While backpacking or even day hiking, how do you carry?
With a hip belt, I don't see how to carry on my waist (IWB or OWB).
Do you tuck it into a pocket and hope you can get it out in time?
Do you hang your holster on your hip belt?
I have been thinking about a leg holster but, again, don't want to draw attention from fellow hikers.
CC or OC?
Second half, Is it legal to OC in state parks? National parks? BLM? National forests?
My wife and I do weekend back packing trips deep into the Daniel Boone NT Forrest in the spring and fall. I carry in a " tanker holster" as issued by Uncle Sam, which is a chest rig.
I also have a custom chest rig with nylon straps and a built in mag pouch.
This is the best way I have found to carry outdoors where concealment is not an issue.
Same here , if hiking in popular or busy areas. Only my pouch. Fits a larger pistol . When hiking in remote areas a police type offset mount clears the pack belt .
Since Feb. 2010 weapons are allowed in all national parks, check with local state regulations is suggested though for further state specific restrictions.
The past few years I have camped in PA only so, I carry my normal carry SP101 IWB and LCR357 in a pocket. If I were out west again in the Rockies etc. I would have to carry at last a 44 mag. It would probably be in or on the waist. I would conceal it with some kind of cover garment. The LCR would still be in my pocket.
Be weight conscious, especially on long hikes. It might surprise you how 3 pounds can feel like 30 after 10 miles or so.
If you're worried about a bear, no reasonable handgun is really big enough to kill a bear and you're relying on the noise to scare it off as much as the bullet, so think about something with a loud report. Bear sprays are reported as very effective and that would be a good thing for a child or other non-shooting companion to carry. But there are a lot of murders and rapes on trail and parks, so your normal carry for the two-legged animals would be a good idea.
I personally don't like thigh rigs. They have a tendency to bump into everything, and the butt/ grip of the weapon takes a beating, even sitting down.
The pouch option looks viable, but once again, it's another thing on the belt.
Look into chest rigs. Any weight of the handgun will be offset by the pack. It's easy to reach in any position from either hand, and it is out of the way.
I carry in a leg holster, and don't care if other hikers or similar see it. One, the vast majority of hikers I know here don't go unarmed, and two: out here it's easy to just pick a direction and go, and never run into another person. So if I do, I want them to know that I am armed, just in case. I'm also carrying in case of a less then positive encounter with some of our larger wildlife. So it's not a small gun, and I want it to be quickly deployable, and a leg holster makes that easy.
I Carry IWB in warm weather and OWB when wearign a jacket, just like when I am not hiking.
I worry more about 2 legged attackers than 4 legged ones (except I worry a little about Mountain Lions, which we have in the area).
The new National Park law simply states (AFAIK) that Carry in National Parks is determined by the state that the park is within. That is, the feds don't restrict anything and leave it to the states.
I got a fanny pack that had a wide slot that would on the hip belt. It barely fits and I have to carry at an awkward angle. I wanted something that had a non-gun name brand like EMS or Eddie Bauer. Safepacker seems a bit big and I have no idea how I'd carry that, but I like the looks of that Lunar Concealed and had never seen it so thank you for posting.
When I hike/backpack I carry a 1911 owb. I don't like to store it in the pack because I like to be able to get to it quickly should a situation arise. Where I hike, I rarely see anyone, so I usually open carry, but if I do see someone my untucked shirt easily conceals it.
A dedicated fanny pack, one designed for a gun, has turned out to be the best option for me. I've tried a safe packer, shoulder holsters etc. I run the hip belt under it when I use a hip belt. Comfortable, accessible, and the gun is with you even when the pack isn't. Works fine for duty sized guns or smaller.
I use a 511 moab 10. Look it up on youtube. It's perfect size, rugged has lots of compartments, etc. It's also my daddy bag. we even used it for a little getaway weekend before the baby was born everything we needed fit in it. I forgot to mention it has a concealed pocket for a handgun
I carry my pistol in a Blackhawk SpecOps Universal Holster. It sit on the chest and leaves my waist open to hold my backpack's waiststrap. It is also my jogging holster.
I always carry a G27while camping, hiking or biking. My 2 rigs are a small fanny pack that doesn't look like a gun pack and an old walkman type chest pouch that looks old school, (like me).
My suggestion, whatever you choose, is that it should not be attached to your backpack. You take your backpack off you are disarming yourself. I prefer the concealed chest pack, or chest holster, but a good specialty fanny pack could work if it doesn't interfere with the waist belt of your backpack.
If you want to go all out, and don't mind carrying openly, then Guides Choice Chest Holsters are fabulous. I have worn a buddy of mines while hunting and it was very versatile and comfortable.
that guides choice is nice. good find tmoore. i might have to jump on one of those in the future.
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