Whether you're a self-proclaimed gear junkie or a minimalist, it's hard not to appreciate all of the innovative products that are being released in the world of survival and preparation. We check out several fresh items on the market to consider.

Prometheus Design Werx Ti-Signal Whistle

LENGTH: 2.19 inches
MSRP: $29
URL: prometheusdesignwerx.com

NOTES: One thing’s for sure: This ain’t your granddaddy’s survival whistle. Machined from 6AL-4V titanium billet, the Ti-Signal Whistle is lightweight, corrosion resistant, and almost indestructible. It can emit a piercing, high-pitch sound to alert others of your location. This makes it a potentially life-saving device — whether you’re injured and in need of a search- and-rescue team or just trying to reconnect with your friends after getting separated in the backcountry. And as with every- thing Prometheus Design Werx makes, the Ti-Signal Whistle exists at that intersection between aesthetics and functionality. It features a Mk2-style pineapple pattern and comes packed in a tin with form-fitting foam for long-term storage. It comes with a stainless steel ball chain or can be clipped to a keyring.

Mustang Survival Highwater 22L Day Pack

MATERIAL: 70-denier PVC-free ripstop nylon fabric shell
MSRP: $100
URL: mustangsurvival.com

NOTES: Whether you’re heading out on a fishing trip or bugging out during the rainy season, getting wet can be a strong possibility depending on your destination or mission. So, keeping your vital gear dry will be, well, vital. If you want something more durable than wrapping your daypack in a garbage bag, consider a waterproof backpack like the Highwater. Aside from the waterproof ripstop nylon fab- ric shell, its zipper-less roll-top design ensures that the main chamber stays moisture free. Plus, there are three external mesh pockets for drop-in items like water bottles or larger flashlights. For comfort on a long haul, there are slim but padded shoulder straps and a removable back pad with its own inner storage sleeve.

Highwater 22L Day Pack $109 Mustang Survival

Kershaw Knives Epistle

OAL: 7 inches
MSRP: $49
URL: kershawknives.com

Prime Day is here, and whether or not you were looking forward to the day Amazon blows open its metaphorical doors for the best deals this side of the Atlantic, we're bringing to you some of the best, time-sensitive offers available on the site. Here's the catch, though, you have to go through our page, that way they know we sent you there. It's voting season, and we all know how the sayings go, people vote with their wallets. The best part is, good survival gear doesn't care about how much you spent on it when it's saving your life in a disaster, or from a bad day in the office. Stay tuned for the best Prime Day Survival Deals.

3M WorkTunes + Gel Cups Hearing Protection

Save 30% on 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Ear Cushions

The only thing better than hearing protection when at the range, is hearing protection blasting the best Miley Cyrus, or Five Finger Death Punch, ironically of course. While one's choice of music may be a joke, protecting your hearing is not, and take it from any veteran, tinnitus isn't something we'd volunteer for again. The best part about these, however, is that they come standard with gel cups to go over the ears, which significantly makes them more comfortable and effective at saving those ear drums.

XAegis Shooting Glasses

XAegis Shooting Glasses for as low as $9.59

If you're wearing ear protection, you should be wearing something to keep your eyes safe, especially at the range or when working on the latest DIY project in the garage. While there's plenty of arguments that start with “what if this happens?” here's an easy answer, decent eye protection isn't that expensive, even less so on Prime Day.

Go Time Gear Life Tent Emergency Survival Shelter

Go Time Gear Life Tent for $15.95

A tent like this isn't for a week in the Rockies, if you get to choose the timing. However, emergencies wait for no one's clock, and arrive on their own time. When that is the case, ideal means what keeps us alive, and in the hierarchy of needs, during a blizzard or pouring rain, shelter ranks pretty high on that list. Easy to keep in a car or strapped to a bug out bag, saving your survival pack from being raided every time you take a weekend out at the lake, this survival tent is burning in as low as $16 during the sale. Make your move now.

Go Time Gear Life Bivy Emergency Sleeping Bag

Life Bivy Emergency Sleeping Bag for $15.95

Unless you're riding out the apocalypse with a team of porters to carry your gear, chances are it's a sleeping bag that will end up in your tent. But there's more than one application and ideal location for a survival sleeping bag, particularly for those living in northern states that suffer frigid winters which can quickly turn a stuck car into a icy tomb. Take this opportunity to prepare for a winter that might be low on available first responders and pick up one of these for less than the price of a fancy cocktail downtown.

