I've talked to many women who express a desire to discreetly arm themselves but at the same time don't want to make any changes in or concessions of their wardrobe or lifestyle. Let me be candid: we're talking about your own personal safety; if you found out tomorrow that you had cancer, and the course of treatment was to totally change the way you eat, wouldn't you do it? Of course you would, I would too! Taking responsibility for your own survival is the reason that you have chosen to carry a firearm; a few changes in the way you dress are part of the process!
There are a number of super-covert carry methods (bra holsters, thigh holsters, and others) that women can use, but they are very "special purpose" and so generally we end up with them on our waist or on our shoulders. Shoulders? You mean as in "shoulder holsters"? As in "Miami Vice" and every macho cop show ever made? Yes, I do! Shoulder holsters, in reality, fit women far better than they do men! Women have a natural slope along the rib cage that conceals a gun under garment drape better then men, and women - regardless of their bra size or reasonable weight - are more flexible than men. That translates to an easier, faster draw than a man can accomplish! While I don't currently offer a shoulder holster, it may be a consideration for many.
On the belt is that place that most savvy armed professionals end up carrying a gun. There are several basic styles; the first is called "cross draw". This places the gun on the "weak hand" side of the body, butt facing toward the centerline; the draw is similar to a shoulder holster, and just as easy for women to accomplish. While garments such as pullover sweaters conceal the crossdraw well, the downside is that it can be difficult to conceal under an open garment such as a blazer.
Similar to the crossdraw is the strong side frontal, also known as "appendix" carry. This is worn in front of the strong side hip, with a rearward cant. This, like the crossdraw, is more comfortable and easier to draw for many women than the traditional hip holster.
Another style is referred to by many terms, but "small of the back" seems to be the most prevalent. This places the gun in an almost horizontal position, butt upwards and toward the outside, in (you guessed it!) the middle of the back. This seems to be a popular holster for men to suggest for women, but it has several drawbacks - one of which could be crippling. First, drawing the gun from such an angle an in such deep concealment is a bit slow. Second, they really aren't all that concealable - bend over even a little bit, and the butt of the gun pokes out. Third, and the reason I will not offer such a holster, is that the gun - a hard object - sits directly over the spine. If an attacker knocks the wearer to the ground (a distinct possibility in attacks against women) there is a very good chance that the spine will break, rendering one paralyzed. This has happened to numerous police officers, many of whom wear their handcuffs in that position. The knowledgeable police officer will not do so, but there are a lot of men (and women) in blue who haven't been shown the danger. I have, and cannot in good conscience recommend that you do it!
How To Pick The Right Belt Holster Choosing a belt holster, it seems, is more alchemy and voodoo than anything. Cant angles, offsets, rises, and other technical details can easily swamp even the most experienced gun carrier! Combine this with the lack of knowledge of many "gunshop commandoes", and it's no wonder we have trouble getting the right holster. (I've seen pictures in magazines which purport to show holsters that are "good" for women - one in particular has the gun butt literally up in the poor girl's armpit! I dare her to actually try drawing the gun!)
Women come in a greater variety of shapes then men, which means that what works for one woman may not necessarily work for another. Remember that this is not a scientific decision - we're talking about comfort, which is a highly individual thing!
So, the first thing we consider is your shape - just the overall amount of "curviness" in your figure, not your height or build. When wearing a gun, your hips tend to push the butt of the gun into your ribs - imagine wearing a gun straight up-and-down on your hip; notice how the hips push the gun into the ribs, using the belt as the pivot point? That's what we're trying to avoid! Fortunately, there are several ways to work around this problem.
You can choose a gun with a smaller overall length, giving less to push ON by the hips and less to push INTO your ribs. However, even with an "average" figure, the only choice in order to work this gambit is a "pocket" gun - which is better than no gun, but not the best choice!
Another method is to use the design feature called "rise" - by simply lowering the gun on the hip (reducing the rise), the butt end isn't pushing into the outward curve of your upper torso. This is one common design feature used by holster makers, and it works pretty well - unfortunately, if you drop the holster too far you are limited to on-the-belt holsters, and with many guns the length protruding beneath a jacket or sweater makes concealment difficult.
Still another design feature is called "offset" - to bring the whole top portion of the holstered gun outward, away from your rib cage. This is another common method, and it works wonderfully for a range or class holster. The major trouble is that it won't conceal under anything other than an arctic parka! This design feature, used alone, is not a good concealment choice.
