Concealed Carry Holsters

I've recently been running into questions about appendix carry so I thought I'd spend some time talking about here.

If you aren't familiar with the term, appendix carry refers to a carrying method where the holster rides inside the waistband just in front of strongside. This style of carry puts the weapon inside the waist somewhere between the belly button and the hip bone on either side.

The image above depicts a right handed a shooter. A lefty would be riding on the other side.

While appendix carry can and does work for some people, here are my thoughts:

#1 - Comfort- Unless the handgun was very small (pocket gun), I always found appendix carry to be overly uncomfortable. I understand that there will be some potential discomfort associated with CCW, but appendix was always really uncomfortable for me. It became really problematic when I tried to sit down while carrying and the weapon jabbed me in the thigh or nether regions.

#2 - Handgun - In tune with comfort, the concealment level of appendix carry was always tied to the weapon size. For me, a small weapon was better carried in the pocket versus in the appendix.

#3 - Accessibility - In addition to the issues mentioned above, I also found appendix carry to result in a very unatural draw.

While some people really like appendix carry, I just wasn't one of them. I'd much rather go with a strongside carry or pocket holster versus appendix carry. That being said, opinions vary, and you may find that appendix carry is just perfect for your needs. Who knows?