Man Purse Stealability? How to deter/prevent thievery?

[Sean Dempsey]

First, I love the man-purse concept. This isn't another debate over if they are feminine or not.

Okay, so I've got this Maxpedition Fatboy Versa:

It's a capable bag. But I am reluctant to use it... why? Because to me, a bag like this just says "I am full of good stuff, steal me." And I especially don't want to lose a gun to a criminal, let alone cash and whatever else.


So for those of you who actively carry a man-purse with your daily items, have you found that it draws attention, or that it seems to stick out as a "steal me" target? I'm not talking about Bug-out-bags filled with survival gear, I mean just a overblown wallet... keys, ipod, pack of gum, wallet, pictures of kids, leatherman, HANDGUN, and of course whatever else.

Of course, I'd never leave the bag just sitting somewhere alone, It would either be secured on me, or stored away. But I can't get over the thought that as I walk around, a full grown adult male with a bag-o-goodies on, that the thieving type will eyeball my bag as a payday. Plus, the maxpedition bag looks like some sort of EMT or LEO response bag, not really a "purse", sorta stands out.

What do all of you man-purse carrying folk think? Is this a fear you quickly get over after a few days of carrying a bag? Or do you need to always keep an extra eye out for people who see your bag as pre-packaged stolen goods?

 

[kfranz]

I've never noticed anyone give it a second glance. I don't hang in high crime areas though.

 

[dtalley]

It doesn't bother me. I don't think most women feel that way either at least the ones I know don't really worry about getting their Bag o Goodies stolen while they carry it. I mean more women carry bags than men do and they don't seem too paranoid.

 

[mr_dove]

thieves generally try to avoid confrontation where possible. A thief would take an unattended fatboy without a second thought but take one off a person? less likely.

I carry my fatboy with the strap across my body and i NEVER put it down (until i get home). The only attention it has gotten is from people who think its cool.

 

[Mannlicher]

I think most aware women use a handbag with a strap, that they can use to secure it. Whoops, oh, you said MAN purse. My bad.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I think it would be a compromise. If one must carry off body, then one must. . . I think the compromise would be more of getting to the handgun when you need it. When one needs a handgun, generally we need it now.

Otherwise, I don't think anyone pays attention to such things. I'd get it in something other than black, just 'cause I hate black nylon stuff with pouches and zippers for matters of taste. But, even with one of these, someone might say, "cool bag" at work, and that's about it. Now, if you constantly talk guns and the like at work, you're probably going to raise suspicions of the more "observant" <read - nosey> people there.

Some folks I know have a gun in the car, even if they never told me they do. They just don't have a clue about discretion.

 

[Sean Dempsey]

About the maxpeditions: anyone here with one got a method for loosening up the material? mine is still pretty stiff with lots of "crease" marks. I've tried washing it and heating it up to loosen it, but it's still not very pliable, it's got that "just out of the box" look.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I carry my fatboy with the strap across my body and i NEVER put it down

Going further on this, anyone trying to take it would have to have one hand on the bag and have to get the sling over your head, whereas you would have both hands free. Even if someone knocked you over first, it would be difficult to untangle that thing from you and still get away quickly. I don't understand people who carry bags with slings and only put it over their shoulder--it is much more secure on the other side of your neck.

I think most women are too cavalier about handling their purses, which always have cutsey handles and never big slings. It is easy to take, the only problem is getting away. A woman who works in my building in downtown Oakland was mugged at about noon in front of a lot of people--he grabbed her purse while pushing her the opposite direction, but one of the many who saw it started chasing him, and the mugger ended up basically tripping into a cop on his way to work as he fled.

 

[Car Knocker]

anyone trying to take it would have to have one hand on the bag and have to get the sling over your head, whereas you would have both hands free. Even if someone knocked you over first, it would be difficult to untangle that thing from you and still get away quickly. I don't understand people who carry bags with slings and only put it over their shoulder--it is much more secure on the other side of your neck.

Cut the strap with a knife (or even better, a seat belt cutter).

I read somewhere that women who put the purse strap on the opposite shoulder tend to be injured more frequently, and injured more severely, during purse snatchings than women who just loop the strap over the shoulder that's on the same side as the purse.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

dude, just carry a wallet and a gun on your body. A SAMP(socially aceptable man purse) is just aking for trouble!

 

[razorburn]

I reccomend tactical prey value reduction by decorating it with plastic flowers and dying it pink. It would deter muggers since they are usually want to be tough guys they probably won't want to steal somebodys man purse if they think it's full of tampons and different kinds of moisturizers. Wearing a cute sundress would complete the illusion.

 

[ravencon]

I'm surprised that no one has stated the obvious. If you wear a bag slung only over your carry side shoulder you are very vulnerable to a grab and run attack.

If you carry the slung diagonally across your body your bag is a great leverage device for controlling you--i.e. you've made yourself into a sling. You can easily be thrown to the ground, etc.

I'm not saying these bags don't have a place. But, in crowded, high crime areas I think they create more problems than they solve.

 

[Geronimo45]

Get a coat with pockets on the inside - cheapo leather jacket will do. I carry a cell, money, wallet, and keys in the thing. They'd have to pull it off two shoulders AND undo the zipper.
You could just wear a long-sleeve shirt over it. What they can't see they probably can't steal.

 

[hunttheevil]

The negative side of the man purse is the criminals learn what its used for. I bought a Galco fanny pack when they first come out and several months later most crooks knew what a fag bag with a rip cord meant. Doesn't stop me from using it though.

 

[Manedwolf]

I prefer the messenger bags or satchels from Gap and such. Nobody gives those a second glance.

To be honest, I've not seen those maxpedition things on anyone except people fitted out with so much crap on their belt they seem to either be there to fix the network, or training for mall security guard.

