Don't Let Your Backup Be A Backup

Springfield XD Mod.2 Service, CZ P-10C, and Springfield XDs 4" 9mm pistols

Every Day Carry or EDC is becoming a common term. We used to just borrow the Boy Scouts of America's motto, "Be Prepared.", but marketing geniuses have made EDC the war cry of the retail world and the prepared person. In life, theater, and sports the saying, "The Show Must Go On!" is commonplace. It is the mindset that in a crisis we need to be prepared even if our main go-to gear, actor, or quarterback fails or is lost.

In the EDC world, we might find ourselves carrying a pen, a pocketknife, a camera, a lighter, a multitool, a pistol, or a multitude of other specialized gear depending on our needs and expectations. Many of us have seen the SHTF and the primary EDC tool unable to function as desired so we develop the habit of carrying a backup or spare or even two or more. This is where many folks sell themselves short. Let's think about this; if your main "fill in the blank" fails, you are definitely in a predicament where your backup is now at least as vital as the original was. Therefore you need it to function at least as well or even better than that which it now replaces.

It's far better to have two or three great tools than fifty mediocre ones.

If you have a knife that you place constant demand on then you want solid materials, quality steel, and superior design qualities and you want to take the best care possible of that knife. There aren't many things more dangerous than a dull knife. On a folder a cheap lock, handle, or pivot can cause catastrophic injury or even death. In the event, that knife fails or is lost then it is essential that the backup be able to complete the tasks at hand. Common sense says to buy the best primary gear possible, but it is far too common to see people who don't realize that they need the same mindset on their backups. Both quality and ability are crucial factors.

As the old adage goes, "Don't buy a five dollar knife unless you have five dollar fingers."


When it comes to Every Day Carry we pack what is essential. Despite for many of us a daily battle against perfectionism, when it comes to EDC, "good enough" really isn't good enough. Don't sell yourself short. Good tools will take care of you for life if you take care of them and backups should be no exception.

Go forth and be prepared!

AL MAR Applegate - Fairbane Knives