Clothing Options

[hustle]

There is probably a good post on this but I don’t want to look through 5+ thousand to find it.

Something just as important for CHL holders, besides weapons, would have to be the clothing you wear to conceal, so….

I am looking for shorts that have good (big) pockets for rear carry for a .380 Ruger LCP. Keep in mind that I am a cheap college student, so I normally shop for clothes at wal-mart or Sam’s, neither of which have clothing lines that have big enough pockets. Cargo shorts will not work mainly because the weapon is not secure enough on the side leg pocket (moves around too much). Please let me know what works for you!!!

As for Jeans, my Wrangler 20x work fine…and so do regular Wranglers. I am really just in search of shorts for the hot TX weather.

[seamusTX]

Welcome to the forum.

It's almost impossible these days to buy clothes that aren't made of recycled fiber in China or some other third-world country. I do nearly all my shopping at second-hand stores and find better quality stuff that may be 10 or 20 years old.

That said, Bianchi has quite a few holsters that sell for less than $30, which will support a micro pistol without a belt, with any kind of fairly sturdy shorts or pants. IMO, it's better to have a holster in a known position than a pocket that may not be (as you suggest).

- Jim

[hustle]

Sorry… should have explained myself better. I have a holster for it but the problem I am having is that the rear pocket is not deep enough, allowing the top of the weapon to be exposed. I am looking for a brand of shorts that have deep rear pockets to completely (visually) conceal.

[LittleGun]

L.A. police gear has a closeout on some shorts:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/511-nylon-brown-shorts.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bubba1876]

Can't you just put a LCP in your wallet?

[Skiprr]

Hustle, please consider practical/tactical issues as you choose your method of carry. An LCP tucked into a back pocket with a velcro flap is a good choice for a BUG.

For a primary, I like neither the pistol nor the carry option. Placing an under-powered pistol in a carry position where you have to attenuate your shoulder to get the gun out of a back pocket...well, that could be a recipe for disaster.

General rule of thumb is this: if you can't access your gun, get it on-target, and fire the first round in two seconds or less, you need to find a different carry system. My bet is that you can't even get a decent grip on your back-pocket pistol in two seconds, much less bring it on target and accurately fire.

Moreover, consider that when a CHL decides he (or she) must draw, he's already behind the attacker's OODA Loop. Statistics show that the attack will most probably be launched within 5 to 7 feet of where you're standing.

If your carry position forces your dominant arm to reach more than a few inches behind the mid-line of your body, you can imagine how easy it would be for a savvy streetfighter to foul that draw and take your dominant arm out of the fight.

Not dissin' you. Honest.

But carrying a handgun--especially an underpowered one--on your person in poor tactical position is less than optimal. You may be less armed than you think.

[glocklvr]

I have a keltec that I carry in my back pocket when my attire prohibits concealment of my XD I leave my shirt untucked and haven't had any problems

[flb_78]

I first saw the title and thought it said "Clothing Optional"!!!!

My first thought was, Im not sure how you could conceal at a clothing optional beach....

[Excaliber]

There is probably a good post on this but I don’t want to look through 5+ thousand to find it.

Something just as important for CHL holders, besides weapons, would have to be the clothing you wear to conceal, so….

I am looking for shorts that have good (big) pockets for rear carry for a .380 Ruger LCP. Keep in mind that I am a cheap college student, so I normally shop for clothes at wal-mart or Sam’s, neither of which have clothing lines that have big enough pockets. Cargo shorts will not work mainly because the weapon is not secure enough on the side leg pocket (moves around too much). Please let me know what works for you!!!

As for Jeans, my Wrangler 20x work fine…and so do regular Wranglers. I am really just in search of shorts for the hot TX weather.

Cargo shorts like those sold by Cabelas will allow you to carry a much more capable gun (e.g. snubby .38, Kahr PM9 or PM40) in a pocket holster like those made by Mika and Fist. This arrangement gives you a much more capable defensive system that a suboptimal caliber gun in a place you can't get it out of quickly. Here are a couple links to good pocket holsters:

Mika Pocket Holster

Fist K5 Pocket Holster

You can get some of these holsters for small caliber guns, but you'd be better off drawing the minimally acceptable caliber line at the .38 Special / 9MM.

[The Annoyed Man]

One of these outfits can't cost too much, and if Jack Black's character in "Tropic Thunder" can hide a full sized 1911 in the crotch of his bikini briefs, surely you could do the same with an LCP:




Sorry, I couldn't help myself. My bad. . . .

[Oldgringo]

There is probably a good post on this but I don’t want to look through 5+ thousand to find it.

Something just as important for CHL holders, besides weapons, would have to be the clothing you wear to conceal, so….

I am looking for shorts that have good (big) pockets for rear carry for a .380 Ruger LCP. Keep in mind that I am a cheap college student, so I normally shop for clothes at wal-mart or Sam’s, neither of which have clothing lines that have big enough pockets. Cargo shorts will not work mainly because the weapon is not secure enough on the side leg pocket (moves around too much). Please let me know what works for you!!!

As for Jeans, my Wrangler 20x work fine…and so do regular Wranglers. I am really just in search of shorts for the hot TX weather.

I'm not a college student no more but I am cheap. I can wear cheap jean shorts with my Sig SL p230 or a S&W snubbie in a pcket holster in my front right pocket and nobody knows it but me. BTW, nothing should be in the pocket with the gun except the gun in its pocket holster.

Mostly, I wear cheap jean sorts with either a XD or a 1911 in a OWB holster under a large untucked shirt and it's still my little secret. For shirt info, see AM's post above.

[fannypacker]

College student, first up, thanks for packin'. We need more guns on the street carried by good guys. Can't help you with the shorts but consider a paddle holster. Easy on, easy off and really accessible.

[stevie_d_64]

Rule of thumb...

Fashion is what everyone thinks you should be, and you buy into that...

Style is what you are...

I'm more concerned about what my booking picture will look like if I get into trouble...

Just remember it is all about what "works" for you...It'll never be right the first time...It take a little time to get it right just for you...And that is half the fun...

Like you said, you didn't want to go thru 5000+ posts about this, and that is wise...Very wise...

First figure out what works best for how you want to carry (don't deviate too much from that convention), then work the whole wardrobe issue around that, plan for seasonal changes...Here it is mostly hot days and nights, with 3-4 days of cold stuff...Adjust appropriately...

You'll be just fine then...

[gregthehand]

I just buy the Wrangler cargo shorts from Wal-Mart and they do just fine. Around $18 a pair. And they have a neet little pocket that is sewn in behind the cargo pant pocket for your cell phone. So I keep my Kel-Tec in my right pocket, my keys in my left, and my little cell phone in the cargo pant open top pocket.

[stevie_d_64]

I just buy the Wrangler cargo shorts from Wal-Mart and they do just fine. Around $18 a pair. And they have a neet little pocket that is sewn in behind the cargo pant pocket for your cell phone. So I keep my Kel-Tec in my right pocket, my keys in my left, and my little cell phone in the cargo pant open top pocket.

Anything "cargo" seems to be working pretty good...I have sucessfully concealed a full size 1911 in one of those pockets on the side of either the pant version, and strangely it works out better in the cargo "shorts" versions...It's kinda loose, but it still offers an option if you do not want to wear the firearm holstered on your belt, with a cover garment like a hawaiian shirt (that screams GUN) or other loose fitting over shirt...