Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

Issues important to the ladies, with men and women welcome.

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Hoi Polloi
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#16

Post by Hoi Polloi »

Ok, I've watched most of Lima's videos and experimented with what we have here. The supertuck puts the gun far too low on my waistband. The smartcarry is playing hide and seek today, but I'm positive it would be the same. I am also positive that I couldn't handle a belly band--sensory issue. Purse or other not-touching-me options aren't doable because of the bad combo of a forgetful momma and curious kiddos.

So I think the most likely options for me to explore are IWB, shoulder, and ankle. Since I usually wear two shirts, I think a shoulder holster would theoretically be a good option because I could easily get to it from on top. I don't know how I'd like it. I'm not thrilled with ankle and think it would really have to be more of a calf-carry to be hidden when I sit, but since I wear pants so frequently I think it is a viable option for me.

This is what seems the most natural to me, both in gun size and location. It's a Taurus PT111. I prefer the weight distribution on that over the top-heavy Glock.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#17

Post by Hoi Polloi »

Any suggestions from anyone on what to consider based on the above post?
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#18

Post by MoJo »

Have you considered an OWB at all? A pancake holster will hold the gun in the spot you are indicating. A supertuck once it sets to your body will do the same. You also need to consider a good sturdy belt and remember if you are carrying IWB you need pants at least one size bigger to accommodate the gun and holster.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#19

Post by Hoi Polloi »

MoJo wrote:Have you considered an OWB at all? A pancake holster will hold the gun in the spot you are indicating. A supertuck once it sets to your body will do the same. You also need to consider a good sturdy belt and remember if you are carrying IWB you need pants at least one size bigger to accommodate the gun and holster.
With the kids around and with how much moving I'm doing, and how much moving my clothes do independent of me like when kids are on my hip or running around me in circles, I'm really thinking that OWB wouldn't be the wisest choice for me. I know the legality of it accidentally showing is fine, but I don't want to "flash" all the moms at the park with a big lookie-here or have a big and accessible bulge for a curious kiddo to be messing with if I have other options, either. I'd really like it to be against me so that I can feel it and stay aware of it, especially in relation to who is near it. The further it gets from me, the less I can do that.

The supertuck didn't work because it set too low once on my waistband. You'll notice in the picture above where my natural waist is and then where my pants are. Putting the gun any lower than where it is in the picture will give me a funny looking tail. I know OWB is more likely to carry it up higher like that. Are there any IWB that would? Or any shoulder or ankle or other holsters I should more seriously look in to?
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#20

Post by Charles L. Cotton »

Shoulder holsters are actually a pretty good alternative for many women, as long as your build will allow you to reach the gun. The combination of short arms and large . . . well . . . you know . . . will make it impossible to get firing grip on the pistol using just one hand. If you can reach it, then a shoulder holster is a viable option. There are a lot of different ones made in everything from fabric to leather. I have three, but very rarely use them because they're not needed. I think the Galco Jackass rig (without the extra mag carrier) is would be something you may want to consider.

Chas.
Hoi Polloi wrote:
MoJo wrote:Have you considered an OWB at all? A pancake holster will hold the gun in the spot you are indicating. A supertuck once it sets to your body will do the same. You also need to consider a good sturdy belt and remember if you are carrying IWB you need pants at least one size bigger to accommodate the gun and holster.
With the kids around and with how much moving I'm doing, and how much moving my clothes do independent of me like when kids are on my hip or running around me in circles, I'm really thinking that OWB wouldn't be the wisest choice for me. I know the legality of it accidentally showing is fine, but I don't want to "flash" all the moms at the park with a big lookie-here or have a big and accessible bulge for a curious kiddo to be messing with if I have other options, either. I'd really like it to be against me so that I can feel it and stay aware of it, especially in relation to who is near it. The further it gets from me, the less I can do that.

The supertuck didn't work because it set too low once on my waistband. You'll notice in the picture above where my natural waist is and then where my pants are. Putting the gun any lower than where it is in the picture will give me a funny looking tail. I know OWB is more likely to carry it up higher like that. Are there any IWB that would? Or any shoulder or ankle or other holsters I should more seriously look in to?
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#21

Post by Hoi Polloi »

Charles L. Cotton wrote:The combination of short arms and large . . . well . . . you know . . . will make it impossible to get firing grip on the pistol using just one hand.
Thanks! I'd say I have the complete opposite build, so I'll see if someone has one I can try on. I wonder if I'm actually too thin on top to pull it off, if the gun and holster would be noticeable because there's nothing to blend in with.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#22

Post by MoJo »

Carrying that high above your belt line is going to be top heavy. You must remember these things are heavy and require a good belt to properly support them. As far as knowing whether the gun is IWB or OWB you are intimately connected to the gun and know where it is. If you are concerned about little ones fooling with your gun while you are carrying it a thumb break will set your mind at ease.

