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Yes, it’s possible for women’s holsters to be comfortable and concealable along with functional and feminine!

I’m a woman, who shoots guns and I am licensed to concealed carry. Below I will go over everything we women should know about CCW.

HOLSTERS FOR WOMEN are different and the same. Let’s get into it. 

female shooter ccw

No, that’s not me in the pic, I just think its a great shoot.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S HOLSTERS?

Most holsters are made for men and women.  However, women are curvier than men and also retain fluids at different times and need to be able to adjust their holsters to meet their needs.  Some women’s holsters have a ratchet system to allow them to get a custom fit.  They also have stylish, fashionable, sexy holsters for women.  

Don’t worry, I’ll recommend some great options though out this post.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST WOMANS’ HOLSTER

A few things you should keep in mind when choosing a holster for a female

 

  •  What will work best for the firearm you are carrying?
  •  Where will you be carrying the firearm on your body?
  •  Your shape and size is definitely a factor for comfort.
  •  What type of clothing will you be wearing and what color?
  •  How much activity will you be doing?

 

WOMEN’S CONCEALED CARRY THIGH HOLSTER /ALSO KNOWN AS WOMEN’S DROP LEG HOLSTER 

 

The advantage of a properly worn thigh holster is the butt of your firearm is literally right at your hand. It’s faster and easier to draw a firearm when your hand is already naturally near your gun. Thigh holsters are a great option when wearing dresses or skirts. You can also wear a waistband with a garter which keeps the thigh holster from sliding down. You can also adjust the height to accommodate your skirt so even when sitting your thigh rig is concealed.

the Best Women’s Thigh Holster

Is it the best, well that depends on you. What I can say is that its lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to get to. The rest depends on you. I like the softer feel vs a hard Kydex holster against my leg.

 

Is a thigh holster the same as a drop leg holster?

Basically Yes. You can get thigh holsters that do not have the top belt attachment so then its not really not a drop leg anymore, but still consider a thigh holster. Without the belt attachment they are most likely garter holsters and are generally for smaller pistols.

 

WOMEN’S GARTER HOLSTER

The concealed carry garter holster is for women who wear skirts and dresses and who want to  carry a small firearm.   This secure thigh holster can be worn on the right leg or left leg and the six rows of hook and eye allow for wearing it on the upper or lower thigh.

 

The Can Can concealment garter is one of the best women’s thigh holsters.  It is high quality and attractive.  This garter also has a  spare magazine pouch on the holster.  This holster was  designed with compact semi-autos in mind and is a great choice for the woman who wants to be discrete but also values a holster that looks as good as it is practical. 

WOMEN’S HIP HUGGER CONCEALED CARRY HOLSTERS

Hiphugger holsters are very comfortable and made with a beautiful corset design for females.

-They are functional and sexy

-You can choose light or dark colors to coincide with the color of clothing you are wearing that day.  You will do well to wear loose clothing especially if you are concealing more than one firearm.

-The hip hugger holster has a hook and eye closure like your bra and can be right or left-handed.

You can carry as many as 2 appendix carry and 2 back carry as well as 3 magazines.  If you choose you can put your ID, CPL, phone or something else in one of the pockets.  You could also carry as many as 2 knives in the pocket instead of a firearm.  Your choice.

The holster I am referring to has a tactical grip strip to keep the holster from riding up and holding it in place.  The holster also has pull tabs to open the pocket so that you can re-holster your firearm without taking off the hip hugger holster.

Cons

-The unit stays in place by utilizing bra-like clasps, the downside is that its kind of a pain to put this one.

-sizing, since this is like fitting clothing it may take trying on more than one to get the right size

 

WOMEN’S CONCEALED CARRY SHORTS

Holster shorts offer body shaping and your gun is concealed in a sub-layer of the shorts body shaping compression. The thigh holster is made of soft moderate support Lycra.  The shorts have a  high waist which smooths the abdomen making and a clean finish around the base of your thigh which prevents rolling or riding up of the shorts. The thigh gun holster is unisex, but they do have fashionable and lacey thigh holsters for women. 

