Polo-type Shirt Over IWB Carry
- Thread starter lwestatbus
- Start date
I'm with Skans ... I'm retired and live in Central Texas, where it's already been over 90 several times ... I wear mostly tank tops or t-shirts and hate the feel of plastic or leather against my skin, so I pocket carry in one of the many pairs of cargo shorts I wear 9 months out of the year. I can carry my Kahr PM9 without any fear of printing, don't have to wear two shirts to cover an IWB holster so there's something between me and the holster and if I feel the need, simply sliding my hand into my pocket gives me a head start on presenting the gun if needed.
I do like Hawiian shirts and have a few Tommy Bahamas, but they're too expensive -- $100 for many of the Reyn Spooner shirts somebody suggested! I understand the feeling of many that carrying a full-size gun is the only way to go. For me, pocket carry is the solution ...
I do like Hawiian shirts and have a few Tommy Bahamas, but they're too expensive -- $100 for many of the Reyn Spooner shirts somebody suggested! I understand the feeling of many that carrying a full-size gun is the only way to go. For me, pocket carry is the solution ...
lwestatbus
New member
Misc. Notes
I come complete with my own "oversize" that creates a natural tenting overhang that can conceal a pack howitzer tucked in my waist.
Thanks again to all.
Do the stripes help with concealment or are they a fashion statement?1911Jeeper said:
ms6852 said:
I come complete with my own "oversize" that creates a natural tenting overhang that can conceal a pack howitzer tucked in my waist.I actually do this a LOT with a 3" S&W Model 60 but the only shorts with pockets deep enough to take it are ratty looking, even when they're brand new, and they drive my wife crazy. (So do the Hawaiian shirts but she's used to them.)bikerbill said:
This is a good idea. I've never worn a tank-style undershirt but I do need to lighten up on the layers in the humidity here and do want to have something between my firearm and me.Don P said:
Thanks again to all.
1911Jeeper
New member
Naturally the stripes are incredibly fashionable.
They help with concealment.I used to wear tucked in polo shirts and pocket carry. Recently I decided I wanted a larger pistol and adopted the untucked shirt approach. works really well.
Woven is better than knitted (knit cloth forms around the pistol grip grip more whereas the woven fabric tends to tent over it). Thicker fabric is better still.
Darker color is better than lighter (not us much contrasting shadows in folds around grip), but pattern is even better to mask this.
I really like the Cabela Safari shirts though they are a bit longer than some. They are cool although heavier fabric. And lots of pockets. I'll have to check out the Woolrich carry shirts, sounds good, too.
Royal Robbins has some good lightweight cotton button shirts. Fishing shirts are a natural as well.
When an untucked shirt is too casual I go back to pocket carry. For me, the majority of the time I am happy going more casual with an untucked safari shirt with a larger pistol, then sticking with tucked in and settling for pocket pistol.
Woven is better than knitted (knit cloth forms around the pistol grip grip more whereas the woven fabric tends to tent over it). Thicker fabric is better still.
Darker color is better than lighter (not us much contrasting shadows in folds around grip), but pattern is even better to mask this.
I really like the Cabela Safari shirts though they are a bit longer than some. They are cool although heavier fabric. And lots of pockets. I'll have to check out the Woolrich carry shirts, sounds good, too.
Royal Robbins has some good lightweight cotton button shirts. Fishing shirts are a natural as well.
When an untucked shirt is too casual I go back to pocket carry. For me, the majority of the time I am happy going more casual with an untucked safari shirt with a larger pistol, then sticking with tucked in and settling for pocket pistol.
Stevie-Ray
New member
Only thing I had to change when I started carrying was wearing my shirts out rather then tucked in, a change of 25 or 30 years. It was worth it and I now wear Polo shirts or even Tees over my OWB weapon. Have now for many years without incident. Very comfortable.
CountryUgly
New member
Just button the bottom 3 buttons of the shirt you are already wearing during those breezy trips. That's how I roll
My draw stroke doesn't change regardless of how I dress. Real easy...Thumb out slips under shirt and sticks to my body hand goes up shirt riding thumb till i've cleared my weapon thumb still in contact with body and slides down behind grip wrap fingers around grip draw and present. as long as your thumb stays in contact with your body your shirt can't get hung up. no need for the two hand grab shirt pull up and find the gun with the other hand stuff.
