It’s true, you can turn any fanny pack into a cross-body bag. And you can put some sort of gun into either one. But the fact of the matter is that with many of the so-called “carry bags” on the market (we covered an awful lot in a Buyer’s Guide in Issue 39) the gun seems to be a secondary concern. Not so with this.
Developed as a collaboration between Bastinelli Knives and Paladin 33, the FBAG isn’t quite a monotasker but certainly not a full-blown fanny. Though you can wear it at any position, it’s best from the chest. When you combine the clever pull-loop design with a little practice, for most it’s a faster draw from the FBAG than clearing a cover garment.
You put the thumb of your support hand in the loop and simply push forward and the entire thing rips open in a split second — your dominant hand going in for the draw. The back is a breathable mesh, the inside is covered in loop ready for any number of simple universal loop holsters or a Kydex affair with hook attached on the back.
Practicing is mostly about hand placement and movement to maximize the effect; many want to swing their support hand down, which brings the FBAG with it. Whereas a straight push out keeps it in place while ripping it open in a split second.
About all we’d like to see is a little loop inside for attaching something like the likes of a Raven Concealment VanGuard 2 or Armordillo Concealment X-FER on the inside.
Because it’s from Bastinelli, the FBAG also has the ability to mount a fixed blade fighter in two different angled positions between the bag and your body.
Of course, you don’t want to only carry your gun if you’re out on a run. There’s a zippered front pocket that easily fits a cellphone and slim wallet for just the essentials instead of a full purse European carryall, meaning it’s easy to tuck under a jacket for concealment or between backpack straps on the trail.
There are currently two sizes: an XL appropriate for a G17-sized pistol and a standard for the stagger-stack nines and revolvers (shown). And left- and right-handed draw models are available.
You can see more here.
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