I started watching EDC videos two months ago by dozens if different people, this is by far the most factual and practical video Ive seen. You should write a miniature EDC softcover pocket book. Genius, amazing.
I really liked this video, mainly because I retired from Laredo Sector border patrol, and I went back to being a regular Texas peace officer. My dad has always been a peace officer, so he made sure I kept my training with Texas while I was a fed, so I gained my state instructor commission way after, becoming a federal peace officer. I now get it from all my rookies, as a field training officer, that I'm "Old School ". I'm working on my PhD in constitutional law, but my masters are in public administration & CJ. It was nice seeing someone that probably went through almost exactly what I went through. I was never swat, or anything, only a canine handler with USBP. I mainly work by myself now, cause I'm a little embarrassed to be called "old school" . I got shot once in 93 & once in 2003, but I wasn't smart enough to keep my medical records, like the officer does. I'm a full time senior officer, instructor, & cj instructor at a university, but I've learned many things from your videos, which I can use daily, as well as pass onto my trainees & cj students. Thank you for the extraordinary video ,and for your service to this noble profession Sir.
Nicely done, very smooth presentation of your EDC. It's great to see what a season officer/deputy has as their everyday carry. You've given me a couple ideas that I have fallen short on. So thanks for sharing your comprehensive EDC. You got a lot covered! Be safe out there!👍
Beautiful kit Brother, you remind me of the TAC guys that helped my mother raise me, and we have the same taste in kit, and I learned something from your video, Thanks again, Blessings.
This is hands down the best EDC video that I have ever seen here and I have been watching these for years. I like 9mm over the .45 for EDC because of the amount of ammo you can carry and, with modern expanding ammunition, it is less of an issue than with ball ammo or I would agree with you on the .45. I like that you have no pouches or clips hanging on a belt and you can tuck your shirt in without ever 'printing' and that you only use 4 pockets so you don't need 'tacticool' pants to make it work. Skinth organizer in the pocket is a great idea like the Maxpedition Pocket organizers that I use. Kind of expensive, but wow, that is prepared for about anything! Thanks for sharing this one and maybe expand on how you did your backup keys please.
Thanks for the comments but what can I say, I'm a .45 guy and believe I don't need a lot more bullets if I am hitting them with that big 'ole .45 round ;) I like the Maxpedition micro as well but the Skinth had more room and still fits inside the pocket. I hate not having a shirt tucked in so this works great and zero printing issues.
Awesome video. I have an interview with my local PD next month, if everything goes as planned I'll definitely be using some of these tips when I start!
+PDXhypebeast Good luck! My on duty EDC builds a lot more on top of this though. It includes: Flex cuffs threaded through pants belt loops, Spyderco Police super thin backup knife tucked behind magazine case, Leatherman MUT in place of the big folder in the right pants pocket, notebook for front pocket and on and on. Not to even start to mention the items you will want to keep in your vehicle.
That green back is defiantly the most interesting part of this edc, I wouldn't like to keep such a big bag in my pocket, but i could see myself putting together a similar cigarette case and keeping the rest of the contents in my edc backpack. I am not so tactical on my knife carry, but as a college student I'm pretty much stuck with a New York safe edc between school and work, which takes up 7 days a week. You have given me a lot to think about going forward though, especially radiation sickness tablets (who knew). I dig the opinel.
Awesome video! Def going to be using a lot of the information on here and changing up my EDC. The only thing I would add is a CAT Tourniquet or some quick clot. Thanks for the video, very informative.
I've watched 100s of edc TH-cam videos and I love your video! I love the intro and how you talk about edc and efficiency of the day. I am an eagle scout and stand by the motto "Be Prepared"
Mitch, well done, well spoken, sir. Thank you for sharing your personal effects and wisdom. Also, thanks for the work you do. God bless you and as my pop would say, "front sight post, smooth trigger press!"
And I thought I carried a lot on my person... you got me beat by a mile. Gotta admit that I got more than a couple ideas from this -- excellent job Mitch. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome EDC. Mine isn't much at all at the moment. Wallet, keys, smartphone, and a Tac Force knife with a window breaker and seatbelt cutter. I also have a MacGyver-style Swiss Army knife, as well as a 12 inch Rambo-style hunting knife, but I don't carry those (although I probably should carry the Swiss army knife because of all the tools it has). I have my license to carry, but I don't have a handgun yet. Just can't afford one right now, but I'm doing what I can to save up. Money is pretty tight for me at the moment. I have an expandable baton that I keep in the car as well. Neat little tool. Hopefully my EDC will change in the near future. Btw, thank you for your service in law enforcement! I'm currently in college and working to become a law enforcement officer myself. Stay safe!
wow! i know this is just repeating everyone else... but this is an awesome video you made of your edc. i can tell a lot of thought went into this to make it simple and easy to carry. what i loved the most is everything is so accessible, so when you need it, it's right there ready to go! unfortunately for me, ive just started on getting my things together for my bug-out-bag and edc... and have it 90% finished -----but i've noticed the items are very hard to get to when i need it in a pinch. i always find that i'm digging around for things even though it's in containers. at the moment, i'm using a decent small duffle bag but really looking into getting a nice backpack with a lot of compartments. thank you for the video and i'm now subscribed to you! have a great holiday season and cheers!
yea accessibility is a real issue, just remembering what you have can be daunting if you aren't practiced at using your system or you have not thought it out well, something worthy of addressing and refining in a layered preparedness concept, again stressing that mind preparation and training are the true gold mines for our communities
Great stuff. Might I recommend you carry a rescue tool, like the Benchmade SOCP rescue edition (instead of a knife, it has a window breaker and a strap cutter) or a Leatherman Z-Rex.
Highly inapplicable to those that aren't in law enforcement or live out in the boonies, though. Way too much crap to carry. I'm about to make my EDC video right now.
BlueonGoldZ The only item 'highly inapplicable' would be the badge which is added to an already existing neck chain knife. The only other items (the soft restraints) could still be used as cordage or a quick fastener. Had I used my daily on-duty carry it would have included my Colt M4, a Leatherman MUT instead of the CRK, a large can of pepper spray, expandable baton, Peerles hinged handcuffs, Surefire 6P light, double mag pouch and holster all on a Sam Browne belt. Also a plastic Fox 40 traffic whistle, extra latex gloves, Miranda rights card, 10 case business cards, etc. All on my person EDC. Then that would have been 'highly inapplicable' to those not in law enforcement but I insist that all the other items are useful and in no way 'crap' or too much. I look forward to your own video.
This is like doctorate level EDC. My EDC is kindergarten compared to this. I've got a small pushbutton light on my keychain (Photon X-light Micro LED) as well as bottle opener/prytool (Gerber Shard keychain tool), tweezers (Uncle Bill's Silver Gripper Tweezers Black Oxide) and 16gb Kingston flash drive. In my pocket I have a small knife (Gerber BG mini scout knife) and Zippo butane lighter (Blu2). I also carry a cellphone of course and wallet. I like many of the ideas here. It'll be a long while before I start carrying a firearm EDC. A small knife is all I need for now. In the future I'll maybe carry a larger folding knife and add or take away from my EDC. Thanks for the video.
You are better prepared for what life might throw at you than 99% of anyone else that I meet on the street so good job! Like I said, I started out simple with just a couple of knives but was exposed to the harsh realities of the world in the victims that I dealt with on a daily basis at work and what anyone can see just by watching the daily news. I know guys that even go so far as to wear body armor off-duty ( I have worn mine every single day for 33 years at work but not off duty, although I do keep a set of old armor with my go bag). Thanks for the comment and support!
I, myself a law enforcement officer, I'm prepared. But I don't carry a load out for war. What ever makes you feel safe. But you should consider lightening your load.
