Yoga pants. To quote RF, what’s not to love? I’m a big fan of the genre; I wear them year round with a variety of outfits. Normally, I wear mine with an UnderTech UnderCover belly band concealing my sub-compact XD. It works and it’s comfortable (for the most part). I’ve been using it with leggings. So when I heard that UnderTech made yoga pants with a built-in concealment holster- UnderTech Undercover Concealment Leggigns – it was game on . . .
When I received these yoga pants (for that is what they are) in the mail and removed them from the package, I noticed how soft they were – but not too soft. They don’t feel like velvet. They feel like real department store leggings, inside and out, and if you aren’t looking at the waistband, you would have no idea that these are capable of concealing a handgun. The leggings I was sent are cropped, meaning they are not ankle length, but end about mid-calf.
Some ladies may prefer a longer leg. UnderCover doesn’t offer an ankle length option, but there are “work arounds” to that small glitch (e.g., mid-calf boots or a taller sock). I actually prefer the cropped leg because the UnderCover Concealment Leggings will be cooler in the summer when they can be worn with with sandals or flats.
But, the most important question: do they work as a holster?
For the most part, yes.
Not only were the UnderCover Concealment leggings more comfortable than a belly band, I didn’t have to adjust it. Women usually wear a loose top withe leggings. Although not all women follow these rules, if you do, the gun disappears. I wore these yoga pants with two loose-fitting sweaters without printing, as well as some other blouses I thought might show my gun. No problem. That’s not true if you wear a skin-tight tank top.
There are two pouches or holsters for handguns sewn into the waistband of the leggings. (You can conceal two guns at a time if you choose to do so.) They’re located in the front right appendix position and the back right position. They are offered in a left-handed option as well, and the holsters are in the same place only obviously, on the left side of the body, rather than the right.
There is also a shallow pouch in the front left appendix position suitable for securing a shorter magazine. The pouch will hold a small, thin phone; my large Android phone (Droid Turbo) with a thicker case is not secure. More importantly, the pouch isn’t suitable for a taller ammunition magazine. It will fall out.
You can carry your gun in the back position holster, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The gun presses into my hip; sitting and driving were extremely uncomfortable. As I mentioned, you can carry two weapons at a time. I put my Sigma 9mm in the front and my XD in the back to see if the leggings would work their way down after walking around with double the weight in the waistband of the leggings. Surprisingly, they did not. They wore like any other leggings.
The holsters each have an elastic band – not secured with velcro, sewn in – that goes over the back grip of the gun to secure it in place. This is my major issue with the Leggings. Drawing the gun requires two hands. While practice makes perfect, women who wear these Leggings must practice for a smooth efficient draw.
UnderCover only offers the Leggings in black with the aforementioned cropped length. I was sent a size small; I could have gone down a size. Yet they were still comfortable and effective. That’s the beauty of leggings and yoga pants – they stretch. They are very true to size and mine fit very well.
At $79.95 msrp, the Undercover Concealment Leggings aren’t cheap. You can get a custom kydex holster for that amount of money. The yoga pants are worth the money – if you have the time to invest in practicing your draw.
Comfort * * * * *
They feel like leggings and wear like leggings and if used to the appendix or back carry, they are extremely comfortable. The gun can be removed as well and the comfort is still there.
Retention * * * * *
The elastic strap ensures the gun stays put! The gun is held snug against the body and it does not flop around in the leggings holster.
Price * * *
These are a bit on the high end of price, but they do work, so there’s that.
Accessibility * *
It takes time and practice to retrieve the gun from these leggings. Even after practice, it’s best to use two hands to remove the firearm safely. After several dozen attempts, you can minimize draw time. You must put in the effort to do so, however, since there is no snap on the elastic strap for a quick release.
Concealability * * * * *
This gets five stars because of the way I dress when wearing leggings. I always wear a longer and looser top and the gun doesn’t print at all when dressing this way.
OVERALL * * * 1/2
The gun is secure thanks to the elastic strap holding it in place, but there’s no easy way to re-holster or draw. There is an easy grab tab, but without an actual snap, it still takes longer to retrieve your gun. A snap on the elastic retention strap – making draw easier – would have earned these leggings 5 stars.
