Article: Using A Fanny Pack For Concealed Carry

In an article entitled "Fanny Pack Mother Lode" at Growing Up Guns, the author discusses why he started using a fanny pack for concealed carry. He first started using a fanny pack in 2008 but went over to daily concealed carry in a fanny pack in 2020. He next addresses the issue that some people raise equating the fanny pack to off-body carry:

    Technically a fanny pack is considered “OFF BODY” carry, since the bag is visible and can be easily removed. For several important reasons, off-body carry is less than ideal. 

• The first big issue is that off-body bags themselves are the target of a theft because of their usual contents (think purse, shoulder sling bag, gym bag, backpack, etc). 
• The second issue, related to the first, is that people constantly remove their off-body carry bag depending on their environment. Purses go in shopping carts, backpacks get put in a spare chair or under the desk, sling bags get draped over a restaurant chair, etc. This opens them up for theft as well as unauthorized access (children being my biggest concern). 
• Lastly, off-body guns are slower to access, often requiring two hands. There is also the likelihood that the bag has changed orientation relative to your body, requiring your visual attention to index the bag before you can even start accessing the gun. 

That said, there is certainly a time and place for off-body carry if you understand the possible drawbacks and avoid user error.

The good news is that a fanny pack doesn’t share the same drawbacks as other forms of off-body carry. The pack stays on your body, doesn’t shift as you move, and can be accessed one handed in a variety of positions. I’d argue that fanny packs are in the middle ground of Off-Body and Concealed Carry. It allows the comfort and versatility of off-body carry with the ability to readily access your gun in a very congruent manner to an appendix carry setup. It also allows a convenient way to carry support gear and keep your pockets from bulging. Some would argue that they are the worst of both worlds but that’s just a matter of perspective, fashion sense, and needs.

He goes on to discuss situations or activities where fanny packs make considerable sense, and some of the problems associated with them. One of these is that certain fanny packs practically scream "gun!" In this regard, he gives the following advice:

For this problem, I always choose the least tactical color available and have even sewn outdoor equipment patches or national park patches to make it look less scary. I also have a canned response if someone asks what I keep in there. I tell them it’s my insulin and blood sugar testing supplies (I’m not diabetic, but I’m stealing valor). I also prefer getting the smallest footprint pack I can find that is appropriately sized for the gun I expect to carry. 

 Although I don't use a fanny pack everyday, I do use one for carrying a small handgun on occasion: mostly when walking, hiking, or biking in warmer weather. Although mine is black (the most tactical of colors) it is made of leather, so I think that makes it look less tactical. It is also very small--the smallest I could find that was designed for concealed carry. It really does look too small to carry a firearm. I had to open a bit of the stitching on the included holster for it to accommodate my J-frame snubby, but it holds the J-frame tight and works well. 

    In any event, the author goes over the requirements for a CCW fanny pack, the requirements for the firearm you carry (he recommends DA pistols, revolvers, or SA pistols with safeties; but concedes that you can use a striker fired pistol like a Glock with a Kydex trigger guard). He also recommends staying away from carrying duty sized pistols because of the weight (and, I would add, size). 

    Finally, he discusses drawing techniques and gives mini-reviews and recommendations based on some of the packs he has used. 

    I give my own thoughts on using a fanny pack (and other methods of carry) in "Concealed Carry--No Elegant Solution (Updated)" from way back in 2014.