Plus, the maxpedition bag looks like some sort of EMT or LEO response bag, not really a "purse", sorta stands out.

No, I'm sorry, it doesn't. This is an EMT bag:

If you're wearing the Maxpedition, you don't look like an EMT or cop, I'm sorry. You look like a civilian carrying a shapeless nylon bag of mallninja schwag or a cable-repair guy. If you're okay with that, that's fine...but that's all you look like to anyone else. It is not a flattering thing to wear. Gotta be honest.

Nobody will ever accuse this thing of being even remotely fashionable! It looks kinda like an assemblage of foreign surplus backpacks exploded on your hip.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

If you carry the slung diagonally across your body your bag is a great leverage device for controlling you--i.e. you've made yourself into a sling. You can easily be thrown to the ground, etc.

I don't see how a bag slung diagonally makes is it easier for an attacker to control or throw anyone, because you would have one more hand than your attacker to fight back, as they would have to use one hand to pull the bag. Besides, muggers don't want to yank people around and then try to extricate someone from a tangle, they usually want to get the hell out of there as fast as possible

I read somewhere that women who put the purse strap on the opposite shoulder tend to be injured more frequently, and injured more severely, during purse snatchings than women who just loop the strap over the shoulder that's on the same side as the purse.

That makes me wonder, though, that even if they are injured more frequently, there are enough fewer attacks to negate that disadvantage.

I don't understand why more guys don't carry "man purses". Their utility and utilitarian looks don't give them any more resemblance to a purse than does a duffel bag.

 

[chrisslamar]

Go to your closest army surplus store and see if they have any satchel charge bags, and use that as your man-bag . A criminal may think twice about stealing a bag labeled C4. Although you may get the occasional odd looks from police and passers by… I guess it’s a trade off.

But on a more serious note, I've carried my man-bag/laptop-holder/bag of endless holding for years and have never had a snatch attempt (And i have goodies and laptop cords overflowing from this thing). I think it may have more to do with the comfort of stealing a purse form a smaller woman, than stealing a man-purse from a hefty geek (talking about myself only). But i could be wrong, im no criminal shrink.

 

[MD_Willington]

I pop mine under my tunic... I can get to it fast enough.

 

[gunsmith]

I use a classic bike messenger bag

In bad neighborhoods in the bigger cities you look like another broke messenger and you attract zero attention, they hold almost everything.

 

[Exmasonite]

i use the fatboy jumbo on occasion but when doing so, i'll also carry IWB. i agree that any potential theft will be focused on the bag. they may get the bag (and a lot more than they bargained for) but they won't get the gun.

i like the fatboy for some EDC situations, hiking, and some normal carry stuff in place of a back pack but i don't see it as a great CCW platform. i will sometimes put the gun in it for long car trips... easier for getting in/out of car at rest stops, gas stations.

 

[Lonestar]

I'm sorry but I seen someone carrying something similar to this, and the way he was carrying it just screamed HANDGUN INSIDE.

If I was a thief that needed a firearm, I would focus on guys with manpurses. Your either going to get a handgun, or some sort of expensive electronic device with a man. While women usually carry some money in their purses, everything else in them is usually worthless junk.

I guess a way to prevent thievery is to go with something that looks like it contains nothing a value, like a messenger bag. Sorry guys but taddered canvas messenger bag screams that your a poor, hippie, college student. Urban Tactical screams you either have a gun or something of value.

Another suggestion is to NOT carry your handgun in a man purse, but on your person. Why risk losing a full size hangun that you need to carry around in a tactical man purse. There are so many small guns out there, and so many ways to carry them. If you carry a lot of junk, get cargo pants and a coat with lots of pockets.

 

[kfranz]

If I was a thief that needed a firearm, I would focus on guys with manpurses. Your either going to get a handgun, or some sort of expensive electronic device with a man. While women usually carry some money in their purses, everything else in them is usually worthless junk.

Any thief that snatches my man-purse willl get cheap folding knife, a pair of pull-ups for a 3 year old, a package of wipes, a boo boo kit, and small flashlight and some beef jerky...

 

[Lonestar]

a pair of pull-ups for a 3 year old, a package of wipes, a boo boo kit

Now that is different, your carrying a diaper bag. I have been there and "almost" done that. My 3 year old is almost there and hopefully she will be done before the holidays. Once your kid is potty trained, will you still be carrying a man purse?

I'm talking about lone single guys, with no work or school related excuses for carrying a bag, carrying some sort of man purse.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

I second the messenger bag.
I ride a motorcycle everywhere I go. When I'm collecting info for an article, I have a messenger bag on me. No one ever asks or questions when they see the big touring jacket, helmet, and helmet hair. They just figure I'm a messenger or something.

The maxpedition items just scream tactical to me. But some people want to look the part and have a philosophy that enables that. I, however, do not want to look like a wheelgunner despite being one.

What would Col. Cooper do?

 

[kfranz]

Now that is different, your carrying a diaper bag. I have been there and "almost" done that. My 3 year old is almost there and hopefully she will be done before the holidays. Once your kid is potty trained, will you still be carrying a man purse?

I'm talking about lone single guys, with no work or school related excuses for carrying a bag, carrying some sort of man purse.

The primary duty of my man bag is as a diaper bag. The three year old has actually been potty trained since before he turned 3, but still, you never know...Better to have and not need than need and not have, right?

Anyway, yeah, I'll still probably use it. The diaper bag will finish it's morph into a "kids entertainment bag" for times of unanticipated delay or when things just aren't going all that well. Deck of cards, pencils and notebooks, more jerky, stuff like that. If I were a single guy or had no kids, I doubt that I'd find as much use for one.