Quasi-tactical buzzwords like low vis, low pro, and reduced signature get thrown around constantly in the preparedness and self-defense space, as ways to describe the concept of carrying a lot of gear on you in a manner that does not portray what you’re carrying. What we’re about to cover is a thought exercise in low visibility carry. This is not intended to represent a sample EDC. In fact, you can be absolutely positive that nobody will wear the following configuration every day. Or most days. Or any day, unless your job requires you to work in places where car bombs and assassination attempts are a routine occurrence.
Our intention here is two-fold. The first is to showcase some products we’ve come across in the last several months, or have been in our inventory for some time, that you may not be aware of. While this complete combination of products will be vast overkill for most of us, there may be one or two that you can use to fit your needs perfectly. The other is to show you why the right gear is so important. Particularly if you are looking for a high-capacity, low-visibility solution in an urban or suburban environment. If this is a capability you need, or would like to have, it is important to pay attention to the individual components you choose. But when you do gear-up smartly, it’s impressive just how much you can carry.
A Note On Wardrobe
The shoes and button-down shirt shown here come from 5.11 Tactical – their Foley Low sneakers and Gunner button up shirt, respectively. These are both among the most urbanized offerings from 5.11, but you could very well replace them with whatever shoes and button-up shirt you like to accomplish the same result. The jeans are regular, off-the-table Wrangler straight-cut from Walmart. We deliberately did not choose tactical or EDC jeans with extra pockets, or commercial boot cut jeans to give ourselves extra room for concealment.
We also did not up-size the shirt or pants from our true daily wear. The jeans are 34 x 32 straight cut, the Gunner flannel is size medium, and the RECOIL t-shirt is size large. Model is 5-feet-10-inches tall and 200 pounds – neither excessively skinny nor supremely athletic. We explain all this to further illustrate the potential of what’s possible for “normal” body types in “normal” clothes.
With all that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the low-vis loadout shown in these photos…
Belt
Make & Model: Mastermind Tactics All-Purpose Belt
Price: $44.99
The author has been running Mastermind Tactics’ previous flagship belt, the Specialist Belt, for years. Last year, the Specialist was discontinued for the APB which brings some additional features to the table. This 1.5-inch belt is purpose belt for inside-the-waistband carry. The low-profile buckle is marine-grade 316 stainless steel. The end of the belt is chemically stiffened to provide positive feed through the buckle and prevent fraying even with years of use. Two changes which separate the APB from its predecessor include the removal of hook-and-loop.
Many EDC belts use this method to open and close, and there’s nothing wrong with it from a purely utilitarian standpoint. But in addition to being a little noisy, hook-and-loop will gunk up with lint and debris, eventually losing some of its holding power over time (although we’ve not seen this in three years of literal every day use with the Specialist). Furthermore, hook-and-loop on a belt isn’t especially fashionable.
While some may scoff at the idea of considering fashion for carry wear, assimilating cultural norms—even in your own office or neighborhood—is one of the cornerstones of true low-vis operations from a military and law enforcement standpoint. The APB uses heavy-duty nylon for its base construction and is available with either a flexible or stiffened core. We received samples of both, and find the flexible core to be more than adequate for daily IWB carry use. For those looking to carry large handguns outside the waistband, or use their APB in lieu of a heavier battle belt, the stiffened core may be better.
Holster
Make & Model: LAS Concealment Shogun 2.0 w/Mastermind Tactics Carry Pillow
Price: $84.98
URL: lasconcealment.com
There’s nothing new about the LAS Concealment Shogun 2.0 holster. Most of the RECOIL OFFGRID team has been using LAS holsters for the last 5+ years, almost without exception. These holsters are comfortable, durable, uncomplicated, and make larger pistols easy to hide.
Pistol
Make & Model: Staccato C2 Custom
Price: $2499 (base pistol)
URL: staccato2011.com
To prove our previous point about LAS holsters, we setup this loadout with a carry gun that is far from demure. The Staccato C2 pistol sports a 3.9-inch bull barrel and 16-round double-stack magazine. As if that weren’t challenging enough, our particular C2 has been customized by 2011 gunsmith AJ Zito of Practical Performance. Upgrades include a Threat Cadre compensator, Leupold Delta Point Pro and Sure X300U-B weapon light.
There is not one thing slim or lightweight about this pistol. But pairing it with the discreet All Purpose Belt and an appropriate holster thoughtfully designed for max concealment makes even this hog leg of a handgun disappear under jeans and a t-shirt. We believe it was Clint Smith who said “carrying a firearm should be comforting, not comfortable” and we feel very much comforted while carrying a pistol that’s easily capable of repeat, 50-plus-yard hits with a military grade weapon light.
