There are more and more companies these days offering ladies’ conceal carry options in forms such as belly bands, shorts with an inner thigh pocket, holsters that hook into a bra front, and so forth. Most of these options try to offer some versatility for a lady in terms of being easy to wear during activities like running alone. Pockets are placed in appendix carry, behind the back carry and thigh carry positions on shorts and leggings.
Sometimes you’ll see short demos of the clothing where a woman wearing them runs around for a few seconds or does some mild calisthenics.
However, there’s only one way to figure out if a piece of conceal carry gear really does the trick for a full-length run: You put a fully loaded gun in it, and then you go for a run.
I’ve tried a few different types of leggings that have carry pockets on the inner thigh, outer thigh, appendix, and back carry positions. Although the gun rode well enough in all of the furnished pockets, I ultimately decided against any form of carry on the waist, hip, or thigh, for a few different reasons.
One was that after only a short distance, having a loaded firearm on one hip or leg pulled off my gait and started to make my back hurt. Another was that the appendix carry position would jab the grip of my pistol — a SIG P238 — into my ribs with every step.
The most important factor, though, was that in just about every scenario I’ve read or heard about where a woman was attacked while running, the attacker tackled her and took her to the ground. This means that a firearm holstered anywhere around the waist or hips could easily be landed on or end up in a position that might be very difficult to draw from when you’re on the ground. Or that the impact of a landing could eject the firearm from the conceal pocket and put it out of reach – since none of them had any kind of retention option – making it useless for self defense.
After trying a few other options, I finally settled on a Lotus holster from Deep Conceal. I like this system because of how it carries the firearm – under the armpit with the barrel angled down and somewhat back. It has a retention strap and can be worn over or under clothing depending on the color that you choose (the black option over a black tank top is hardly noticeable even in the daytime if you have a light jacket over it).
The system is fitted to the size of your rib cage and holds the firearm snugly to your body, meaning that it doesn’t move or jostle around even when you’re on a vigorous run. It’s made of stretchy cloth and Velcro and you can order the pocket size that suits your compact firearm. There’s a magazine pocket built in as well, though it isn’t in the most accessible position. Deep Conceal makes holster systems for men as well, so this idea isn’t just for the ladies. Some of their systems are customizable with extra mag pouches and so forth.
Caveats: You must be comfortable with cross drawing your weapon and should practice doing so while wearing the holster (unloaded please!) so you get used to the motion. A holster like this is for basic daily carry only and not built to stand up to training courses where you draw over and over or to be exposed to a lot of grime, as this can make the Velcro on the system much less effective. However, you can throw the Lotus in the washing machine. For ongoing everyday carry I use a leather modified M7 style carry, but when I run, I switch to this.
Of all the options I tried that I challenged with real, vigorous movement, this has worked the best for me. It’s light, keeps the gun close to the body and in a position where I’m not likely to fall onto it if I go to the ground. It has a retention strap, and is pretty much invisible if you dress it right, so to speak.
YMMV, but perhaps this will give folks an option they haven’t thought of for how to carry a gun while running without it being an onerous burden on your lower spine or needing to worry about not being able to reach it or getting away from you if you encounter a creep on the trail. Stay safe out there.
I like treadmills.
Treadmills work if you are normal size, have a normal gate and don’t care about a change of scenery. I personally dislike treadmills but to each their own. As stated before I run pretty minimalist but it has its trade offs.
Okay – use an elliptical.
Or lift weights with a HIIT program – no steady state cardio needed, just reduce the weight, increase the reps, and reduce the rest time.
I’ve been very pleased with my Active Pro gear jogging concealment holster. I’ve had it over three years and used it many times. I love that I can carry my cell phone, keys and IDs as well…unfortunately, they apparently don’t sell them anymore on Amazon but can be found on eBay.
The only other potential hindrance is how it would accommodate the female anatomy. I imagine a small .380 or pocket 9mm wouldn’t be too much of a bother.
