With the plethora of holsters, belly bands, and on-body carry systems available on the market today, there is no excuse to carry off-body! It no longer matters what pants you wear or if your pants even have belt loops. Traditional ways of carrying a concealed handgun are tried and true, but in this modern day, innovative solutions are making it easier than ever to carry a gun on your person.
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1. Purse/Bags are Targets
The first item many criminals go for is a person’s purse, bag, or backpack. They’re looking for personal items, specifically wallets, phones, and other belongings that they can steal. The last thing you want to happen is to have your bag stolen or snatched away from you with your firearm in it. Not only are you left without protection, but the firearm is now in the hands of a criminal.
2. Slow Reaction Time to Draw
The time it takes you to draw your gun from concealment is crucial. It can mean life or death. When your gun is on your body, it is quicker to draw and easier to get a proper grip on it every time. If you keep your gun in a bag or pack, think about how often you have that bag in the same location everywhere you go. Most likely, you’ll have to fumble around for a few seconds to unzip a compartment, find the grip of the gun, and finally draw it from concealment. If the bag is not in the same place, it is very hard to get a repeatable draw when the angle of the gun grip is not always in the same spot.
3. Untrained People May Have Access
Think about how often your purse, bag, or backpack is physically on you versus hanging on the back of a chair, sitting beside you, in the backseat of your vehicle, lying on the ground, or nowhere near you at all. Not only are you not in control of the firearm stored in your bag, but other people will likely have access to it.
Kids are naturally curious and will go through bags, find a gun, and in rare but tragic instances unintentionally shoot themselves or others. It is crucial to keep anyone untrained in firearm safety away from your gun, even if they are a full-grown adult. You are responsible for your gun and where it is located at all times. If you choose to carry off-body, it is crucial to stay in possession of your firearm at all times.
Belt and Holster
Holsters nowadays are made from numerous materials, are adjustable for cant and ride height, are made for IWB or OWB, and use so many different types of hardware that there is a holster for everyone. Body shape and size don’t matter, especially because firearms come in so many sizes (micro, subcompact, compact, duty, competition, etc.). If you have belt loops on your pants, all you need to carry a gun is a sturdy belt and a proper retention holster.
Belly Band
Belly bands have been around for a while now and make it possible for anyone to carry a gun on their body. People who typically would carry off-body because of a lack of belt loops or because wearing a belt and holster around the waist is uncomfortable can try a belly band. Belly bands have many benefits other than just carrying a gun. Most bands have loops for knives, spare magazines, your cell phone, or to tuck your wallet into. They are great for running, hiking, and daily carry, and essential for any activity you need to be hands-free.
Alternative On-Body Carry Solutions
There are some extremely innovative new products that are available that are unlike any traditional methods to carry a gun on your body. One such system that eliminates the need for belt loops or a belly band is the PHLster Enigma. The Enigma has its own elastic belt and buckle that attaches to a faceplate design made of a strong, thin, and flexible woven polycarbonate material. The holster attaches to the faceplate, and a leg strap keeps the holster in position as you draw the gun from retention.
Another option, and one I use for hiking, is the Comfort Concealment Belt. The belt velcros to itself with a tail tab that goes around the end of the belt to keep the extra material from moving up or down. You can use any holster with clips and mount the gun in any concealment position.
To carry off-body is a thing of the past. There are no excuses for anyone, no matter gender or body size, to not carry a gun on their body. With the way technology is moving forward, I won’t be surprised to see new methods of carrying concealed guns.
