Carry Less, Carry More…

The term EDC (or Everyday Carry) is a pretty popular thing right now isn’t it? And if you’re a gearhead like me perfecting your EDC while adding another perfect every day average Joe tactical item can be extremely addicting. But what happens when our love for everyday gear gets in the way of everyday practical tactics?

As seen on the Instagrams. My EDC dump from Tuesday 7/17/12. Probably still too much junk. Kahr CW9 in Galco IWB, Field Notes & Action Cahier notebook, Revision Military Vipertail shades, front pocket wallet, BladeTech Katana Tanto, Paracord bracelet & keys w/ keychain from Edge Observer.

WHAT DOES HE MEAN?

Here’s an example. Growing up in the Midwest hunting whitetails I would sit in a tree stand on a travel route or a feeding area and wait. I had a pack loaded with every possible item I could need at any moment in that stand. But after moving west with a more mobile style of hunting, I’m becoming more accustomed to only carrying what I know I will need rather than toting a pack loaded with items for the zombie apocalypse.

The same goes for my Concealed Carry setup. I’d love to have a duty belt with my Fenix TK35, my full sized Glock 22 RTF2 in a full sized retention holster at 3 o’clock, 3 spare mags, a dump pouch big enough to carry a puppy (because I’ve also got my rifle on me at all times), maybe some pepper spray and then cargos big enough for a personal trauma kit and another puppy, a Ruger LCR in an ankle rig and an extra speed loader for it squeezed between my butt cheeks. Many of us are gear whores in the worst way. Love of cool goodies isn’t of itself a bad thing, but when we’re so overwhelmed with how much stuff our EDC psyche is telling us we need to schlep around all of this stuff to fit in the cool kids CCW club we’re fooling ourselves.

MY REALITY OF EVERYDAY CARRY

Instead, when I carry it’s the Kahr CW9 with 7 shots… no extra mag, an IWB or pancake OWB holster, a simple blade, my wallet, phone, keys, my Field Notes, a pen and something with paracord in it. I most often wear a pair of jeans (sometimes cargo shorts), a t-shirt, polo, short sleeve button down or long sleeve and I even occasionally wear flip flops *GASP!* (or thongs for you old pervs). No med kit, no bore snake, no dummy rounds, no empty chamber, no combat KaBar knife, no armor plate or carrier, no knee pads, no bluetooth earpiece,  and no kitchen sink. I don’t wear Kevlar reinforced cargos every day or a 5.11 Tactical shirt which essentially says “Hey bad guys, come shoot at me!” much like open carry would.

The more junk I force into my pockets the less I want to carry at all and the the more likely I’ll be to leave home with just my wallet and keys. I carry with intent to eliminate the threat of a bad guy zeroed on me. Rather than packing a “go bag” worth of crap in my pockets and waistband I’ll continue training my mind to sort out the other stuff as it comes. Maybe that makes me smarter, maybe it makes me less prepared, but I know it makes me carry my piece daily.

I may now sound like a failure at Everyday Carry to many, but I’d rather be successful at carrying every day than feel like I’m lugging a couple of baby hippos in my pockets and choose to never carry at all.