Do vests SCREAM gun?

[444]

Do Vests Scream Gun ?

To Who ?

Who are we trying to conceal the gun from ? That is the question.
If other gun owners think you are carrying a gun under a vest, so what ? What if a cop sees the vest and suspects you are carrying but carrying is completely legal and you are in full compliance of the law ?
The question is, does it scream to the crackhead coming up behind you at the ATM ?
Even if a criminal suspects that you are carrying a gun, this can be good or bad with no way to predict either way. They might look at you and say, "That guy is armed and I am steering way clear of him, plenty of other mindless sheep out there". Or as people love to point out on internet gun boards they might suspect you are armed and shoot you to take you out of the equation. Of course this is much more likely to occur if you are in condition white.

If you want to wear a vest and also want to easily blend into society, buy one of those black leather vests that Harley owners are required to wear (they must be, they all have one) as part of their Harley owner uniform.

 

[HighVelocity]

To me the vests don't SCREAM gun but I do notice. The fanny pack thing really does give it away though. Especially if it's a jumbo maxpedition in OD or desert tan.

 

[ball3006]

I live in Texas and.....

during warm days, I just drop my Kel Tec 3AT in my shorts pocket and break up the outline with a hanky. Other times I wear, the horror of it, a man purse. It is thin and I wear it with the strap across my chest. There is a pocket for my wallet, and a place for my phone/extra mag on the strap. Yep, at least to me, a vest during hot weather and a larger fanny pack, especially when a fanny pack is worn with business casual clothes, are awareness flags that the person is armed. I started out with a fanny pack but when I got "that look" from people, I switched to other means of carry....chris3

 

[Manedwolf]

Other times I wear, the horror of it, a man purse. It is thin and I wear it with the strap across my chest. There is a pocket for my wallet, and a place for my phone/extra mag on the strap.

There are casual alternatives. Old Navy and Gap often have pre-battered, vintage satchels that curve comfortably around the hip, have a strap across the chest, and have the look of an old AAF document case. (mine even has the old red-dot wings on a faded sage bag with a khaki strap and fake 'rust' on the buckles.) Some have a top back zipper pouch perfect for concealment.

 

[Trip20]

For those of you who carry your self-defense weapon in a fanny pack or some other type of satchel/man-purse, have you considered the possibility that if you are the victim of a robbery or mugging, the criminal may demand you hand over your bag and/or fanny pack under the assumption that it carries your valuables (i.e., wallet, keys, credit cards, electronics...etc)?

What then?

 

[Anthony]

Twelve Years of CCW Taught Me...

...that the fanny pack and photojournalist vests each have their place.

Fanny packs are of little use to me. I'm a hunky macho looking Italian who could fit in quite nicely as an extra into your favorite cop or mafia movie. I look stupid in fanny packs. I did wear one long enough to realize:

• It takes a big fanny pack to carry a duty or midsize handgun.
• The weight of the pack with gun, spare ammo, flashlight, and the items you would normally carry in your pockets is quite cumbersome.
• Once one removes enough stuff to get a fanny pack that blends into the landscape the only guns left are more than small enough for pocket carry in a pair of carefully selected pants or shorts. To me, a nice Kahr pistol in a pocket holster beats one in a fanny pack any day.

A professional bodyguard of my acquaintance who must fit into the landscape has told me he only uses his with a gun in the weight range of the SIG-232. I heartily agree with him. For me, I get more use out of pocket guns, IWB holsters, or my favorite Bianchi Bellyband under an untucked t-shirt. With the latter I can easily conceal my Kahr K-40 with spare ammunition and a folding knife. Even a Colt Lightweight Commander works with the right shirt. The thing I love about the Bellyband is that none of the weight is placed on the pants themselves avoiding the characteristic trip south a pair of shorts can perform over time even with a moderatly heavy gun. So it can be worn under sweats and drawstring workout shorts without a second thought.

Today, one of my two fanny packs lives in my car. It's a handy way to store a large handgun with a fair amount of gear inconspicuously. If my car breaks down I can put the pack on while I wait for help and be fully armed with a powerful Surefire light and spare ammunition.

I've had much better luck with vests than fanny packs. I own several and wear one when I want to carry something more substantial in a conventional holster. Especially when I am going to be outside for an extended period. This used to be a fairly common practice, but anymore I like to blend into the landscape a bit more.

Once fall is here I usually use a jacket bought one size too large intentionally and use a horizontal shoulder holster system combined with a thin t-shirt. For me this works best, but it is not for everyone.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I've only been carrying for a few months, and I've asked some trusted people what they do. The best advice came from two of our moderators, P95Carry and Art Eatman.

