Awesome custom holster starting point - and cheap, too!

J

Jim March

New member
This wasn't designed as a gun holster, but it's only $25 and to my eye, could be easily converted to bangthing usage:

http://www.grabitpack.com/index.htm

For guns small enough to fit in it's largest compartment, a small kydex "holder" for the gun could easily be grafted into that large pocket on the side. Or, something like a pocket holster, or an Uncle Mike's basic $10 cordura holster could be stripped of it's belt clip and sewn down in there.

For something bigger like my gun (New Vaquero 4.68" barrel, basically same size gun as a Colt SAA 4.75") more radical surgery would be needed. I could take the part of my fanny pack already set up for my gun and graft it on there in place of the lower and possibly upper side stock pockets of the "Grabitpack".

Or for a more upscale approach, use this Grabitpack (with one or both side pockets stripped?) as a better base for a Wilderness Safepacker of your choice of size:

http://store.thewilderness.com/index.php?cPath=51

With some customization, it might be possible to mount the Safepacker at the "front" of the thigh instead of side, by running a custom strap up from the lower front pocket of the Grabitpack. That would leave the Grabitpack's side pockets intact. Cost of a Grabitpack and Safepacker combined would be about $100 but that's not half bad. It would be a great setup for motorcycle or bicycle carry and look less dorky than a fanny pack :).

Thoughts?
 
That grabitpack is interesting. Would be interesting for hiking. Price is good too. Might have to give it a try.
 
the first one looks like some chuck norris action, and the second reminds me of a portable heart monitor. good suggestions for some, i'd gues, but i like my iwb's just fine.
 
Man, for the size of that thing I would just take a backpack. Might be big enough for my two man tent though! :eek::D

To each his own and enjoy.
 
Well I've gone ahead and ordered one. I'll report back on what we have here stock, and initial ideas for modding it. I'll wait at least a week to start in on mods, I'll just do mockups and layouts first for comment.
 
Interesting follow-up. He knocked the $5 shipping fee off after I posted this, and said thanks. I neither asked for nor expected any such thing. So it looks like he's quality people.

He also said in EMail that he has no problem with holster conversions and is not personally anti-RKBA. He's not YET marketing it that way but down the road he might have optional holster inserts...not that such wouldn't be hard to homebrew.

For now his main marketing isn't directly to the gunnie community.

Cool.

Something else. I'm now wondering if it might not be possible to tastefully extend the bottom of the current side pouch, to allow a longer gun like mine. Can't wait to get it in hand and post some mock-up pics.
 
Looks cool and all, but...

... having used a locally tailored holster similar to that while with a joint task force in a hot and humid place, I can tell you that ballistic nylon, wrapped around the upper thigh like that, makes one sweat something fierce. I found it very uncomfortable, enough so that I couldn't recommend something on these lines.

On the rare occasions I opt for a thigh rig, I use a Safariland quick release, because its design is stable, but minimizes the amount of fabric around the leg. Granted, it's not a concealment rig, but still...

If anybody does try this item, please let the rest of us know how it actually wears.
 
This wasn't designed as a gun holster,
Click to expand...

For something that wasn't designed as a gun holster, that thing looks more like a gun holster than most gun holsters. Actually, it's an idea whose time has come - a vertical fanny pack. BUT...will the LEOs call it a visible "holster"? The gun must be concealed, must the holster be concealed, too?
 
Looks to me like a fella'd hafta be Mr. Slick to be able move through brush, crowded aisles or my house in one of those without bumping and snagging on everything. I'm too much of a klutz to even want to give it a try. Hellzbellz, I personally think cargo pants are too bulky for serious wear, much less having something like that thing hanging off your leg! :)
 
Well...thing is, for either bicycles, motorcycles or even horseback this thing has major potential. A big fanny pack in front of my "junk" is doable on a motorcycle (my sole transportation) but it's sometimes uncomfortable.

I have it now, I'd planned to do modifications, pictures, thoughts, review maybe Monday. First thoughts are, it's designed for comfort, quality is pretty decent. For a heavier gun like mine a few things are going to have to be reinforced (and a bigger pouch added) but for something like a J-frame snub, Bersa380 or the like it's almost "good to go" as is. Just add a cheapo nylon pocket holster of some sort for less than $10, or make one yourself, graft it inside the main pocket, stiffen the flap and possibly ditch the velcro in the flap (which supplements the snap closure), good to go.

The waist and thigh straps are amazingly good, well designed and angled, wider than you'd expect, good quality buckles. The cordura grade used is on the thin side, but still not what I'd call "weak". For heavier use like I plan, reinforcement at the rear in a manner that's not going to be visible is very doable.

I'll be doing a much more complete report later and I'll send notes back to the designer on what would be needed to really bring it up to spec as a holster. I would guesstimate the price would jump from $25 to maybe $35/$40-ish, but still, that's not bad.
 
Id wear it at the food court when i meet my Security buddies for lunch.They sure do get hungery protecting everyones life from the bad guys that could be under a clothes rack when you least expect it.But they probably already own 2 and have had them custom fit and modified to carry thier MP5 mags and an apple.
 
I thought the Grabit Pack was some sort of thigh holster until I started to read.

The Safepacker looks like it could be something for medical purposes.

I think it's funny that the purpose built holster looks less like one than the multipurpose thigh rig.
 
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