Spare Mags
Make & Model: Grayfighter Gear HUSH and Sanguis Pouches
Price: $45
URL: grayfightergear.com
There’s no shortage of IWB pistol mag pouches on the market, but we were especially impressed with the Grayfighter pouches. The pouch seen here holding a rifle magazine is their HUSH pouch – short for Hidden Under SH*t. Our pistol mag is being held by their Sanguis pouch. Designed by a New York LEO with experience in undercover work, these pouches take a different approach from what you might expect.
While most mag pouches are molded kydex, formed to fit the type of magazine in question, the HUSH pouch takes an ultra-minimalist approach, constructed from a combination of laminates and hook-and-loop straps attached to Discreet Carry Concepts metal clips. The straps can be adjusted to carry anything you can stuff into them, and then trimmed to fit by the end user. The HUSH pouch was meant for all manner of magazines, from pistol to rifle, and the Sanguis pouch for a tourniquet.
But the customizable structure allows them to be repurposed for other items. The Sanguis can hold things like multi-tools, flashlights and pistol mags (the latter is what’s shown here). The HUSH pouch can be sized to fit small radios or even large rifle mags like AR-10/SR-25 boxes. We’re carrying a 20-round pistol mag with aluminum baseplate and a 30-round AR-15 mag.
Fixed Blade
Make & Model: JB Knife Ditch Pik
Price: $350
URL: jbknifeandtool.com
Not all problems are gun problems, and the value of a small, defensive fixed blade cannot be understated – just ask non-permissive environment expert and OFFGRID contributor Ed Calderon. The Ditch Pik from JB Knife, designed in concert with Calderon himself, is one of our favorite examples encountered over the years.
The double-edged, talon-shaped blade can be used ambidextrously, and its extremely flat profile keeps it tight to the body without printing or protruding from under a shirt.
IFAK
Make & Model: Immediate Casualty Care IWB Flat
Price: $34.99 (pouch only)
URL: immediatecasualtycare.com
Immediate Casualty Care is a small shop that specializes in one thing: IWB carry of trauma medical supplies for use by prepared citizens and first responders. Shown here is their IWB Flat, one of their most low-profile IWB kits that has room for chest seals, tourniquet, Israeli bandage and compressed gauze.
ICC recently replaced the design seen here with an updated 2.0 version that features a high-back design to prevent gear from rubbing on the wearer’s skin.
Alternate IFAK
Make & Model: Live The Creed Pocket Trauma Kit
Price: $34.99 (pouch only)
URL: ltcreed.com
At this point in the article, we realize some folks might be running out of waistband to fit gear into. If carrying your medical gear IWB doesn’t appeal, Live The Creed makes a number of small medical pouches, including this Pocket Trauma Kit, which is also part of the author’s actual EDC. This wallet-sized folding pouch fits in the back pocket of your jeans, opposite your actual wallet, and still holds all the trauma essentials you’d need.
The only drawback to this method is not being able to carry a “hard” tourniquet like a CAT or SOFT-T. We carry a SWAT-T in our, which is better than not having a TQ at all, but if you prefer a hard strap-and-windlass option, Immediate Casualty Care makes an IWB pouch that’s standalone for just a tourniquet. Or you can pick up a second HUSH pistol rig and use that.
Folding Knife
Make & Model: Blood Oath Instruments Pocket Fiend v2
Price: $205
Folding knives can be had in any size, shape, color, or configuration you fancy, and there are near-infinite options to choose from, so we won’t deep dive it. But we’ve grown fond of the Pocket Fiend, v2 from Blood Oath Instruments. We liked the original Pocket Fiend just fine, but there are some material and aesthetic upgrades that give the v2 an edge (no pun intended) over its predecessor. These include a DLC-coated S35VN blade, ambidextrous pocket clip, caged ceramic ball bearing mechanism, and a lightweight aluminum handle that’s finished in Magpul FDE cerakote.
Flashlight
Make & Model: SureFire EDC1-DFT
Price: $259 – $289
URL: surefire.com
There is absolutely no disputing the utility of having a good flashlight on hand, and that Surefire is the name when it comes to bomb proof, high-performance tactical and carry flashlights. The EDC1-DFT is part of their high-candela Turbo line, offering 95,000 peak candela to overcome all manner of mixed lighting conditions. It is also part of their Dual Fuel line, able to accept either a rechargeable 18350 battery, or single CR123, ensuring you can fuel your light regardless of whether you can get to a charging station.
Armor Option
Make & Model: HSP Thorax Incog w/DFNDR Armor RF1 Elite Plates
Price: $160
URL: haleystrategic.com
Plates: DFNDR RF1 Elite
Price: $1550 per plate (Medium SAPI)
URL: dfndrarmor.com
The practicality of wearing armor is debatable in the context of citizen preparedness. But recent years have shown an uptick in civil unrest in the United States that is likely to resurge in the face of yet another hotly contested Presidential election. This may leave every day citizens in a situation where they are required to transit through areas being affected by mostly-peaceful protests, which have repeatedly erupted into violence including shootings. In these situations, wearing armor is a distinct advantage.
