After I decided a short time ago to replace my folding knife with another model, I then found myself wandering into that world of “gear” that someone (usually in marketing) says should be packed around on one’s person, in the interest of personal defense.  From what I recall, there should be a gun, spare ammunition, a flashlight, at least one knife, perhaps some kind of impact weapon, pepper spray and I’m sure there’s more that I am forgetting. This will all require some kind of wide, heavy belt to carry all of it.

What I do remember is space and weight, both of which are not on any list I’ve seen. It is easy to place one knife in a drawer and stick another in your pocket, harder to start carrying a second knife. Flashlights are great unless there’s no place to put one. Sometimes there is a place, but that empty spot is already needed in case you are in a personal defense situation. I could carry a flashlight in my left front pants pocket, but that pocket is empty because that’s where used pistol magazines will end up if I reach the point where I have my gun running long enough that I need to reload it. I don’t believe in dropping magazines on the ground, so they go into that pocket. I’d hate to have a flashlight taking up all that space, though depending on size, it could be possible. Anything could be possible until the combined weight of all the gear impinges on the ability to fight in the first place.

If I decide to carry a pistol, two spare magazines, a flat sap or blackjack, a folding knife, a fixed blade knife, a flashlight, and then my keys and wallet, I have a lot of crap hanging off my belt or shoved into various pockets. I must still be able to get out of the way of a threat and then attack – with something. I’d have plenty of choices but a likely delay as I would need to decide what to use first. If you can use it, then carry it, but also realize that you have the choice to only carry what you want, not what anyone else tells you that you need. Or, invest in a backpack and hope the bad guys let you take the time to get into it.