Summertime: Bane of the Concealed Carrier

Concealing a handgun when you're wearing long pants and a bulky winter coat isn't all that difficult.

However, when the weather starts warming up and the appropriate attire becomes less and less bulky, managing to carry your firearm in a way that is both comfortable and fully concealed can become much more of a hassle.

The good news is that there are plenty of strategies that you can make use of to make concealing a firearm during the summertime a more easily accomplished task. Outlined below are several great tips for concealed carry in the summer.

No matter which of the four seasons you're carrying in, you should have peace of mind knowing that if you do need to defend yourself, you're protected from the legal aftermath. The USCCA provides the best concealed carry insurance out there in our opinion, and we'd recommend visiting them here.

Carry a Smaller Handgun

A large handgun such as a 1911 may be your go-to firearm during the winter months, however, concealing it during the summer is going to prove much more difficult.

This is why it's common among concealed carry permit holders to have multiple firearms that they can carry depending on what the situation calls for.

During the summer, consider turning to a smaller handgun such as a subcompact or pocket model. These smaller handguns will print far less when you're wearing light clothing, and plenty of firearm manufacturers have come out with some excellent handguns that are quite small and easy to conceal.

Dress for the Occasion

If you plan your attire around your firearm, you can manage to dress in a way that is both appropriate for summertime and in a way that allows you to conceal your handgun at the same time.

First, opt for clothing that is loose-fitting. Tight-fitting clothing will hug your firearm and make its outline noticeable even if it is covered. With loose-fitting clothing, this isn't a problem. By the same token, avoid tucking your shirt in as tucking in a loose-fitting shirt will essentially make it tight-fitting.

Next, be sure to wear clothing that is dark colored. When the material of your clothing is thin, light colors will be somewhat see-through if the object beneath them is pressed tightly against the material and is dark colored (as will be the case when you are carrying a firearm).

You'll also want to wear clothing that is breathable and that wicks away sweat rather than becoming damp. When clothing is damp with sweat it becomes more transparent and also tends to hug the body tighter - both of which spell bad news for concealing a firearm.

Lastly, consider wearing cargo shorts. Cargo shorts have a few advantages that make them ideal for summertime concealed carry. First, they are cool and comfortable when the weather turns hot. They're also loose fitting and leave enough room for an inside the waistband holster without pressing the weapon too tight against your hip.

Unlike other shorts, cargo shorts can also be worn with a belt, providing you with an attachment point to hold your holster in place. Lastly, cargo shorts come with plenty of pockets for your other EDC items such as extra magazines, a pocketknife, or a flashlight.

In summary, if you take the time to plan your summertime clothing around your firearm, you should have no problem coming up with outfits that are comfortable and stylish while at the same time offering plenty in way of concealment.

Consider Off-Body Carry

If you're not wearing enough clothing to properly conceal your firearm on your body, you may want to consider off-body carry. For off-body carry, you've got a couple of options.

The first option is to keep your firearm in your vehicle using an off-body holster such as the Stoker Off-Body Holster. A quality off-body holster allows you to secure your weapon in your glovebox, beneath your desk, or in a variety of other places.

It's important to note that while storing your weapon in your glovebox without any kind of holster may seem convenient, it's not ideal for a couple of reasons. For one, storing a weapon outside of a holster presents a safety concern. Should you need to reach into your glovebox for another item and forget that your weapon is there, you may accidentally discharge it if the trigger is not covered by a holster.

The second issue is that it's impossible to know the exact location and orientation of a firearm that is not held in place with a holster. When you don't know exactly where to reach to draw your weapon, you might end up spending costly seconds in an emergency situation where every second counts.

With a quality off-body holster, though, you can keep your firearm nearby for at least a large portion of the time during the summer without actually having to carry it on your body.

Concealed Carry Purses & Handbags

The second option for off-body carry is to carry your firearm in a purse or handbag. For the same reasons that carrying a firearm unsecured in your glovebox isn't a good idea, carrying a firearm unsecured in your purse is not ideal either. If you wish to carry your firearm in your purse, we recommend our concealed carry purse.

Concealed carry purses have a holster built into them so that you can easily conceal your firearm in your purse and know its exact location should you need to access it. In addition to offering easy concealment of your firearm, these purses also feature everything else you could want out of a high-end purse including a quality leather construction, plenty of interior pockets, and even a security cable built into the strap to prevent slash and grab theft.

If you are in a position to carry your firearm in a purse or you spend the majority of your time in one location such as behind a desk or in your car, storing your firearm off-body frees you up to wear whatever clothing you want during the summer while not having to worry about keeping your firearm concealed.

Choose Your Holster With Summertime Concealment in Mind

When it comes to concealing a weapon during the summer months, not all holsters are created equal. To start, you'll probably want to avoid outside the waistband holsters since your upper attire isn't likely to be long or bulky enough to cover up the firearm. Inside the waistband holsters are better, providing of course that you are wearing pants or shorts that are loose-fitting enough to keep the firearm from printing while at the same time snug enough around the waistline to keep the weight of the firearm and holster from pulling them down.

For summertime concealed carry, our number one recommended holster is the Urban Carry G2. With the Urban Carry G2, the only part of the holster that is visible above the waistband is a small strap of leather that, even if left visible, is not easily identifiable as a handgun holster. Some of the other best concealed carry holsters for summertime carry include the REVO Rig IWB Holster, the Can Can Concealment Classic Hip Hugger Holster, and the REVO Rig Ankle Holster.

If you put some thought into the holster that you choose, you can find a holster that will make concealed carry during the summertime much more convenient.

Conclusion

Keeping a firearm concealed when you're not wearing thick or bulky clothing requires a little extra thought and planning. However, with the right approach in regards to the clothing you wear, the weapon you carry, and the holster that you choose, you'll be able to keep your weapon concealed and ready to go in an emergency situation all year round.

What's your favorite way to carry during the summer?