5 Best Summer Carry Guns: Beat the Heat

Summer is that magical time when school is out, it’s warm outside, and we’re likely planning vacations, trips, and events.

With that in mind, some of those fun summer activities can greatly increase the difficulty when it comes to trying to concealed carry.

That brings us to our topic of today’s article — options and carry methods that allow you to stay armed regardless of where you are and what you’re doing.

THE QUICK LIST

1. Best for Road Trips

   Sig Sauer P365 Optics-Ready

   Jump to Details
2. Best for Camping

   Glock 20 Gen 5 MOS

   Jump to Details
3. Best for the Beach

   Seecamp LWS .32 ACP

   Jump to Details
4. Best for Fishing

   Taurus TX22 Compact

   Jump to Details
5. Best for Theme Parks and Water Parks

   Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0

   Jump to Details

Summer Carry Guns Comparison Chart

	Action	Caliber	Capacity	Barrel Length	Overall Length	Width	Height	Weight	Price
Sig Sauer P365	Semi-auto, striker-fired	9mm	10	3.1″	5.8″	1.0″	4.3″	17.8 oz.	$449
Glock 20 Gen 5	Semi-auto, striker-fired	10mm	15	4.61″	8.07″	1.38″	5.51″	29.81 oz.	$620
Seecamp LWS 32	DAO, hammer-fired	.32 ACP	6	2.06″	4.25″	0.86″	3.25″	11.5 oz.	$549
Taurus TX22 Compact	Semi-auto, striker-fired	.22LR	13	3.6″	6.7″	1.25″	4.9″	16.5 oz.	$229
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0	Semi-auto, striker-fired	.380 ACP	12	2.75″	5.5″	0.88″	4″	9.8 oz.	$399

Best Summer Carry Guns

1. Sig Sauer P365 – Best for Road Trips

Specs:

• Action: Semi-auto, striker-fired
• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 10
• Barrel Length: 3.1″
• Overall Length: 5.8″
• Width: 1.0″
• Height: 4.3″
• Weight: 17.8 oz.
• Country of Origin: USA

The great American road trip is a great way to see our diverse and wonderful country. We are a vast country with deserts and tundras, and even South Florida has tropical jungles.

If you want to see the country the old-fashioned way, load up your car and pack a Sig P365. Despite all the new micro-compacts out there, the P365 still reigns supreme.

Let’s remember that any concealed carrier needs to do a bit of research before they travel. Concealed carry laws vary by state, and you need to know what’s what before you cross state lines.

With that in mind, a big reason why I like the P365 is its 10-round magazines. The vast majority of states are okay with 10-round magazines.

If you cross a border with anything bigger than that, you might find yourself in hot water. Even if you come into a state that doesn’t allow concealed carry, you can always store the gun, but if magazines exceeding ten rounds are banned, the only way to comply is to leave them at the border!

The P365 runs quite well and won’t break the bank, either. It’s an affordable, easy-to-find firearm. Its small size lends itself to easy and comfortable carry, as well as a fast draw, which is critical when you’re stuck in a vehicle for hours at a time.

You can find plenty of holsters for the P365, more than just about any other gun. For road trips, I like to kick it old school and rock a shoulder holster, specifically a Galco Miami Classic 2 Shoulder Holster.

There are also newer versions of the P365 that are optics-ready. Being the best-selling handgun in the US means there is a massive aftermarket, so there are plenty of accessories like lights and lasers should you desire.

Check out our full review of the Sig P365!

2. Glock 20 MOS – Best for Camping

Specs:

• Action: Semi-auto, striker-fired
• Caliber: 10mm
• Capacity: 15
• Barrel Length: 4.61″
• Overall Length: 8.07″
• Width: 1.38″
• Height: 5.51″
• Weight: 29.81 oz.
• Country of Origin: Austria

I’m a big fan of camping. During my time in the Marine Corps, I was basically a professional homeless person, spending more time sleeping under the stars than under a roof. As a result, I developed a love for the great outdoors. My family…not so much.

Still, going camping is a great way to spend a warm summer night. You can hear the crickets and frogs and see the fireflies, and with our nation’s National Park system, you can see some wonderful sights.

Camping puts you out in the middle of nowhere and puts you facing threats that might be two-legged or four-legged, depending on your part of the country. Thankfully, most critters keep their distance, but as someone who’s been stuck in the bed of a truck due to a fairly aggressive hog, I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

For this reason, I think a 10mm is a great camping gun, and the best current production 10mm will be a Glock 20 MOS. The Glock 20 MOS is a large, full-sized gun that holds 15 rounds of 10mm.