Myself, I only recommend the large:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ActiveProGear-Jogger-Holster-Size-23-Large/251146727874?hash=item3a7982f1c2:g:E9gAAMXQ~c9RGsEU:rk:1:pf:0
@Ed
That’s a nice system. What size firearm do you carry in it?
My FNS40 fits easily but FiveseveN or Sig P320 pops the velcro out. My 4″ revolvers also won’t fit.
I also think the large is best for everyone because you can fit your cell phone, IDs and keys. I don’t know whether the small or medium sizes will do that.
“every scenario I’ve read or heard about where a woman was attacked while running, the attacker tackled her and took her to the ground”
If drawing while mounted is your concern, cross draws, especially shoulder or armpit carry should be out of the question. Reaching over and across your body with an opponent on top of you is a recipie for getting either knocked out or turned onto your belly, giving your opponent your back.
OWB at 3 to 4pm works pretty well with a smaller firearm. A simple bridge gives you fast access to the gun, even when mounted.
@jwtaylor
Now, that’s interesting to me. As part of dance, and learning a bit of knife fighting, and some different martial arts training I’ve done here and there, I’ve had people tackle me in different ways, from different angles, a lot of times. I pretty much never end up in a position where I can’t access a crossdraw easier than a OWB. Maybe that’s specific to me, because of years of different types of movement training.
Guess I could add to the article, Put on your chosen system and have somebody tackle you wearing it to see what happens. Seems legit, though painful.
Wrestlers get their asses handed to them as soon as they put their hand down across their body while mounted. It’s a beginner’s mistake, and usually one that is trained out very quickly. In fact, it’s a position we work to get our opponents into, because it’s doom after that.
Remember, you don’t just have to get to the gun, you have to get it back out. From the mount, the opponent has easier and more protected access to your firearm than you do.
No tackle need apply to test it. Just have an opponent mount you and work to get in strikes to your head. The second you reach for that armpit, you’re taking unprotected strikes to your temple. Have an opponent mount you with a training knife. Reach to grab the shoulder holster. Those pokes you’re feeling in your stomach and chest are the telltale signs of murder.
Now, getting a hand on the gun DURING the tackle may be another thing entirely. But focusing on tying a hand, or two, down to your gun while being slammed against the ground and pummeled is a foolish proposition. You’re likely to be unconscious from your head bouncing off the pavement long before you get that gun into play.
@jwtaylor
I was taught that once it’s totally within hand to hand range (i.e. you haven’t been able to create enough distance to draw), that is no longer a gunfight, it is a knife fight, meaning you have to switch tools at that point anyway. So I do wear a neck knife as well. Just didn’t include it because well, this is a gun blog.
I know from the hand to hand training I have taken it’s realitvely easy to incapacitate someone relying on one system in a fight. A knife is a good option but better to know how to fight. I was thinking lately of using a small firearm in a modified water bottle holder.
Almost all the objections he has above apply to OWB draws as well. Hitting your head from a tackle will hurt you no matter where your gun is located. So we get his simple and obvious advice: don’t let someone mount you. Thanks for the incredible insight.
“Those pokes you’re feeling in your stomach and chest are the telltale signs of murder.”
OK. you made me laugh.
Captain Insight, in your attempt to be cute, you missed the point entirely. It’s about the mount, not the take down.
Yes, every tackle that has ever happened in history resulted in an automatic mounting. Your insight continues to astound.
“Captain Insight, in your attempt to be cute, you missed the point entirely.”
That’s why he was passed over for Major.
I’m going to have to back up JWTaylor here (I know, JWTaylor, try to contain your surprise). Myriad reasons I would discourage a cross draw and one is certainly access. In FoF it’s been exceedingly difficult to accomplish the motions necessary to draw using that method. Another is the near impossibility to cross draw around a breast without muzzling your own body.
Speaking as a runner and a gun owner I dislike the bulk of methods for carry marketed to women. I also push the value of secondary defense methods. Always have other options. It’s a difficult issue to solve and we certainly come up with varying solutions.
