CONCEALMENT 10 Everyman EDC Dave Merrill Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More EMILY CHEN Profession Former executive assistant, recently turned firearms instructor Current job title Instructor Describe your current working environment I was always in a white-collar office environment, or in a high-class/luxury setting, working with execs; I was expected to be on-call 24/7 and to assist their families when necessary. How does your work environment affect your EDC? My work attire when I was an executive assistant follows: collared shirt with dress pants or pencil skirt. For special occasions/events it would be a cocktail dress or evening gown. I like to stay unsuspecting, so I make it a point to carry as little as possible, and to keep my EDC physically as discreet as possible. This allows me to carry regardless of what I’m wearing. Describe Your Carry Items SIG SAUER P238, SIG SAUER P238 IWB Holster Women’s clothing is unfortunately unforgiving, what with its form-fitting design, so I needed something slim and easily concealable whether with my wardrobe or in a small purse when wearing a dress. I was looking for something that required little to no effort to maintain positive control, something I could easily manipulate on and off work, and would remain unsuspecting regardless of how I chose to carry. A .380 might not be the largest round; it gets the job done and you’ll be damn sure you wouldn’t want to get shot by one. SureFire G2X Pro Flashlight At 600 lumens, this SureFire is, at the bare minimum, what I needed to at least assess and disorient my potential aggressor before deciding whether or not to engage. It’s parallel with the width and length of my P238, therefore making it easily concealable and accessible either on my person or in a purse. I didn’t need a flashlight with multiple settings, so the G2X’s simple on/off button was just perfect. It’s also durable enough where I wouldn’t have to worry about it being damaged in case I chose to chuck it at the face of my potential threat. Camillus Heater Boot/Neck Knife It’s essentially a punch knife. In the unlikely event where my firearm is inaccessible, I have something silent and still very deadly to continue the fight with. It’s smaller than the size of my hand, making it undetectable if necessary to draw from its sheath. Not only does the sheath conveniently come with a belt clip, the handle of the knife is also a bottle opener. Winning! Explain Your Everyday-Carry Philosophy Keep things to a minimum, and keep it simple. Carry what gets the job done, but carry what you’re willing to lose, because in the event of a firefight, you may never see it again. Always be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared and aware for any situation; it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Things I ask myself to keep me grounded: 1) Am I willing to bet the lives of my loved ones, and essentially anyone I choose to protect, with the gear and skills I possess? 2) Am I in a situation where I am in imminent threat of death or great bodily harm, where, without a doubt, my decision to end the threat is justified? KACY CRAWFORD Profession Auto body repair and paint Current job title Owner of Crawford Collision & Service Describe your current working environment On a day-to-day basis I deal with everything from oil changes to heavy collisions — I am a strong supporter of “don’t text and drive” as I see the results every day ranging from front and rear-end collisions to fatalities. Distracted driving is more than 65 percent of our total loss vehicles — “not repairable.” I’m always working with insurance companies and the vehicle owner to get their vehicle repaired back to pre-accident condition. How does your work environment affect your EDC? Doing auto body repair and dealing with the general public, I have to have a reliable, durable, and compact firearm. Doing bodywork gets very dusty and dirty every day, so it must be able to fire completely filthy/dirty if needed. I am up and down all day long, so I have to have something that fits me comfortably and is tough enough for everything this job puts it through. Describe Your Carry Items Glock 27 I prefer the 40-caliber small-frame Glock for hand comfort and carry. I personally like the recoil of the 40 over the 9mm, and I always carry a second magazine so I always have 18 rounds. My Glock is small enough to hang on my belt and a T-shirt covers it, yet it’s big enough to fit my hand comfortably. I prefer the trigger safety of the Glock so there are no questions in an emergency situation. Strider SMF-NSN This knife is my most go-to tool in my pocket. I use it for everything, whether it’s cutting a bumper off a car for inspection after an accident to marking lines in body filler, to processing game