Ankle holsters...

S

Sixer

New member
I finally "bit the bullet" and bought a pocket pistol. The weapon of choice was a MDE380. With jeans or cargo shorts, pocket carry is great!

However, I often have to wear dress pants for work which provide less support for the gun. I also have a bunch of other stuff in my pockets (i.e. keys, cell phone, knife, wallet, etc.)

So I am looking for suggestions on an ankle holster. Any certain brand or type you would suggest? Any general advice or thoughts on CCW w/ an ankle holster? Thanks :)
 
Ankle holsters have several problems:

They're slow to get to and it usually takes two hands.

They put you in a bad defensive posture when drawing - you're bent over or squatted down with both hands engaged.

Unless the holster is high up on your calf (even harder to get to), simply getting into the car may cause your pants leg to ride up enough to expose the gun.

Why not look at a good IWB? Several companies make tuckable models that show nothing until you need it.
 
galco and fobus both make pretty good ones i think, i also have an alessi i picked up off of ebay thats super comfortable. If you search ankle holsters youll find some posts on it, most of them of people trying to talk you out of it lol. Im in a similar situation to yours.....dress pants at work or dressed up going out. At work i carry a large soft briefcase so ill put all the stuff in my pockets except my keys into the case....then keys in one pocket, pistol in the other. I usually only ankle carry if im dressed up and going out for the night....for then i think it works fine. True i cant get to my gun superquick......but i can get to it and its better than leaving it home.
 
I usually only ankle carry if im dressed up and going out for the night....for then i think it works fine. True i cant get to my gun superquick......but i can get to it and its better than leaving it home.
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This is exactly the type of situation I would use it for. I wouldn't consider an ankle holster for daily carry, but more for those times when I don't have many other options. I would also be using it as a BUG to my primary CCW on occasion, so super quick access is not a HUGE concern.

I will definitely check out some IWB tuckable holsters. I have had a few in the past that I did not care for... but I was also using them with larger guns.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
Check out the Smart Carry holsters. Very comfortable, easily accessed, and one of the most concealable type of holsters around.

Ankle holsters are OK, but tend to get annoying as the day goes on, especially with the heavier guns. I have a number, and the most comfortable I've found is the Desantis "Leather Ankle Holster". Its the only one I can wear all day with a J frame that is still comfortable at the end of the day.
 
Yes to the previous post. SmartCarry and pocket carry are both preferable to ankle carry, which most here would regard as the last ditch choice for carrying.

My favorite is OWB or IWB 5:00, but sometimes I use a SmartCarry or carry a Ruger LCP in my pocket.
 
I have an Uncle Mikes, with the calf strap, that has served me well. When my mode of dress dictates, I am able to comfortably carry my 6 shot .357 snubbie. Grant it, ankle carry is not my prefered method of carry, but sometimes, it's the only way I can carry.
 
I've used the cheap uncle mikes holster with a Jframe snubbie. Its not the best but it does work okay. Suit slacks are usually loose enough to get a fairly quick draw. Jeans are terrible.
 
Ankle holsters are OK, but tend to get annoying as the day goes on
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Amen to that. I carried a small undercover 5 shot snubnose for several years in a ankle rig and hated it. I was "made" at least a couple times. It isn't as easy to hide a gun on your ankle as many people think.

If you do buy one, get a quality rig with all-around support, hopefully with a little cant.
 
I have 2 ankle holsters that I use alot. Unfortunately I have had them for so long I couldn't tell you what brand they are. I use them primarily when wearing thin slacks and a dress shirt in the summer time. An IWB, which I also have, is too bulky. It's freakin hot here in Texas. I don't wear dockers in the summer so pocket carry is difficult. Yes it may take a little longer to get to the weapon, but at least you won't leave it at home.
 
One other aspect of ankle carry is that your gun will pick up a lot of grit just like your shoes do. I would try to find another mode of carry.
 
Good fitting dress pants, tucked in dress shirt, too hot or not the place for wearing a jacket, must stay concealed: What choice other than an ankle holster?
 
Other than ankle

There are "Tuck in your shirt" IWBs. Ankle holsters after a 14hr day in 100deg and 100% humidity, oh boy howdy!!!! They are not bad if you strap them over your 8" boot (not cowboy boot). Try sprinting a mile or so with a weapon in an ankle holster!! I would wear an ankle holster, for a back-up, if I worked at a desk all day. Shoulder holster=primary, ankle holster=back-up.
 
Good fitting dress pants, tucked in dress shirt, too hot or not the place for wearing a jacket, must stay concealed: What choice other than an ankle holster?
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Smart Carry is still the best answer. Another possibility would be one of the undershirt type holsters, but shirt material type and fitting will come into play there. They work well too, but I find the Smart Carry works the best, especially for a smaller pistol.
 
A tip for ankle carry...wear socks that will allow you to tuck the holster in the sock. It helps a lot when you're seated and your pantleg tends to ride up. The sock will prevent the bottom of the holster from being exposed. Even with a six shot .357, I can ankle carry all day and still remain fairly comfortable. Of course, being a larger guy ( 6'-260 lbs ) might have something to do with that. I prefer the calf strap because that prevents the holster from sliding, and the sock trick helps with that too. It's a given that ankle carry is not the ideal method of carry, but sometimes it's the only way and it's better than going without. Just as with anything else, practice will improve your skills of accessing your weapon.
 
ankle holster

forget the ankle holster. tried one years back. had to run and it was difficult trying to keep weapon low on ankle. holster an gun went around the ankle. got rid of the ankle holster.
 
I've had good results with the several Renegade brand ankle holsters that I have owned over the years. They are made in Arizona. I do not know if they have a website
 
Renegade

People love or hate ankle hoslters. They (like me) usually love the Renegade ankle holster, and hate the others. :)

I wear my Renegade Cozy Partner holster regularly, as I sit most of the workday and when I'm not sitting, I'm in my car. Ankle carry works very well for me. I've carried a Kel-Tec P3AT, a Ruger LCP, and a Kahr PM9 in mine, all with great success. If you use the Renegade to carry a smaller 380, you'll hardly notice that you are wearing it.

Do a bit of Google searching, and you'll find more information. Good luck!
 
Holsters are like golf clubs. Different holsters for different circumstances.

I used an ankle holster for awhile and liked it for what I was doing. In & out of car – different customers, gas stations. In & out of bad areas. I was wearing slacks, shirt & tie.

I had what I took for an insane person beating on the car in front of me at a stop light. Had an aggressive panhandler get between me and my Jeep one at a gas station & once at a convience store.

The gun was easy to reach while seated in the car, and was still with me when I got out.
 
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