Thursday, April 7, 2011

lady lumps

Via linker SayUncle, Anthroblogogy, and then originally Girls <3 Guns, I discovered this new holster design made especially for women, from a company called "Naturally Concealed."

It's an underboob holster. (which I guess could technically be an undermoob holster, too - for the right type of man.)

You wear it like this:

And conceal it like this:

Cute, right? Definitely a clever way to use the feminine shape and the resulting fabric drape to conceal a handgun. (although we less amply endowed ladies might need a baggier shirt and perhaps a smaller pistol) This design would probably also help with your posture - you slouch while wearing that thing and there'll be pistol grip jabbing into your xiphoid process. A great reminder to sit up straight, huh?

I'm definitely intrigued by this carry method but for the life of me I can't figure out how you'd get your pistol out in a hurry. Pull your shirt up from the waist to about your collarbones to assure a clear draw? Or dramatically rip your shirt open, buttons popping and flying everywhere? And do you match your bra to your panties or your holster?

34 comments:

Mike W. said...

Well us men have family jewels that would keep most of us from carrying in that position....

Honestly it seems like it might be pretty uncomfortable, like it'd poke you in the gut & underboob when you move.

I guess it might work with a light, loose button down but that's about it IMO.

DaddyBear said...

loose top with snaps instead of buttons. A real bodice ripper, if you will. Something with a big pattern that would break up the outline when you sit down or bend over.

Geodkyt said...

Go with the "Superman draw" with that rig, definately. Must practice with a shirt with snaps, unless you like sewing buttons on. . .

Alan said...

It's probably no more difficult to get to than an IWB shirt tucker.

Nice to see a carry alternative for women that isn't off body.

Tam said...

Yup. "Superman draw".

For someone who wears buttoned blouses, it might work, on the theory that if you're having to pull your heater out, replacing buttons will be the least of your worries.

I remember Marko sometimes used to wear a regular shoulder rig under a button-down shirt, based on the same theory...

Earl said...

Yes, in competition getting the gun out in a hurry is needed. In most confrontations having the gun and bullets is better than the time it takes to worry about speed. Only ABC lets the gunman know who has the concealed pistol so they can always win.

Lissa said...

Unfortunately, when you sit down the muzzle would be pointed at lots of vital organs. That makes me a little nervous.

Lazy Bike Commuter said...

My wife definitely likes the look of that holster, she plans to get one as soon as she procures a gun that is actually concealable (thinking XD SubCompact at the moment).

I would think it would be pretty much as accessible as a belly band with the gun worn near the armpit. I can get to this through the collar of a Tshirt. Not the fastest draw, but concealability is definitely there.

NotClauswitz said...

Girl-stuff that's actually designed by girls often works better than designed-by-guy-for-imaginary-girlfriend stuff.

Nancy R. said...

I haven't seen a woman's shirt with snaps since the "Urban Cowboy" phase in the late 70's/early 80's.

And please tell me that holster comes in a flesh tone.

Terry said...

Why is it that the majority of "unconventional" holsters are set up to give a lousy first grip on the gun? Just a few cuts to the material to give access to the root of the trigger guard and the top of the backstrap would ease things a lot.

Mulliga said...

"Superman" draw seems like a nonstarter, unless you have a huge quantity of identical shirts/blouses to practice with.

North said...

I still have not found a solution for my jogging wife. Nothing like this is appealing to her.

Quest...

Tam said...

Mulliga,

""Superman" draw seems like a nonstarter, unless you have a huge quantity of identical shirts/blouses to practice with."

Don't button it when you practice.

Everything's a compromise, else we'd all be carrying M4s everywhere.

Bubblehead Les. said...

Easy Peasy, Mas Ayoob came up with the answer decades ago for a similar product. A) Put on the holster and your weapon of choice. B) Put on the shirts or blouses that you wish to wear (pullovers, sweats and T's don't work). C) Close it up. D) Find the spot were the button or snap is in the way, and remember its location. E) Take off the blouse or shirt, remove the button/snap, and sew it to the button hole on the other side.

Yes, it leaves a permanent gap, but that gap gives you permanent access to the holster. For guys, he recommended this method for those who had to wear a suit and tie, yet were always moving around the office w/o their suit coat. The tie was clasped just above the gap, yet it didn't interfere with the draw. Hope this helps.

Joseph said...

I for one want to see the look on the bad guys face as the woman he's accosting suddenly rips her shirt open, then I want to see his face as the sudden realization that she's not getting frisky, but getting ready to blow him away. Not in a good way either!

Will said...

Attach the button to the slot side by sewing a small, round, patch of Velcro behind it. The matching piece goes where the button was originally. Probably want the fuzzy side facing your body. Leave the top button(s) alone, so they look/work as normal, unless you normally button them up.

