I've always carried at least a knife, watch, wallet and keys pretty much everywhere I go, and for the last 4 years, my Glock 23. I've only recently (6 months ago?) packed my first EDC Bag, a Maxpedition Malaga, due to it being the smallest bag with the ability to carry an iPad. I kept a strict policy that my EDC would contain only items that I have the potential to use "every day" with only a minimal survival kit in the event I'm stranded, lost, etc. Despite my adherence to my policy, I nonetheless quickly found out that the Malaga was too small. No room for a rain jacket or to swap in and out daily use clothing items. I also want the bag to come along on day hikes and the Malaga is NOT comfortable for that when loaded heavy. I've just yesterday purchased a 5.11 Rush 24 and this bag holds all my stuff wonderfully including some new items (of course). More Room = More Stuff right? My problem is I've never FLOWN before as an EDC Bag carrier and I have to do this here on Sunday. Most of the stuff in my bag would be enough to get me several body cavity searches and a whole lot of interviews, so I've decided to check it (feeling woozy already). It's amazing how quickly we become attached to this bag full of "must haves". I refused to strip it down to TSA acceptability. My problem is further compounded by the fact that the place I'm flying to is northern California. Normally I bring my Glock when I travel, but no dice in CA. I can't CC legally and you can only OC when you don't have any magazines inserted or compatible ammo on your person! F'n CRAZY! I wanted to bring the EDC bag as I planned on doing some hiking. It looks like I'm going to have to do some significant configuration changes there too just to get the bag to my room. Y'all have some weird knife rules there. Apparently, I could have a six foot long folder concealed any way I want, but any fixed blade must be openly carried and ONLY on my hip. Crazy. Can't leave it MOLLE'd on the OUTSIDE of the bag and I can't put it IN the bag. I'd rather not freak out a bunch of the local sheep by carrying my LMF II on my hip, but it looks like that's what's going to have to happen. I was wrestling with the idea of just <gulp> leaving it at home, but where I'm going to be is Cougar country and I might actually NEED it! WAS going to leave the whole bag and just put some essentials in my laptop bag, but I ended up saying HELL no to that one. I'm going to be in Cali for an entire month. Can't be without all my gear for that long. Anyone else feel completely naked without your EDC gear? This sucks. No offense to Californians, but I hate California.
From what i under stand now they revoked the open carry law now no matter what you do you can't And welcome to norcal soon.
if you're going to cougar country, no one's gonna care if you have a fixed blade on your hip. if you go to san francisco, you'll get some looks. i live in jackson, ca and everyone has a knife and a lot have them on their hips. a lot are farmers and ranchers though so they have a reason to carry one.
I can relate, pretty much always had a knife on me since I was 10 yrs old, watch also. If someone said "do you have a knife" my answer was "do I have my pants on? " I also keep a leatherman wave, and mini bic on or near me. So yes flying somewhere without my knife/leatherman makes me uncomfortable. The company I work for has locations near Detroit, and Chicago that I frequently go to. I feel I should be able to carry a fully automatic weapon, plus grenades to go to either one of those cities, but alas, us law abiding citizens aren't allowed. I usually check a bag, cause I have to take steel toes boots, put a cheap lockblade, and my leatherman in there so I have it when I arrive. Have seen several posts about the gerber eab knife that uses the disposable blades, have thought of getting one of those. Right after 9-11, me and some friends visited St Louis, they wouldn't let us go up in the Arch unless we gave up our lockblades. We said no deal, we are the people that you want to have knives. Rant finished, I feel your pain and frustration. Just gotta work around it.
Put your stuff in a box and mail it to yourself. When you're ready to go home, mail it back. You will need a "good" address in Cal., family, friend, trusted associate, be sure to allow plenty of time for delivery and request delivery confirmation. You can legally mail a gun, across state lines, as long as it is to yourself or a licensed gun dealer. DON'T write anything like "Fragile-Gun" on the box. Buy your ammo, locally... I'd hate to carry a month's worth of stuff on an airplane. What you know or want to do, about local and state carry laws, is your business.
I feel like I don't have pants on if I don't have a knife and a flashlight with me. Probably because the only times I don't have a knife and flashlight on my person are the times I'm not wearing pants. thankfully, I don't have to fly anywhere for work and can reach my preferred vacation destination by car
Be sure to buy insurance on the package and research the insurance guidelines thoroughly. Without it, if your package is lost you're just out of luck.
Oh, I could just check the gun on the plane and be legal so long as it's in a locked case. I just can't carry it when I get there so it'd be pointless. As far as the knife, this will be the fourth time I've had to go to Petaluma. Maybe it's time I start looking for a BIG folder.
If you are going to Petaluma, maybe you can swing by Todd Begg's shop and pick up a knife made by him... Greg
Under your clothes? Yeah likewise. My son is three and he's always for real naked. It's his favorite thing.
Yes... while camping I have been known to clip my flashlight and Benchmade folder inside the waistband of my boxer shorts while sleeping.
This is brilliant. if i ever need to fly somewhere and don't have family at the other end, I'd check with my hotel ahead of time to see if i can mail myself something to their address and retrieve it at check in. I don't carry a gun, but I do like to have a couple knives and a nice flashlight on me. if they say yes, I'll just ship my luggage with all the EDC gear tucked into it. no bag check, nothing in my pockets but wallet, handkerchief, and phone as I go through security.
Oh yeah. In May of this year Dad and I went to a motorcycle poker run to support a local fallen officer, it was raining when we left and I was too busy putting on rain gear to pay attention to what I was doing. When we got to town I noticed I had forgot almost everything... sunglasses, knife, flashlight... man I flipped. Dad was laughing at me, "How long has it been since you didn't have a knife on you?" It was horrible ... but it hasn't happened again. ... Yet.
Coastie Re guns and other items You might want to gander at tsa (dot) gov, w info straight from the horse's mouth then search traveler-information/probibited-items also then search traveler-information/firearms-and-ammunitions
Thanks a LOT for that. Kept meaning to check and kept forgetting. Everything I'm checking is good except the waterproof matches and lighter in my EDC. It seems those are good to go as carry on though. The gun is staying home.