LifeStraw Universal Water Filter Bottle Adapter Kit

LifeStraw Universal Water Filter for $29.51

Turn that Hydroflask from its days as a Visco-Girl prop into something that can save your life with the LifeStraw Universal Water Filter Bottle Adapter, and for less thanks to Amazon. Food, Water, Shelter make up the vital triad, and taking running water for granted is a fatal error. This isn't Ranger School, this is survival, and whatever you do, don't go full Bear Grylls.

J.CARP Military Tactical Backpack

J.CARP Military Tactical Backpack for $36.79

While a pack like this isn't something we'd recommend for a long haul survival experience, desperate times have driven people to go further with less. At the same time, more affordable bags like this make for excellent vehicle-bound medical kits, and survival bags that provide the live-saving gear and peace of mind in the event that one has to escape a real bad situation to get home, or happens to be in the wrong place at the right time and can do some good. With an included hydration pack, these kinds of bags hold the kit you don't mind loosing in the event that the whole vehicle and contents must be abandoned, as they can be replaced for a reasonable price.

Tobfit 12 Pack LED Road Flares

Tobfit 12 Pack LED Road Flares for $47.99

To be clear, they might not be as cinematic as those ones that look like dynamite, but they're 100% less likely to burn family members or start a forest fire as well. These road flares pack light and can be carried by the whole family to avoid being separated in the dark, and serve as not only a way to be found by first responders, but to mark a basecamp when exploring in the dark. Just remember, batteries not included.

Best Deals on Knives:

Victorinox Swiss Army Classic for $16.63

The venerable Swiss Army Knife by Victorinox is coming in at 20% off, With multiple models to choose from, these still make sentimental gifts for growing adventurers. Useful in most places except an airport, take a walk into memories past, catch a look at 5 Surprising Uses for a Swiss Army Knife.

Up To 20% Off CRKT Knives

Save up to 20% on CRKT Knives
Providing some the the best EDC knives that fit well between the lines of quality manufacturing and won't-make-you-cry-as-you-dull-it-on-cardboard, CRKT knives have circumnavigated the globe in the packs of adventurers, kits of soldiers, and edc pockets of every-day people.

Up To 26% off Streamlight Flashlights

Save 26% on Streamlight 66608 250 Lumen Microstream

There's no excuse to have to pull out an EDC pistol just to get access to a flashlight, and let's remember, cell phone lights are convenience, not a replacement. As Streamlight's hand-held and weapon lights continue to improve, their affordability becomes more and more attractive. This Prime Day sale, get them up to 26% off.

When we hear the term “survival knife,” we most often think of a large fixed blade of some type and not a folding pocket knife. Yet, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter may make you change that way of thinking.

The Buck 110 was a familiar sight for many years. Although it’s pocket-sized, it was mostly worn on the belt in a leather sheath secured with a single snap. Even those who know little about knives can recognize it immediately. It was worn by hunters, farmers, craftsmen, tradespeople, and anyone who had the need for a compact, sharp blade with a strong lock.

When a single model of any knife becomes synonymous with an entire company’s product line for decades, and inspires countless other designs (as well as blatant imitations), I’d say that qualifies as iconic.

History

The Buck 110 was designed in 1963 as a folding hunting knife. There had been a few knives of this type on the market, but none had really been successful, and Buck wasn’t exactly a new company at the time. They were well-known for their outdoor fixed-blade knives.

Above: The iconic Buck 110 Folding Hunter's overall look became synonymous with the company.

Although they got their start in 1902, the company didn’t incorporate until 1961. A mere two years later they decided to introduce the first folding knife that was nearly as strong as a fixed blade. Buck rolled out their Unconditional Lifetime Warranty at this time, which was also unheard of for a knife manufacturer. Lastly, they priced their knives anywhere from $12 to $20. This wasn’t exactly a king’s ransom in 1963, but the typical field knife retailed for around $5 at the time.

Design

Credit must be given to the engineer who developed the locking bar on the Buck 110. It may look like a simple lock back, but it was designed to hold the blade in a solid position as well as release with minimal pressure applied to it.