+FFEMTB08 Life is hard. You usually learn the lesson AFTER you have failed the test. All law enforcement officers are different. For example at work (this is my off-duty EDC) I wore body armor every day for 35 years. Many officers did not. A few months ago we had a deputy shot in the chest so now finally the sheriff mandated that everyone had to join the 21st century in law enforcement and wear body armor. I did not carry all of this my first day on the job. I learned from my own and others success and failures and this is the culmination of 35 years of experience easily carried in four pants pockets. I make no claims that my choices are the best ones for everyone or that you have to make the same choices. I am just sharing to help others and maybe give some ideas that might help someone get through the day a little better. As you point out, carry what ever makes YOU feel safe and prepared. But you should consider not making judgements yourself on what those choices are for others based on their own life lessons and experience. Peace brother.
I thought I had a pretty good load out, but i have a building approach to my EDCs. I'm a LEO too but I have a basic pocket load out and then my truck has a pretty good kit in it, except for the bottle jack. I recently had a trailer tire blow out and had a helluva time getting that trailer high enough to put the spare on with the POS bottle jack. I also need to improve my motorcycle load out. I'd like to find a good canvas tool roll for my saddle bag. I did fill the tires with ride on which if your not familiar is a genius product.. It's basically fix a flat that's already inside your tire in the event its punctured it automatically seals.
My old Harley has a tool kit on the side that Harley makes an attachable bag for near the rear foot peg. We use that flat stuff during hurricanes but it ruins the balance on a tire. That stuff is great for a slow moving tractor tire though. I have changed out the battery on my Harley with just what is in my pockets before on the road though. If it is back in your truck it is never as helpful as being on you right now. Like the CPR mask, I have a great Laredal in my med kit in my truck as well as a bag valve mask and even oral pharyngeal airways and it is great when you are on a call where you know someone has gone down but it is that little one way valve pocket mask riding in my pocket that is on me that gets used the most because, well, it is on me. The tool bag on the bike holds mostly spare parts like a spark plug, headlight, brake light and turn signal bulbs, foot peg bolts with thread lock (everything on a Harley eventually vibrates off and I used that bolt as a shifter peg during a Daytona trip once. Carrying that one bolt saved me a tow). I realized early in my career that I was helping people change a lot of tires so I keep a light aluminum racing garage tongue lift jack and spinner wrench in my patrol car.
Thanks for being so polite and honest. I really enjoyed your video. I must ask what do you carry all of our gear in? I seems to be a bit heavy for just a belt and pocket carry?
Star Lord My criteria restriction was that it had to fit into my four pants pockets as I am in uniform at work and extra pockets, like with some type of cargo pants, was not an option for it to be a true, on my person, EDC. Phone wallet, pocket folding knife, and flashlight in the right front pocket with the Zippo and "toy or luxury fiddle widget" in the small jeans right front coin pocket. Right back pocket is the backup gun. Left back pocket is the spare magazine wallet and bandanna with the rest in the Skinth holder in my left front pocket. The dagger is behind my belt buckle clipped to my pants and the gun (off duty) is in the SmartCarry holster. Badge and fixed blade on neck chain. Nothing is clipped to the belt. You can tuck your shirt in. I have been known to be lazy and throw the whole kit into a big gun fanny pack if I am just going to the grocery store and don't feel like changing out of my comfortable cotton running shorts that I wear around the house.
I just want to compliment on your choice of knives. They are all well outside my budget, but I'm certainly glad an LEO has such good quality knives, even if it's your off-duty carry. That Microtech SOCOM looks like an amazing knife. Thanks for the video. I haven't read all the comments, but hopefully you disarmed most of the clowns that think their EDC reigns supreme and anyone else is wrong. I personally think you have a good and flexible EDC. Since your Sigs (or at least one) was used on active duty (you mentioned SWAT) does that mean its .40? A close friend of mine is an LEO for 25 years and off-duty he carries a back-up. What I have found is that people like me who spent some time in the military and also LEO folks tend to let their training or "job habits" migrate over to personal/home security. I personally believe that's a good thing, but I often find civilians who tend to criticize the redundancy. Anyway, good video, I was worried when it started out a little PC, but then I realized your intent and it made sense.
Thought I was prepared until I watched your video. Thanks for showing what I think is the best EDC that I've ever seen. As a chick, I carry a purse - and even then, I don't carry this much stuff! Time to rethink, I think. SMH....Mitch, you just cost me at least $300....;-) Cheers!
Since you are in Florida I would like your input on starting a good EDC system for Florida... I always have a good knife on me all the time on my person. I don't always carry a gun on my person. and depending on the style of jeans I wear daily I have either a small LED flashlight or pen light. Also regular keys and wallet with misc. What would you suggest for an on person carry?
This video is pretty much my recommendations. Right front pocket: Phone/wallet, pocket knife, lighter, worry stone/toy. Right back pocket: .380 pocket pistol. Left front pocket: Skinth organizer, backup keys, CPR mask/gloves, flashlight. Left rear pocket: handkerchief, magazine wallet. Behind belt buckle: Benchmade SOCP. Neck chain: fixed blade utility knife. SmartCarry holster with duty size .45 with rail light.
Hi Mitch, thanks for making this video it has given me some great ideas. I live in Vancouver Canada and earth quakes are always on our minds out here and now Fukishima. I ve gotten a decent BOB setup but have struggled with the cash question of what and how much to carry. I ve considered gold and silver but I worked with an old German guy who was a child dureing WW2. His grandfather had gold coins but my coworker said they were terrible trade items as no one would give his grandfather fair trade for a loaf of bread when his family was starving. They took the whole coin. I fear hundreds would be the same situation in a time of crisis. I m thinking a thousand in US twenties and a thousand in Canadian twenties. As well what do you think of silver coins in the $25 to $50 range in case cash becomes worthless and how much in a dollar amount ? Also how many potasium pills should be on hand for 3 people living here in your opinion. Yours is the first EDC video I ve seen where the person didn t just have a crumpled up $20. Respect from the North.
Thanks for the great reply from our northern brothers! I am starting to regret trying to condense this video in 16 min and not explain the why of everything but then it would have been over an hour. The cash trick I learned initially from my father. If there is a power outage or you are at dinner only to find that your credit card is blocked from ID theft, or a hurricane is coming and there is a run on the ATM's or they are empty or whatever, you want to have enough cash on your person for emergencies. If you end up in a disaster, or sudden war like your grandfather story and my own personal research on crisis, and are starving, a loaf of bread for a Mexican Dos Peso coin may be a good deal. Fair trade is gone in a crisis so you need a LOT more to get what you need than normal, $100 bills will become like $20 bills. Silver and $20 bills are not bad but you have to consider space and weight. I actually now carry 2K in hundreds as there would be price gouging in the first couple of weeks of a crisis anyway and $2K in twenties would be a huge roll of paper to carry daily on your person. The same with gold vs silver. You may have noticed my denominations were small, a couple of Mexican Dos Pesos, US 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 oz coins. It would take 5 big silver dollars to equal 1 little 1/20 oz Mexican Dos Peso coin. I will be carrying about 20 of those soon as well as some more 1/10 oz US coins. Think of how many silver coins you would have to carry every day to equal that value. Protocol for Potassium Iodide is one pill per person per day for 10 days max. Fortunately IoSat has about 7 year shelf life and only costs about $1 a pill now.
Mitch Snider Awesome answers Mitch, good info. I understand about the silver, 40 oz s or about $1000 is 40 coins and thats a bit of weight to lug around. Recently I ve had smaller stores refuse $50 s and $100 dollar bills for fear of forgeries. I do carry around a bunch of twenties and a few fifties stashed in a few spots to avoid the wad of bills. Funny the things we learn from our fathers that stick, mine insisted on the same thing. He learned it from his dad who lived through the great depression and lived in fear of debt/credit cards and being without cash on hand. Hell, I don t Know if my Grampa ever used a bank except to cash a pay cheque. I m good for Iodide pills, your info matches the other stuff I ve read. In the comeing years of increasingly powerfull storms, I feel these are just practical steps like never letting your gas tank getting bellow half a tank or having a well maintained vehicle ready to go if needed. A couple years ago they were saying draw the line at 1.5 degree temp increase in regards to global warming. Now the UN and big insurance companies are predicting a 4 to 6 degree increase without a 10 % carbon reduction per year. They don t even have models / predictions for the 6 degree increases. I look at it like this. If you can take care of yourself that free s up resources for the sick and the elderly who maybe can t in a time of crisis, and if you can help directly in your community all the better. That requires tools and supplies. That s what makes your video so good. These are your tools ( there are others I m sure ) but you include cash. The basic tool of trade and other forms of barter such as gold. As well as the means to keep them. An unfortunate reality. Take care sir.
