Summertime clothing options for CC

[USA1]

Driving home in Downtown Austin the other day I had this sudden horible vision of a man in a thong on a bicycle pass across the pedestrian lane at a stop light. Had to restrain myself not to put my eyes out. Keep pencil away from eyes...

I didn't realize TAM was visting Austin...

[The Annoyed Man]

I was thinking of reducing my clothing to a thong or loincloth this summer, and I need a carry option that will stand up to sweat real well. Anybody have any ideas?

I would recommend staying inside in the AC to avoid scaring the women and children!

Verily, you wound me.

Driving home in Downtown Austin the other day I had this sudden horible vision of a man in a thong on a bicycle pass across the pedestrian lane at a stop light. Had to restrain myself not to put my eyes out. Keep pencil away from eyes...

I didn't realize TAM was visting Austin...

You dare mock The Fat? Dare not mock The Fat lest there be grave consequences....such as the loss of my dignity. Oh what the heck. I don't have any more dignity. My dilema is trying to decide whether it is better to conceal my pistol ITL (inside the loincloth) or BTROFUMRA (Between The Rolls Of Fat Under My Right Arm) in a cross-draw position. And by the way, kjolly, that wasn't me you saw in Austin. I do ride a bike, but my buttocks obscure most of it from view.

Now, what you guys think: ITL or BTROFUMRA?

[Pawpaw]

You dare mock The Fat? Dare not mock The Fat lest there be grave consequences....such as the loss of my dignity. Oh what the heck. I don't have any more dignity. My dilema is trying to decide whether it is better to conceal my pistol ITL (inside the loincloth) or BTROFUMRA (Between The Rolls Of Fat Under My Right Arm) in a cross-draw position. And by the way, kjolly, that wasn't me you saw in Austin. I do ride a bike, but my buttocks obscure most of it from view.

Now, what you guys think: ITL or BTROFUMRA?

[57Coastie]

Earlier I suggested my favorites, 5.11 shorts, as a good choice for summertime CC. I also use SIGTAC shorts (Sigarms Tactical Apparel Company), which are also aimed right at CC. Lately you have had to be lucky to find them on the 'Net. They seem to sell almost as fast as they make them. Google is your friend.

A particular merit of SIGTAC shorts, if you carry a handgun in your pocket, with or without a pocket holster, is that the lower front pockets, both sides, have a zipper on the side, which makes quick access to your handgun easy when seated, as in your car, yet the weapon remains concealed.

I also forgot to mention that I, too, wear suspenders on my shorts, underneath the customary outside T-shirt or outside shirt. The suspenders carry the weight, often of two handguns in my case, and the instructor belt which I now use can be worn relatively loosely without strangling your midsection, for both IWB and OWB.

Keep cool,

Jim

[Steve M]

I also forgot to mention that I, too, wear suspenders on my shorts, underneath the customary outside T-shirt or outside shirt. The suspenders carry the weight, often of two handguns in my case, and the instructor belt which I now use can be worn relatively loosely without strangling your midsection, for both IWB and OWB.

Interesting idea. Thanks for sharing!

[Crosstimbers Okie]

I've been using this http://pistolwear.com/holsters.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for several months. I like it well, although I wish I had got the size smaller than the largest size for my Glock 19/23. The largest is for 1911s and up. It works with a smaller pistol but the smaller size wouls work even better.

[57Coastie]

I also forgot to mention that I, too, wear suspenders on my shorts, underneath the customary outside T-shirt or outside shirt. The suspenders carry the weight, often of two handguns in my case, and the instructor belt which I now use can be worn relatively loosely without strangling your midsection, for both IWB and OWB.

Interesting idea. Thanks for sharing!

Steve,

If you want to try suspenders to carry all the weight with your shoulders rather than your midsection, I will offer some of my experience, unininvited. I learned long ago that it is more pleasant learning from someone else's mistakes than from my own.

