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Have any of you seen this concealment alternative? What's you opinion? Are there any stores in Houston that carry SafePackers?

http://store.thewilderness.com/index.ph ... cb06d78593

I have seen someone wearing one. I wouldn't. Even though it's not obviously a holster, it would attract attention because it's unusual.

If I felt the need for off-body carry, I would use a camera bag with a shoulder strap.

- Jim

I think it will work okay for something like a J-frame size. A friend of mine uses one. I'd guess it would be a slow access to your pistol.

make a decent car carry as well... plenty of threads on opinions for that...

I would have one if I was a technician of some sort, put a craftsman or dewalt patch. I think they look like a tool pouch. I might put one on my backpack belt, for backpacking,, but other then that is see no use.

I've had a Safepacker for a decade or more and it's a convenient way to carry a Colt Commander while hiking, etc.

I bought one specifically for vehicle carry. The Safepacker does what they advertise, it's well made and they're nice folks to deal with. I hate to criticize the thing, and other members may have found uses for it that I haven't thought of. But it looked and felt odd on my belt and carrying it by hand was awkward since I also carry a briefcase for maps, notebook, IPod, Kaopectate, etc.. I also tried a Galco Hidden Agenda, but a day planner that's 4 inches thick and weighs 3 lbs with gun and spare mag in it is somewhat less practical than you might hope. So I switched to an Uncle Mike's Briefcase with the hidden gun compartment and found it ideal for my purpose.

Off-body carry is not something I'd recommend unless necessary. In my case the Uncle Mike's briefcase is handy whether I have a gun on my hip or not--and it doesn't seem to attract curiosity. It has a large pistol compartment, so sometimes I carry an HK45C on my hip and a full-size HK45 with a Streamlight TLR-2 in the briefcase.

I keep the briefcase between my seat and the console (to reach both maps and gun), or on the passenger seat with the seat belt holding it in place. I can quickly close the flap or push down the Velcro closure on the pistol compartment if I need to keep what's in it out of sight. When I pull off the highway to take care of business, or to abuse my gut at a greasy spoon, I can carry everything in one case and am able to work at a table without worrying that some nervous Nellie will see my hand cannon when I open the other compartments. I sit in a booth or wrap the strap around my leg or the chair if I'm concerned about someone grabbing it. Something useful under some circumstances is that I can sling the strap over my shoulder and keep my hand on the gun inside. It looks like a regular medium-size woven nylon briefcase, not a man purse, but even if it did I wouldn't give a darn when I have to walk across some parking lot or rest stop in the dead of night.

I've gone off on a tangent here, but I thought I would mention the above in case you were needing something utilitarian for travel. If you're simply looking for an alternative to a holster, I suspect that a belt pouch would attract less attention than the Safepacker, and would probably allow a faster draw. If you simply haven't given a good custom holster a try, you should, as you might be surprised how comfortable they can be. I just got a KD Cochise Defender and it feels so good I hate to take it off.

I would expect that thing hanging off your pistol while you are trying to respond to an immediate threat would cause consequences that you would not otherwise have.

I carry my M&P 9c in a KD Defender IWB, it is very comfortable and conseals great. But when I am wearing shorts without a belt, like work out shorts or something like that, I use a Fanny Pack Holster. I never thought I would ever use a Fanny Pack of any kind for any reason, but that thing is great. I like it a lot better then I ever thought I would.

I have a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack that I use occasionally. I've pretty much stopped using it though. I used it to keep my Glock 30 in when I couldn't carry anything but my Kel-Tec P3AT due to work clothes. Now that I have a tuckable holster, and have changed primary carry guns, I don't have that problem. That being said, though. The Maxpedition pack is a great pack. It's very sturdy and heavy duty. I've got alot of work stuff in there, like travel charger for phone and a lot of other assorted stuff I might need without dragging my laptop bag with me everywhere. It's a good option if you can't carry on your person. A word of warning, it's been called a man-purse before!

CJATE wrote:I would have one if I was a technician of some sort, put a craftsman or dewalt patch. I think they look like a tool pouch. I might put one on my backpack belt, for backpacking,, but other then that is see no use.

Any kind of camera, tool, or electronics logo on it would be the perfect urban camouflage. Tack-stitch the plug of a set of cheap earbuds inside so you can have them hanging out, (or better yet, make a pocket in there for your MP3 player) and no one would ever suspect that it's anything but a CD player.

I have three safepackers. One is for my wife's gun in her car. Keeps the gun completely concealed and available. One is an extra for my full size Hipower. One I use with my Hipower Dectective. I basically use mine for car carry as well although I also have a shoulder strap on it. So if I need to go into a store I just carry it on the strap. No one has ever said anything to me or given me any weird looks, even in gun ranges or stores. For carrying a gun in plain sight, I love it.

I own a safepacker. My wife takes it with her on road trips. It allows her to substitute for a purse and carry the gun readily while going into a store or pumping gas.

They are well built and I have never had anyone suspsect a thing.

Jason

stroo wrote:I have three safepackers. One is for my wife's gun in her car. Keeps the gun completely concealed and available. One is an extra for my full size Hipower. One I use with my Hipower Dectective. I basically use mine for car carry as well although I also have a shoulder strap on it. So if I need to go into a store I just carry it on the strap. No one has ever said anything to me or given me any weird looks, even in gun ranges or stores. For carrying a gun in plain sight, I love it.

Exactly how I use mine. It definitely is a nice option.

-Rug

Are there any stores in teh Houston area that carry the SafePacker?