Everyday Carry Perfection: Low-Vis Gear, Gray-Man Discipline, and Why Your EDC Has to Survive Real Life

Rick Hogg
3 hours ago
6 min read

Rick Hogg, Mark Kelley, and Brian Montgomery discuss practical everyday carry strategies on the "On The Range Podcast," highlighting Vertx's discreet apparel and bags for a balanced, tactical lifestyle.

The Problem With Most “EDC Advice” Online

Most people build an EDC setup for a photo, not for real life.

They buy the coolest looking gear, they stuff it full of gadgets, and they never pressure-test it. Then they wonder why the bag ends up in the closet, the “EDC pants” sit in a drawer, and the whole plan collapses the first time they have to sit in a truck for three hours, chase a kid through a parking lot, or spend the day moving like a normal human.

That’s why episodes like “Everyday Carry Perfection” matter, because it’s not theory. It’s about what actually works for armed professionals and prepared civilians who want capability without the costume.

On this episode of On The Range Podcast, Mark Kelley and I sat down with Brian Montgomery, Sales Manager at Vertx, to talk about the evolution of everyday carry, concealed carry clothing, and the low-profile mindset behind Vertx gear.

What This Episode Was Really About - Everyday Carry Gear

The episode description lays it out plainly: the conversation focused on the evolution of EDC gear, what makes Vertx a favorite among armed professionals and prepared civilians, and the practical reality of staying ready without looking “tactical.”

We covered Vertx’s design philosophy for low-profile pants, bags, and apparel; talked about new and upcoming releases; and pulled lessons from law enforcement, military, and civilian carry.

That’s the sweet spot: not fantasy gear. Not gimmicks. Real-world EDC that disappears into normal life, but still performs when it counts.

Gray-Man Isn’t About Hiding - It’s About Not Broadcasting

Let’s define “gray-man” the right way.

Gray-man isn’t about paranoia. It’s not about being sneaky. It’s about not advertising that you’re carrying or that you’re “that guy” who can’t go to the grocery store without looking like he’s on a mission.

If you want to be ready every day, you need gear you’ll actually wear every day. And that means it has to blend.

That’s why Vertx leans so hard into low-profile. Their own product and collection pages repeatedly frame the mission as discreet performance for armed professionals and everyday carriers, capability built into normal-looking clothing and packs.

This isn’t about looking cool. It’s about being effective without drawing attention.

The Vertx Philosophy: Prepared Professional, Not Tactical Costume

Vertx positions itself around building low-profile apparel and concealed carry bags designed for the “Prepared Professional,” and they explicitly trace that focus back years, “Since 2009” being part of their brand story for low-profile carry apparel and packs.

That matters because it explains why their gear tends to feel “normal” until you start finding the hidden purpose-built features.

Their CCW pants line is marketed around discreet pockets, quick access design, all-day comfort, and a look that doesn’t scream tactical.

Whether you love Vertx or not, that design intention is the same direction I push people in training: capability that survives real life.

Reality Check: If You Won’t Wear It for 12 Hours, It’s Not EDC

Here’s the simplest EDC filter I know:

If you won’t wear it on a normal Tuesday for twelve hours, it’s not everyday carry. It’s “sometimes carry.”

That’s why “concealed carry pants” live or die by comfort, mobility, and how they behave when you sit, bend, climb, kneel, drive, and move through crowds. Vertx directly markets their CCW pants around durability, comfort, and discreet functionality for extended wear.

Your gear needs to support your life, not replace it.

EDC Pants: The Win Is Function Without the Flash

One of the reasons Vertx keeps coming up in the EDC world is the pockets-and-purpose approach, without turning you into a walking cargo rack.

For example, Vertx’s Cutback Technical Pant is described as low-profile, built for the “gray man,” and specifically calls out having 14 pockets while keeping the look subtle enough to “blend into the crowd.”

That’s the balancing act: carry capability without looking like you’re carrying capability.

