Concealed carry in very warm weather

Let me plug the Smartcarry as a warm weather carry solution. I used the SC in the following pic.
msecv.jpg


In this SC I carry a CZ PCR, an extra mag, my drivers's license, and my CHL along with a few dollars. As you can see from the pic it has a pocket (where the money sticks out) which allows for carrying extra "stuff".

I wear a pair of nylon shorts over this and it covers and carries quite well. A t-shirt on top and I'm set for the warmest weather around.
 
I'm thinking about a Smart Carry for this summer. My only question is does it get sweaty and uncomfortable in really hot weather? I tend to sweat a lot, especially in the groin area. (Well, you don't know if you don't ask. Right?)
 
I wear my Security V Smartcarry such that it rests on my pubis above the groin and does not go into the groin area per se. Thus it does not become sweaty at all. The SC is fully adjustable and you control where it lies and where it works for you.
 
Update on the 5.11 shirt for OldJarHead, Doc, and rsxr, The shirt has been ordered and is scheduled to arrive Thursday to begin its test period. Can't wait!:D
 
115 degrees - sweathing through Shirt-- Public venue

That is why my concealed carry choice is a pocket gun.
If I don't have it with me it won't do me any good.

Kel-Tel 32 in a pocket holster in really hot weather.
Plenty of other options when its cooled down to the 80s.

Rinse the .32 under hot running water when I get home to wash out the salt, and give it a blast with a hair dryer to get the water out.
If it finally rusts out --- buy another one (or a Ruger LCP).
 
Cwok, great point regarding the salt residue on CC guns. I think a lot of people my not even think about it.


Here is a link to another thread here with some pics of the 5.11 Tactical Holster Shirt. Hwood has posted pictures of the White shirt with PX4, and I have some of the Black shirt with P99. If the shirt can conceal these fullsized frames, you're definately GTG with any of the smaller CC pistols.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406117
 
plug for smartcarry with a twist

been wearing a smartcarry for 2+ years. At first wore it as it's advertised, then tried it in the 4-5 o'clock position and have never turned back. it works well with shirt tucked or not. it works well in hot or cold weather. it allows the carry of a spare magazine. it works well with shorts and a t-shirt and also with a suit & tie. with shirt tucked it's not quite as fast, but it's always in the same location no matter what i'm wearing. i keep the grip of my G27 above the belt/ waistband. for those of us who have added a pund or two it forces us to admit that we need to move up a waist size, but unless your pants are too tight anyway you shouldn't have any trouble. works somewhat like a tuckable holster but again allows easy carry of a spare mag. better for plastic guns as it does allow minimal sweat to reach the gun through the sweat proof fabric backing. but with all day sweaty wear in the summer my glock has only a small amout of moisture on it. a "wife beater" undershirt will most likely eliminate that if worn under the holster. long post, but that's my thoughts and my preferred method of day-in day-out, nobody can know that i carry, carry. unless of course you know me. in that case my official statement is that i only carry when laws and policies permit.:D
 
+1 for SmartCarry. I carry an XD9SC. I love my Supertuck but knew it wouldn't work so well with the summer clothing that I wear (shorts, tee shirts/tank tops). I did lots of research and asked lots of questions on forums like TFL and SmartCarry seemed to be the choice for most. Mine came in the mail on Sat. and I've been experimenting with wearing it with different types of clothing.

So far it's perfect for my intended use. Tried it with jeans on Sunday and, as I wear my jeans snug (not necessarily tight) it was a little uncomfortable. But, hey, my Supertuck is great with jeans, so who cares!

My son-in-law, who pocket carries, was impressed with the SC, but didn't think I should carry with one in the pipe in this particular location. Said I should get a helmet for, uh, "Mr. Johnson"! :rolleyes:
 
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The Great Mahoo said:
"Doc, can you give any more on your experience with these vests? I really like the looks of them, and am strongly considering ordering one. Do they hold up well, provide plenty of pocket-space and what not? What, in your opinion, is the largest sized gun they can reasonably hold? How about the Glock sub-compacts?

Any more info would be appreciated."
Click to expand...
TGM,

First, sorry I did not see your question earlier. I've owned a number of the Coronado vests, two of which were 'traveler's'-type vests and one was the American V-rider in bison leather. In the earliest vests there was an elastic holster built into the pocket, but the later vests came with an adjustable nylon band-style holster that velcro'ed in place inside the inner pockets.

The vests had plenty of pockets, and I in fact used them for traveling for about ten years total, 3 for the first, and then about 8 years for the second. The pockets eventually wore out on the second one - (the nylon pockets on the vest, not the inner CCW pockets - they still work fine.) I travel for a living, and put between 150K and 200K airline miles per year on these vests, so I consider that a pretty solid test. (No, I do not carry overseas or on flights. I only carried in the vests while on domestic travel.)

