Last week a buddy gave me a call and asked to come over to show me his new carry style. He walked into my house with a Rugrats fanny pack with a pair of white new balance shoes. Now my buddy Sean is a father who lives in the suburbs along with being the proud owner of a sweet Toyota minivan. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight in front of me, but to my surprise, he pulled out a Glock 19 and said it fits perfectly. At that moment, I felt confused, angry, and disgusted all at once but let’s jump into the terrible truth about fanny packs.

The Benefits of Fanny Packs

This article is painful to write because let’s be honest, fanny packs were terrible when they were popular back in the day and are even worse now. They basically tell everyone you’ve given up on life and have more pocket options than dignity left in life. It shows a sense of weakness and sends the message you’ve totally given up in life. By now, it should be fairly apparent I despise everything about fanny packs. When it comes to carrying a concealed handgun though, everything about looking weak and ridiculous can actually be a plus when it comes to blending in.

It makes you look harmless and people tend to let your guard down. When I first saw my buddy carrying in a fanny pack, I laughed at him and immediately dismissed him because I didn’t expect him to pull a handgun out of such a ridiculous fanny pack. Having something like a fanny pack gives certain people the ability to carry appendix without having the gun stab you in the stomach every time you sit down. This especially works for big guys that can’t always carry appendix because they have a little bit of a gut.

Summer Time Carry

Having something like a fanny pack in the summer will clearly look ridiculous but starts to make a lot of sense the more you use it. Often times carrying in the summer can be tough since there’s not as much clothing to use for concealment so people often run into issues like printing when carrying under a thin T-shirt. Not only will a fanny pack let you typically carry a larger handgun comfortably, but it will also get rid of printing when it’s tough to carry in the hot summer months.

I started to jokingly post that I was carrying my Gen5 Glock 19 in a fanny pack in the TFB group chat. I was shocked to see that our resident short shorts aficionado James Reeves also carries a snub nose revolver in a fanny pack too. He says it’s incredibly easy to carry and doesn’t add any uncomfortable accessories if you are walking around all day.

James carrying his trusty fanny pack

The Difference From Off Body Carry

Now I know there will be certain people who say carrying in a fanny pack is technically a form of off-body carrying and I would say yes but not really. In its most basic definition, a fanny pack would be considered off-body carry but it’s not like other off-body carry methods like a purse or backpack since it’s so close to your work zone for a handgun.

Most off-body options are tough to justify since they are typically easy to steal from someone when they aren’t paying attention. With a fanny pack, it’s extremely difficult to steal since you have to wrap your hands around the person or unclip it from behind. It’s still possible but compared to other options it’s way harder to steal. I have tried carrying a handgun in my sweet space pizza fanny pack over the last week and honestly, I like how close to the body it is without feeling cumbersome. Truthfully, I will completely own the fact they think fanny packs are the shake weight of bag accessories. I hate the idea and existence of them but they are fairly useful.

Overall Thoughts

So after carrying for a week with my space pizza fanny pack, I can honestly say I still hate them with every fiber of my being but they can be useful for carrying concealed. The ability to have a small handgun inside a pack close to your body can create a very comfortable alternative to IWB carrying in the summer. I was really surprised how comfortable it can be having a fanny pack around your waist if you plan on going out and walking all day with the family.

Even though it offers a number of benefits and can be extremely useful, I think I will stick to carrying with an IWB holster personally. Despite preferring to carry in an IWB holster, I think carrying in a fanny pack is a viable option for people. It really just depends on what your daily activities are and what works best for your lifestyle. It’s easy to write off certain carry methods but sometimes it’s best to have an open mind and be able to try new ways. Let me know what you think about carrying in fanny packs in the comments below. If you’re someone like me who hates the idea but understands how practical it is, let me know below as well. If you have any questions feel free to message me on my Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there.

TFB’s Concealed Carry Corner is brought to you by GLOCK