Should I Carry a Gun While Hiking?

  • by Casy Smith
Should I Carry a Gun While Hiking?

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If you’re longing for the fresh air, beautiful sights and calming sounds of nature, you may be planning for your next hiking trip. After all, a little time outside can truly do a body good. Some studies have connected potential health benefits to spending time outdoors in green spaces. Time away from everyday life and stress can help you feel your best. 

However, if you’re planning a hiking or camping trip with friends or family and want to carry your firearm with you, you need to know what the concealed carry laws are at your destination and have the appropriate gear. Outdoor adventures require preparation, so it’s no surprise that concealed carry prep is essential to your trip too.

Keep reading to learn how to prepare for concealed carry on your next hike. 

*Remember: This is not legal advice. Always consult local law enforcement for more information on firearm carry policies in your area or areas you plan to travel to. Compliance with local laws is essential.*

Should I Carry a Gun While Hiking?

When you obtain your concealed carry license, you put a lot of time and effort into learning how to carry your firearm discreetly and defend yourself in a life-or-death situation. After dedicating a substantial amount of time to learning the ins and outs of life with a concealed carry weapon (CCW), you want to carry as often as possible. 

While it’s easier to get accustomed to a CCW in your daily routine, carrying in a foreign environment, like a state park trail, has a learning curve and may require adjustments. When you start prepping for your trip, you need to read up on the rules and regulations of the area you plan to explore. 

Rules can vary based on who or what owns the property and the local and state laws of the hiking trail or campsite. 

Should I Carry A Gun While Hiking at a State or National Park?

National and state parks generally follow state and local regulations regarding parks and firearms. It’s crucial to not only check the state and park’s rules regarding firearms but also to check your concealed carry license reciprocity in the state that you are traveling to. 

If you visit a national park, you cannot have a firearm when entering a visitor center or other service buildings. Carrying a gun into federal buildings without written consent is prohibited. If you decide to concealed carry on a hiking trail at a state or national park, it’s a good idea to make sure your hiking setup will keep your firearm completely concealed. 

Hiking requires climbing and stretching in ways you may not be used to in your normal routine. When you reach for a handhold, the last thing you want is for someone to accuse you of brandishing a firearm. Let’s dig into how you can keep your gun tucked away while hiking.

Should I Carry a Gun When Hiking?: Finding the Right Gear

If you’ve verified you can concealed carry at the park you’re hiking, you still need to make sure you have the best setup to keep your firearm secure and out of sight. If your normal concealed carry gear is made for long days at the office or in indoor settings, you will need your gear to keep your firearm hidden and secure while walking long distances outdoors. 

It’s tempting to wear your old gym shorts and t-shirt and call it a day before hitting the trail. However, you should think through your setup to make sure you can carry your normal firearm. While you want to stay light and comfortable for your hike, you also want to make sure your firearm won’t swing or become revealed to others on the trail. Maintaining firearm safety should be paramount to your outfit and holster. 

Here are a few clothing items and concealed carry holster options that may work for your needs. 

  • A long, loose-fitting fishing shirt, t-shirt or windbreaker- If you normally carry a larger caliber firearm, you may need an outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster with a pair of sturdy hiking shorts and a belt. OWB holsters tend to add some stability to your firearm’s position but are more conspicuous than inside-the-waistband holsters. A long, loose-fitting shirt will help cover your firearm in most places. 
  • A solid pair of hiking shorts- Regardless of your firearm position, it’s a great idea to wear a pair of reliable hiking shorts that are sturdy enough to support the weight of your firearm. A solid pair of hiking shorts can also help reduce the outline of your concealed firearm, also known as “printing.” 
  • A belly band holster- A belly belt is a flexible band that goes around your entire waist or abdomen with an IWB holster attached. These holsters allow you to wear more athletic clothing and clothing without a belt. 
  • A pocket holster- If you plan to wear a pair of hiking shorts with cargo or large hip pockets, a pocket holster may keep your firearm more secure than a waistband. This selection is ideal if you carry a small handgun. 
  • A bag holster in a fanny pack or backpack- If you are planning a multi-day hiking trip, look at holstering options that are off of your body completely. It’s essential to note that when you use a bag holster, you are losing control of the position of your firearm. However, this option may provide relief from the physical fatigue of carrying a firearm when you are hiking long distances. It’s essential to get a bag holster that will cover your firearm’s trigger and keep it securely in place. 