And if you’re law enforcement, veteran, or a responsibly armed citizen, you already know why that matters. Attention is currency. Don’t spend it unnecessarily.

Bags and Packs: The “Low-Vis” Advantage

Let’s talk bags, because this is where people get sloppy.

A bag can be a great tool, but it can also become a liability if you treat it like a magical holster that doesn’t require discipline. The best bags are the ones that look like normal life while still being built for serious organization and access.

Vertx’s bags and packs are marketed as feature-rich everyday carry packs with “innovative functionality for the prepared professional,” and their concealed carry bags/backpacks emphasize secure, accessible, protected storage with a sleek low-profile appearance.

Take the Gamut 32L as an example: Vertx calls out details like interior organization, loop panels, and even a concealed sleeve inside the CCW compartment for discreet ballistic panel integration.

You don’t have to run that exact pack to learn the lesson. The lesson is this: organization, access, and discretion beat “big tactical bag energy” every time.

The Hidden Failure Point: “Access” That Only Works Standing Still

A lot of people test access in a mirror, standing still, perfectly staged.

That’s not life.

Real life is seatbelts. Real life is shopping carts. Real life is kids grabbing your arm. Real life is awkward angles, odd positions, and your heart rate spiking while your hands get clumsy.

So when we talk about “EDC perfection,” we’re talking about pressure-testing the system in the places you actually live.

This is why the episode emphasized real-world lessons across law enforcement, military, and civilian carry, because the environment changes, but the rules stay the same: keep it discreet, keep it secure, and keep it usable under stress.

Staying Armed Without Looking Tactical

This is straight out of the episode’s core themes: “How to stay armed and ready without looking ‘tactical.’”

That’s not a fashion statement. That’s a mindset.

It means your clothing doesn’t scream “gun guy.” Your bag doesn’t scream “range bag.”

Your posture doesn’t scream “I’m carrying.” And your behavior doesn’t scream “I hope nobody bumps me.”

The best concealed carriers are boring to look at, and very hard to surprise.

The Gray-Man EDC Setup: Build It Like a System

The episode also promises “pro tips on building the ultimate gray-man EDC setup.”

I’m going to translate that into War HOGG language:

A gray-man EDC setup is a system. Systems have standards.

Your standard should include these realities, in plain English:

Your EDC must fit your daily environment.

Your EDC must be comfortable enough that you don’t take it off.

Your EDC must stay secure during normal movement and unexpected chaos.

Your EDC must be accessible when the world is messy, not when the world is perfect.

You don’t get there by buying more gear. You get there by simplifying, staging, and practicing with intention.

The “Prepared Civilian” Isn’t Playing Dress-Up

One thing I liked about the show notes is how they frame the audience: first responders, veterans, CCW holders, and anyone serious about daily preparedness.

Preparedness is not cosplay. Preparedness is discipline.

If you’re carrying for self-defense, you owe it to yourself and your family to treat the entire system, clothing, bag, placement, retention, access, and practice, as one package.

Gear supports skill. Gear does not replace it.

A Hard Truth: EDC That You Don’t Practice Is Just Weight

If you carry every day, you should have a short, repeatable routine that verifies your system works.

Not a 2-hour production. A quick check.

Does your clothing behave the same when you move fast?

Does your bag stay where it needs to stay when you bend and twist?

Can you access what you need without flagging yourself or turning it into a circus?

Can you do it when you’re tired, distracted, and moving?

If you can’t answer “yes” confidently, you don’t have an EDC system. You have a collection of items.

The War HOGG Takeaway: Low-Vis, High Standard

If you want a one-line summary of the whole “Everyday Carry Perfection” conversation, it’s this:

Be ready, but don’t announce it.

Vertx builds gear around low-profile preparedness. The episode lays out why low-vis EDC matters and how to build it without looking tactical. And the only way any of it counts is if you actually wear it, live in it, and test it like your life depends on it.

Because one day… it might.

Train hard. Stay safe. Be 1% better every day - Rick

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