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 in an Elite Survival Systems Marathon Gun Pack. We also have a Hyve Technologies magazine extension, a Streamlight flashlight and a Magpul wallet.
Glock G43 ($580)
The Glock G43 is almost the pistol that needs no introduction. Launched in 2015 to great fanfare, this compact carry gun entered a crowded market of single-stack nines and quickly moved to the front of the pack. In fact, Glock celebrated a milestone midway through 2018, announcing that its one millionth G43 had been made, and the gun featured prominently at this year’s NRA Annual Meeting.
So, what makes this gun such a popular option? Well, for one, it’s a Glock, so it’s got that ubiquitous element going for it. But it’s certainly more than that fact. The slim, single-stack design is small enough to conceal with a light cover garment but not so small that it’s painful to shoot, like many compact semi-autos. Plus, thanks to aftermarket support, there are countless ways to configure the pistol with a range of add-ons and enhancements.
Elite Survival Systems Marathon Gun Pack ($64.95)
Since we’re putting together an outdoor-running rig with the Glock 43, I decided to take a closer look at the new large-size Marathon Gun Pack from Elite Survival Systems. I have to confess, though, that no, I didn’t actually run a full marathon with it. I did use the pack on a few of my trail runs, though, and I learned some things about the design.
As far as keeping a carry gun concealed and secured while on a run, this is a great option, featuring a textured back that keeps the pack anchored and a quick-pull tab for fast drawing. However, there are some limiting factors to keep in mind. Even though this is a relatively small pack, the amount of weight inside factors in quite a bit while on a run. So, even though the Gun Pack is sized to fit anything up to and including a G19, I chose to use the single-stack G43, simply because it weighs much less than a fully loaded G19 and its slim dimensions make adding in other accessories to the front of the pack just a little easier.
Hyve Technologies +3 Magazine Extension ($31.99)
However, an added benefit of the larger internal dimensions of this Marathon Gun Pack is the ability for me to tack on this plus-three magazine extension from Hyve Technologies. Admittedly, the Glock G43 has a somewhat-limited magazine capacity, even when compared against other single-stack nines. However, this all-aluminum baseplate combined with Hyve’s own magazine spring increases capacity to nine rounds, which is edging into the territory of even some small double-stack handguns.
Streamlight Haz-Lo Flashlight ($32.32)
Expanding beyond the gun, we mentioned earlier that the Gun Pack includes some room in the front for additional EDC items, like a phone, wallet or maybe even a small illumination tool, just in case you get caught outdoors in low light. The Streamlight Haz-Lo flashlight is a great option for just such a kit, since its slim design can tuck in low inside a pack and stay secured until needed. In fact, the light is so affordable, you can just buy one to keep stashed in your pack permanently, as well as having a few others scattered around your place. Powered by two AAA batteries, the light produces 60 lumens on a single setting activated by a tailcap switch, and the total runtime is 16 hours.
Magpul Daka Essential Wallet ($16.95)
If you’ve got one of those bulky billfold wallets crammed with cards and cash, I’ve got some bad news for you: that isn’t going to fit inside the Marathon Gun Pack. There’s only so much room in a running kit. However, to streamline things a bit, Magpul offers its Daka Essential Wallet. This slim EDC option is built around a 3/3/3 concept: Three ID cards, three credit cards and three bills. The team at Magpul doesn’t think you need anything more than this for daily use. The wallet is also built for durability, having been constructed from a reinforced polymer fabric with a textured exterior that anchors it inside a pocket or pack.
