Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting 1911 Commander holster for backpacking

I’m taking my daughter on a week long backpacking trip in early June and wanting to carry my 1911 Commander. Wondering if there is a good holster y’all could suggest

I’m right handed and was thinking of a cross-draw arrangement that works with backpack straps.

Any suggestions would be welcome thanks so much!

I have one of these that I use when carrying a backpack. Great product made by good people.
Patrick
https://gunfightersinc.com/kenai-chest-holster/

Hill People Gear Kit Bag chest rig.

Have two, love them and better than a cross draw in the woods, in my opinion.

https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1

If the above options don't work for you take a look at these: https://talonretention.com/Store/tabid/4232/Default.aspx#!/Delta-Series-Holster/p/90549660/category=24608544

I use this holster for my G20 set up in cross draw configuration. I added another hole in the blank space between the existing holes(centered) and drilled one of the loops in the appropriate spot which allowed the belt loops to be arranged in a cross draw. I use a standard belt on my pants/shorts while hiking and the back pack waste band fits below/under/behind? the holster when I pull my pants up a bit. It carries the G20 well and is still attached when I take the back pack off. I also modified it by cutting down the sweat/shirt guard to help with proper grip during pistol draw.

I have several other holsters by Talon and they all work well. I did have to heat up a couple just a bit to loosen them since they were a little too tight on the pistol for my liking but an easy fix with a hair dryer and a few minutes time.
Worth a look.

I use the Gun Fighter with a Glock and works well. I am able to use it with a chest bino harness.

Saw this recently. No experience, but looking interesting
https://alpineproducts.com/product/pistol-slicker-chest-and-leg-harness-conceals-and-protects/

I'm doing the same research right now. I am living in the east (PA) so I am leaning toward the Hill People sack rather than the Kenai so the gun is hidden from view. I am legally allowed to carry but don't see the need to draw attention to myself on the trail. I mostly hike sections of the AT and local trails, so I am passing a lot of people every day. I have a Chesty Puller from Simply Rugged for a Mountain Gun and like it pretty well, the Kenai seems like a better all-weather option.

Razco!

The HPG chest rig allows me to have a Glock 45 nearby and ready, and does not give away any tactical advantage by showing I’m armed, and how.

I love me some tactical advantage and I’m not giving any away.

I have been using an HPG recon for several years. Very comfortable under pack straps and fast access. I wear mine lower than they show in their vids and use a Raven trigger cover which attaches to the inside of the main compartment. in bear country I can unzip to the bottom of the left side and it remains closed and discrete.

mike r

The HPG Recon will fit a 5" N Frame, a 1911, G17, etc. Like Mike R, I tend to wear mine a bit lower when I have a gun in it for faster access, and position the zippers in a manner that allow rapid acquisition.



Depending on the location will depend on what I choose for a handgun, or even if I choose to carry a handgun in the pack, versus on my hip. The pack is quite handy, and I tend to use mine as a chest rig sometimes for other purposes. Great piece of gear.

Not necessarily a backpacking rig, but for comfort in CCW Commander carry, I've never been able to beat Milt Sparks Versa-Max II.

https://www.miltsparks.com/products-versa-max-2.php

Fremont: How do you get to the sidearm when the pack waist belt is fastened?

I like the El Paso Saddlery 1942 Tanker but it is not concealable unless you wear a jacket or shirt over it.

Was poking around on his site, and ended up grabbing one of his V1 IWB holsters. Great product, and delivered quickly. Not terribly applicable to this topic, but thanks for the recommendation.

Great guy and great products. You must of caught him while he was home! I know he has been backlogged because of the virus messing up his rotation.

I really like the design of these. I'm thinking of getting one for myself and one for my son. My son has a full size 1911, so for him the runner's kit bag, but I carry a commander. Will the commander fit the snubby kit bag OK, or do you think I should get the full size bag as well?

I have a runner's and heavy recon. Never seen a snubby, but I would guess a commander would fit. Shoot them an email, they can tell you for sure. I would probably end up with a runners in your shoes, just because I don't see the downside.

I ordered a snubby, so I'll see if the Commander fits. If it's too small for my needs, I'll give it to my daughter. She runs and hikes a lot and her Shield should fit it fine.

Well, almost. The snubby will go to my daughter for the Shield.

I like the leg carry option on this one. With my pack rigging and bino chest harness, my torso is already quite busy.

I carry a DW 10mm commander in the woods often. Usually in a Galco pancake style holster. The pancake style works surprisingly well under a pack hip belt. The hip belt actually helps hold the holster in place. Second choice would be a Miami classic style shoulder holster. I can't stand the chest rigs, they almost create a clausterphobic feeling for me, and you can't use the chest strap on the backpack with them either. The leg holster...you go right ahead SWAT guy. I tried and learned that lesson 20 years ago. No way would I walk 100 yards with one of those dangling, flopping around on my thigh, creeping up and cinching the twins.

Extremely poor choice of backpacking sidearm.

Backpacking demands you use your head regarding how much needless weight you carry. Choose something lighter.

horsechit......

Good God you weight weenies kill me. I have been carrying a full size 1911 for years without any issues. There are better places to save weight if needed. I can't tell you the difference between my Glock G20 and my 1911, I know there is a difference but damned if I could tell.

What does that have to do with backpacking?

What doesn't it have to do with backpacking????? Seeing it is what I carry when backpacking. And I am in the backcountry a lot.

Dave at Diamond D makes beautiful leather chest holsters for about $175. He just opened a spinoff company making holsters for the nylon crowd. They're $89 each. He makes solid gear.

Leather



Nylon

Not sure how my fat old azz packs these tanks into the backcountry. But I do love the Razco FHF combo.

Thank you for clarifying your earlier post.

It was always pretty clear as we are in the Backpack Hunting Thread and the heading is 1911 Commander holster for backpacking!

I have had alot of success with Simply Rugged Chesty Puller System. I mostly use it to carry a Ruger Blackhawk or SW 69. It is compatible with most of their holsters to include those for 1911's.. I use their sourdough pancake holster for the revolvers and go back and forth between belt carry or attach to the Chesty Puller harness. Kind of nice that one holster gives you multiple carry options.

https://www.simplyrugged.com/ecomme...on-System.cfm?item_id=160&parent=672

Holy chest rig Montana, that's a lot of stuff on your chest. You can carry a sandwich and a gun.

Just Bino's and a Pistol. But I like sandwiches!

I know this post is a little old, but I personally use a Blackhawk Serpa Level 2 drop-leg rig for my 1911 commander frame (Kimber Pro CDP II). Being attached to my leg, it's still with me when I remove the pack for breaks or when I reach camp. Being a level 2 holster, I don't worry about it falling out of the holster if I trip, and it's a little more difficult for someone to try and take from me. You also have the option of attaching two more accessories (mag pouches, pepper spray holsters, knife holsters, flashlight holsters). About the only bad think about the holster is it really doesn't have room for any rail-mounted equipment if you have it. I have mine in coyote tan to look a little less obvious since I wear khaki or tan color pants when backpacking on non-hunting trips.

^^^This^^^

A pancake holster works well with a commander 1911.

Yep. I’ve packed either a Glock 20 or full size Kimber 1911 in 10mm a lot of miles while bow hunting over the years.
Couldn’t tell any difference either.