Best Concealed Carry Fanny Packs
If someone tells you fanny packs are lame and out of style, don’t associate with that person anymore. You don’t need that negativity in your life. Look them in the eyes and assert fanny pack dominance. How one of the most convenient ways to carry your crap ever went out of style is beyond me. In the gun world, the fanny pack has always offered an alternative carry option. It has the convenience and comfort of off-body carry but isn’t really off-body carry. Fanny pack carry is making a big comeback, and we are bringing you the best concealed carry fanny packs on the market.
The Legend of the Fanny Pack
There was a time when fanny pack carry was quite popular. Around the dawn of concealed carry, fanny packs were still plenty popular. In fact, in gun culture, it was a bit of a joke that the old guy with a leather fanny pack was packing. It eventually became one of those concealed carry ‘tells,’ and they fell out of fashion for concealed carry.
Is that still a problem today? I don’t think so. It’s been at least decades since concealed carry and fanny packs were associated with one another. The modern concealed carry fanny packs, or at least the best ones, are low-key, disguised, and undetectable. Why would you carry in a fanny pack?
Why The Fanny Pack
To me, the fanny pack is just another tool in the box. It’s a concealment system I carry for special purposes. The situation can often dictate gear, and the fanny pack can be a great option if you’re going to the beach, a water park, going for a hike, or just exercising in the gym. In situations where a belt isn’t present or when a standard holster wouldn’t be the best option the fanny pack comes to the rescue.
In one way, it acts as an off-body holster, but since it’s wrapped around your waist, it doesn’t come with the off-body downsides. It’s easy to position for a quick draw and does offer complete and total retention. If your fanny pack is zipped up, it’s awfully tough to have your gun come tumbling out. A fanny pack can be super handy for carrying a larger-than-average gun. You aren’t necessarily restricted to a subcompact with a fanny pack.
A fanny pack can also carry a wide variety of gear with or without your gun. You may use the fanny pack to just carry extra magazines, a medical kit, and associated gear and you’ll carry your gun as usual. The fanny pack is a tool and you should use to fill gaps where you know you have them.
The basic backpack is a popular option. It’s easy to add a compartment for a handgun, and it’s easy to carry daily far and wide. Backpacks tend to be large enough to be quite useful when it comes time to carry your daily stuff from a laptop and tablet to a change of clothes for the gym. It’s also tough to beat the two-strap support a backpack offers if you’re the type to walk rather than ride or drive.
As far as concealed carry bags go, that support tends to be nice when you strap another couple of pounds of guns and ammo. Plus, they tend to offer compartments large enough to carry great big guns like the Glock 34 or SIG XFive series, as well as spare magazines, medical gear, and other prepared citizens.
Features of a CCW Fanny Pack
There are a few features we looked for when picking the best concealed carry fanny packs. One of the first is obviously the presence of a concealed carry pocket. You really want a dedicated pocket to ensure you can easily draw the weapon and get it into action.
Moreso than just having a pocket, the pocket should accommodate some form of holster. Some of these fanny packs will come with a nylon design that attaches via velcro inside the pocket. Other systems will allow you to use a standard holster, typically adapted to the fanny pack in one way or another. A holster is a must-have to protect the trigger and prevent the gun from firing negligently.
The pocket should also offer easy access to the gun and make it easy and quick to draw on the fly. The pocket should eb quick and easy to open. Sometimes, this means large zippers; other times, it means a dedicated hot pull. Regardless, a fanny pack draw is slower than a waistband draw, so it should be as quick as it can be.
Finally, we want a low-profile design. We don’t want the fanny pack to scream tactical. We don’t want MOLLE panels and giant logos portraying how cool your favorite tactical company is. Concealed means concealed, so fashionable fanny packs are a must-have.
The Best Concealed Carry Fanny Packs
Best Concealed Carry Fanny Pack Reviews
Vertx SOCP Vertx SOCP
- Durability A
- Ergonomics A
- Reliability A
- Value A+
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Vertx SOCP
The Vertx SOCP is a low-profile fanny pack designed to not only be an effective concealed carry option but also an all-around handy-to-have fanny pack. While most of us aren’t running low-profile operations around the world, we still need carry space. As a dad, I always need something for someone, from snacks to band-aids and beyond. I still want to keep my weapon on me. The Vertx SOCP gives us the best of both worlds.
