Pack holster, what do you suggest?

[BGbowhunters]

I've been thinking about getting a "holster" for the MOLLE belt strap on my Kifaru pack. I've considered getting the Kifaru Tombstone but not sure if I like the design. I have a Smith and Wesson M&P that's kind of large. What do you run as a holster for your pack? Also do you carry a pistol in black bear and cougar country (not grizzly)?

 

[huntsman22]

Serpa paddle holster. Just slip it off and stick it on your pants when you ditch the pack. Mine is set up crossdraw so as not to interfere with the gunbearer.

 

[PNWTO]

For a that belt I would enthusiastically suggest a Safariland ALS model of your choosing.

FWIW, the Serpa is a sub-par holster and many, including myself, have seen the retention mechanism jam dirt, snow, and other assorted bullshit.

 

[huntsman22]

Thanks for your enthusiasm. The Blackhawk has never let me down. But, I'm not in the habit of letting it fill up with crap.....

 

[FlyGuy]

I'll be hunting in Grizzly territory this spring and I just picked up a Kenai chest holster. I have it adjusted to run low below my bino harness. I personally have not carried a pistol before for black bears or cats. Well, I did on day one of my first day of elk hunting, but I dropped the pistol and about 15 other lbs of useless weight that evening. Haven't carried it since.


Kenai Chest Holster – GunfightersINC

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[Hunt Oregon]

Check out jc custom kydex. He just made me one for my m&p 40. Carry in the woods for the 2 legged critters more so than the 4

 

[dotman]

Serpa paddle holster. Just slip it off and stick it on your pants when you ditch the pack. Mine is set up crossdraw so as not to interfere with the gunbearer.

I use this as well but attach it to my molle belt webbing using the strike plate.

 

[huntsman22]

dotman, how can you continue to use that set-up after being enthusiastically told how sub-par it is?

 

[steelheadmike]

Safariland makes some really good retention holsters. Their thumb break model is just about perfect. They also have modular attachment systems including a model made for use with MOLLE straps. They also have a system that you can move the holster from different attachments. For example, you have the MOLLE plate on your pack and the belt plate on your pants back at camp or a paddle plate for causal carry.

 

[Squirrels]

Check out jc custom kydex. He just made me one for my m&p 40. Carry in the woods for the 2 legged critters more so than the 4

I have one of his as well. I like it

 

[AdamW]

I'm not quite as enthusiastic yet, not enough coffee but...

+1 for Safariland ALS like a model w/ molle adapter. Any kydex pancake style option could work fine as well if you don't. Single attachment points take up less belt space, but stick out further typically, pancakes fit flatter against the belt, but take up more real estate.

For example this holster:

Safariland 6377 ALS Holster

Safariland 6378 ALS Holster

With these molle adapters would give you both pack belt and pants belt options.

safariland molle - MidwayUSA

Not piling on, but a paddle (or any belt attachment) that isn't sized for the belt *could* potentially lead to issues. Trent from Born and Riased Outdoors just lost his pistol when the paddle came off his belt when putting the pack on. Fortunately, he found it. If a paddle works for a person, great, but that's not what it was designed for and isn't ideal. "Works for me" is just fine by me, it's just something to keep in mind.

I'm the guy that cringes when he sees someone showing off their new CCW holster and they have a 1 1/2" belt clip on a 1 3/4" belt and I count the minutes until the gun and holster come off the belt together.

Lots of options out there, good luck!

 

[Dromsky]

I suggest whatever holster you choose, don your pack and then holster your weapon. Drove a hunter to the er couple years ago, he dropped his pistol when donning his pack and shot himself in the thigh. Lucky he found us and we were 30 minutes from town.

 

[danarnold]

I use the diamond D leather chest rig, it won’t let you down and you don’t have to worry about people getting butt hurt with their subpar combo.
Fits well with any of my packs and you don’t have to think about swapping it back-and-forth

 

[neverquit]

I don’t have a specific recommendation but something with full retention is a must

 

[dotman]

dotman, how can you continue to use that set-up after being enthusiastically told how sub-par it is?

I guess after using it for years without issue I just haven’t been effected by the subpar quality.

 

[gelton]

Another JC Custom Kydex fan, works as advertised and retains the weapon just fine. He pops in here from time to time.

 

[George]

This thread got me thinking, I never have carried before but it would seem that I have the option now after recently purchasing a little Walther.



This was my first attempt at a boltaron holster, I designed it with a belt loop but it also slips and clips pretty securely over fabric.



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[StickSlingers]

Food for thought for all you guys running the holster on your pack belts, they’re are situations where you drop your pack leaving you without a sidearm

In this case luckily i grabbed it and shoved it in my pants last minute only to come across a sow and a cub one ridge over
To mitigate this problem i tried shoulder holsters but found them uncomfortable, bino harnesses like eberlestock nose gunner accommodate handguns but it’s not a very fast draw, same with hill people gear.
I tried a HPG chest pack with a gun mounted to the molle on the outside like this

But it was lacking features as a bino harness and it stuck out pretty far when i had my binos inside of it.
This season I’m going to try the Alaskan guide as mentioned before or the kenai I’m undecided so any input on the two would be great! I’m also considering a safari land on a half drop leg so it sits just under my pack, although the belt clip might hurt under a load! Let me know what you guys think!


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[Hall256]

I've been thinking about getting a "holster" for the MOLLE belt strap on my Kifaru pack. I've considered getting the Kifaru Tombstone but not sure if I like the design. I have a Smith and Wesson M&P that's kind of large. What do you run as a holster for your pack? Also do you carry a pistol in black bear and cougar country (not grizzly)?

I have the Tombstone and like it, but leaves me without a holster when I drop my pack. When I am not hunting, I run an old Kifaru Kola chest rig, that is my preferred way to carry outdoors.

 

[dotman]

Food for thought for all you guys running the holster on your pack belts, they’re are situations where you drop your pack leaving you without a sidearm

In this case luckily i grabbed it and shoved it in my pants last minute only to come across a sow and a cub one ridge over
To mitigate this problem i tried shoulder holsters but found them uncomfortable, bino harnesses like eberlestock nose gunner accommodate handguns but it’s not a very fast draw, same with hill people gear.
I tried a HPG chest pack with a gun mounted to the molle on the outside like this

But it was lacking features as a bino harness and it stuck out pretty far when i had my binos inside of it.
This season I’m going to try the Alaskan guide as mentioned before or the kenai I’m undecided so any input on the two would be great! I’m also considering a safari land on a half drop leg so it sits just under my pack, although the belt clip might hurt under a load! Let me know what you guys think!


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