A smaller gun would work better. Optimally, you would want to be able to reach down thru the neck to grab it, but the Superman move is what the Velcro enables. Mounted sideways for a small gun might work.

Frankly, the gun needs shoulder straps to suspend it comfortably. In other words, it should tie into your bra for vertical support, with a strap/band around the torso for stability. Otherwise, the strap needs to be so tight around your chest it becomes uncomfortable to breathe. I looked at this design about 15+ years ago. My research lead to the conclusion that virtually no male would wear what would essentially be a bra, to carry a handgun. Those shoulder straps were a no go. It is surprisingly concealable with a slim auto, when covered by a flannel type shirt, even on a small guy. Wasn't enough market for just a womens version.

Anonymous said...

Breda - I can't figure out how you'd get your pistol out in a hurry.

It's also a bit difficult to give a would-be bad guy a not-so-subtle clue that he'd better back off as one can by reaching behind the hip, under a jacket, or into a purse. In the first case, his reaction is, "Wow! She's getting ready to show me something! WOO-HOO!"

In the latter case, it's more, "Oh, sh*t! I think she's getting ready to show me something that I don't want to see! I'm outta here!"

Matthew said...

Alternately, a woman ripping open her shirt is likely to interrupt the average guy's OODA loop, no matter what his motives are.

It also isn't as much of a "furtive movement, oh shit, better shoot" indicator like any sort of draw motion.

Old NFO said...

I would think you would have to practice with it to see what works... ripped buttons would be the least of my worries if you had to actually draw it...

Tam said...

Yeah, it's definitely not a "best case" carry method, but if I was working someplace with a dress code, well, that pretty much takes the strong-side IWB 1911 off the table...

Glenn B said...

I look at that carry like small of the back carry. It seems a potential bad injury waiting to happen should you fall or somehow wind up having the gun pushed hard into your body, specificallly into your xiphoid process over which it is sitting. Both my sternum and xiphoid process have been broken and it is quite painful. In fact if the xiphoid process is broken all the way off, it can puncture the diaphragm and or the liver causing severe injury. I imagine padding on the body side of the holster may help in that regard but it would take away from it being as concealable as it otherwise would be.

All the best,
GB

Casey said...

I know a lady who uses a modified belly band, to carry a full size Glock in that position, only horizontal, instead of vertical. She wears a loose, un-tucked top, so that all she has to do is reach under her shirt/top, release the thumb break retention, and draw. Works well for her. The only real issue, would be the fact that she flags anyone to her left :)

Will said...

GlennB,

that's one of the reasons an auto works better than a revolver in that position. An impact spreads the energy over a large area. The revolver cylinder becomes a pressure point in most cases.

Don M said...

I wear a snap front cowboy shirt. That solves the buttons flying around part. Now if only I could get my man-gut to be smaller than my man-boobs, I would have something...

Kristophr said...

And do you match your bra to your panties or your holster?

The holster would be more effective without a bra, just for the surprise factor. The perp ( provided the perp is a heterosexual male ) will never see the pistol until he gets shot.

Paul said...

Breda,

Just cant the gun to one side and use some kind of velcro to keep it in place (thumb break?)

Many a good flat simi-auto ought to work.

Now to get it out fast. Take a page from those shirts with velco that allow you to draw by ripping the shirt open. Make it work that way.

Guffaw in AZ said...

@North - fanny pack (Eagle?) for your jogging spouse.

The police equipment/uniform store wherein I once worked used to sew buttons on the uniform plaquets, and velcro - for quick change and adjustment over ballistic vests. Why not for concealment? gfa

North said...

GFA: She ruled out the fanny pack the very first thing.

Current testing is being done with a SmartCarry that I had made for her. Results are positive.

dr mac said...

Now if they had that for a brace of pistols it might become a best seller.

Ian Argent said...

Supergirl had best be left-handed, or wear men's shirts.

John B said...

Well I did some scenarios based on a undermoob holster. My belly is so big I'd telegraph the hell out of the gun. No way in hell would I get the gun out in any good time.

That's probably why I put it right on my resume that I am pro-gun, and pro carry, and I wouldn't feel comfortable working for any one who considers me more disposable than a criminal.

Geodkyt said...

Ian --

Or it's a two count movement to start the draw -- rip open shirt, then grab gun.

You know, like Superman used to rip open his shirt in the opening sequence in teh 1950's show. . .

'Tain't fast, but it can be highly concealable.

And a woman rending her garments is likley to upset the OODA cycle on the perp for a second or two.

Ian Argent said...

I suppose. Still a hassle.