Non-Belt Holsters for Concealed Carry Guns that you can wear

The most popular holster style for concealed carrying in America is, by far, the inside the waistband (IWB) holster and belt, which requires specific attire to wear: pants featuring belt loops.

Fortunately, there are several alternatives suitable for concealed carrying if you cannot wear pants.

Shoulder Holsters

Shoulder holsters are a classic alternative to belt holsters, having existed  since the frontier era in the late 19th century. It was one of the first concealed carrying holsters, allowing shooters of the period to carry under a coat without drawing unwanted attention.

Although traditionally made entirely of leather, modern shoulder holsters may also use other materials, such as  Kydex holsters or nylon straps.

If you are often in a sitting position, a shoulder holster can be an excellent solution for concealed carrying. This holster design cannot cause potential discomfort at the waistband level, and it keeps your gun at chest level, allowing for a fast and intuitive draw stroke.

A potential disadvantage of shoulder holsters is the need to wear some type of cover garments, such as a coat or a jacket, if you want to concealed carry a shoulder holster.

Although it may be tempting to use a shoulder holster in conjunction with a larger carry gun, such as a full-size pistol or revolver, don’t forget that a heavy gun weighs your holster’s straps down, which may cause discomfort to one side of your body.

Don’t hesitate to use a smaller carry gun if you find a full-size too uncomfortable.

The draw stroke is similar to a cross-draw holster, but at chest level, which presents potential safety concerns.

There must be enough cant for you to comfortably reach your handgun, but not so much that your muzzle is pointed directly behind you, presenting a potential safety hazard.

If you are willing to spend some time adjusting and fitting it to your body, the shoulder holster may be one of the best concealment holsters for you.

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Belly-Band Holsters

A belly-band holster is a large band of stretchable fabric (typically neoprene) designed to be worn around the body and featuring multiple pockets for your concealed carry handguns,  magazines, and other items.

A properly-fitted belly-band holster is one of the best holster options for concealed carrying, easily disappearing even under light clothing, such as t-shirts.

They are an excellent option for those who want to remain able to access their everyday carry weapon even while running, practicing a sport, or other types of physical activity.

Belly-band holsters use Velcro patches for fastening around your body and are typically available in a range of sizes, intended to match your belly circumference.

This holster style is easy to adjust, allowing you to wear it in different ways by merely orienting the holster to your desired height and carry position.

For example, your belly-band holster may ride as low as your hips or as high as your waist level. If you want a draw stroke similar to a strong-side hip holster, you can rotate the band until your gun is at the 3 o’clock position (or 9 o’clock, if left-handed).

A potential disadvantage is that the neoprene pocket will immediately collapse after drawing your firearm, requiring you to use both hands to reholster your weapon.

Practicing your draw stroke is essential when wearing a belly-band holster. Many of the same principles as  IWB holsters apply, such as dragging your cover garment up with one hand and drawing with the other before presenting and aiming.

Pocket Holsters

Pocket holsters involve the use of a holster dedicated for use in a pants pocket. This carry method is about as old as pocket pistols themselves, dating back to the 17th century.

However, pocket carry presents a few challenges: you need to wear pants with front pockets, and your handgun must ride in a dedicated pocket carry holster.

The pocket selected for your holster should also not contain anything else to minimize the risk of snagging.

The most significant disadvantage of pocket carry is that it limits the practical size of the firearm you can carry. If you don’t have a  concealed carry handgun that can practically fit in a pocket holster, this may not be a good option for you.

Ankle Holsters

Ankle holsters are another alternative, popularized by plainclothes officers. They use the same materials as traditional IWB holsters, but instead of riding on a belt, they are mounted to an elastic band riding above the ankle joint, at the bottom of your calf.

This holster style is highly concealable and easy to carry, as long as you wear pants that cover your ankles. Accessing your firearm may be quite challenging if you cannot easily reach down to your legs and get in a position to draw.

The Takeaway

While these holster options are suitable for occasional carry, IWB, OWB, and paddle are far more effective solutions, allowing you immediate access to your firearm in an emergency.

At Incognito Concealment, we offer a large selection of OWB, IWB, and paddle Kydex holsters, 100% hand-crafted in the USA. Call us at  (586) 999-5820 to discuss how we can customize a holster for your handgun, and browse our blog to learn more about the benefits of Kydex for EDC.