Guns, Ammo, and Gun Gear

[Seahunter]

This will most likely be one of the most popular threads, as if you are an EDC'er, you're probably into guns is some form or fashion. Here is the place to discuss what you've got, what you want, what you don't want, etc. Ammunition has also been a topic with gun discussions here before too, so that as well as gear are fair game here.

Springfield 1911 "Loaded"

 

[Seahunter]

That is a good question. We women have purses. Mine happens to be the gigantic kind that my kids have nicknamed "The Life Support Bag". Where DO you guys stash all that stuff?

Here is an interesting list of EDC bags. I have many different bags and use whichever one fits the situation the best. I really like the number 7 - Maxpedition Pocket Organizers here. They are a great way to compartmentalize smaller gear so it doesn't all just get tossed in a larger bag or compartment. They come in several sizes and configurations. I also like number 10 on the list here. This type of bag would likely get worn rather than carried. As mentioned previously, you have to be extremely cautious of off-body carry of your gun, because if that bag or whatever the container is, is not on your person 100% of the time, it risks not only being stolen, but should you need your weapon, it may not be anywhere near you when you need it most.

What are your thoughts on the following gear?

The 10 Best EDC Bags for Everyday Carry

June 11, 2017 Jeanie EDC 2

Each year, the manufacturers who listen to their customers learn a little more about how their products are being used and what can be done to improve them. Then technology keeps advancing so the quality of materials and the designs improve year on year.

From backpacks to sling bags, messenger, laptop bags, pocket organizers and even a designer bag there is something to suit everyone’s taste and pocket and most importantly a bag that will fit all the EDC items. We have rounded up a select few popular EDC bags you should consider.

1. Backpack: TACTICAL RUSH 12

The Rush 12 is incredibly popular. It comes in 4 colors to suit different tastes and uses – Black, Multicam Sandstone and Double Tap. The design of this bag is great for someone who has to carry a reasonable amount of gear and equipment on their daily commute. The main compartment is 18″ x 11″ x 6.5″ and it has a 21.2 liter capacity (1296 cubic inch)

For people who like to be organized instead of rummaging around in a pack that has only two or so compartment this bag has 16 compartments including a fleece-lined sunglasses pocket. Winner! Then the zipper pocket inside the outside storage area fits an iPad mini snugly – so no extra case needed for that or a tablet of similar size either. In the main compartment you can fit a laptop and accessories.

For concealed carry the interior provides snug fitting compartments to store your weapons. The internal admin panel means all your small accessories that usually get lost within backpacks are ready to hand. There is a built in hydration pocket but the wrap-around MOLLE/SlickStick web platform allows you to add other add-ons or an extra hydration system if you need.

The users range from scholars and hunters to airline passengers, and it’s even been used as a tactical assault pack – so it’s pretty versatile. Some people have managed to stuff all their clothes and toiletries in here for a long weekend away.

The fact that it’s made from water-resistant 1050D nylon means your stuff isn’t going to get wet in a rain shower. The fabric is sturdy and the stitching strong. The zippers are YKK self-repairing and the pull-tabs for opening are glove-friendly. Zippers are what set aside top quality gear from cheaper products.

The straps are fairly broad with a contoured yoke shoulder strap making it very comfortable for carrying securely for long periods of time.

Basically it’s a versatile bag, which means you don’t have to keep swapping bags. This bag will take you from college or work to a weekend away without any trouble – and it will last and last. That’s a true everyday carry bag for you!

2. Maxpedition Advance Gear Research Lithvore 17L Everyday Back Pack

Quality and price go hand in hand –so near the top end of the range is this backpack from Maxpedition made from 500D Hex Ripstop and with a laser cut ATLAS attachment lattice system.

The zippers are YKK® with Positive Grip Pulls, it has expandable bottle holders and Shapeshift™ Webbing. The buckles are quality Duraflex® Xlite® Buckles and the bag comes with a logo embossed 420D Nylon Liner. Teflon® fabric protector is used to increase grime resistance and for easy maintenance.

The main compartment has an easy slip in pouch for a laptop while the front opening pouch comes with a handy organizer system for all those little things you need on a daily basis like USB stick, charger cords, headphones, a pen and a whole lot more. Both the front pouch and the main compartment have clamshell opening so you can see what you have at a glance with mesh pockets to keep everything in place. The ergonomic shoulder straps provide maximum comfort on this quality bag.

3. 3V Gear Outlaw Sling Pack Over the Shoulder Day Bag

This bag comes in black, coyote tan and olive drab – probably black is the best for EDC in the city. This bag is made from heavy-duty 600D PVC nylon with reinforced top and side handles.

