Concealed Carry Options: Crucial Concealment Covert OWB and Galco’s Fastrax Fanny Pack

CRUCIAL CONCEALMENT Covert OWB

Crucial Concealment’s Covert OWB checks off an awful lot of boxes. It’s made from 0.08-inch-thick Kydex that’s heat molded with a gentle curve for comfort and further refined by its flexible belt loops. The vacuum forming is flawless, conforming to our Glock 19 like tight jeans on Eva Mendes’ most noted asset. The belt clips are reversible for use with 1.5- or 1.75-inch belts, flipping over and swapping places to provide high or low ride height and zero to 15-degree forward cant.

The Covert is cut to accommodate slide-mounted optics, and a low sweat shield keeps moisture off your slide while preventing undershirts from jamming you up while holstering the pistol. Retention is positive and adjustable with a single screw, and the holster extends just below the muzzle and wraps around to protect the slide and barrel crown. In all, Crucial Concealment delivers a durable, comfortable, and close-fitting holster that we recommend without caveat. As impressive as the holster is, it took a mere three days from ordering online to delivery to our door.

• CRUCIAL CONCEALMENT Covert OWB
• Fits: Glock, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Taurus
• MSRP: $60
• URL: crucialconcealment.com

GALCO Fastrax

Notes: It won’t die, so we have to acknowledge the humble waist pack holster has earned its place. It’s a small place, usually dusty and near the back of the shop, but it’s there for those brave souls who just can’t tolerate a conventional, on-body holster.

The FasTrax is a far more refined option than sticking a Velcro-backed holster in a fanny pack. The main compartment contains a pivoting holster, which stands up to present the pistol with the pull of a cord that dangles from the side of the pack. The idea is that you unzip the pack with your firing hand while pulling the activation cord with your other hand. As the holster rotates the gun upward, you take a firing grip on the pistol and draw, pretty much as if you were carrying AIWB.

We like the concept, but the execution is a little concerning. The steerhide holster enclosed the trigger guard. But, even when adjusted properly using the provided screw and yoke adjustment system, it didn’t grip our P365XL strongly enough to keep it solidly in the holster. With enough jiggling, the pistol slides from side-to-side, about 3/4 inch of movement in and out of the holster mouth. Some pistols might fit more securely than others. But we’d like more retention for the holster. We’d love Galco to add a Velcro grip retention strap that’d break away during a draw, or a Vanguard-like trigger guard clip. Otherwise, despite being a little over engineered, it’s worth a look for nontraditional carry.

• Galco Gunleather Fastrax
• Fits: Universal for micro, sub-compact, and compact pistols, and revolvers; ambidextrous
• MSRP: $79
• URL: galcogunleather.com

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