What is the Best Appendix Carry Holster?

There are plenty of ways to carry a gun concealed. But one of the most popular these days is known as “appendix carry.” It’s true that there are plenty of benefits to appendix carry. But you’ll need the right holster to do the job. We’ll go into some detail about appendix carry and the best, most concealable, and most comfortable holsters you can use for it in this post.

Why Appendix Carry?

Appendix carry is probably one of the most popular concealed carry methods today. This style gets its name from the organ of the same name, since your gun will live extremely close to it most of the time. The method involves carrying your gun somewhere between 11:00 and 2:30 on your belt on your waist for right-handed shooters. That means between 1:00 and 9:30 for your lefties. `

Appendix carry is nothing new. Back in the day, all kinds of folks would keep a small “belly gun” at their waist for quick and easy access. As guns have gotten progressively smaller from large revolvers to the tiny compact pistols of today, appendix carry has become more feasible. Guns like the SIG P365 can fit 15 rounds of 9mm into a gun that you can comfortably carry at the appendix position.

One of the reasons appendix carry is so useful is because it gives you extremely quick access to your firearm. With some practice, you can draw from the position in a second or less. Appendix carry also helps minimize “printing.” This occurs when your gun leaves outlines on your clothes, giving away its position to a casual observer.

Holsters 101: Using a Taco Style Holster for Appendix Carry

If you’re looking for an appendix carry holster, chances are you’ve come across a “taco style holster.” They may sound delicious, but there’s actually not much to them.

These holsters are essentially one piece of material folded in half like a taco. Then, the holster builder connects the two “open” edges of the material to one another using some kind of fastening. Finally, they’ll attach some kind of clip to the holster. This holds your holster tightly to your belt. It also acts as a point of contact pulling against your hand when you draw.

Most Comfortable Holster for Concealment: Leather, Kydex, and Nylon

By far the three most common materials for building tacto style holsters are leather, kydex, and nylon. Nylon holsters have become extremely popular since they’re fairly inexpensive. They’re also extremely soft, so they don’t print as much as leather or kydex. However, they’re not particularly robust. You can damage them easily, and they may not even hold your gun tightly enough, letting it flop around or even fall out.

In contrast, kydex is super durable and rugged. Many of them also integrate some kind of retention mechanism that physically locks the gun into the holster. But while kydex concealed carry holsters are great, they’re not perfect. You can thank their rigid texture for that. First, they’re probably the least comfortable out of any kind of holster material. They also tend to print more, since they’re not as soft as leather or nylon.

Leather provides the perfect balance between kydex and nylon. A leather taco style holster is great for concealment, but it’s also highly comfortable. And it’ll also be durable enough for you to use every day of your life.