Over at his everydaycarry.com profile page, SoCalEDC calls himself a “problem solver.” The problem his loadout solves . . .
how to carry the absolute minimum of stuff. SCEDC solved it by opting for a teeny weeny little light: the Olight S1 Baton Cree Xm-l2 Cw LED 500 Lumens Waterproof Flashlight with Olight Rcr123a Battery and Battery Charger and SKYBEN Holster. And a Kershaw Link 1776 knife.
Right answer? What’s more important for self-defense: a “proper” (i.e. larger) flashlight or a proper (i.e. not a penknife) blade? [Note: you might want to click here and read Jeff Gonzales’ flashlight defense posts first.]
Which of the two is more likely to see everyday use? Which one would you carry if you could/do only carry one? Click on the box below to see just how many people carry a flashlight. More than you’d imagine, I’d wager.
Flashlight and knife (and multitool, lighter and firearm)
Either one, then knife, I almost always have both though . I’ve given that very light to my crew at work this Christmas too.
I carry a Leatherman Surge and a Led Lenser F1r every day that I get dressed. Plus a M&P40c.
+1 on the surge. Best purchase I ever made. Grab a bit set to go with it, and it’s like having a toolbox on your belt. Wish it came with a better sheath though.
I carry a couple of flashlights, sometimes three. I carry the Baton S1 mini, like that one – which is plenty bright enough for tactical use, but does sometimes require fiddling to find the side switch. I generally carry a small Olight in both of my big cargo pockets, to make it easy to grab one with either hand. A larger tactical light resides in a flashlight pocket on my Vertx pants. Currently, that light is an Olight M2R Warrior.
I also subscribe to the notion of carrying a couple of knives. The small Gerber utility blade knife gets all the box opening and cardboard cutting duties. A modded CRKT Anubis gets the tactical-poky-thing duty.
Add in an XDs in .45 acp and a couple spare mags.
Now, this all disappears into the Vertx pants, and I don’t work in a fancy office, so baggy tac-trousers are fine. I can see whittling down the EDC loadout if you need a slimmer profile. But with the combined tiny size and whopping light output of the latest crop of flashlights, that S1 Baton (or similar from Nitecore or others) is so useful, it’s hard to not justify carrying a light and a blade.
Cool, I’m digging the Orient Mako on the NATO strap. I have the same one, only in blue.
I almost bought a Mako II myself. Got a Ray II instead for my EDC watch, and put it on a Hirsch Arne strap. Just recently added a Bambino 2nd Gen, Version 3 to the collection, too. I think you get a lot of watch for your money with the Orients.
I like a pen-style flashlight clipped inside my pants pocket at night, whether at home or out. My EDC was the 5.11 ATAC PL. Now it’s the Streamlight Stylus pro. Neither are eyeball-melting bright or good for 100 yards away, but they are good inexpensive lights for my everyday needs and will illuminate a target at SD distances if it came to that.
Man, those are some pretty grips on that SIG…
Knife first, then light light……but come on…easy to carry both.
Don’t have to carry a bear skinner or coastal search light.
Anyone who lugs a 2 pound gun around can also carry both a knife and a light….. Does anyone but me notice everything in that pic screams minimalism ecxcept that fun?
Either, or both, just gotta be Smoov.
Not my gun choice for EDC. No complaints on the Sig. I like to run a little lighter, but I dig this EDC.
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