Shooting Illustrateds latest I Carry feature assembles a compact, carry-centric kit built around the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C Comp, a JM Custom Kydex Quick Ship AIWB Wing Claw 2.5 holster, and the Gideon Optics Granite green-dot sight. The 9mm Echelon 4.0C Comp is positioned as a smaller, concealment-friendly member of the Echelon line that adds a single-port compensator while keeping the guns everyday-carry manners. Listed at an MSRP of $749, the model aims to balance shootability with practical carry dimensions and broad out-of-the-box optic compatibility. The pistols measurements land squarely in compact territory: a 4-inch barrel, 7.25 inches overall length, 5.1 inches in height, and 1.2 inches in width. Unloaded weight is cited at 24 ounces with a 15-round flush-fit magazine, allowing a full three-finger grip without resorting to extended base pads. Springfield equips the slide with its Variable Interface System (VIS), a direct-mount solution that uses interchangeable locating pins so common micro-red-dot footprints can bolt directly to the slide without adapter plates. The gun ships with RMR-pattern pins, and pins for other footprints are available from Springfield. Iron sights are a U-notch rear paired with a tritium-vial front, giving a familiar day-night sight picture for users who arent running an optic. The single-port compensator is the headline add-on, intended to trim muzzle rise without forcing the gun into oversized holsters. Notably, the 4.0C Comp is described as compatible with standard Echelon Compact holsters, which removes one of the usual pain points with comped carry pistols. The write-up stops short of making hard performance claims, noting that side-by-side testingespecially with hotter +P loadswould be the fair way to quantify gains. Even so, the comp variants price delta from non-comp models is portrayed as well under the typical cost of adding an aftermarket comp, keeping the package inside a mainstream EDC budget. Holster duty in the feature goes to JM Custom Kydexs Quick Ship AIWB Wing Claw 2.5. Base MSRP is $75, with the evaluated configuration priced at $90 after options. Its a taco-style appendix holster with an integral wing (claw) that levers the grip into the body to reduce printing. Despite the Quick Ship label, buyers can still select belt attachments, colorways, and add comfort pads or cuts; the test rig includes an optics cut (+$5) and a red Kydex option (+$10). The chosen belt attachment is the DCC monoblock, a low-profile clip favored for AIWB because it locks onto the belt while keeping bulk to a minimum. Rounding out the trio is the Gideon Optics Granite, an RMR-footprint green-dot sight with an 8-MOA aiming dot and a spacious 28.3 22.5 mm window in an aluminum housing. While framed as competition-leaning due to the larger dot, the Granite is presented as equally at home on a defensive pistol, and the test experience reports no concealment penalties in this carry configuration. The optic arrives with an extensive accessory bundle: three labeled screw sets for slide compatibility, a low-profile Picatinny-style mount for long guns if desired, tools for installation and for the side-mounted battery door, plus a battery and cleaning clothuseful touches for first-time dot users who want to mount and zero the same day. As a package, the build emphasizes friction-free setup and daily practicality: a comped compact that still fits standard Compact holsters, a direct-mount optic system that avoids plates and extra stack height, and an appendix rig tuned to pull the grip in without sacrificing draw speed. Each component targets a common carry pain pointrecoil control, mounting hassle, or concealmentand does so without exotic parts or gunsmithing.