Some CCers prefer suspenders such as those by Perry, which hook onto the gunbelt. http://www.perrysuspenders.com/persus.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They are quite satisfactory to buddy CCers, but I found they sometimes come loose, invariably at the worst possible time, and of course they get my belt involved.

I decided I preferred something with a little better positive connection to the shorts: good old-fashioned suspenders which use buttons on the shorts, like these: http://www.beltoutlet.com/1doubfacelyb.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The first problem here is that you will never find cargo shorts with suspender buttons. On both my 5.11 shorts and my SIGTACs, I add 6 buttons for the belts just shown above - one on each side of the last belt loop on the left front, one on each side of the last belt loop on the right front, and one on each side of the center belt loop at the rear. I use "Bucksaw Logger Buttons," available here: http://www.beltoutlet.com/bulobumebu.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Quite reasonable and simple to affix to your shorts.

NB: I, along with many others, recommend that you not affix them with a hammer. Instead, use vise grips, with a TEENY drop of Gorilla Glue in the female slot on the button. Set your vise grips with about a 5/16" gap, and just press the two pieces together.

NB also: The first time I affixed buttons to a pair of shorts I put the buttons with the brass head facing outwards. Result: the suspenders, after being buttoned on, interfered with where I wished to place things on my instructor belt. With the buttons on the inside I now have an uimpeded belt for 360 degrees, except for where the holster resides. Plenty of room for cell phone, spare ammo, etc.

Oh yes -- let the Gorilla glue dry before buttoning on the suspenders. I got in a hurry and glued my suspenders to the buttons.

Excuse the length, but I wish someone had told me all this before I started experimenting.

PLUS: should one have a little bit too large a tummy, like yours truly, suspenders put the waistline of the shorts up where it belongs, with no tight belt pressure to keep them above your knees.

I second the advice another gave above that if you intend to use an IWB holster you should consider adding 1" to what the waist would otherwise be. Experiment as to what works best for you.

Hope to see you join the suspender club. With one weapon in an IWB, and a BUG in the pocket, I honestly forget they are there since there is no weight at all on my belt, and I do not have a too-big tummy hanging over my belt.

Regards,

Jim

Edited to change vise grips gap

[Steve M]

Awesome write-up Jim, thanks again!

[57Coastie]

Awesome write-up Jim, thanks again!

Tks, Steve, but beware if you take hints from this dyslexic ole-timer. Never trust his numbers.

The advance setting I use on my vise grips is 5/16", rather than the 3/16" in my earlier post. You would of course have discovered this when you smashed the button, and they are not easy to get out. After the Gorilla Glue dries it is nigh on impossible.

Sorry,

Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

Jim, thanks for the suggestions. I've found it almost impossible to wear a belt holster for any length of time lately because the amount tension on the belt required to make my pants and belt stay up, and the consequent pressure of any of my holsters on my side at the point of the belt slots in the holster body, both cause me almost unbearable back pain. For weeks now, the only gun I've been able to consistently belt carry is my scandium snubbie because I don't have to tighten the belt as much to hold the weight. Even so, I've taken to mostly pocket carrying.

I've tried a couple of different belt/suspenders combinations, but not with the buttons you recommend. That looks like it would actually work real well. I'm going to give it a try.

[57Coastie]

Jim, thanks for the suggestions. I've found it almost impossible to wear a belt holster for any length of time lately because the amount tension on the belt required to make my pants and belt stay up, and the consequent pressure of any of my holsters on my side at the point of the belt slots in the holster body, both cause me almost unbearable back pain. For weeks now, the only gun I've been able to consistently belt carry is my scandium snubbie because I don't have to tighten the belt as much to hold the weight. Even so, I've taken to mostly pocket carrying.

I've tried a couple of different belt/suspenders combinations, but not with the buttons you recommend. That looks like it would actually work real well. I'm going to give it a try.

Try it, and I hope you are annoyed no more.

