EDC comfort is often overlooked, made fun of and poo - poo'd. Sometimes people try in intimidate EDC-er's.

[Revelation]

I certainly get your point but having been involved in an off duty shooting where my family was present, has a tendency to change one's philosophy on what and how you carry. At least it did for me. Had I not been carrying what I did may have changed the outcome for me and my family. I do not find it hard to dress around a full sized pistol and I don't wear clothing that is "stand outish" or wrong for the season. A good holster, of course, helps because I don't carry a pistol because it's comfortable. I carry one that I consider effective, from my point of reference, based on past experience as a cop and firearms examiner. Your mileage may vary, but mental comfort is more important to me than physical comfort, but the fact is, I don't notice any discomfort carrying a full sized (Commander) pistol. Folks have to do what is best for them and I certainly realize that and what works for me isn't a revelation. As the old saying goes, " the best gun for a gunfight is the one you have with you".

First of all, I'm glad that you're still around to talk about it! Secondly, and this for sure pertains to me, "You do what you gotta do with what you got and when you gotta do it.... Case closed!"

 

[jurnes]

I am licensed to carry a Glock 19 and my SW 640PRO.

I carry the 640 90% of the time as although it weighs about the same as the Glock, it is much more comfortable and concealable.

I train from the holster every month, so I am proficient with both.

 

[hald]

To me, open carry is right out. Not only does it say "shoot me first" it does not help our cause to scare little old ladies in the grocery store. We need to be ambassadors for our sport...perfect gentlemen at all times. Nothing wrong with being a Gentleman Warrior. For decades my carry gun was a full size 1911, carried inside the waistband in a Milt Sparks holster. Started with a Colt Gold Cup, because it was factory throated to feed semi wadcutter bullets for target use so it would feed the hollow points of the 80's. I read about Swenson and Chow and other gunsmiths making the Colt feed everything, but here in Missouri nobody I knew had a custom gun. Anyway, dressing around the gun has never been a problem for me. Now past 60, I pride myself in my low risk lifestyle. I am confident I will never need to draw my sidearm. But I have to carry it for ballast. If I don't have a 1911 on me, I tend to walk in circles I am so off balance.

Too funny!

 

[crasig]

When I get dressed in the morning I put my gun on. When I switch to house clothes after dinner I take it off.

View attachment 792355
This has got me through more encounters with muggers than any gun I ever carried

I always worried one of those would leak in my pocket - or I'd spray myself...

I've had a few attempts to be victimized: Now 78 & survived
When in my mid 20's, coming out of a cafe, a panhandler asked me for change, which I apologized for not having,
He started getting loud & said he'd settle for my wrist-watch. I said "maybe you'd like one of these better" while going for his midsection with my knife. Not totally sure I connected - as he was still able to take-off like a jet.

Then in my 50's After teaching a night class, & locking up the building, I was accosted by a guy with a gas can & a story about his stranded family, as I was unlocking my car & taking the "CLUB" steering lock off. He didn't believe I didn't have ANY CASH - becoming loud & belligerent - the Club got him along one side of his head, & he left fast without his gas can.

One hot summer night, driving home after teaching the same night class with the windows down in my 69 Econoline van, I was stopped at a LIGHT at the intersection of a side street & a big liquor store - when a hand came through the passengers window groping for the inside door handle. I got a glimpse of a unkempt bearded guy - seeing no one coming - I Peeled out - & ran the light. I heard a Bump-Bump from the passengers side - but stayed on the gas.
Heading for work on the same street the next day, I saw a familiar looking unkempt bearded guy on crutches, with his foot in a cast, limping in the direction of the liquor store.

It did not seem prudent to report any of these incidents, as I was not harmed & they seemed justly settled.
I did not want to admit being the one taking physical ACTION first - which is sometime frowned upon.
Never had another problem after retiring from BIG CITIES.

IF there's a lesson here - I'll leave it open to individual interpretation. No regrets - other than having been there at all.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Just yesterday- was at a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market.
See a senior guy wearing Jeans and matching Denim vest.
He reached for an item, I see the bottom of a pancake holster, barrel end, looked to be a small auto.
When I mentioned it to him, he just grinned and walked away.
It was concealed as long as the was just standing upright.

 

[Taj]

I found that suspenders greatly facilitated IWB or OWB carry. Even with a good stiff belt, I would have to keep hiking up my trousers/shorts or they would wind up someplace south of my backside. The two weapons I do carry are a S&W M&P Shield Plus 2.0 (3.1 in) and a S&W M&P 9 2.0 (4 in), with both loaded with Federal HST +P 9mm. Taking a page from camouflaging, anything that can visually break up an outline, such a printed pattern shirts, will aid in concealment. I use Crossbreed hybrid holsters or Urban Holster leather holsters. Both do a good job of concealment and importantly keeping a barrier between skin and gun, a consideration for long hot GA summers. To protect the guns, I keep them in the leather IWB holsters when not in use or being transported. When driving I keep them in a covered pocket (part of a nylon seat cover) suspended in front of the drivers seat for quick access. I general, I observe situational awareness (stay in Condition Yellow or Orange) and avoid potential trouble spots in the Hotlanta area.

Brother, I agree. As I got older and my ass started disappearing, there didn't seem to be a belt on the planet that would keep things up where they were supposed to be. I took to wearing a good set of "braces" under my shirt and low and behold, my lower back even got a little better. For years I have always carried a spare mag and Surefire flashlight opposite of my pistol, just to try and balance things out. (Old habits...I still carry a pen and notebook, too) The suspenders helped with all of that.

