Have you thought about Campus Carry options? Unfortunately in our day and age shootings at public venues like shopping malls, markets and schools are becoming all too common. In this time of steady unrest and the possibility of violence some colleges and school districts are allowing their staff to take steps to legally arm themselves while on campus. This rise in conceal carry weapons permit holders in particular has actually brought up a very important topic of conversation. What is the best way to CCW and blend in at a school or college campus and not stand out like a sore thumb? That was the inspiration for this article that we have aptly named The Arms Guides recommendation for the “Perfect Campus Carry Set Up”

There are some out there that will say just use an inside the waist band holster or open carry and be done with it. In some climates and especially office or corporate cultures this isn’t exactly easy. When making this article we tried to use a broad-based approach that would work well in warm climates like on the beach while wearing shorts and no jacket, and in the office or campus setting where the culture might be more conservative or reserved. We put together this simple set up that in composed of four components that we feel will provide the user the most flexibility, while still offering first-rate protection from attackers.

Image:Vertx.Com

Component one:  Vertx Gamut or Gamut Plus Backpack

We chose to list two backpacks here because they are similar in many regards with the exception of the Gamut Plus being slighter larger at 35 liters than the regular Gamut model which is listed at 28 liters capacity. The backpacks don’t scream out “tacticool” and are not covered in webbing and don’t come in the normal Coyote Tan, Olive Drab or some other color that doesn’t blend in with most of society. The Vertx bags come in muted colors that at first glance looks like any other normal plain backpack, they are designed to blend not stand out in the crowd. At first glance they appear to look like 99% of other backpacks that are on campus or in a corporate setting , but with a little bit of a twist in the form of a secret, that only the wearer will know about.

The Gamut line of backpacks features a full length concealed compartment that is designed to be used in conjunction with the Vertx Tactigami holsters and accessories to allow the user to discreetly carry a handgun, holster and spare magazine while not changing the capacity of the backpack or causing the gun to change the profile of the pack. I have been using this pack for over a month and have taken it on several cross-country trips and so far the pack is amazing. Aside from the secret squirrel firearms compartment the backpack features all of the normal backpack features such as a sternum strap, waist belt, and a wide array of both internal and external pouches that are all secured with a heavy-duty zipper.

The pack also features an internal pouch that comfortably holds my 15” Apple MacBook Pro. The pouch runs the full length of the pack and features a soft tight woven cloth material that helps reduce scratching the surface of anything placed in it. The attributes of the pouch are nice but the fact it’s there in the first place is nice because it not only holds a lap top secure with no scratching or abrasive surfaces but allows a spot to hold our next component in the Perfect Campus Carry Set Up.

Image:Angel Armor
Notice the size of the plate in relation to the average backpack

Component two: Ally One by Angel Armor

In a combat environment heavy ballistic plate is part of the normal load out, but in an office or school campus setting it is ridiculous to think that it’s a viable option. Enter the Ally One special purpose armor plate by Angel Armor. The Ally One is 0.23” thick and weights 0.85 lbs. The 9”x12” plate is rated to Level IIIA for threat protection and has been proven to stop a wide range of 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and even .44 Magnum handgun rounds. It designed to be inserted in backpacks, briefcases and laptop bags. The plate is waterproof and rated for multiple strikes of the listed handgun calibers.