Some background on this post:
I’m an advanced level firearm instructor. I conduct a lot of training within the security cluster of South Africa.
EDC is in reality a way of life for me in SA. I am currently in the UK on a visit…

The world I live in is a little different to England. In my world violent crime on a regular basis is the norm. There is no doubt that crime happens everywhere, but maybe not to the extent it does in SA. I’m in the kind of industry where guns, knives, defensive tools and situational awareness are key. It’s what we teach and therefore should be able to use to a proficient level.

My Every Day Carry, whether at work or just going out, includes a firearm, at least one spare magazine, a knife, a Multi tool, a torch, a tourniquet and pens and notebook. Within arms reach I’ll have an Individual First Aid kit that contains blood clotting agents, gauze, sterile gloves and another tourniquet.
My car always has a more advanced trauma kit as well as a little boo boo bag with plasters, disinfectant and some paracetamol.

Will I ever use any of the gear I have with me?
I have on a couple of occasions and was glad I had the gear with me.

And now I’m in England.
Almost all the gear I carry on a daily basis is illegal here. But bad stuff still happens to good people here so how do we make the jump from not safe to safe?

Here’s what I did?
Situational awareness is still key.
It is very easy to let your guard down here because mostly there won’t ever be a violent encounter with another person, but that’s exactly the way to invite a violent encounter in.
Situational awareness is paramount.
A stand-off tool of some sort allowing you to create distance is some excellent advice I took from a mate before leaving SA. So I have a walking stick with me.
They will even let you fly with a walking stick, having it in the cabin with you.
It’s an excellent tool to create distance, a fairly easy tool to learn to use defensively, and if an escalation occurs, it makes for a painful experience being on the other end of it.

Along with the walking stick, I carry a courier satchel which I got from The QuarterMaster. It’s non descript canvas, has all the pockets and zipped compartments you could ask for. It’s big enough to carry a laptop so looks just like a normal work bag. Mine has some different contents. I’m plugging them again, but much of my gear comes from The QuarterMaster and gets used frequentl. Here’s what I have in my British EDC: An umbrella (because 4 seasons a day here is not unusual), a Shemagh, hand sanitiser, an IFAK including TQ, gloves, Celox gauze and Celox Haemostatic applicator and a pressure bandage. A torch and battery pack.

It’s a fairy easy carry and absolutely brings peace of mind.

-MAG
www.thequartermaster.co.za