Concealed Carry Options

There are a tremendous number of options when it comes to selecting a method for concealed carry.  Once you have your permit in your respective state, it's time to go shopping for some holsters.  Yes, I said holsters (plural) rather than a single holster solution.  That's because no holster/method of carry is perfect.  You always need to adapt to your circumstances, and most of us are not always wearing the same thing all the time.  I'm going to present a few options with which I have experience, and I'll let others chime in on the comments section about their favorite methods and why.

The first option is a standard holster.  That is, it's outside the waistband.  This method is better for larger guns that will not fit (or are too uncomfortable) inside your waistband with a larger barrel.  The only way to conceal utilizing this method is to wear a longer shirt untucked or a coat (jacket, suit jacket, winter coat, etc.).  As you can see, it conceals very well and is relatively easy to get to.  The drawbacks to this approach are that you must always wear something untucked/over the gun and unless your holster is snug enough, you may not be able to run with it.  One advantage to this method is that it can be used for open carry and can also allow for one handed reholstering (with the right holster selection: a firm leather or kydex holster).

Next is the "in the waistband" approach (IWB).  This method of carry holds the gun much more snugly against the body as it is inside your waistband.  Typically, these holsters are for smaller guns, with a clip going over the outside edge of your pants to hold the holster in place when you draw.  Since the nose of the gun is inside your pants, you do not need a long shirt to cover it; only something that goes past your waistline.  With a small gun like a revolver, you can wear this kind of holster with shorts and a light t-shirt without concern of printing or flashing.  The downside is that IWB holsters usually don't allow for one-handed reholstering and are usually restricted to smaller guns (although I have no doubt some people could hide a 1911 IWB).

Finally, there are shirts that are designed to hold your gun under another shirt (under your arm).  Mine is from 5.11 Tactical, and is made from stretchy material to keep the gun snug up against you.  It also has padding on the outside of the gun pouch to smooth out the lines and keep it from printing.  It works very well for deep concealment, and the advantage is that it can be worn with either golf shirts or dress shirts tucked in.  Another advantage is that they will work with almost any gun (not specific to a type of gun like most holsters).  The disadvantage is that this is the hardest to get to in an emergency, but with a little practice, it should still fall well within the two second rule (you should be able to go from concealment to "shooter ready" within two seconds).  Another disadvantage is that these shirts can be hot and itchy.

Although these are not the only types of holsters, they have worked well for me.  I will try to bring reviews of specific holsters in the near future.  Please feel free to post with your experience with concealed carry holsters!