Outiftted & Equipped: My Everyday Carry

In conjunction with our introduction to the art of everyday carry, I thought I’d share the specifics of my own EDC. Let’s get right into it:

1. PT-One Concealment Holster. One thing I’ve learned since getting my concealed carry license a few years ago — you can spend a lot of money trying to find the right CC holster. I finally settled on the PT-One belly band. Yeah, it sort of looks like an adult diaper, but don’t let its looks deceive you. The PT-One is versatile, comfortable, and very hard to detect. I can conceal carry while wearing sweatpants and a tee or while gussied up in a button-down shirt and dress pants. And because it’s a belly band, I have the option to tuck my shirt in. I’ve had this holster for a few years, and it’s still going strong after regular use. Before you buy it, make sure your gun fits it. 

2. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm. I own a full-size M&P 9mm but found it cumbersome to carry. No matter what I did, I’d be uncomfortable, and I had an obvious print. So I switched to the smaller Shield and couldn’t be happier. Because it uses a single stack magazine, it has a slim profile. Never any print. The shorter grip took awhile to get used to, but after a few trips to the range and lots of dry fire practice, I’ve gotten comfortable with it.

3. Kinney sunglasses by Garrett Leight. A few years ago I did some videos on picking sunglasses with Gary Black at Black Optical here in Tulsa. I ended up leaving the store with this pair from Garrett Leight. They look great and have served me well. But it looks like they no longer make this frame in the greenish color anymore.

4. AA Polished Flashlight. From finding dropped keys at nighttime to blinding would-be attackers, flashlights are a handy tool to have in your EDC. When I’m going somewhere where I’ll need more lumens, I’ll bring my SureFire Defender. It’s also the flashlight I pack in my carry-on when I travel. It’s a little heavy and big for daily use, so I typically carry this smaller AA flashlight. It fits better in my pocket, but still puts out 115 lumens of light. I like mine so much that I’ve been giving them as Christmas gifts to friends and family.

5. AoM Pocket Notebook + Pilot G2. You never know when you’ll get that next million dollar idea, so it pays to have something on which to jot those flashes of insight down. I carry an AoM pocket notebook (natch) and use a Pilot G2 pen.

6. Samsung Galaxy S6. I was an HTC One man until fairly recently, but my phone bit the dust in the Illinois River while I was taking the family on a microadventure (bringing my phone on board was not my brightest moment). I’m not partial to any particular brand as long as it runs Android OS and has decent battery life. They didn’t have an HTC One at the AT&T store, so I guess I’m a Samsung Galaxy man now.

7. Vintage Field Watch by L.L. Bean. Field watches are a great option for a man who’s looking for something in-between a casual plastic digital watch and a dressy, upscale watch. Field watches are rugged, comfortable, affordable, and stylishly practical. They look good with a pair of khakis and sport coat at the office, pair just as well with jeans and a t-shirt on the weekends, and they can withstand the rigors of an outdoor adventure. The Mrs. got me this L.L. Bean field watch for my birthday a few years ago, and it’s become a regular in my wardrobe line-up.

8. AoM Hankie. I’ve found that having a clean hankie on me isn’t so much for me, but for others. Whether it’s offering it to Kate when she tears up or using it to clean my kids’ faces off after they’ve gotten into some mess, my hankie has come in handy more often than one might think.

9. Bison Made Wallet No. 8. The gents at Bison Made sent me this wallet a few years ago as a gift and I’ve been using it ever since. It’s worn well and I’ll be using it for years to come.

10. Bogota Pi Toolset from SEREPick. Ever since the ITS Tactical Muster, where I learned how to pick locks, I’ve carried a set of picks in my wallet. If I, or a friend, gets locked out of their house, I know how to get inside without calling a locksmith.

11. Keys. Besides my giant car key, you’ll find the KeySmart that holds a few other keys while reducing the overall size of my key chain. I’ve also got a screw key set on there that I’ve used more times than I thought I would. Key ring is the Freekey system. No more hurt fingers trying to get stuff on your key ring.

12. Spyderco Tenacious G-10. Every man should carry a pocket knife. They’re just so doggone handy. I switch between this Spyderco and the AoM pocket knife depending on what kind of mood I’m in that day.

13. Lucky Talisman. If I showed it to you and told you what it is, it would lose its magical powers. Duh.

What’s in your EDC arsenal? Let us know — including pictures — in the comments!