Everyday Carry Gear

On an everyday basis, I never walk out the front door without these things. First, my firearm. I carry a .40 S&W holstered in a Sticky Holster with an extra mag in a mag sleeve. A knife is also a must and it either goes straight into the pocket or on my belt with a Sticky Belt Slider. Next, my wallet. I’m a minimalist and don’t like sitting on a fat wallet so I carry a Sticky Wallet P-4. It has two pockets on each side, just enough for a couple of cards, an ID and some cash. Plus, it stays securely in the pocket, front or back, so I don’t have to worry about being pick-pocketed. Then, my phone. I keep my phone in my back pocket and slide it into a protective cell phone holder from Sticky Holsters. After that, I pocket my keys and a lighter and get on with the day.

Outdoor Everyday Carry Gear

Ideally, those same everyday carry items should be able to transition from the populated world to the backcountry, too. However, outdoor recreation may also require a few extra essentials. What kind of Outdoor EDC items should be a staple on your person or in your pack? Let’s look:

• Firearm - We aren’t talking about your primary hunting weapon, but rather backup sidearm. Depending on the place you are hunting, fishing or otherwise recreating you should customize your sidearm for the potential situations you may encounter. If you don’t live in dangerous game country, your EDC firearm should be more than adequate. However, in dangerous game country, states populated with bears or other aggressive predators you may need to change things up. Leave the .380 micro pistol at home and instead beef up your fire power to something more suitable for the unlikely event you’ll have to dispatch a charging bear. The Ruger Super Redhawk, Smith & Wesson Model 629 and others are bear country favorites. Bear spray should also be close by.
  
  Holstered in a Sticky Holster, you can carry your sidearm IWB in any position because you aren’t limited by clips or loops. You can even secure it out of your way, but keep it easily accessible on your ankle, with the Sticky AnkleBiter Wrap System.


• Knife - I’m not much of a “multi-tool” kind of guy, although many are. Instead, I use a knife for everything. Usually, I only carry one knife on a regular day. However, when heading afield on a hunt or fishing trip I often carry more than one. A pocket knife for basic cutting purposes, plus a fixed blade skinning knife and even sometimes a gut hook for field dressing, caping and quartering animals. When I don’t have my knife in my pocket, I keep it on my belt for easy access with a Sticky Belt Slider. The belt slider is also a good place to keep a tourniquet.


• Phone - A fully charged phone while you are out recreating in the great outdoors can be your lifeline, especially if you are by yourself. We never anticipate something going wrong, however, it’s important to be able to reach someone should an emergency happen. Snake bite, fall, getting lost, become ill, sustain an injury - there are a lot of different scenarios where the ability to get help is crucial. Communication is key.
  
  The only caveat with phones is that they are somewhat fragile. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way, dropping my phone while deer hunting and shattering the screen, rendering the phone useless. In order to avoid that kind of situation again, I keep my iPhone in a Sticky Cell Phone Holder. It slips inside the sleeve and the screen is protected and the outside material keeps it securely in your pocket, pack, or wherever you keep your phone.


• Optics - If you are a hunter, binoculars and a rangefinder are likely staple pieces of gear for you. You need the ability to glass, pick out animals hidden in the landscape and determine the distance they are from you. I keep my binos around my neck and rangefinder in the front pocket of my vest or jacket so it’s easily accessible.
  
  Sticky Holsters recently released their solution for rangefinder carry with their Sticky Range Finder. Your rangefinder slides into the pouch which protects it while you hike or drive. Then you can mount it on your shooting sticks - tripod, bipod, or monopod - using Velcro Straps. Or if you are traveling by ATV or Side-by-Side, it can be secured to a support beam in the same fashion.


• Fire - This is Survival 101. Never go into the outdoors unprepared, always have a way to make fire, and ideally, more than one way. Instead of rubbing sticks together in an emergency situation it’s far more ideal to have a lighter, waterproof matches or ferro rod. The ability to make fire can keep you warm, allow you to cook, dry out saturated clothes, sanitize water, provide light and more. One or more fire tools should always be a must in your outdoor EDC item list.


• Rope or paracord - Wearable paracord bracelets or a small length of rope can come in really handy while recreating outdoors. Make a sling for your gun, fashion a lanyard for your calls, repair a pack, secure antlers to your pack, tie up game bags, secure a trail camera to a tree, drag a deer out of the woods, hang an animal, replace boot laces, make a knife handle, pulling up gear to a treestand and a million other things. Rope and/or paracord are really versatile pieces of gear you shouldn’t go afield without.


• Medical Supplies - Ideally you have a small first aid kit in your hunting pack or a small bag of supplies in your pocket out of an abundance of caution. It doesn’t need to be huge, just a few bandages, gloves, a tourniquet, some pain killer and a few other incidentals that will get you by until you can get real medical attention.


• Flashlight - Having a reliable light source is important for so many reasons. They are absolutely essential for tracking animals in the dark, make finding your way from your hunting spot back to your vehicle or camp easier, illuminate maps in low light situations and much more. Flashlights are also easily kept on the belt and accessible with a Sticky Belt Slider.

EDC items should be chosen carefully. You aren’t packing for a 3-month vacation, you need just what is necessary. Pick the pieces of gear that will help you solve daily problems, communicate and give you the ability to protect yourself and others. Each person’s EDC item list will look a little different based on where they live, what they are doing, where they are going, etc. Having the right accessories to help you carry and organize these items will make them easier to access in a rush and make it more likely that you will continue to carry them regularly because they won’t be cumbersome. Check out Sticky Holsters and their wide assortment of EDC products from holsters and mag carriers to wallets and cell phone holders, and more.

Carry smart every day and in the outdoors!

Trav