Can Can Concealment sells the BIG SheBang concealed carry rig I reviewed last June. The five-star holster garment is cute, easy to use, comfortable and efficient. The Can Can Concealment corset holster is roughly the same design and style in a full upper-body tank top, positioning firearms in the small of a woman’s back. The fact that the corset’s currently out-of-stock tells you it’s popular. But is it worth the wait? . . .
The Can Can Concealment corset holster arrived in a size small. Putting it on presented one, make that two big (little?) problems. As a woman who doesn’t consider herself to be “well endowed,” I wish I’d have gone up a size; my breasts weren’t as well covered as I would have preferred.
Checking the Can Can Concealment website, I discovered that the company recommends wearing the corset with a bra. So really, I’d deployed it incorrectly. Here’s a picture from Can Can Concealment’s site showing how they recommend buyers wear their corset holster:
Nonetheless, the corset went on just fine. A zipper runs the entire vertical length of the corset with a hook and eye closure at the highest point, probably to keep the zipper from sliding down. Because of the aforementioned “problems,” I had to wear either a tank top under the holster or a sweater over it. That really doesn’t matter; unless you’re an early career Madonna wannabe, most women will use the corset for concealed carry.
The Can Can Concealment corset is (will be?) available in three different color options: all black, black with hot pink stitching, and black with purple stitching (as seen here). Construction is top notch; it’s sturdy and beautiful with a quality zipper. There are no loose seams or threads and everything lines up perfectly. The anti-slip strips along the bottom keeps the corset from riding up. I wore it over black leggings, so it was a non-issue.
The corset uses sturdy military grade elastic and rare earth magnets to keep the gun secure in its back-positioned holster pockets. In the case of my Springfield XD Compact (with laser dot sight), that didn’t work out. Just walking around my house, my gun almost fell out. Not good.
So I switched to a Ruger LCP .380. Mission accomplished; the corset kept the pocket pistol safe and sound with complete comfort. With two holsters and a mag pouch on the back, a corset wearing gun gal could stow two small guns and a spare magazine. [Note: My XD was slightly more secure after I removed the laser dot, but I ended-up using a Taurus .357 snubby for my second gat.]
Normally, I appendix or hip carry (for open). The Can Can Concealment corset holster didn’t change my mind about back carry, which I find inherently uncomfortable and dangerous (if you fall backwards, the guns could break your spine). So I switched the corset around and put it on backwards.
Not only did I achieve my coveted conceal carry position, but the change provided more coverage up top. Still, it didn’t look right. Again, that might not matter once you put a shirt over it and conceal the gun(s).
In the final analysis, the Can Can Concealment corset holster is best for women with an ample cleavage who carry a small pistol and don’t mind the potential dangers and challenges presented by back carry.
Value * * *
At $99 plus shipping and handling, it isn’t the cheapest way to carry.
Quality * * * * *
It’s sturdy, well made, and the design is perfect for women that love to carry on the lower back.
Concealment * * * *
If you wear a skin-tight top over the corset holster your gun(s) will print. (I deducted one star because the magazine in the middle is a major culprit in the printing department.) Otherwise, you’re good to stow.
Comfort * * *
Wearing the corset backwards made it much more comfortable and covered more of “the girls” in a slightly more appropriate manner. YMMV.
Overall * * * *
I don’t like to back carry, but plenty of women prefer it to appendix, ankle, garter or other carry styles suitable for tight clothing or thin dresses. For women with ample curves who carry a smaller gun, the Can Can Concealment corset holster can. If not, not so much.
Thanks for reviewing this Sara! Since you prefer to front carry, have you seen or tried these corsets? http://www.deneadams.com It has been on my wish list, but I haven’t gotten one yet. They also sell them at https://www.gungoddess.com/dene-adams-slim-corset-holster/ I’ve been using the Belly Band. http://thewellarmedwoman.com/the-well-armed-woman-comfort-fit-4-inch-belly-band But I don’t love how the gun handle kind of pooches out. I carry a Kahr PM9. I still relatively new to CC so I’m still figuring it all out. It seems to me that we need different holters for different clothes and activities. Does anyone else have that problem? I’m a mom and a home health physical therapist (part time) so my life is in and out of the car, a lot. I’m at my son’s school a lot (it’s private, so I can carry there ?), shopping, running errands. And I also cross country ski and snowshoe. I’d love to hear what other women use to CC.
