Concealed Carry for Skinny People
Being skinny is great. Your inside the waistband concealed carry holster can pretty much be positioned at several points of the clock (previously described in: How to wear an IWB holster) that's convenient for you.
Depending on where you place it, your pistol or revolver shows easily under layers of clothing?
Concealed Carry Techniques For Skinny Guys
If you're wearing a concealed carry pistol in your waistline, you may need to wear a size or two up in trouser size. That means if you're typically, say, a 28” waist – you may need to buy a pair of 30” waist trousers. Otherwise, your firearm will print heavily when you put it inside your waistline.
Additionally, consider buying a gun belt. We always recommend going with something sturdy that can hold the weight of your firearm comfortably. An IWB holster with multiple attachment points can help distribute the weight across your belt. Choose and go with what suits you and your personal protection methods best.
An appendix carry holster, or AIWB, from the 12:00 to 2:30 position is highly compatible with a thin waistline, given that the drape of a shirt will naturally conceal it much better and the grip won't jut into the gut.
With no belly in the way, many guys and gals find this to be a highly beneficial position once they train enough to ensure there won't be a negligent discharge.
That's going to be a requirement for any carry method, though.
Lastly, because your body's curvature is greatly different than someone who is pleasantly plump, your concealed carry firearm will show up differently on your silhouette. This may or may not present a problem depending on the type of firearm you use.
Skinny Guy CCW Strategies:
- Wear a baggier shirt
- One size up in trousers
- Good Gun Belt
- Alternate 4.30 o'clock to 2 o'clock to see which position conceals best and feels right
Whichever option to decide to go with, always remember to wear an inside the waistband concealed carry holster that has a neoprene backpad. Neoprene is great at wicking away moisture and keeping the holster's backpad from sticking to your skin. That way, the holster can move with you versus against you.
Why Being Skinny Is Great For Concealed Carry
People generally have a lot of curves. Guns are generally straight. When a straight object goes onto a curve surface, it's never going to match up perfectly. Skinny people still have curves, they're just closer to straight in silhouette. The outline of a body truly tells the trained eye all he or she needs to know about that other person. And for curvier gentlemen and ladies, a concealed carry pistol shows up like a sore thumb to that trained eye.
Skinny people don't have that issue as often. They're able to hide the pistol beneath folds of clothing or conversely situate it appropriately. Best of all, they are not nearly as encumbered when it comes to drawing from a seated position – ideal on so many levels.
So if you are on the skinnier side – fear not! Your situation actually makes concealed carry a lot more easier than most. If you find difficulty trying to conceal your firearm, just use a mirror and experiment with different positions along the waistline until you find one that's comfortable and easy to draw from.
For the Bigger Guys among us we wrote a separate article: Concealed Carry for Bigger Guys.
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About The Author James England (@sir_jim_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan. |
