New Guns And Gear January 2021: EDC Gear Special

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Aiming to improve your everyday carry system? Here are the guns and gear certain to get you carrying like a pro.

What's The Top EDC Carry Gear:

• The Ed Brown FX2
• Trijicon RMRcc
• Springfield’s XD-M Elite Compact
• Hogue Wrapter Adhesive Firearm Grip Line
• Gerber Crisis Hook Knife
• Zeta6 K-Pak Speedloader
• Glock 43X and 48 MOS Optic-Ready Carry
• Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer
• Galco Instructor Belts
• Limited-Edition Sig P220 Legion Carry SAO
• Comp-Tac eV2 Mag Pouch
• Nightstick TSM-11G
• DeSantis Sidestep OWB Holster
• Tru-Spec Vector Pant

The Ed Brown FX2

An expansion of the manufacturer’s dashing FX Series, the pistol is tailored for concealed carry and incorporates one of the hottest technologies of the day. Look closely: It’s hard to miss the slide cut and red-dot perched atop the metal beast. It being Ed Brown, it’s not just any reflex married to the FX2, but Trijicon’s fairly new and ultra-slim RMRcc. At 0.9 inch in width, the micro red-dot is almost tailor-made for 1911s and other slender concealed-carry handguns. The FX2 seamlessly fits the slide and is so low profile (0.9 inch) it’s as unobtrusive as red-dots come. Incidentally, the pistol is available in both .45 ACP and 9mm. MSRP: Starting at $4,295

Trijicon RMRcc

Since we touched upon it with the Ed Brown pistol, we’ll dig deeper on Trijicon’s itty-bitty red-dot. As mentioned, where the renowned optics maker concentrated its efforts with the micro sight is trimming its width. It’s a whole 0.9 inch in breadth. A great move, ensuring there’s no snagable muffin-top when installed on a 1911 or the many new extra svelte polymers. Adding to that, the red-dot is 0.1-inch shorter than the original RMR, and you’ve got about the most carry-friendly optical sight available today. How’s it perform? Need you ask, it’s a Trijicon. Go 3.25 or 6.5 MOA dot and you can expect it to light up on target every time you need it. MSRP: $699

Springfield’s XD-M Elite Compact

Based on the XD-M line, the Elite version of the pistol offers some welcome and practical upgrades. Among the more notable is what Springfield calls its Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly (META). Flat-faced (the old XD-M shoe was curved), the trigger promotes a more linear path while reducing the perceived weight required to trip it. It breaks at a very crisp 5 pounds, without a lick of spongy feel. In addition to this, the 3.8-inch barreled XD-M Elite Compact includes large chevron cocking serrations fore and aft, an ambidextrous slide stop, match-grade barrel and a removable flared magwell. Top-notch features at a price nearly any shooter can afford. MSRP: $559

Hogue Wrapter Adhesive Firearm Grip Line

A better grip without modifying a pistol? Hogue’s got it all wrapped up. Installing in seconds, its polymer adhesive upgrade provides a positive surface on nearly any semi-automatic pistol, vastly enhancing its performance. Also, it generally makes a gun more pleasurable to shoot. Not overly thick, the rubberized grip wrapper provides enough cushioning to take the edge off those long days at the range. Better yet, it conforms to your pistol’s grip closely enough that you don’t lose any familiarity with the firearm. Enhancements don’t come cheaper or easier. MSRP: $14.95

Gerber Crisis Hook Knife

Next to a jack and a spare, you need this in your vehicle—preferably within reach. Designed to get you out of tight situations behind the wheel, the unique knife has specialized tools for the job. A hooked blade slices through seatbelts, cord and even wire without worry of slicing flesh. While at the rear, a hardened and angled pommel makes quick work of automotive glass with a sturdy strike. There’s even an integrated oxygen-tank wrench in the Crisis Hook, a must-have for those who look after elders. Like so much EDC gear, chances are you’ll never have to deploy Gerber specialized tool. But if you do, you’ll be glad you have it. MSRP: $33

Glock 43X and 48 MOS Optic-Ready Carry

Featuring factory-milled slides, Glock gives shooters a pair of optic-ready pistols tailored for everyday carry. But don’t expect the pistols to play nice with every red-dot on the market. Given the gun’s whisper-thin widths, the slide cut is only compatible with specific micro-reflex optics. In addition to this, the Glock 43X MOS and Glock 48 MOS also have non-standard accessory rails. Despite these idiosyncratic features, the 9mms still retains all the features that made them a hit when they were released in 2019. First and foremost, among these is an excellent compromise between an easy-to-carry defensive pistol and capacity. Both the Glock 43X MOS and Glock 48 MOS hold 10 rounds. MSRP: $580

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Gear Up!:

• New Guns And Gear Long-Range Edition 2020
• Gear To Get: Wheelguns And Revolver Accessories
• New Guns And Gear June-July 2020
  
