COMFORTABLY PROTECTED

That handgun you have for personal protection is worthless if it’s not on your person. In order to use it to save your life you have to have it with you. Unfortunately, there’s no good way to carry a handgun; the best and most comfortable way is in your hand, but we cannot walk around with a gun in our hand all the time. So, we look to various carry methods and holster styles to help us “pack iron,” as they used to say. Though, in today’s world, that saying might need to be altered to “packing plastic.”

There are essentially five techniques for carrying a defensive handgun in a holster, and there’s a specific holster style best suited to each technique. As a concealed carrier, you must decide which system best suits your lifestyle and body type. It needs to be as comfortable as possible, but each carry style has pros and cons—beyond comfort—that must be considered. Even though you might find a particular style comfy, it might not be the best choice for the way you live.