at one time Uncle Mikes offered their GunRunner Fanny pack in bright neon green... carried a Smith 442 with the bag rotated to my strong hip... no one ever noticed...the FB3G hat was more of a give away....I perceive it as a deterrent... YMMV

I have not had problems with people assuming I'm packing in a fanny pack. It just not fashionable, as I've been told. Anyway, I use a fanny pack in limited situations where I may be walking around without a shirt. A man in flip-flops, shorts, and a fanny pack never looks threatening (to me). So, the issue of appearing like I'm packing is largely irrelevant for me.

Wow I think I am out of touch with that thought! To me a fanny pack is a pack worn on the hips or the back. I always thought that this made them less usefull to reach but as an alternate to a full size daypack. I use the term "joey pack" or "joey pouch" for a front mounted pack. Even then I always thought of them as weird because from my point of view it looks more like somebody reaching in to their pants to... ahem... scratch themselves. OK OK, maybe that's just me thinking that.

Granted, they are convenient and accessible when front mounted. The obvious social differences in our countries means that in Canada the concept of CC is vague and almost unheard of and therefore I had to scratch my head to even understand what you were talking about as a convenient carry holster for your gun!

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PS Another term to illustrate social and cultural differences: "the bunnyhug". Hint: this is a regional term that even my fellow Canucks probably don't understand.

I'm not too far behind on the Vibe II's - we have six. One for each member of the family in different colors and 1 extra. In our family we also have have two Tours, a Swift II, and a Clear Creek 20 backpack. We're big fans of their products.

The Strappettes really make a huge difference with the larger lumbar packs. I recommend them too.

The only time I seem to see people wearing fanny packs here in Canada are the tourists as they unload from the tour buses which make a stop not far from where we live. Most look to be older retirees and or overseas visitors so I am almost 100% sure that they are not packing heat in those fanny packs...

We picked up this pack a couple of days ago for my SO. At 30L capacity, it fits right in between her 24L day pack and her 40L multi-day pack which is too big and unwieldy to be used as a EDC/BOB/GHB bag.



Although the pack does not look like much, the inside has enough pockets etc without going overboard which leaves plenty of room for gear.



With thoughtful section of gear and careful packing, her new pack is in the process today of being setup and geared for BOB/GHB usage for now until she has completed an out of town contract which starts next month and will run for about 2 months.

Portions of the USA have a gun in every fanny pack; other portions do not. I have been involved in WWJS theological discussions involving the criteria for selecting which gun one carries to church. Different strokes...
As a nomination for the ultimate non-urban man purse I offer the LL Bean Hunter's Organizer, a camo version of their popular toiletry travel organizer. Standard disclaimers apply, but be careful in selecting a Bean product: they do not seem to wear out, and will be with you for a long time.

Nursemike... I have a Jewish friend that immigrated from the former Soviet Union...his mother and sister live in Israel...he is amazed by the number of his faith that do not carry... he is a USPSA Limited Class - Master....

if you are looking for an option to the leathercraft... Coronado Leather has some nice stuff in their Bison collection...I carried one of their Stealth Pacs for a couple of years, until a good friend talked me out of it...

Thanks, Les-
Guns, politics, religion, love-de gustibus non est disputandum...
I grew up in Gloversville, a leather mill town in NY: leather gloves, bags, coats, pants, and underwear were extremely available and inexpensive. I have been on most of those rides, and IMHO, have concluded that leather is an incredibly fashionable but not entirely practical choice in nearly all cases. In most cases, I have been better served by natural and synthetic woven fabrics than by leather. YMMV.

I admit the main reason I use leather for an EDC bag is because it's stylish. I can wear good leather with almost anything. Another reason is that good leather looks better with age and use. It saves money in the not-too-long run. Those are, in fact, practical reasons for buying leather in an EDC bag.

I looked at Coronado Leather. It appears to be good quality leather, but they don't seem to put much thought into the design of their shoulder carry manbags. They need to get with the times. I'm looking for a brand name that is a legitimate competitor to Saddleback Leather. I have experience with Rustic Leather and Vagabond, but I'm not totally satisfied with their options.

Side note, my idea of an EDC bag seems to be quite different than what some people have posted here. I can't imagine some of the backpacks actually being everyday carry for anybody. To me, EDC means exactly that. It's a bag I can imagine carrying 365 days per year. I'm talking about carrying it with me almost everywhere, not just carrying it to my car and leaving it in there.

The litmus test for me is the following: Can I hold this bag comfortably in my lap while I'm at my desk working on my computer? If yes, then, I can use it as an EDC bag. Again, however, I understand everybody has their own needs and style.