Besides the shoulder strap designed for the left shoulder for better weapon shouldering, the main compartment comes with place for concealed carry weapon (CCW) and accessories. The bag can also be worn slung to the front and can be comfortably accessed while seated. The day bag is MOLLE and PALs compatible with an air mesh strap and hydration sleeve.

The zipper pulls also have built in theft deterrent devices and there are enough compartments to fit all your EDC gear neatly. The price is the draw-card as it’s not as expensive as the Maxpedition brand – but bear in mind that the more you pay for an item the longer it is likely to last!

 

[Seahunter]

4. Laptop bag – Direct Action Messenger Tactical Bag

This is a tough fairly compact bag at 5.1 x 13.8 x 10.2 inches, which doesn’t shout “tactical” making it ideal to carry to the office or to the workplace. It was however designed for advanced military and law enforcement operators.

This durable bag, made from water resistant coated 100% Cordura 500D fabric that comes in various color options. The coyote brown is a practical EDC color but you might prefer the snowdrift or one of the others in the range. The Kryptek, PenCott and Multicam models are NIR (Near-infrared) treated, meaning it will help prevent detection with nightvison – FYI.

There’s space for a laptop and a notebook and file in the main compartment which comes divided into two sections, one secured with Velcro and the other open – remember the flap top does cover these compartments. The 13” Macbook Air fits in quite snugly in the smaller compartment with its thin quilted fleece type lining. The larger compartment has the whole one side of the interior covered lined with the loop side of Velcro so you can adjust options by adding interior storage. There are multi pockets for pens, chargers and all the other EDC paraphernalia. One side compartment has space for a small water bottle or thermos.

On the inside of the flap is a nylon mesh pocket with an elasticized edge. In all, it has a number of pockets on the flap and on the front of the bag making access fairly easy. The bag has no less than three tethers for keys! No mixing up various key sets.

The compartment on the other end of the bag has zippers allowing it to open up around two thirds of the way down making access for a small tablet or cell phone easy or whatever else you need on your daily commute – trail mix, Snickers bar? There are MOLLE attachments so you can add to the bag.

The messenger bag flap comes with zippered compartments and secures to the front compartment with Velcro as well as buckles. Once the flap is down and fastened then there’s a comfortable handle made of nylon webbing. Duraflex D rings attached on either side of the handles and on the back of the bag give a person options for attaching the waistband – this is for additional security when carrying the bag slung across the body, messenger style.

Generally the down sides to the bag all relate to size and accessibility– some people wish the laptop compartment was bigger and that the water bottle pocket was deeper and wider. For those who want concealed carry weapon space then this isn’t very practical as the Velcro and buckles plus putting back the flap are going to slow you down in the eventuality you need the weapon in a hurry. But these features do prevent pickpocketing – so what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts.

5. 13″ MACBOOK EDC KIT

For businessmen and women this sleek and stylish laptop bag at 13.4″ wide x 9.5″ high x 1.6″ deep has space for all the essentials for people on the go having meetings and calling on customers. It will fit a 13″ Macbook, iPad, mouse, various cables, and other stationery.

The exterior is made from 900 denier polyester canvas and can take it’s fair share of wear and tear, while the padded neoprene lined interior ensures your equipment will stay safe. It has four stash pockets and MOLLE nylon exterior webbing so you can have add-ons. A detachable shoulder strap and YKK zippers complete this popular item.

 

[Seahunter]

6. Versatile Sling Bag – NEATPACK-SL01-UK00

This is for those who prefer to travel fairly light, as the product’s dimensions are 12.5 x 4 x 18.5 inches. The Neatpack sling bag can be worn over either shoulder or cross body for extra security.

Made from a tough polyester material that is water resistant the bag comes in black, grey and rustic red with black trim. The ergonomically designed and padded shoulder strap has a cellphone pocket with access for headphone cords.

The main compartment is fully lined – great for camera equipment. Then there’s a pocket that will fit a tablet or a small laptop – up to 12”. Zippers are of sturdy construction. The front lined zipper pocket has three elastic loops to make it easy to access small items like your charger cord or small flashlight – items that could get tangled or lost in a bigger space. Another compartment has pen sleeves, slots for bankcards and a key clip as well as a mesh zip pocket for other documents. There is also a mesh pocket with an adjustable loop for carrying a water bottle.

On the back of the pack – where it will be worn against your body is a hidden RFID blocking pocket. A common concern for commuters is RFID skimming which enables digital theft by pickpockets of smart credit cards. The device used by the thieves enables them to read and duplicate the cards without you knowing any better – until you swipe your card.

7. Maxpedition EDC Pocket Organizer

This is great for using inside a handbag, attached to a larger bag or simply carried in the pocket of cargo pants or a jacket.