Chris wears one of these:
http://www.smithandalexander.com/apparel.html
In the stone-washed denim, they fit my style of dress, and as long as the weather is cool, nobody notices. In the winter I either wear one of those or a short sleeved lab coat in my shop. Haven't got a second glance yet. Best part of these vests is the tag inside: Made in Benton TX, USA.

For hot weather, Art had a couple of great suggestions, and he oughta know hot weather:

Current urban fashion is a pocketed t-shirt with a cotton overshirt left unbuttoned. Every clothing store has them in a variety of colors for around $25 for the combo. I wear a OWB with a j-frame or a IWB with a 1911. I don't have any trouble concealing either. If the wind is blowing, I'll button one button. This combo is actually cooler than the polyester western cut shirts I used to wear.

Art's other suggestion was pretty funny, but no doubt it works if one is on vacation. Wear a Hawaiian shirt, green nurses pants (scrubs) and a flourescent pink fanny pack. It wouldn't even enter anyone's mind that you might have a gun.

 

[Devonai]

I've been wearing a tan vest in warm weather ever since I got my carry license nine years ago. The ones I've bought were nothing special and they've worn out relatively quickly; I think I'm on number three right now.

I have never been called out but occasionally I've been asked if I'm on my way to go fishing. One young lady at the liquor store asked me if I was on my way to hunt crocs.

I used to wear a bathrobe to college classes once in a while, so I have a hard time caring whether or not I look stupid. I agree with the others who've said that most people wouldn't notice if you were carrying openly anyway.

As for goblins, I'd be more worried about my healthy build and military haircut getting me shot first than my vest.

 

[Manedwolf]

if you are the victim of a robbery or mugging, the criminal may demand you hand over your bag and/or fanny pack under the assumption that it carries your valuables (i.e., wallet, keys, credit cards, electronics...etc)?

What would I do? Easy. Say "Wait, wait! My wallet is in here, you can have the it..." to distract while I'm reaching into the pouch. Except instead of a wallet, they then get the wrong end of a .45.

Definitely wouldn't want to give them something with a gun in it.

 

[Mannlicher]

being an old guy, I don't even worry about what a vest looks like. I wear them when I feel like it, and they do conceal about anything.

 

[30 cal slob]

Depends on the vest.

Not too long ago I purchased a Sig-Tac vest from the Dillon catalog.

In my opinion, it's too obvious to the trained eye that it is a concealed carry vest.

1) Especially if you are a reader of the Blue Press

2) The side pouches look too much like mag pouches

3) The "f*g tag" on the back of the vest is embossed with "Sig-Tac."

I just noticed #3 when a fella at my local home depot pulled me aside and gently chided me for wearing something with such a blatant label.

 

[wqbang]

I can tell you that in western Washington, the great "northwet", in any season a FLEECE vest is not only fashionable, but a great covering garment. If it says "Patagonia", "The North Face" or "Columbia" and you have a latte in your hand then your most CERTAINLY incognito. Male or Female

It is also quite comfortable and practical in spring and fall, and goes well with business casual clothing at the office just as well as with jeans or shorts. Male or Female, short or tall, big or small.

Fleece vests rock. Try it and you will like it. *

* Your mileage may vary based on locale and season.

 

[Old Dog]

Vests scream nothing but poor fashion sense ...

People will repeatedly take notice of you because you look silly...
... not to mention it looks mighty dorky.

Ah, the fashion critics come out. Count me in with those who don't really give a rat's butt about how we appear to others. Guess I'm just gettin' too old to worry about anything except comfort and functionality when it comes to what I wear out in public.

But then again, I know there are a lot of folks out there who put a lot of time, effort and money into projecting a certain image to perfect strangers.

 

[dev_null]

This also means you are seeing people with guns when they don't carry guns because you think that because you know some gun folks wear vests and/or fanny packs to carry guns, everyone in vests or fanny packs must be carrying.

I'm rather proud of myself for actually following that.

And logically, you're right -- I don't know whether someone is carrying or not unless I have other evidence. But the question was whether seeing someone in a so-called concealment vest makes me think they're carrying, and the answer to that is a qualified "Yes." A biker's vest, whether denim or leather, with patches and run pins and whatnot, not necessarily. A fisherman or photographer with their vest bulging with various items, not necessarily. But the 3 guys in the IHOP, all of them over 50, one wearing a fanny pack but keeping his wallet in his jeans, the second wearing a khaki 5.11 vest, and the third checking constantly that his untucked shirt tail isn't riding up on his right hip? Yes, yes, and yes.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Just wear a stupid hat, something that really draws attention. Mis-direction is what majicians do...

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

The 5.11 vest I wear occasionally only draws questions about the fishing, and looks a bit casual around the office. But then, I've got all sorts of stuff in the vest, usually including some dry flies, since I DO use it for fishing.