@Kat
Could be that it has to do with a woman’s body type too. I’m long armed and small in the bust, so literally all I have to do is bend my right elbow and my hand is on the grip and boom it’s out and I’m ready to go. For me carrying IWB has never been fast or effective, no matter how much I’ve tried to practice it.
I can see how this would be totally different for someone who is bigger busted or has to do more of a reach to unholster. I guess that part of the reason womens’ gear is so hard to fit is that women have such variations in the size and shape of our bodies.
Generally I’d say I was taught that anything inside of 3-5 feet is a knife fight and that I need to go for a knife fight first, then switch to firearm once I create distance. Different people have different theories, I imagine, since knife fighting is kind of new to me and I’ve only experienced a couple of approaches so far, the Philippine stuff and Systema.
Elaine, if you have a gun, and no earbuds on your run, you are already infinitely more prepared than 97% of the other runners around you. Predators go after easy prey.
Having said that, a running buddy, and/or running in populated areas is still a better defensive tool than any weapon system.
Very good article. Unfortunately, my wife and I are too old to run. We just have to stand our ground.
Interesting, and very valid, point about placement if thrown down.
“…in just about every scenario I’ve read or heard about where a woman was attacked while running, the attacker tackled her and took her to the ground.”
If this is a serious concern of yours then you don’t need the gun until you’ve learned to fight on the ground. Simply put, there is no position for a holster that is going to work during a ground fight against someone who’s bigger and stronger than you are. If you try to draw your gun you’re giving up an arm that should be being used for the necessary grappling and at that point you’re asking for serious trouble.
On top of that, if you’ve been tackled then you’ve likely also been mounted. This creates problems like JWT was talking about but it also means that you’re in a perfect position to be disarmed if you do manage to get the gun out of the holster.
What you need is training (pick your poison) in how to fight on the ground so you can either win the fight outright or get yourself into a position where you can draw a gun or simply get away. The idea that a different holster is going to save you once you’ve been taken down and probably mounted is not just whistling past the graveyard it’s flat out foolish to think this way.
@Strych
Sure, but that’s a different topic than what I’m covering here (ground fighting in general). My goal in trying different pieces of equipment was to find something that would not cause problems during extended periods of vigorous movement, like a run longer than 30 seconds, or other types of activity. I just didn’t find that any other type of carry worked for that alone without causing problems, notably back pain. I might also note that a neck knife is worn as backup, but since it’s not a gun thing, didn’t write about in the article.
My experience is that a lot of stuff advertised for movement does not actually hold up to real, vigorous, sustained movement. People already know a lot about different types of IWB carry since this is pretty much the standard for most folks I think. However, it doesn’t work for me, so I’m letting folks know about another option. My test for all the things I have tried so far (and I am certainly open to trying more) was a one mile run at a moderate speed, plus other types of moving around – going to and from the floor, dodging, rolling, etc.
How was George Zimmerman able to draw and fire?
Don’t know but it seems like a reasonable question for discussion.
Zimmerman had previous, very basic (but nevertheless previous) martial arts training that included BJJ if I recall correctly. As such he knew the basics of how to defend himself on the ground insofar as not going with instinct and making a really dumb mistake like giving up his back (see video link below) . Truth be told someone with ~6 months of decent ground training will have a huge advantage over someone with none. I’m in no way suggesting you need a black belt in any ground fighting art, but you need to have an idea (If this is a concern of yours mind you. I had that caveat in my OP.) of what is safe and what’s going to put you in a way worse position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abzHGPmpvUM
It’s like they don’t read. You stated your purpose clearly and have made good suggestions for people who are going to do serious workouts with a weapon. It is easy to nitpick but remember some of the experts commenting on your article have nearly run this website into the ground with their leaky writing.
You’re completely full of shit.
I quoted the article and responded to the quote.
That being the case nothing was out of context and the quote itself should have explained why I was saying what I was saying. If it didn’t do that for you then perhaps you’re the one who needs to brush up on reading skills.
