Setup Saturday: Gun Belts and Holsters

Last week we talked carry guns, I don’t think it was a surprise to anyone who has been in the gun culture for more than 5 minutes but, I hope that helped you new guys get squared away. This week is going to be a longer article so brace yourselves for a “Lord Of the Rings” trilogy, special features included length article. We are going to complete the required gear to actually carry that gun into the real world. Gun belts and holsters

To carry a gun you need quality gun belts and holsters designed to support the weight of a firearm. They work together as the foundation for a secure comfortable carry. To those of you that read  last weeks Training Tip Tuesday on stance this will be familiar. Like all things in this world the foundation sets the stage for how long the building will last.

If you go to Walmart and buy some fake shark skin belt and think that will work, your house will fall down. In this case what will happen to those department store belts and even genuine leather belts is the holes and leather will stretch, and the weight of the gun will sag the belt and make you constantly hike up your pants. As the belt stretches the gun will start to pull away from the body instead of being held securely upright, and cause more sag and increased printing. To avoid this or, to constantly battle it you will cinch it down tight, what that will do over time is cause hip and lower back problems.

How do we avoid all of this? We buy a gun belt that is designed to support the weight of the gun. Gun belts are typically double thick with a scuba webbing, steer hide, or spring steel core that makes them very ridged and able to support all your carry gear. There are so many options and so many companies that claim to have a sturdy belt that are selling snake oil, to avoid all that I will give you 4 options for all budgets.

If you’re ballin hard the ares gear aegis enhanced limited is the top of the line, double thick scuba webbing that will not bend, roll, or fold and will last longer than you will. They are also the most expensive coming in at the $105 range depending on size and selected finishes. Seems like a lot for a belt but it will outlive all of us. Next is a very long standing company that makes leather a true art form, the Galco sb2 casual holster belt is made with double thick steer hide and can double as a dress belt for carry in every situation. These come in right about $100 and are worth every penny.

The next 2 are more for the ballin on a budget folks, the college student, single parents, and penny pinchers. Kore essentials makes ratchet track belts that don’t use traditional holes that are super stiff, you get the belt and cut it to your size, making sure to leave some excess. Great design and they have more models than fashion week, they range from $30-$80. Lastly is the bladetech/nexbelt ratchet belts. About the same as the kore essentials but not as thick. They are the thinnest, cheapest, and weakest option. They work great for a gun but if you start adding mags or lights or multi-tools it will just start to break it down. They come in at $40-$60 on amazon. It should be noted that for the first 2 belts, I suggest 1 1/2″ width and for sizing, FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIZING.

Now, holsters. A quality holster is custom formed to fit the gun, has passive retention, and won’t collapse on itself. If you are thin or with a slight belly that hasn’t dunlopped yet, (belly done lopped over the belt line) it should be a no brainer, appendix carry in a trex arms sidecar, they come in about $100-$150. I wish I hadn’t hit the m&m jar so hard for so many years because I would LOVE to be able to appendix carry, it saves space on the belt line, is lightening fast, and has the mag pouch built into  it, its wonderful. If (like me) you went full tactical muffin top there are 2 options, IWB (inside the waistband) and OWB (outside the waistband) I find IWB uncomfortable as a bigger guy but the best holster for it is the NSR yeager c-2 ($70). It uses soft loops which are superior to clips and is made of custom formed kydex right in Kentucky.

As for outside the waistband carry there are 2 options, the trex arms ragnarok ($70-$90) using a safariland paddle, or a com-ptac warrior ($80-$100) that uses belt loops. Belt loops help conceal better as it holds it close to the body, paddles provide the ability to put the holster on rapidly in the morning. I recommend the comp-tac.

You’re going to ask about other modes of carry not mentioned here, they aren’t mentioned because they have no place in the EDC world, most only have very specific roles they play in certain professions.

You may also ask about brands not listed, again, they aren’t listed for a reason. There is no such thing as a “starter belt” or “starter holster” that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Why spend $40 on a crap holster to then spend $90 on a good one? Just spend the $90 and save $40.

I hear 2 things kinda frequently, “you’re costing me so much money” and “you saved me so much money”. They mean the same thing, its just that one person bought worthless “starter” crap to save a buck and wound up spending 2x as much. The other person bought the quality stuff I told them and never had to buy it again. This stuff is already expensive, its more expensive when you have to buy it twice.

When you do buy gear make sure to train with it so that you are aware of how it works, you have confidence that you can operate to standards, and that it fits your purpose.

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