Thank you sir! Not much has changed in what I carry even though I am retired now. The back pocket backup pistol I upgraded to 9mm with a Diamondback DB9N and I am a little less tactical nowl as I don't always carry the Benchmade dagger unless I am leaving my island. The neck chain badge holder is also gone as I no longer need to display that and so it the fixed blade knife on it but I will carry it for my hikes in the woods a couple of times a week.
That makes a lot of sense. I carry a M&P9 full size appendix carry in a G-Code Incog holster. I also carry a smith and wesson air weight in a galco ankle glove when I am on my way to work (I am a nurse, so a holster on my wait is out of the question due to the lack of a belt). I was just curious as to why you would choose a gun with a limited mag capacity. Does your years of training with guns like the one you are currently carrying also impact your choice! I like your setup, please do not think I am saying it's bad or that I disagree with it, I am just curious! Also, if you are trained on a .357, why would you not carry a .357? The .357 is a superior round to every other handgun round and you would only be sacrificing 2 rounds? Thanks for responding!
You have a nice set up there. The .357 is not as flat (concealable), only holds 6 rounds, 7 on the newer, versus 9 in the Sig with a round chambered, slower reloads, bulkier reloads (speed loaders), no light rail, and the number one reason is I hate heavy double action triggers. .357 magnum has good performance but an expanding hollow point +P .45 round will top it. I had a bad experience with an ankle holster and stay away from them. Murphy's Law was in effect the very first day I carried that Beretta 84 on duty was an ankle holster and of course I got in a foot pursuit. Fortunately the bad guy had stopped running after not too far and hid in some bushes as when I paused and listened in the dark I could no longer hear him running. Any longer and that thing would have crippled me and I had a limp for about 3 days.
This was/is an awesome video and I've seen dozens if not hundreds of edc this and that videos from the most prolific youtubers to the lil up starts and nobodies and out of all of those this one has to be in my top ten for sure. got a ton of new ideas. Although until i land a decent profession/career i dont think ill have that amount of "spare" cash to stow away like that but everything else is great. thanks so much!!!
Thanks for the comments Rick. It is things like this that make me want to share with others what I have learned. I don't really have 'spare' cash either but am brown bagging lunch today and tomorrow and the extra $20 I save each week by doing that goes into my emergency funds. In a year you will have that $1k. Don't look at it as 'spare' cash. Look at it as an item unto itself for use in a dire emergency only like a prep or some other emergency tool that you bought and keep it with that in mind, not something that you can actually spend. Don't borrow from it. I am putting that $20 each week now into small denominations envelopes to hand out to my kids for emergency spending for hurricane evacuations so that they will have $1k each now. It will take a couple of years though but not many of us have that amount just normally lying around all at once. My second job of playing Bagpipes for events helped make this fund build quicker too though as well as funding a lot of my other nicer gear purchases you see here. Cheers!
Wow, you sir are not only smart but very well disciplined and patient. I need to improve in the latter of those two areas... There always done new piece of hear or prep that I just have to have, and the money usually gets the short end of the stick. However I have a small collection of silver.
Sorry if I'm starting up an old argument, but I live in the UK, I live in a city where knife crime is higher than most places, gun crime is relatively low but it is high for a country where pretty much every firearm is illegal. The police don't carry guns but rely on specialist units responding. People say that the UK is safe enough to have an unarmed police force "we don't have a gun culture" these people are blind to facts. It is a fact that an armed police unit can take more than ten minutes to assist an unarmed officer. It is a fact that a baton and CS spray is not a good solution when a drugged up criminal is armed with a knife. It is a fact that there is a danger of armed crime and that the normal police officers do not have the capacity to effectively protect themselves or the public. And please don't believe the ridiculous argument that people would feel less safe if police were armed. When i see armed officers it is the one time i do feel truly safe as it is the one time i know that they are the ones who are in control, not criminals.
Ben Stapley Hey Ben thanks for your thoughts. I need to take them down in a couple of hours though as another set of posts here has already had this video start to devolve into a political discussion. I really just wanted to share gear ideas, not debate any particular country's laws. I very well understand your points though, having done the job of peace officer for 34 years. I could not imagine doing it unarmed with all of the threats that I have faced over that time. Watching those poor officers in France here recently with no options as they were murdered by gun wielding thugs just reinforced this. We follow a force escalation and where we will use physical pressure points and OC pepper spray or even a technique called lateral vascular neck restraint (an old Judo hold actually) before deadly force always where possible. I also carry a baton and have used this extensively over the years to win against those trying to harm me. But still, having the most effective self defense tool you can carry, a handgun, is always an option on my hip if I really needed it. Imagine if you could be the one effectively armed at all times. Then you could always have that same feeling of safety as when you are around an armed officer as a responsible citizen yourself. There is a funny cliche here you see on bumper stickers that this reminds me of: I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy to carry around all time. Cheers, Mitch
Benchmade SOCP dagger. I wear mine just behind my belt buckle in the center of my body to get to with either hand. Half the circle sticks above my buckle and keep it on an angle for comfort. I also sharpened the false edge. There are some good videos on the reasoning for this Greg Thompson designed weapon.
Mr snider, I'd like to know the name of the knife on your neck chain, and if you would use it as a defensive knife. Also, does your smart carry holster work well on your motorcycle? I ride a harley 883 sportster as an every day vehicle, since I gave my car to my fiance, and I've been struggling in finding a holster for my sig p220 that also has a TLR-4G attached. Thank you in advance
Mr. Villacana the knife is the DPx - H.E.S.T. Original (hostile environment survival tool). at this link: www.dpxgear.com/shop/knives/hest-original-html.html It has the kydex sheath. The newer generation HEST II comes with a reportedly junk nylon sheath. Any knife could be used defensively but that is not the main purpose I carry this one for. I carry it as a mini survival knife as it has a full tang and is thick for heavier duty bush craft use than a folding knife. It would be slow getting to it under your shirt but it still serves in a backup role of self defense like my folding knife clipped to my pocket. My main defensive blade (where I would be tackled or grappling and could not get to my firearm quickly enough before making physical contact) role is covered by the Benchmade SOCP dagger that is sharpened on both sides and rides just slightly above my belt buckle in the center of my body to get to with either hand. The only issues I ever had with the Smart Carry on the bike were with the shorter Colt Defender in .45 that I carried for a couple of years in a older and smaller white SmartCarry that I have. That could cause a 'pinch' when mounting up when you first sat down depending on how tight your jeans were when you first sit in the saddle if you were not careful. That has not been an issue at all with the larger P220. I do carry it slightly different than the training video on their site and keep it high with the grip just below the very top of my belt and pull the strap down very low in the back so it does not ride up and show. My shirt is pulled out over the strap on each side to about my hips at 3 and 9 o'clock. SmartCarry is one of the most comfortable with only 2 real negatives. First is you lose a little mobility in bending forward from the waist and the other is you really need to use a stall in a public restroom (should be doing that anyway as part of officer survival good habits). Not sure of the riding position on the Sportster as my Harley Softail may be more laid back but if you are hunched forward at all you would probably want to make small shifts of the grip on long rides to avoid it digging in on any one spot over a long time. Hope that helps. Cheers!
biggest edc kit ive ever seen. more power to ya, i couldnt carry that much gear everyday tho. but to each his own, youd be handy in a bad situation for sure.
I'm starting with a olight S1 baton and a glock 36/19 a buck vantage and a small leather zipper pouch. So. It's gona be awhile but I'll get there. You didn't acquire all this over night.