On the concealed carry front, we get a dedicated CCW compartment. It’s loop-covered, and you’ll need to add your own holster to the device to secure your firearm. You still need to ensure your trigger is entirely covered for safety’s sake, and a holster ensures the gun remains oriented and easy to reach on the fly. The SOCP comes with a holster retainer that allows you to convert a belt holster into a fanny-pack holster.
There is plenty of room to hold a fairly larger firearm. Something Glock 19-sized with an optic would fit easily into the SOCP fanny pack. It drops in and disappears. Access to your gun is made a bit quicker by a hot pull that instantly opens the zippers and allows you to rapidly deploy your weapon. The Vertx SOCP also offers you tons of room for other necessities. This includes spare mags, tourniquets, a light, a knife, a cell phone, a wallet, and even fruit snacks.
Internal organizers make it easy to set up for easy access and to keep the dangerous things away from the non-dangerous things. There is an awesome cell phone pocket that folds down to be used as a nav board. That same pocket can be pulled back to expose your camera to allow for easy filming in a low-profile way. Finally, if you’re too cool to wear a fanny pack or arguably not cool enough, you can wear the bag as a sling pack.
Vertx Commuter Bag Pros and Cons
- Excellent CCW Compartment
- Awesome Organizers
- Hot Pull Access To Firearms
- Sweet Cell Phone Pocket
- Not Super Low Profile
Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack
Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack
Blue Alpha is well known for creating excellent belts, and a waistband isn’t that far from a belt. The Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack is an unapologetic fanny pouch. It makes no attempt to be anything but a solid, low-profile fanny pack. It’s fairly compact and doesn’t look much different than any fanny pack you’d find in your local Walmart. The big difference is that Blue Apha makes their stuff to last, and it’s made right here in the United States.
The concealed carry pouch is on the small side and is oriented at subcompact guns. The SIG P365, the Glock 43X, and similar-sized firearms are just perfect for this fanny pack. The concealed carry pouch is loop-lined, and Blue Alpha intends you to use your standard IWB/OWB rig with the fanny pack. They include a holster attachment that makes it easy to mount your chosen holster inside the fanny pack. Converting the holster from standard to fanny pack ready takes just a minute to do.
The Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack isn’t much for storage elsewhere. The front pocket can hold a wallet or cell phone but not much else. It’s really designed to be minimalist with a focus on carrying the gun. A smaller fanny pack is admittedly more discrete. Blue Alpha makes it in three colors: black, grey, and tri-color. Tri-color makes it look like it stepped right out of the 1980s, and the tri-color design varies a bit for a more unique fashion statement.
The Blue Alhpa Fanny pack has dual zippers for easy access, but I do think a hot pull would be a great way to make access faster and easier. This is a very discrete way to carry a gun, and it lacks all the tactical tells we are used to seeing. The fanny pack can fit users with a waist from 28 to 48 inches.
Blue Alpha CCW Fanny Pack Pros and Cons
- Super Discreet
- Multiple Color Options
- Made Extremely Well (And in America)
- A Little Slower to Draw
Hill People Gear Belt Pack Snubby Hill People Gear Belt Pack Snubby
Hill People Gear Belt Pack Snubby
Hill People Gear is famous for making very high-quality bags for a wide variety of products. Their packs are used for hiking, their chest rigs for running, and the Belt Pack for fanning. Well, the last one might have fallen off. The belt pack, or fanny pack for us cool kids, comes in numerous sizes. For the average person, the Snubby seems to be the best size. It’s the Goldilocks size for concealed carry.
The Snubby is big enough to fit a Glock 19, so most concealed carry firearms will fit right in. It can fit a Glock 19, but smaller pistols are the real winners with this pack. The Snubby’s concealed carry pocket is the rearmost pocket and comes outfitted with loop material and a dummy cord loop. You can attach a Velcro-type holster to the inside of the pack or use a molded trigger cover tied to the Snubby to keep your gun safe.
The dummy cord loop could also serve as a point to attach your own hot pull for quicker access to your gun. A little braided paracord makes for an awesome hot pull that’s easily attachable to the Snubby. Give it a yank, and you’ll have instant and easy access to your firearm. Unlike other fanny packs, the Snubby comes with a nice 1.5-inch wide strap that is quite comfy and supports the weight of a loaded gun well.
