Holsters and Gear Recommendations
Fanny Pack Holster Guide: How to Carry a Gun in a Waist Pack
Quick answer: A fanny pack holster is a waist pack with a dedicated gun compartment and a holster inside it, worn at the waist or slung cross-body. It hides a gun when your clothes can’t, at the gym, beach or on a hike, but the draw is slower than from a belt holster, and the holster must fully cover the trigger guard.
What Is a Fanny Pack Holster?
It’s a waist pack built to carry a handgun. Many have a rear compartment just for the gun, with a holster or loop panel inside, and separate pockets for everything else. The Armory Life calls carrying this way a “weird hybrid of on-the-body and off-body carry”: the pack stays on you, but the gun sits in a bag rather than on your body.
“Belly pack holster” usually means the same thing. Many people now wear these packs cross-body; Safariland’s writer notes that “The kids call them sling bags and wrap them around their bodies rather than their waists,” and Elite Survival’s Hip Gunner is sold to wear “On the waist or slung cross-body.” For crossbody purses, see our purse and crossbody bag guide.
Fanny Pack Holster Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Works with clothes that can’t hide a holster: gym, beach, water parks, fishing (Safariland); for runs, see our running holster guide | “It’s a very slow draw compared to other carry methods.” (Safariland) |
| “There is zero chance the setup will print or accidentally reveal itself.” (Safariland) | “a bit bulky and can sometimes irritate” (Safariland) |
| “You can carry a large gun with an optic and light, and no one will ever know.” (Safariland) | Fanny packs “clash with many dress codes and good fashion sense,” so they “cannot be the only option for the majority of people” (Safariland) |
| “Carrying a spare magazine in a waist pack is one advantage to the system.” (The Armory Life) | The gun is in a bag: control of the pack is control of the gun |
Sources: Safariland’s “The Concealed Carry Fanny Pack: A Revival” and The Armory Life’s fanny pack test.
When Does a Fanny Pack Holster Make Sense?
When your clothing won’t hide a belt holster. Safariland’s writer uses one “for trips to the beach, the gym, water and theme parks, fishing, and other activities where my clothing might not facilitate concealed carry all that well.” The Armory Life adds: “Wearing a CCW fanny pack doesn’t look out of place in many casual settings. For outdoor activities, they are relatively common to see.” Hiking with a full pack? See our hiking holster guide.
For everyday wear with a belt, an inside-the-waistband holster is faster to draw and stays on your body; our IWB vs OWB comparison covers that. A belly band is the other belt-free option, worn on the body instead of in a bag.
How to Set Up a Fanny Pack Holster Safely
- A holster that covers the trigger guard. In The Armory Life’s test the pack’s built-in holster did not cover the trigger guard, so the tester carried without a round chambered, and the editors added: “We encourage readers to use properly fitted holsters that completely cover the trigger guard.”
- A dedicated gun compartment. Keep nothing else in it. The Armory Life looks for “a plain open area with some structure to it.”
- A fixed holster position. A hook-and-loop holster on the compartment’s loop panel stays where you put it; see our velcro holster guide. Some packs ship with holsters: Elite Survival says its Hip Gunner has “Two holsters included.”
- A fast opening. Zippers are the slow step; The Armory Life expected appendix carry to win its timed test because “I don’t have to clear a zipper and a pocket.” Elite Survival’s Hip Gunner uses a “Rip-cord draw” where “One pull opens the front panel and puts the holster in your hand.”
- Keep control of the pack. It’s the same rule as any bag carry; our page on off-body carry and its risks covers it. Carrying a full-size bag instead? See our CCW backpack guide.
- Practice the draw with an unloaded gun, from the way you actually wear it (waist or cross-body).
Organizing Spare Magazines in the Pack
If your fanny pack holster setup includes a spare magazine, loose in a pocket it moves around. The Cloudster 9mm Magnetic Sling Bag Mag Carrier and the .45 ACP version fix it in place: a flat carrier with hook-side velcro on the back sticks to a bag’s loop lining, and two magnets hold the magazine. Each comes with 2 adhesive loop-side velcro pieces and 1 alcohol wipe for packs without a loop lining.
Fanny Pack Holster: Questions People Ask
Is a fanny pack holster safe?
It can be, if the gun rides in a holster that completely covers the trigger guard, in a compartment with nothing else in it, and you keep control of the pack.
Is a fanny pack holster slower to draw from?
Yes. Safariland’s writer calls it “a very slow draw compared to other carry methods,” and The Armory Life expected appendix carry to be faster because there’s no zipper or pocket to clear.
Waist or cross-body?
Either. Many packs, like Elite Survival’s Hip Gunner, are built to wear “On the waist or slung cross-body.”
Is a belly pack holster the same as a belly band?
No. A belly pack is a bag; a belly band is an elastic band worn against your body.
Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the Cloudster Pillow and the Cloudster magnetic mag carriers, and carry Kore belts. We don’t sell holsters, packs or firearms, and no maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.
