When the weather starts getting colder your ability to up the ante on your Every Day Carry (EDC) increases. When you have a jacket and bulkier clothing on you can hide everything from a bigger gun to a better knife all on your person. While we all have our own personal EDC setup, there are some adjustments that need made for when the weather turns, and by simply tweaking what you already use, you can be more prepared and ready for anything the winter months can throw at you.
Larger Conceal Carry Firearm
First and foremost, your ability to carry a firearm without being noticed is far better in the winter. Jackets, sweatshirts, and bulkier pants make for the perfect hiding spot that a larger conceal carry firearm can be kept.
Personally speaking, I carry a Kel Tec -11 during the summer months because it’s small, lightweight, and has an attached belt clip that avoids the need for a separate holster. When it gets cold and the jackets come out however I switch to either my Glock 19 9mm or my Kimber Ultra CDP II .45 ACP. Both work great with an IWB holster and the extra layer of clothing hides them perfectly.
Think about upping the ante on your winter carry handgun and you can get a bigger, better firearm while it’s reasonable to carry it.
Multi-Tool
Many preppers in warmer climates avoid using a multi-tool in the summer months because they’re big and bulky, and just don’t work with shorts and a t-shirt. In the colder months however it makes sense to keep your multi-tool either in your jacket pocket or to wear it on your belt.
Both are great ways to get a multi-tool within arms reach all the time and when you have winter clothes concealing it, there’s no worry about explaining what it is to people. If you carry a smaller multi-tool in the summer think about getting a bigger one for the winter.
Larger Knife
Just like with your multi-tool and handgun, you can increase the size of your EDC knife in the winter as well. If you currently wear a smaller knife so that it fits in your front pocket or hides nicely in a back pocket, think about getting a larger one that can be work on your belt or kept in a coat pocket. You don’t need to get a full-blown survival knife, but something bigger than normal is great.
This may be the time of year to start carrying a Swiss Army Knife and combine the multi-tool and knife into one, too.
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Remember that if you’re caught in a bad situation in the colder months, you not only have to compete with general survival needs, but you have the cold to worry about, too. Water is more important to you in a cold environment than in a warm one, as the cold air dries you out quicker, so making sure you have a fresh supply of water with you all the time is a very good idea.
A stainless steel water bottle is ideal because not only does it help you carry water with you wherever you go, but it can be used to boil water and melt snow over a fire, too. Plastic water bottles are great, but when it comes to cooking with them, they’re not what you want to have.
Fire Starter
Speaking of competing with the cold, a fire is useful any time of the year, but in the winter months it can mean the difference between life and death. Make sure your EDC in the winter always has at least two fire starters in case one doesn’t work or is lost.
These fire starters are typically a fully filled lighter and a flint rod, usually on a keychain. By having both types of fire starters you’re sure to be warm if you’re stuck outdoors.
Other Items
Other basic items you should always have on you seem like common sense but are often forgot. For example, always keep your gloves in your coat so you have them in case of an emergency. It’s easy to forget these when we go out to our cars or trucks, but they can easily keep you from getting frostbite.
It’s a good idea to keep a foldable emergency blanket in your coat pocket or at least in your car, too. These thin Mylar sheets can mean the difference between freezing to death and surviving a night stuck on the side of the road in a snowstorm. They’re small, light, and nearly unnoticeable when folded in their original package.
The other winter EDC items you carry or upgrade are all about where you live and what you need, but the important thing to remember here is that you need to update your carry for the season. It’s too easy to fall into a rut and not think about it, but that simple mistake could make an easily survivable incident not so great.