Securing and concealing your valuables, defensive tools, and preparedness gear will aid in ensuring they are there when you need them while not making you a target or victim of theft. This practice allows you to be ready for daily tasks, crisis situations, and life altering events. Here are some tips for storage on your person, in your vehicle, and in your bag.
We'll deep dive the on-body options as it's the most vital for emergent threats. We'll keep it focused on defense while highlighting other implements for survival.
If selecting a firearm as part of your first line of carry is your choice (the best choice when facing a deadly threat posed by a bad guy with a gun); ensure a firearm does not print (show an outline under your clothing) when careying concealed. Avoid placement of a firearm in areas that bulge. Holster selection is a precursory task to properly carrying concealed, select the type that best pairs with your clothing, firearm/body size, and capabilities. Test the carry by running and conducting simple drills to ensure it will stay secure. Don't adjust or "check" it while in public (draws attention).
Handcuff keys and other escape and evasion (E&E) tools should typically be concealed near the waistline as this is where your hands will be restrained. Consider clipping an E&E tool to your underwear or sewing it into your pants. Avoid using metallic tools and opt for polymer or ceramic to avoid detection at metal detectors (or by wands). The underside of the sole of your shoes, backs of morale patches, against a watch band, or under the collar of a shirt are contingency concealment locations. Wear items around your neck (lanyard/necklace), use in-plain-sight tools (such as an empty key fob that holds supplies inside), swap out shoe laces for paracord/Kevlar, hide E&E items under a false bandage on your thigh, or slide supplies into a scrunchie (hair tie).
Knives, tourniquets, and other tools may also require concealments as their observation by others could draw unnecessary attention. As with a firearm, many of these tools may also demand rapid accessibility. Assess your attire and assign a mounting/pocketing location that best matches your need for deployment while also tending to the call for covertness.
The above section is shared in part of the Hip Pocket Brief. Get the pocket sized book here.
Ok, now let's get into a structured format here and summarize carry options by carrier (person, vehicle, bag). We purposefully left out many other areas for covert storage, stashing, and staging (like your house or place of work) as the basics will be covered in a manner that allows you to creatively think about how to tackle these other areas.
ON-BODY (on person)
- Money belt discreetly worn under clothing for easy access to cash.
- Neck lanyard pouch for a USB drive containing essential documents or other lanyard style survival kit.
- Travel wallet with a hidden compartment for a small amount of cash. Avoid carrying your main wallet with all your cards.
- Sewn-in pockets: Discreet pockets can be added to the inside of clothing, such as the waistband of pants or inside of the cuffs of shirts.
- Headband stash: Small items like a handcuff key or a memory card can be hidden within a seam of a ball cap's headband.
- Shoe compartment: Modify the tongue of a shoe to create a small pocket for storing a folded bill or escape and evasion implements.
IN VEHICLE
- Lockable glove compartment with a decoy wallet and less important documents.
- Faraday cage for car keys and a spare USB drive with critical information.
- Center console compartment for frequently accessed items like cash or a handcuff key.
- Behind the radio bezel (certain car models only) for small hidden compartments.
- Inside the armrest compartment with a divided organizer to conceal valuables under everyday items.
- Trunk or under-floor storage compartments (check local restrictions on firearm storage in your trunk).
- Magnetic mount under the car for a small GPS tracker (ensure legal compliance in your area).
- Learn how to loadout an emergency ready vehicle by reading our Bugout Vehicle Reference Guide.
IN A BAG (backpack, purse, etc)
- Internal zippered or Velcro pockets that are covered with a flap or positioned in a less conventional area of the bag (on the outside base).
- Portable safe within the bag secured with a cable lock for storing a firearm or escape and evasion tools.
- Decoy compartment with less valuable items to divert attention from hidden valuables. Consider a decoy wallet.
Learn more about Everyday Carry (EDC) essentials you pocket, wear, or otherwise attach to yourself during the course of the day from our downloadable guide. EDC is more that just knives, flashlights, or a gun; it encompasses the mindset, utilitarian needs, possible threats, typical tasks, local (weather/terrain), and your expected course of action. Since our daily lives vary greatly, there is no way to create a checklist that is exhaustive of all scenarios but we have formed a "Line of Carry" Checklist that provides an example of what gear, tools, and supplies should be on your person. Download the guide here.