Fitness and firearms are both aimed at preserving your life. One prevents heart disease and the other fends off ne’er-do-wells who intend to harm.
I’ve recently undertaken a new workout regime called Tactical Barbell, specifically the Conditioning program. That program involves weight lifting and long-state aerobic exercises. I’m going for long runs and hikes, and I want to be armed. I had specific goals to achieve and met those goals with a crossover of the Safariland Schema and 5.11 Tactical Skyweight Chest Rig.
The Schema is a minimalist IWB/AIWB holster with a lightweight, skeletonized design. It’s my go-to holster for carrying my SIG P365XL. It’s super comfy, easy to carry, and accommodates my optic.
The 5.11 Tactical Skyweight Chest Rig is designed to be what’s essentially a fanny pack strapped to your chest.
My Problem and My Goals
I live in a state where concealed carry is necessary, so my first goal was to find a way to carry a concealed firearm. Second, I wanted to carry something that was still a very capable defensive gun.
I started with my KelTec P32, and since it weighs 6.6 ounces, it was very easy to carry while working out. However, the P32 is tough to shoot accurately. Imagine if I was exhausted and trying to shoot the P32. It would be even more challenging to shoot.
Therefore, I wanted a bigger gun, one with an optic. With that in mind, the P365XL seemed perfect. With its 12-round magazines and Holosun EPS, the P365XL provides me with a very capable and easy-to-shoot pistol.
So, how do I carry it? Tucking the Schema into my waistband presents a problem. First, I don’t want to be chafed by my gun and holster after a four-mile run. Second, it would soaked with sweat 10 minutes in, making it tough to grab, not to mention it would need a deep cleaning. Third, I’d have to wear shorts with a belt, which isn’t comfy for running.
When hiking, I carry between 35 and 50 pounds in a pack. The pack has a waistband, which kills any ability to carry inside the waistband. I also don’t want to carry a gun in my waistband for miles of hiking.
Fanny packs work okay but tend to start getting floppy and bounce around too much, especially with a gun roughly the size of the P365XL. It was looking at fanny packs that I discovered the 5.11 Tactical Skyweight Utility Chest Pack.
Putting It All Together
The Skyweight Utility Chest Pack, hereafter called the Skyweight, offers three zippered pockets and one open front pocket. 5.11 includes a rearmost CCW pocket lined with an internal loop on one side and elastic bands on the other. You can get a velcro-based holster retainer. It’s a loop with a hook backing.
Normally, the Schema clip would attach over your belt and put the gun inside your waistband. The holster retainer attaches to the Skyweight pack and provides a loop for the Schema clip to mount over. The Schema sits between the loop and adapter, with the belt clip secured over the loop.
The holster retainer can be adjusted to sit at nearly any angle, allowing you to position it just right for a quick and easy draw. The Schema locks over the loop with absolute ease and secures the weapon quite well inside the Skyweight.
The Schema features excellent passive retention with a dedicated click that gives you excellent peace of mind. The Schema’s minimalist, single-clip design made it perfect for the Skyweight setup.
The Skyweight’s rearmost pouch comes with two ‘hot’ pulls. You have a left and right one that makes the pack ambidextrous. The hot pulls prevent the pack from fully closing, and the zippers meet them on each side. You grab these tabs and pull them forward to defeat the zippers rapidly and access your gun in seconds.
On The Draw
The holster retainer securely holds the Schema without a problem, and you can quickly remove the gun from the holster and get it on target. With this setup, I draw the same way I would from a shoulder holster. My nondominant hand gets up and out of the way, and my dominant hand draws the gun.
With practice, it only takes me a few seconds to draw. Within three seconds, I can get a round on target. It’s not as fast as appendix carry, but it’s not bad for a less-than-normal carry method.
The fastest way I found to draw was to use the left hand to grab the right hot pull. Pull the hot tab like you’re opening a parachute, and the compartment flies open.
Grab the gun with your right hand and send your support hand elbow up and out of the way. Pull the gun, and once it’s oriented down range, your support hand assumes its position. The Schema gives up the gun without complaint.
Carrying a Load
The Skyweight Chest Rig keeps things comfy by locking the pack down to the body with four straps. Two go over the shoulders, and two go around the body. These straps are adjustable and make it possible to get a good tight fit, allowing the rig to support the weight of the gun and more without it bouncing around and being a huge hassle.
The Skyweight locks down on my body and doesn’t rub or irritate me when I run or hike. The Schema and P365XL are well-supported and aren’t deterring me from running or hiking. I’m comfy but armed and ready.
The Skyweight now carries more than a gun. I only keep my gun in the CCW compartment, but the other slots are home to my essentials. The second pocket features a mesh divider and a series of small pockets. I’ve loaded an MKC WarGoat knife into one pocket for a quick-access defensive tool.
I also carry my wallet, my keys, and my phone inside the Skyweight. Even with this additional weight the Skyweight chest rig remains comfortable and easy to carry. The Schema and P365XL sit nicely in the rear pocket without any issue from the gear in my front pocket.
Getting Fit
I’m working hard to ditch the dad bod and doing it mostly along trails in the middle of nowhere. For that reason, I don’t want to go alone. The SIG, the Schema, and the Skyweight Chest Pack form a companion that allows me to defend myself without disrupting my run or hike. This combination rocks if you need a comfortable, steady, supportive setup.
