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Lacking any sort of creativity or desire to be special, I carry a GLOCK 19 Gen4 with XS Big Dot sights, because I’m not messing with what works. It doesn’t have anything else done to it except a trigger polish job I did myself. It rides in a StealthGear Onyx IWB at the 3:30 position, and I can’t accurately relate just how comfortable that holster is. Sure, it’s relatively expensive, but buy once, cry once, right? This time, it paid off. When I started, it was a Taurus PT740 + Crimson Trace in a Remora. I got what was at the time a really good deal on it, and to its credit, that little gun never missed a beat or failed to do anything I told it to . . .

I kind of fell into carrying the G19, and specifically the Gen4 version after I realized that I could easily get away with carrying something larger than the Taurus, even here in Florida in the summer, so long as I could get my hand around it well. The Gen3 GLOCKs are just a little big for a proper grip for me, but the Gen4 fits just right.

It’s loaded with 16 rounds of the proven Speer Gold Dot 124 +Ps, though after these run out I’m probably switching over to the Federal HSTs. Either way is good for me. The spare mag I keep in my thigh pocket (I don’t have a spare mag carry system yet that I like) has Liberty Civil Defense 50 grains, mostly because they’re just ridiculously lightweight and easy to carry. I’m pretty comfortable having 31 rounds available. After all, I’m not going to Miami any time soon.

 

(See the rest of the posts in this series here. Send your What I Carry and Why submissions with a photo to [email protected] with WICAW in the subject line.)

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55 COMMENTS

  1. Ok, ok. At this point I’m going to have to suggest that these photos start including pictures of the belt and pants that are holding all this stuff. Those are the true heroes of EDC.

    • Yeah at this point its got to be bionic or something. I mean, if you wanna carry all that and have the ability to do so by all means. I just can’t figure in a common pair of jeans where you could stash 2 knives, a baton, pepper spray, a flashlight, a gun, spare mag, wallet, keys and most likely a cell phone even though its not pictured here. I know he (or she) mentioned a thigh pocket for a mag carrier so they are most likely tactical pants but still. You can’t wear tactical pants everyday and having an EDC means you carry it everyday if I’m not mistaken.

      To clarify I’m not trying to belittle anyone here. I would love to carry all the equipment I ever could need as much as the next guy but I am just curious where carrying EDC ends and taking the kitchen sink with you begins.

      • I don’t think I could carry all that in jeans. but a couple dedicated blade/light pockets makes things a whole lot easier.

        Minus the pistol, it’s about 2 lbs of stuff.

        • I’m sure it is a lot easier to maintain in tactical pants as has been my experience. However, i cannot wear tactical pants everyday and as such have a less heavy EDC. I tend to stick with a folder, EDC light, wallet, phone, keys, phone and gun. I skimp out on the less than lethal options that you have above.

      • My thoughts exactly. Probably wears cargo pants everyday and the pockets are conspicuously bulging everywhere.

  2. All my carry pistols, with the expection of pocket guns, have Big Dots.

    I’m not looking to put all the rounds in one hole, I’m just looking to have all the rounds inside a paper plate.

  5. Is that a baton? Do you really conceal three knives, a baton, pepper spray, a flashlight, AND a gun? You’re basically carrying the same loadout as a cop but INSIDE your pants. Holy crap man.

  7. Nicely done, sir. I think my WI trip gun will be a Glock “19” (G23 w/ 9mm barrel &recoil spring upgrade) and 124 grain HST +P’s.

  8. Subtract the baton and one knife and I carry the same load (smaller gun, though, and I add a small lighter). It is not unmanageable at all with the right distribution. Not that I mind emptying my pockets at night.

    • 10 year old leatherman squirt. The pliers still mate up precisely enough to tweeze fine hair with.

      Amazing.

  11. I don’t know why everyone is ragging on you, you’re carrying about as much as I do everyday. (I don’t carry the baton or pepper spray) It’s not really a lot of stuff. I’ll add in a cell phone though.

      • It rides next to my wallet in the right front pocket brilliantly though. And it’s aluminum so it’s really not very heavy.

        Yes I have deep pockets.

