When it comes to taking ownership of our own personal defense, it can be very liberating to an extent because you are not self-reliant on someone else, albeit family members or someone from the community like law enforcement to protect you. Simultaneously, it can be very nerve-wracking because now you are tasked with doing everything. That includes making sure you are training with your chosen self-defense tools (firearm, knife, mace, etc); are maintaining a certain degree of fitness to protect yourself through physical means or escape on foot depending on the situation; and now you are the lone individual who must maintain your gear (tourniquets, ammunition, firearms, accessories, etc).
So, yes, self-defense can be equally liberating and frightening at the same time, but if you invest appropriate attention and time you can tip that scale in the direction of feeling more freedom than fear. A lot of this can boil down to selecting good gear. What do we mean by this? Good gear can manifest itself in many forms. One example is through its literal meaning – buy yourself good gear. This can be a lot of things. Ammunition is a popular item we as concealed carry advocates buy routinely, but some people try to buy “the cheap stuff to save money.” That is a poor perspective to take considering the ammunition you select could be the projectile that does or does not thwart a malicious attacker. Similarly, if your EDC gun is skimpy on capacity and you need a magazine extension, you should not buy the Chinese special of the month. Instead, an American made product like one from Tyrant Designs is something you can truly rely on.
Another way to “buy good gear” is to invest in yourself. This can be through knowledge like taking community CPR classes. You could also take it a step further and see if there are field medical classes in your area that might cover tourniquets or gun shot wounds. This is valuable by not only being able to mend yourself for defense, but also to aid others if an accident happens at a gun range or while you are out hunting. Along similar lines, if you are thinking of your preparedness level and fitness, you might want to invest in a personal trainer to make you more flexible, strong, and agile to unknown situations. A globo gym might offer a lot of amenities, but the personal direction from a trainer to guide you can be invaluable. It is for those similar reasons why you might also want to seek out a shooting coach.
So, we are all for taking the bull by the horns and protecting ourselves, our loved ones, and others, but always make sure you treat your personal defense like the priority that it is. Buy the better ammunition, buy the better magazine extension, hit the gym an extra day, and polish your med skills. In the end, it will all culminate in making you a better individual to fight any combatant. As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!
