You Asked For it

I am often asked what I carry and where I carry it. I have received a lot of those types of questions lately, so here is the quintessential post on EDC.

This is my 80% of the time daily carry setup.

I wear my M&P full size 9mm on my left hip in my custom made leather holster by Michael Hast.

If I wear a back up gun it is my S&W Shield in my custom made White Dog Holster. I wear it on my right hip.

Some people have questioned why I don’t carry my BUG on the same side as my primary gun. The reason is that I am tall and thin and I do not have much room to pack a lot of equipment and it is much easier for me to conceal another gun if it is on my right side. I am equally skilled shooter with my right as my left hand and I am afforded many opportunities to practice, so I feel very comfortable carrying a BUG on my non-dominate side.

I don’t carry a BUG everyday or even most days, but when I do, it is on the right side.

I also carry a TDI knife on my left side appendix. I used to carry it on the right side, but with the BUG, my other knife, and flashlight all on that side I was beginning to walk a little lopsided. Plus, in practice I am better at stabbing with my left hand. Do not ask me why the ambidextrous skill I seem to have with my gun has not translated to the edge weapon.

So, as I just stated I carry a second knife (sometimes a third:). I carry a Benchmade Griptillian in my right front pocket along with a Fenix flashlight.

I also have some pepper spray on my key chain and a small multi-tool that was a gift fro a dear friend.

You don’t want to know what I carry in my backpack. There might be another knife and a larger multi-tool, a Gerber that my husband carried in Iraq. He gave it t me and I use it all the time. I honestly do not know how I lived without one. Also I have a crap load of first aid supplies. Most all of the stuff in my backpack I have always carried even before I was mugged. I have always had a pretty comprehensive first aid kit. I did add a few other things because I spend a fair amount of time on a range and so an Israeli bandage really isn’t all that odd to have.

The biggest change isn’t what I carry, but how I carry it. I carry a backpack now instead of a purse. I used to put my purse in the cart when I went shopping, but I no longer do that. Even though I carry my money and ID on body now, I still do not like to have my purse laying around. With a purse and shopping I found that the purse would slide off my shoulder when I reached down to pick up something from a bottom shelf and it annoyed me. Also, if I carried my purse on the left side it wasn’t comfy because of my gun and on my right it made me nutty because I wasn’t used to having it on that side and I was forever adjusting it, so I switched.

I always have my cell phone and my lawyers number (in my phone, but also on a piece of paper tucked into my wallet that is carried on my body).

I included a pic of our family heading out for a shopping trip to Target.

Pretty normal right:)

***OK, that really isn’t our family and that really isn’t our town. It is an article about of friend of TSM’s. Thank you to the men and women who are currently serving our country and fighting the good fight.

29 thoughts on “You Asked For it

  1. Good set up. I have gotten to where I do normally carry a BUG. I carry my primary- Kahr PM9 on my right side appendix carry. Either low or high in the torso depending I. The day. The BUG a Kahr p380- under left shoulder in the Marilyn holster.
    Also have my spider-co on the left, and I was carrying a neck knife the hubby made me – but he has to modify the handle a bit.
    In my bag I have a 15 piece get me home bag, first aid/female stuff, a mock wallet, day planner and notebook, multi tool and a few other knives tossed in. When I’m out in town, the real wallet is in my pocket as is my phone.
    Kid stuff also gets tossed in the bag as well.

    • I carry the knife your hubby made me in my bag. I didn’t bring it up because when I mention something people tend to buy it and I know he isn’t making any knives right now:)

  2. Dude, I so wanna go to Target with you and the fam!! Bet we’d get more than 5% off with the Red Card! 🙂

  3. If my wife ever complains again about everything I have in my pockets I’m making her read this post.

    • CI. If concealed, nobody should know, right? I was asked the other day if I was armed. I replied, “I don’t have a single weapon on me”. He looked a little disappointed. I didn’t lie either. (G19, KelTek .380, 2 blades) Not a single weapon.
      DRJ

      • Me too. People generally have no clue if or what I am carrying in my real life.

        I rarely answer the question “Are you carrying now?” I’ve been asked a few times, but it really isn’t appropriate for the casual person to ask. If you know me well ask away:)

    • And you know I’m totally being a smartass, right?