The blade is a 3¾-inch clip point, similar to the classic Bowie knife but on a smaller scale. This is an interesting choice as it makes for a very narrow tapering point that’s critical for delicate cutting, and provides a slender tip for poking precise holes. The blade is robust enough to tackle anything from whittling stakes to skinning game.

Above: The Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a classic, rock- solid blade that has proven itself over the past 50-plus years.

As for steel, most Buck 110 Folding Hunters use 420C stainless steel. While some knife guys today may turn their noses up at this, 420C has proven to be very durable and corrosion-resistant. This has much to do with the exceptional heat treatment applied to the blades by the legendary Paul Bos, and a Rockwell hardness of 60. Still, if you want something more upscale, the Buck 110 can be had in S30V.

This classic design has two other elements that make it so iconic — namely, the distinctive front and rear brass bolsters and the ebony wood handles. When you see one, you know exactly what it is.

It generally takes two hands to open and close the knife, making it very safe and appropriate to give to a young person as a first-time knife. It uses a nail nick cut in the side of the blade, but some people install aftermarket thumb studs to modernize it. Back in the 1970s and 1980s it wasn’t uncommon for people to close the blade on a matchstick or toothpick in order to allow the knife to flick open more easily or open as it was drawn from a pocket.

Popularity Ensues

Despite its initial price being on the high side, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter took off like wildfire. Remember, this was in 1964 — the concept of a CNC-milled titanium frame lock was unheard of. This high-tension lock back with a very low-pressure release mechanism seemed like magic.

It was hard not to spot the distinctive black leather sheath of the Buck 110 on the belts of men almost everywhere and from all walks of life. Despite the rest of the company’s offerings, when you saw a Buck 110 Folding Hunter — in the sheath or outside of it — it was referred to as a “Buck knife.”

As with any popular design, other manufacturers and custom knife makers drew inspiration from it. The classic look of the knife with front and rear bolsters and inset hardwood scales became very influential on the cutlery industry. The downside of that was that there were a lot of imitations from overseas, most notably India, Pakistan, and Taiwan. These knives were cheaper and used inferior materials based off of reverse-engineered knives.

To this day, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter has always been Buck’s number-one seller and there are tens of millions of them out there.

The knife has undergone some small changes over the years. These aren’t readily noticeable to the average user, and they’re typically an improvement. However, the U.S.-made leather sheath briefly went to nylon and eventually back to leather due to customer feedback.

As a Survival Blade

Due to its relatively small size, the Buck 110 Folding Hunter fits that first commandment of survival knives: “Have a knife.” Whether it’s in its trusty leather belt sheath, a pocket, or a pouch on someone’s pack, it’s small enough to have with you whenever you need it.

We have left ours in a dedicated bag set up for hunting as a spare knife for years, and it has served well as a skinner, utility knife for cutting rope, and edged tool for other chores around camp. It may not be ideal for batonning firewood or quartering big game, but it can be done if it’s all you have available.

If there’s a drawback to the Buck 110 it’s that while the 420C blade is hard and tough, when the edge dulls it can be a bear to sharpen. We have had the best results with a Ken Onion Work Sharp sharpener set at a 20-degree angle and a medium-grit belt.

110 Hunter: $44.99 at Amazon

Inspirations

The Buck 110 not only influenced the look and feel of what was to become the modern lock-back folder from other makers but has inspired Buck’s own line of knives. Smaller versions, such as the Buck 112 with a 3-inch blade, have made the lineup as well as variants using different materials for handles and bolsters.

A fixed-blade version is available from Buck, but the company offers better fixed blades that can perform the same tasks. As fine of a knife as it is, this knife excels as a folder.

This fact wasn’t lost on Buck, either. It led to two lock-back descendants of the 110 Folding Hunter: the Buck 110 Auto and the Buck 110 Slim Pro.

Buck 110 Auto

Although I’m a self-proclaimed lifelong knife fanatic, part of me had felt that I had outgrown the Buck 110 Folding Hunter until 20 years ago when I saw an automatic conversion by the late Butch Valloton. Imagine the rock-solid lockup of a Buck 110 with an automatic opener — it seems like the perfect blend of old and new. It wouldn’t be long before Buck would make an automatic themselves based on this classic design.