Gab Cooke Benchmade SOCP dagger. I easily sharpened the backside false edge to make it a true dagger. It stays behind my belt buckle with just the top half of the ring exposed above the buckle. You can see a good video on the reason for this Greg Thompson designed blade here: th-cam.com/video/3y-crXJ7DNA/w-d-xo.html
Only just stumbled across your channel, I was happy with my life and possessions until I started watching your video O.O :p Sitting here in the UK I can only look in envy at your gear. Stunning to be honest. Thanks for sharing, stay safe brother :D
Melting Sky: Everything I carry fits easily in the four pockets of my blue jeans or work pants and is therefore concealed and requires no “serious lengths”. The only things visible are my paracord bracelet and wristwatch. Please watch the video I posted from Col Cooper on situational awareness. As a law enforcement officer for over 33 years with a masters degree in criminal justice I believe I understand criminals pretty well. It is my job to hunt wannabe gangsters and situational awareness, or officer survival, is simply automatic good habits that minimize risks, such as always sitting facing the door in a restaurant, or always using the locking stall in a restroom instead of the urinal, or always parking down the street from an actual call for service and walking up scanning for potential ambush sites and arriving with surprise, and always scanning EVERY person around you briefly for looks/bulges/eye targeting/etc.. And since I wear level 3A body armor every day at work I am at least somewhat bulletproof. Always keep in mind that from a statistical standpoint one of the best ways to increase the chances of your and your loved ones getting shot and killed by a criminal is simply not to own or carry a firearm.
John Longo Anti- 2nd Amendment??? I am the most pro 2nd amendment person I know. I believe that everyone should always be packing and responsible for their own self defense and not depend on others (police). The 2nd Amendment is all you should need. No other laws, licenses, or restrictions should apply. Even convicted persons should have the right to self defense once they have paid their debt and are not in prison. End the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act and all others now. How on earth did you ever read anti- 2nd Amendment into anything I have ever written is beyond me.
Mitch Snider Didn't your last sentence say, "...one of the best ways to increase the chances of your and your loved ones getting shot and killed by a criminal is simply NOT to own or carry a firearm."?
John Longo It was written as a reply to Melting Sky, although google would not allow me a direct reply for some reason so it ended up as a separate post. If you read his point about the idea that you increase your chances of being shot by owning/carrying a gun, I simply reworded his sentence to say that you actually increase your odds of being shot and killed by a criminal if you DON'T own/carry a gun.
Thanks! Look up Bug Belly Bar knot on the TH-cam and that is the knot I tied. The jute twine I bought at the hardware store and melting down a few old giant candles to soak it in (use a cheap tin pot and then put the wick back in to use as a giant emergency candle). So now I also have tinder for camping for basically forever. The RoadID kept cutting through the twine every few months so I finally threaded a stainless aviation key ring cable through it to hold it on and sharpened one edge of the ID to use as an emergency cutting tool. I bought a bicycle tire inner tube to cut up for the 'Ranger Bands' and put a couple of fish hooks, water purification tabs, radiation sickness pill, sinkers, and that titanium pry bar in there to save my non existent fingernails for everything from lifting soda can tabs to scratching off lottery tickets and even light duty prying on items (never use my blades for that anymore). There is a small fire steel as the bracelet tie. Not much money in the bracelet but it took a pretty good investment in time to make it.
I have made some changes in the years since I have retired. Some were based on all the off road motorcycle crashes I had in the Florida sand, with it getting in everything. Some of it was streamlining as I am in a 'lower risk' category now that I am no longer in law enforcement and required to engage in every law violation, just the more critical immediate ones. SCUBA season just started up though (water warm enough finally) as well as some cross country Harley rides so I will probably do one late this fall.
That's a serious EDC setup you have there. Unfortunately it's about 80% not legal in the UK. Thanks for sharing though. Lots of scenarios covered. Atb. Alex.
The UK is pretty restrictive on what they allow their own citizens to carry to defend themselves. Although a handgun is the most efficient method for daily concealed carry, there are some legal alternatives such as a good old fashioned Irish blackthorn shillelagh (walking cane). You can reference some excellent stick fighting classes and Shaolin cane fighting demos right here on TH-cam. A while back I was looking for a new ceremonial knife for my bagpiping uniform and kept seeing 'safety' knives. When I looked it up they were dull edged completely unsharpened knives for UK bagpiper outfit carry. Then I realized that I had spent most of the week a few years before that with the Florida Police Pipes and Drums at the Dublin police headquarters and playing around town carrying a full piper kit of razor sharp dirk (sword) and several knives (all part of the uniform we wear). Fortunately no officer asked to see if the dirk was a 'safety' sword or not. I remember it felt very odd not carrying a handgun around that week. There was a definite mindset shift in going from never being worried about anything that might happen around me as I had a means to deal with it, to not having that same sense of security (although I did still have that razor sharp piper's Dirk… lol ).
Mitch Snider I know what you mean about having to employ a different mindset. Luckily, the majority of the UK is OK. I have regularly trained in martial arts all my life so know how to defend myself, only downside is, you have to stay in shape and practice. Owning a weapon just makes it easy. Saying all that however, I have rarely felt unsafe in London. Knowing the chances of coming across an armed person is small, ultimately, is reassuring. Cheers.
Sam I have spent my entire adult life picking up the pieces of crime victims in a very low statistic crime area as a law enforcement officer. Everyone of them felt like an idiot for not being able to prevent being a crime victim. I can't begin to tell you how many bad asses like you that got taken out by criminals, usually more than 2 criminals on a victim or armed criminals. I am sure that no one in history has ever been robbed, raped, killed, or the victim of terrorism or war where you live and you can gaurantee that no one in the UK ever will be a crime victim or get beheaded in the middle of a busy downtown street in the middle of the day ever? Or was it Tir na' Nog you meant?
I started watching EDC videos two months ago by dozens if different people, this is by far the most factual and practical video Ive seen. You should write a miniature EDC softcover pocket book. Genius, amazing.
I really liked this video, mainly because I retired from Laredo Sector border patrol, and I went back to being a regular Texas peace officer. My dad has always been a peace officer, so he made sure I kept my training with Texas while I was a fed, so I gained my state instructor commission way after, becoming a federal peace officer. I now get it from all my rookies, as a field training officer, that I'm "Old School ". I'm working on my PhD in constitutional law, but my masters are in public administration & CJ. It was nice seeing someone that probably went through almost exactly what I went through. I was never swat, or anything, only a canine handler with USBP. I mainly work by myself now, cause I'm a little embarrassed to be called "old school" . I got shot once in 93 & once in 2003, but I wasn't smart enough to keep my medical records, like the officer does. I'm a full time senior officer, instructor, & cj instructor at a university, but I've learned many things from your videos, which I can use daily, as well as pass onto my trainees & cj students. Thank you for the extraordinary video ,and for your service to this noble profession Sir.
Nicely done, very smooth presentation of your EDC. It's great to see what a season officer/deputy has as their everyday carry. You've given me a couple ideas that I have fallen short on. So thanks for sharing your comprehensive EDC. You got a lot covered! Be safe out there!👍
I am absolutely amazed at everything you carry, especially in the green bag. Some great ideas here.
Mitch Snider, God Bless you and thanks you for your service. I really enjoyed this video. Very informative and educational.
Bar none the best edc video I've seen. Can never be too prepared.
Would love a complete list of what's in the Skinth! Awesome video, much appreciated!
Beautiful kit Brother, you remind me of the TAC guys that helped my mother raise me, and we have the same taste in kit, and I learned something from your video, Thanks again, Blessings.
This is hands down the best EDC video that I have ever seen here and I have been watching these for years. I like 9mm over the .45 for EDC because of the amount of ammo you can carry and, with modern expanding ammunition, it is less of an issue than with ball ammo or I would agree with you on the .45. I like that you have no pouches or clips hanging on a belt and you can tuck your shirt in without ever 'printing' and that you only use 4 pockets so you don't need 'tacticool' pants to make it work. Skinth organizer in the pocket is a great idea like the Maxpedition Pocket organizers that I use. Kind of expensive, but wow, that is prepared for about anything! Thanks for sharing this one and maybe expand on how you did your backup keys please.
Thanks for the comments but what can I say, I'm a .45 guy and believe I don't need a lot more bullets if I am hitting them with that big 'ole .45 round ;) I like the Maxpedition micro as well but the Skinth had more room and still fits inside the pocket. I hate not having a shirt tucked in so this works great and zero printing issues.
