Holster Comfort

Today more people are lawfully carrying pistols for self – protection than ever before. This is a good thing. The more normal law-abiding members of the community that carry concealed pistols, the more violent criminals’ concern about job security increases.

This increase has also resulted in a lot of people who are daily carrying pistols for the first time. One of the biggest concerns these new carriers have is comfort.

Unfortunately, many people try several holsters for a day or two each, and then stop carrying altogether, since they cannot find a holster that feels comfortable. In this article we will try to help you avoid such issues.

When you first start to carry a pistol, it will be uncomfortable.

When you place a hard piece of metal against your body, hanging it in some way from your clothing, it will feel uncomfortable. This is almost unavoidable, short of carrying in a jacket pocket. Your body is feeling a strange pressure, usually in a place on your body where you are unaccustomed to carrying anything.

You will feel the weight, the bulk, the texture, the edges, and the hardness. If you have never carried a concealed pistol before, your first impulse will be to search for a more comfortable holster.

You will also be uncomfortable psychologically. You will think everyone can see the pistol. Your focus on the pistol makes you think everyone else is attentive to it as well. You can relax, because most people will never notice it as long as it is covered and carried in a decent concealment holster.

As far as the physical discomfort goes, this is something that everyone experiences, but it is not the problem you might think it is.

The discomfort will go away.

Have you ever seen a child walking with shoes for the first time? He will struggle, lift his feet high, and move unsteadily. He is uncomfortable with the bulk and weight of the unfamiliar footwear. When was the last time that you were acutely conscious of the bulk and weight of your shoes?

If you are carrying a reasonable pistol in a quality concealment holster, your body will become accustomed to the presence of the pistol. Within a few weeks, you will no longer feel the presence of the pistol. You will have to check it to make sure you remembered to slide it into the holster.

Give each holster a chance to work.

If you have a decent concealment holster, give your body a chance to get used to it before you give up on it. First make sure it is a quality holster, that it supports and retains the pistol adequately, that it presents the pistol for an effective draw, and that it provides the level of concealment you need, and if it meets those requirements, then wear it for a couple weeks or a couple months and it most likely will become comfortable. If it is not comfortable after a month or two of daily wear, you may need a different holster.

If issues are found, they often are not issues with the holster. Dressing improperly, wearing the holster in the wrong location, using a belt that is not designed to support a holster, or using a holster for a purpose it was not intended for can all make a holster uncomfortable or inaccessible.

Recommendations

If you have not carried before (or even if you have, but want to carry with a new type of holster) I recommend that you do some research to decide which holster style works best for your needs. If you need recommendations, send us an email and we will help you consider different options. Be careful of trusting the opinions of others completely. There is a lot of information on forums and blogs, much of it very opinionated, but different people have different needs, and you need to be objective in making your decision.

Once you have chosen a holster, make sure you have the correct clothing for wearing and concealing the pistol, and if it is a belt holster, a good holster belt. Don’t forget that the belt is as important as the holster.

Break the holster in, if necessary, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and use the break-in period to begin getting accustomed to the holster.

Make sure you give the holster time before you decide it is uncomfortable. The holster that seems unbearable on the first day will likely be comfortable after a couple weeks of daily carry.

The most important thing to remember is; don’t give up! That pistol does you no good if you leave it at home.