On body carry requires some clothing compromises you may need to look into some different clothes to accommodate your gun.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#23

Post by Hoi Polloi »

MoJo wrote:Carrying that high above your belt line is going to be top heavy. You must remember these things are heavy and require a good belt to properly support them. As far as knowing whether the gun is IWB or OWB you are intimately connected to the gun and know where it is. If you are concerned about little ones fooling with your gun while you are carrying it a thumb break will set your mind at ease.

On body carry requires some clothing compromises you may need to look into some different clothes to accommodate your gun.
Yeah. The pants aren't going to change but my shirts can. I like tunic length shirts so those completely cover my hips and several inches of my thighs. The first picture in the thread has a red tunic-length shirt. I usually wear a camisole or tank top under that. That would definitely cover an IWB holster and would in theory cover an OWB assuming no help for the shirt moving from children and I don't know if it would cover a shoulder holster, but I'd like to see.

Why would an IWB that attached to a belt with velcro have any top heavy problems that an OWB that attached to the belt wouldn't have? How is it different?
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#24

Post by The Annoyed Man »

Hoi Polloi, the way you're holding the gun in your picture above suggests that a holster of the "SOB" (small of back) variety may be the kind of thing to suit you. They tend to be (but not always ) OWB, but they are around behind where they are well concealed but easily accessible.

Here is a picture of a slender framed woman, from behind, with a Desantis OWB SOB holster. Her pistol is dimensionally larger than the PT111 you're holding in your picture, so the corresponding holster would be smaller (and flatter)....
Image

Here's a galco version of the same idea:
Image

And lastly, here is an IWB version of an SOB holster from D.M. Bullard:
Image

The D.M. Bullard holster has the advantage of having a slot for an extra magazine. Of course, all of these are available for a number of different pistol brands/models/sizes, and most reputable manufacturers offer some kind of SOB holster, so you would have to do some research, but this might be a viable alternative to consider.

My last piece of advice, for what it's worth, is to build your carry method around your gun choice, and not the other way around. Pick the gun first, for its various virtues that matter to you (i.e. the best combination of weight, caliber, size, and capacity that makes sense to you), and then pick the means to carry it. Since there are lots of different carry options for almost every kind of pistol made, I think you'll find this approach less limiting without decreasing your protection options.

OTH, the gun you carry with you beats the one you left at home.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#25

Post by A-R »

Let me first say that this is a fascinating discussion from my perspective. Though I obviously realize that men and women have different carry options and issues, never realized the unique and intricate details that make concealed carry different for a woman (especially the low-rise pants issue). My wife doesn't carry (and only begrudgingly accepts that I do) so I have very little frame of reference for women's carry issues. I've read some of the Cornered Cat web site and believe it will be very useful when discussing carry issues with future female CHL students (instructor class in two weeks!). But are there other resources (other than this informative thread) that I could point to for female students? Heck, would CompVest or TLynn or anyone else care to start a pinned thread or list of women-specific carry issues/suggestions that we could all reference? Would be great info to share at class with female students.

All that said, and a sincere thank you for the ideas exchanged in this thread. One specific idea popped in my head for the OP. Kangaroo Carry

http://kangaroocarry.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.gunblast.com/Kangaroo.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While these seem from the photos to be designed for men, would this work for a woman's figure (respecting of course the ... ahem ... portion of female anatomy that Charles so delicately side-stepped in his discussion of should holsters above).

Of course, the full wrap around the midsection would introduce some concealment difficulties (no open cover shirt over a t-shirt etc).

