Running/jogging with CHL

[TexasVet]

Hi all,

With the weather starting to get nice again, I decided that I need to shed a few pounds and want to start running. Does anyone run and carry at the same time. What do you use ? I will not be sprinting, but do not want to have a gun bouncing around a fanny pack or have to wear a thick leather belt to hold up a holster. Any suggestions from people who actually run/jog with their concealed weapon would be appreciated. Thanks

[The Annoyed Man]

Oddly, there is no video available of it on the 'net, but Jack Black, in Tropic Thunder, teaches us that it is possible to run around like crazy, and then produce a previously concealed full sized 1911 from within one's bikini briefs. If you've seen the movie, you'll know the scene I'm talking about.

Have you considered that option?

[mr.72]

Depending on the weather and clothing you are wearing, you might be able to use a Smartcarry. I would hate to do that myself.

I think this is a perfect chance to use a P32 with a clip.

[Kalrog]

Camelbak - waist mounted one. Or belly band.

[bdickens]

Belly band or a belt pack.

[LCP_Dogg]

Depending on the weather and clothing you are wearing, you might be able to use a Smartcarry. I would hate to do that myself.

I think this is a perfect chance to use a P32 with a clip.

+1 for P32, P3AT, or better, the Ruger LCP

[bryang]

I vote for the LCP....however, don't get one that the serial number starts with 370.

-geo

[flb_78]

I vote for the LCP....however, don't get one that the serial number starts with 370.

-geo

On the contrary, get an early one. You will get a free magazine here soon.

[bryang]

That's true, a free mag and a tune up to go with it!!

-geo

[mr.72]

Does Ruger actually include the rose-colored glasses with their pistols, or are those extra?

I agree they are nifty guns but nowhere near the hype vs. the original: Kel-Tec. At least, consider the Kel-Tec as an alternative. They have shipped many hundreds of thousands of them and have gone through numerous revisions. If I had to carry something running it'd be a P32 anyway.

Of course, you could go whole hog, and get a Kahr P380. Maybe that'll be the next big hype .380! It may actually be measurably better than a Kel-Tec.

[fenster]

Camelbak - waist mounted one. Or belly band.

yep. I run with my LCP in one of these:


no problems. plus it holds a few drinks of water, your keys and ipod.

[Kalrog]

That is the one I have. Good for marathons+

[pharvey]

I used to run regularly with my glock 23 in a smart carry. No problems whatsoever. I havn't run since i got my glock 27. I anticipate no problems.

[NcongruNt]

I suppose it depends on the weather you're going out in as well.

I've been quite happy with my LCP in a 5.11 Holster shirt. There are some caveats to this setup, as I've noted in other posts.

The holster shirt holds a small gun quite well, though it prints some, and I definitely wouldn't jog with it alone - you need some sort of cover garment. It is made of nice breathable material, so it is considerably cooler than an ordinary shirt. The other problem you run into (as with most carry options while doing physical work) is sweat. While the holster shirt has padding between the pistol and you to mitigate this somewhat, if you're in a situation where you're sweating profusely, your gun will get exposed to sweat. This is my experience with my LCP while carrying it for several days while doing physical outdoor work without cleaning and oiling between days. The end result was rust on the slide and exposed external area of the barrel/chamber where the ejection port is. The original post is here: http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... hilit=rust" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . I have since removed the rust and treated the barrel and slide with Microlon Gun Juice to deal with this better, and make sure to clean and oil regularly to prevent the return of rust. If I'm doing something particularly sweaty for more than a few hours on a given day, I opt for pocket carry in a pocket holster instead of the holster shirt. I've only had rust return at the crevice along the side of the front sight, and that was likely because I didn't completely get all of it there in the first round of rust removal.

If you're going to be jogging in cold weather with a sweatshirt of some sort, this would probably be a good setup, as long as you make sure to clean and oil your gun between jogging sessions. Some sort of stainless gun (like a light snubby) would make this a non-issue, thought you should still take care to clean the gun regularly - stainless can still rust, given enough exposure to sweat. A zip-up sweatshirt (for quick access) or light jogging jacket (or something similar for cover), lightweight gun and a holster shirt underneath would make a fairly ideal setup for this kind of situation, IMO. It keeps the pistol tight to your body and immediately accessible for draw. On sizing, I've found that ordering a size down from what they recommend gives the shirt a good fit (acting like a compression shirt) and gives the gun a more snug fit. Then again, I think most men in their target market with 52" chests are... proportioned differently. I have a large frame with considerable muscle mass, and I'd venture to say that the sizing for 52" chests (actually, 51" is their biggest) makes considerable allocation for midsection mass. The 43-47 1/2" sizing fits my 52" chest and large frame beautifully.

I can't vouch personally for the Smartcarry, but some folks have given good reviews in exercise situations, so it may be something to look into. I guess it depends on what kind of shorts/pants you're going to be wearing. I personally wouldn't want to deal with a fanny pack when running, and would much prefer some sort of on-body carry. A high-riding belly band and loose-fitting breathable shirt over the top would seem like a good solution, but you still run into the sweat issue.

A small pocket pistol pocket carried in shorts is also a possible solution, as long as your pockets are secure enough to keep it in there reliably. I've carried my LCP in cargo shorts before, but too much motion tends to jostle the orientation of the gun making a more difficult draw, unless the cargo pockets are narrow enough to keep it oriented properly.

[wheelgun1958]

+1 for the smartcarry. http://www.smartcarry.com/ It's as comfortable as any of my IWB holsters. I am currently sitting with my feet propped up with my S&W 4516-1 with spare mag with no discomfort. Jump, run, squat or whatever.