What’s great about 10mm is the versatility of the available loadings. You can get soft shooting rounds for two-legged critters, hard cast full power rounds for the bigger beasts, and even a heavy load of rat shots to deal with snakes and other little creatures.

I have to deal with hogs and coyotes, and the 10mm is capable of taking either down should they get too close for comfort. The Glock 20 is a Glock through and through, meaning it’s simple and reliable.

Camping isn’t always clean, but the Glock 20 isn’t maintenance-heavy. It can get dirty and sweaty and still run like a sewing machine.

While there are other 10mm pistols, the Glock 20 has the most holster availability. If I’m camping, concealment likely isn’t a big deal, but state laws may vary. Either way, you can find a holster to fit a Glock 20.

Getting the optics-ready MOS of the Glock 20 is optional, but I’m an optics fan. Just get a good plate, and don’t use the junky stock Glock ones.

You can learn more about the performance in our hands-on review of the Gen 4 Glock 20!

3. Seecamp LWS 32 – Best for the Beach

Specs:

• Action: DAO, hammer-fired
• Caliber: .32 ACP
• Capacity: 6
• Barrel Length: 2.06″
• Overall Length: 4.25″
• Width: 0.86″
• Height: 3.25″
• Weight: 11.5 oz.
• Country of Origin: USA

I’m not going to lie to you. I hate the beach. It’s hot, sandy, and often crowded. Beach life isn’t for me. Maybe because I’m only ever 15 minutes from a beach, I just don’t appreciate it. But I do understand the popularity.

If you are watching over your family as they enjoy the water, like me, you need something small, sleek, and mostly rust-proof. For that role, it’s tough to beat the Seecamp LWS .32.

The Seecamp’s stainless design resists rust fantastically. Plus, it’s the smallest semi-auto handgun out there. The KelTec P32 might be lighter, but the Seecamp is considerably smaller.

It still packs the reliability of a centerfire cartridge while being smaller than most .22LR pistols. The .32 ACP isn’t known for being a powerhouse, but with a 73-grain FMJ from Fiocchi, it will penetrate deep enough to count.

If you’re a dude, you get the benefit of pockets in swim trunks. I rock the Seecamp with a Desantis Superfly holster in my swim trunks. The Superfly has a wing-like pad that helps prevent printing and makes the gun disappear.

For the ladies, it’s a bit more challenging. No one has really designed women’s swimwear with concealed carry in mind, so you’ll probably have to go with an off-body bag option. Super small sling bags are great, and this is the first of two times I’ll mention the Vertx SOCP.

Not only can you easily pack your gun, but it can also replace a purse to carry your car keys, credit cards, cash, etc.

4. Taurus TX22 Compact – Best for Fishing

Specs:

• Action: Semi-auto, striker-fired
• Caliber: .22LR
• Capacity: 13
• Barrel Length: 3.6″
• Overall Length: 6.7″
• Width: 1.25″
• Height: 4.9″
• Weight: 16.5 oz.
• Country of Origin: USA

My sons and I have become serious fishermen! Well, not really, but all three of us enjoy it and have fun going to the lake, casting a time or two, and trying our hand at a big bass or a few bluegills. Most of the time, we fish in fairly rural areas.

Out there, 911 isn’t coming quickly, so I like to be prepared. This isn’t a new idea; there used to be an entire genre of guns lovingly referred to as tackle box guns. They tend to be rimfire or small-caliber and are often inexpensive. Many Iver Johnson .32 S&W Long revolvers sat their entire lives in tackle boxes.

A tackle box is meant to kill pests, venomous or aggressive snakes, and perform similar working gun tasks. With that in mind, the perfect tackle box gun for 2025 is the TX22 Compact.

It’s cheap, shoots .22LR, and holds 13 rounds. The TX22 Compact is also uber lightweight and won’t be irritating to carry or tote around.

The TX22 runs like a freaking clock. I’m utterly shocked by how reliable and accurate the TX22 has proven to be. It’s perfect for pest control, and while there are better choices for self-defense, 13 rounds of .22LR is nothing to sneeze at.

I don’t suggest carrying it in a tackle box, as I am an outside-the-waistband fan. Once again, I like the 578 GLS for the TX22. It’s a multi-fit rig that’s affordable and offers the GLS security device, so it stays locked in place and is tight enough to the body to be concealed while remaining quite comfortable.

