When I first started carrying, I kept a spare mag in my rig as well. Well, I am an inherently lazy person and started weighing (no pun intended) my carrying requirements. I decided that what I needed, not what was ingrained from years of military and public service, was a means to get me out of a situation. If 13 + 1 wasn't enough, my situation would be beyond the ability of a handgun to rectify and the spare mag(s) became redundant. So now I carry just the weapon.
Carry Options That Have Worked For Me:
I most often carry in a Merlin pouch but for a long time I carried in a belly band and still will if I am going somewhere requiring me to dress nicely. But I carried it in the band under shirts not tucked in. I had about a 3/4 second draw to sight picture in that rig. If the wind did blow my shirt up, it was not seen even if the bottom of the band was. In the Merlin, it is well concealed and the "size" of the pouch is deceptive. It will not be seen unless you intend it or blindly unzip the wrong pocket when getting your wallet out at a cash register (ask me how I know about that one
).Of Cuffs and What Not:
My situation is one where I do not anticipate forcefully detaining anyone by restraint. I will, and have, detained someone with the presentation and holding of my weapon. But if I had a reasonable expectation of needing to restrain, I would use the cable ties. They are light and strong and their very flexibility makes them almost impossible to slip out of. I have used them a couple of times and they work well. But I believe in either application (cuffs or ties) your use of them opens another legal can of worms.
I used to carry cuffs on my job and have had to use them, subduing and applying them to the bad guy was a challenge. I was younger, more fit and extremely fast then as well as trained. Now I am fat, gray (in what's not gone yet) and if I don't wake up aching, I think I must be dead.
Though I am still big and have a fair strength, my options in use of physical force are limited. If I do, it will most likely be because of the immediacy of the situation and to buy me time I need to arm.
Kyle (not Houston)