Decide Where You Want to Carry

The first step is to decide where on your body you will be carrying. Two of the most common positions to carry on your waist are on your dominant side hip (the 3 or 4 o’clock position), or right in the middle of the front of your body (also known as the appendix or centerline carry position).
The type of clothes you wear on a daily basis will also affect where you carry your firearm. If you wear jeans or pants every day, an inside the waistband holster (IWB) is ideal, but if you wear skirts, dresses, or business attire most of the time, you should choose an appropriate holster location such as your ankle or above your knee.

Select a Holster Material

Holsters can be made from several different types of materials, and the material you pick depends mainly on your personal preferences. Two of the most common materials for holsters are leather or Kydex. 

Leather is a very traditional holster material, but it’s still popular today. Leather is very durable and comfortable to wear over time because it will mold to the shape of your body and firearm.

Kydex is a hard plastic-like polymer that has become popular because it offers strength and durability. Since Kydex holsters are molded to the shape of specific firerarms, they usually have very good retention capabilities. The biggest downside of Kydex holsters is they may not be as comfortable for some people because they're more rigid than leather.

If you’ve decided on an alternative carry location, like the ankle, garter, or shoulder or you want the flexibility of a belly band holster, choose a high-quality elastic material that will hold up over time. It's a good idea to choose a holster made from ballistic materials because they're designed to hold up to a great deal of wear.

Pick a Holster Retention Type

As the name suggests, retention level describes how difficult it is to remove a firearm from a holster. There are two main types of retention:

Holsters with passive retention keep guns secure by the way they're designed. This is usually accomplished by molding a holster to make sure it's an exact fit for the firearm it's carrying, then adding screws that let you adjust the overall tension.

An active retention holster has some type of feature (like a strap or button) to prevent the gun from falling out or being grabbed by anyone other than its owner. When you opt for this type of holster, you have to be able to quickly unlock it at a second's notice, or it could do you more harm than good.

Choose the Right Belt and Belt Attachment

It's extremely important to own a holster belt that is strong enough to support the weight of the holster, your firearm, and any extra magazines you plan on carrying. In order to handle that weight, belts made for concealed carry usually are reinforced with leather or reinforced nylon.

Selecting the right belt attachment for your holster is also an important part of choosing a concealed carry holster. Two of the most popular types include:

The Quick Clip is a basic, standard holster clip. Different manufacturers name similar clips differently, but clips in this molded plastic style all function in a similar way and are usually adjustable.

The Ulticlip is a steel clip that’s designed for use without a belt. The clip will securely attach to any fabric up to 1/4" thick and will work to secure your holster even when wearing thin or light clothing.

Decide if You Want to Use a Concealment Wing

A concealment wing is a handy addition to some holsters that helps tuck the gun grip in towards your body, which can minimize printing and aids concealment.

A wing comes with two risers that create "grippiness" against your clothing. When your waistband presses down against the riser, it forces the grip of gun to rotate in towards your body, so it closes the gap between your body and the grip of the firearm.

Consider Carrying Spare Magazines

Now that you've selected a holster, it's time to decide if want to carry extra magazines. You can consider carrying a spare magazine in your pocket, but that's not ideal because you may not be able to get to it if you need it.

Adding a magazine carrier to your concealed carry setup is an inexpensive way to be prepared. You can choose a single mag pouch or one that carries two, it's up to you. Regardless of which capacity you choose, make sure you select a high quality pouch with retention so it always stays in place.

Which positions are the best for carrying a gun? Well, that depends. To help you decide where you'd like to carry your gun, Here's a break down of the most popular positions by location to help you understand your options better.

Carry Positions Around the Clock

When talking about waistband carry, it’s common to refer to the different locations around your waist as if they were the hours on a clock. The main difference from a standard clock is that 12 o'clock is at the bottom because it aligns with the front and centermost position of your waist.

Here's what the "around the clock" positions look like in relation to your body:

The 12 o'clock position, at your navel, works great for longer guns. This position allows you to have your gun safely at the front of your body, allows an easy draw, and is comfortable when sitting without anything digging into your thigh. Holsters in this position would generally have a zero cant (draw straight up). 

