Concealed Carry Corner: Off-Body Carry With Viktos Concealment Bags

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at some common carry guns and ranked them based on their firepower, mobility and capacity. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I’ve had a few requests to look at various off-body carry bags and a few people asked about the Viktos concealment bags. I've used these bags for over a year now and figured it would be a good time to check them out. If you are interested in different bags, I have also written about the Falco off-body bags. Let's take a closer look at the Viktos concealment bags.

Why Off-Body?

One of the biggest questions when I talk about off-body carry is why use that carry style when you can carry on your person the majority of the time. When the hot summer months approach, and the weather starts to hit the 90-degree mark, it can be almost impossible to carry a full-size handgun, let alone a larger firearm with attachments on it. There have been plenty of times I’ve wanted a larger handgun on me, but with the hotter temperatures, especially in humid climates, it can be almost impossible to carry a heavier full-size firearm without chafing and rubbing your skin raw.

During the hot months, having a larger firearm can be way more fatiguing than during colder times throughout the year. When your body starts to sweat, it increases the skin’s sensitivity, which allows the contact with your gun to rub your skin. These sensitive areas can result in hot spots, creating a ton of discomfort. Having your firearm in a discreet carry bag can be the answer to being properly armed while remaining comfortable all day long. If you want to throw something a bit larger, like an MP5K, that's also an option.

Viktos CCW Counteract Bags

When it comes to the CCW Counteract bags from Viktos, I have been using these bags for roughly a year now with success. There are two very different sizes between their Counteract CCW Slingbag and their Counteract 15 Backpack. The smaller sling bag is a minimalist bag that you can throw a full-size handgun, as well as a few medical supplies and everyday items into. You can't put anything larger than a handgun in the sling bag, but the Counteract 15 Backpack has enough room for an HK MP5K or SIG Sauer McX Rattler with a short 20-round magazine. The backpack is more of a traditional bag, but certainly is versatile as far as fitting smaller PDWs inside of it without being over cumbersome.

Both the bags I purchased were grey instead of tactical colors to remain as practical as possible while not looking like a gun bag. The CCW Counteract Slingbag is basically only for a handgun, with the bottom section being zippered for everyday items or extra ammo. The Counteract 15 Backpack has a section for everyday items as well as a laptop section, with an entirely different section for your concealed handgun. The main section is where you can fit larger firearms like the PDWs into, or there's plenty of room for your daily items to fit inside the bag as well. Both bags have their purpose, and there are certainly benefits to both bags depending on your needs.

Backpack vs Sling Bag

There are two very different ways of thinking when it comes to bag usage. The first style is a smaller single strap sling bag just to carry the bare essentials. These are great for just having your firearm off your waistline without having hot spots or getting the rubbing that can be really unpleasant after a hot day. These are extremely fast to draw from since they can be swung around and opened in one fast motion. The backpacks are slower to get into, whereas the sling bags don't have to be taken off in order to get your handgun out quickly. Out of the two options, sling bags have limited space but are faster to draw from than traditional backpacks.

Backpacks are the best in terms of storage and maximizing your gear without having anything visible or feeling overwhelmed in your pockets. Backpacks give you the ability to carry not only a concealed handgun but also your everyday items without feeling like you need to compromise either section. If you want to carry medical supplies, spare magazines, flashlights or any other EDC tool you may need, a backpack will certainly be a better option than a sling bag. The biggest issue with backpacks, like I mentioned earlier, is the time it takes to get the bag off your back and draw your firearm in an emergency. Sling bags can be thrown around your body, where you need to physically take a two-strap backpack off before getting access to your firearm. Both of these styles certainly have their benefits, but what it really boils down to is whether or not speed or capacity is important when looking for a bag.

Overall Thoughts

Figuring out what you need out of an off-body carry bag can be tricky, depending on your carry gun and what you’d like to do with the bag. For me, it was easier to pick up both bags and use them for different uses, but if you’re someone who only wants to pick up one concealment bag, it may boil down to whether or not you want speed or space to be your biggest priority. There are certain days when the sling bag is all I need and it's an easy carry, where other days I can use the backpack like an everyday bag with a handgun inside the hidden compartment.

I love these setups and the full-length velcro panels make it easy to set up. I may write up a full review of these bags later on, so if you'd like to see that, be sure to comment below. If you have questions about carry bags or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.

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