Holster, Holsters and More Holsters...
For as much time as folks spend making the purchasing decision of a carry gun, it always strikes me as odd that the belt and holster system that said gun will ride in is such an afterthought. I can think of several individuals who spent hours researching, came to the store multiple times, consulted opinions of many sales associates, explored every make and model we have…and then made the holster decision in under 5 minutes. This is strange to me because the holster and belt have more to do with comfort, concealment and accessibility than the gun itself. For some prospective, I’ve pretty much been “carrying” the same steel framed 1911 since I turned 21 but I’ve bought perhaps ten different holsters and five gun belts for it over the years and still actively use perhaps 3-5 of them. First time buyers find this hard to believe, but with a quality belt and holster pretty much any pistol is comfortable and concealable within reason.
The reason belts and holsters are so important mainly boils down to weight. Have you ever weighed everything you carry in your pockets on a daily basis? Between phones, keys, wallets, pens, knives, flashlights and whatever other trinkets they see fit to bring with them everyday, I think it’s fair to say most folks carry at 1-1.5 pounds of “equipment” with them on a daily basis. It is also safe to assume that adding a handgun to it will roughly double that weight. This is why the holster and the belt it rides on are so important.
The belt is the most neglected part of the system. Even if we can sell folks on a quality holster, they usually want to “see how it goes” with the belt they have. After all, a belt is a belt right? How different could a gun-belt be? Actually, they differ quite a bit because they are specifically designed to carry and distribute the weight of a gun and all your other EDC trinkets. The most notable difference is that gun belts are very stiff. This is because they are double thick and heavily stitched. My favorite belts, like those made by Comp-Tac and Blade Tech, even have a spine of kydex sandwiched between the layers for more load bearing stength. Gun belts are usually also 1 ½ inches wide, which is generally the widest they can be to fit through belt loops on commonly available pants. Both of these characteristics are so the belt can spread the weight over the largest surface area possible without sagging or folding. This also allows the belt to carry the holster without flopping around and be a solid attachment point to draw from.
The holsters themselves break down into a few categories. Vast majority of folks use either an Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) or Inside the Waistband (IWB) belt mounted holster. There are also specialty or niche holsters such as pocket holsters, shoulder holsters, and ankle holsters in addition to off the body options. The holster itself has a few criteria to meet. First and foremost it must enclose and protect the trigger guard so that the trigger may not be inadvertently pulled. Second, a holster must facilitate a smooth and rapid draw. Then of course it must also comfortably carry the weight of the pistol. Many folks also add the requirement of being able to re-holster the pistol with one hand. If a holster doesn’t meet these requirements…it’s not a good holster for concealed carry.
Outside the waistband holsters are the most comfortable and what one normally pictures as “a holster”. They are basically a pouch strapped on to one’s normal attire. OWB holsters for concealed carry are often referred to as “pancake” holsters because they are designed to pull the pistol tight along side one’s body. Holsters usually accomplish this by having a wide “wingspan” on their belt attachments which uses the curvature of the belt to tuck the butt of the pistol close to one’s side. The Desantis Speed Scabbard, Blade Tech Eclipse, and Comp-tac Flatline are representative of some of my favorite OWB pancake holsters. The main detractor from OWB carry is that they require a cover garment long enough to conceal them. In our native Minnesota, that isn’t hard to do 5 months out of the year with most any sort of winter clothing. In the summer, an untucked polo or button down shirt will hide an OWB pretty well too, but it does take some care and thought.
Realistically, Inside-the-Waistband holsters are what most folks arrive at for everyday concealed carry. IWB holsters come in all sorts of crazy shapes and sizes and can be worn in a variety of ways. In some form or fashion IWB holsters will slide inside one’s pants line with clips or straps that attach to the belt. IWB holsters are preferred because the pants hide most of the pistol and the user only has to cover to just below their waist line to achieve concealment. My favorite IWB holsters, like the Comp-Tac M -tac, allow you to tuck your shirt in as well. IWB holsters require a little accommodation depending upon one’s personal style though.
When I started carrying IWB regularly, I started wearing fewer T-shirts and more polos, button-downs and such to conceal my firearm. Since I already bought pants a little loose in the waist, I did not need to go up a waist size to accommodate a holster, but some folks do. If you are new to the idea of concealed carry, IWB seems very uncomfortable. It feels completely different than just shoving a gun in your pants. (Admit it, you just went and tried that didn’t you?) They are even awkward to “try on” in the store, but take it on faith, once you live in them for a little while, and get them adjusted properly, IWB is comfortable.
IWB holsters can be worn a few ways. Most common would be strong side, right were one would typically think a pistol holster would go, between 3:00 and 5:00 for a right handed shooter. The further forward, the more natural the draw stroke is, and conversely the further back the more comfortable and concealable the pistol becomes. Folks usually find a sweet spot just behind the point of the hip. Another very popular IWB method is “Appendix” which is between 12:00 and 2:00. Appendix is the fastest, most accessible and most concealable position to draw from. However, it takes a lot of experimentation to find a comfortable system and it’s a fine line between the perfect blend and terribly uncomfortable. While there are many avid proponents of appendix, and I do use it a little myself, I wouldn’t recommend it for one’s first exposure to concealed carry.
Many first time concealed carry customers try to wade into the water with pocket carry. The first thing to understand is that there is nothing ideal about pocket carry; it is a compromise from the word go. However, there are some good applications for pocket guns, and holsters that are suited to the task. Pocket holsters, like the DeSantis Nemesis and Super Fly, cover the trigger guard and camouflage the outline of the pistol. They also have a sticky or tacky exterior that help them stay in the pocket when the pistol is drawn. The key to pocket carry is to have big enough pockets for the gun to both fit inside and to be drawn from. A sturdy belt is still a good idea to hold up said pants with loaded pockets.
Shoulder holsters are much cooler on TV cop shows than they are in real life. The main detractor from shoulder holsters is the weight does strain on one’s back more than it would seem and the draw stroke is not very conducive to defensive gun fighting (mainly because the gun is pointed the wrong way). Shoulder holsters are well suited for people who wear suits all day because, after all, they have the perfect cover garment. Professional drivers or long road trips are good applications for shoulder holsters as well because they are more comfortable when seated for long periods and can be easily draw from while wearing a seatbelt. The Galco Miami Classic is the list for EDC shoulder holsters.
Folks do ask about ankle holsters from time to time, but we mostly recommend against them. This is mainly because the draw sequence and speed is not very practical. They aren’t very comfortable either because they make one of your legs feel like a pendulum. Ankle rigs have also been known to become separated from their wearers from time to time (Velcro failure). There are legitimate uses for ankle holsters, but they are better suited to back-up guns and are generally not recommended.
There are a mind-numbing amount of products out there aimed at helping folks conceal handguns as they go about their lives. As a retail store, it is simply impossible to carry them all. We are lucky though in that we only sell products that we like. We may not have every holster for every gun ever made, but what we do have, we are confident that they are quality holsters to meet your needs because we use them ourselves. They won’t be the last holster you ever buy, but they will be ones you use for years to come.
Author : Adam Maxwell