A light fleece vest with dockers is practically a uniform for the office crowd, usually with a starbucks or peets mug permanently attached to one hand. I don't think it cries out "gun" at all. Now the rather dumpy looking ones look out of place enough that you hope they have a good excuse...

 

[Low-Sci]

What you wear has a serious impact on how people react to you and who you draw attention from. If this wasn't true, men wouldn't wear business suits to important meetings, or dress up at all, actually.

The whole point of concealed carry is that nobody knows that you're carrying. You should give them exactly no hint whatsoever. The first time someone even suspects you have a gun is when you reach for it.

A vest looks funny. If you don't care if other people think you look funny, thats fine. Just remember that by looking funny, you're drawing attention to yourself, and by association, the smarter folks are going to wonder if you're carrying. That's bad. But if you don't care, well, ok.

There are hoardes of ways to conceal a weapon on your person while not drawing any unwanted attention to yourself. I think the best way to look while armed is "forgettable."

It seems to me that if you don't care that you might be giving people hints that you're armed, why don't you just say to hell with it and open carry?

 

[GEM]

Texas here. I was in Barnes and Noble and saw a guy reading the gun rags with a shaved head and a Atomic Whammo tactical vest.

I was tempted to come up behind him and yell: SHOOTER READY- BEEP!

My TX solution is a pocket gun with cargo pants - like Cabelas. Everyone wears such - a J frame or Kahr PM9 works fine.

However, I can easily conceal a Glock 19 with a Milt Sparks IWB with a nice t-shirt and an extra large soft floppy outdoorsy sports shirt over it. Lots of folks here wear a t and open cover shirt.

The guys in regular clothes with their wallet in their back pocket and a fanny pack under their saggy belly (I shouldn't talk) that could conceal a small piano - haha!

 

[roo_ster]

f it says "Patagonia", "The North Face" or "Columbia" and you have a latte in your hand then your most CERTAINLY incognito. Male or Female

My two fanny packs have commercial gear manufacturer's labes prominently affixed.

 

[Anthony]

Good points, Low Sci.

Although I never was found out (to my knowledge) when wearing my vests, I did stand out in a crowd.

I also believe that looking non-descript is a plus when carrying.

 

[Old Dog]

Of course, Low-Sci is a young man in a liberal college town in a state that does NOT permit concealed carry of handguns.

Just remember that by looking funny, you're drawing attention to yourself, and by association, the smarter folks are going to wonder if you're carrying.

No, this does not follow at all.

Seriously, how many of you -- before you entered the "gun culture" -- and became aware that citizens around you actually carried concealed handguns -- gave any thought to how folks dressed, other than to critique their fashion sense (or lack thereof)?

 

[Mannlicher]

Old Dog has a point, and I have an anecdotal story to back him up.

A few months back, when I was living in Miami, I headed up to the auto parts store for some power steering fluid for my old pick up. I had been wearing a J frame in an IWB holster around the house. I forgot to put on a shirt over the tee I was wearing. When I got back, I realized what I had done. Stops at the 7-11, the Auto parts store, and then home. Not a single person seemed to have noticed. I really don't think people notice much of anything.

 

[Ares45]

Yes, Unless your wearing waders standing knee deep in the middle of a trout stream.

Fortunatly for you sheeple are blind and DEAF.

 

[Anthony]

I Stand By My Position

Old Dog,

Being non-descript when carrying is always the best policy. The less you stand out the less you will be noticed. The less you are noticed the fewer people who will look at you closely enough to see if you're armed.

Let's suppose instead of that CCW-supporting police officer so many of you use in your examples it is instead an anti-CCW police officer or just one that doesn't like your look or the ethnic or social group you belong to?

How about an old acquaintance who has a grudge against you and decides to call the police and tell them that you threatened him/her with a gun at the place they saw you?

How about a perp looking for a new gun to steal? Sure, you've got a gun, but he thinks you look weak and can take it away from you. Maybe he'll follow you home and then break in another day when you're at work.

In these cases, I want to be as discreet as possible.

Part of having a license to carry is being as discreet as possible not only in who you let know you carry a gun, but also in the way you conceal it.

No, these situations do not occur everyday, but I would rather avoid the hassel they might cause. Better safe than sorry.

 

[TonyB]

You know it's funny,I've always worn vests...even as a kid in high school,it was kind of my trade mark.So when I started carrying,I didn't really even think about it....now that I pocket carry it is a lot easier in the humid weather to leave the vest home.
I usually wear a smith and alexander vest,they look less tactical and more like clothing...although I did get a 5.11 vest and wear it in the fall/winter instead of a coat.
I don't really care if it screams gun or not though becasue it's always concealed....maybe if someone thinks "I wonder if he's carrying a gun?"they'll find another person to rob/beat or kill..yet another way carrying prevents crime.