The 1 - 2 o'clock position (10 to 11 o’clock for lefties) is commonly known as appendix carry, and when carried inside-the-waistband, it's often shortened to AIWB. This position allows you to have your gun safely at the front of your body, while still allowing a comfortable and natural draw. Holsters in this position would generally have a zero cant (draw straight up). 

The 3 o'clock position (9 o'clock for lefties) is dominant-side hip carry.  You may need to shift your holster around in this area to minimize printing, depending on the size of your firearm. A holster in this position would generally have a zero cant (draw straight up).

The 4-5 o'clock position (7-8 o'clock for lefties) is also known as kidney. In this position, your holster is placed behind your hip. To allow for an easier draw using this holster position, a forward (positive) holster cant is recommended, which would tilt the grip forward, towards your hip.

The 5-6 o'clock position (6-7 o'clock for lefties is also known as small-of-back carry. This position needs an opposite side draw in order to have a comfortable, palm-out draw. That means you need to make sure the grip of your gun is facing the proper direction so when you reach for it, the grip is positioned for you to grasp it properly. It's is also the hardest position to draw from safely, so make sure you are able to draw your gun without muzzling yourself or anyone else when your gun and holster are in this position. 

The 10-11 o'clock position (1-3 o'clock for lefties) is the area between your weak side hip and navel. This is the "cross-draw" position and can minimize printing because you have more real estate to work with in that area. Cross-draw can be tricky - your holster would need a reverse (negative) cant, tilting the grip towards your navel, and you'd need to be confident with your ability to draw without muzzling yourself or other people.

Regardless of what position you are going to carry in, the cant angle of your holster is very important for comfort and concealment. You'll need to make sure you have zero cant for appendix/front of hip positions, forward cant for hip/behind the hip positions, and reverse cant for cross draw.

Remember - there's no single best way to carry your gun on your body and all carry positions have advantages and disadvantages. Where you carry depends on your body type, the gun model and type of holster you're carrying, if you're high or low-waisted, your daily activities and movement and many other individual factors.  Someone else's favorite carry position may not work for you at all - the best carry position is the one that works for YOU! 

If you need help finding the right holster or carry position, get in touch with us so we can help!

What should you look for to make sure you're getting a high-quality holster that won't do you more harm than good? Here are 3 very important things you need to look for when you're holster shopping.

The Holster MUST Cover the Trigger Guard

There is absolutely no exception to this rule - if the holster you're looking at doesn't cover the trigger guard completely, set it down and walk away. If any part of the trigger or trigger guard is not covered, it's not safe.

The Holster MUST Fit Your Gun

Once you're sure the holster covers the trigger guard, it's time to check the overall fit.

If you are choosing a hard-sided holster (like Kydex), the holster needs to be made specifically for your gun. It may be tempting to try to use another holster you have laying around, but don't do it! Hard-sided holsters are made to fit specific curves of your particular gun and cutting corners (so to speak) by using a holster that wasn't made for your gun is unsafe!

If you are looking at a universal-style holster (like a hip hugger or a corset holster), you still need to make sure the holster is suited well for your gun. For example, a full-size 1911 is likely going to be too heavy and bulky to fit safely in a small ankle holster.

You MUST Be Able to Carry, Draw and Holster Safely

This is a function issue - you need to be able to carry your gun safely, draw smoothly, and reholster with no hangups.

If the holster is too tight or does not fit well, drawing will be very difficult (and that's not what you need when your life is in danger).

On the flip side, a holster that's too loose creates a different safety issue - the retention of your holster needs to be strong enough that your gun is not going to come out of the holster during normal activities.

Some holsters are more challenging to reholster than others, so it's important to look for additional safety features. For example, our Hip Hugger includes tabs that are used to pull the elastic away from you without muzzling your hand while reholstering.

Make sure to use these tips the next time you are in the market for a new holster and as always, feel free to get in touch with us if you need help choosing the right holster for your gun!