Concealed Carry
Everyday Carry: Building a System That You Will Actually Use
The gear that surrounds a carry gun matters as much as the gun. Here is the whole system, in order of importance.
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The short version:
- Belt, holster and consistency matter more than the firearm model.
- A light and a phone are more likely to be useful than the gun.
- Medical gear deserves more consideration than most carriers give it.
- Consistency of position beats optimisation of gear.
In this article
Think in systems, not items
Everyday carry discussions tend to fixate on the firearm. In practice the firearm is one component of a system, and it is not the component most likely to fail or the one most likely to be used.
A useful ordering, by how much each contributes to the system actually working: belt, holster, consistency of position, training, light, medical, phone, and finally the firearm model itself — which, among quality modern options that fit your hand, matters least of all.
The belt
First on the list for a reason. A rigid, purpose-built gun belt distributes the weight of a firearm, keeps the holster stable and vertical, and transforms the comfort of a setup that otherwise sags and digs.
Options are thick or reinforced leather, or nylon with a polymer core. Both work. Fashion belts do not, and the majority of complaints about carrying being uncomfortable are actually complaints about a belt.
In South Florida humidity, reinforced nylon and polymer-cored belts hold up better than leather, which absorbs sweat and stretches.
The holster
Three non-negotiables: complete trigger guard coverage, retention that holds the firearm inverted, and a rigid mouth that stays open for safe one-handed reholstering.
Beyond that, it must be moulded for your specific firearm model, and it must be comfortable enough that you keep wearing it in month three. Expect to buy two or three before landing on the right one.
Consistency of position is worth more than the marginal advantages of any particular holster. A gun that is always in exactly the same place is one your hand will find under stress. A gun that moves between appendix, hip and pocket depending on the day is one you will fumble for.
A light
Statistically the item on this list you are most likely to actually use, and the one most commonly omitted.
A small, bright handheld flashlight solves the target identification problem that rule four of firearms safety demands, and solves a hundred mundane problems besides. In a home defense context, you cannot shoot what you cannot identify, and you cannot identify what you cannot see.
Modern pocket lights are small, inexpensive and produce more light than a duty flashlight of twenty years ago. Carry one. Learn at least one handheld light technique that works alongside a firearm — this is covered in low-light training and is less intuitive than it looks.
Medical gear
Underweighted by most carriers and worth serious thought. If you accept the premise that violent injury is possible enough to justify carrying a firearm, the same premise justifies carrying the means to treat penetrating trauma — which is far more likely to be needed for a car accident than for a criminal encounter.
- A tourniquet, from a reputable manufacturer, is the single highest-value item. Counterfeit tourniquets are common online; buy from a known supplier.
- Hemostatic gauze and a compact pressure bandage extend what you can treat.
- Gloves.
- Training. A tourniquet you have never applied under supervision is an object, not a capability. Stop the Bleed and similar courses are short, inexpensive and widely available.
A compact ankle or pocket kit is enough for most people. The point is that trauma care is a genuine, frequently used skill, and firearms carriers are disproportionately likely to be first on scene at something.
The phone
Charged, with location services in a known state, and with the numbers you would need already accessible. In nearly every scenario a carrier might face, calling 911 is part of the correct response — often the entirety of it.
Also worth having stored: an attorney's number, and, if you maintain any form of legal defence coverage, that number too. Adrenaline is not the moment to be searching for a phone number.
Spare ammunition
A spare magazine is small, light and solves two problems: it doubles your capacity, and more importantly it is the fix for a magazine-related malfunction, which is by far the most common category of stoppage.
The second point is the stronger argument. A double feed cannot be cleared without stripping the magazine, and clearing it without a fresh magazine to insert leaves you with an empty gun.
Choosing the firearm, last
Having ordered everything else first, the firearm itself: a quality modern handgun from a reputable manufacturer, in a calibre you shoot well, in a size you will genuinely carry every day, that fits your hand.
That is the whole specification. Among guns meeting it, the differences are matters of preference rather than capability. A shooter with a modest pistol, a good belt and holster, and real training will outperform someone with an expensive custom gun and none of the above, every time.
| Priority | Item | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid gun belt | Makes everything else work |
| 2 | Quality moulded holster | Safety and retention |
| 3 | Consistent position | Your hand finds it under stress |
| 4 | Training | The only thing that turns gear into capability |
| 5 | Flashlight | Most likely item to be used |
| 6 | Tourniquet and training | Highest-probability life-saving use |
| 7 | Charged phone | Part of nearly every correct response |
| 8 | Spare magazine | Capacity and malfunction fix |
| 9 | The firearm | Matters least among quality options |
Carrying is a habit set, not a purchase
The most common failure mode among new license holders is not a legal one or a marksmanship one. It is simply not carrying — buying the gun, buying the holster, carrying for two weeks, finding it uncomfortable, and quietly stopping.
Preventing that is mostly about setting the system up properly at the start. Buy a rigid gun belt before you buy a second holster; most holster complaints are actually belt complaints. Expect to spend money on two or three holsters before finding the one that works for your body and wardrobe, and treat that as a normal cost rather than a series of mistakes. Dress around the firearm rather than trying to make the firearm fit an existing wardrobe, which in South Florida means thinking carefully about lightweight untucked shirts and about what happens when you sit down in a car.
Then rehearse the boring parts. Drawing from concealment in dry fire, slowly. Reholstering even more slowly, with eyes on the holster, because that is the more dangerous half of the motion. Getting in and out of a vehicle. Using a public restroom. Removing and securing the firearm when entering a prohibited location. These unglamorous mechanics are what determine whether carrying is sustainable, and they are almost never covered in a license course.
Train with a certified instructor in South Florida
Reading about shooting is useful. Being watched while you shoot is transformative — because the faults that limit you are, almost by definition, the ones you cannot see yourself. Delray Firearms Training provides private, NRA-certified instruction with Dan Ribacoff throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Weston.
Lessons are one-on-one by default, arranged by appointment seven days a week, and shaped around your experience level rather than a fixed script. Whether you have never fired a shot or you have carried for twenty years and want a specific problem solved, the starting point is a short conversation.
Call 516-315-2809 Request a Time
About the instructor
Dan Ribacoff is an NRA-certified firearms instructor, licensed private investigator and career security professional who has spent decades in investigations, executive protection and private security. He teaches handgun, rifle, carbine, shotgun, concealed carry, home defense and maintenance courses across South Florida. Read more about Dan →
Related reading
- Building a Home Defense Plan That Holds Up at 3am
- Handgun, Shotgun or Rifle for Home Defense?
- Low-Light Shooting and Flashlight Technique
Disclaimer: this article is general educational information, not legal advice and not a substitute for hands-on instruction. Firearms law in Florida changes; verify current statutes or consult a Florida attorney for your specific situation.