The Snubby pack comes with a MOLLE section in the front pocket that’s also covered in loop material for easy attachments. On the opposite side, there are two somewhat larger pouches to store additional gear. We also have the frontmost pocket, which can easily hold your phone or wallet. The Snubby comes in both ‘tactical’ colors and your normal red and blues.
Hill People Gear Belt Pack Snubby Pros and Cons
- Extremely Well Made
- Nice Wide Belt
- Customizable CCW Pouch
- Expensive
Wilderness Tactical DB Defender Waistpack DB Defender Waistpack
DB Defender Waistpack
- Can use Multiple Holster Types
- Extra Pockets For Extra Gear
- Designed By Darryl Bolke
Wilderness Tactical DB Defender Waistpack
Wilderness Tactical is one of my favorite soft gear companies. In my opinion, it is a bit underrated. It isn’t afraid to do things differently, and the quality of its products often attracts some of the most elite and knowledgeable firearms trainers. This includes Darryl Bolke, who has teamed up with Wilderness Tactical on a couple of products, including the DB Defender Waistpack, an adaptation of the original Wilderness Tactical Waistpack.
The DB Defender Waistpack is designed to carry a firearm from the ground up. The DB Defender Waistpack incorporates a large section of loop in the gun-carrying pocket. The setup comes with two hook-backed mounting strips for medium and small guns. These strips fit over your standard IWB and AIWB holster and secure it to the inside of this pocket. It’s like an internal belt. There are also two tether points for a static line draw if you prefer that method. The pouch is designed for subcompact firearms and J-frame style revolvers, so don’t plan to pack your Desert Eagle.
The DB Defender Waistpack also comes with a front and rear utility pocket. The front pocket is small but large enough for spare magazines, a tourniquet, light, or similar items. The rear pocket is small and slower to access, but it can carry a phone, wallet, or similar-sized item. There is plenty of space to pack an entire EDC with ease and total convenience.
The DB Defender Waistpack is made from super strong 500d Cordura. The waistbelt is 1.5 inches wide with a tough Delrin side release belt. Wilderness Tactical produces the waist pack in both tactical colors and plain, more concealed, low-profile packages. Wilderness Tactical and Darryl Bolke has come together to create a gunfighter’s fanny pack with the quality to last for years and years. The price certainly reflects the quality, and it might be a tough sale for some.
Wilderness Tactical DB Defender Waistpack Pros and Cons
- Extremely Well Made
- Innovative Holster System
- Low Profile Design
- Expensive
Elite Survival Systems Hip Gunner Concealed Carry Fanny Pack Elite Survival Systems Hip Gunner Concealed Carry Fanny Pack
Elite Survival Systems Hip Gunner Concealed Carry Fanny Pack
Elite Survival Systems is well known for producing a wide variety of low-profile, soft goods, from discreet rifle cases to discreet fanny packs. The new Hip Gunner aims to provide you with a low-profile option to conceal your firearm. From the outside looking in, it’s a fanny pack and devoid of any giveaways that it’s packing a piece. The striped finish, in particular, is a nice touch to make the design blend in by simply standing out.
The Hip Gunner is big enough to carry a full-sized pistol, but it might feel a little tight. Something in the compact or subcompact range is really the best bet for the Hip Gunner. This rig comes with two holsters to accommodate compact and full-sized guns. The holster adheres to the hook material that lines the Hip Gunner and can be easily oriented for either hand.
An internal belt allows you to use your own IWB rig if you don’t care about the nylon options included. Getting access to your gun is pretty dang easy due to a simple hot pull design. It makes gripping the bag open and accessing the gun super quick. Just yank, and the zippers are undone, and the gun is presented for an easy draw. The CCW pouch opens up in its entirety and won’t get in your way.
A front admin pocket has two elastic loops to fit spare mags or accessories. The pocket itself has a full-width design, so stashing mags, a light, your phone, etc., isn’t tough. It’s more useful than just being able to easily stash a gun. The waist strap is nice and wide for comfortable carrying. A quick detach clip makes the pack easy to wear and easy to remove. The Elite Survival Systems Hip Gunner even comes with a padded mesh rear for total comfort.
