The 3 Best Holsters For Women
Gun holsters for women must-needs be a bit different than those for men, as women are of course different than men. Our bodies are different, how we dress is different.
If you're going to carry a gun in case you possibly need to defend yourself, you need to use a holster. Carrying without one is unsafe and isn't conducive to being able to get the gun into a fight if you have to.
Where should you start? What are the types of concealed carry holsters for women that give you the security and function you need, but still carry comfortably enough to be used everyday?
Start with these 3 types of gun holsters for women. If you can't make these work, it might be that nothing will.
Discover The Best Holsters For Women
IWB Holsters
The default choice of gun holsters for women if concealed carry is the goal is the IWB holster. In fact, it's the standard concealed carry choice for all genders.
An IWB is one of the best gun holsters for women because it's just one of the best types of holsters for daily carry, period. Provided the holster is of correct construction, it's comfortable to carry, easy to conceal, and functional enough for range training and daily carry both.
Use is simple. You insert the holster into the waistband, fasten your belt, insert the pistol and then lay over your cover garment. You're good to go.
But you need to pick the right holster.
For starters, there needs to be a hard covering over the trigger guard, to keep the pistol safely retained and the trigger protected. This keeps the gun safe.
The holster should be made of a material that doesn't drive you crazy to have inside the waistband all day. You shouldn't begrudgingly carry, or else you have an uncomfortable holster.
It also helps if the holster has some adjustability, in case you need to adjust the retention force or the ride position of the holster. That lets you set it up how you like it.
There are some drawbacks. You also need to buy a good belt for proper support, and you have to wear pants with belt loops; it won't work with leggings, which limits your clothing choices.
With that said, a good IWB holster is comfortable, so you can wear it all day, and functional, so you can train with it and trust it to carry securely. It's the default choice for good reason.
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Belly Band Holsters
Another popular holster option for women is a belly band holster. Compared to IWB and OWB designs, they are much more versatile but require a bit more care in selection of cover garment.
Just like other types of holsters, you also have to choose carefully to select a good example of a belly band, or you won't get the function or comfort you need from a concealed carry holster.
A belly band uses a durable fabric to attach the holster to the midsection, under your clothing. Some are elasticized, kind of like Spanx or something like that, and some are more like a belt that fastens around the waist but, again, under the clothing.
Some have a mere pouch or flap that the pistol is inserted in, and others include a holster shell.
The latter is universally the better choice; a custom-molded retention shell gives the holster a more precise fit, securing the pistol and keeping the trigger guard protected.
Belly band holsters can be incredibly comfortable, especially if they have a light padding such as neoprene, and are made from comfortable materials.
While they can be worn with any outfit, that doesn't mean that means you'll get the best results with literally any clothing.
A best practice is to get some concealed carry clothing that has a false pocket or other opening that allows you to get a fast firing grip on the gun. Your clothing also has to be a little roomy, which keeps the gun from printing through your clothing.
If you can't find clothing like that, or can't find any to your liking, it's recommended to wear the belly band lower on the waist, so you can easily lift your shirt to clear the cover garment and draw the gun, just like with wearing an IWB holster.
Belly band holsters do work with more clothing choices, so long as they suit use of a belly band holster, this much is true. If you choose the right belly band holster design, they have the same level of functionality as any other holster style.
That's why they're one of the most popular choices of gun holsters for women.
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Corset Holsters
A popular holster option made specifically for women is the corset holster. Some women find them a bit more to their liking than belly bands.
There's a good reason; a concealed carry corset has a lot of the same virtues. It pairs with just about any outfit.
A corset fastens onto the body, of course, and provides a slimming effect under the clothing. Provided the right fit, it's not uncomfortable in the least.
It's a good idea to choose a slim, compact pistol for the purpose...but we've also known some women to perfectly conceal a large revolver with a corset holster using normal clothes. So you might be surprised by how much gun you can conceal with one.
That said, take care to select a corset holster that's made to carry safely.
Some sort of rigid lining for the holster cell itself is a must. The trigger guard cannot be protected by mere stretchy fabric alone.
You should also take care to choose one that's comfortable enough for you to wear every day for extended periods, or else it will make you miserable. A bit of adjustability, so you can loosen or tighten it as needed, is also recommended.
Just as with a belly band holster, take care to make prudent clothing choices for concealed carry with this kind of holster. You need to be able to access the gun fast, in case of emergency, but you still need to maintain concealment.
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