Four Ways to Carry Your EDC Fixed Blade on Your Utility Belt

How you load out your utility belt before you go about the day, whether what you carry is needed for your line of work or you just practice general preparedness, is a strong matter of personal conviction.

Even so, every once in a while it can benefit you to try something new. If you’ve always carried your EDC blade in a pocket in its sheath, or carried it tip-down, it might be time for you to carry it according to a different discipline.

You never know, you might even like it better. Here are 4 ways to carry your fixed blade EDC on your utility belt, along with their relative virtues.

Tip-Down

We’ll cover this one first since, not only are most sheaths designed to carry in this manner, but because it’s what most people practice anyway.

Tip down carry is just what it sounds like; you wear your sheath on your utility belt so that the knife rides with its tip down, usually with the edge facing the rear of the user.

There are numerous benefits of tip-down carry on the dominant side. One is that it keeps the knife handle more or less right where your dominant will fall when it is at rest at your side.

Another is that it is easy to access the knife, even if you are lying on the ground on your stomach, or if your back is flat against a wall.

One drawback is that this method is not particularly comfortable with knives that have longer blades, as the sheath will extend down the side of your leg and, when you sit, may get in the way.

Tip-Up

Tip-up carry is just like tip-down carry but reversed; in tip-down carry, the knife is oriented so that the handle points down and the blade points up.

This is a relatively uncommon carry discipline, but it is effective with small knives, especially those that have good friction-fitting sheaths.

Some find it more intuitive to draw the knife down rather than up, although in fairness it can make it a little bit harder to re-sheath the knife.

It is also not practical for knives with larger blades, but again it can be highly practical for knives that have smaller blades.

Dangle Carry

Dangle carry is a carry practiced, usually on knives with larger blades, and usually with a leather sheath.

In dangle carry, there is a belt loop connected to a leather sheath, typically via a D-ring. This enables the sheath to dangle freely of its connection with your utility belt, hence the name.

The reason this is so effective for knives with larger blades is because the knife is allowed not just to rotate, but to move freely. This keeps the blade from rigidly getting in the way when you bend over or sit down.

Many also prefer dangle carry simply because it is more comfortable. It should, however, in fairness, be noted that it usually takes two hands to draw and re-sheath the knife, as you cannot use the resistance of the sheath alone to draw, at least in most cases.

All the same, this is a highly popular carry method that you should try at least once if you never have before.

Scout Carry

Scout carry is a popular carry discipline and one that’s very unique because, even though it involves a belt, it’s very different from typical belt carry.

In scout carry, the knife is carried with the edge down at the small of the back, and the handle facing the user’s dominant side.

For a right-handed user, therefore, the knife would be carried on the utility belt against the small of the back, with the edge down, the handle to the right, and the tip facing left.

This carry method is good for several reasons. One is that it accommodates a knife with a larger blade. The knife also won’t get in the way when you side down. It is also very discreet, and you can carry it without printing.

There are however two drawbacks to this carry method. One is that it is tough to draw the knife if you are situated with your back against an obstacle. Another is that some find re-sheathing to be a bit difficult.

This is a really unique carry method that you should try at least once if you never have before; you might like the relative benefits it offers.

Load Up Your Utility Belt and Try a New Carry Method Today

Here to load out your utility belt with the essentials? Whether you’re here for a new knife sheath or need a few spare mag pouches, check out our collection and get in touch with us if you have any questions before you buy.