Concealed Carry Corner: Setting Up A Carry Bag

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we discussed some of the most popular carry positions and what works best for people. If you happened to miss that article last week, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to take a look at some of the newer carry bags on the market and how to set them up for use in daily life. I will occasionally get messages from people asking what the best method is to use a backpack or bag as a daily carry bag. Let’s take a closer look at setting up a carry bag.

What Bag Fits Your Needs?

Just like carry guns, there are countless options for bags in the concealed carry market. No matter your preference on size, color, and overall configuration, there’s probably a bag out there that’s perfect for you. Having a clear plan and knowing what you want to do with a carry bag will also help determine the size and overall layout of the bag. Some people carry their truck gun in a bag which will require a larger-bodied bag with two shoulder straps. Personally, I tend to carry my pistol concealed on my body with my carry bag either being more of a support bag or a bag where I carry a larger truck gun when I’m traveling across the country. My needs will be to have a spot for medical gear, extra magazines, along with whatever daily items I may need.

Other people love to carry their handgun in a messenger-style bag with only one strap for quick access along with a small body armor insert to give some protection to the front of their body. I have met plenty of people who prefer to carry off-body in a small messenger bag because of their job or clothing choices that don’t allow them to have a gun on their body. For me, I just feel more comfortable having my actual carry gun on my body riding in something like an inside-the-waistband holster than in a bag where I have to work more to access my handgun. Where you live or where you go will also be a fairly large determining factor in what type of bag you’ll want to pick up. There are countless bags ranging from professional laptop satchel bags to small leather messenger bags that scream fashion more than tactical. Whatever bag you choose, it’s always best to look for tactical bags that don’t have Velcro strips or military colors or characteristics on them. 

Mindset Of A Carry Bag 

When starting to use a carry bag as a regular item, it’s important to remember the key idea that carry bags are all about finding a balance. Finding that perfect balance of having what you need without making the bag so heavy it’s difficult to carry around daily. I have made the mistake of putting everything I could potentially need inside my bag. This typically ends in you fatiguing faster than normal defeating the entire purpose of a carry bag.

The purpose of your carry bag would be to carry the bare essentials you will need to either heal yourself or protect yourself. If you have a bag with various compartments, you may also be able to carry everyday items. The important part is to remember a carry bag is primarily for your concealed carry needs first over using it as a regular everyday bag. Weight is the most important factor and keeping it light while having everything you need to make it through the day is the true struggle that will get easier as time goes on. 

Medical

One of the most important pieces to any good carry bag is having enough medical supplies in case you seriously injure yourself or something happens where you need to give yourself medical attention. This is typically some sort of small IFAK or blowout kit with a tourniquet but preferably 2-3 high-quality tourniquets. It’s important to have this gear because you are way more likely to run into some sort of accident in a self-defense situation. Not only the medical equipment but also the knowledge to use it can drastically change the outcome of a stressful situation. I would put anything medical in its own smaller compartment that’s easy to grab and go without having to grab the entire bag. If you have extra space, it is always possible to add preferred items but the essentials should be able to treat yourself in an emergency situation.

Ammo and Supplies

Most bags will have a separate compartment with space to throw extra magazines, and gear in along with your firearm. It’s always best to put spare magazines and the actual firearm together. I typically carry 1 or 2 magazines with my handgun tops and anything extra is a bit excessive. If you want to carry range ammo or extra batteries other things like flashlights and a utility knife should be put in a different compartment than where you carry your gun. It’s never a bad thing to carry extra supplies but if you won’t need it immediately in a self-defense situation, it doesn’t need to be in the main storage area with your firearm.

Everyday items 

If you have space for everyday items in a large enough bag, it’s perfectly fine to carry those things in a different compartment than where your gun is stored. This allows different sections to keep items separated and allows your gun to be alone so there’s nothing else bumping into it when you go on with your day. Certain bags have laptop holders and are built like regular bags just with an extra space for all your gun and magazine needs in a different section. Typically the most amount of weight will be from your everyday items adding in a laptop, notebook and water bottle can usually make it about as heavy as you want a bag to be for daily carry so be sure to be careful when looking at all the items as a big picture.

Overall Thoughts

These are all tips I have learned over the years of carrying a number of different bags with various features The biggest struggle is to find a bag that best fits your needs and what you want to carry in that bag on a daily basis. The best thing to do is to measure the firearm you want to carry in it. Also, find a bag that easily fits those dimensions and go from there. Different bags will fill different roles but it’s important to get a good idea of what you want to do with it before searching for a bag.

Carrying specific items and making sure the bag is big enough really is a priority as well. With these things in mind, you should have no problem finding the perfect bag for yourself. Do you guys have a favorite bag to carry supplies and gear in? Let me know if you have any personal favorites down in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to message me on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.