And like she said, different topic, dingleberry. You want to tell her not to get that equipment because she needs to train for “being mounted” first. She said she is trying to find the ideal equipment to carry a gun while doing vigorous exercise. She is not writing an article on how to fight off people trying to mount her. You, however, seem like a likely expert in such matters. 🙂
“My goal in trying different pieces of equipment was to find something that would not cause problems during extended periods of vigorous movement, like a run longer than 30 seconds, or other types of activity.”
Fair enough. In that case it’s a perfectly fine test.
I’m just responding to something you said in your article which was a note about being tackled/taken down while running. Personally I think it’s fantastic that you’re testing out various pieces of gear. I’m simply noting that gear doesn’t always save you and that in the specific instance you actually mention in the piece thinking that a specific holster (or a neck knife) will get the job done is a very hefty wager to be making considering that the stakes are for your life and in the instance you mention giving up an arm is a pretty bad idea. Like Mike Tyson said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. The same is true of going to the ground.
I liked the article and it’s not nitpicking as someone below suggests. It’s called “constructive criticism”. You mentioned something in the article to which I responded about a potential blind-spot in your planning.
“Gear doesn’t save you.” Incredible insight that changes the entire national discussion on self-defense. Absolutely ground-breaking.
@Strych
Sure, and I appreciate your feedback as someone who obviously has some knowledge about ground fighting.
As a woman, it’s not that gear will save me – it’s that I cannot assume that I’m going to have the brute force I might need to fight back with brute force against someone much larger than me. I took aikido for a while, thinking that if I could just work on technique, I would be able to throw someone a lot larger than me, because that’s essentially what they said. What I figured out within a year is that a lot of the time, that’s bullshit. Someone who weighs two or three times as much as me (I’m 5’9” and about 137 lbs) – yeah, if I study for 10 years or am willing to break my body in order to try that throw, I might be able to do it, but honestly? I would probably rupture a disc doing so.
After that I switched to Wing Tsun for a while, which I really liked because it’s designed for smaller framed/boned people and relies on strategy rather than power. There wasn’t really ground fighting in that system though. I know a fair number of people who do BJJ for the grappling skills but they’re always having shoulder surgeries because their rotator cuffs get torn. They get injured a lot, often fairly seriously it seems.
The closest I’ve come to any kind of ground fighting is the knife fighting Systema stuff that a friend has been teaching me here and there. If you have any suggestions about a ground fighting system that won’t destroy your body, I’d absolutely be interested in hearing about them.
I’m going to be crude in my language here. I agree that training in fighting from the mount is important, and she should do it, but I disagree that carrying a firearm is useless if she doesn’t. Because size and strength. Regardless of her hand to hand training she’s going to be at a serious disadvantage. Look, I work in a prison. I know a thing or two about this kind of stuff. If a 250-300lb man wants in your ass, and you’re 150lbs or less, regardless of wether you are male or female, that 300lb guy is taking your ass. Unless you have a gun. Other types of weapons and fighting skills CAN help, and I think should be utilized, but there’s only one thing that’s going to give you an advantage in that situation, and that’s being armed with a firearm. The vast majority of people also aren’t going to be able to spend the time training for hand to hand combat to truly get good enough, to the point where the training overcomes the natural response/street fighting. It takes far longer to training to fight effectively hand to hand then it does to use a gun effectively. Brute force, size, strength, and surprise are pretty much going to win the day in the vast majority of hand to hand fights. As for how to carry while jogging? I don’t know for a woman. I jog in cargo style shorts but the material isn’t khaki, it’s some polyester sporting material, so I pocket carry a .38. Best I can come up with. My advice would be carry a gun and a knife the best you can, don’t listen to music, keep you’re eyes open and look behind you.
@New
100% this. This was completely my experience even when training in martial arts. Big wins if it gets hand to hand, period. I mean it’s just physics. You can only fight off so much when you are 100 lbs or more lighter than the other person and being tall does not really make that much of a difference. You said it better than I could.
