I Carry: Glock G43 in an MFT Minimalist AIWB Holster

Welcome to another episode of "I Carry," Shooting Illustrated's weekly video series covering the guns and gear needed to put together a potential everyday-carry kit. Today, we have a Glock G43 and carried in a Mission First Tactical holster. We also have Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep ammo, a Boker tactical pen and a Magpul Daka Pouch.

Glock G43 ($599)

If you’ve tuned into past “I Carry” videos, you’ll know that the Glock G43 is no stranger to our in-house EDC showcase, and it’s pretty easy to see why. From the moment it was introduced, the Glock G43 practically defined the polymer-frame, single-stack, 9 mm CCW gun. It’s one of the most-popular carry options used today, and for good reason. Measuring about an inch wide, six and a quarter inches long and four and a quarter inches high, it sits comfortably inside your waistband with little printing.

Besides being chambered for the trusted and proven 9 mm round, the Glock G43 also retains the familiar Safe Action system found on the company’s larger double-stack models, like the G19 and G17. For owners of these hugely popular duty guns, having a backup or a weekend-carry option with the same trigger feel means that much of the experience they have with their double-stack duty gun carries over to this slim, easily-concealed option.

Mission First Tactical Minimalist AIWB Holster ($34.99)

Since we’ve gone with a small, single-stack handgun for our carry kit this week, it makes sense to have a holster to match. Luckily, Mission First Tactical just rolled out its new Minimalist appendix-carry holster, and it’s a pretty unique design. First, you’ll notice that there’s no Kydex material wrapped around the top of the slide. That’s by design, as the lack of material and molding needed for a sight channel makes it so this holster takes up less space inside the waistband. That leads to less printing and an ability to wear lighter cover garments without your belt sticking out.

However, there is a drawback to this kind of holster. There’s no clear channel for reholstering, which is really not a great element to this design. That’s going to make it harder to practice your draws, since you’ll have to remove the holster and clip it back onto the gun after each presentation. However, the ambidextrous clip does attach pretty easily, so it’s a bug you can work around.

Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep ($27.95)

All right, so for easy EDC, we’ve chosen a gun that has, admittedly, a pretty low magazine capacity at only six rounds. The obvious answer to dealing with this anemic loadout is to make sure that every round counts. The first step to that process is to train, so you can be sure your bullets connect with a threat. However, what those bullets do to a threat is also critical, and that’s why Federal developed its new Hydra-Shok Deep line. Based on the original Hydra-Shok bullet, the Deep round is redesigned to provide better penetration and expansion, improving on its FBI-protocol score by as much as 70 percent! No wonder it won our Golden Bullseye Award for Ammunition of the Year in 2019.

Boker Plus TTP Tactical Tablet Pen ($39.95)

We’re also upping our EDC capabilities with the addition of this SIG-branded Boker tactical pen. Having more defensive tools at your disposal is never a bad idea, and the concept behind the tactical pen is that the pointed end can be used as a discreet, less-lethal defensive tool, if needed. The pointed end offers enough concentrated energy to cause small wounds when directed at sensitive parts of the body, like the eyes or the throat. Plus, this multi-use tool also provides a writing implement and even a tablet stylus.

Magpul Daka Window Document Pouch ($39.95)

That stylus can come in handy with that tablet you’re using every day, and so can this helpful product: the Magpul Daka Window Pouch. Magpul’s Daka line of pouches comes in a range of shapes and sizes, and there are even a few windowed options now in addition to this one. The design resists abrasion and moisture, so even in the rain, you can keep your tablet dry inside. And the pouch’s window even allows you to keep using the tablet through the polymer fabric! There are tons of uses for these pouches, from creating organized medical kits to storing ammo to keeping electronics, maps and papers dry.

All of this gear represents just one of an incredible number of combinations on the market today, and it’s important for everyone to find the EDC kit that works best for them. Looking for something different than what you see here? Stay tuned to “I Carry” to see more concealed-carry setups.