    • I think most of it is good spirited ribbing. I carry more than he does if you include my alternate lifestyle bag with first aid stuff (the stuff JWT recommended including the book), a little food, and water. I also always have eye and hearing protection (though I have no idea what the chance that would get to use it is).

      • I carry eye and ear protection in my carry bag as well. Use it all the time. But I’m a carpenter by trade. 😉

  12. The StealthGear Onyx IWB is the most epic awesome spectacular perfect IWB holster you could own. Worth ever penny plus more. I will not buy any other brand IWB holster ever again. I was leery on dropping 99 bucks on one considering I have a drawer full of holsters like everyone else trying to find that right one and I sure did find it. You will not regret buying one.

    • Tactical pants.

      I’ve got some 511 covert khakis too in case I need to dress up a little.

      I haven’t worn jeans for about 5 years. Which is fine cause Florida is usually too hot for jeans anyway.

  15. All right, I got curious your belt knife and Ken Onion design, which ones are they? Nice set up, good to see other people carry as much stuff (different kind, but plenty of it) as I do. Also, have you tried Alien Gear Holsters, and if so what do you think about them?

    • I’m not the OP, but I have the same folding knife (mine’s just the semi-serrated version). Its a K470KKP Ken Onion Shenanigan made by CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool). The serrated version is K470KKS i believe. I think that particular version (AUS8 black-coated blade and Aluminum scales) is/was a limited edition or something? I recall mine saying something to that effect on the blade, and its listed as discontinued on their site. Its a pretty solid blade, its been my EDC for a few months now.

    • Rocket Scientist is right.

      It’s a CRKT Ken Onion Shenanigan Limited with aluminum grips. Woot sells it at a major discount fairly regularly.

      The other knife is a Timberline Lightfoot Mini Pitbull. I love that little thing so much I had to include it, even though I don’t technically carry it much.

      I haven’t tried AlienGear, but I’ve heard good things. For the price I’m willing to give it a shot, but they’re going to have a tough time against the StealthGear. It’s just SO comfortable.

  16. So it’s obviously become trendy to carry a folder, but I always wonder if any of you know how to use one? Do you train in blade arts? If not, why not?

    • Sure I use mine to open boxes, do some light prying, cut rope and cord, You know knife things, what blade arts must I learn to use a tool as a tool?

    • “I always wonder if any of you know how to use one? Do you train in blade arts?”

      What the f**k are you on about? Yes, i know how to use a folder. You fold the knife blade out until it is fully extended and (in locking models) locked into place. Then you apply pressure with the sharpened side onto the material you wish to cut. I’m not sure what blade arts you refer to… I don’t paint with mine… though I have used it to carve some interesting shapes or little miniature “sculptures”, so I guess that counts as blade art?

    • Hi! I don’t carry a folder to fight with, even clipped to its own dedicated pocket, it takes me 5 seconds to get at. If you want a ‘get off me’ knife, fixed blade is the way to go.

    • I carry a 19 as well (gen 3) only because my true edc is next to impossible to get in CO now. I haven’t been able to find the Five seven with the factory 10 rd mags and nobody is selling used ones around these parts.

  18. I can name at least two items in the picture, which I’m not allowed to carry legally here in Germany. And I can name at least two more where I’m not sure.
    By the way what is that underneath the wallet? Is this a baton or something like that?

      • Hi Sian, thanks for the reply. I looked the German laws up on that thing and if I understand them correctly I wouldn’t be allowed to carry it. The little knife would be Okay, the big one would depend on if you could open it with just one hand. If you can open it one handed, it would be illegal to carry here. And obviously the gun would be illegal to carry under the most circumstances, except you have a really hard to get license. You would have no problem with the pepper spray.

  20. Wasn’t it Mr. Ayoob (and others I’m sure) that advised against carrying both a gun and pepper spray?
    It would seem logical that in court the prosecutor could easily introduce doubt by asking: “Sir, why did you shoot that gentle giant instead of just peppering him?”

    • The pepper spray is really mostly for 4-legged attackers, or personal space invaders who haven’t graduated to fully threatening. So far as I’m concerned, I’m not hurting anything by giving myself options. Police carry a gun and pepper spray because they do different jobs.

      Unlike many uniformed folks, I have a lot of experience dealing with large dogs, have confidence in my ability to handle them, and don’t want my only force option with them to be a lethal one.

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