Is a fanny pack considered concealed? In Florida?

Status
Not open for further replies.
It may take one second to get the gun out of a fanny pack when you're alone and practicing, but when someone is slashing you with a knife where will your off hand be? A guy in Vegas carried this way and was super fast to draw, except at crunch time when a guy was stabbing him and he couldn't get the damn thing open. He finally kickked the guy off, drew and shot the guy but he took a lot of damage that holster carry would've prevented.

If I can't get my gun into action with one hand then I won't carry that way.
 
Open up GQ, Esquire, or Men's Vogue. Do you see people wearing fanny packs? No, because they went out of style around the same time as parachute pants. My personal rule of concealment is this:

If you can't carry it with normal garments, carry a different gun.

With the right IWB holster and proper tucking, you can carry most weapons under dockers or dress slacks with a button-down shirt tucked in and still look like you're not carrying a gun. You may not care that much about fashion, but remember that in the eyes of many, one gun owner represents/speaks for all gun owners. That kind of makes us all ambassadors of gun culture. What would you think of an international ambassador who was dressed like something that just walked out of an MC Hammer concert ca. 1991? Right... that's how you come across with the fanny pack.
 
Some of the responses I've gotten from the question, "Does this fanny pack make me look (insert self depreciating adjective here)?"

"It's not the fanny pack."
"It would, but I know what's in it."

One friend of mine refers to it as my War Bag.

Yeah, I'd love to use an IWB holster, but I have issues with my sciatic nerve, so it's that or shoulder holster. I'm working on a rig built into a back brace. It doesn't pinch any nerves and is comfortable, but getting pants/belts around it just doesn't happen.

On the bright side, living in CA nobody expects anyone to be carrying, especially not someone with a fanny pack. ;-)
 
Tuppence:
I don't wear one: uncomfortable. Can't get to it fast enough.

I think all the made for the purpose ones scream GUN! Don't you think most cops (or criminals who educate themselves a bit) can figure out its' a Galco product?

If I were gonna; I'd find something locally made or with a bit of distractor factor; mine is bright bleu.
I also carry off body in a bright green planner. Got to lose your "Tactical fashion" sense.

I do have a nice leather one, made by a local company.

Yes, since nobody wears them where I live in the states (KY), when I see one I always wonder and look harder at the guy for other tells. He invites more scrutiny from me...
Florida However, land of tourists and retirees...(Do you look like either of the above? Natural camo dontcha know...) I'd be thinking Hawaiian shirt...

Fla should be one of the easiest places in the US (besides KY) to get a permit and carry; Just Do It.
I know its' an attractive idea to "stay off the radar" and not have any paperwork out there with your name on it.

You think they don't know how to find you without it?

In UK, where I live part of the time, they wear them in the 6-o-clock position, and fanny pack is correct ("bum bag").

Cheers, TF
 
Last edited:
When hiking in the summer, I often wear a butt pack. It carries water, multi tool, phone, wallet, snacks and a gun with spare mag. It looks like a small day pack for camping and is colored forest green. Many people wear them when hiking on trails or in the woods. Its not gay looking, it doesn't scream gun and its not a purse. When backpacking I wear a backpack. Is that metrosexual? When hiking I wear a day pack (small back pack) or butt pack if only going relatively short distances.
 
They stick out like a sore thumb and scream CC.
Click to expand...

The instructor at my CCW course was selling them. He said that if a BG is walking down the street looking for a target, are they going to pick on someone with a pack? Probably not. They are not for me. I think they look kind of feminine (trying to be PC).
 
Open up GQ, Esquire, or Men's Vogue. Do you see people wearing fanny packs? No, because they went out of style around the same time as parachute pants.
Click to expand...

Wow, I didn't know gun folks read magazines like that. Even so, I don't quite see the need to take my cues from such unrealistic trend or fashion rags. Additionally, fanny packs haven't gone out of style anywhere there is a tourist industry in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

I worked in Fair Park in Dallas in 2007 and had fun looking for gun toters with fanny packs at the State Fair. In fact, I had a good time trying to spot anyone in general who might be carrying, but my interest was in the fanny pack issue. I posted on TFL. In short, fanny packs are very much alive and well and not out of fashion, at least not at a tourist based outdoor event.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263277&highlight=state+fair+fanny+pack
 
I for one hate fanny packs. Yet I have to say that in south Florida they are a pretty common site. I do have some friends that use fanny packs as CCW holsters, most of these are police officers or athletic nuts. If I have to carry a fanny pack I usually sling it over my left arm so I can cross draw with my right. Soon I hope to get a versi pack from maxpedition.
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=4
I figure with a khaki colored versipack I can carry my CCW weapon, cell phone, organizer, bottle of water, keys, etc.
Back in the 80's those leather man purses gained some popularity. I do recall they were featured in many prominent mens fashion magazines. All the guys I knew who carried them were dangerous men. That being said, never underestimate a fashion statement. Besides Florida fashion has always been a bit "off" the national norm. People walk around down here with birds, lizards, snakes, and monkeys on their persons. You really think anyone is going to notice a fanny pack?
 