My other has found that anything stretchy with an elastic waist ends up flopping over due to the weight of her (relatively light) CC. She won’t even try her Kimber Ultra-Crimson Carry. Thanks, Sara. I’ll be forwarding this article to her.
With a snap closure holster a pair of shorts would be great for men.
Yoga shorts for men? You forgot to add the *sarc stamp to your post
Isn’t that basically what those spandex biking outfits are? (Yoga pants for men or a wearable /sarc/ tag, take your pick.)
Actually, I could see some spandex jockey shorts with this kind of holster setup — as underwear beneath shorts, sweats, or even regular pants — being very useful.
“Isn’t that basically what those spandex biking outfits are?”
Pretty much, yes. I ride and I have a few pairs of good quality cycling shorts, but I prefer the feel of cotton next to my skin when riding, not spandex, ‘breathable chamois’ be dammed.
I know a few women who are yoga pants wearers and are talented with a sewing machine, I’m gonna ask them if a stretchable pouch can be added to a pair…
UnderCover has those too, they just call them what they are, underwear!
Yogatta be kidding me, that’s all the pics?
Nice review! At my age, pretty committed to pocket carry in Cabelas 7 pocket blue jeans or in a holster/gun belt. But for the yoga pants wearing gals I shoot with, will recommend
Thanks for the article. I’ll be forwarding this to some of my female friends.
Can you forward me some of your female friends?
Way to make this place awkward. http://tinyurl.com/jupobl3
Why is that one lady wearing pants? That is awkward.
Thank you, that link was golden. I can’t stop laughing!
He’s muzzle sweeping her.
Gregolas (post above) needs those man shorts except with that holster in the back, not front center.
“Can you forward me some of your female friends?”
No.
She likes her friends… 🙂
I have the UnderCover tank top and for the most part I like it, my main complaint is actual very similar to Sara’s main issue. The retention strap uses a slide catch, which is a real pain to unhook when you draw. If they had used a snap button, it’s be perfect. And actually, if I start using the thing a lot, I’ll probably break out the needle and thread and replace the catch with a snap button.
As a suggestion, try sewing in a pair of rare earth magnets. Should have the strength for retention but would come apart easier without the noise of Velcro or snaps.
I am NOT a fan of two-handed draws. Your support hand could be injured, holding onto a child, blocking, striking, etc. Best to use carry methods that work one-handed.
Also, any carry method that has a velcro strap will be slow and loud. Any straps should be pull through.
So I guess printing is kind of an issue without the right overgarment.
The elastic band is kind of a killer. Seems like it’s unnecessary: the belly band doesn’t need something like that.
Nice tookus. Sorry, someone had to say it.
No one needed to say that.
I was pretty disappointed with the photos just because of the crowd… We all knew somebody would “have to say it.”
Thanks to the OP for continuing the stereotype. I’ll wait patiently for the obligatory “I/he/they was just offering a compliment” remarks…
Photo framing a nice ass in yoga pants seems a strange way of avoiding compliments about said ass.
Well, as even my 10 year old son is beginning to understand, not every thought that pops in your head has to be vocalized. There does exist such a things at “self control.”
More evidence we are losing “masculinity” in the US? That men cannot even exercise enough self discipline to “Not Type” a thought on a blog comment section?
Sara, there is a good chance the leggings were designed with a stretch band instead of velcro for a reason.
Velcro tends to be noisy when being removed/released. If one has to draw a pistol, the loud riiiip of velcro is a good way to draw what very likely is unwanted attention.
I agree 100%. But a quick release, like a snap I could flick with my thumb would render these much more effective. Velcro isn’t ideal in my very humble opinion. I wanted a quicker release.
I have the compression shorts, and they work pretty well with my LCR and Shield. They have no strap to worry about, and the elastic holds the gun firmly in place. I can wear gym shorts and a t shirt and conceal a handgun comfortably
Is there space to add a snap and make it a one handed draw? Or would you have to change the retention strap completely?
How well is the trigger protected by these pants while carrying?
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