Only other advice I'll give is that often multiple carry placements and styles (and even multiple different guns) may be necessary to ensure you always have a viable way to carry regardless of the needs of your wardrobe. I typically carry with strongside IWB with forward cant (medium or large gun) or front pocket (smaller gun). But have on occasion carried on ankle, in fanny pack, in shoulder-type holster, and even off body in briefcase or tote bag (which never left my body). I've even contemplated a Bulldog type case for my LCP ... http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/ ... 154a.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... but haven't actually purchased one because I can alway seem to get the LCP into a pants pocket (had to toss out some older pants that were just too tight).
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#26

Post by MoJo »

If you have any holster (IWB or OWB) that holds your gun as far above the belt line as you are showing in the pic then you'll have problems. See how little of the barrel is below the belt line? There's nothing to support the grip portion of the gun so, it's likely to flop around.

Charles' suggestion of a shoulder holster may be your best option.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#27

Post by Hoi Polloi »

Yeah, I was just about to say that all of those SOB holsters look like they have too much below the pants for me to be able to use them. How do the high riding OWB holsters do it, then? I forgot to mention above that the supertuck was too wide so that where the right clip is was actually at a sharp angle and in front of my hip digging in while the left clip was in the center of my back, making that unusable in any pants.

This holster, for instance, looks like it has the belt and gun hitting at about the same proportionate spot as I am holding the gun in the picture above. Actually, in my picture, the gun is hitting my waistband right past where the chamber starts and in the linked picture, the gun is hitting the waistband all the way down at the bottom of the chamber, and the linked gun is larger so that more weight is above that, too. I'm not arguing that where I'm holding the gun would work, just asking for an explanation why it wouldn't in comparison to this picture.

Image
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#28

Post by seniorshooteress »

I carry the LCP IWB and haven't had to change my wardrobe at all. In summer I live in shorts and tank tops (I buy cotton/spandex type shorts that sit a little below the waist. Concealing the LCP isn't hard at all. When weather gets cooler I carry G26 with a crossbreed quikclip IWB again jeans sit just below waist. I have several IWB holsters for my LCP's as one has the CT the other doesn't. If you have CT on your gun just be sure it says for CT otherwise the gun won't fit in the holster. SOB carry looks kinda uncomfortable I carry crossdraw style. I also have shoulder holster for bersa thunder, also a cooler weather carry when I can comfortably wear a vest and ankle holdsters for LCP's I have tried wearing belly bands, smart carry and something else I ordered online that looks like a combo of belly band and smart carry. Don't like any of those methods. I also have some little cases for the LCP's that go on my belt for OWB which I use when I wear tighter jeans. I don't care much for fanny packs either. Not comfortable with OWB methods either. I do have a bit more meat on my bones than you do so my little jelly roll midrift helps conceal the gunbutt quite well. Hope you find a method of carry that is comfortable for you without doing like I did and buying up every thing offered before you settle on one thing. I never purse carry as I have a fear of purse snatchers or I just leave my purse in my vehicle and I have been known to just sit it down and walk away from it. Good luck in your holster search.
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#29

Post by Hoi Polloi »

Thanks!

I watched a video last night on a Kangaroo Carry equivalent. I thought the pocket was a little too flimsy with no retention, and the guy's Glock didn't fit the width so it was even more wobbly. The guy recommended it, but it didn't look like something I'd feel comfortable with. Along the same lines, a friend of mine sent me a link to this, which seems like it takes care of those issue with carrying in that location without adding straps and such that need to be hidden like a traditional shoulder holster. I dunno. I do know that I'm not built like her, but figure the arm will do much to hide it. Any experiences with anything like that? I would also like to avoid buying everything to find out if it will work! lol

Image
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Re: Ladies' holster options - requesting pictures

#30

Post by seniorshooteress »

Hoi Polloi wrote:Thanks!

I watched a video last night on a Kangaroo Carry equivalent. I thought the pocket was a little too flimsy with no retention, and the guy's Glock didn't fit the width so it was even more wobbly. The guy recommended it, but it didn't look like something I'd feel comfortable with. Along the same lines, a friend of mine sent me a link to this, which seems like it takes care of those issue with carrying in that location without adding straps and such that need to be hidden like a traditional shoulder holster. I dunno. I do know that I'm not built like her, but figure the arm will do much to hide it. Any experiences with anything like that? I would also like to avoid buying everything to find out if it will work! lol

Image
I had also looked at this and I don't think you would like it. Too much bulk under your armpit and I don't see how you could get to your gun easily also if you put even an LCP in that you could after wearing it for a while have the neck of your shirt pulled down and the gun be at your waist. And for the cost of these things would be bad if it didn't work. A lot of the stuff you see advertised for CC is a joke: they laughing all the way to the bank.
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