I’ve carried a gun while running since around 2009 when I got my first concealed carry permit. I never bothered with on body carry, I just hold it in my left hand inside a small zippered pouch. The small zippered case that Ruger ships with their LCPs works perfectly for micro 380’s and snubbies. If you sweat a lot and it drips down to your hand, consider sewing a vapor barrier along the interior of the pouch.
When you run it looks like you’re holding a phone or wallet, yet you always maintain positive control and it’s available as quickly as you can clasp your hands together. If your dominant arm becomes unusable, become familiar with drawing the pistol with the hand that’s holding the pouch, either by pressing it against your hip or doing some fancy fingerwork (sts).
I carry it muzzle down and pointed aft, so that the butt of the gun is pointing up. It keeps me from muzzling myself and presents a natural draw for my dominant hand, with the butt of the gun facing my right side as I bring my hands together.
I keep the last 2-3” of the zipper open so I can retrieve the gun without actually manipulating the zipper at all. With sweat and grime, I don’t want to be fiddling with a stuck zipper.
I’ve had to draw a few times on aggressive dogs that tucked their ears and tails, but never had to fire while out running.
If you pause the run and need to walk into a crowded area, slip the pistol and case into a shorts pocket as a single unit. The pouch acts as a pocket holster. The large Ruger logo on the pouch is now covered.
I also took a sharpie to the logo to black it out, so you’d have to look very closely to notice it’s not a cheap wallet.
Have not field tested it with a G20…
@Anner
That’s a really great idea. Haven’t seen that one before. Could be a great idea for a new line of accessories!
That’s genius do you have a picture?
I don’t, but here’s an image of the LCP and zippered pouch Ruger includes. They also include a pouch with the LCR and LC9 series, but those are larger and less convenient to carry.
https://goo.gl/images/3CJXSJ
Thanks, I can def envision it now.
@Anner
That’s great. I suppose you could even add a strap to it to go around the back of the hand carrying it, too. Jeez, I didn’t get any cool kangaroo stuff with my Sigs…
One problem I see with the pictures above is a problem my wife encountered right away while trying to dress in a flattering way while working out or not. Every option above as well as other woman’s carry options require a different draw from a different location. JWT mentioned the issues with cross body draw specific to the article above but changing the location of your carry weapon daily makes developing safe, effective muscle memory almost impossible. I am a firm believer that less than optimal carry is better than no carry but this is a very real consideration when considering the options above.
I am as much a fan of yoga pants as the next guy but unless you buy multiple pairs of the same configuration a rig that you can wear in addition to your clothing is a better/safer option. In an emergency reaching for where your gun isn’t, or fumbling to get it from a place you have not practiced getting it from is not a recipe for success. It’s just compromising safety for cute.
@Ian
Yep. All of my carry stuff is in the same configuration. I just haven’t found that a lot of the in-clothing options work well, and trying to add a rigid system to the stretchy cloth that womens’ workout wear is made of (i.e. trying to clip a Kydex holster onto the waistband of a pair of running tights) just seems to make the thing unstable and insecure, not to mention the lower back pain the weight seems to cause for me and other women who have also given up on this option during running. There’s no perfect solution, but something that you WILL carry far beats not carrying at all. I think no matter what, you have to practice with how you carry and keep it consistent.
“There’s no perfect solution, but something that you WILL carry far beats not carrying at all. I think no matter what, you have to practice with how you carry and keep it consistent.”
Yup.
Yoga pants may flatter the body but does little for concealed carry same thing for running tops. Then again I posit that if you are putting on makeup, or worried about how you look when you are working out then your not really there for fitness anyway.
@Joe
A lot of the things that look like yoga tights are actually compression tights. They really do make a difference, in terms of supporting your joints, helping you warm up faster, and reducing fatigue. A lot of people wear them for those reasons.
If that is your choice in running attire, you need to think thru what your advertising message is. Pickup a guy Sat night, get on the Chive? All the poundmetwo BS and NOW wishful thinking isn’t going to help you out.