• New Guns And Gear May-June 2020
• New Guns And Gear March-April 2020
• New Guns And Gear February 202

Zeta6 K-Pak Speedloader

Putting some much-needed rethinking into revolver reloading, this riff on the classic speed strip is right on target. Staggering the two equal-sized rows of three cartridges, the polyurethane speedloader allows three chambers to be loaded at a time. Quick and easy aren’t usually thought of when talking about speed reloads and wheelguns. Believe it or not, the idea behind the K-Pak came from studying another long-time revolver reloading method—the half-moon clip. Two of them have simply been straightened out, put back to back and made of polymer. Compatible with all six-shot K-Frame revolvers—.38 Special and .357 Mag.—the speedloader also fits flat and neatly in nearly any pocket. MSRP: $11.95

Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer

Not every situation calls for toting a pack. Still, you need a way to keep your kit organized and within reach. Shake hands with the solution. Truly pocket-sized at 3.5 by 1 by 5.5 inches, Maxpedition’s organizer has an amazing amount of space to hold pens, multi-tools, flashlights and whatever else you might need to tackle the world. A clamshell design, the unit opens to numerous pockets and webbing loops to secure all your goods. On the outside, a mesh front pocket gives you quick access to small items you might need immediately. For the price, few pieces of kit get your everyday-carry system in better order. MSRP: $18.99

Galco Instructor Belts

A contemporary take on the time-tested Ranger belt, this gem removes any hint of flop from carrying a sidearm. That goes for full-sized cannons. Where Galco gets it right is the Type 13 nylon webbing with five independent rows of stitching. Creating a rock-solid webbing, the belt is among the most ridged non-core options on the market, which is saying a lot. Additionally, the strap is outfitted with a Cobra-style buckle, about as durable as they come and easy to get on and off. While the belt is ideal for competition or a day at the range, it’s stylish and stalwart enough for everyday carry. MSRP: $79

Limited-Edition Sig P220 Legion Carry SAO

While it’s not the first single-action-only P220 that has come down the pike, it might be the most conducive to concealed carry. Sig has trimmed down its behemoth design to a tidy 3.9-inch barreled package for its top-shelf Legion line of firearms. The belle of the ball is a marvelous trigger, which breaks like thin ice and resets with a hair of travel. Raising the .45 ACP’s stock, all the Legion accouterments—stainless steel slide with the company’s Electro-Optics X-Ray3 high-visibility day/night sights, front cocking serrations, aggressive G10 grips and Elite Legion gray Cerakote finish. Drooling yet? Act fast, because Sig’s only rolling out 500 of these beauties. MSRP: $1,329

Comp-Tac eV2 Mag Pouch

More ammo is always a must. Comp-Tac makes keeping an extra mag at hand easier than ever with its deep-cover eV2. A hybrid design, the unit features a top-grain cowhide backer, comfortable against the skin and protecting the magazine from sweat. Up front, a Kydex body keeps the mag in place. Keeping up with trends, the eV2 is an appendix-carry option, inside the waistband. Now, some have trepidations about this position for firearms, but for mags it makes a ton of sense, keeping them low profile and within reach no matter what. MSRP: $29

Nightstick TSM-11G

 

Light, laser and convenience, all in one. Designed to securely mount to the front rail of Glock G42, G43, G43X and G48 pistols, the multipurpose unit gives the shooter the ability to identify and quickly target threats at a push of a button. Even better, it’s rechargeable. Lights and lasers eat a lot of juice, so a rechargeable lithium-ion battery is a godsend—or at least a lot better than fitting a battery bill. As to the TSM-11G’s fine points, the unit is outfitted with a green laser sight, fully adjustable and 150-lumen white light. The light’s dual switches provide the shooter tactile, click actuation in momentary or constant-on use. MSRP: $164.28

DeSantis Sidestep OWB Holster

The combination of classic good looks and modern-day performance pretty much sums up this dashing outside-the-waistband option. It being DeSantis, of course, the holster is made of full-grain saddle leather, making it a comfortable and sturdy hanger for everyday carry. But it’s not just another leather rig. The trailing slot holster features a double-thick sweat shield to keep firearms away from body moisture, and it’s tailored for pistols with or without reflex sights. Meticulously molded in a 15-degree forward cant, the holster cuts down on a gun’s profile, while still facilitating a quick draw. MSRP: $78.99

Tru-Spec Vector Pant

Wait … EDC pants? Honestly, any well-made britches will do. That said, there are purpose-built options that excel at the task and make the prepared life a whole lot easier. Case in point: Vector Pant. Essentially duty clothing, the durable garb is casual enough for everyday applications and as rugged as they come. Constructed of micro rip-stop polyester-cotton blend, the pant is breathable and comfortable and comes with several carry enhancements, including an integrated stretch panel waistband that provides comfort and support, no matter if you carry IWB or OWB. Additionally, a slew of ergonomically laid out pockets allows plenty of room to tote your most important gear. MSRP: $79.95

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2020 EDC issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.