Holsters 101
(12 Photos)
If you think there's a wide variety of handguns to choose from these days, wait until you get a load of all the holsters and retention systems folks have devised for carrying them. While it's not possible to review every option on the market, here is an introduction to some of the more common holster types available.
Posted by: B. Gil Horman
Belly Band Holsters
Belly bands are under-the-clothing carry systems consisting of a wide elastic belt with a holster sewn into it. Typically they are worn wrapped around the torso so that the gun rests just under the belt line, or just above it. Belly Bands allow for gun placement in just about any hip-high orientation a person may want, including strong-side, crossdraw and small-of-the-back positions. The belly band is especially useful for clothing options that don't use belts for support. The disadvantage of a belly band is it must be cinched on tightly in order to keep the handgun in place. Some gun owners find this to be uncomfortable.
One of the most flexible belly bands on the market is the Galco Underwraps. Unlike belly bands that only provide a single pocket, the Underwraps arrives with two leather handgun pockets and two utility pockets for spare magazines, wallets or other small items. It can be worn like a traditional bellyband, low on the waistline resting partially under the beltline, or it can be placed up around mid-section to position the handgun much as a shoulder holster would. The UnderWraps is available in four sizes to fit a variety of defensive handguns.
