Description
What is this thing?
When most people first pick up this holster, they think, “What the heck IS this thing? It weighs next to nothing (<3.5 ounces). It’s made of very comfortable nylon and padded fabric. That’s the silliest ‘holster’ design that I’ve ever seen!” But, first appearances can be deceiving. This is, in fact, a fantastic deep-concealment holster.
These holsters are basically a padded holster pouch that holds your weapon securely about 3″-5″ below your belly-button, below your pants belt (or skirt waist.) Unlike its first-generation competitors, has almost no bulk. It has a wide velcro strap, and double bands of elastic on both sides, evenly distributing the weight of your weapon across your back and both hips. It places your weapon at your center of gravity, so the weight of the weapon does not affect your movements in any noticeable way. It is very sturdy, yet unlike many competing designs, not bulky at all.
Frequently Asked Questions:
But I already have a perfectly good IWB holster fitted to my gun! Why do I need this one?
Do you ever leave your gun at home? Do you go to places where it’s not possible to “dress around the gun”? Is it embarrassing when everyone else takes their jacket off, and you keep yours on? Can you take your rig to the beach or the pool? Is the dress code at work slacks, tucked-in dress shirt and tie, but never a coat? Could you take your shirt off?
Won’t the draw from inside clothing will be slow?
Contrary to what you might expect, with a little bit of practice the draw isn’t slow at all. But one also has to be careful of what one is comparing. I’m not suggesting that you necessarily want to replace your IWB holster with this holster in all circumstances. I’m suggesting that if there are times when you find that you leave your gun at home because you can’t dress around the gun, then you need this holster – because taking the responsibility to be able to protect your own life and the lives of your loved ones, is too important to be forsaken just because you go out jogging, or walk on the beach, or can’t wear a jacket.
Won’t it show? There’s no way that it won’t be obvious that there’s a gun in my pants.
Like a magic trick, the Lightningwear holster conceals by misdirection. Let’s face it – most people (even those in professional law enforcement) are embarrassed to direct a lot of visual attention to other people’s groins in public. The Lightningwear holster sits directly in front of the groin, is softly padded, and completely breaks up the silhouette of a pistol, except possibly for a bulge caused by the end of the weapon grip – depending on the size pistol carried in it. As you can see from the pictures below, even medium-sized guns disappear into it almost completely (the .40 Kahr K40 is 6″ long).Noted author John Ross [Unintended Consequences] is reputed to carry a four-pound 4″ S&W .500 X-frame revolver in a holster nearly identical to the Lightningwear, every waking hour of the day. ” ‘In every class, someone complains there isn’t any good way to conceal anything but a mousegun when wearing typical indoor clothing. I smile and draw the 500. Their eyes just bug out,’ John says.”
It sits in front of your groin? Is that safe?
Yes, it is. Because it sits in front of your groin, the barrel of the weapon does not point at you, but at the ground between your legs.
There is one additional feature regarding this design and safety: The holster and weapon protect your groin from attack almost effectively as if you were wearing a steel athletic cup. My Kahr K40 weighs 30 oz. loaded. An assailant who decided to kick my groin would be kicking almost 2 pounds of machined steel instead of what he thought he was going to kick.
Not a problem. The weapon falls between your legs in such a way that even husbands / wives or boyfriends / girlfriends sitting on your leg or even sitting directly on your lap are unlikely to notice anything unusual.
How does the draw work – doesn’t your shirt get in the way?
As noted above, one of the reasons that guys find this holster to be useful is that there are styles of business dress where it is only appropriate to have a neatly tucked-in shirt and a pair of dress pants, thus eliminating the cover of bloused shirts and / or jackets. This holster works best when worn on top of a tucked-in shirt, so that the holster actually keeps the shirt from blousing – thereby making sure that the fabric doesn’t get in the way of the draw if the weapon has to be drawn. Women can also do this if they are in office-professional attire with a formal tucked-in blouse and pants or a skirt.
The actual draw is accomplished by sticking the thumb of your off hand into your waistband, drawing it out, while sticking your strong hand in and drawing the weapon. There is no need to wear a larger pants size, as long as your pants are currently appropriately sized. If you currently use an IWB holster, there certainly will be no problem drawing with the Lightningwear holster from the same pair of pants.
MikeH –
I am ordering my third lightningwear holster and Have carried this way for 20 years now.
I currently carry a glock 19 and two spare mags, daily as a heavy equipment road mechanic, which is why I wear the holsters out.
Never dropped or been noticed my gun in that time. and thank God I have never had to use it