Above: The opening button and lack of a nail nick are the only outward differences between the Buck 110 Auto and the Buck 110 folding knife that preceded it.

The first thing you notice is the distinctive silver-colored button on the handle, which compresses the spring and holds the blade closed when not in use. Press the button and the blade launches open from the side. You need to depress the lock bar to close it, but when it’s open there’s that rock-solid feeling of a fixed-blade knife in your hand once again. The only other things that set it apart are the hole in the blade where the auto mechanism keeps it closed, and the lack of the nail nick opener.

Buck 110 Slim Pro

By this point you might be thinking that the Buck 110 has a lot of great attributes, but the design is a little dated. Perhaps you think it’s more suitable for your father or grandfather who likes brass bolsters, hardwood scales, a belt sheath, a nail nick opener, or even a steel like 420C.

Above: The lighter weight of the 110 Slim Pro means that it can be carried via pocket clip as opposed to being worn in a belt sheath.

Buck recognized that too, and addressed it in their Buck 110 Slim Pro. They made the blade from S30V and added a thumb lug and a choice of either black G10 or tan or olive drab Micarta scales. Instead of a belt sheath, the knife is set up with a stainless reversible deep-carry pocket clip. They retained that clip-point blade and their lock-back system.

The end result is a stylish EDC pocket knife with modern materials based on one of the most proven folding blades ever made.

110 Slim Pro: $89.99 at Amazon

Inspirations

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter proved to the world that a safe and heavy-duty folding knife could be made well and priced reasonably. Tens of millions of these knives have rolled off their assembly line over the past 57 years, and it shows no sign of stopping. With a retail price of less than $50, this is an American-made iconic blade that everyone can easily afford to use as a daily work knife or emergency tool.

More on Iconic Survival Knives:

• Part 1: The Bowie Knife.
• Part 2: The Ka-Bar.

Unless you’re one of the fortunate few who gets to work from home every day, you probably work in an office, out in the field, or at some other remote location. I work approximately 14 miles from my house, and am lucky that between myself and home is my wife’s office and my children’s school. I like to think of these places as “checkpoints” along my route. In the event of an emergency that doesn’t allow me to drive to these places, I have the plan of walking or borrowing a bike. For this every day scenario, the Vertx Gamut 2.0 makes the cut for an escape pack to get us home. 

The contents of this bag are designed to help me along the way, where I’ll be traversing a multitude of environments that include large agriculture fields, trailer parks, subdivisions, and industrial complexes. All these spaces are taken into consideration for ease of movement, potential resupply points, and possible threats. Route planning became an important aspect of this with several alternate routes. The shortest distance is the last leg, where I’d have children in tow. 

The Pack

The base of the kit is a Vertx Gamut 2.0 Backpack in gray to maintain a lower profile in the urban jungle. At 25 liters, the backpack is just the right size to not overload myself and to keep some maneuverability. The straps are comfortable for long-term wear, and there’s a waist belt. The thin waist belt offers little in weight management, but will keep the pack from bouncing around during strenuous movements. I also prefer a pack that has a decent amount of internal organization, and this one delivers. Completed, this backpack kit weighs 22.2 pounds. Usually the pack sits in the back of my SUV, so its compact size is a plus for other cargo considerations.

Stuffing the Vertx Gamut 2.0

Externally, both sides contain water bottle pockets. These are left empty — instead, I use the pouch directly behind them to keep two 700ml Smartwater bottles (one per side). Keeping the bottles inside the pouch helps prevent them from falling out and the backpack from being too wide. Within the back panel is an empty 50-ounce CamelBak bladder that can be filled along the way. The top pocket has quick-access items that include spare prescription glasses, wrist-mounted GPS, Gorilla tape, and a headlamp. Lastly, the front compartment has a small lightweight shelter kit containing a Bushcraft Outfitters 10×7-foot tarp, four aluminum tent stakes, and varying lengths of 550 cord. 

