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  #1  
Old 09-26-2022, 10:15 AM
Ozzie21 Ozzie21 is offline
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Default Fanny Pack Type Recommendations

Can anyone recommend a fanny pack type of case/bag/holster that is comfortable and discreet that actually could pass off as a "normal" fanny pack? I've seen a few but most are quite large and obviously made for carrying more than a wallet and miscellaneous pocket stuff. I prefer not to have an obvious open carry type holster and I find anything inside the waistband will be uncomfortable. If anyone has recommendations please post photos and a link if you can.
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:24 AM
Catwrangler Catwrangler is offline
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You don't post you location, but I live in Fla. This is the land of old dudes who think dark socks w/ shorts and sandals are haute fashion. I can't even recall the last time I saw a fanny pack. ?????
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:30 AM
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Unless you are doing something that reasonably requires a fanny pack, like jogging, all fanny packs scream I"VE GOT A GUN (IMHO). Have you tried a pocket holster?
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:44 AM
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Just the other day saw an old Dude with a really Big ‘Cell Phone Case’ on his belt.
Wondered if he was a carrying a phone or a small handgun.
I actually have an older regular Fannie out in my SUV with a 642 in it.
But that’s for the boon docks.
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:44 AM
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I've seen a few YouTube videos of fanny pack types that looked OK. I'm not really a fanny pack kinda guy but I'd like to find something that's comfortable and discreet that doesn't scream "there's a gun in here"......lol.
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:46 AM
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Exactly what I'd use it for, among other outdoor activities.
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Old 09-26-2022, 01:06 PM
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The old Bianchi used to make a couple really great "fanny packs". The one I still have on a shelf somewhere has a real usable zippered pouch with an extra, smaller zippered pouch on the front. The area to carry the gun is on the very back in a third velcro secured padded pouch. I wore it mountain biking in the mid 90s alone in the PA mountains as a proper fanny pack. It's the reason I bought my .38spl 640 back in the day. I carried SGL maps, first aid essential, waterproof match container, etc.

The fanny pack I bought for my buddy's wife 8 or 10 years ago was Bianchi also. It was just a belted pouch, with a dual, sort of tear away zipper arrangement. It was intended to be worn in the front. It was good for what she wanted, just something easy to grab when she went for walks.

I just checked Bianchi's website and they don't show anything like these anymore. What they showed under alternate carry method was 2 shoulder and 1 ankle holster. Definitely not the company they used to be.
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Old 09-26-2022, 01:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robertrwalsh View Post
Unless you are doing something that reasonably requires a fanny pack, like jogging, all fanny packs scream I"VE GOT A GUN (IMHO).
This is not true at all, except for very active gun aficionados like use this board. The average citizen is completely oblivious to firearms concealed carry. Same for 99% of law enforcement.

I use an Elite Survival Systems fanny pack. I got a blue one. It works great. I carry a 469 with an extra magazine.
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Old 09-26-2022, 02:40 PM
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I agree the people who fret about a Fanny pack screaming “gun!” are worrying way too much about nothing.

They are probably the same people who fret about printing. The irony is that if you are looking for people carrying a gun you don’t see the printing, you see the people pulling on their shirts and looking at themselves to see if they are printing.

If I see a guy with a fanny pack, a wife and a couple young kids, I’m not automatically thinking “oh he’s got a gun”, I’m thinking “poor guy, been there, done that”.

On the other hand, if I see a guy with some sort of tactical logo t shirt, a punisher ball cap, and an operator wannabe neck beard doing a slow methodical scan of his environment, that screams “oh he’s got a gun” long before I see a fanny pack of some other indication of gun or holster on his body.

I carry a 5.11 tactical fanny back when I go to the beach. I’ve never scared anyone with it yet, going on about 10 years now. Before that I carried another concealed carry fanny pack on beach trips. I had a Sea World killer whale patch sewn on the front of that one. All it screamed was “tourist”.
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Old 09-26-2022, 03:31 PM
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Look at the one made by 5.11. It won't hold much more that the gun but it is designed in such a way that it fools the eye. It looks like a small compartment in front but the whole thing opens up. It has quick draw tabs so it can be fast too.
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Old 09-26-2022, 03:48 PM
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Look online or go to sporting goods store like Dicks (although I hate to) and get a Nike or other named brand runners belt. Very small and just look different than big clunky pack.
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Old 09-26-2022, 03:57 PM
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I saw a guy with his family yesterday at a fast-food counter. He was wearing a battle flag tee-shirt and a "We the People" Tatu on his arm. He had a fanny pack slung over his shoulder.