The most important thing you can do before going on your hike is to test any new equipment or clothing you plan to use when concealed carrying. You want to make sure it works before you step foot on the trail. 

Find the Perfect Concealment Option for Your Home

Keeping your firearm concealed and secure is as essential at home as it is on your hikes. Whether you want to stage firearms around your home or you are simply looking for a flexible storage option, Liberty Home Concealment’s product lineup of concealment furniture, flags and decor can help you accomplish both. Our products are handmade in America to ensure quality when you need them. 

Have questions about our product lineup? Visit our contact page to contact one of our team members who can help you make the best purchasing decision for your needs. 

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Hanging instructions for the Patriot Wall Shelf

Factors to consider befor you start

Installing a Patriot wall shelf can be a very simple project but there are several factors that you need to understand. our shelves have been designed to work with standard pine 2X4 construction that was 16" on center. Because they were designed around the 16" on center pine 2X4 framed walls that is the process for our instructions. Installing the shelves on amy other type of wall is done at your risk. Liberty Home Concealment does not advise you to attempt installing your shelf onto amy other type of wall.

Understanding what is beneath your walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of hanging a shelf on your wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install the shelf on the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning yur shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority.

Safety First

As a consurmer of Liberty Home Concealment, it is a safe assumption that you are a gun owner. Liberty Home Concealment sincerely hopes that you have a great grasp of the concept of SAFETY FIRST. The installation of our shelves requires several steps and we highly recommend that you have a friend help you with the installation. This is very important as the size and moving parts of the shelves can make the installation very cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a single person to accomplish by themselves. So please, we urge you to get some help. Secondly, proper tools that are in good serviceable condition are a must. Please use your tools in a manner consistent with the manufacturers intended use. Using proper tools can make the installation quick, simple and enjoyable. But most importantly, SAFE. So, save yourself the trouble and use the proper tools.

CAUTION!!

Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY and even DEATH!

Tools that should be considered for a safe proper installation

Stud finder, Tape measure, Pencil, Level, Electric screw driver, and Safety glasses.

Step 1

Confirm your desired wall has adequate support by finding the studs with the stud finder. Also, remove the foam insert until later instruction. Mark your stud locations and transfer those measurement onto your shelf. Drill pilot holes through shelf in marked locations. We recommend using a 1/8" or 3/16" bit for the pilot hole. A hole too big will allow the screw to pull right through the back of the shelf. That would be bad. And unnecessary. Please use the proper drill bit. Depending on your wall you should be able to locate at least two studs to anchor your shelf into for maximum strength. Some walls may even allow for three studs to be anchored into. The shelf MUST use at LEAST (2) pine 2X4 studs and the shelf bracket's to fully support the finished loaded weight.

Step 2

With the help of a friend, and using a level and your original measurements hold the shelf in its desired location and transfer the pilot hole locations to the wall. You should be using a minimum of two studs for this step. Each stud receiving (3) screw locations. Two internally, and the other two in the brackets on top. For now, only focus on marking the internal locations. Mark the four internal screw holes. Make sure to hold your shelf nice and level for this step or yur final installation will be crooked.

Step 3

With the help of a friend, hold the shelf into its' mounting location. Line up the holes in the shelf with the marks in your wall and your wall anchors, and install the six long wood screws into the wall. Four into two different studs, and two into the wall anchors.

Step 4

Installing the shelf brackets to the TOP of your shelf. At this point your shelf is attatched to the wall but it is not ready for any weight. Please DO NOT ADD ANY WEIGHT until you have firmly mounted and anchored your brackets into the top. Have your friend help you support the weight of the shelf until you can get the brackets tightly mounted to the desired location on your wall studs. Again, use two studs. Do not add weight to your shelf either inside, or on top, until both brackets are fully installed. Using the supplied 3/4" screws attach brackets to the top of the shelf and 2 of the longer screws for the stud attachment.