Internally, the pack has a few zippered pockets and is mostly lined with loop Velcro. I affixed a Blue Force Gear Ten Speed Triple M4 Mag pouch to the top to keep more items close at hand without having to open up the entire bag. This includes a spare Glock 9mm 24-round magazine and a Yaesu FT-60R handheld ham radio (yes, I have my license). The radio has a small antenna and a large slim-jim antenna nearby. In the middle is a SOF-T tourniquet. Opposite in the pen pouches is a Leatherman tool, glass breaker, Sharpie marker, and lighter. 

Ten Speed Pouches: $24.99 at Brownell's

Leatherman Wingman Sale: $33.99 at Brownell's

The inside portion has two small zipper pouches that include spare batteries, zip ties, ExoTac Rip Spool, sillcock key, small mirror, notebook, and a Southord PXS-14 lockpick set. The lower pocket has wet wipes and an Aquamira Frontier Pro water filter. This filter works in conjunction with the Smartwater bottles and CamelBak bladder to keep me hydrated while on the move and resupply from the river or using the Sillcock key at commercial buildings.

In the main bag compartment is:

•  First aid kit (booboo kit)
•   Vortex Solo R/T 8×36 monocular
•   Snowpeak cook set with fuel, spork, and mini stove
•   1 serving Mountain House Mac & Cheese
•   Compressed toilet paper in Ziploc bag
•   Food bag (trail mix, granola bars, candy, etc.) — all contents are kid-friendly and can be eaten while on the move
•   The bottom of the main compartment houses a waterproof bag with a hard-shell jacket, spare socks, shemagh, and work gloves.
•   ESEE Knives PR4

Closing Thoughts

This bag is meant to sustain myself for movement to my wife, then to our children on an abnormal workday. It supplements my first line of gear carried on my body — Glock 19, pocketknife, bandanna, ankle trauma kit, and SureFire Stiletto flashlight. The radio is for the link-up between my wife and myself, as her bag has a similar one, as well as listening on the local stations for more information. The radio battery is checked weekly during the local net call.

The loaded bag is a comfortable weight for either my wife or myself to carry individually for the entire trek, in the event that we need to switch out the load. The purpose of three water storage items is to be able to drink on the move and have the ability to hand a bottle to my wife or the children without needing to stop. The included on-the-go snacks are mainly for the kids, but all are high in sugars, and Mountain House Mac & Cheese is their favorite in case we get stuck somewhere for an extended period of time and are able to boil some water with the small cook set. Having desirable snacks, such as candy, makes for a good bribe to keep the kids quiet and moving. 

Overall, the Vertx Gamut 2.0 and contents are no-frills and are meant to sustain me, my wife, and two children for a day-ish-long hike, over not-so-difficult terrain. The children’s school is the closest checkpoint to the house at 5.5 miles. It’ll be slow moving with them in tow, but the gear we have will make it somewhat easier. Still, route planning, physical fitness, and family communications are the most important elements in our plan to make it home safely.

More on EDC and Preparedness:

• Layering your EDC and Survival Gear, read here.
• For a layout of what to put into a Secondary kit, here's the article.

We don’t need to extol the value of everyday preparedness — if you’re reading this article, you already know its importance. But being prepared without looking prepared is a much more daunting task, and requires a conscious decision to blend into the environment. It offers the ability to go about your daily routine without being noticed or drawing attention. Some call this the gray man principle, others call it simply maintaining normality. The element of surprise can be paramount when it comes to addressing threats or other dangerous situations you may encounter. Alternatively, blending in can also help reduce the likelihood of being a target in the first place. In any environment, threat perception is key. 

One of the elements often discussed when referencing this philosophy is situational awareness — the ability to pay attention to your environment in a way that helps you decipher and analyze the things occurring around you. This is important in order to increase your chances of being able to appropriately respond to incidents. In a lot of ways, it’s the foundation for preparedness in general.

An important component of situational awareness is threat perception. Threat perception is our ability to evaluate the nature and degree of risk an individual, a group of people, or the environment itself may pose. When referencing people, our job is to evaluate whether a person is a perceived threat, real threat, or no threat at all. Correctly analyzing threats gives us the ability to react and present countermeasures as quickly as possible. Contrary to the super-power suggesting ideas that situational awareness typically drags around, the goal should always be to perceive things correctly, not obsess over each thing that could in some way be a threat. 

Above: Small revolvers, such as this inexpensive Rossi R351, can easily slip into a jacket pocket. They can also be fired repeatedly from that position.