He stood out like a sore thumb.

just sayin...
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Old 09-26-2022, 03:58 PM
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If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a fanny pack, this one works fairly well. I've got three of them. I carry a j-frame in them and there is plenty of room for a large wallet, medium size cell phone, keys, knife, and flashlight. This fanny pack is not stiff, so if you're carrying a large gun it might not work as well as it does for my j-frames.



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Old 09-26-2022, 07:01 PM
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5.11 makes a decent one. Kinda tacticool for sure. But from experience, it does in fact single you out as carrying a firearm of some sort.

Been there and worn one more then several times!

Regards, Rick Gibbs
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Old 09-26-2022, 07:49 PM
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Just don’t buy anything black.
It screams “ GUN “ like the tactical vests guys used to wear did.
A small and thin .22, .32, .380 in a pocket holster works well.
Make sure to buy pants with larger pockets and openings.
Beware pants that are made with thin and cheap pocket material that will develop a hole before much use.
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Old 09-26-2022, 08:27 PM
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I got myself this thing from Amazon.
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Old 09-28-2022, 07:33 AM
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Fanny Packs were OK when they were in vogue. Today they really aren't and they sort of stick out. I'd venture to say that they would stick out and scream "gun inside" and I would not use one if there were any other viable method of carrying. Because of the quick snap closure it is easily stolen off your waist as well.

Sort of reminds me of guys who still wear the "photographer's vest". A dead giveaway that someone is carrying - ESPECIALLY when the weather is 90º! EDC has to be discrete to be effective.
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Old 09-28-2022, 08:42 AM
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Source a shoulder bag for a portable oxygen concentrator. The smaller ones are not very big yet will carry a handgun and several mags discreetly. Don’t forget the plastic tube and nose piece.
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Old 09-28-2022, 09:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief38 View Post
Fanny Packs were OK when they were in vogue. Today they really aren't and they sort of stick out. I'd venture to say that they would stick out and scream "gun inside" and I would not use one if there were any other viable method of carrying. Because of the quick snap closure it is easily stolen off your waist as well.

Sort of reminds me of guys who still wear the "photographer's vest". A dead giveaway that someone is carrying - ESPECIALLY when the weather is 90º! EDC has to be discrete to be effective.
I'll say again that it's only gun aficionados that think this. I wore a carry vest for a couple of years. Everyone who commented thought it was a fishing vest. I stopped wearing it because it looked lousy, not because people thought I was carrying a gun. 99.9% of the people out there are oblivious to the things we think scream "gun".
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Old 09-28-2022, 11:09 AM
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I use a small sling bag made by Patagonia
Works quite well
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Old 09-28-2022, 11:24 AM
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Get a '90s vintage Kodak Film fanny pack and people will leave you alone. They are available on ebay, etsy, everywhere.



I have an Allen waist pack (it's what they call it) somewhere and it's short and slim. It's camouflage and I used to carry it in the field, when I was looking for turkey, so I don't have to carry a backpack. But because it's camouflage it's not really inconspicuous if you go into town.

If it's too expensive and/or too "tactical" everyone will have it figured out in no time and/or it could make you a potential target.
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Old 09-28-2022, 11:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Borderboss View Post
99.9% of the people out there are oblivious to the things we think scream "gun".

Give this man a cee-gar.
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Old 09-28-2022, 03:01 PM
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I've got an Uncle Mike's I'll wear on the bicycle. If I ever went where people know me and I had on a fanny pack it would raise eyebrows.
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Old 09-28-2022, 03:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmart172 View Post
I use a small sling bag made by Patagonia
Works quite well
Not in Illinois it wouldn't - unless you were in a city, maybe.
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Old 10-14-2022, 02:50 PM
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I to thought fanny packs were "out" then the last couple years I started noticing the younger crowd carrying fanny packs in a cross body carry mode. Didn't think anything about it and then my son started wearing one of mine from the 90's for the gym. Him and his crowd like them when wearing active/gym clothing. I travel all over the country and I see fanny packs being worn in a cross body mode everyday. Bought my son and girlfriend one from Hill People Gear. They love them!
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