Alrighty then. My gorgeous middle -aged wife needs a chuckle. Each to his(her) own…
I’m going to leave the feedback to TTAG’s female readership, sadly there is nothing I can post here that won’t make me feel like a dirty old man.
I am happy that the female portion of the market is getting dedicated products beyond guns in silly novelty colors and really ugly handbags. Being a strict egalitarian, I totally approve of the Y chromosome deficient portion of the population being able and encouraged to defend themselves effectively.
+1
A redhead in a corset is already kryptonite to me but add a gun to the mix and I’m in big trouble…
Yes, exactly! I’m in the same boat.
^^^ This!!!!!!
Just looking at something so tight makes my fat cramp…
Word. In my younger days I could wear a corset and spike heeled knee high boots. But I’ve really let myself go and I’m just too fat for the sexy outfits.
Sara, I’d be rather leery about trusting rare-earth magnets to secure a firearm.
That’s just *asking* for trouble…
Does it hold two 38’s?
Apparently it can-can. Although 2 Glocks would be awesome.
Going with a larger Double D might carry them well, but I think rounding up to Double G’s should certainly support them.
Probably, if you get the largest size…
I’m willing to try that corset thing, but only if I can find one that matches my ensemble.
Ick.
That, sir, is the understatement of the day. Maybe even the week.
The confident self assured man, Wear it proud………………….
“Military grade elastic”? That’s a thing?
Does that make this a military style assault corset?
Depends on who’s wearing it:
Sarah: Yes. Definitely.
RF: Not so much. (Though it could, perhaps, be considered a crime against humanity…)
“’Military grade elastic’? That’s a thing?”
Yup. See mil-surp M16/M4 dual mag pouches for an easy-to-find example.
It’s good stuff…for as long as it’s still good (if that makes any sense).
IIRC, the elastic lasts less than 2 years under average hot-weather/sandbox conditions…
Agreed on not a fan of back carry after reading stories of people thrashing their tail bone, but that’s a lot of firepower. I will say with the demographic shift among carry gun owners that this is a market worth targeting (no pun intended) and there’s still possibly some catch up to be done.
Thanks for reviewing an obvious gimmick. More useless information from Sara. Thanks.
So, you take the time to click to a review for a product that’s obviously not targeted for you, and then take the time to leave a snarky comment criticizing someone for daring to take the time to review it.
Finding a comfortable, stylish carry method is a real ordeal for my wife and daughter. Maybe it’s an obvious gimmick, but my daughter wears corsets, so getting an opinion on something like this is actually useful to her.
Do you do the same thing on reviews for gimmicky men’s holsters? Berate the reviewer for bothering to take their own d*mn time to review it?
Actually I find most of the articles she writes are mundane drivel…while I enjoy ttag in general I find her articles usually border semi-annoying . I am a NRA basic pistol safety instructor, and one of the things we stress in class are you should carry the same gun in the same position as much as possible. So, unless your wife or daughter is going to wear the same undergarment everyday, how is this even an option. Now, as far as me picking on her for being a woman…I really don’t care about her gender, however I do remember an article featuring a photo of her doing a handstand with her XD in a holster to display the retention of said holster…proper gun safety? And don’t give me any crap about it was unloaded…you treat ALL firearms as if they are loaded, no? Also, if I want to put in my two cents, that’s my RIGHT you arrogant P.O.S. I stand up for ALL my RIGHTS not just my 2A rights….have a nice day.
“Always carry the same gun in the same place” isn’t really an option for most women. Women’s clothes vary far more than men’s, and it’s extremely unlikely that the average woman has any chance at all of finding The One True Carry System that works with all of her outfits.
I didn’t ever say you didn’t have a right to your opinion, “you P.O.S.” (nice language). I just used my right to my opinion to suggest that you were being a douchebag “you P.O.S.”