when hunting. This is, in my opinion, the most versatile folding knife you can get. The titanium frame makes it super light weight at 6 ounces, so it’s not weighing your pocket down, yet big enough to handle any job. Smith & Wesson Aircraft Aluminum Ink Pen I carry this ink pen for various reasons. Not only is it one of the best pens I have ever signed my name with, the large frame also feels comfortable in your hand. Being in the auto body business, I need something that will take abuse and still work. This pen is made from aircraft aluminum, so it’s durable under any situation. It’s also a glass breaker, which I have used after an auto accident, and it can also be used for self-defense. Explain Your Everyday-Carry Philosophy Always be aware of your surroundings. Always know what you will do in every situation, whether you’re in a grocery store, eating dinner, or driving in an unfamiliar area. Always be prepared — “hope for the best prepare for the worst.” Know your weapons well. Shoot frequently. JIM DELOZIER Profession Survival and contingency consulting Current job title Owner Describe your current working environment We operate a retail store specializing in tactical supplies and survival products as well as a consulting and training division. We focus on real-world threats and how to prepare for them. How does your work environment affect your EDC? I am exposed to people with firearms all day, every day while protecting the expensive inventory. Also, while consulting, we are often in remote areas with strangers. Lastly, I am co-leader of the church safety team and responsible for the physical safety of the congregants. Describe Your Carry Items Springfield Armory XD-40 SC & North American Arms .22 Mag I carry a firearm for personal protection, but also because I believe I have a duty to protect the innocent. Benchmade 840 SBT I carry the Benchmade 840 specifically because the blade is over 4 inches, but it’s very light and keeps a great edge. And knives have dozens of uses on a daily basis. Med Kit The med kit has Quikclot combat gauze, SWAT-T tourniquet, gloves, Triangle bandage, QuicLite clip-on light, Leatherman Raptor folding shears, chem light, lighter, Sharpie, Fisher space pen. The main items in my med kit are the Quikclot and SWAT-T, which can save lives. SOG Power-Assist Multitool / SureFire Lumamax LX2 and extra batteries The multitool, like my knife, has so many applications on a daily basis that it would be difficult to go without. The flashlight, of course, has applications from search and rescue, medical, and tactical to name a few. Explain your everyday-carry philosophy I focus on, and train others for, preparedness because the world is unpredictable (or too predictable for those in the know). It sounds like a bumper sticker, but I often say that I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Also, as I stated previously, I believe I have a duty to protect so I carry a fairly substantial medical kit. My philosophy is that if I employ items that make holes in people I should be able to fill the holes created by such items in myself or others. When I leave home in the morning, there is no way of knowing what I am going to encounter that day, and I don’t want to find out after the fact that I should have been prepared. It’s a lot like car insurance — you better have it when the accident occurs, because you can’t buy it retroactively. SEAN GONZALES Profession Consultant Current job title Owner Describe your current working environment I work from home and sometimes in the field on various job sites. How does your work environment affect your EDC? Whether I’m home or in the field, all of my EDC items have to be extremely reliable. Describe Your Carry Items Springfield LW Operator Champion My favorite handgun platform has always been the 1911. I wanted to carry a commander-sized 1911 with a rail that I could outfit with a SureFire XC1 weapon light. I’ve upgraded the gun with 10-8 parts, sights, Rail Scale G10 grips, and Griffon Tripp Cobra 8-round magazines. OTG Kydex Holster/Griffon Ghost EDC Belt Finding a holster for this handgun/light combo is next to impossible, but I found Rob Tran at OTG (Off the Grid) who was willing to take on the task. My gun and holster are anchored by my Ghost EDC belt. Strider SnG/Jeremy Horton Survival Shawty Strider knives have always been my go-to knife to carry. They’re well built and a perfect workhorse for EDC. I also carry a fixed blade ground by Jeremy Horton of the West Tennessee Knife Makers Association of West Tennessee. Both blades are made from CPM 3V steel, which is extremely tough and perfect for my everyday hard use EDC. Hodinkee/Swatch Sistem51 Automatic Watch I grew up seeing my dad always wearing a watch, and now I’m the same way. I prefer automatic