There are many valid reasons someone in your vicinity might be carrying a weapon, just as you have valid reasons for carrying your own. However, it’s wise to be aware of anyone around you who might be armed. In some sense, this grounds Heinlein's idea that an “armed society is a polite society.” This information can be cross-referenced with the presence (or absence) of other warning signs, such as nervous or aggressive behavior, to indicate whether an armed individual might be about to use that weapon for nefarious purposes. No method of identifying a weapon is foolproof. Regardless of how proficient you become, you’ll never have a 100-percent success rate. Over time, you can get better and more competent at identifying who’s carrying a weapon; however, there are other factors you may not be able to gauge, such as legality and intent. A lot of people carry firearms and knives as part of their everyday carry and are perfectly legal in doing so.

Most of the indicators we’ll be discussing below are related to people who are illegally carrying, inexperienced in carrying, or are using improvised methods. Proper gear and training can and will negate many (if not all) of the cues mentioned below.

Let’s look at a few common indicators related to carrying weapons, more specifically handguns.

Physical Cues: Holsters (Or Lack Thereof)

Garden-variety criminals typically don’t use holsters. Carrying a holster on the belt makes it hard to discard the weapon and holster in a speedy fashion. For instance, if a crime is committed and the gun is tossed, having to deal with a holster only slows down the process. Improvised carry of handguns in the waistband or pocket typically allows for quick disposal with little effort.

To identify a threat, look for other methods and modes of carrying that may seem unorthodox in regards to normal concealment methods. Primary areas to scan are the front of the waistband, small of the back, and pockets.

Bulky Clothing and Bulges

As an early indicator of threat perception, look for bulges in clothing, or bulky layers which may be used for concealment. Weapons often print underneath outer garments, and bulkier clothing is a simple way to mitigate that. Sometimes printing is extremely obvious; other times it’s harder to identify. Printing tends to be more pronounced when the subject is twisting, turning, or bending over. Basically, any activity causing a subject's clothing to pull tight against their body can be a great time to identify a weapon, especially along the waistline.

Above: Subject is carrying handgun in hoodie pocket, which is very visible through the fabric.

Is their clothing sagging on one side? If so, what could be weighing it down? This can be very pronounced when the subject is carrying in the pocket of a jacket or in the front pocket of a hoodie. But don’t jump to conclusions — other personal items like a large smartphone will do this as well.

In addition, if someone avoids taking off layers of clothing when indoors or in situations where they normally would, it could be a clue. Extra layers and bulk help conceal weapons, but only when it makes sense. The environment, weather, and social setting all have an influence on how people dress. Use these factors to establish what’s normal and look for anomalies.

Mismatched or Odd Clothing

This could be something like extra layers when the weather is too hot to warrant wearing them. When I was working at my old agency, we had a requirement to be covered up while in public. All of our gear, including our firearm, had to be concealed during the course of our day. This didn’t apply during operations or enforcement action, but it was standard for normal business. This meant a lot of times you’d see folks wearing a 5.11 (fishing/safari-style) vest, fleece vest, or another cover garment of sorts. No matter what you do, none of those looks work well or make sense during the month of August in Texas. It’s pretty much a dead giveaway that someone has a concealed weapon.

Behavioral Cues: Strong-Side Bias

Determine the strong side of the person you’re observing in order to make an assumption as to which side they may be carrying on. We’re not talking about absolutes here, so do a quick assessment to make your determination. Some quick things to look for could be which hand they write with, shake hands with, point or gesture with, or open doors with. You can also look to see if they're wearing a watch, which is typically worn on the support side.

Another indicator is the fact they may not swing their strong arm as much, preferring to keep it closer to the concealed weapon in an attempt to hold it or keep it in place. These are all in addition to the fact most folks are right-handed, which puts the odds in your favor.

Above: Carrying IWB on his right side, the subject is slightly twisting and showing the bottom of the weapon’s grip while on the phone.

Once you determine the dominant hand, you’ll have a high degree of certainty that this will be the hand used to initiate an event. Even when carried near the centerline of the body, such as in appendix or small-of-the-back positions, weapons will typically be oriented toward the strong side.

