Mall Ninja or prepared Boy Scout??

batosai117 said:
A VERY good example of the king of the mall ninja's is Lyn Thompson of Cold Steel. Just go to their web page and see all of the "warrior this... and warrior that...." He even swings a knife like a mall ninja :rolleyes:

http://www.coldsteel.com/
Click to expand...

:eek: Warrior lifestyle?

warriorlifestylelink.png
 
Well, having a valid reason and "being prepared"-which is often the only valid reason needed in my book would release someone from being a mall ninja per se. I don't think it is the gear, it is a mindset that many people find over the top. However, a majority of folks fail to see sometimes that there is a practical place for the gear we carry, no matter how excessive it might seem to the observer. I carry several knives myself, but hey: I use them all of them when the situation warrants. In light of recent political events, I have begun stocking more ammo than I normally would. This is based on availability- Certainly there are people out there buying thousands of rounds, so certain calibers (sold where I work) are in short supply. Some people may make fun of the folks that are stockpiling ammo, or me for scraping up an extra few hundred rounds. But as it was said earlier in this thread "It is better to have it and not need it..." I think that packing an EDC and a smaller knife, and a multitool or SAK is fine, as long as you use them all. If you don't use them all, you are just weighting yourself down with extra gear. Either way, it doesn't concern me, unless you ask me to carry it for you. I think if it works for the user, and he doesn't want to show you his sweet knifefighting skills, then to each his own. But having said that. As far as the conceal carry issue, I know I have purchased my firearms with the hopes that I only fire them at a range or at game-not at another human being. But at the same time, I am prepared to do so with the hopes that I am never faced with the opportunity. Thats my 2 cents.

Going back to the ammo stockpiling- Sure these "survivalists" can be made fun of for being "paranoid" and so on, but if it hits the fan, who is gonna be able to defend their property and family the best??
 
i actually only know one guy who i would be comfortable calling a mall ninja for two reasons, 1 he works at a cinnabon and 2 he EDC's a bandoleir of at least ten shuriken (ninja stars) and spiked nunchucks as well as a collapsing sword in his backpack

that is the one true example of a mall ninja

=^)
 
ColonelX said:
i actually only know one guy who i would be comfortable calling a mall ninja for two reasons, 1 he works at a cinnabon and 2 he EDC's a bandoleir of at least ten shuriken (ninja stars) and spiked nunchucks as well as a collapsing sword in his backpack

that is the one true example of a mall ninja

=^)
Click to expand...

well... hes got to defend the cinnabon from..... 14 yearold teenagers. ;)
 
Sharp Phil said:
You will find that the label "mall ninja" has ceased to mean "people who are unconnected to reality and who believe they are black-bag spec-ops secret-squirrel high-speed-low-drag operators" and has since come to mean, "Anybody who likes, prefers, carries, or otherwise supports any product, or who expresses any opinion, with which I disagree." It's a dumb term that has stopped being funny and has started becoming annoying simply because so many people disengage their brains and start throwing it around for no reason other than that they want to make fun of somebody.

Don't every apologize for thinking ahead or for being prepared. The grasshoppers snorting and giggling and calling you a "mall ninja" would the first people begging for your help when you had something they needed that they did not possess.
Click to expand...


Thanks to all for replies. I especially enjoyed the first reply above by 'Sharp Phil' dashed off apparently in 3 minutes (it takes me three minutes just to warm up my brain and typing fingers). It says everything I was thinking but could not articulate. It says it in less words than I could have, while not over-simplifying, and is worth a careful read. I also enjoyed the reply of 'steelscout30' who is in fact a Boy Scout.

Someone asked, who is calling me a 'mall ninja?' No one, really, but I see the term thrown around in this forum. I think it's a term that has lost whatever meaning it may have had, and become simply an emotional trigger (I think that's kind of what Phil was saying).
 
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Carry what you need and nothing more. There's nothing wrong with being prepared. My wife laughs when she happens to pick up my pants that are full of my stuff. I always carry a Benchmade folder, a Fenix LED, a Leatherman Squirt on my keyring, wallet, pen, cellphone, etc. It all adds up to a heavy ass pair of pants, but I use most of it every single day.
 
Carrying a sword or throwing knives on a daily basis makes you a mall ninja. Not everyday useful tools. You don't carry a knife because you are having day dreams of stopping 6 thugs and saving the beautiful girl and having a news paper article written about you. That's a mall ninja. You carry a knife. Being prepared for whatever just makes you thoughtful. People who rail against that are just insecure because they know they're not prepared. I get made fun of all the time for my gear bag I keep in the back of my truck. No weapons in there... no grappling hooks, or death spikes, smoke bombs. Just things like an E-tool, machete, hatchet, some rope, couple flashlights, extra batteries, allen wrenches, socket set, screw drivers, a hammer, Small gerber folding saw, jack for my truck, tire plug kit, small air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter, tire iron, road flares, lighter fluid for my zippo and a few handy survival items like matches, 550 cord, duct and electrical tape and such. I can promise you... there have been hundreds of times when people said they were thankful that I had my (Batman Bag) as it has now been named by people who know me.
 