(And whats unsafe about doing a handstand while wearing a gun in a holster? Seriously? You’re reaching.)
You need a beating cloudhumper…twerp.
Actually, given the experiences my wife has had over the last two years of trying to find comfortable and effective concealed carry solutions, I think these reviews are very important. The only thing that would make them better would be if there were impressions from a panel of women with different builds.
Really???
This kind of review is part of the great value of this site. I’m a guy and other than the interesting pictures have no need for this product. It’s still fantastic that it is in here – we should be welcoming any content or product reviews intended for women.
Why is it ( or anything similar) a GIMMICK? BETTER than PURSE CARRY or NONE AT ALL!
I want my wife to discretely body carry and not risk the loss of the gun in a possible Purse grab!
After reading the rest of what TTAG posted today, I had to come back here to decompress.
“I discovered that the company recommends wearing the corset with a bra. So really, I’d deployed it incorrectly.”
It’s nice to know that ladies’ undergarments confuse them just as much as us.
I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that it’s just impossible to easily conceal a firearm on a woman in fitted clothing. Even their jeans seem to fit wrong for IWB. It seems like the only good options are off body and open carry.
For slight-of-build females it is a real problem.
It seems any accommodation made in the clothing can result in the dreaded “do I look fat in this?” question that strikes mortal fear in any guy when asked that question…
Damn Ralph, you’re worse than Facebook with deleting comments. Rainbows and lollipops only? Be careful Ed, snark free zone ahead.
Tell me about it. I’m liking this site less and less lately.
I’m not clear on how carrying in back is gonna break my spine. My piece isn’t riding on my backbone.
The concern is usually centered around a straight backwards fall/slip-and-fall, with the handgun acting as a potential spine-breaker on impact. Some folks do carry with the piece centered on their back, for ease of access with either hand.
I personally find this concern overrated, and I’m somewhat of a klutz that lives in a far northern location with much ice and snow. Hell, you can slip and fall and hit your head on the ground/ice/concrete and die, too. But flat-on-the-back falls/impacts are among the rarest, in my experience; most people twist at least a little bit on the way down, usually just attempting to reach out and ease/break the fall.
That’s why you see many, MANY more hand/wrist/arm/shoulder/hip/knee/rib injuries vs. cracked skulls/tailbones. It DOES happen, but not that often, relatively.
Here’s my $0.02 about small-of-the-back carry, not this particular device in particular or just women carrying SOB :
I’ve talked to a couple of CCW carriers here in Wyoming recently that have extensive back issues resulting from a slip-n-fall (since we’ve covered in snow and ice so often, they’re not rare incidents here) when carrying SOB. Falling on a gun positioned over your lower spine turns out to be a very real hazard, very painful and sometimes having very long-term effects.
So does slipping/falling and landing on your lower spine (tailbone/coccyx), even WITHOUT a gun involved.
I’m not convinced that adding a handgun to the mix is significantly increasing the possibility or severity of an injury if the same fall was executed without a handgun.
“I wish I’d have gone up a size; my breasts weren’t as well covered as I would have preferred.”
Thanks for taking one for the team!
*cough*
What holster?
Good review, fact based. Talks pro’s and con’s of product in a general sense, and then addresses issues specific to the reviewer.
Keep it up.
Thank you Sara for your review.
I’m a new carrier and therefore have limited experience in these matters, and am therefore seeking advice. I currently conceal carry my 9mm IWB.
I would like to carry while riding my horse. However after a friend broke her back falling from her horse while wearing a fanny pack, I won’t carry anything on my waist while riding horses or quads.
I thought a leg holster would be nice, but it looks like I’d be sitting on buckles. I’d rather not chaff myself or my saddle 🙂
So is my only other option a shoulder carry? I’m skeptical towards the tank tops with the elastic shoulder type carry for ladies and a 9mm size handgun.
Do you have any thoughts or experience in this area?
Thank you once again.
Thanks for reviewing it Sara. I was thinking to get it but was looking for the reviews. Now I surely buy it.
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