Restless Hands

As the saying goes, watch the hands. Look for folks who are periodically touching or trying to physically check on the condition or location of their weapon. This may be happening consciously or subconsciously, and is common for illegal carry as well as legal carry of concealed weapons. However, it’s more prominent for those who are illegally carrying a weapon due to the less-than-ideal carry methods that are often used. If someone is using a  inside-the-waistband technique, the simple act of walking is enough to cause movement with the weapon, which will require frequent adjustment. An adjustment requires more effort than a security check and may provide a better opportunity for observation.

Body Position

When it comes to hiding things, people will naturally try to use their body as a shield between the item they’re concealing and a casual observer. When this happens, it can sometimes create odd positioning of their body in an attempt to move the item out of line of sight. This can also be observed when someone engages in physical contact with another person. Whether it be unwilling contact due to a crowded environment or willing contact in the form of a hug, look for the person to awkwardly blade their body to shield their weapon or to prevent it from making physical contact with the other person.

Above: Inside-the-waistband (IWB) carry on right side of subject. Rear of slide and backstrap of grip are catching the shirt fabric despite the subject trying to conceal with his forearm.

Grasping

If someone is carrying using a less-than-ideal method, they’ll typically be forced to grasp or hold the weapon during physical activity. Running, jogging, or even a brisk walk could be enough to displace a handgun stuck inside the waistband. This is also true if their preferred concealment method is inside the pocket. Look for signs of this at the onset of someone doing something physical. When the physical activity is over, look for the grasp to be released followed up by a quick adjustment.

Above: Subject is adjusting the gun, as the lack of holster has caused the weapon to start falling too far into his pants.

Abnormal Gait

Less common, but still possible, is the carry of a weapon inside a boot or shoe, or even an ankle holster. Either way, carrying something inside the leg of your pants or inside your footwear will often cause unnatural movement. The weight and discomfort alone are typically enough to give off visible clues related to a disrupted or shorter stride.

Verbal Indicators

As simple as it may seem, what someone says may be as important as what they do. If you experience or witness someone displaying pre-assault indicators combined with very specific wording that indicates violence or the intended use of a weapon, you should treat it as such. It’s not uncommon for someone to threaten the use of a weapon prior to the actual event.

Closing Thoughts on Threat Perception

When you start to notice someone displaying these characteristics, it increases the odds they may be carrying a weapon of some sort. Is it foolproof? No. Is it automatically indicative of an impending gunfight? Certainly not. This is just one piece of the information-gathering process. If an individual displays several of these signs and also appears visibly agitated or uncomfortable, your situational awareness should be heightened, and you should seriously consider your options for escape or response if the threat escalates.

As a reminder, a lot of the same mannerisms listed above are often displayed by folks legally carrying concealed weapons, which may include you. It’s important to be aware of how we may be projecting our lawful carry, and to avoid giving up any advantage we may have. If we know what to look for when trying to identify a threat, we can avoid giving off those same cues when we’re legally carrying. It’s also dangerously naïve to assume the bad guys aren’t on the lookout for these behaviors — if anything, they may be more observant than we are, since it’s a core component of their daily survival. Experienced predators often develop a keen sense of which victims will be easy prey, and which victims might fight back.

There will always be threats and serious situations outside of our control. However, we should continually seek to improve the things we can control. Threat perception is one of the many things we can and should work on. Getting better at threat perception allows us to reduce the amount of time from action to reaction. Alternatively, it also gives us the ability to effectively mount a countermeasure that’s unexpected by a bad guy. It’s hard to respond to a threat if you’re blindsided by it. As you get better at spotting weapons — and hopefully better at concealing your own — assume everyone is armed, and prepare accordingly.

About the Author

Cody Martin is the owner of Risk Strategy Group, a company focused on physical security and risk mitigation, and the founder of Option Gray. Cody spent more than 11 years in federal law enforcement, including time working in executive protection, narcotics, violent crime, and explosives. Cody was also an instructor and threat management coordinator for firearms, defensive tactics, and officer survival.

For professional Inquiries: riskstrategygroup.com

For more of his writing: optiongray.com

Situational Awareness Info Dump:

• A primer for behavioral cues in crowds.
• Criminals use fireworks to distract, here's how to determine the sound of gunfire.