A gun is a powerful tool for effectively defending of yourself and your family. Treat it with care and respect and it’ll be there when you need it. These tips are intended primarily for concealed carry, but most apply equally to open carry. 1. Situational Awareness – be aware of your surroundings at all times. Always pay attention to your surroundings. Put your phone down, you can check your Facebook status when you get back home. Situational awareness should be your priority at all times when out and about, whether you’re carrying or not. The best way to win a fight is to not get into one. Mo ..read more

Trigger warning!! This question tends to spark a near-religious debate on knife forums. It inevitably results in a free-for-all with everyone pushing the knife they like best. Then someone stands back and says… “Wait, what do you need the knife FOR?” And therein lies the answer… or the path to the answer. What’s the use case? What is this knife FOR? A knife is a tool like any other. And the right tool is the one that meets the job, the one that meets your need. A knife is a tool like any other. And the right tool is the one that meets the job, the one that meets your need. Many of us know and ..read more

I’m always surprised to see guys hauling around 3 pounds of everyday carry gear using some old leather belt designed to hold up THEIR PANTS, not 3 pounds of gear. Sure, your old leather belt “may work fine”, but it’s amazing how much better life works when you’ve got the right tool for the job. Concealed Carry / Everyday Carry Challenges If you carry a 2-pound firearm and another pound of related gear, you want a good holster and a good belt. You want a belt designed to support that weight effectively, without drooping to the side, and without flopping around. You want that gun to stay reliabl ..read more

Before we get to that Magpul iPhone case… Many of us know Magpul as the company that revolutionized the rifle magazine market over the past decade plus. They make great polymer magazines that just work, provide a great grip, feel good in the hand,  and are very reasonably priced. Plus they’ve started introducing even more magazine options, like Glock handgun magazines, drum rifle magazines, etc, all at a good price for a solid product. But not enough people realize is Magpul also makes what may well be the best iPhone case you can buy today. A bold statement, but one I feel very comfortable ma ..read more

When Glock finally introduced their ultra-light, ultra-compact, ultra-portable Glock 42 after years of endless speculation, one would have expected Glock lovers to rejoice – finally a true Glock alternative to the Ruger LCP and Kahr PM9. But nay… To my great surprise, this announcement was met with a chorus of disappointment, whining, and general complaining from the vast vocal majority of Glock consumers. Which frankly left me puzzled. Why The Disappointment? Well, the Glock 42 is chambered in .380, NOT the ubiquitous, almighty 9mm. Come on, folks… it’s not all about caliber. The right gun, t ..read more

Many of us know and live by the old saying… “Never go anywhere without a knife.” The knife is one of man’s oldest tools, and to this day, one of the most useful. Great tools are force amplifiers. For example, your body just doesn’t cut well on its own. A knife allows your body to cut well. Just like a car allows your body to reach faraway locations quickly and efficiently, a gun allows you to provide effective defense of self and others, and so on. Spyderco Pacific Salt… The Early Days This review is far overdue… but this knife was such an incredible surprise. I originally got one out of curio ..read more

Everyone has different needs, likes, desires, and of course, different preferred tools. That said, there are some basic types of EDC items everyone should seriously consider carrying. For example… knife, flashlight, key chain pry tool, pepper spray, multitool, etc. Here are the 7 categories, with one or more recommended options for each. Options focus on best of breed, high quality, but good value items. 1. Folding Knife “Never go anywhere without a knife…” Some will recognize that very astute quote. A knife is one of those surprisingly useful tools, one of man’s oldest tools in fact. And once ..read more