Elite Survival Systems Hip Gunner Concealed Carry Fanny Pack Pros and Cons
- Discreet Design
- Multiple Holster Compatible Design
- Hot Pull For Easy Opening
- Limited Color Options
Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist Pack Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist Pack
Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist Pack
- Can Be Attached to a PC or Battle Belt
- Simple Design
- Compact Option
Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist Pack
Some of the bags we’ve listed so far have been a bit large, and others have been average-sized, but with Wolf Tactical, we are getting a fairly small, lightweight fanny pack option. It’s admittedly more than a fanny pack and can be worn as a sling bag, attached to a battle belt, or even a plate carrier as a dangler. As a fanny pack, it’s low profile and plain looking as it gets. The Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist pack lacks any tactical giveaways, and it simply looks like a rectangular nylon bag.
The small size of the Hybrid Fanny Pack grants you a single pouch for whatever you want to carry. In our case, it’s likely the pouch you’ll use to carry a firearm. Inside that main pouch is a sturdy panel of Hook material. This makes it easy to mount your holster and carry your firearm of choice. The dual zippers are massive and easy to grab and get into action. The fanny pack opens up nice and wide to make drawing your gun easy and available.
You are limited to a very small gun. A P365 might be pushing the limits of the Wolf Tactical Hybrid Fanny pack, which is really best suited for a smaller gun. Why grab a giant bag when you just want to carry an LCP 2? The Wolf Tactical Hybrid pack is made to last and uses 1000D nylon material, along with UTX Duraflex buckles. You can tell it’s really well made and designed to last.
When you add in the fact it can be used on a battle belt or attached to a plate carrier when it isn’t pulling dad duty it becomes a great option. Plus, at only 25ish bucks, this is a great price for a ccw fanny pack.
Wolf Tactical Hybrid Waist Pack Pros and Cons
- Small and Lightweight
- Well Made
- Multi-Purpose Design
- Only Works With Smallish Guns
5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch 5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch
- Durability A+
- Ergonomics A
- Reliability A
- Value A-
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
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5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch
Let’s end the list with a favorite from our friends at 5.11 Tactical. The Select Carry Pistol Pouch is an interesting take on the concealed carry fanny pack. The Select Carry Pistol Pouch is a waist pack that’s deceptively large. On the outside, it barely looks like it’s big enough to hold a gun in the main pocket. In reality, the main pocket is a bit sneaky. The main pocket extends behind the two smaller-looking side pockets. This creates a fairly large pocket overall.
When you open the main pouch, the barrel of your firearm is tucked into one side or the other of those side pouches. It’s set up to be ambidextrous overall, and the grip is easily accessed through the main pouch. It’s a fairly ingenious way to disguise your fanny pack. The Select Carry Pistol Pouch comes lined with loop material and you’ll need to provide your own hook and loop compatible holster.
The holster pouch zips shit, but the presence of a hot pull makes it super easy to open the pouch and deploy the gun on the fly. Grip, rip, and draw. There isn’t much to it, and it’s one of the faster options when it comes to drawing from a fanny pack. The front pouch also features two elastic bands on the cover to store spare magazines or other accessories. Those two wings also feature small pockets for accessories.
The belt band on the Select Carry Pistol Pouch has removable padding that makes it easy to make the pack a little lower profile and skinnier. The padding also greatly increases comfort if you want to load the fanny pack down with weight. The 5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch is an affordable option and a great low-key option for concealed carry.
5.11 Select Carry Pistol Pouch Pros and Cons
- Ambidextrous Design
- Clever Low Profile Design
- Hot Pulls For an Easy Draw
- Requires You To Provide a Holster
Fanny Packed
The Fanny Pack has made a glorious comeback. Like anything else, it’s a tool for the box and can be used as such. There are some situations where a fanny pack makes a lot more sense than your standard holster, and in those scenarios, you should be armed with a rock-solid, dependable, low-profile, and easy-to-access fanny pack. I’ve given you seven above, but does our audience have any experience they’d like to share? If so, hit us up below!
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About Dave Chesson
Dave Chesson is prior Navy with a specialty in international arms dealing for the US government across multiple countries. Having traveled the world and abided by ATF and ITAR, Roy has a unique background in legal as well as practical capabilities of weapons deployment and use.
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