It’s small – just 5” long x 7” high x 1” wide but it can certainly get all those little items organized. The main compartment has full clamshell opening with dual zips. This means you have everything you want at a glance. On the inside left there’s a slip pocket, an elastic organizer with 9 divisions and a key ring. On the right is a slip pocket, a tie down loop and an elastic organizer with 6 divisions.

Women can get their makeup, nail file, mini torch and all the EDC stuff women need in one tidy little container. Guys can get their multitool, folding knife, and other EDC goods in here too without having to do some weird version of the Makarena dance as they frantically pat pockets to find what they need. On the front exterior is a mesh slip pocket with hook and loop for a driver license or whichever card you need regularly. The back features attachment webbing.

8. Women’s handbag – MARC JACOBS Recruit North/South Leather Crossbody

This designer bag, available from Bloomingdale’s, is surprisingly spacious and will go with various outfits from corporate office wear to skinny jeans. Its sleek black genuine leather says style with a capital S.

The crossbody style makes is great when you have kids in tow and want both hands free but the adjustable crossbody strap is detachable if you want it as a sling bag. It’s lined and comes with a zip closure. There’s an exterior zip pocket and an exterior slip pocket. Its 9″wide x 1.5″deep x 10″ in height and has a 23″ strap drop. It will fit your tablet and phone, and you can use a small organizer like the Maxpedition pocket organizer to carry all the loose stuff that normally spills out of women’s handbags.

9. Icarercase Fashion Cross Body Bag Sling Bag Chest Pack

At 11.8” x 5.7” x 3.3”mm this one shoulder design allows for carrying on either shoulder and has an adjustable webbing strap. The interior is comprised of one main zippered pocket, with three interior pockets for maximum organization. There is also a front pocket and a back zippered pocket plus a back cardholder pocket for maximum security. This will met most people’s EDC demands if they don’t have to carry a laptop. It will fit a tablet, pone, wallet, keys and all the other EDC paraphernalia comfortably. The best part is the bag is made from genuine cowhide leather giving it an element of luxury and durability.

10. Condor EDC Bag

What users like about this bag is the fact that its light and easy to access, that you can use it for concealed carry and fit in everything else you might need for a day of sightseeing or work. It’s a solidly constructed bag and has a modular MOLLE system for more pouches/bags. Basically it’s for people on the move who want their EDC items neatly stashed in the various compartments, can carry a weapon without advertising the fact and need something with a low profile – it cinches in very neatly. Its claim to fame is a secret compartment with a hook-and-loop closure between the admin area and the flap that is hard to spot that holds a wallet.

 

[Duke]

#6 is very similar to the bag I used for our "hit & run" kits we have in our vehicles.

 

[Paulm]

I have quite a few different bags along the styles of the numbers 1, 3, 4 and 5 that you posted....and then a couple of regular day pack type bags....seems like everything now has the molle system and military style colors that make it harder to not be noticed as just a regular bag.

 

[Seahunter]

#6 is very similar to the bag I used for our "hit & run" kits we have in our vehicles.

Yes, mine are similar too for my "caliber-specific" bug-out bags. I have several bug-out type bags that are self-contained and redundant with the other bags. They all have survival gear, first-aid, weapon, ammo, etc. I also have a few AR-7 Survival Rifles and Ruger Takedowns with as much .22 LR ammo as a person can carry, within reason of course.

For those who may be newer to these terms, Henry has an AR-7 Survival Rifle that comes apart, and all the pieces store in the waterproof, floatable butt stock.

Ruger makes the Takedown, their version of a rifle that can break down for easier carry on the go. In this case, only the barrel is removable.

 

[Seahunter]

seems like everything now has the molle system and military style colors that make it harder to not be noticed as just a regular bag.

Very true!

 

[Paulm]

Yes, mine are similar too for my "caliber-specific" bug-out bags. I have several bug-out type bags that are self-contained and redundant with the other bags. They all have survival gear, first-aid, weapon, ammo, etc. I also have a few AR-7 Survival Rifles and Ruger Takedowns with as much .22 LR ammo as a person can carry, within reason of course.

For those who may be newer to these terms, Henry has an AR-7 Survival Rifle that comes apart, and all the pieces store in the waterproof, floatable butt stock.

Ruger makes the Takedown, their version of a rifle that can break down for easier carry on the go. In this case, only the barrel is removable.

I had an AR-7 back when they were made by charter arms, in my teen years.....had a lot of fun with that rifle....wish I still had it.

 

[Seahunter]

I had an AR-7 back when they were made by charter arms, in my teen years.....had a lot of fun with that rifle....wish I still had it.

Yes, fun little plinking rifles. I'm glad Henry still produces them.