 

[Smoke]

I always worried one of those would leak in my pocket - or I'd spray myself...

UDAP is a reputable manufacturer. I've been carrying one of those in my pocket for several years and it has yet to leak.

I have a cop friend that suggested to me that if you ever have to use your OC spray you should turn it in (To your employer) and get a new one. At the time he told me that I was working for a security company and I carried the issue OC spray.



I spritzed a baby coyote with Sabre Red in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs one morning after he bit me in the leg.

And that can of saber red did leak after that. I got to drop on my finger one morning while I was driving back to the office and they went to adjust my glasses and touched my eye. It got interesting there for a second

 

[Smoke]

I want to try to say this the right way. When we moved out of the city it changed the way we do a lot of things. The nearest red light that I am aware of to my house is like 35 miles away. The nearest Walmart to my house is maybe 3 miles west of that. The nearest grocery store or convience store is in Hooterville and that's like a 20 minute drive. I'm also fairly certain that it closes at 7:00PM.

I said all that to say, no late night trips to the convenience store and really, no quick trips to the convenience store. If I'm going to the store it's a planned event and I'm going to make a list of things that I need to do while I'm out of the house and I'm going to get dressed and go.

Second point, the dog attack.


That happened in my granddaughter's front yard. I'm not sure it's the best example because I was completely blindsided and really had no chance to defend myself. I didn't even realize what had happened until somebody yelled "OMG he's BLEEDING!!!!!!"

But my point is that didn't happen in some dark alley downtown and it wasn't some gangster from Tren De Agua.

It was a dog, in my granddaughter's front yard, during a family BBQ, in the middle of the afternoon.

I'm also going to point out that OC would have served me better than a gun.

But my main point is there's no real way to know when or where you're actually going to need your gun and what you're going need.

NGL these little bastards are brutal.

So I carry the biggest gun I can reasonably conceal every day.

 

[gila_dog]

Comfort has always been important to me. I've spent a lot of my life being uncomfortable and trying to change that. Growing belly, shrinking butt, can't keep my pants up without cinching up my belt til everything below it goes numb... Hate it! Hang a gun on my waist and even that doesn't work. Put on some suspenders and wow! Pants stay up even with a loose belt.

But I still want a light gun. So it's the Shield plus 9mm if I'm going to the "war zone" (Albuquerque), or the j frame .38 if I'm just wandering around elsewhere. I have IWB Kydex holsters for both.

 

[Thirsty Traveler]

I lived there all my life up until 4 years ago when we moved South. I don't have many regrets over my lifetime however one I do is that we did not move out sooner! I have not felt comfortable living there in 40 years but I owned my own businesses and was not in the position to move then. I retired at 55 (17 years ago) and should have busted out way sooner - it took me many years to convince my wife! Finally she agreed to get out and I now realize I should have pushed harder earlier on. What a different world it is down here!

Well, after living in NY for 68 years and now living in FL for 4 years I can tell you there is such a drastic difference even I had a hard time believing it for quite a while. Not just the gun laws (which are polar opposite), just life in general, people, attitudes and beliefs. NY is a "Nanny State", FL will let people make many of their own lifestyle decisions - I guess you could call it common sense decisions. After moving here and meeting many many people and neighbors from around the Country I have found out NY is not unique. We have many here from MN, WI, PA, IL, and even some from VA, CT and MA. They are just like NY we have come to realize - restrictive, Nanny States. We are happy to be here and no looking back! The only thing I miss about NY is sitting around my fire place in the crisp Fall, Pheasant hunting, snow around Christmas time and of course some of my favorite restaurants - but I am getting over that the longer we live here. Our Winters here are magnificent in their own right and I must say I don't miss my snow thrower - lol! Although it's harder to find really high quality restaurants here, we have been fairly successful.

I could sit here and tell you about some of the stupid, ridiculous laws, rules and regulations in NY but half here would simply not believe them! I wouldn't have either had I not lived there most of my life! Stupid has now caught up with NY and many have now seen the light!

Welcome, I did the same thing 11 years ago!

 

[walkin' trails]

I also agree with Chief38 that keeping your EDC out of the public eye is most important. I was winding down toward retirement when I started seeing the trend of taking a small or midsize pistol and adding enough accessories to make it bigger than a full size pistol and then trying to conceal it. My best concealment (and most comfortable) holsters were the likes of the Alessi Talon IWB, the Milt Sparks Summer Special II, and a couple of JM Custom Kydex versions of the Summer Special. The first two holsters were for full and midsize pistols, though WMLs, mag extensions, and red dots weren't part of the package. Over all, the execution was KISS principle simple, but was also effective. I continue to use that philosophy when carrying in retirement.

 

[quinine]

That happened in my granddaughter's front yard. I'm not sure it's the best example because I was completely blindsided and really had no chance to defend myself.

Ooofff! Wow.

 

[Shibadog]

Carry whatever works for YOU and the heck with what "experts" on the internet or at the LGS think. If you're doing it right, they'll never know anyway unless You tell them. Get something you can put on with your britches in the morning and take off at bedtime. If you can't comfortable do that, you've got the wrong handgun/holster. If I Knew when an attack was coming it'd be a heck of a lot more gun than what I carry everyday. ('Course if I knew, I'd be someplace else, avoiding the issue entirely). I've usually got a J frame or a small 9 on (depending on what I'm doing that day-around the farm a J with snakeshot up front is important). We go out into the mountains out west a bit. When I'm there it's usually a 69 Smith, 4.25" in a pancake, and yes, it's on first thing and off last thing. It's heavy enough I don't want to carry it all the time back home, but in the big country with serious critters it's a comfort.