Awesome video. I have an interview with my local PD next month, if everything goes as planned I'll definitely be using some of these tips when I start!
+PDXhypebeast Good luck! My on duty EDC builds a lot more on top of this though. It includes: Flex cuffs threaded through pants belt loops, Spyderco Police super thin backup knife tucked behind magazine case, Leatherman MUT in place of the big folder in the right pants pocket, notebook for front pocket and on and on. Not to even start to mention the items you will want to keep in your vehicle.
This is absolutely amazing. This is my goal in life. I want this EDC. Thank you for the inspiration.
Really well done and unusual items. The only thing missing I used to carry before I retired. A handcuff key. Love the knives some great ones.
Wow. What a great selection of gear. I do the same job here in australia. Some great stuff that I'll definitely adapt as best as I can.
Didnt know you were a cop Pete that's cool
That green back is defiantly the most interesting part of this edc, I wouldn't like to keep such a big bag in my pocket, but i could see myself putting together a similar cigarette case and keeping the rest of the contents in my edc backpack. I am not so tactical on my knife carry, but as a college student I'm pretty much stuck with a New York safe edc between school and work, which takes up 7 days a week. You have given me a lot to think about going forward though, especially radiation sickness tablets (who knew). I dig the opinel.
Excellent kit, sir. You really show your experience in LE preparedness. Thanks for sharing that knowledge. Take care...
Thank you for your great EDC breakdown, best I've seen so far and the most comprehensive EDC I've seen so far! You are definitely prepared!
Squared away. An EDC I can strive towards.
Thank you for your service.
Tell you what Mitch..thats the most capable and complete collection of EDC items I've ever seen...gave me some good idea's...thanks ...
Awesome video! Def going to be using a lot of the information on here and changing up my EDC. The only thing I would add is a CAT Tourniquet or some quick clot. Thanks for the video, very informative.
I've watched 100s of edc TH-cam videos and I love your video! I love the intro and how you talk about edc and efficiency of the day. I am an eagle scout and stand by the motto "Be Prepared"
Great video and lots of great edc options. Thanks for the great ideas and for sharing.
That is one hell of an EDC collection sir, I must admit I am envious!
Lot of great gear. Fantastic video. Thnx for your service.
Very nice EDC! My EDC is not so impressive, though being 22 years old I have time to build. Thank's for sharing!
Best edc I have seen so far thanks for sharing
That is a lot of gear! You are very well spoken...thanks for sharing!
Mitch, well done, well spoken, sir. Thank you for sharing your personal effects and wisdom. Also, thanks for the work you do. God bless you and as my pop would say, "front sight post, smooth trigger press!"
Sound, sensible advice from a professional! Thanks for your service, I subscribed!
Hey Mitch, great video. It's always interesting to see other guys edc. Thanks for the video.
Maybe the best EDC video I've seen. Thanks.
Wow!! Super helpful, love everything you carry it all makes total sense. Gonna end up getting some things you showed myself
Amazing EDC, best I have seen on youtube, Hands down!
This video is my inspiration. Inspiration for a better life
And I thought I carried a lot on my person... you got me beat by a mile. Gotta admit that I got more than a couple ideas from this -- excellent job Mitch. Thank you for sharing.
Holy smokes man you are prepared! I wish my department let me carry a backup weapon. I must say sir I am impressed!
Awesome EDC. Mine isn't much at all at the moment. Wallet, keys, smartphone, and a Tac Force knife with a window breaker and seatbelt cutter. I also have a MacGyver-style Swiss Army knife, as well as a 12 inch Rambo-style hunting knife, but I don't carry those (although I probably should carry the Swiss army knife because of all the tools it has). I have my license to carry, but I don't have a handgun yet. Just can't afford one right now, but I'm doing what I can to save up. Money is pretty tight for me at the moment. I have an expandable baton that I keep in the car as well. Neat little tool. Hopefully my EDC will change in the near future. Btw, thank you for your service in law enforcement! I'm currently in college and working to become a law enforcement officer myself. Stay safe!
Great EDC! Very good choices!
That bracelet is amazing. Good work
wow! i know this is just repeating everyone else... but this is an awesome video you made of your edc. i can tell a lot of thought went into this to make it simple and easy to carry. what i loved the most is everything is so accessible, so when you need it, it's right there ready to go! unfortunately for me, ive just started on getting my things together for my bug-out-bag and edc... and have it 90% finished -----but i've noticed the items are very hard to get to when i need it in a pinch. i always find that i'm digging around for things even though it's in containers. at the moment, i'm using a decent small duffle bag but really looking into getting a nice backpack with a lot of compartments. thank you for the video and i'm now subscribed to you! have a great holiday season and cheers!
yea accessibility is a real issue, just remembering what you have can be daunting if you aren't practiced at using your system or you have not thought it out well, something worthy of addressing and refining in a layered preparedness concept, again stressing that mind preparation and training are the true gold mines for our communities
You seem well-prepared for a variety of sanarios. Good video.
Great stuff. Might I recommend you carry a rescue tool, like the Benchmade SOCP rescue edition (instead of a knife, it has a window breaker and a strap cutter) or a Leatherman Z-Rex.
excellent video and very well though out carry, compliments on the gear and love the Sub .. would love to see it more ! I subbed !
That's why I love this community and these posts so much. Thanks Mitch Snider!!
If there was a perfect EDC I would say Mr. Snider has it. Great video
Awesome video sir. I have the same mentality. I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Best EDC I've seen to date
Highly inapplicable to those that aren't in law enforcement or live out in the boonies, though. Way too much crap to carry. I'm about to make my EDC video right now.
BlueonGoldZ The only item 'highly inapplicable' would be the badge which is added to an already existing neck chain knife. The only other items (the soft restraints) could still be used as cordage or a quick fastener. Had I used my daily on-duty carry it would have included my Colt M4, a Leatherman MUT instead of the CRK, a large can of pepper spray, expandable baton, Peerles hinged handcuffs, Surefire 6P light, double mag pouch and holster all on a Sam Browne belt. Also a plastic Fox 40 traffic whistle, extra latex gloves, Miranda rights card, 10 case business cards, etc. All on my person EDC. Then that would have been 'highly inapplicable' to those not in law enforcement but I insist that all the other items are useful and in no way 'crap' or too much. I look forward to your own video.
Nice video! Thanks for posting it on EDCF, good stuff here.
WOW!! Awesome set up!!!!
This is like doctorate level EDC. My EDC is kindergarten compared to this. I've got a small pushbutton light on my keychain (Photon X-light Micro LED) as well as bottle opener/prytool (Gerber Shard keychain tool), tweezers (Uncle Bill's Silver Gripper Tweezers Black Oxide) and 16gb Kingston flash drive. In my pocket I have a small knife (Gerber BG mini scout knife) and Zippo butane lighter (Blu2). I also carry a cellphone of course and wallet. I like many of the ideas here. It'll be a long while before I start carrying a firearm EDC. A small knife is all I need for now. In the future I'll maybe carry a larger folding knife and add or take away from my EDC. Thanks for the video.
You are better prepared for what life might throw at you than 99% of anyone else that I meet on the street so good job! Like I said, I started out simple with just a couple of knives but was exposed to the harsh realities of the world in the victims that I dealt with on a daily basis at work and what anyone can see just by watching the daily news. I know guys that even go so far as to wear body armor off-duty ( I have worn mine every single day for 33 years at work but not off duty, although I do keep a set of old armor with my go bag). Thanks for the comment and support!
Thank you Mitch , good video , gave me few ideas for my EDC
I, myself a law enforcement officer, I'm prepared. But I don't carry a load out for war. What ever makes you feel safe. But you should consider lightening your load.