It’s perfect for keeping your gun in the rig even when fighting that monster bass. The last thing you want is to see your gun drop into those murky waters!

5. Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 – Best for Theme Parks and Water Parks

Specs:

• Action: Semi-auto, striker-fired
• Caliber: .380 ACP
• Capacity: 12
• Barrel Length: 2.75″
• Overall Length: 5.5″
• Width: 0.88″
• Height: 4″
• Weight: 9.8 oz.
• Country of Origin: USA

My kids really love theme parks and water parks. I live in a state that doesn’t prohibit concealed carry in theme parks, although some theme parks and water parks may have their own rules regarding concealed carry. Just remember to obey all applicable laws and be prepared to pass through a metal detector.

If you can carry, then carry. For a theme park or water park, I want a small gun that’s easy to conceal but large enough to shoot accurately. I want it to be impossible to see, and I’m also thinking of the size of the venue.

I want a gun that I can use to make shots at 25 and even 50 yards. Only one gun I know fits that role, and it’s the S&W Bodyguard 2.0.

It’s super small, incredibly light, and surprisingly easy to shoot. The massive sights are easy to see and can help aid in making shots at greater distances. Plus, it packs 10 rounds in a teeny tiny magazine.

It’s the only pocket .380 I’d ever endorse these days. It’s one of the easiest small guns to shoot and has hardly any recoil. My bigger hands do mean I get some slide bite, but it is nothing I can’t handle.

Theme and water parks are dominated by slides and other high-movement rides, neither of which are super friendly for concealed carry.

Unfortunately, there are no level 3 retention holsters for small guns like the Bodyguard 2.0, which leads us back to the Vertx SOCP.

The Vertx SOCP align bag/ fanny pack is big enough to easily conceal a Bodyguard 2.0 and can even pack a spare magazine. I also use it to hold other necessities. Having the gun in the bag will mitigate the risk of it falling out, even during extreme rides.

What’s really great about this system is that if I’m going on a ride with the kids, I can pass the bag off to my wife without ever displaying a gun if I don’t want to ride with it. Plus, carrying our goodies without needing a purse or bag is handy.

You can even outfit the SOCP bag with a Premier Body Armor IIIA ballistic panel specifically made for it if you want a tiny bit of protection.

Peep our full review of the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 for more info.

Bonus! – Best Speedo Gun

Specs:

• Action: SAO, revolver
• Caliber: .22 Short, .22LR, .22 Magnum
• Capacity: 5
• Barrel Length: 1.13″ – 4″
• Overall Length: 4″ – 7.88″
• Width: 0.88″ – 1″
• Height: 2.38″ – 3.69″
• Weight: 5 oz. – 10.8 oz.
• Country of Origin: USA

Sadly, I don’t have the legs for a Speedo. I must hit the gym, get some Nair, and shape up. However, what gun could you carry if you wore a Speedo to the beach? Well, there is only one true Speedo gun.

It’s the North American Arms (NAA) Mini Revolver—preferably in .22LR.

But how would you carry it?

There is this seemingly ancient story about a narcotics officer in Miami. He was meeting with some dealers on a beach and wore a Speedo to prove he wasn’t wired. But, like all of us, he wouldn’t want to meet drug dealers unarmed.

He reportedly carried an NAA .22 revolver in a red solo cup. Was anything in the cup besides the gun? It’s not clear. He certainly came up with an interesting way to carry a gun.

Is this story true? I have no idea, but if you’re wearing a Speedo, a Solo cup carrying an NAA Mini revolver might be your only option.

We previously reviewed a pair of these little guys. Check our hands-on review!

Meet the Experts

Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike spearheaded this article. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. He is also an NRA-certified instructor and concealed carry instructor. Additionally, Travis has thousands of articles to his name with a variety of publications and has tested countless guns, bipods, and other firearm accessories.

Editing and adding to this article is Pew Pew Tactical Editor, Wyatt Sloan. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor with previous experience in competitive shooting, long-range shooting, and hunting. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms, a few pocket pistols included, and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales.

Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.

Final Thoughts

Summer is right around the corner, and if you are planning on summertime activities, it is good to think about how to keep yourself protected. A little prep goes a long way!

Do you have any cool guns or methods for carrying in your favorite summertime spots? Let us know in the comments below! Check out some other excellent options in our article on the Best Concealed Carry Guns.