Most of the year I work out in ranger panties, and maybe shoes. That’s it. I’m not trying to look anything, I’m not there for anyone else. I figure there’s no reason to believe it’s different for women.
@neiowa
None of those photos are of me, but they’re pretty representative of how both women and men dress for running in my city, which is one of the most runner dense cities in the US. Running tights, tank top or T shirt. Standard attire for all.
OR alternately use a fanny pack. Works for us OFWG who don’t give a rat’s azz about being tacticool. Besides if you legally carry why would it matter that some miscreant thinks you gotta gat?!?
@water walker
I just don’t like anything I have to unzip to get to. Don’t favor carry purses for the same reason.
They make fanny pack’s with snaps. Ditto Sneaky Pete type stuff. I’ve already given you the answer to your query…
I tried a fanny pack for a little bit, it was either so tight it restricted movement or so loose it fell down, so I think the method does have a weakness
I’m guessing wearing suspenders to hold up your fanny pack would look great. It would be a fashion trend in no time if you got the ball rolling.
@Joe
Basically the same type of physics that make strapless evening gowns and tube tops fall down.
http://scicurious.scientopia.org/2012/09/14/friday-weird-science-the-physics-of-the-strapless-evening-gown/
One of the reasons these women get tackled is they run with earphones in. If you aren’t paying attention to the world around you, there may be a price to pay. Don’t allow strangers to approach you from behind.
It’s entirely possible to listen to music while running. You do need to keep the volume low enough to hear traffic, footsteps behind you, etc.
I dress provocatively, in a OFWG kind of way. Especially in the colder months. Sometimes, I catches the ladies staring at my “high beam” 😉
@Rusty
That’s def part of it. Sometimes it’s environment too. The most popular running trails around here have parts that go through woody areas where, at dusk or early in the morning, it’d be easy for a perp to hang out waiting. I also think it’s important to try to run with a cell phone so you can call 911 if something happens, but it is just another piece of stuff to run with, too.
AfterShokz bone conduction headphones help you maintain situational awareness while listening to music during a workout. I don’t listen to music while running, but I have used AfterShokz while biking to work. Gotta be able to hear what’s going on around me to avoid traffic and other problems.
Based on the pictures, it looks like men don’t run?
@Warfab
Men seem to favor IWB carry overall. I’m not a man, of course, so I didn’t try to write anything from that perspective!
I’m just a middle aged guy trying to fight the aging process. I don’t really have any options to carry while running, but I’m also guessing statistics say I’m a little less likely to get attacked while running. I would be a little curious to know how many men carry while working out and how they do it.
My daughter and her friends have tried everything and nothing works for a comfortable run except possibly a well centered pistol pocket incorporated into the bottom front of a Camel Back hydration unit, accessible from either side or ambidextrous.. Its time for all of the makers of non-tactical, tactical hydration units to produce the genuine article. Oh, and forget the FDE, OD or coyote colors and the useless webbing. We need functional that doesn’t advertise. And, its long overdue.
I have contacted manufacturers and retailers of packs and hydration units without a single reply. Maybe those that read my comment here will also start contacting the customer services of these same entities to get them off their butts and produce a more useful product. Thanks.
@Mack
That’s a really great idea. Is it the kind of thing where someone who sewed could modify one, and then have one made to match the modified version? Agreed about the stuff in camo/covered with molle etc. I think that all advertises “firearm inside.”
Run with a couple of pit bulls.
Got a lady in my neighborhood who walks every morning 3-4 miles with a HUUUUUUUUGE dog. Like if she got tired she could ride it home huge. Some kind of variant of a Saint Bernard I think. Dog is super nice and likes to run up to people it knows and lick them. She told me that if he doesn’t know you, he will get between her and the other person.
@Continental
The pit bull that lives in my house is the laziest animal I have ever known in my entire life. I can’t even get her to go for a walk without offering those chewy green Denta Treat things.
