Going to the gym, how to carry or secure?

[aguyindallas]

Here is my dilemna:

I like to go to the gym 3-4 times/week. I typically go straight from work where I am always carrying my G26 in either a CTAC or an Ankle Glove. I change into gym clothes in my private office, so nobody sees my gun at any time.

So, when I go to the gym, I am not big on leaving my stuff in the car. As such, I carry my gym bag in that I leave my keys, watch, wallet, work clothes, and of course my G26 in it. I lock them in a locker and take the key with me. The gym does not allow work out bags on the gym floor, so I cant just carry it along with me.

I figure the lesser of two evils is puting the gun in my bag and locking it up rather than leaving it in the car. Both are bad ideas in my opinion.

So, should I try to carry it in a fanny pack, safe packer or something like that? I use the treadmill and run, so there is no interest in putting into one of those Thunderwear type holsters (toooooo much bouncing around).

Everytime I leave my stuff in the locker it drives me nuts worrying about it. Surely somebody out here has a solution to this...

Fire away folks.

 

[hkmp5g17]

How about a small Camelback? You can carry and have water/sportsdrink at the same time. There are also fanny packs that have a water bottle carrier. It would probably blend in better tha a "gun" fannypack.

Anthony

 

[old4x4]

I leave my PT-145 locked in my locker (in my backpack).

 

[Can'thavenuthingood]

Stick it in your glockstrap.


I kill me.
Vick

 

[Zen21Tao]

Personally I would lock it in my trunk. If you do choose you do want to carry it in the gym and not lock it in a locker and don't want to try thunderwear I guess a fanny pack is your best way to go.

 

[losangeles]

I'd never trust the lockers where I work out. Too many cases of theft. Less likelihood of trunk theft, so you know which decision I'd go with.

 

[Bwana John]

I would use a pistol safe that is VERY-WELL attached to the vehicle. I have a semi-hidden, well padded, .30 caliber ammo box with a lock that is blind bolted into the back of my truck for securing pistols.

 

[aguyindallas]

The problem with the in car pistol vault is that I drive a company demo. I work for an Acura dealer and I get a new car about every 3-4 months that they provide. Because of this, I cannot do any sort of permanent attachments to the car. Also, once in a while, my car is loaned to customers for a few hours/day, so this also make it unrealistic to attach to the car.

 

[trickyasafox]

some gyms will lock your stuff up for you behind the counter if you tell them there is a high value item there. i'd say carry a lockable breifcase so no one can snoop and ask them to hold it behind the counter. my mom works at a health club and from time to time customers put items behind the counter for safe keeping. if you can't have a bag on the floor this may be your best option. i wouldnt recomend carrying it on the floor, enough rigorous activity and your gonna show eventually. just the nature of the beast (ps im sure some of you have done it and not shown ever, but i'd be too nervous to get a good workout if i carried on me in the gym)

 

[CAS700850]

I used the fanny-pack with my Smith 649 at the gym, clipped a Walkman to it, and no one thought twice about it. ON the treadmill, I'd hang it on one of the handrails at my side, because bouncing is an issue. Make a show up putting keys into the pack or digging for change, etc., in the pack on the gym floor, and no one will bother you about it. Only once did anyone ask me why I had the pack, and I opened a pocket to show my wallet and cell phone, and simply said I was on call and needed to have the phone close by.

 

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

CamelBak

How about a small Camelback? You can carry and have water/sportsdrink at the same time. There are also fanny packs that have a water bottle carrier. It would probably blend in better tha a "gun" fannypack.

Anthony

I have the "CamelBak Goblin" - Here (Note - I'm not endorsing this site. Just a conveinient link)

One of the best purchases I've ever made. I could fit 3-4 full size handguns in the concealed area if I wanted to, and you wouldn't know the concealed area existed unless you were familliar with the model. Hell it took me 10 minutes to figure out where the gun was supposed to go once I received my pack. Its also quickly accessable.

I can also carry 1/3 a gallon of water in the resivoir. I love this pack - carry it with me everywhere even when I'm not carrying my arm.

 

[SixForSure]

The problem with the in car pistol vault is that I drive a company demo. I work for an Acura dealer and I get a new car about every 3-4 months that they provide. Because of this, I cannot do any sort of permanent attachments to the car. Also, once in a while, my car is loaned to customers for a few hours/day, so this also make it unrealistic to attach to the car.

