running (not jogging) while carrying in a fanny pack?

[yerasimos]

I did a quick search on "running" and "pack", and did not find a completely relevant answer, ergo my following questions and their specific nature.

Does anyone run or has anyone tried running with a fanny pack, carrying a full-sized autopistol? Is this truly workable, or a disaster in waiting?

Is it better to position the fanny pack in front/12 o'clock, back/6 o'clock or elsewhere, while running? Based on my limited experience carrying cellular phone and keys in a small fanny pack while running, the 6 o'clock positioning generates much less unwanted motion than 12 o'clock. However I am concerned that a gun at 6'oclock may be too cumbersome to access.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a fanny pack for this application that minimizes up-and-down motion, sweat-resistant, etc?

Has running while carrying in a fanny pack attracted unwanted attention from motorists and other pedestrians? I believe in avoiding all confrontation if at all possible. Unfortunately there are no pedestrian only trails or jogging paths near where I live.

Please note: here, running means a pace of ~7 minutes/mile, not jogging at 13 minutes/mile; full sized auto-pistol roughly equates to a Commander-sized 1911 or Glock 17/22.

Thanks for the advice.

[yerasimos]

If you can run like that,, WHY do you need a pistol??

1. 7 minutes/mile is not as fast as you may think it is, only 12.57 fps. For comparison purposes, the current men's 100m world record is 9.77 seconds, which yields an average running speed of 33.58 fps for the "world's fastest man" (which I am not). Most handgun slugs will travel from 850 to 1300 fps, easily outpacing any human moving under their own power.

2. Thugs can be very quick on their feet. They are even faster in their cars, are known to frequently carry weapons and travel in packs.

3. Dogs can be very quick, are born with their own deadly weapons (in their mouths) and sometimes travel in packs.

4. "Carry 24/7 or guess right"; I wish to stop guessing when I go running.

Serious replies to my enquiry will be greatly appreciated.

[BamBam]

If you can run like that,, WHY do you need a pistol??

That was funny

[RPBrown]

I would think that 12 oclock could be hazardous for a male if its not real tight. There are fannypacks made specifically for CC that alow for quick retrieval of the weapon even at 6 oclock.

[KBCraig]

Many moons ago I was also a runner (never a jogger), but that was long before I started taking my self defense seriously.

The handy thing about fanny packs are that they don't have to stay anchored in one place, like a belt holster does. If it's more comfortable to run with it at 6:00, then go with that. But if it's easier to draw from 10:00 or 12:00, then should the need arise, just spin it around.

You're not likely to be attempting fast draw while running, so re-positioning the pack when needed shouldn't be a problem.

But since you're the one out running, why not try it out and let us know how it works? I'd like to hear a report, even though I'm not likely to take up running any time soon.

Kevin

[quidni]

How about something like this?

Under Cover Chest Holster for Handguns

Designed for Medium-sized Handguns. Fits 380s and compact 9mms

This setup is ideal of people who need a gun readily available in a non-tactical situation, i.e., going out jogging. This is a great way to keep a secondary weapon secured somewhere yet be able to reach it readily when necessary. One neck strap and one chest strap ensure that the holster stays snug against your body while a pouch behind the holster is for loose items: change, wallet, or even a trauma plate. This holster will fit most small and large-framed automatics and/or revolvers (specify type when ordering). Allow up to 6 weeks for delivery - SFG builds products on order to better serve your individual needs.

Unfortunately, this mfr says the product is "not currently available" but I know I've seen similar items from other dealers in the past....

[NcongruNt]

My only suggestion would be to try a belly band. This would probably require wearing a slightly baggy and dark (so your gun doesn't show through when you sweat) t-shirt. It probably depends on your build as to whether you can pull of a full-sized pistol. A 1911 is thin enough that you could probably do it.

Galco has what looks like a nice one here:

http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterT3.asp?Pr ... alogID=359

It does look like they make them to fit guns in the size that you mentioned. These have been discussed in this forum pretty extensively, so you might be able to find some good info by doing a search.

[Kalrog]

Do you carry watter when you run? I did everything (including ultra marathons) and always carried my own water. When I was first starting, I went with a waist mounted camelbak and then switched to waist mounted water bottles. The running specific ones (think Ultimate Direction, Nathan, etc.) work very well and they can easily take an additional 16oz from a S&W airweight with no ill effects.

Now for the downside... I managed to get a hernia and switched to handheld water bottles and a shoulder camelbak type thing. I can still carry, but the draw is much slower with that. Pretty much the same thing when I am on the bike.