But being seen wearing armor…not so much. Throwing on a tactical plate carrier festooned with MOLLE webbing, buckles, and quick-release cummerbunds could itself escalate an otherwise tenuously calm situation. In such cases, a more discreet armor carrier is the best tool for the job, and Haley Strategic’s new Thorax Incog is one of the most versatile, low-visibility plate carrier we’ve come across in recent years. It’s truly slick (no MOLLE, no buckles) and form-fitting tweave construction allows you wear rifle-rated hard armor under all but the thinnest of shirts.
Ours is loaded with DFNDR Armor RF1 Elite plates. These plates will stand up to threats including 5.56mm M193 ball, 7.62x39mm Mild Steel Core, and 7.62x51mm NATO M80 ball. Even with this level of protection, the plates are only 0.75 inches thick and weigh a scant 2.09 pounds each. Not only will you not look like you’re wearing armor, you won’t move like it either.
Rifle Bag Option
Make & Model: Grey Ghost Gear Apparition SBR Bag
Price: $125-$180
URL: greyghostgear.com
Like armor, carrying a rifle in an urban environment is a highly personal decision and ought be considered thoroughly in terms of pros-versus-cons. But if you do choose to carry one, keeping it completely concealed is paramount for prepared citizens to steer clear of brandishing laws. Not only is it important that people don’t see your rifle, it’s also important they don’t perceive you to have a rifle. Simply sticking your carbine in your Multicam soft case can carrying it down the street won’t be enough.
The Grey Ghost Gear Apparition SBR bag is purpose built for short carbines, and deliberately designed to look like not-a-rifle bag. The slick exterior and waist belt design make it look more like a hiking pack than a gun case. The tan/green colorway shown here is by far the most tactical option they offer, but not out of place among trail junkies and camping enthusiasts in the Southwest. If this isn’t enough camouflage for your locale, there are several other colorways including more generic colors and brightly colored accents that most tactical bags wouldn’t be caught dead using – which is exactly the point. Even with its politically correct construction, the Apparition was able to comfortably fit our fully-decked out SBR, detailed below.
Rifle
Make & Model: Cobalt Kinetics CK-PRO 12.5-inch SBR with Scrambler Suppressor
URL: cobaltkinetics.com
We didn’t want to cheat the exercise by using an AR pistol or lightweight SBR with a LAW folder. The rifle shown here is a Cobalt Kinetics CK-PRO, in use by several law enforcement units around the country. The sample here is a 12.5-inch SBR with Rosco K9 barrel. The furniture is B5 Systems. Accessories include a Vortex Razor 1-6x LPVO and SPARC Solar red dot in an American Defense 1.7-inch Delta-M scope mount, foregrip, weapon light, and IR laser/illuminator. Our only shortcut was stowing it with a 20-round magazine instead of a standard capacity 30-rounder. But since we’re already carrying a full-size magazine, we felt it was allowable. That alone gives us a total of 50 rounds for our carbine, with pockets inside the Apparition bag for additional 30 round mags.
The muzzle device is Cobalt’s own RCB-6 brake, and will accept their Scrambler suppressor, which we also have stowed in the bag. The Scrambler titanium is an incredibly small, incredibly lightweight suppressor: 4.75 inches and 6.8 ounces total. While it’s not Hollywood quiet, it’s barely-there form factor can be quickly attached or detached, and can still protect your hearing and reduce your signature if you ever need it.
Low Vis Gear Conclusion
Are we advocating this complete setup as a practical solution for the average citizen? Absolutely not. But we are showing what is possible when you shop smart for gear and give just a little consideration to your wardrobe. We deliberately stayed within the confines of acceptable street dress for most areas, and were still able to carry a pistol, flashlight, hard armor, two knives, two med kits, 36 rounds of 9mm, and 30 rounds of 5.56mm on-body, before introducing the SBR bag.
Once the sole purview of military special operators, undercover cops, and executive protection specialists, the ability to carry the kitchen sink while still able to walk into the grocery store without causing a stir is now firmly in reach for anybody looking to bolster their capabilities to protect themselves or their loved ones in a crisis without looking like a partisan guerrilla.
Read More From Recoil Offgrid
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- EDC Belt, Range Belt, and War Belt Setups
- Preps of the Pros: Contributing Writer Patrick Diedrich’s EDC Gear & Go Bag
- Preps of the Pros: OFFGRID Editor Tom Marshall’s EDC Gear & Go Bag
- Bug Out Bag List of Essentials
- Toughest AR-15 Upper: Apocalypse-proofing Your Bugout Carbine
Check out our sister publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade
Editor’s Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.
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