Conceal Carry For Women

Concealed Carry For Women

Carrying A Concealed Gun 

Once you have made the decision to carry a gun, there is one thing that is not an option and that is  carrying a gun un-holstered. Whether you carry in your pocket, in a purse or in your belt, your firearm must be holstered and the trigger covered at all times. Carrying a concealed gun carries the great responsibility of being safe and trained how to use it.

Concealed carry for women has some very real challenges to comfortably and safely carry a concealed gun. Our clothing and our curves cause most of the challenges to carrying a gun on our person. On the body carrying is preferred and is the safest and best way for you to carry your gun. It is on you, within easy reach and the opportunity for someone who you don't want to get to your gun is extremely limited. Let's start with the challenges our clothing present for effectively carrying a concealed gun and then discuss the best options for women to overcome them.

Women tend to wear more fitting styles and many of the fabrics we love are thin and sheer. Naturally this can make it difficult to conceal a gun. Dresses pose an additional set of challenges as the absence of a belt add to the challenge. Yet, to provide the security we desire, we must have our gun readily available and accessible to defend ourselves and yet be hidden from view. Therefore, the gun must be close, accessible and ready.

The other key challenge is that most holsters are made for men, with a woman's curves and physical differences, comfort is compromised with concealed carry holsters made for a man. A holster made in pink, is not a guarantee that it was designed for a women's body. The industry has made some progress in addressing these issues, but finding them is extremely difficult both online and in gun stores. The Well Armed Woman has sought out the best options and designed a line of holsters for women and has made them available.
 Every woman's lifestyle, needs and of course body's are different and finding holsters that work for you and that are comfortable is an absolute necessity. 

Women's Concealed Carry Holster Options

Here are the current options for effective conceal and carry ordered by location on the body:
Belt or On The Waist Carry

Belt carry or on the waist carry, is the preferred and most common form of concealed carry for women. It is the first and best choice. Although alternatives are offered here, it is important to know and remember that alternative methods of carry are just that: alternatives to the preferred method. The larger and wider the firearm is, the harder it is to keep concealed. The heavier it is, the less comfortable it is to carry, a very important thing to consider when selecting your self defense gun. Not all of these options require a belt. Some of clips that clip on the waistband without a belt.

Belt carry or on the waist carry is the most comfortable on the body form of concealed carry of a gun for most women. With a properly designed holster, it also offers a high level of security and easy access to your gun, should you need it. Belt carry also works with much of women's clothing styles. Pants of all kinds, skirts, shorts etc. As mentioned above, most belt holsters are designed for men and one size does not fit all, especially when curves and wider hips are involved.  

The belt is a key to comfortable and effective on the belt carry. I recommend you purchase a good sturdy contoured leather belt. These have the slight U shape when lying flat. The belt must be wide enough to fully support and distribute the weight of the firearm.

There are many variations of belt carry and on the waist  holsters and your gun can be belt carried on the outside of the belt or inside.

Outside the belt with clip, belt slots or paddle (OWB Outside The Waist Band)

Carrying outside the waistband is naturally more comfortable and easier to draw from than inside the waistband. It also will be cooler in warmer climates and the gun does not touch your skin. Concealment outside the waistband requires larger, longer shirts or garments to effectively hide the gun. In some states it is legal to open carry, in which you can wear your gun without cover. The concern here is that with the firearm exposed someone could grab your firearm out of its holster. A locking holster with a Thumb Break (a strap or mechanism that must be opened or released to withdraw the firearm) would be necessary to keep this from happening. Outside the waistband holsters come with clips to clip onto the belt or waistband, with slots for your belt to secure the holster or with a paddle that lays flat on the inside of the pants.

The Annie holster requires a belt. This holster is specifically designed for a woman's body. It is model specific so not all models will fit in this holster.

The Magnetic on the waist holster requires no belt and is a great option for slacks and thinner waisted pants and shorts

The Build Your Own on the waist holster is one that is made specifically for your firearm and you can choose the leather and thread color to your own taste.

You must wear a jacket, long sweater or vest that you will have on the entire time you are out to carry outside the belt.

Inside the belt with clip (IWB - Inside the Waist Band)

Carrying the firearm with the bulk of the firearm inside the waistband is a very popular form of concealed carry with women as only the grip or butt needs to be covered and the firearm is very accessible and easy to draw. Most regular women's shirts will cover sufficiently and most pants can "stretch" to make the adjustment necessary to fit the firearm.

The Betty holster is a sleek, low riding in the pants holster made for many firearm models. These have a tuck-able "slot" to tuck your shirt into in-between the clip and the firearm itself. 

The Build Your Own in the pants holster is made specifically for your firearm and you can choose the leather and thread color to your own taste.

The location of where you carry is a personal one. What is comfortable and easy for you to draw from are the keys. Most common are on the strong side (the same side as your shooting hand) in the front or towards the back just off the hip with the handle angled properly for easy drawing or appendix carry with the gun placed in front, between your belly button and your hip. There is a tuck-able model that has a "slot" to tuck your shirt into in-between the clip and the firearm itself. 

This is practical for women when wearing pants, slacks, or a skirt with strong waistband or shorts. There are options made in leather, plastic and nylons.

Other waist area methods are:

Undergarment

Women's Compression Concealment shorts are a way for women to carry and conceal a handgun when they're wearing a skirt, slacks, gym shorts, sweat pants, jeans, or dress pants without a belt. The concealed holster is made from surgical grade elastic and sewn into a pair of authentic compression shorts and holds your firearm securely. They feature two holsters offering ambidextrous concealment and you can also carry spare magazines, or other important items on the other side. 

The sling style Thundewear is made from cotton and is worn under your garments but over your underwear. The low below the belly position makes for very good conceal-ability. 

Another option is the compression tank top. These "undershirts" have holster pockets on both sides and holds the firearm just under the arm pit. These are not considered fast draw holsters as depending on the clothing you are wearing - you will have to get to the firearm to draw it, this can slow up your draw time considerably.

They are very comfortable and a great option for women to effectively conceal carry in many clothing styles.

 

 Make sure you have read the laws of your state and the permitting requirements prior to carrying your gun in a concealed manner. It is your responsibility to not only understand the concealed carry laws but also understand the seriousness of the responsibility you assume when you choose to concealed carry.As intelligent women, we instinctively know that we need to protect ourselves and that the world we live in, sadly requires us to always be aware of our surroundings and know that there are some very bad people out there that will do us harm. I don't want to dwell on the gruesome, painful realities and statistics of the violent crimes against women, as The Well Armed Women is focused on empowerment. However, in making the decision to concealed carry as a woman it is important to be fully informed. Here are just a few statistics to remind us briefly of the need to protect ourselves, whether our personal plan includes concealed carry of a gun or other methods of self defense.