Cover garments

A whole lot of emphasis on shirts in this thread.

If you haven't noticed, large, cavernous, baggy shorts, mostly with cargo pockets, are in style, and will go with a variety of upper-body garments.

Maybe not the fastest draw, or the biggest weapon, but if concealment is the main thing......just sayin'.

I carry a PPKS .380 and a S&W Bodyguard .38 in my cargo pocket shorts all the time....absolutely no one is the wiser. Use a good pocket holster, though.
 
Not for me, the gun in pocket, due to whatever, just preference. But standing with your hand in your pocket, is not so intimidating, but having your hand on a pistol, in a pocket holster, can not be beaten for the Surprise/Surprise factor.
 
If your wife PROHIBITS you from wearing certain clothes, you have more issues than printing your carry.:D

Blue1
 
I am in the "Charlie Harper" camp shirt camp.

Works very well for business casual and I can dress it up a little more by tucking and adding a sport coat.

Also agree with square cut for any un-tucked shirt.
 
I am with you Blue 1~!

Mind you we went out for supper, my Wife had Blue on, so I changed my shirt to match her blue!

My idea, but we do that now and again, she thought the ball cap was a bit much! But at least I take it off when we are seated!
 
For general wear in hot climates or warm weather, Id go with the practical, simple safari or 5.11 type vest. The extra pockets can carry kit or back up stuff; white-light, cell phone, folder-knife, first aid or "blow out" kit, badge/ID/creds(if required), spare magazines or speed strips, passport/documents, etc.
In warmer areas you can get a vest in khaki, OD or a grey color.
Click to expand...

I would not want to wear any type vest in our lovely July/August summer heat. Mid to upper 90's and a humidity of 70-90% making a heat index of 100-107 degree feel like temp.

Heat stroke here we come. With passing of the bills that eliminated the accidental print/exposure of a firearm a punishable offense, dressing has become a little easier for CCW. I'm a big boy and can carry a Gov model 1911 with just wearing a t-shirt and no vest. With all the cell phones today no one even pays attention to slight bulges. Folks are too busy in condition white to even notice. Tex ting and chatting seem to be much more important than that small bulge on your hip. Just my opinion from 23 years of CCW in this sweat box called Florida.
 
New fabrics....

There are many new fabrics & styles that can keep you cool even in the FL heat.
A/C helps too. :D
5.11 has the "taclite" fabric for warmer areas.
I've also seen new activewear designs in materials that breathe or reduce UV light(sunlight).
I don't care for a few styles because they feel uncomfortable.

Clyde
 
I'm in Miami. T-shirts and button ups with the sleeves rolled past my elbows. All the time. I'm also always wearing blue jeans. Not much of a shorts wearing person outside the house. Barely even wear shorts in the house.

My button ups are great for concealing: IWB, AIWB, and OWB

My T-shirts do the trick for IWB and AIWB.
 
AIWB is my preferred and most comfortable position for carry. Being a southpaw, my handgun is at 10:30 - 11:00

With a good belt and holster, I can carry an SP101, CZ75B and Kahr MK9 with no issues at all.

Untucked shirt with with one button secured at the belt line doesn't look odd and keeps it from flapping open with easy weapon access.

It's been my experience with a smaller handgun in a low ride holster, if it flaps open, people still don't notice.

My buddy has some different CCW cover shirts with different fasteners from about the belt line down: velco, magnets, weighted fronts. He likes the weights and magnets over the velco.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
What a Vest means, in the middle east? contractor, in places were LEO congregate, gun! In Europe, bus driver, on tours! Used a lot in IPSC when the fashion was in.
 
Vests, general public....

I disagree with a few members about the 5.11 vests/cover garments. If you asked the general public(US) if a person had a concealed gun or might have a concealed gun; 85-90% would not pick the person wearing a khaki or OD vest.
Some cops or license holders(CCW) may key into it but so what. It's still concealing the firearms & carrying all the gear(knife white light spare magazines phone OC spray etc).
I don't spend my day wondering what people I don't know or never meet think I may or may not have. :rolleyes:
 
The issue wouldn't be the general public but the criminal public. I don't know if as of yet, the criminal populace has been surveyed as to their view of carry methods.

Doing a Wright like research project in prison might have the unintended consequence of educating them. Thus, our grapplers might have to actually grapple. :eek:

5-11 pants - well, everyone wears cargo pants nowadays.
 
The Town, real criminals....

In the late 1990s, when many articles & topics were still printed :rolleyes: , I read a interesting item in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin about a in depth DoJ study where they interviewed convicted felons about LE related topics.
In short, the convicts said they would avoid any LE officer or cop that looked sharp or prepared to handle themselves. If they had a pressed uniform, shined boots/footwear, custom grips or high tech duty gear, short haircut, etc.
They took these cues or signs to mean that the person may be ready to fight or resist. Crooks want a "easy lick" or someone they can size up & handle.
If you are wearing 5.11 pants or a tactical/concealment vest/shirt & some thug says; "I'll move on." then so be it. ;)
The concept is brought up by Ben Affleck's character in the crime drama; The Town. His armed robber character says he avoids any "job" where he might have to cross a well trained or well armed guard.
 
In one of my past employments in England, after hours, I would meet quite a number of the elite groups who others, people I worked with knew. And knew their criminal backgrounds.

Big time house breakers. Dressed to kill, lean and mean. Never caused any trouble, family names were well known. Like Murphy, Kelly. Crime Family's from way back. These individuals were not worried about local Police, at all.

One incident comes to mind, the Country Gentry, in their Mansions in the North, Manchester way, were getting very expertly robbed when they were on holiday, etc.

A main highway, the M6, was being used by these Crime Bosses, driving hi powered Range Rovers, eluding the Police.

One night the Police used a rented Helicopter from Speak/John Lennon, Airport, followed the vehicles, grabbed a couple of big time hoods on an exit road.

It was reported in the local press.

Two nights later, the Helicopter was fire bombed! An hour later, using a stolen Land Rover, some one trashed the parked cars in one of the Manchester Police Station parking lots.

Things quieted down a lot, from all sides, after that.

The only things out of bounds. Children. You did not do well in Walton Prison after being in that group of criminals. The criminals were mostly family men.

When I was a Board member of IALEFI, I arrived at a Board meeting, with a kaki 511 vest on. One of the other Board members laughed, asked if I was going fishing! Was not long till he had one! In fact our apparel store started selling them!
 
The local Bass Pro has an entire section of 5-11 vests and tactical hats! They even say tactical on them.

But, I hardly ever see one worn. I think they hang in the closet next to the 20000 rounds of 22LR some folks have snapped up.

So where are they?
 
There are 3 in my clothes closet Glenn! Khaki/Green/Grey! Over twenty five years ago, on Holiday, in Europe, my Khaki vest was common garb for coach drivers, and photographers. I fitted right in. No it was not concealing a pistol then.
 
I wear polo shirts and they hide my pistol with no printing and I carry OWB.
Click to expand...

Works for me as well. 52" chest, even with the mid 50's pot belly thing going on lately, I still have enough drape to cover darn near anything. There is always the pocket carry option as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top