Fanny Packs for concealed carry

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I think carrying for defense is a reasonable thing to do in these ages and wish I could too here in Ca, but I can't help but to make fun of the guy who is wearing a big blue or red or black fanny pack right in the middle of his front side along with a photographer's vest, pocket clip knife (I carry 1), & trucker's wallet with chain while ordering a burger from the local burger joint, and then to watch him carry his meal to a table constantly casing his surroundings while he loads up his ketchup and soda.
But, like I said, I think it is all good and healthy and I wish those who carry the best, but if I was allowed to carry concealed in my state, I would be more discreet. The fellow who said to put pins & patches on your fanny pack, that is a good idea, I would think that person was indeed a tourist, but the guys who carry dead center in their front, in the convenience store or home depot, this is good humor for me. Now watch, after my voicing all that above, some fanny- packer will inadvertantly save me from a robbery! Too funny.
Seriously, fanny packs are not even very comfy on your back side, I've carried one on hikes before and also biking, and for me they create alot of heat, so I would opt for one of those under-the seat bags for my bike, and just a compact holster of some type for concealed carry, or carry a camera bag with a strap that will also hold my piece.
Best-MC
 
At one point folks were buying pink Million Mom March fanny packs that were clearance on the Brady website. Misdirection at it's finest, if you ask me. ;)
 
cd case/pack

I've got a nice quality fanny pack that is a compact disc player case. My
Kel-Tec P3at fits just perfect behind the cd player and it has side pockets for a spare magazine and batteries.

Wearing a pair of headphones around my neck helps it blend in better than just a regular GUN!! fanny pack. Drawing is pretty slow and the little Kel-Tec is just as easily pocket carried. But it's another carry option with tunes as a bonus.
 
I work in a car dealership. There was a guy having his car worked on, strolling around the service area. He had a fanny pack wrapped around his shoulder like a bandolier. I pointed him out to my friend at work. He noticed it as well. The guy was obviously carrying. All of his other "stuff" was outside the bag. His cell phone had a holder, his pockets were stuffed as well.
When I see an adult with a fanny pack, as do most people I know, the first thing you try to figure out is "Does he have a gun?"
I read somewhere in these threads that some CCW using a Bible case. That's a pretty good idea, or even a day-planner.
 
Re: Fanny Packs

I need to replace my Uncle Mike's Sidekick. Is there something similar to that? Or is the Sidekick still available? I have a S&W 586, so I need something for that.

Stanzi
 
When I see an adult with a fanny pack, as do most people I know, the first thing you try to figure out is "Does he have a gun?"
Click to expand...

Do you think that if you saw someone on a mountain trail with a day pack on his back and a fanny pack around his waist you would still think he had a gun?

If you have ever hiked in the Appalachians you will see a lot of people wearing backpacks and fanny packs.

I am not talking about wearing one in town to the mall. I made that pretty clear in the initial post, but people seem to be skipping over the fact that I am talking about using a fanny pack while hiking in remote areas. I would like the gun covered and protected.

Walking in the mountains with a Bible case or Day Planner in your hand would seem more out of place to me than a fanny pack, but maybe you disagree.
 
I am curious as to why the suspicion over a belly bag is thought to be such a negative thing.

I don't carry that often, but when I do, I simply drop a Airweight J-frame and a pocket holster into my right front pocket.

It doesn't "print", per se, but one can easily tell from the way it pulls on the material that I have something heavier than a wallet in there.

As long as I am in a place that doesn't specifically prohibit firearms, I've never given much thought about someone suspecting that I was carrying a one.

If it's legal, it's legal, and I go about my business.

I'm sure I have been spotted by LEO's in the past, but without incident.

I would also think that if a bad guy suspects that I have a firearm in my pocket, it would not be anything that would attract him TO me.

Thoughts?
 
If anybody ever has the chutzpah to ask what's in your fanny pack. Tell them it's got your colostomy bag in there. I bet that'll end the conversation quickly.
 
Fanny packs haven't been in style for at least 15-20 years. Why don't you just get a pair of bell-bottoms and an anke holster? For hiking, ok, but for everyday wear? No. Get a smaller gun and do IWB carry.
 
I use a black leather fanny pack all the time. It does cover the trigger, and frankly, I don't care who knows it's a gun. In my state, it isn't even a law to keep them concealed. Cops don't care, and bad guys would do well to know that I am armed.

I use it because I can snap it on over a pair of sweats, and not have to put on a pair of pants with a heavy belt or a concealment garment all of the time.
 
Personally I think some of the other packs already mentioned would better fit your application but here’s one we have and it works pretty good for bike riding etc. The medium fits my 1911 Commander and my wife carries her SP101 in it. It is leather and may/may not be good for the trail. Don’t know about the fashion part either. Might upset one of the local squirrels along the trail. At least you will not have to worry if it threatens you.