Ah. Oh well. The mere sight of a pit is enough to deter a lot of people. I know from experience many criminals are fearful dogs. Not all, of course, but a lot of them are.
Interesting commentary. I’ve owned several running specific holsters but I keep coming back to the Hill People Gear Runners Kit Bag. It’s been useful for multi-mile runs and hikes. FYSA, running 2-3 miles a day, 3 x week at 8 min mile pace, YMMV. Low key and secure. Keeps a NAA 22M or Sig P365 secure on my chest. https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1/ProductID/2
@EGB
That’s pretty cool, kind of like the Active Pro mentioned above in the thread, only rides higher on the chest. Looks like it stays pretty secure too.
Easy solution: carry matching handguns on both hips/legs so you won’t mess up your gait or your back!!!
While I intended that to give people a chuckle, there is actually a strong case for that arrangement. If your attacker somehow interferes with your dominant hand drawing your handgun on your dominant side, you should hopefully be able to draw your other handgun with your non-dominant hand. Of course you have MUCH faster reloads. And then there is the simple utilitarian aspect that if your handgun on your dominant side fails, you can simple draw your other handgun and keep fighting.
I have never been a big fan of compact and especially sub-compact handguns. When I think about having two matching compact or sub-compact handguns on both legs/hips, it seems like a much more reliable arrangement for prevailing over an attacker.
@Uncommon
Believe it or not, I’ve thought of this before, since I actually own two little Sigs. It actually would solve the problem since balancing the weight on both sides would take away the asymmetrical shearing force that is so bad for your spine, it would not be different at that point than running with a slightly loaded pack or something. Haven’t been able to find the right holster setup though!
I just came for the pictures. I’ll get around to reading the article another day.
All gear needs to be tried, not just running gear. People are shaped differently, and have different guns. The perfect rig for me might be lousy for someone else. I like Telor Tactical products with their Sil-Air foam. Their holsters look like a generic one-size-fits-none fabric holsters that I’d normally avoid, but the Sil-Air pads harden when exposed to air. You open the sealed pad and wear it with your gun for a while, and it now permanently matches your body and the gun. They also have lots of airflow, which is good for me since I’m pretty sweaty.
I also sometimes use a Camelbak fanny pack that holds a couple water bottles. Normally, I don’t like small of back carry, but this has a pouch between water bottles, so it’s not a hard gun going into my spine if I go over backwards. It still has the same problems as a cross body draw on the ground. Usually, there will either be the ground or an attackers body between my hand and the gun, but I don’t think pulling a gun is effective in ground fighting unless you can sneak it out and fire before the attacker can go for it. Knives work better and then can draw if necessary once some distance is created. Most of my firearms ground training is fighting to keep the gun in the holster. If I can kick my attacker off and create space, I could draw and fire while still on my back, but it needs practice to be in a sit-up position and not sweep your legs and shoot from an awkward position. Also not great if there’s an accomplice standing to the side or above your head. Getting to your feet first is usually better.
This article deffinitly provoked some heated comments 😅.
Anyways.. I am not a huge fan of cross draw but I applaud you for keeping an open mind and trying different options. Size and surprise are difficult to overcome so having proper training and a firearm if possible to defend yourself with are paramount in my opinion.
What works well for my wife when she is running is a Ruger LCP custom and mace in a belly band that we cut a bunch of small vent holes into worn between 2 and 3 o’clock position. We are also blessed to have two incredible guard dogs that love to run with her. I know getting a good guard dog is easier said than done and breed ultimatly means nothing but I feel good knowing that they are with her.
Any woman that runs alone I would highly recommend investing the time, work, money, love, and training it takes for a proper dog. Best trail companion(s) you can ask for.
Belly band, 4 o clock.
Maximum situational awareness and run with a partner. Bully, harass, and nag (with kindness) each other and make goofy/stupid side wagers, to keep each other exercising regularly. I also carry the short Cold Steel blackthorn stick when I run, as a balance aid. People who don’t respect much seem to always respect the stick. -30-
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