In the past years I’ve noticed my EDC that I carry on my person growing more and more to the point that it is impossible to be comfortable going anywhere. Carrying a Pistol, spare mag, pocket knife, fixed blade knife, flashlight, and cell phone every day in your jeans is next to impossible so I began to take a closer look at what my specific needs. I have a family, three kids and a wife and more often than not the whole fire team is with me. In the event of any type of active shooter situation my number one priority is getting my family out. I know everyone tends to think that in that type of scenario they will be dispatching opposing shooters at the rapid rate, doing mag changes, and conducting hand to hand fighting and knife techniques. YOU SHOULD TRAIN FOR THAT! However, my assault on an enemy force isn’t going to happen until I get my family safely to my mobile Command Center (my truck).
Having said all that, the reason I’m telling you all this is that you don’t have to be uncomfortable all day and still be able to fight. That’s why I began packing what I like to call my “Ready Bag”. What I consider a ready bag is a pack that is a self-contained platform from which I can fight from and have everything I would need. This pack comes in and out of the house with me and usually stays in the truck until the moment, God forbid, that I need it. If I’m going somewhere like the mall or a place ill be more than 400 meters away from my truck, I can simply put it in the shopping cart or on my bag and take it with me. You wouldn’t know what was in it by just looking at it, deception is a part of everything we do, remember?
My bag is a Vertx EDC Commuter sling in black. I love my multicam and coyote as much as the next guy but blacks and greys blend in so much better. The single sling type strap allows for a surprisingly quick draw of a pistol. The commuter sling is the perfect size to fit in all the essentials and a few extra “nice to haves” and is extremely versatile. The best part is that is has pockets built into it for ballistic panels that turn the pack into a bullet proof shield when deployed.
In the very front is one of the most crucial pieces of the ready bag, the IFAK. Anyone with the proper training understands how much of a force multiplier it is to have the knowledge and gear to treat your life threatening wounds and that of others as well. For my IFAK I carry an HSGI bleeder blowout kit that is mounted on a Velcro backed molle adapter panel. It will Velcro securely in the front pocket of my bag but can also be detached very quickly to use or hand off. With the Vertx bag I also have the ability to tuck the front flap in and run with the IFAK completely exposed for faster access. Stashed in my IFAK are all the essentials for trauma care like gauze, pressure bandage, nasopharyngeal airway, needle decomp, and a tourniquet. Remember, none of this equipment does any good if you don’t know how to use it, tailor your IFAK to your skills level. Don’t carry a needle decomp or NPA if you don’t know how to use it and remember the IFAK is to save lives, not for band aids and Neosporin.
Now the “nice to haves” I was talking about. These items are for those times when you find yourself needing a specific tool that you don’t usually have. Some of these items for me include a Leatherman, flashlight, pens, chemlight, and an extra pocket knife. I also carry a few electronic type items like a power sources to charge a phone and all the cords, a thumb drive, and an sd card. While this stuff may not be useful in an active shooter situation, that isn’t the only kind of tragedy that can strike so don’t tailor your bag for only on use. For my flashlight, if it gets dark while I’m out I just grab it and throw it in my pocket and carry it on my person. Now, on to the good stuff.
Most of these packs have a designated place for some type of laptop or tablet, they are also perfect for an Short Barreled Rifle (if you have the stamps) or a short pistol with an arm brace. I always think back to the saying “ the purpose of your pistol is to get to your rifle”. Personally, I roll with a CZ scorpion evo (to be SBR’d) ready to go with a 20 round magazine inserted in. it straps in perfectly in the laptop area and holds securely. The position it is in allows me to find somewhere covered and deploy it quickly and have a weapon that’s a little easier to fight with, like a rifle. I also keep an extra TQ and my suppressor in this pocket for quick use.
Finally, the main pocket of the pack is the pocket I fight out of. It has tactagami pouches by Vertx and holds my Sig Sauer Mk 25 w/x300, a spare sig magazine, and two spare 30 round CZ magazines. This specific pack completely unzips to expose all items and essentially turns into a ballistic plate carrier that you can maneuver on the enemy with.
This is what I carry in my “ready bag”, I am proficient with everything I carry. Remember to practice with whatever it is that you expect to save your life one day. You won’t rise to the occasion, you will fall to the level of your training. In addition to this kit I also have additional items in my truck like medical equipment, breaching tools, and ropes. Go build your bag and lighten your edc load. Your concealed carry pistol is to be used to get you to the bag, then you can unleash your hell.
Courtesy of the Crate Club Knowledgebase and written by Wes
