Honestly, in real bad times, you're just not gonna be wearing gear openly. Draws too much attention, paints a target on you, weighs you down. Not even suspenders. I've been practicing my "grey man" get home kit for a while as I anticipate a major series of terrorist attacks (see the Shawn Ryan show for full interviews: https://youtube.com/shorts/f-z9VOKO5GI?si=8ipiNLYjFR_ARIHp). The tldr is, in everyday life you can't carry much between work, commuting, parking, ECT. The best solutions I've found are a multi-stage kit that you modulate as you move. You're pretty much only going to have a pistol, maybe a rifle in a bag if you can get to your "truck gun", but nothing is carried openly. A truck gun isn't even an option for me for practical and legal reasons. My EDC "work" bag is a nondescript literal grey pack with some orange accents (very boring looking). It has a pouch for a rifle rated plate in it (which is filled with a 4lb hardwire armor lvl iii $70 plate) Inside the pack I have a small IFAK, a small hatchet and two tourniquets rubber banded to the shoulder straps. I also keep a small plastic bag with gloves, a face covering, and a mylar poncho. The pack is mostly empty except my work lunch box which I can ditch if there is emergency. This setup is designed to get me to my car only. In my car, I keep a small 8"x8"x12" pack with food (two three-day datrex bars), 2L water, some powdered energy drinks, maps, headlamp, batteries, power Bank, and gps. I also keep a spare set of lightweight "blend in" clothes (long pants and long sleeve shirt and long socks), hiking shoes, and a concealment carrier with plates in the trunk. All of this except the plate carrier fits inside the mostly empty pack I always carry around. The plate carrier I bought is a $45 LAPG concealment carrier that hides under loose clothes without printing very easily. I replaced the elastic side straps with ones that can carry four ar mags on each side but I keep them empty. Inside my car, I built a concealed compartment behind body panels that hides a Glock 19, a iwb holster and five mags. All mags are "forensically loaded" (ie, no touching of mag or ammo, and sealed in mylar bags for emergency use only) All of this is designed simply to get me home. The rifle only comes out at home, which is the only time I fill the PC with 8 mags. Why do I do this? Because I travel great distances between deep rural and dense urban centers daily. I didn't have ease of movement, carry or use of any weapon is considered no-no where I'm at, CCW also doesn't exist, and I'm always surveiled in urban areas. My entire setup is designed around lightweight (20lbs total), cheap, practical, not standing out at all, obscuring my identifying features, allows me three days provisions, and avoiding any contact (even if all I can do is grab the gear from my car and walk out instead of driving). Sounds complicated, but it's not. It's mostly psychological prep. Having multiple egress routes and safe houses planned in advance, a willingness to suffer the elements, and being comfortable taking less traveled routes to avoid trouble. Fitness is my daily prep.
All great advice. I was thinking of a combat situation against bunches of terrorist of Chinese fuktards,or whatever. I was considering plates and a helmet and such,but I don't consider it necessary yet. I do have a bug out bag and a get home bag,but I would just stay at work if things got bad, my workplace is very secure and has food stores and restaurants......
A helmet isn't useful except open warfare, training, night vision applications, and milsim. Armor has some benefit, you should get it while it's cheap. Go to hardwire armor, they have bouyant 4lb plates that are level III for $70. So cheap I bought multiples to fill the pc and an extra larger size for my pack insert.... admittedly, a level iv plate is probably better for an active shooter in today's world. But those are $100 from LAPG and weight a bit more (6-8lbs). Take a stop the bleed, a wilderness first aid, and a buddy aid course. YT makes this info free but in person courses are better because they allow hands on practice. Most prep is honestly knowledge, psychological prep, and mindset. I would store a couple food bars at your work. The non trans fat datrex bars are literally $1.50/ea and have enough food for 2-3 days, they are a 4" cube and weigh nothing, and last forever. If things go bad, you're not "food shopping or going to restaurants ". If you mean to "appropriate" food on the go as everyone panics.... Well, let's just say so will everyone else. That can be dangerous, just have your own. :)
Great advice on the plates,I will look into that. I do keep emergency food in my car,and have access to gas stations and food stores at work. My employer pretty much has their own city,at work in side the gate. I did buy a combat first aid kit.
I was heavy into prepping under biden,but not so much now.