+FFEMTB08 Life is hard. You usually learn the lesson AFTER you have failed the test. All law enforcement officers are different. For example at work (this is my off-duty EDC) I wore body armor every day for 35 years. Many officers did not. A few months ago we had a deputy shot in the chest so now finally the sheriff mandated that everyone had to join the 21st century in law enforcement and wear body armor. I did not carry all of this my first day on the job. I learned from my own and others success and failures and this is the culmination of 35 years of experience easily carried in four pants pockets. I make no claims that my choices are the best ones for everyone or that you have to make the same choices. I am just sharing to help others and maybe give some ideas that might help someone get through the day a little better. As you point out, carry what ever makes YOU feel safe and prepared. But you should consider not making judgements yourself on what those choices are for others based on their own life lessons and experience. Peace brother.
fantastic edc load out! much respect!
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing!
I thought I had a pretty good load out, but i have a building approach to my EDCs. I'm a LEO too but I have a basic pocket load out and then my truck has a pretty good kit in it, except for the bottle jack. I recently had a trailer tire blow out and had a helluva time getting that trailer high enough to put the spare on with the POS bottle jack. I also need to improve my motorcycle load out. I'd like to find a good canvas tool roll for my saddle bag. I did fill the tires with ride on which if your not familiar is a genius product.. It's basically fix a flat that's already inside your tire in the event its punctured it automatically seals.
My old Harley has a tool kit on the side that Harley makes an attachable bag for near the rear foot peg. We use that flat stuff during hurricanes but it ruins the balance on a tire. That stuff is great for a slow moving tractor tire though. I have changed out the battery on my Harley with just what is in my pockets before on the road though. If it is back in your truck it is never as helpful as being on you right now. Like the CPR mask, I have a great Laredal in my med kit in my truck as well as a bag valve mask and even oral pharyngeal airways and it is great when you are on a call where you know someone has gone down but it is that little one way valve pocket mask riding in my pocket that is on me that gets used the most because, well, it is on me. The tool bag on the bike holds mostly spare parts like a spark plug, headlight, brake light and turn signal bulbs, foot peg bolts with thread lock (everything on a Harley eventually vibrates off and I used that bolt as a shifter peg during a Daytona trip once. Carrying that one bolt saved me a tow). I realized early in my career that I was helping people change a lot of tires so I keep a light aluminum racing garage tongue lift jack and spinner wrench in my patrol car.
Thanks for being so polite and honest. I really enjoyed your video.
I must ask what do you carry all of our gear in? I seems to be a bit heavy for just a belt and pocket carry?
Star Lord My criteria restriction was that it had to fit into my four pants pockets as I am in uniform at work and extra pockets, like with some type of cargo pants, was not an option for it to be a true, on my person, EDC. Phone wallet, pocket folding knife, and flashlight in the right front pocket with the Zippo and "toy or luxury fiddle widget" in the small jeans right front coin pocket. Right back pocket is the backup gun. Left back pocket is the spare magazine wallet and bandanna with the rest in the Skinth holder in my left front pocket. The dagger is behind my belt buckle clipped to my pants and the gun (off duty) is in the SmartCarry holster. Badge and fixed blade on neck chain. Nothing is clipped to the belt. You can tuck your shirt in. I have been known to be lazy and throw the whole kit into a big gun fanny pack if I am just going to the grocery store and don't feel like changing out of my comfortable cotton running shorts that I wear around the house.
I just want to compliment on your choice of knives. They are all well outside my budget, but I'm certainly glad an LEO has such good quality knives, even if it's your off-duty carry. That Microtech SOCOM looks like an amazing knife.
Thanks for the video. I haven't read all the comments, but hopefully you disarmed most of the clowns that think their EDC reigns supreme and anyone else is wrong. I personally think you have a good and flexible EDC. Since your Sigs (or at least one) was used on active duty (you mentioned SWAT) does that mean its .40?
A close friend of mine is an LEO for 25 years and off-duty he carries a back-up. What I have found is that people like me who spent some time in the military and also LEO folks tend to let their training or "job habits" migrate over to personal/home security. I personally believe that's a good thing, but I often find civilians who tend to criticize the redundancy. Anyway, good video, I was worried when it started out a little PC, but then I realized your intent and it made sense.
Great setup! Cool skinth solutions set
I think this guy wins for best edc! awesome vid brother!
Good to know about NY, nice edc set up brother.
Thought I was prepared until I watched your video. Thanks for showing what I think is the best EDC that I've ever seen. As a chick, I carry a purse - and even then, I don't carry this much stuff! Time to rethink, I think. SMH....Mitch, you just cost me at least $300....;-) Cheers!
Love your profile pic that knight is freakin awesome
You're very polite, nice video, thanks for sharing!
Since you are in Florida I would like your input on starting a good EDC system for Florida... I always have a good knife on me all the time on my person. I don't always carry a gun on my person. and depending on the style of jeans I wear daily I have either a small LED flashlight or pen light. Also regular keys and wallet with misc. What would you suggest for an on person carry?
This video is pretty much my recommendations. Right front pocket: Phone/wallet, pocket knife, lighter, worry stone/toy. Right back pocket: .380 pocket pistol. Left front pocket: Skinth organizer, backup keys, CPR mask/gloves, flashlight. Left rear pocket: handkerchief, magazine wallet. Behind belt buckle: Benchmade SOCP. Neck chain: fixed blade utility knife. SmartCarry holster with duty size .45 with rail light.
Great video, nice gear.
Great Edc! love the blades got some style and dam your carry allot of knives!
vi muchos video sobre EDC, mas ese suyo esta buenisimo, que pulsera es esa que esta usando
Hi Mitch, thanks for making this video it has given me some great ideas. I live in Vancouver Canada and earth quakes are always on our minds out here and now Fukishima. I ve gotten a decent BOB setup but have struggled with the cash question of what and how much to carry. I ve considered gold and silver but I worked with an old German guy who was a child dureing WW2. His grandfather had gold coins but my coworker said they were terrible trade items as no one would give his grandfather fair trade for a loaf of bread when his family was starving. They took the whole coin. I fear hundreds would be the same situation in a time of crisis. I m thinking a thousand in US twenties and a thousand in Canadian twenties. As well what do you think of silver coins in the $25 to $50 range in case cash becomes worthless and how much in a dollar amount ? Also how many potasium pills should be on hand for 3 people living here in your opinion. Yours is the first EDC video I ve seen where the person didn t just have a crumpled up $20. Respect from the North.
Thanks for the great reply from our northern brothers! I am starting to regret trying to condense this video in 16 min and not explain the why of everything but then it would have been over an hour. The cash trick I learned initially from my father. If there is a power outage or you are at dinner only to find that your credit card is blocked from ID theft, or a hurricane is coming and there is a run on the ATM's or they are empty or whatever, you want to have enough cash on your person for emergencies. If you end up in a disaster, or sudden war like your grandfather story and my own personal research on crisis, and are starving, a loaf of bread for a Mexican Dos Peso coin may be a good deal. Fair trade is gone in a crisis so you need a LOT more to get what you need than normal, $100 bills will become like $20 bills. Silver and $20 bills are not bad but you have to consider space and weight. I actually now carry 2K in hundreds as there would be price gouging in the first couple of weeks of a crisis anyway and $2K in twenties would be a huge roll of paper to carry daily on your person. The same with gold vs silver. You may have noticed my denominations were small, a couple of Mexican Dos Pesos, US 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 oz coins. It would take 5 big silver dollars to equal 1 little 1/20 oz Mexican Dos Peso coin. I will be carrying about 20 of those soon as well as some more 1/10 oz US coins. Think of how many silver coins you would have to carry every day to equal that value. Protocol for Potassium Iodide is one pill per person per day for 10 days max. Fortunately IoSat has about 7 year shelf life and only costs about $1 a pill now.