Finally, you can eliminate the problem through "canting". What this does is to rotate the gun either forward or backward, moving the muzzle away from the hips that are pushing on it. This is also better for concealment, but the downside is that as the cant becomes greater, the further back on the hip you must wear the holster to be able to draw comfortably.
The more pronounced your body shape the more radical the design must be; an offset holster would have to be more for an hourglass figure than for an athletic build. There are some other considerations. If you have the classic "petite" build, with its short spine, you will generally need a holster that sits lower than someone with a very long torso. If you are a bit more "Rubenesque" than average, you may need to consider a bit more offset and/or a bit more cant.
You can also combine features to get just the right combination of fit and purpose. Usually, there will be several combinations that are comfortable, but as you vary the features the other things we've talked about - concealability and ease of draw - vary too. Let's say you're a tall woman with an athletic figure. Depending on the gun, you might be comfortable with a high rise holster with a full cant and no offset, worn well behind the hip, which would conceal extremely well but with less ease of draw. For non-concealed use, you could opt for a low rise holster with no cant and a small offset, which would give you a really good draw. You can mix and match the features for various purposes; there is no one holster that works for all purposes.
How, then, to choose? First, pick out your body shape and, following the descriptions above, write down those features that are likely to fit you properly. Then, ask yourself what the holster will primarily be used for - taking into account characteristics such as concealability, speed of draw, and the like. This will narrow the list down further. Finally, adjust the needs by factoring in your size, both in terms of width and height. Then, go shopping - looking for the combination of features that is like to result in the perfect holster for you! (Of course, if you have trouble with this you can always call, write, or email me - that's what I'm here for!)
How Can I Tell If My Gun Is Really Concealed?
If you've been to a gun store, you've seen this: guy puts on holster, puts gun in holster, puts on heavy jacket, and stands there. Guy's buddy says "nope, I can't tell you're wearing a gun." Guy buys holster. He thinks he's so smart!
Well, the real world is a little different! Here's how to really check: put on the holster and put the UNLOADED gun into the holster. Adjust the holster position so that it is most comfortable (a quarter-inch back or forward can make a world of difference in comfort!) Then put on your covering garment. If you have a back-side mirror arrangement, stand and look for any bulges that might indicate the presence of your gun. Then, run your hand over the garment and locate where your gun is. Look at that spot - now can you see something that you didn't before? Twist slowly back and forth - can you see anything at that spot? Now do it more quickly - and while you're at it, check to see that you're not swinging the garment open to reveal it to everyone in front of you!
OK, if you've passed that test great - if not, adjust the holster position or change garments (some fabrics just drape more effectively over a gun than others.) Now, try bending over at the waist - bend until you can see the gun "print" clearly, then straighten until you can't see it. Note that in a well-fitted holster and garment combination, you'll be surprised how far you can bend before seeing anything. Bend to the sides, looking again for telltale signs. So far so good? Try the final test - bend at the knees, as if you were bending down to get your dropped pen. Try "picking" something off the floor, both to your left and right sides. Still don't see anything? That's the mark of the professional gun carrier!
(If you don't have a back-view mirror arrangement, you can ask someone you trust to help you with the exercise - be sure to show them exactly where the gun is, and exactly what shapes to look for, so that they can spot the right clues in the right places!)
Purses, Bags, and Your Gun
Many women choose what is called "off body carry" - handbags, purses, attache cases, and the like, designed to carry a concealed handgun. There are some very specific instances when this would be a viable choice, but I feel not for the majority of women in the majority of circumstances. Why? Off-body carry has many drawbacks. First, it is almost always slow to draw your gun when it is needed, even if you are carrying it at the time. Those who study violent attacks are unanimous in their notations about how quickly the incidents occur; having your rescue equipment in a hard-to-access condition does not enhance your chances of emerging victorious!
The second problem is that purses and their cousins are subject to theft; in many parts of the country, this is a constant occurrence. Now, the thief has your valuables and your gun! Not only does this arm the thief and disarm you, but you have to explain to the authorities that you were unable to retain control of an instrument of deadly force. This is not the image of the self-reliant woman we have in mind!
Finally, the carry item is often not on your person, so it is susceptible to loss of control. Let's face it, where do we leave our purses in the course of a day? In desk drawers or closets, where almost anyone can get hold of them. This is not only not conducive to use of the gun, but is tantamount to recklessness. Again, there are specific instances where I would recommend off-body carry, but not for the vast majority of women.
So, the best place to carry your gun is on your person - but where and how? Believe it or not, women have more choices than the majority of men!