Mall ninjas tend to like the cheapo crap too, stainless wall hangers and the like.
If you actually have any knowledge about the stuff you carry then you are pretty much a prepared afficianado.
I really don't understand having 2 full size fixed blades and flashlights for an EDC though.
 
wutitiz said:
I enjoy laughing at the Dark Ops ads as much as the next guy. However, there comes a point for me when the 'mall ninja' label gets annoying. I carry a folder nearly all waking hours, and yes, at least in the far reaches of my mind I imagine that I could use it for SD if I had to. I don't consider that being a 'mall ninja,' I consider it being prepared, like a Boy Scout.

I have a CCW permit and usually carry, but there are times that I can't. My folder is mostly used at work to cut cardboard, shrink wrap, etc. and to clip articles from the papers. While I doubt that I will ever have to use it for SD, it is not unheard of. It actually happened to me many years ago, when I came home one afternoon and surprised a burglar. At the time I lived in Illinois, where there are no CCW's, and I did not even own a gun. Pepper spray was not yet invented. But a knife sufficed that day.

I EDC a folder that definitely would fall into the 'tactical' (or as I prefer, sport-utility) category, yes, complete with DLC-ed black blade. I also pack a small William Henry for sheeple purposes. And I always have a Surefire flashlight plus a photon on my key ring. They laugh at me, but when the power goes out, I'm the first person they yell for.

Am I a mall ninja, or just following the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.
Click to expand...

I think you also need to carry a Shuriken, Axe-deodorant and a 5-year old condom at all times to qualify.

Someone here in the forums mentioned this in another mall-ninja thread and it's funny enough to be repeated.
 
Whatever your EDC or your purchase (BTW, I like cold steel deadly toys), if you don't take it seriously, you are not a mall !!!
 
I also like to be prepared, but in a slightly different way. I am always having to fix something, whether it be small and not too important, or getting someone back on the road when their car won't start. I keep a small knife (usually a Case or SAK), a small flashlight in my pocket or AA maglite on my belt, a zippo (I don'teven smoke), a swisstech tool or SAK (in place of usual knife), and I always seem to have a straight pin or saftey pin when needed though I never carry one.

I have seem many pocket dumps on this forum and I think alot of knife nuts are gear heads also and typically overdo their edc. There isn't anything wrong with that, but you might get teased about being so overprepared. I have seen people who carry a multitool, SAK, small sheeple knife, and a dedicated larger knife. That is overkill to me, the SAK would take care of 99% of what they need all those other knives for but they like to carry them so they do, nothing wrong with that just different. Same goes for flashlights, why do you carry a photon on your keyring when you always have your Surefire? If I have my Maglight with me, I leave my Fenix at home and vise versa. When people start to make up excuses for why they carry so many thing, then there might be a problem, they are obsessed and in denial. For example if I asked the guy why he carried so many knives and he said "If I drop my dedicated knife in a fight I will still have a backup, and if I have to fix something I will have my multitool but I might need one of the SAK tools as well, and I will use the sheeple knife in front of sheeple". It sounds to me like he just liked to carry alot of knives and tries to justify it by thinking about way too many what ifs, he might alse be very paranoid and the knives give him peace of mind.

I wouldn't label you as a mall ninja until you started acting like one. I don't carry a knife for SD because I wouldn't use one. If my opponent doesn't have a knife I won't pull mine, if they have a gun a knife isn't going to do me much good, and if we both have knives we are both going to get cut and one will go to prison while the other goes to the hospital. I would rather have a stick handy or a good exit stratigy than a knife in my hand. I had a similar situation to yours happen a year or so ago but there were two thieves and one had a tire tool but I had my 12Ga. I don't think a knife would have done much good there.

I would rather see someone prepared for anything than ready for nothing. I have learned to only carry with me what is practical as pocket space is limited. I have to check my obsession at the door and leave duplicates behind. If you want to be classified as a Boy Scout instead of a mall ninja, just swap that tactical knife for a nice scout pattern and be amazed how many positive comments you will get.
 
Ozy said:
:eek: Warrior lifestyle?

warriorlifestylelink.png
Click to expand...

Lynn's a bit on the portly side for someone who supposedly does all that training in the "deadly arts." As for you, the OP, being a Mall Ninja, I doubt that you are. I carry a knife and a light and indeed a firesteel on my person every day. Much like Batosai, I doubt I'll ever need the firesteel, but it's kinda nice to have. I also carry a pistol; usually my Springfield Milspec. The Leek is definitely NOT a Mall Ninja knife. I'm not a fan of assisted opening knives, but that's a matter of preference. Mall Ninja knives and gear generally have names like the Night Stalker 3000 or some such nonsense. The Leek's named after a freakin vegetable. Definitely not something a Mall Ninja would go for. You're in the clear as far as I'm concerned.
 
Just to get to square one as reference - a mall ninja was originally an overprepared mall security guard with an extreme attitude bordering the ludicrous. The Paul Blart movie barely touches on the essence - the Segway security transports should have had scabbards with Keltec folding rifles in them and glass breaker rams on the handle bars.

It's the low cost excess that typifies a mall ninja. A bank courier with a Surefire equipped with strike bezel, that could be ok. Equipped with a Rayovac LED with ghettofabbed strike bezel duct taped on, that's mall ninja.

It's all done on a teenage budget, earnest intentions, and a complete lack of common sense application for what works in the real world. Kinda like listening to gamers talk about edged weapon use based on what platform they play. No connection to reality, but frequently posted here.

Now, like Phil said, it's just an overused insult. If Hollywood has made a movie about it, it's beyond a cliche - it tells you how far behind the curve they really are.

P.S. Mall ninja's also use extreme jargon, and patronize vendors who do -
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top