Why you’re printing and uncomfortable with that cheap holster

We’ve ALL been there… we’re getting started, and we spring for the $25-30 holster.* We figure it’s “good enough” for now. You know the ones: We The People, Concealment Express, Amberide, CYA Supply Co, PoleCraft, etc.

Then, we get a bit more into concealed carry and start to realize that this thing just isn’t working as well as it could for us. It’s printing under our shirts, it’s not super comfortable, and we can’t seem to get it just right to the point where we can carry without thinking about having this slab of metal in our jeans.

The thing with these lower-priced holsters is that the kydex shells are usually pretty darned good: they’re safe, secure, and they do what they’re supposed to which is protect the trigger while carrying.

The reason you’re printing and uncomfortable is geometry — how and where the gun interfaces with your body and clothing. The issue here is very rarely the kydex shell itself, but rather the hardware setup.

That’s right, concealment is about geometry. When we strip away the fluff what we’re trying to do is hide a hard flat thing (the gun) against a soft round thing (our midsection) underneath a thin drapey thing (our shirt). Ever hide behind a curtain when you were a kid? Same idea… I bet the first thing you did was try to figure out how to best flatten yourself against the wall to avoid showing a bump to any onlookers.

Think about it like this: imagine your gun pivoting on a 360º axis at center mass. That’d be approximately around the trigger pin. You place the gun against your body in the preferred location** with a ride height high enough to get a full grip on the pistol.*** Use an unloaded and chamberflagged gun for this, no holster or belt, just hold it against your body.

Rotate and position the gun until it’s as flush and flat as you can get it against your body while still being comfortable both standing and sitting, without having to move the gun around. Got it in the right spot?

Good. Now our goal is to lock in this position so we can carry exactly like this. We do this with four things: a good stiff belt, solid holster clip, a claw, and a wedge.

• Belt: A good gun belt is designed to support the weight of a handgun, and will not bend, sag or flex under the weight of a loaded pistol.
• Clip: A good belt clip, made of spring steel, will hold the holster shell against the belt firmly and securely without any wiggle or play. You want the gun to stay exactly where you put it, whether you’re running or jumping or taking a nap.
• Claw: Also known as a “wing,” this is a little extra piece of polymer that mounts to your holster using the retention screws, that juts out below the gun grip and places pressure against the inside of your belt. The claw is designed to manipulate the vertical axis of your gun: as you tighten your belt against the claw, it presses inward and rotates the heel of the gun grip back toward your body.
• Wedge: Generally only necessary for appendix carry, the wedge is a small piece of extra material (usually molded foam) that manipulates the horizontal axis of your holster. You mount the wedge on the inside-bottom of the holster shell, and as it pushes the muzzle of the gun away from your body, the top of the gun will rotate back inward into your belly or love handle.

Both claws and wedges are adjustable tools. You can increase or decrease the rotation of your gun along the vertical and horizontal axes by adding or removing material from the claw and wedge.

For further reading, check out this phenomenal handbook on concealment principles from Jon and Sarah at Phlster on the geometry and mechanics of concealment.

If you’re reading this and wondering about product recommendations, I’ll make some. I’m not endorsed or compensated by any of these brands, they’re just recommendations based on many years and countless dollars of experimentation…

• Belt, reinforced: Nexbelt Supreme Appendix
• Belt, leather: Hank’s Gunner
• Belt, nylon: Blue Alpha Gear Low-Profile EDC or V Development Group Megingjörð (don’t ask me to pronounce that)
• Holster clip: Discreet Carry Concepts Monoblock (single clip designs) or Mod4 (double clip designs)
• Claw/Wing: Henry Modwing or Dark Star Darkwing
• Wedge: Mastermind Tactics Adjustable Pillow

*If you are in a situation where you need to buy the cheapest functional holster possible, I’d recommend getting one from BraDeC — criminally affordable and blazing fast shipping. As of the time of this post you’re looking at $36 including steel monoblock clip and modwing claw.

**If you’re carrying appendix, this is usually about the 1:00 position; if you’re carrying strongside, this is usually about the 3:00 position.

***Most beginners will be tempted to put the gun too low, thinking it’ll hide better if it’s below the pantline. Not only is that a flawed assumption, but it also makes the gun difficult to draw under duress… you’re carrying a tool you can’t use.