 

BELLY BAND HOLSTERS CONCEALED CARRY FOR WOMEN

 

The Well Armed Woman Belly Band Holster-This is the only belly band exclusively designed for women. This belly band holster is a versatile and comfortable holster option for women  due to the difference in the variety of clothing women wear.

 Whether you are dressed for work or going to the gym, the belly band holster provides the comfort and security you are looking for. They can be worn high (under the breasts) or low (on the hips) of your body.   They are made of heavy-duty elastic with a velcro closure. Most have two firearm holsters.  Many have a pocket that conceals important papers, cash, credit cards, ID, as well as a slot for a spare magazine. It works great with medium and small frame revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. 

Here’s a bunch of Belly Band Holsters we reviewed

Heres the Top Belly Band Holsters on AmazonHeres the Top Belly Band Holsters on Amazon

 

BELLY BAND VERSUS GARTER HOLSTER

The belly band distributes the weight of the gun by length, making it comfortable to carry your gun for long periods of time. The band is made out of a breathable elastic fabric that will feel soft against your skin.  Women of all sizes can wear a belly band holster and be comfortable wearing it.   They also have styles that you can wear inside or outside of your pants.  You can position the belly band holster so you can cross draw, or  place it behind your hip, in the twelve o’clock position, or on the small of your back.  You can have a left or right hand draw.  The belly band holster will fit a lot of firearms.

 

STICKY HOLSTER CONCEALED CARRY FOR WOMEN

The Sticky holsters are designed for IWB Concealed Carry.   The smaller sizes also work well for POCKET  concealed carry use. The holster is made of a non-slip material that will adhere to just about anything.   The inner closed cell foam and inner liner keep your firearm securely in place.  If you are using as a pocket concealed carry when you draw your firearm, the outer layer adheres to the inside of your pocket keeping the holster in place while you draw your firearm.  The Sticky Holsters can be used with either right or left hand.  They will adhere against your bare skin or against clothing.  With use and body heat, your Sticky Holster will conform to your particular gun, making for a custom fit.   As with any firearm and holster, make sure you practice your draw to assess how quickly to are able to draw and fire your firearm.  Also with the sticky holster, in time it may begin to slip, so beware.  

Shop Sticky Holsters Here

 

IN THE WAISTBAND CONCEALED CARRY FOR WOMEN

 IWB holster is one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to concealed carry your firearm.  The firearm is easily accessible and can be drawn quickly in any emergency situation where the use of a firearm is needed to protect yourself.

WE love Concealment Express Holsters for IWB Options. Check them out Here

 

 

The Kydex IWB holster has a sweat guard which extends the full length of the firearm and allows for good breathability.  The Kydex IWB holster is great for women who are active because it has an adjustable retention that let you get the right adjustment for your firearm, (meaning how tight or loose the firearm is inside the holster).  The retention of the gun holster can be adjusted to be tighter if you are a woman who is always active and wants to ensure the gun is gripped nice and tight inside the gun holster, but you have a strong gun draw.  You can also loosen the retention of the gun holster to allow you to draw your firearm faster with less effort.

 

The Kydex holster also comes with a 1.5” Fomi clip. These clips which are attached as standard to the inside waistband women’s gun holster (just as they are for the men’s holster) allow for a nice firm fit on a standard belt. Once you have decided the best position to wear your women’s gun holster you simply insert your IWB Holster inside your pants or shorts and slide the 1.5” Fomi clip over the pants and belt to hold the holster firmly in position.

Some might dispute that the Fomi clip is not ideal for the extremely active women who conceal carry a firearm however for those women who are very active may need a Pull The Dot Loop kit which can be swapped over very easily with minimal effort allowing the more active females to have a fit that definitely is not going to move. 

 

WOMEN’S HOLSTER BELT

There are several options out there, but so many more for men than women.  You must have a secure, stable platform in order to draw quickly and with easy access to your firearm. 