watches (no batteries needed) with a date window. While people are looking to their phones for the time, I prefer just to look down at my wrist — call me old-fashioned. Pocket tools Fellhoelter Ti-Bolt Pen, SureFire Titan, Burnley Cypop, Anso Key Carabiner Explain your everyday-carry philosophy I’ve got a straightforward philosophy: I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I’m committed to carrying my firearm every day wherever I can and pray I never have to use it. I’m lucky enough to live in a county in California where the sheriff believes that if you want to carry you should be able to. My EDC changes from day to day, but I always have a handgun, knife, pen, flashlight, and watch on me. Whatever you decide to carry, know your gear, how to use it, and always be aware of your surroundings. BRANDON HOGE Profession Automotive parts sales Current job title Commercial account manager Describe your current working environment I can go from a modern conference room to a dirt-floor service shop in the span of 20 minutes. I’m in front of large business owners and fleet or operations managers in varying locations. How does your work environment affect your EDC? I have to know where I can and cannot legally carry a firearm and have to prepare accordingly. Describe Your Carry Items Glock 17 w/ Weapon Light Blaster is secured in a Bawidamann Gotham AIWB due to concealability, comfort, and retention. Spyderco Dragonfly The bright orange scales maintain subtlety in a professional work environment. Carried in the fifth pocket of a regular old pair of jeans because everyone needs a good cutter. Fox 5.3 small stream can of OC Carried in a back pocket because it fills the gap between verbal judo and a trigger press. SureFire Backup light The flashlight is carried on a Raven Concealment Pocket Shield in the left front pocket because the inside of tires are dark, and finding a puncture to the inner liner is tricky without at least 15 lumens. Explain your everyday-carry philosophy I acknowledge that a handgun isn’t the best solution to a life-saving situation, but it’s a good introduction. I carry every day because I love my family and they love me. I carry every day to protect myself, my wife, and our amazing little monster who has a sibling due out early summer ’18. “Go home at the end of your shift” is a common theme in police work. It should be every parent’s slogan as well. We’ve all got loved ones waiting for us at home; stack the odds and recognize reality. STEVEN RUPP Profession Editor Current job title Editor Describe your current working environment Some office with lots of travel time for stories How does your work environment affect your EDC? It doesn’t. Describe Your Carry Items Ruger LCP in .380 w/ Clipdraw I absolutely love my Ruger LCP. It’s light, tiny, and with the grip extension still fits my hand well enough to be surprisingly accurate. More importantly, it’s never had a jam or FTF. I run Federal HST 99-grain JHP ammo. I carry clipped in my front right pocket or IWB appendix. MIC Clip-On Trigger Guard With Belt Loop Lanyard The MIC trigger guard works great with the gun-mounted Clipdraw to make for a very minimalist setup that I can pocket carry, clip IWB, or clip in my pocket (like a pocket knife). Kershaw Leek Assisted Opening Knife The Kershaw Leek is a great knife, since it deploys quickly, holds an edge, and isn’t very expensive if lost. I carry this in my weak side pocket. Omega Black Speedmaster Day-Date I’ve had the Omega Speedmaster forever; it’s an automatic so no battery, and it takes a good amount of abuse. I prefer a watch over “checking my phone.” It’s the only jewelry I wear. Left arm. Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA I really like the Streamlight ProTac light; it’s super small and runs on either a CR123A or one AA battery. I currently run it with an AA rechargeable Eneloop. Carried on left side pocket next to my Kershaw. Explain your everyday-carry philosophy The weather here is warm, so I often wear shorts and a T-shirt. I also drive a lot, so I need something that is comfortable when sitting. Given this, I’m willing to sacrifice a bit for comfort and concealability. For these reasons the Ruger works well. When the weather is cooler, which means I’m wearing more clothing, I transition to my 9mm S&W Shield with the same MIC holster and Clipdraw arrangement. If I had a philosophy, it would be that I would rather have something and not need it than the other way around. Explore RECOILweb:Multitasker Series3X – Weaponcentric Multitool RefreshedWinchester Victory Series Honors WWII With Period Correct AmmoComing Soon From Laugo Arms: Alien Creator Edition [SHOT Show Range Day 2023]ATF Announces Action on Forced Reset Triggers NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.