Mitch Snider
Awesome answers Mitch, good info. I understand about the silver, 40 oz s or about $1000 is 40 coins and thats a bit of weight to lug around. Recently I ve had smaller stores refuse $50 s and $100 dollar bills for fear of forgeries. I do carry around a bunch of twenties and a few fifties stashed in a few spots to avoid the wad of bills. Funny the things we learn from our fathers that stick, mine insisted on the same thing. He learned it from his dad who lived through the great depression and lived in fear of debt/credit cards and being without cash on hand. Hell, I don t Know if my Grampa ever used a bank except to cash a pay cheque. I m good for Iodide pills, your info matches the other stuff I ve read. In the comeing years of increasingly powerfull storms, I feel these are just practical steps like never letting your gas tank getting bellow half a tank or having a well maintained vehicle ready to go if needed. A couple years ago they were saying draw the line at 1.5 degree temp increase in regards to global warming. Now the UN and big insurance companies are predicting a 4 to 6 degree increase without a 10 % carbon reduction per year. They don t even have models / predictions for the 6 degree increases. I look at it like this. If you can take care of yourself that free s up resources for the sick and the elderly who maybe can t in a time of crisis, and if you can help directly in your community all the better. That requires tools and supplies. That s what makes your video so good. These are your tools ( there are others I m sure ) but you include cash. The basic tool of trade and other forms of barter such as gold. As well as the means to keep them. An unfortunate reality. Take care sir.
Awesome video and thanks for sharing it.
Thank you sir! Not much has changed in what I carry even though I am retired now. The back pocket backup pistol I upgraded to 9mm with a Diamondback DB9N and I am a little less tactical nowl as I don't always carry the Benchmade dagger unless I am leaving my island. The neck chain badge holder is also gone as I no longer need to display that and so it the fixed blade knife on it but I will carry it for my hikes in the woods a couple of times a week.
edc perfect, shame that here in Brazil we can not carry these devices, because the police would think we are thugs! congratulations for your EDC!
Fantastic video. Keep em coming
Great video learned a lot, thank you
wow! that is ALOT of stuff to carry around. thanks for sharing
thank you for the great vid, I enjoyed watching
That makes a lot of sense. I carry a M&P9 full size appendix carry in a G-Code Incog holster. I also carry a smith and wesson air weight in a galco ankle glove when I am on my way to work (I am a nurse, so a holster on my wait is out of the question due to the lack of a belt). I was just curious as to why you would choose a gun with a limited mag capacity. Does your years of training with guns like the one you are currently carrying also impact your choice! I like your setup, please do not think I am saying it's bad or that I disagree with it, I am just curious! Also, if you are trained on a .357, why would you not carry a .357? The .357 is a superior round to every other handgun round and you would only be sacrificing 2 rounds? Thanks for responding!
You have a nice set up there. The .357 is not as flat (concealable), only holds 6 rounds, 7 on the newer, versus 9 in the Sig with a round chambered, slower reloads, bulkier reloads (speed loaders), no light rail, and the number one reason is I hate heavy double action triggers. .357 magnum has good performance but an expanding hollow point +P .45 round will top it. I had a bad experience with an ankle holster and stay away from them. Murphy's Law was in effect the very first day I carried that Beretta 84 on duty was an ankle holster and of course I got in a foot pursuit. Fortunately the bad guy had stopped running after not too far and hid in some bushes as when I paused and listened in the dark I could no longer hear him running. Any longer and that thing would have crippled me and I had a limp for about 3 days.
This was/is an awesome video and I've seen dozens if not hundreds of edc this and that videos from the most prolific youtubers to the lil up starts and nobodies and out of all of those this one has to be in my top ten for sure. got a ton of new ideas. Although until i land a decent profession/career i dont think ill have that amount of "spare" cash to stow away like that but everything else is great. thanks so much!!!
Thanks for the comments Rick. It is things like this that make me want to share with others what I have learned. I don't really have 'spare' cash either but am brown bagging lunch today and tomorrow and the extra $20 I save each week by doing that goes into my emergency funds. In a year you will have that $1k. Don't look at it as 'spare' cash. Look at it as an item unto itself for use in a dire emergency only like a prep or some other emergency tool that you bought and keep it with that in mind, not something that you can actually spend. Don't borrow from it. I am putting that $20 each week now into small denominations envelopes to hand out to my kids for emergency spending for hurricane evacuations so that they will have $1k each now. It will take a couple of years though but not many of us have that amount just normally lying around all at once. My second job of playing Bagpipes for events helped make this fund build quicker too though as well as funding a lot of my other nicer gear purchases you see here. Cheers!
Wow, you sir are not only smart but very well disciplined and patient. I need to improve in the latter of those two areas... There always done new piece of hear or prep that I just have to have, and the money usually gets the short end of the stick. However I have a small collection of silver.
Sorry if I'm starting up an old argument, but I live in the UK, I live in a city where knife crime is higher than most places, gun crime is relatively low but it is high for a country where pretty much every firearm is illegal. The police don't carry guns but rely on specialist units responding. People say that the UK is safe enough to have an unarmed police force "we don't have a gun culture" these people are blind to facts. It is a fact that an armed police unit can take more than ten minutes to assist an unarmed officer. It is a fact that a baton and CS spray is not a good solution when a drugged up criminal is armed with a knife. It is a fact that there is a danger of armed crime and that the normal police officers do not have the capacity to effectively protect themselves or the public. And please don't believe the ridiculous argument that people would feel less safe if police were armed. When i see armed officers it is the one time i do feel truly safe as it is the one time i know that they are the ones who are in control, not criminals.
Ben Stapley Hey Ben thanks for your thoughts. I need to take them down in a couple of hours though as another set of posts here has already had this video start to devolve into a political discussion. I really just wanted to share gear ideas, not debate any particular country's laws. I very well understand your points though, having done the job of peace officer for 34 years. I could not imagine doing it unarmed with all of the threats that I have faced over that time. Watching those poor officers in France here recently with no options as they were murdered by gun wielding thugs just reinforced this. We follow a force escalation and where we will use physical pressure points and OC pepper spray or even a technique called lateral vascular neck restraint (an old Judo hold actually) before deadly force always where possible. I also carry a baton and have used this extensively over the years to win against those trying to harm me. But still, having the most effective self defense tool you can carry, a handgun, is always an option on my hip if I really needed it. Imagine if you could be the one effectively armed at all times. Then you could always have that same feeling of safety as when you are around an armed officer as a responsible citizen yourself. There is a funny cliche here you see on bumper stickers that this reminds me of: I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy to carry around all time. Cheers, Mitch
i really enjoyed this video
Over 2 grand in cash is ballin
Awesome EDC!
AMAZING VIDEO. I wish i had any ONE of those guns.
The Smart Carry offers proper trigger protection? I feel uncomfortable carrying a pistol in soft holsters...
Mitch, I was wondering what that benchmade was. I l tried listening to what you called it and cant understand. Nice EDC by the way.
Benchmade SOCP dagger. I wear mine just behind my belt buckle in the center of my body to get to with either hand. Half the circle sticks above my buckle and keep it on an angle for comfort. I also sharpened the false edge. There are some good videos on the reasoning for this Greg Thompson designed weapon.
Thank you Mitch, I'll look into those videos
Mr snider, I'd like to know the name of the knife on your neck chain, and if you would use it as a defensive knife. Also, does your smart carry holster work well on your motorcycle? I ride a harley 883 sportster as an every day vehicle, since I gave my car to my fiance, and I've been struggling in finding a holster for my sig p220 that also has a TLR-4G attached. Thank you in advance
Mr. Villacana the knife is the DPx - H.E.S.T. Original (hostile environment survival tool). at this link: www.dpxgear.com/shop/knives/hest-original-html.html It has the kydex sheath.
The newer generation HEST II comes with a reportedly junk nylon sheath. Any knife could be used defensively but that is not the main purpose I carry this one for. I carry it as a mini survival knife as it has a full tang and is thick for heavier duty bush craft use than a folding knife. It would be slow getting to it under your shirt but it still serves in a backup role of self defense like my folding knife clipped to my pocket. My main defensive blade (where I would be tackled or grappling and could not get to my firearm quickly enough before making physical contact) role is covered by the Benchmade SOCP dagger that is sharpened on both sides and rides just slightly above my belt buckle in the center of my body to get to with either hand.