 

Let’s talk about  the Precise Fit Rachet Belt in both nylon and leather.  I have not used this belt, but I am bringing you the information as it is rated excellent for women.   It has a rachet technology  so you don’t have to depend on which hole you have to use for your belt.  These belts are able to give you a more custom fit.  Women tend to gain weight just from fluid retention on any given day.  You won’t have to decide which hole to put your belt in, but are able to ratchet for a custom fit.   All I can say is it may be worth a try if you want a holster belt.  

 

Of course there is always the standard leather gun holster belt that does come with a secure locking buckle.  Also they make a women’s gun holster belt that is slimmer and has a sleeker design with specialized women’s sizing that  puts 5 holes at ¾” apart for a fully custom fit. 

 

WE Like to Remind you To Always Follow the Rules of Gun Safety, See our post here if you dont know what those are.  https://www.holsterhq.com/10-commandments-cardinal-rules-gun-safety-weapons/

 

PURSE OR HANDBAG CONCEALED CARRY FOR WOMEN

Experts agree that the best method of concealed carry is on the body, but sometimes what a woman is wearing doesn’t always make it easy to wear a concealed firearm.  This is when you may choose to use a purse or a handbag to conceal carry, however you want one that is designed to carry a firearm.  Look for a handbag or purse that fits your firearm. They should have a separate compartment for the firearm, with a holster and adjustable straps to keep it in place, yet easy to remove.  This is important if you ever plan on being able to actually use the firearm in an emergency.  Depending on the handbag or purse you choose, you will need to practice drawing the weapon from the handbag or purse to get a feel for how long it will take you to draw the firearm.  You want to be confident that you can draw quickly from the handbag or purse.  Always carry your handbag or purse in your off hand, with the opening of the gun pocket facing your dominant side.   The removal purse holsters come in kydex, nylon or polyester, or even leather.  Carrying a firearm in your purse is probably the worst type of concealed carry and should only be used as a last resort.   

There is a valid concern of Control with handbags or purse carry.  That is why it is very important to practice drawing and being able to fire the firearm in a timely manner.  You want to be effective in providing safety and security when you need it.  We also know that to carry a firearm responsibly and safely, it has to be under our control at all times. We can’t set it down and walk away,

 

If your looking for an option that will work with your bag or purse this is it.

 

CONCEALED CARRY BRA HOLSTER 

Bra holsters are designed to attach to your bra.  Some attach to the side of your bra, others snap on the center between the two cups. These options make your gun readily accessible.  With the holster snapped onto the center of the bra, the barrel and handle of the gun are tucked slightly under the bra underwire. The bra that carries the holster in the center can be very comfortable for well-endowed women.  The larger you are the more you can conceal and the better you can conceal the gun.  Always make sure with every holster you use, you practice your draw, your reaction time and your ability to shoot. 

UNDER TECH UNDERCOVER CONCEALED CARRY CONVERTIBLE SPORTS BRA

This sports bra is attractive and fashionable. This female concealed carry option has  

 a concealment handgun holster on the left side and a zipper pocket on the right.  The pocket on the right works great for your CPL,  keys, credit cards, cash, or cell phone.   This sports bra only comes in a right hand cross draw option.  The female holster is located under the left arm.  This concealed carry holster has a retention strap for safety and security.  The fabric allows for a wide range of activity and motion.

 

WOMEN’S SHOULDER HOLSTER

 The shoulder holster can also carry a full size concealed carry firearm.  They do make shoulder holsters specifically for women.  The firearm is carried high up underneath your arm, keeping you from adding to your waist and you still have a close reach and a quick draw.  You can wear the shoulder holster over or under your clothing and you can wear almost anything with your shoulder holster.  The shoulder holsters are comfortable and lightweight and adjust to any body type.  The shoulder holsters are designed for both comfort and speed.  They also can have a right or left-hand draw pocket for quick access to your firearm.  Make sure to practice your draw to make sure you can get the firearm safely out of the shoulder holster without endangering anyone nearby.

 

No matter what holster you pick if you’re going to be carrying make sure to check out our guides by state. https://www.holsterhq.com/usa-conceal-carry-map/