It’s no secret that I am a fan of ESEE.  I am a fan of the blades, but perhaps even more, a fan of the people behind the company. They just do business the way it is supposed to be done.  They offer killer blade designs, constructed from top-quality materials, at a price that doesn’t break the bank, and they stand behind their products 100%.  I have modeled a lot of my business operations practices off of the standard that ESEE has set in the industry.  In the past year, ESEE has expanded their knife offerings into a series that they have dubbed, Camp-Lore.  The Camp Lore series has been designed for, and have been very popular amongst the survival and bush craft community.  
 


The first three blades released for the Camp Lore Series were the CR2.5, JG3 and RB3 (click the link to see the specs for the original three), and then last summer, ESEE released the PR4, which has been a huge success for them.

The JG5, the newest edition to the ESEE to the Camp Lore series was unveiled at Blade Show 2018, and was announced as a Smokey Mountain Knife Works exclusive offering.  ESEE gave official release date for the JG5 as August 31st, but Smokey Mountain knife works has already begun to ship the first preorders that were made, in fact I had the two that I ordered delivered to my doorstep this week,
 
The JG5 was designed by ESEE survival expert, James Gibson, modeled after the “Nessmuk” knife that was carried by mid-19thcentury adventurer, George Washington Sears, who was known for his writings and early advocacy of conservation.

​To anyone that is into camping, hiking, hunting, or just general EDC, it’s no secret that ESEE makes some of the best survival and bushcraft knives on the market.  The small fixed blade Izula has become a staple in thousands of EDC kits across the globe, whereas the ESEE 3, 4, 5, and 6 are the go-to for many people heading off into the woods.
ESEE has recently expanded their line of blades in a series that they are calling Camp Lore.  The Camp Lore knives are simple designs, but they are rugged.  The four knives in the Camp Lore series were designed by individuals who come from unique survival backgrounds, and are well respected in their fields.  All of the Camp Lore knives are made from 1095 carbon steel, which is the same steel that ESEE uses in their traditional lineup.  Unlike the traditional ESEE lineup, the Camp Lore knives come uncoated, which allows the user to develop a natural patina on the blade.

The ESEE Camp Lore RB3 was designed by Reuben Bolieu – a writer, photographer, and martial arts trainer, that has spent the last 30 years traveling the globe in search of new adventures.  Reuben is a well-respected expert in primitive survival techniques and edged weapons, and has gained a reputation for his advocacy of ultralight gear while out on adventure.

The Vita EDC Wallet by Armatus Carry Solutions is the next evolution of man’s most basic carry item – his wallet.  Fabricated from a thin, light, and ultra-durable thermoplastic called Kydex, the Vita EDC Wallet makes it so you never have to carry that heavy, bulky leather wallet again!

The Vita EDC Wallet comes standard with a nylon soft loop and a mil-spec Pull-the-Dot snap.  The soft loop secures your cards and other wallet content and also doubles as a cash strap (We suggest cash be carried inside the wallet as an extra security measure).  The Pull-the-Dot snap can only be disengaged from one direction, which ensures that your cards and cash cannot come out of the wallet unless you want them to.  The nylon loop and snap used on the Vita EDC Wallet are the same that we use on holsters that carry firearms every day.  We reasoned that if we bet our lives on theses straps when it comes to our holstered firearms, why not use the same hardcore straps to secure our money?

Lately, I have had quite a few people ask me what belt I wear for concealed carry.  The reality is, I don’t have just one concealed carry belt that I use.  I do, however, have one that I wear most of the time, because it is the best on the market (more on that belt in a minute).  Before I tell you what belts I personally use and recommend, let me explain the two qualities major that I look for in a concealed carry belt.

About a year ago I chose to add a defensive folding knife to my EDC.  After a long decision process, I finally settled on the BM810 Contego from Benchmade’s Black Class (military and law enforcement line).  After almost 12 months of carrying this blade, it’s time that I give the Contego an objective review.

The Blade
     The Contego has a huge blade!  At 3.98”, it’s not your typical EDC utility knife, but it wasn’t designed to be.   The long blade gives you the reach that you would want should the blade ever need to be deployed in a defensive role.  The edge is long and is great for cutting and slicing.  The blade is made from CPM-M4 high-speed tool steel and takes an awesome edge.  The Contego’s CPM-M4 blade holds its sharpness longer than any other blade steel I have ever used (D2, 154CM, S30V, AUS-8).  In the year (almost) that I have owned the Contego, it has only needed sharpening twice – most of the time, a few strokes on the strop does the job.  The only warning that needs to be heeded about the CPM-M4 is that it is not stainless steel and the edge needs a light coat of oil every so often to keep rust away. 

The “reverse tanto” is an awesome blade design.   I have always loved the tip strength, and thrusting performance you get from a tanto blade; but they are hard to sharpen, and you lose a lot of the cutting surface.  Benchmade’s reverse tanto fixes that problem.  The angled tanto tip is on the non-cutting side of the blade, while the edge itself has a more traditional look and feel.

I know what you’re thinking: “Of course you’re advocating Kydex holsters, you sell them.”  Before you cast too much judgment, hear me out – We aren’t advocates of Kydex holsters because we manufacture them; we manufacture Kydex holsters because we are advocates of them.  We believe that Kydex holsters are superior to leather holsters in every aspect except one – beauty.

If you are looking for beauty in a holster, go with leather – Kydex is not pretty.

If you are looking for a concealable, durable, hard-use, high-speed, low-drag holster, that is impervious to even the most hostile environments, Kydex is your best option.

Here are 11 reasons that a Kydex holster should replace your old leather holster for your concealed-carry EDC: