The following is an experience shared from Tessah, the founder of “Armed and Styled.” As a concealed carry advocate, Tessah shares real-world advice on the common issues that the everyday civilian faces in their daily carry.
“In 2019 hubby and I moved to a town in West Texas, and within the first two months of our arrival a mass shooting occurred at a store near my home. That woke me up. I decided that concealed carry was no longer in question, and that I needed to make it a reality in my life. After carrying for several months the crazy of 2020 hit, and I decided that I wanted to become more proficient with my self-defense tools. Since then, I have been trying to pursue a more active lifestyle and training with my pistol.
I’m still a fairly new concealed carrier, having struggled at first to find the best way to carry a gun on my person comfortably. I was told that carrying a gun shouldn’t be comfortable, but comforting. There are certain levels of discomfort that are considered “normal” for sure, especially as a beginner! For instance, carrying a gun will NEVER be as comfortable as not carrying one. Although, something that is often missed when choosing to “embrace” certain levels of discomfort is the inevitable fidgeting that can come with it.
Last year I had been carrying for a few months, and I had embraced a certain level of discomfort that I would now no longer consider acceptable. I had just started carrying a considerably larger gun. It was my first time carrying that gun in a public setting. Carrying in the one o’clock position, I walked into a coffee shop. I felt sharp pain from my stiff gun belt making contact with my hip bones, and the small of my back. Without even thinking about it, I grabbed my belt through my shirt and shifted it.
I messed with my belt a few more times after entering the coffee shop, trying to find some way to relieve the pain to no avail. After an hour or so of sitting, I gave up and headed home. As I drove home, I realized just how much I had messed with my concealment, in a public setting, over the last hour. Mind you, I made every attempt to be discreet, but at some point, messing with my concealment could have easily become a “tell” to those around me who might have been paying attention, and I think this is something often missed by new and seasoned carriers alike.
A notable lack of comfort can lead to fidgeting, which can ultimately lead to enough of a “tell” that your concealment no longer matters, because your visible discomfort effectively acts as a form of printing. Embracing that level of discomfort would have eventually given away my concealment, but it could have also led to leaving my gun at home.
These two truths are what caused me to seek out more comfortable and practical carry options. Carrying a gun should be a lot of things, but being considerably uncomfortable shouldn’t be one of them.” – Tessah
Debrief
Don’t be afraid to try out different holsters and carry locations. Go in person to a place where you can physically test out the type of holster carrying position before purchase, and when it’s time to buy, search online and read reviews. Gun stores don’t usually carry quality but can be a great place to get a feel for what works best for you. Don’t skimp on quality, retention, and comfort. If you find yourself leaving your firearm at home because of comfort/convenience then reconsider your holster and carry location selections.
This article was originally written by the Grayman Briefing. Stay in the know, sign up for Intel and Situational Awareness alerts pushed to your phone on emerging threats and preparedness warnings. Click HERE to subscribe to the Grayman Briefing.
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