The only issues I ever had with the Smart Carry on the bike were with the shorter Colt Defender in .45 that I carried for a couple of years in a older and smaller white SmartCarry that I have. That could cause a 'pinch' when mounting up when you first sat down depending on how tight your jeans were when you first sit in the saddle if you were not careful. That has not been an issue at all with the larger P220. I do carry it slightly different than the training video on their site and keep it high with the grip just below the very top of my belt and pull the strap down very low in the back so it does not ride up and show. My shirt is pulled out over the strap on each side to about my hips at 3 and 9 o'clock. SmartCarry is one of the most comfortable with only 2 real negatives. First is you lose a little mobility in bending forward from the waist and the other is you really need to use a stall in a public restroom (should be doing that anyway as part of officer survival good habits). Not sure of the riding position on the Sportster as my Harley Softail may be more laid back but if you are hunched forward at all you would probably want to make small shifts of the grip on long rides to avoid it digging in on any one spot over a long time. Hope that helps.
Cheers!
biggest edc kit ive ever seen. more power to ya, i couldnt carry that much gear everyday tho. but to each his own, youd be handy in a bad situation for sure.
A lot of people carry sling bags or fanny packs but I limit it to four pockets.
Very well put, thanks for sharing with all of us. New sub here.
Very well said. Thank you for the video
Nice man when do you have time to gather this together
+Mark Thomas Took 40 years lol! That Buck folder and Swiss Army Knife I got at 17.
Great points .....nice EDC.
perfect edc, sorry that we can not carry here in these devices, because the police would think we are thugs! congratulations for your EDC!
I'm starting with a olight S1 baton and a glock 36/19 a buck vantage and a small leather zipper pouch. So. It's gona be awhile but I'll get there. You didn't acquire all this over night.
hey brother can you tell me that black knife at 8:15 what make and model that is?
Gab Cooke Benchmade SOCP dagger. I easily sharpened the backside false edge to make it a true dagger. It stays behind my belt buckle with just the top half of the ring exposed above the buckle. You can see a good video on the reason for this Greg Thompson designed blade here: th-cam.com/video/3y-crXJ7DNA/w-d-xo.html
Best kit I've seen
Only just stumbled across your channel, I was happy with my life and possessions until I started watching your video O.O :p Sitting here in the UK I can only look in envy at your gear. Stunning to be honest.
Thanks for sharing, stay safe brother :D
Your a poet man good vid
Really good thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
Ike
great kit! what part of Florida are you from? I'm FD from the Tampa Bay area. Also run EveryDayCarry365
I live on one of the islands in the Florida Keys. My son is Key West FD though (he went over to the 'dark side').
Haha.. That's Awesome, we all have the same mission but different roles in public safety. 👍I like your gear Vids bro keep it up.
Very cool vid but you must have some seriously big pockets! Thanks for sharing.
Melting Sky: Everything I carry fits easily in the four pockets of my blue jeans or work pants and is therefore concealed and requires no “serious lengths”. The only things visible are my paracord bracelet and wristwatch. Please watch the video I posted from Col Cooper on situational awareness. As a law enforcement officer for over 33 years with a masters degree in criminal justice I believe I understand criminals pretty well. It is my job to hunt wannabe gangsters and situational awareness, or officer survival, is simply automatic good habits that minimize risks, such as always sitting facing the door in a restaurant, or always using the locking stall in a restroom instead of the urinal, or always parking down the street from an actual call for service and walking up scanning for potential ambush sites and arriving with surprise, and always scanning EVERY person around you briefly for looks/bulges/eye targeting/etc.. And since I wear level 3A body armor every day at work I am at least somewhat bulletproof. Always keep in mind that from a statistical standpoint one of the best ways to increase the chances of your and your loved ones getting shot and killed by a criminal is simply not to own or carry a firearm.
John Longo Anti- 2nd Amendment??? I am the most pro 2nd amendment person I know. I believe that everyone should always be packing and responsible for their own self defense and not depend on others (police). The 2nd Amendment is all you should need. No other laws, licenses, or restrictions should apply. Even convicted persons should have the right to self defense once they have paid their debt and are not in prison. End the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act and all others now. How on earth did you ever read anti- 2nd Amendment into anything I have ever written is beyond me.
Mitch Snider Didn't your last sentence say, "...one of the best ways to increase the chances of your and your loved ones getting shot and killed by a criminal is simply NOT to own or carry a firearm."?
Mitch Snider OK Mitch, my mistake, it can be read TWO ways, though.
John Longo It was written as a reply to Melting Sky, although google would not allow me a direct reply for some reason so it ended up as a separate post. If you read his point about the idea that you increase your chances of being shot by owning/carrying a gun, I simply reworded his sentence to say that you actually increase your odds of being shot and killed by a criminal if you DON'T own/carry a gun.
Mitch Snider Got it! Great video.
That bracelet is pretty awesome!
Thanks! Look up Bug Belly Bar knot on the TH-cam and that is the knot I tied. The jute twine I bought at the hardware store and melting down a few old giant candles to soak it in (use a cheap tin pot and then put the wick back in to use as a giant emergency candle). So now I also have tinder for camping for basically forever. The RoadID kept cutting through the twine every few months so I finally threaded a stainless aviation key ring cable through it to hold it on and sharpened one edge of the ID to use as an emergency cutting tool. I bought a bicycle tire inner tube to cut up for the 'Ranger Bands' and put a couple of fish hooks, water purification tabs, radiation sickness pill, sinkers, and that titanium pry bar in there to save my non existent fingernails for everything from lifting soda can tabs to scratching off lottery tickets and even light duty prying on items (never use my blades for that anymore). There is a small fire steel as the bracelet tie. Not much money in the bracelet but it took a pretty good investment in time to make it.
Has the EDC changed at all? Ever consider doing a 2020 edc video?
I have made some changes in the years since I have retired. Some were based on all the off road motorcycle crashes I had in the Florida sand, with it getting in everything. Some of it was streamlining as I am in a 'lower risk' category now that I am no longer in law enforcement and required to engage in every law violation, just the more critical immediate ones. SCUBA season just started up though (water warm enough finally) as well as some cross country Harley rides so I will probably do one late this fall.
That's a serious EDC setup you have there. Unfortunately it's about 80% not legal in the UK. Thanks for sharing though. Lots of scenarios covered. Atb. Alex.
The UK is pretty restrictive on what they allow their own citizens to carry to defend themselves. Although a handgun is the most efficient method for daily concealed carry, there are some legal alternatives such as a good old fashioned Irish blackthorn shillelagh (walking cane). You can reference some excellent stick fighting classes and Shaolin cane fighting demos right here on TH-cam. A while back I was looking for a new ceremonial knife for my bagpiping uniform and kept seeing 'safety' knives. When I looked it up they were dull edged completely unsharpened knives for UK bagpiper outfit carry. Then I realized that I had spent most of the week a few years before that with the Florida Police Pipes and Drums at the Dublin police headquarters and playing around town carrying a full piper kit of razor sharp dirk (sword) and several knives (all part of the uniform we wear). Fortunately no officer asked to see if the dirk was a 'safety' sword or not. I remember it felt very odd not carrying a handgun around that week. There was a definite mindset shift in going from never being worried about anything that might happen around me as I had a means to deal with it, to not having that same sense of security (although I did still have that razor sharp piper's Dirk… lol ).
Mitch Snider I know what you mean about having to employ a different mindset. Luckily, the majority of the UK is OK. I have regularly trained in martial arts all my life so know how to defend myself, only downside is, you have to stay in shape and practice. Owning a weapon just makes it easy. Saying all that however, I have rarely felt unsafe in London. Knowing the chances of coming across an armed person is small, ultimately, is reassuring. Cheers.
Mitch Snider restrictive? No. The UK just isn't full of paranoid idiots who think they live in kobane.
Sam I have spent my entire adult life picking up the pieces of crime victims in a very low statistic crime area as a law enforcement officer. Everyone of them felt like an idiot for not being able to prevent being a crime victim. I can't begin to tell you how many bad asses like you that got taken out by criminals, usually more than 2 criminals on a victim or armed criminals. I am sure that no one in history has ever been robbed, raped, killed, or the victim of terrorism or war where you live and you can gaurantee that no one in the UK ever will be a crime victim or get beheaded in the middle of a busy downtown street in the middle of the day ever? Or was it Tir na' Nog you meant?
Mitch Snider
Sorry, was that reply for me or Sam Lemke?