Use a cable, such as a bicycle lock to secure the box to the vehicle. You can wrap it around a seat support, spare tire mount, etc. I have used this method even without a box. Run the cable through the frame of the gun and around a support. a 10 or 12 mm cable is extremely difficult to cut and it is unlikely that someone breaking into your car would just happen to have a large enough cable cutter with him.

 

[JJpdxpinkpistols]

Because of this, I cannot do any sort of permanent attachments to the car. Also, once in a while, my car is loaned to customers for a few hours/day, so this also make it unrealistic to attach to the car.

There is a nice portable handgun safe made by http://www.center-of-mass.com/

It attaches by aircraft cable to the struts under a seat then gets pushed under. Hardly impervious, but if its out of sight, and covered, folks will generally move on to another vehicle, deterring most smash and grabs.

Also, some trunks have tie-downs and some of these are secured to the frame of the vehicle...if yours does, then you are set...just load the safe in the car, and then secure it in the trunk.

 

[buck00]

Do you mean the kind of lockers they give you a key for, or do you have your own pad lock?

I worked at a gym for many years and I would not trust my Glock inside a locker. There were situations where a guy would come up and say he locked his key inside his locker. The 16 year old girl behind the counter would simply give out the master key- and the guy would have access to ANY locker. Should it work that way? No. Did it happen very often that someone handed out the master key? No. But there is still that risk.

If you do a light work out, I think you would be ok with a fanny pack. However, if you really get into it- power cleans, heavy squats, heavy bench.... you don't want a gun on your side- too awkward.

 

[aguyindallas]

The in car safe thing just isnt practical for this specific car. In my other POV's, its a great idea. Like I said, I am in a company car 90% of the time I go to the gym, so it just wont work.

I am thinking the fanny pack man purse (although I would not likely use it as a fanny pack around my waste) is the way to go. The Wilderness Safepacker is another viable option.

Carrying while working out isnt going to even be close to a good plan. There is no way it could be comfortable and be done without printing or just down right hanging out. Its probably more dangerous to my body to carry while trying to work out anyway.

 

[aguyindallas]

I take my own padlock. I leave behind my wallet, watch (not a cheapo), G26, car keys.

I only carry my padlock key with me and my iPod when I am working out.

Its not a power lift routine, rather 40 mins on the treadmill and some "maintenance" type routine where its not power lifting, just some work on muscle toning. With this comes crunches too. I am on the weight loss part of this, not trying to get buff.

I think some sort of fanny pack will meet my needs. Its not big enough that they will think I am breaking their rules of having a bag on the workout floor and it will be able to hold the important things and keep them close.

So, for all your fanny pack carry guys...lets see what you are using!

 

[Waywardmonk]

I say give the SafePacker a try. I have one for my S&W 1911, one for my SP101 and one for my fiance's S&W .32, very handy and well made. Just use the carabiner to clip your keys to it and call it a cell phone/day planner holder if anyone asks. If you're really paranoid ( and I am ) you could use the SafePacker a few times first as an actual cell phone holder and let folks see you take the phone out before switching to carrying your Glock in it. You could also use the medication ruse " it holds my ( high blood pressure, migraine, whatever ) medicine ".

 

[slzy]

seems like way more cars are broken into at gyms than lockers. bring yer ownlock of course.

 

[civilian]

get the fanny pack, and one specifically made for the weapon. i went through training at my job a while back and they demo'd the fanny pack, including the rip and draw technique. the g26 and g-19 we were issued were very secure in there and it looked like any other fanny pack. otherwise, leave it in the car concealed as best possible.

 

[ball3006]

I leave my pistol in the truck......

the gym has windows across the front and it is easy to see out. I am a powerlifter so the only thing on my bod is shorts and t shirt. The gym I work out at is a serious workout gym, no socializing done there......chris3

 

[aguyindallas]

ball3006,

No socializing done in my gym either other than the people playing basketball. I work out at night, after work. Yeah, they have windows across the front too, but you cant see out of them. They have them tinted because it faces the east so they must be trying to cut down the heat and blinding sun in the early parts of the day.

Other than the Safepacker and the above mentioned fanny pack, what others are out there?

Civilain: Do you know what brand/model your is?

 

[slzy]

to and from the car would seem like when you need the gun the most.

 

[aguyindallas]

I suppose that is true, but thats not really the concern. I am worried about where to keep it when I am there.