Concealed Carry Holsters

SOB is an acroynm for small of the back, and refers to gun holsters that are worn in the small of the back. These holsters can be worn on the belt or clipped on inside the waistband. A number of holster makers produce SOB models and there has always been a fair amount of controversy over this style.

Why the controversy? It stems from some opinions about the safety and functionality of this type of holster. Those issues include:

Safety
There two three points in regards to potential safety issues:

Retention - The premise here is that the gun will be difficult to retain during an attempted grab or take-away. I can certainly see the concerns from a weapon retention standpoint as a person behind you could certainly make an attempt to take the weapon and it would be very difficult to defend from that position.

Back Injury - Many detractors also talk about the position of the handgun on the spine in the event of a fall. You certainly could injure your spine if you feel down and landed on your back carrying a handgun in this position. I personally know a law enforcement officer who slipped on icy steps leaving his house and injured his spine when he fell on his weapon being carried in the SOB position. Did the weapon do all the damage? Who knows.

Sweeping the body - Another major concern associated with this style of carry involves potentially sweeping the kidney area with the muzzle during the draw. The thought process here is that, during a moment of stress, the shooter makes an attempted draw and the muzzle does sweep the kidney area. An accidental discharge in this scenario could certainly cause significant injury or death.

From a functionality standpoint, the biggest question seems to center around the overall effectiveness of the holster in terms of performance and concealment. From my viewpoint, the holster doesn't conceal well and doesn't allow for rapid deployment.

My personal opinion: I'm not really a fan of this style at all. My opinion doesn't really stem from rumors or internet opinions on this style, but from my own personal experiences. I have tried various SOB holsters just to test and formulate my own thoughts. I don't like the holster position from a defensive position, and I'm not a fan of the way it's drawn. I personally prefer s strong side holster any day.

However, this is just my opinion, and your own mileage may vary. You may find it's the "perfect" gun holster for you, but I really doubt it.