I haven't waded through 100% of the posts but here's my take, from someone in FL who went through somewhat the same process of "how to carry"?

There are a bunch of confusing choices, which eventually you could sort out. The only way to know for sure if a gun/holster combo will work for you, is to buy it and to try it for a while. Get used to the notion that if you're really serious in your intention to carry, you're going to have a box of holsters that you tried and thought you'd like but didn't. Despite how careful I was to research and only try options I thought would be ok, it still took some trial and error.

My personal recommendations for carrying as easily and with as little hassle as possible:
1) pocket carry, that is, a pocket holster and a gun small enough to fit. A Glock 26 is about the largest pistol I think that can be pocket carried. I have several mouse guns that I pocket carry, including a Bersa 380, a Kahr CW9, and a Ruger SP101 .357. I like these guns but especially the 380 wouldn't be my first choice for self-defense. But the 380 is so small it can be carried as easily as a cell phone.
Pocket carry is the best answer for shorts and a tucked-in shirt. Fast draw should you need it, and if you suspect trouble or aren't sure, you can put your hand in your pocket and be ready to draw without looking like you have a gun.

2) You can also try IWB, OWB, and shoulder rigs. I suggest getting an inexpensive nylon holster of each kind that will let you try it out. These aren't going to work as well for shorts and a tucked in shirt. It can work with an untucked and buttoned shirt. I can't always carry this way because I'm a shorts and tshirt kind of guy. But, if I can, I dress with a cover garment and carry IWB or shoulder rig. The extra hassle is made worthwhile because there's basically no size limit on the pistol that will fit one of these rigs. So, if I can dress around the rig, I'll carry IWB with a fullsize 45. Pocket carry a 9mm if I can't dress appropriately.

I recommend the cheap nylon holsters just for trying it out. If one method works really well and you like it, then go ahead and buy a nice and better quality holster for that carry method.

Oh, lastly, fanny pack CCW is totally legal in FL. I have one and never use it though. People are correct in saying that an ordinary person isn't going to notice a fanny pack and think anything unusual. However, it's not the ordinary people you need to worry about, it's criminals and pickpockets who are a lot sharper at watching people than you might think. A fanny pack may give your CCW status away to someone like that. I don't like fanny pack carry because it's slow as Christmas on the draw, and because I find the fanny pack gets in the way. There are easier ways to carry a pistol, never mind the fashion police implications.
 
Ok, I live in one of the what...2 states that don't allow concealed carry. IF it were legal for me to cc, and I intended to carry a full-sized pistol, I would probably carry it in a "fanny pack" with both the pack AND the buckle in the front.
When I lived in Tn, I carried an AMT Backup .45 in a pocket holster. In the months from the end of April til late September, I had to clean/oil it nearly daily or it would begin to rust. But it was easy to get at... unless I was sitting. A front mounted "pack" would've required much less body contortion to get to it.
I briefly (like maybe 5 minutes) tried an IWB, but it was extremely uncomfortable at my lovehandles, with my belt tightened up enough to keep my pants on. Also, for those of you not so afflicted, who do carry IWB and shirt tucked in, how easily/quickly can you access your gun?
 
I see fanny packs in southwest Florida all the time. But 99 times out of 100 they're worn by grey haired snow birds.

So I'll have to change my statement to, "I see fanny packs all the time in southwest Florida from Thanksgiving until Easter...."
 
Next time a gun show rolls into time, if you happen to go, check out "Rays Holsters", he is also on the net, same name just add the www's in the beginning and .com to the end. Just ask old Ray how long it takes to draw out of a fanny pak. It's like when Ali said when asked how fast he was, "want to see it again". Ray knew what I was doing for a living and said what I sell is for professionals",most of Rays customers are life long, and what I like about him is he will customise any holster for you, showing me a pak, as I buy most of my stuff from Ray , he has great holsters, I usually save 30-50% off of holsters that are elsware overpriced. I have Galco, Desantis, Bianci ,etc. When used properlly, the way Ray designed them,fanny pak's are very fast to open , pulling with the let hand, exposing the weapon and removing it with the right hand. It takes as long to draw from a normal holster. Granted yo need both hands, and it's done in one motion, but when you are limited by heat as to what you can use on a daily basis, it's the only way to go, comfortablly. I'm just turning 60, and with a bad back it's the only way to go for me. Now at night I usually go with a jackass leather shoulder rig, or a Don hume, or galco Jak 202. Which are just a leather loop, that your belt goes over. That with a shirt left open with a tee shirt under when using the shoulder rig. But if you work where it's hot you really don't have much of a choice. As the gent a couple of posts mentioned, the black glover leather man bags are used also ,although collecting a couple of those also,"in the box",I never felt comfortable being sepersted from the weapon, like having it in seperate container. By the way I just looked at his site, the shoulder rig he sells fot $65 at the shows, are leather, with twin mag holders, and velcro tie downs, that's less than half of what others charge for the same thing
 
They do make fanny packs that have a holster on the back side, the side that touches your body. You can draw out of one of those pretty quick.

