Packing Heat in the Rockies...

[Isher]

oneounceload -

"Another vote for the chest carry holster - a friend uses that when he goes fly-fishing - keeps it handy while in the stream, yet out of the way"

+1 there, brother.

Even though I carry a shoulder rig.

In addition to backpacking, I run the rivers for steelhead

And the beaches for SRC's and silvers, wearing chest waders

Here in the Northwest.

The shoulder rig works slick

With both backpacks and waders.

Now, a note of caution.

Here in Washington state, a shoulder rig buried in your chesties

Is a concealed rig;

Therefore, CCW.

On State and open Forest lands, carrying open, i.e.,

Backpack, is fine.

National Parks carry is still being "considered" by

Congress, so is as far as I know,

Illegal.


isher

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Pack?

So, LG, hso asked above what pack you'll be using.

That would, of course, have a bearing on how you'll carry.

Enlighten?

 

[AStone]

Long as we're naming packs ...

For decades, my main multi-day (3 - 18) pack has been a Gregory Atlas (well-worn, now discontinued). It's an expedition pack capable of carrying two-weeks of gear for the Colorado high country (= above 10,500' in S. Co). It has been one sweet pack. As Colin Fletcher used to say, you don't carry a Gregory; you wear it.

It's an expedition pack; I forget it's exact volume - 5000 or 6000 cu in IIRC - but the heaviest was 72 lbs for a ten day trip up the Rio Grande headwaters to the continental divide, then along the continental divide for several days. Of course, about 5 of that is the pack itself, and another 15 pounds of that was camera gear, including a small tripod. We also ate well. Still, I remember every step up the initial set of switchbacks to camp 1.

Now, for those who carry 30 lb packs in smaller, more eastern mountains, I need to assert that the Rockies, especially the Rockies above the tree line in monsoon season, are a totally different beast. To each his own, though: minimalism is fine if that's what you're into.

As soon as finances allow, though, I'm going to retire the Atlas - actually, pass it along to a good friend who's just starting to pack - and replace it with a new Gregory Baltoro 70. 70 L = 1470 cu; yes, it's smaller. But as I push towards 60, I no longer carry camera gear on week long trips, but still prefer extra layers, a solid "bombproof" tent for 3-season high country (now in the Cascades), and substantive food beyond jerky and freezedried crapola.

The gun going along for the ride? Some revolver, right now a 3" .357 mag, but that could change to a different revolver eventually.

As I mentioned above, I've fancied a drop holster for it that would hang down below the waist belt, and remain on with pack off. But all the drop holsters I've found are really made for semis, not revolvers. I keep thinking there's one out there that will fit a revolver well, like any good OWB, but ... so far, no luck.

I've even considered something cowboy, like a low slung gunslinger thing that could be carried on a regular gun belt, but never looked very hard.

This thread has me interested (again) in considering shoulder or chest holsters. I've looked at Simply Rugged's Chesty Puller in the past. Even wrote for info a few years ago, but never heard back.

 

[amd6547]

Bianchi makes the UM84 US service holster in a model for 4inch revolvers. You could use the drop-leg adapter with that.

 

[DCWN.45]

I have front pocket carried both my taurus 85 snubbie, and my Kahr P-9 while backpacking. I am in Mn so I am not worried about large bears, only 2 legged predators.
I am always on the lookout for a "perfect packin pistol" ala John Taffin, in .44 mag.I think I could pocket carry [at least in hiking clothes, and with a pack on to disguise the printing] a large frame/short barrelled revolver.
You still want a good belt, even with pocket carry,to support the added weight.
My usual pants, hiking or otherwise, are cargo's of some sort[usually 5.11's] with the large front pockets.
I can get to the gun [it's easier if I unclip the waist belt] and Ican have my hand on the gun without anyone knowing.
Pocket carry does not interfere with the pack in any way.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The ideal packing pistol would weigh about 1 ounce, have a volume of 1 cubic inch, and turn into a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt or .44 Mag when you drew it.

 

[AStone]

<laughs>

Lemme know when you find one of those, Vern. I'll buy one.