Honestly, in real bad times, you're just not gonna be wearing gear openly. Draws too much attention, paints a target on you, weighs you down. Not even suspenders. I've been practicing my "grey man" get home kit for a while as I anticipate a major series of terrorist attacks (see the Shawn Ryan show for full interviews: https://youtube.com/shorts/f-z9VOKO5GI?si=8ipiNLYjFR_ARIHp). The tldr is, in everyday life you can't carry much between work, commuting, parking, ECT. The best solutions I've found are a multi-stage kit that you modulate as you move. You're pretty much only going to have a pistol, maybe a rifle in a bag if you can get to your "truck gun", but nothing is carried openly. A truck gun isn't even an option for me for practical and legal reasons. My EDC "work" bag is a nondescript literal grey pack with some orange accents (very boring looking). It has a pouch for a rifle rated plate in it (which is filled with a 4lb hardwire armor lvl iii $70 plate) Inside the pack I have a small IFAK, a small hatchet and two tourniquets rubber banded to the shoulder straps. I also keep a small plastic bag with gloves, a face covering, and a mylar poncho. The pack is mostly empty except my work lunch box which I can ditch if there is emergency. This setup is designed to get me to my car only. In my car, I keep a small 8"x8"x12" pack with food (two three-day datrex bars), 2L water, some powdered energy drinks, maps, headlamp, batteries, power Bank, and gps. I also keep a spare set of lightweight "blend in" clothes (long pants and long sleeve shirt and long socks), hiking shoes, and a concealment carrier with plates in the trunk. All of this except the plate carrier fits inside the mostly empty pack I always carry around. The plate carrier I bought is a $45 LAPG concealment carrier that hides under loose clothes without printing very easily. I replaced the elastic side straps with ones that can carry four ar mags on each side but I keep them empty. Inside my car, I built a concealed compartment behind body panels that hides a Glock 19, a iwb holster and five mags. All mags are "forensically loaded" (ie, no touching of mag or ammo, and sealed in mylar bags for emergency use only) All of this is designed simply to get me home. The rifle only comes out at home, which is the only time I fill the PC with 8 mags. Why do I do this? Because I travel great distances between deep rural and dense urban centers daily. I didn't have ease of movement, carry or use of any weapon is considered no-no where I'm at, CCW also doesn't exist, and I'm always surveiled in urban areas. My entire setup is designed around lightweight (20lbs total), cheap, practical, not standing out at all, obscuring my identifying features, allows me three days provisions, and avoiding any contact (even if all I can do is grab the gear from my car and walk out instead of driving). Sounds complicated, but it's not. It's mostly psychological prep. Having multiple egress routes and safe houses planned in advance, a willingness to suffer the elements, and being comfortable taking less traveled routes to avoid trouble. Fitness is my daily prep.
All great advice. I was thinking of a combat situation against bunches of terrorist of Chinese fuktards,or whatever. I was considering plates and a helmet and such,but I don't consider it necessary yet. I do have a bug out bag and a get home bag,but I would just stay at work if things got bad, my workplace is very secure and has food stores and restaurants......
A helmet isn't useful except open warfare, training, night vision applications, and milsim. Armor has some benefit, you should get it while it's cheap. Go to hardwire armor, they have bouyant 4lb plates that are level III for $70. So cheap I bought multiples to fill the pc and an extra larger size for my pack insert.... admittedly, a level iv plate is probably better for an active shooter in today's world. But those are $100 from LAPG and weight a bit more (6-8lbs). Take a stop the bleed, a wilderness first aid, and a buddy aid course. YT makes this info free but in person courses are better because they allow hands on practice. Most prep is honestly knowledge, psychological prep, and mindset. I would store a couple food bars at your work. The non trans fat datrex bars are literally $1.50/ea and have enough food for 2-3 days, they are a 4" cube and weigh nothing, and last forever. If things go bad, you're not "food shopping or going to restaurants ". If you mean to "appropriate" food on the go as everyone panics.... Well, let's just say so will everyone else. That can be dangerous, just have your own. :)
Great advice on the plates,I will look into that. I do keep emergency food in my car,and have access to gas stations and food stores at work. My employer pretty much has their own city,at work in side the gate. I did buy a combat first aid kit.
I was heavy into prepping under biden,but not so much now.