If I had to wear a fanny pack that's the one I would get, not one where the gun is zipped up inside.

But if I'm wearing a fanny pack, there are bigger problems that need attention. If I'm wearing one, you need to double check the temperature in hell.
 
Maxpedition M5 waistpack is slightly larger than a ammo pouch, comes in several colors & my RAMI fits in it perfectly. It's not a fanny pack, more like an oversized phone or pda holster. It opens with a zipper that has a piece of cord thru it that makes it a snap to tug & open. It rides on my belt with 2 Alice clips so nobody can unsnap it & steal it.

If I am asked :Whats in the bag?" I just tell them my diabetic meds & nobody ever even blinks (probably due to the fact I am a large guy).

I use it because no matter where I put a holster to conceal it, except center of back, I get jabbed in the "love handles" mercilessly.

Plus, I am over 40, married, and could care less how little fashion sense it shows, lol.
 
I think what was being pointed out is that by denigrating something about a man by referencing it to something about a woman is chauvinistic, not homophobic. By denigrating by using something about a woman you are inferring that particular thing (the something about a woman) is inferior and by inference indicating you think women are inferior.

At least that was how I read it....

migoi
 
This will sound weird but my wallet used to be so fat with cash that I couldn't put it in my back pocket. If I tried to drive with it there it'd play havoc with my sciatic nerve. My job at the time paid in cash most frequently. I didn't use a belt pouch to solve the problem but I can definately agree that sitting on stuff in your back pockets can be a problem. Right now I often carry a flashlight back there and I'm looking at one of those Maxpedition pouches that attach to your belt.
Click to expand...

Doesn't sound weird to me at all. My wife treats men with this problem all the time. She is an acupuncturist and she tells them to trim down the wallet and carry in a front pocket. I did and it did wonders for my sciatica.

My problem with concealed carry is that I have broken my back in five different places and (at last count) have seven herniated discs. Any weight I add to the waist line, especially up high like most modern carry holsters, causes pain. For me it's not only a compromise of weapon accessibility, but also how much pain I can endure for how long to remain safe. It's one of the reasons I've always just carried it in my car and taken my chances otherwise.

I did much better back in the day, in Colorado when I carried it lower down openly. Now I can't carry openly, and I'm starting to get old enough that the same problems that hamper my concealed carry could cause me to need to have it on my hip rather than in my car.

Just a side note to you younger guys. You may think that the injury you got now isn't such a big deal, but it's definitely a cumulative thing, and it always catches up with you. Take care of your back, you only get one.

I used to be a bad ***, but now the bad part is a little higher up.
 
I wore a sport jacket today, even though it was a warm day. I needed something to cover a 1911 worn in an OWB holster. I wasn't at work, so I didn't need to be wearing a jacket.

Let's see: I went to my accountant's office, McDonalds, Home Depot, the bank ... and I may just be kidding myself, but I honestly don't think anyone in any of those places looked at me and thought, "Now who does he think he's kidding? It's too hot to wear a sport jacket, he isn't wearing a tie, so he MUST be wearing the jacket to cover his gun."

Nope, I don't think any of 'em thought that. Wear your fanny pack in good health and safety.
 
I worked in Fair Park in Dallas in 2007 and had fun looking for gun toters with fanny packs at the State Fair. In fact, I had a good time trying to spot anyone in general who might be carrying, but my interest was in the fanny pack issue. I posted on TFL. In short, fanny packs are very much alive and well and not out of fashion, at least not at a tourist based outdoor event.
Click to expand...

I'm just gonna throw this out there and see what happens, but I would suggest that if your fashion sense is based on the exemplar of what is worn at a State Fair, then you might not grasp the reality of the problem.

:)
 
Well it's quite a hot topic here, but I gotta say, I couldn't care less what someone thinks about me wearing a fanny pack. I buy what I like that functions the way I want, the heck with what others think. Gotta be happy with yourself. After all John Wayne wore pink shirts in most of his westerns and I've never heard anyone say he's gay.

Robert
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
Fanny Packs for concealed carry
2 3
Replies
63
Views
6K
Mainsail
Mainsail
J
  • Locked
Fanny Pack Carry Bag NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Replies
14
Views
1K
WNC Seabee
W
P
  • Locked
Fanny Pack for Conceal Carry
Replies
19
Views
2K
George Hill
G
F
  • Locked
Fanny pack
Replies
15
Views
652
mister2
M
T
  • Locked
Fanny pack/butt pack holster suggestions?
Replies
14
Views
2K
funkychinaman
F
Back
Top