[Venus Pax]

I have never personally tried this, but joggers/runners on another forum recommend this to eachother: Thunderwear or Smart carry.

http://www.thunderwear.com/holsters.asp
http://www.smartcarry.com/

Especially if worn under bike shorts, these should stay in place well.

[para driver]

you'll get tired of that much weight quickly.. why not an airweight 38?

[OverEasy]

yerasimos, here is one for you from the GlockTalk forum:
http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php ... did=568343
It's about using a SmartCarry for a four mile run.
Good luck, OE

[yerasimos]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions; however, I had settled upon the fanny pack/full-size pistol idea when I started this thread. Recently I had the opportunity to try a fanny pack while running, a Weapon Fanny Pack, size large, made by Eagle Industries.

My first impression was that the pack was very big, and yet the size was necessary so that my gun would fit in there. A medium sized pack would definitely be too small, particularly for the height of the gun. Nearly everything in the fanny pack attaches with velcro, and the internal holster is reversible. I was able to slip a spare magazine into an elastic loop below the gun, parallel with the slide. (There are two loops for holding magazines, but you can only use one at a time with a gun in place.) I found plenty of space for my wallet, keys and a cellular phone using zippered pockets outside of the weapon compartment. On the back of the pack, there are a pair of snap loops that presumably can be used with a belt. I have a spare Wilderness frequent-flyer belt, and I chose to wear this under the fanny pack so I could use the snap loops to better stabilize the pack while running. I chose to wear the back at 12 o'clock (directly in front).

Drawing from the pack entails strongly yanking on a nylon pull cord, undoing a thumb snap and strongly pulling out the gun from the holster. It definitely takes more effort than I am used to using with Kydex holsters. In keeping with the pack's ambidexterity, there are two nylon pull cords, one on the upper left corner and another on the upper right corner. After practicing with it, I found it to make for a decent, brisk draw.

When I first started running with it, one thing that quickly became annoying was the minor racket generated by the metal zipper pulls. There is a long nylon cord pull for rapidly opening the gun compartment; I am strongly considering attaching some shorter nylon pull cords for the zippers. Furthermore, the additional weight was immediately apparent, particularly for a flyweight like me. However, properly tightened, the pack was not whacking me in my male anatomy; with bloodflow being directed to the arms, legs, heart and lungs, I doubt that any naturally endowed man would have a problem with this setup while running. Since I was running early in the morning, with few other people around, I could not get a good gauge of other people's reaction toward seeing what is obviously a "gun pack".

After the run, in private at home, I carefully opened the weapon compartment in case the holster had loosened, and found it was as tight as it was when I began my run earlier. I weighed myself with and without the fanny pack, and found a 5 lb difference. At least 3 lbs can be attributed to combined weight of an empty gun and two full magazines; the kitchen scale weighed the empty pack as just over one pound, so the belt and the rest of my chattel is roughly one pound.

In closing, it does not seem to be a bad choice for this application. It remains to be seen whether I will tire of using it or not, though I need to keep running to stay in decent physical condition. I see no need to try another fanny pack at this point, either for running or general concealed carry. (It is hardly covert, if I have not made that clear by now.)

[AV8R]

In closing, it does not seem to be a bad choice for this application. It remains to be seen whether I will tire of using it or not,

I bought my Galco pack on the third day of the LA riots, Spring, 1992. I've enjoyed having it, and use it often to this day. You'll find a lot of uses for it. I'm thinking of adding a Blade Tech kydex holster to the inside of the pack, using Chicago screws, to fix that awkward draw you mentioned. We did this to my wife's purse, which is basically a miniature backpack with a wide nylon shoulder strap. It's a superb rig.

[razoraggie]

My wife is actually a marathon runner that carries a "modified" med-pack first aid bag I bought her from Pro-Defense just south of Houston near Nasa Road One and I-45. I modified it by putting an Uncle Mike's neoprene holster inside the pocket closest to the body. The holster is secured by a 4"x3" piece of velcro. I have attached a thumb break there with the velcro as well. She carries a Chief's Special in .38Spl without any problems. The pack itself it made of heavy duty nylon along with a pretty wide belt with a large clip that I wrapped with a polyester mesh so it will not rub on her side. She runs with it slightly off center on her strong side which reduces the "bouncing" effect you mention. She will regularly run over 16 miles while in training with this rig on and doesn't feel uncomfortable.