Pictured below are a Diamond D Custom Leather shoulder holster and a Glock 26. They make a great combination for concealed carry. When it comes to this rig, I love the comfort, balance and retention, but I do not love where the muzzle of the gun ends up.

Some days, however, you see a unique combination of design features, such as those found on this older Springfield Armory XD-S.

The Walther PPS M2 fits into the category known as “slim nines,” meaning it is a small, thin, easily concealed 9mm pistol. Its German roots are readily apparent in its design and manufacture.

Even if you are not in a last-ditch moment, a neck knife can serve other purposes, namely by just providing an extra blade to be available for whatever you need.

Do you carry a tactical pen? Why or why not? What do you love and hate about it?

I will admit my biases up-front. I love these guns and always have. I think I always will. Depending on the day, I choose a J-frame over a slim nine, over a Glock 19 and over lots of other guns. I don’t always, but most of the time I do.

When it comes to defensive handguns, simple is not just good; simple is great. I just want to be able to draw the gun and squeeze the trigger in order to fire. I do not want a bunch of extra controls or features to fuss with.

When is a holster not a holster? I guess I do not know, but these minimal holster systems probably bend the definition a little. At the very least, they are ultrathin, using either minimal or no holster material in places where we are used to a decent amount of plastic, leather or fabric.

This is an exercise in compromise to be sure. Reducing the cutting power of the knife increases its concealability (and vice versa). We’ve got two neck knives, one pocket folder, one ankle rig and one boot knife. Which would you carry and why?