun Belt is an excellent EDC Belt. It is a full 1.5″ wide with border stitching all the way around. The buckle and Chicago screw are both attractive and sturdy and very functional. The leather is extremely high quality and the color is really nice. You can use this belt daily without having to worry that it will break or wear down. It is a very durable belt that offers years of use and still looks as good as new. When you wear this belt, you can be confident that it won’t stretch, bend or sag. The belt has been designed to be used with mag pouches, flashlights, IWB holsters, OWB holsters and any other gear that you need.

What I Would Change About This Belt:

I really like this belt and honestly cannot write anything negative about it, it’s a great belt! There is nothing I would change on this belt, it holds my gear very well, it is very high quality and looks great too.

Final Remarks:

If you need a new leather belt, I highly recommend this belt for you. Whether you wear a handgun on your belt or not, this belt can work for you. It is available in black or brown and both colors are excellent. If you do carry any gear on your belt you can be confident that it will hold it nicely without any issues. This is an awesome belt!

Go To EDC Backpack.

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

Thanks,

Larry

Founder of EDC Essentials

October 6, 2019March 20, 2020

MAXPEDITION MICRO WALLET

Product Review

Great Starter Minimalist Wallet

Product: Maxpedition Micro Wallet

Price: $12.68

Durability: Very High

Cheapest Place to Buy This Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9.5 to 10

QUICK PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

The Micro Wallet is truly a minimal’s wallet with an ID window, two internal card compartments, and one external slip compartment. Perfect for your drivers license, some credit cards, a few $20 bills, and a spare key. Some call this the “bikini” of wallets.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS WALLET:

Overall size: 4.5″(L) x 0.5″(W) x 3″(H)
3 interior/exterior sleeve pockets
Interior ID window

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS WALLET:

i was tired of having a thick wallet that made my butt hurt when I was driving. I would always have to take my wallet out of my rear pocket and set it on the seat or put it in the glovebox. This Maxpedition Micro Wallet is an excellent choice for that reason, you can wear it in your hip pocket or put it in your front pocket and you never feel it there. It does not hold a lot of items so your wallet is much slimmer. I used to use my wallet like a filing cabinet, keeping everything I could in my wallet, thus way too thick. This wallet has changed all that for me, it works great and I hardly know it is in my pocket.

WHAT COULD BE CHANGED ABOUT THIS WALLET:

i do not have much that I would change about this wallet, except maybe the color choices. Your choices are black, Kakai, and green, I would like to see some browns,and camo patterns, to name a few. But this wallet helps you get back to the basics and for that reason maybe we don’t need more colors.

FINAL REMARKS:

So if you are tired of your big, thick,wallet that has way too much stuff in it, this might be the wallet for you. If you begin by streamlining the contents of your present wallet down to your basic needs, you will really appreciate this wallet. It is the same as a traditional wallet just smaller. I have used the term “Minimalist wallet” but actually there are much smaller wallets out there, but I like this one and what it has to offer. Once you use this wallet for a while you hardly know it is there.

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 the EDC Wallet page in my website. Thanks for reading this product review.

Go to EDC Wallets.

If you have a question about this review or anything else related to Everyday Carry (EDC), 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

August 26, 2019February 20, 2020

Is Concealed Carry Necessary For Everyday Carry

Last week I had a comment from a good friend of mind about this website and I thought I might share it with you, he said, “Cool Website Larry, I never thought of carrying! I’m just not a gun person, but keep up the good work.” This got me thinking, if he had that opinion, then there are many others out there that feel the same way, and the funny thing is I completely understand this point of view. I have said in previous posts that concealed carry is not for everyone and that is not my main focus in the website. If you carry concealed then having your handgun is part of your EDC, but if you do not carry a concealed handgun then it will not be part of your EDC. But either way, this website can be valuable to you.

Everyday Carry On The Internet

I am sure you know of other EDC websites (companies) on the internet that do not focus on concealed carry gear and that works very well for them. But I wanted to set this website apart from these other websites and establish my own niche. Carrying a handgun is very important to me and I am very passionate about it and it’s benefits so why not include it in my website. Is it required in your EDC – NO! There is some gear on our website that do focus on concealed carry but most items can work for either. An example would be the belts I recommend, they are stout enough to carry a handgun but they also work great as a normal belt.

Don’t Get Hung Up On Concealed Carry

As I said, concealed carry is not for everyone and thats a fact. But do not feel that EDC has to include concealed carry, because that is not true. Let’s try to start from the beginning, everyday carry (EDC) gear is what you carry with you on a daily basis. Empty your pockets and see what you have in them. These things are important to you, and you have a reason for carrying them. To some people it’s a cell phone and a wallet and a pocket knife, and for them that’s all they need. Others may want to carry more, so let’s explore that concept.

The Whole Definition Of EDC

When I think of EDC, it’s not just is in my pocket or on my belt, I tend to use a broader definition. As I have said before, I carry a pocket knife, cell phone, flashlight, wallet and keys on my person, but I also have an EDC backpack that goes with me everywhere, you might call it my “Man-purse”. This has my emergency kits, another flashlight, a computer tablet, flashdrives, notebook, pens & pencils, compass, multitool, fixed-blade knife, extra keys, batteries (AA & AAA), calculator, fingernail clippers, bandaids, sterile wray, Ace bandage, just to name a few. These are all things that might come handy to me, but I do not stop there.

My Car Carries a Few Things Too

My car has a few extra things that I keep there too, just in case, as it is usually with me everyday too. I live in Colorado and a standing joke here is if you don’t like the weather right now then wait 15 minutes., in other words the weather here can change very rapidly and people need to be prepared. So what else do I carry in my car? Bottles of water in an insulated cooler, a Rubbermaid tub that containsa warm blanket, winter gloves, stocking cap, a sleeping bag and an insulated vest, call that my winter emergency kit and it always stays in my trunk.

Am I Over The Top or Not?

So you might say to me, I thinks you are over the top! But if you have read my posts you know that I always believe in being prepared. Yes it is possible, but I do not think so. How many of you have ever been caught in sub-zero weather without a pair of glove to keep your hands warm? That can be a very painful experience, one you may remember next time. If your car slides off the icy road in bad weather and you are stuck there for a long while, these things may come in handy. So hopefully I have expanded your thoughts about EDC? Maybe you might look at it a little differently. Look at my website, read the posts, etc. I bet you will like it.

If you have any questions about what I have said or didn’t say, or would like to leave a comment about something related to EDC, please do so below.

Thanks,

Larry

Founder of EDC Essentials

May 16, 2019February 27, 2020

MAXPEDITION JUMBO VERSIPACK

Product Review

A Handy EDC Shoulder Pack

Product: Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack

Price: $66.27

Duribility: Very High

Cheapest Place to Buy Product: Amazon.com

My Overall Rating: 9 to 10

QUICK PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

The popular Jumbo Versipack is an excellent pack, it has many compartments for storing items and has different color patterns which will suite many different tastes. The multi-functional Jumbo Versipack has a quick-release buckle and tuck-in-flap for immediate access to multiple pockets & dividers, a spacious rear compartment with Hook & Loop interior for CCW, a paracord cinch pouch fitted for a 32 oz. / 1L water bottle or a radio, and a quick-release erganomic shoulder & waist strap for fluent mobility. The Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack makes an excellent everyday carry bag.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS PACK:

Main compartment: 8″(L) x 4″(W) x 8.5″(H)
Weight: 1.7 lbs.
Volume: 453.5 cu. in. | 7.4L

Exterior front

10″(L) x 8″(H) closure flap
2″ quick release buckle
One (1) 6.5″(L) x 2″(H) loop field for patches
One (1) 7″(L) x 5.5″(H) zippered pocket
One (1) 6″(L) x 5″(H) slip pocket
One (1) 6″(L) x 8″(H) x 1.75″(W) zippered pocket
One (1) 6″(L) x 5′(H) internal mesh pocket
Internal key retention clip

Exterior rear

Breathable padding for comfort
Removable 1″ webbing waist belt, with SRB closure

Exterior left

One (1) 7.5″(H) x 3.5″ diameter cord cinch pouch with base-grommet for 32oz/1L water bottle or radio
1.5″ x 5″ hook and loop bottle retainer, with cinch cord

Exterior right

One (1) 3″(L) x 6″(H) x 1.5″(W) zippered pouch, with 2 rows / 2 channels PALS webbing
One (1) interior 3″(L) x 4.5″(H) slip divider
One (1) exterior 3″ x 7″ slip pocket

Exterior top

One (1) 7″(L) x 3″(W) x 1″(H) zippered pouch
One (1) 7″(L) x 2″(H) loop field for patches

Exterior bottom

3-channel 3/4″ webbing daisy chain

Main interior front

One (1) 8″(L) x 6″(H) slip pocket

Main interior rear

One (1) 8″(L) x 6″(H) slip pocket

Straps

Fixed shoulder strap made from 2″ webbing 45″ min. adjustable to 69″ max. length; with 2′ non-slip shoulder pad, 2″ quick release buckle and Keyper™ attachment point

Additional storage

9″(L) x 10″(H) concealed zippered compartment with internal 7″(L) x 8″(H) loop field for CCW

Other features

Grab handle made from 0.75″ webbing
Cinch cord storm collar helps keep contents out of the weather
Removable waist strap
5-channel PALS webbing on right strap base for attaching other Maxpedition gear
Jumbo S-Type™ Versipack® available for left side carry

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS PACK:

As with many pack reviews, organization is important to me. this shoulder pack has plenty of pockets, pouches and compartments to put your gear. I especially like the fact that there is a water bottle pouch, as I like having water with me at all times. As an EDC bag, I always have some emergency items, just in case I need them, and this pack has plenty of space for them. As a side note, this pack also works excellent as a guy’s diaper bag, it will hold it will hold everything you might need and also have more of a “Manly” appearance. If you carry a concealed firearm, this pack works great for that as well. Just add the Maxpedition universal CCW holster that attaches to any Hook & Loop pocket and you are in business. Some people do not like the large buckle, but for me it is not a problem, it makes it easy to open and close that compartment. This pack even has a padded compartment for your sunglasses on the top of the bag, that is a nice touch.

WHAT COULD BE CHANGED ABOUT THIS PACK:

After using this Versipack for a while, I have found out that I am not a big fan of shoulders packs. That being said, I am not putting this pack down, I am just saying that it is not my favorite design. So does that mean I do not use it anymore or have given it away to someone else. Absolutely not! I have turned it into one of my Bug-out-bags. If an emergency happens, I have this bag loaded up with everything I might need to take with me. Perfect! We all need one or more of those.

FINAL REMARKS:

This Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack can work really good for those of you that like a should style pack. It has multiple storage options and attachment points for much of your gear. Pack it up with all your gear and go off down the road. It’s comfortable for long hikes for this pack or short day to day treks around town. It can carry lots of stuff and still has room for more, have fun and enjoy.

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 EDC 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 (EDC), 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

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