It comes with an internal holster.

http://www.reddiamondonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1012
 
There's absolutely nothing wrong or out of place with a fanny pack when actually hiking. No one is going to give you a second look or think it screams "gun" when you're on the trail, probably with other hiking gear on or about you.

It's all about blending into your environment. Yes, I think it screams "gun" when you're walking around the local stop and rob or Walllyworld. But out on the trail? Please. Almost everyone has a pack of some kind when you're out hiking. You almost look more out of place WITHOUT one. Is it worth it to get one just for such occasions? Maybe, maybe not, depends on how often you'll use it. Mine mostly sits in the closet, but when I use it, I'm in an activity where I'll be blending in.

I have one I wear when mountain biking or out hiking with the dog. Lots and lots of mountain bikers wear them. Trust me, it doesn't scream "gun" in those situations (unless you think those whole earth granola eatin' mountain bikers are all packin' in their packs--doubtful). In my neck of the woods, unfortunately it probably screams "Hey, I've got a bag of weed".
 
Let me preface this with the fact that I currently live and work in Las Vegas.
First when it’s 115 the fanny pack is a real viable alternative.
There is a note that has been touched on here but not flat out said, and here it is, get something big enough, if it looks overstuffed with just the gun it is to small. Second whether it is a vest or a fanny pack or a man purse, the following holds true, if you carry it and don’t us it looks fake. If you wear a belt bag or photographers vest and then everything comes off your belt or out of a pocket some folks will wonder that the rig is for. If your wallet, checkbook, sunglasses, cell phone, pocket knife, car keys come out of the vest / belt bag folks think they know what you wear it for.

On the same note if you wear a tucker that is visible on the outside of your belt it needs to have a reason for it’s existence i.e. it holds your cell phone.
 
Every time this thread comes up I have to post this thing.

I got one a couple of years ago and it's great. Carrying water sort of removes the "dorky fanny pack" look and it will holster about anything you want.

I've carried a 1911 in it a couple of times.

To access the holster you pull down on that grey handle and what you end up with is the water bag dropping down and the belt and holster remaining in place. It's not just a bag you stick the gun in, there is an actual holster inside.

Hard to describe but I can draw from this faster than I can IWB. Plus I have some water :)

safetyglassesusa_1939_124450664
 
Texasrifleman,

thanks for posting that. I had been considering getting one for some time, but I was waiting until I could put my hands on one to see how big a gun it'll hold.

I was wondering when you said 1911, did you mean the 5" or one of the smaller variants?
 
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No I mean any size 1911 you wanna stuff in there.

I shoved a 5" Dan Wesson Razorback into the thing. There was room for more.

It's huge inside the thing.
Now the holster thing is covered in velcro so you can reposition it for different sized weapons and it was pretty snug on the 1911.

That said, it was way too heavy but I did make it work.

I keep saying "thing" because until you see inside it and play with it you can't understand how it actually functions.
 
just make sure you don't go anywhere in the appalachians that includes "national park" since then CCW is illegal. annoying, yes. i've missed out on some great hikes b/c of that dumb law.
 
Maxpedition Jumbo Versapack

I have the Maxpedition Jumbo which has a concealed carry slot in the back. It is not the quickest draw out there, but I do a lot of hiking and this easily fits my GPS, H20, map, keys, sunscreen, sunglasses, cell phone, sandwiches, and almost anything else I need for a day on the trail.

The concealed carry slot fits the (optional) Maxpedition Universal Holster which you can adjust almost any way that you might want. I pack my Taurus PT 145 in here with a lot of room to spare. It easily fits my much larger S&W Sigma 9mm, but I just like carrying the .45 better.

My favorite thing about the pack is that it doesn't look anything like a fanny pack. When I was in the Army, I had a map case that I used to carry around daily. This pack looks like a more modern version of that pack so I don't feel strange carrying it around town either.

Those "in the know" probably realize that I am carrying but who cares? As long as I don't trigger a couple of hystrionic libs into calling the police about a guy with a gun, I'm happy.
 
Just so everyone doesn't get excited over my previous comment... I carry a murse, man-bag, purse, whatever you want to call it when I don't carry IWB... It's actually like a camera bag...

I carry in what works for me, I'm not reading in to it as something to do with social stature or any of that other social taboo junk etcetera, if it works, it just works... The only person I need to impress is my wife, and since she's my wife, I must have already impressed her enough to stick with me...

MD
 
One thing to remember in all this is that a fanny pack may "Screem Gun" to us gun types, but most folks wouldn't know the difference.

I was on vacation in South Texas a couple weeks ago, carrying a navy blue DeSantis Gunney Sack (very comfortable too). About 1/3 of the people we saw were carrying fanny packs, so I blended in well (the over 50 crowd anyway). I had 4 different guys ask what kind of pack I had, and only 1 ask what kind of gun I was carrying (he also was carrying in a gunny sack and a XD-40 too).
 
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