Having backup in any emergency situation can be crucial, and definitely aid in safety. This is why it is important to carry two items in your edc. The first, which everyone already carries is a cell phone. One of the only reasons I carry a cell phone is for emergency purposes. I hate texting people, hate the bulk, occasionally use the GPS, don’t use social media or the internet frequently, but in case of an emergency, I want to have the ability to contact help. This isn’t always a guarantee due to locations with no service. Another reality is I can usually just tell someone else to call for help because in most cases, I will be rendering aid, or administering violence. That is what I am hoping for, yet it is not a guarantee. I think I’ve called 911 close to ten times in my life, all for somebody else. It’s also nice to call your mom sometimes.

The second item is a spare magazine. This is firearm related as most of my posts are, and will continue to be. No matter the capacity of your weapon, having an extra magazine can never hurt. The quote, “it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” For me, a spare mag is easy to carry because I carry it outside the waistband in a kydex (plastic) pouch. It’s not against my body so I rarely notice it. I carry two spare magazine at work, which is required. I build consistency by carry it in the same place on the job, and off the job. This is not true for my firearm. Having a spare magazine can also be important for handgun malfunctions. The springs in the magazines can wear over time, so if you’ve been using the same one every day then this could happen, though unlikely. Most malfunctions on modern semi-automatic handguns are ammo or magazine related. Having the ability to swap out a bad magazine for a good one is enough reason in my mind. Notice I’m saying magazine, and not clip because they are two very different objects. Another reason to carry a spare magazine is the increased capacity, especially if you elect to carry a smaller gun. You don’t know what situation you’ll find yourself in with your firearm, therefore you don’t know how much ammo you’ll need. My gun has 17 rounds in the magazine, and one in the chamber. My spare magazine is a 17 rounder, with a magazine extension. This gives me 40 rounds total. I’m comfortable with that amount. Some guns only have 7 total rounds. For myself, I would fire through that within seconds, and I would be left with no ammo afterwards. This makes it even more crucial to have a spare magazine while carrying a smaller gun. I’ve shot and been through enough training to know that after firing a certain number of rounds, it is a good idea to reload my gun to full capacity, or a tactical reload. An speed reload accurs when the gun runs empty, but with a tactical reload you retain the old magazine so you aren’t wasting any ammo. The majority of people who carry a gun also carry with a spare mag, unless they’re being lazy. Don’t be lazy. Don’t find yourself in a pickle.