My draw stroke doesn't change regardless of how I dress. Real easy...Thumb out slips under shirt and sticks to my body hand goes up shirt riding thumb till i've cleared my weapon thumb still in contact with body and slides down behind grip wrap fingers around grip draw and present. as long as your thumb stays in contact with your body your shirt can't get hung up. no need for the two hand grab shirt pull up and find the gun with the other hand stuff.
Lambdebois
New member
I'll add my experience.
I have been wearing t-shirts or polo style shirts untucked 95+% of the time since I got my ccw. That's how I usually dress anyway in the summer for casual attire so I didn't have to change a thing. I was pleasantly surprised how well a Glock 32 concealed iwb just under a light shirt as I thought I'd want a small pocket gun for hot summer days. I seem to like the cheap nylon uncle mike clip on anywhere from 3:30-4:30 the best. (it's only temporary until my TT hostler shows up but still I forget it's there almost. The handle can print slightly if bending forward but because of my back surgerys... I don't bent forward so it's not a problem. I can't wait till my reinforced iwb from Tim Thurner shows up as I understand it will conceal the handle better because it holds it more secure and to my body and keeps it more stable just as a good custom fit holster with opposing loops should.
I have been wearing t-shirts or polo style shirts untucked 95+% of the time since I got my ccw. That's how I usually dress anyway in the summer for casual attire so I didn't have to change a thing. I was pleasantly surprised how well a Glock 32 concealed iwb just under a light shirt as I thought I'd want a small pocket gun for hot summer days. I seem to like the cheap nylon uncle mike clip on anywhere from 3:30-4:30 the best. (it's only temporary until my TT hostler shows up but still I forget it's there almost. The handle can print slightly if bending forward but because of my back surgerys... I don't bent forward so it's not a problem. I can't wait till my reinforced iwb from Tim Thurner shows up as I understand it will conceal the handle better because it holds it more secure and to my body and keeps it more stable just as a good custom fit holster with opposing loops should.
You have to dress around the weapon. Unfortunately, some weapons require more "dressing around" than others.
lwestatbus, I may have missed it, but I never caught what sort of pistol you are trying to conceal.
Thinner pistols are generally easier to conceal, although even some thin pistols might have some corners that are just "print prone."
I have found that dark colors conceal much much better than lighter colors. I can easily make my 1911 disappear under just a black or navy T-shirt, with an A-shirt (AKA wifebeater) as an undershirt. If I tried that with a lighter color shirt, the printing would be noticeable on the beavertail. I doubt that others would think "gun," but it's enough to make me look for darker colored shirts when I'm getting dressed to go out and about.
As mentioned by some others, patterns do help break up the print as well.
For polo style shirts, I know someone who is a LEO, and his department sometimes gets free stuff from big-name distributers like Blackhawk, 5.11, etc, so sometimes he gives me any free stuff he doesn't want. One of the things he gave me was a 5.11 polo with a velcro front pocket, in navy. It's probably one of my favorite warm weather concealment shirts. It does not say "5.11" anywhere, so it won't make you look like "Tactical Ted," and the velcro pocket is great for a cell phone. It won't fall out if you bend down, and it frees up your pants pockets a little more. It conceals my 1911 very well. I have no idea how much they run price-wise though, but I will probably pick up a few more eventually.
Jason
lwestatbus, I may have missed it, but I never caught what sort of pistol you are trying to conceal.
Thinner pistols are generally easier to conceal, although even some thin pistols might have some corners that are just "print prone."
I have found that dark colors conceal much much better than lighter colors. I can easily make my 1911 disappear under just a black or navy T-shirt, with an A-shirt (AKA wifebeater) as an undershirt. If I tried that with a lighter color shirt, the printing would be noticeable on the beavertail. I doubt that others would think "gun," but it's enough to make me look for darker colored shirts when I'm getting dressed to go out and about.
As mentioned by some others, patterns do help break up the print as well.
For polo style shirts, I know someone who is a LEO, and his department sometimes gets free stuff from big-name distributers like Blackhawk, 5.11, etc, so sometimes he gives me any free stuff he doesn't want. One of the things he gave me was a 5.11 polo with a velcro front pocket, in navy. It's probably one of my favorite warm weather concealment shirts. It does not say "5.11" anywhere, so it won't make you look like "Tactical Ted," and the velcro pocket is great for a cell phone. It won't fall out if you bend down, and it frees up your pants pockets a little more. It conceals my 1911 very well. I have no idea how much they run price-wise though, but I will probably pick up a few more eventually.
Jason