I liked the vests real well, because you could come out of the airport, remove your firearm from your suitcase in the rental car, load it, and stick it in the vest in just a matter of very few minutes. It rode well, concealed well, was easy to draw while driving or seated in a vehicle, did not interfere with seatbelts, and I never touched the firearm again until it was time to pack to depart.

You are pretty limited in terms of what you could carry concealed - I mostly carried j-frames. I tried .45s and glocks, they looked like I had an iguana under my vest. Something the size of a Walther or a Kahr would fit well, though - I would go with a single stack magazine regardless of which pistol you selected. But for what it was, the vests worked out well for me for CCW on business trips. Your mileage may vary.

By the way, here is something that I just found that might work for some of you, depending on what you do for a living, or where you go for recreation, or whatever. Some might dismiss these little packs as a "man purse", but if you're traveling or day hiking or whatever these allow you to carry a fairly large pistol of any sort, concealed yet very accessible, and they do not scream "concealed weapon" the same way that a fanny pack might:

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/JUMBO-VERSIPACK-4p6.htm

They might be worth your consideration, depending on where you are and what you're involved with.

FWIW.

Doc
 
I really like the MaxPedition "Messenger" bags (refering to the style, not a particular model). They look super versitile. I have not yet purchased one my self, but hopefully will in the future.

I have seen them in very professional materials and styles for a business environment, as well as the OD canvas and more "rugged" styles. That syle of bag also seems to be popular in some of the larger cities, I know Seattle for sure, seen them all over the place. I definately think it's a product worth checking out.

Just what the Doc ordered.
 
Heh...

I purchased the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack to use for a multi-week series of force against force exercises. After I get back I'll set it up for CCW and report back how it seems to work overall as 'civilian tactical gear' (or not - as the case may be).

You just never know about these things.....
 
I'm a fellow Texan & I love the kydex holsters because they don't soak up sweat.
I've been wearing "Comp-Tac" holsters for years now, granted they can be hard on the finish.
I carry a stainless 1911-A1 so the finish rub isn't a issue.
 
hot and sticky

When it gets bad out, I go to pocket carry of a smaller pistol, either a Sig 230 or a S&W 36.

Fanny packs look like a guy with a gun and a fanny pack.

You can't always walk around in a gunny vest or your shirt tail out.
 
Hot weather carry options...

I agree with the other posted remarks, a well made T-shirt or holster shirt like the 5.11 or Kramer designs should do well in the TX heat.
There are a few well made ankle rigs(if you wear pants not shorts) and pocket type holsters that may fit your handguns.

CF
 
The primary issue with fanny packs is the belt itself. It makes them too flimsy, too flexible, too sloppy. The solution, for me, is to use Uncle Mike's belt packs, (meant to go on your belt using embedded belt loops on the pack instead of using a strap or belt attached to the pack). But even that was not really what i wanted, and left it too loose. So, I took off the plastic belt loops and attached kydex clips to the back of the pack so that it can clip onto my belt. It looks sort of like a large cell phone carrier when it is on my belt, very inconspicuous. I had one kydex clip break, so I replaced it, and the clips seem to be working fine now, and do not appear to be cracking or loose. I wanted to be absolutely sure it will not break, so I made another one using metal belt clips. You can get the clips from knife kit websites (for people who make their own knives).

People say that fanny packs give away that you are carrying a gun. I don't actually care one way or another. In PA, it is legal to carry openly, and there are no laws that say you must completely and convincingly conceal the gun. On the other hand, I do genuinely believe that overall tactical advantage is maintained by it not being known that one has a gun, but for warm weather with shorts and t-shirts, the belt pack works fine and no one has ever, ever commented about it or asked what is in there. Even when I spent a day exploring old RR tunnels and bridges in NJ (a notorious anti-gun state that makes it very hard to get a CCW permit), no one asked me what was in there, even several cops that I spoke to during the day. The key thing, as far as I am concerned, is that the belt pack is tight against your own belt, and does not hang down or away from the waist line. It is very snug to the belt line, and so drawing from it involves no more fumbling, probably a hell of a lot less fumbling actually, than drawing from a concealment holster such as an IWB covered by a concealment shirt. There's no shirt tail to whip out of the way.
 
Another Fanny Pack Vote

I live in the South and it gets hot and humid, so a fanny pack for me. I use a leather made for pistol pack with Velcro release. My normal carry is a Glock 36 (.45ACP). I am older and no one pays any attention to an old guy wearing a fanny pack. Soon as the weather cools I switch to a light vest and belt holster.
 
We're from the same state,I've been carry .45 for years without a problem, and not even one gun.I have pri,sec and knife which I can get them quick,and I'm not the only one.
 
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