Seriously, my greatest pleasure with this arrangement is that my belt is there only for holding my weapon(s) and the other miscellaneous junk we have to carry around these days, but not for holding my pants up. The suspenders take all the weight. I have a back problem, too. It is largely a matter of old age and the young man's unrealistic expectation that his body will last forever, leading to his not taking care of it, I guess, along with many years at sea with its unescapable distortions, but there is apparently some herniation at L3-L4, and I am just too old to go thru any more surgery. More than one doc has told me that my major problem with my back is my front -- i.e., overweight with a big tummy hanging out over my belt.

I definitely find that my routine back pain is mitigated by using the suspenders and getting rid of all the pressure exerted on my lower back by a cinched up belt. I did not expect this to be the case when I put the weight of my britches and paraphernalia onto my shoulders. Of course, one of the normal fixes recommended for my problem, and perhaps yours, is not only to lose weight, but also to exercise the back muscles to strengthen them. I find the suspenders encourage me to stand up straighter and not aggravate back problems by slumping over. (Dear wife says it makes me look a lot better; reminds her of back in the day when I stood erect wearing a uniform).

Of course suspenders somewhat limit your options for CC, as so many, but not all, modes of carry will need an outer garment. My using them on 5.11 and SIGTAC cargo shorts, with their 6 big pockets, causes no problem for me, and a T-shirt is all that is required. I do not mean to imply that one is limited to shorts. They naturally work on long britches as well. When I finally made myself retire I kept but one suit, white shirt and tie, and I have lost the tie. My wife stuck them away somewhere just to bury me in. (I wish her good luck in expecting it to still fit me). Maybe there is a good reason that the old hard-working farmer always wore suspenders. I refuse to let the fashion industry decide what I will wear. While it gets hot here in College Station in the summer, it also gets occasionally cool in the winter, but I am always in my shorts with suspenders.

One has to take the bad with the good, of course. One inconvenience of my arrangement comes from a quick call of nature, having the T-shirt outside the suspenders. I am very good at getting the T-shirt off quickly and then back on.

Let me end with once again suggesting that you might look into the 5.11 short-sleeved shirts. They have snaps on each side at the skirt (unapparent) permitting quick access to a weapon on the waist, and also snaps (look like buttons) giving access to a concealed pocket inside the shirt ideal for my little Airweight.

Let me know how it works out if you give it a try. Happy to answer any questions you might have. If having to mess with suspender buttons should "annoy" you, do as I did and first try the Perry suspenders I mentioned above, which hook onto your gun belt and also release the tight belt pressure. They are popular at Gunsite. While I found them awkward and somewhat unreliable not being positively attached, many I know use them almost all the time.

Please excuse the length of my epistle, but I am very conscious of having a back problem, and I will go out of my way to make a suggestion to another which helped me with mine.

Good cheer,

Jim

[ELB]

Interesting epistle on choices available to the "Suspender Community." LBE for the non-uniformed crowd.

There is someone on this board who also sells a set of suspenders that attach at the sides instead of front and back, for about $3 a pair. They are intended for wearing under a BDU/ACU/military field shirt/jacket and hook under the belt on each side. Can't remember his screen name right now, but believe he is the same guy who has been selling military packs and other gear.

[Pawpaw]

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=44244&p=535458

[packa45]

Yet another cargo short fan

I've carried compact and subcompact with cargo shorts.compact iwb and subcompact owb. Even pocket carried with the sub and pocket pistol.

[seeker_two]

Some CCers prefer suspenders such as those by Perry, which hook onto the gunbelt. http://www.perrysuspenders.com/persus.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They are quite satisfactory to buddy CCers, but I found they sometimes come loose, invariably at the worst possible time, and of course they get my belt involved.

I use Perry suspenders daily. One thing I've found is that if you wear them "inside out" (where the larger part of the clip fits behind the belt & the shorter part is on the outside), they tend to hold better. Since discovering this, I haven't had the Perry's come loose no matter what activity I was doing....

I also prefer the Outback style suspenders...I'll wear them under my work/dress shirts. The two-point connection to the belt also makes it easier to tuck in around the clips.

YMMV...but it's worth a try....