Step 5

Unlocking your shelf. Use your magnetic key to locate and unlock the bottom of the shelf. Do this while the shelf is open so you can see what is going on. You may even want ot make two small marks on the bottom of the shelf if it helps you to locate the pickup. It will take a little practice to find the location of the magnetic pick up but you will find it. Make sure you aren't inadvertently trying to unlock the gas damper. Once the location of the lock pickup is located, the magnet will hold itself in place. However, the shelf will not fully disengage the locks until you release the pressure on the locks by lifting the shelf slightly upward with a simple squeeze of your hands. Once you hear the audible clicks of the locks disengaging you can slowly open the shelf allowing the gas damper to lower the shelf to its resting stop.

Concealment Picture Frame Installation Instructions

Consider What is Beneath Your Walls

Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of cutting a hole in a wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install this item in the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning your shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority. CAUTION!! Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY or even DEATH!!

Recommended Tools

These tools are not required to install your Liberty Home Concealment picture freame however they will help with the installation process. Stud Finder, tape measure, level, pencil, jigsaw, circular saw, keyhole saw, Sawzall, drill/driver, inspection mirror, flashlight and a second set of hands to help with marking your wall before cutting. These products were designed to work with "standard" 2X4 construction that was framed on 16" centers.

Step 1

Acquire all the tools to complete the job. Do not forget about proper personal protective gear.

Step 2

Confirm that your wall space is empty!! Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death!

Step 3

Clean your work area around your desired install location. Cover any furniture with a tarp, drop cloth, or painter's plastic to aid in quick easy cleanup.

Step 4

Use a stud finder to locate the space between two studs. Confirm that you have 14.5" between the two stud edges before marking and cutting your walls.

Step 5

The back box of your picture frame is the size you need to make your hole. Hold picture frame tight against the wall and use your level to ensure frame is sitting level against the wall. On smaller sized picture frames such as 5"X7" and 8"X10" you will fasten to both studs. While holding the picture frame tight against the wall while checking for level and trace around the outside perimeter of the picture frames back box.

Step 6

Before cutting the entire wall opening Liberty Home Concealment recommends that you cut a small hole within the area that wil become the full-size hole. This is done to check and confirm your wall is truly clear of obstructions inside the wall such as electrical wiring plumbing. It's much easier to patch a small hole vs repairing a large hole because you got ahead of yourself. Do not skip this step!!

Step 7

Once you are sure that there are no obstacles inside your cut area, cut the full rectangle that you have marked previously. Remove drywall cutout away from the wall.

Step 8

Slide your new insert/picture frame into the hole you just cut.

Step 9

Use the supplied screws to fasten to the stud or studs that run up the sides of the rear of the box. On smaller frames box will only fasten to the stud you biased your hole towards.

Picture Installation

1. Lay frame face down on soft surface such as a towel or blanket. 2. Hold firmly and slide picture frame in to the open position. 3. Remove four metal picture retainer clips, if clips are tight use a flat bladed screw driver to wiggle free. 4. Remove wood backer noard and lay picture onto glass. Making sure of proper orientation. 5. Reinstall backer board and 4 retaining clips. 6. Slide picture frame closed and enjoy!

Wall maunting instructions for Freedom Series Coat Rack

Recommendation

Liberty Home Concealmemt does not recommend the use of hollow wall anchors to mount larger items on your walls. While anchors may provide sufficient holding capability, Liberty Home Concealment recommends attaching directly to the studs located inside your wall to ensure the most secure level of attachment.

Step 1

Choose the desired location of the item you are wanting to mount your coat rack.

Step 2

Once you have your ideal location use a stud finder to locate 2 studs in your wall that will support your coat rack. Mark the location of each stud's center with a pencil. Use a nail to confirm stud has been located.

Step 3

Hold product against wall and use level to make sure it is even. Use a friend to help hold level while transferring stud location marks to inside of product to be mounted. Tip: Remember the adage "Measure twice cut once." That same rule applies when making holes in your walls.

Step 4

Check that product is plumb and level before securing. Once proper placement is achieve fasten first screw through product and into stud. Re check for level and attach second screw into next stud.

Step 5

Step back and admire your handy work. Now get started filling your piece of concealment furniture with all the items you are wanting to keep stored securely out of sight. ENJOY!!

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