      Remind me to hide behind you if the SHTF. I’m super impressed that you’re ambidextrious with your guns. I have to work really hard to almost be compentent with my weak hand. I got a ton of grief for shooting a match completely weak-handed – the gamers couldn’t wrap their minds around why I would want to do something so “silly”.

      • Diva, I know it is just semantics, but please call it your “support hand”. “Weak” sounds sooo.. weak. If you can shoot with it, it is not weak. Just say’n 🙂
        DRJ

        • Totally know your joking!

          My handedness is odd. I eat and write left handed(and shoot) left handed, but do everything else right. Open a combination lock, golf, use a screw driver…

          I can shoot my pistol with my right hand, but I feel most comfortable when it is in my left. Oddly shooting a rifle generally feels better in my right.

          I am a bit of an odd duck:)

        • DesertRatJak, I wrote it the way I meant it – weak, as in, not strong. Once I become competent, my left hand might get a promotion to being called a support hand, but right now, it’s as weak as it sounds 🙂

          • OK Diva, I made my point and with this response and the response to Steve you firmly put me in my place. ( its OK, I kinda like it here) . No offense was meant.

      • Several years ago in an IDPA match I attended one of the stages was set up to shoot with the “weak” hand only. I (who usually finish near the bottom of the rankings) outshot some of the top shooters, simply because they apparently never practice weak-hand shooting.

        • It’s astounding how many shooters don’t practice with their non-dominant hand (is that better, DRJ?). I just shake my head. Yes, I came in dead last at the match I shot with my non-dominant hand, but I completed all of the stages and gained confidence that I could shoot defensively with that hand if it was necessary.

          • DRJ, no offense was taken on my side. I giggled, because I’m very picky about things like that 🙂 Maybe I’ll have a coming out party when my left hand gets that promotion.

  4. A Girl,

    I’ve seen several of your pictures, you are very tall and beautifully slim. I can understand how these items can weighing you down. It can’t be too comfortable?

    Have you seen the naturally concealed holster? A friend, Patrice Lewis from Rural Revolution Blog, has a friend who makes them. The holster looks comfortable.

    http://www.naturallyconcealed.com/index.html

  5. Just got back from the range, and had to share this. WARNING: IT IS $$ GRAPHIC! All husbands must stop reading now.

    Ok, they’re gone.

    Today, when I went to get my range bag out of the car to get loaded, I discovered a huge tear in it. I mean, like, “Oh my gosh, this is terrible! I must have a new range bag!” Sure, the tear was on the outside of the bag and does not affect it’s ability to hold all my stuff…but a tear can’t be tolerated. I mean, I make sure to wear make-up and earrings when I go to the range. It’s part of my “I gotta represent my girls” attitude. I am not a man, I don’t want to be mistaken as one. I want the guys to know that females can look and SHOOT good!

    So, anyway, back to the bag…..I now have the perfect op to buy a new range bag. But…I just bought a new holster and mag holder this week…my cheap mind says enough $ on fun. So, I went to my “old purses” collection. Woo hoo! My new range bag is a Vera Bradley Squared Away in Call Me Coral! Plenty of pockets for extra magazines, even the darn speed loader (which I need to practice with..and found today it’s a good idea to actually HAVE THE SPEEDLOADER WITH YOU AT THE RANGE! (hubby had put it in the bullet box…which sat on the kitchen table) and a little zipper pocket for my “ears”. I don’t wear earphones, I wear little plugs. Less fuss.

    So, how do you think Vera Bradley will feel about her stuff being used as gun storage? Will I be able to resist the urge to do some online shopping? Am I sick of seeing gun stuff in either pink or black (heck to the yeah!) Do I need to remind you ladies (remember, the men are not being allowed to read this) that before being armed, WE ARE WOMEN? Didn’t think so!

    A Girl, thanks for allowing me to post here. You’re the first blogger I found when I found guns, you took me in, you gave/give great advice, you listened to my story, so it’s all your fault! 🙂 (Now, which Vera Bradley backpack do you think would be the right choice? The only knife I carry is my Swiss Army, which is good for anything from fixing toys to fixing nails to being the perfect accessory for a job interview, but is a total wash for stabbing the bad guy)

    • Lol, I love it!!! I don’t know no Vera Bradley feels, but I think you are the most stylish range gal I have ever k own:)

      I accept full credit for corrupting you…lol

      So glad you have stuck around!

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