Are We Still Carrying Firearms Like It's 1975? | Best Holsters for Gym Shorts, Leggings & Everyday Wear

Look, I'm not saying traditional concealed carry holsters are the fax machines of concealed carry, but... actually, that's exactly what I'm saying.

The Limitations of Traditional Holsters

Let's be honest about what we've all been putting up with:

Belt-Dependent IWB and OWB Carriers:

So you're telling me I need to wear pants with belt loops every single day for the rest of my life to use my IWB inside the waistband or OWB outside the waistband holster? Cool. Nothing says "tactical readiness" like planning your entire wardrobe around a strip of leather.

Think about it: we've upgraded everything from phones to cars to home security systems—yet we're still carrying firearms like it's 1975. It's like we collectively decided that concealed carry holster technology peaked when disco was popular.

And let's talk about comfort. Have you ever spent a 12-hour day with a rigid gun belt digging into your side with an IWB holster? Or tried to drive long distances with an OWB setup pressing against your kidney? It's not exactly what I'd call "forgettable carry." More like "constantly aware of the tool you're lugging around" carry.

Belly Band Holster Users:

Ah yes, the sweaty spandex solution. Nothing makes you feel more prepared for self-defense than a belly band holster that folds like origami when you sit down and has the retention strength of a tired handshake.

I tried a belly band holster once. Once. By hour three, I had what can only be described as a small swamp forming underneath it. By hour five, it had somehow migrated halfway around my torso. And by the end of the day, I was practically performing a strange interpretive dance to keep my belly band holster in place while trying to look normal in public.

The trigger protection on even the best belly band holsters? Let's just say it's... aspirational at best. It's like they heard about the concept of protecting the trigger guard but then got distracted halfway through implementing it.

The whole men's vs. women's clothing situation doesn't help either. Women's clothing designers apparently decided that pockets and belt loops are optional features, while men are stuck choosing between proper IWB/OWB carry and ever experiencing comfort during physical activity. There are women's belly band holster options. 

Have you seen the gymnastics women have to go through just to carry consistently? It's like watching someone solve a daily logic puzzle: "If I wear this dress, then I need this belly band holster, but that requires this undergarment, which won't work with these shoes..." Meanwhile, guys can't wear athletic shorts without entering the wild west of carry options, forcing a choice between uncomfortable IWB solutions or less secure belly band holsters. What about fat guys' belly band holsters, there's a lot to learn about this subject covered in another post. 

What Modern Carriers Are Demanding

I don't think it's too much to ask for, you know... gestures vaguely everything?

We just want:

1. To wear normal human clothes without compromising security for both IWB and OWB carry

2. A consistent draw that doesn't require three different techniques depending on if we're using a belly band holster, IWB, or OWB setup

3. The ability to sit in a chair without wincing, regardless of carry position

4. Something that actually keeps our firearm where we put it, with better retention than traditional belly band holsters

5. A solution that works whether you're built like a linebacker or a distance runner

Is that really so unreasonable? Next thing you know, we'll be asking for pizza that stays hot all the way home.

The reality is, our lives don't revolve around our firearms—it's supposed to be the other way around. Our carry method should adapt to our lifestyle, not force us to adapt our lifestyle to it. You shouldn't need a dedicated "IWB carry wardrobe" separate from your "belly band holster wardrobe" separate from your "normal human" wardrobe.

And about that consistent draw—it's not just about convenience. It's about training and muscle memory. Every time you switch between different carry methods with different draw strokes (from IWB to OWB to belly band holster), you're basically starting over with your training. In a high-stress situation, you don't want to be mentally cycling through "which draw am I using today?" based on your outfit choice.

The New Generation of Carry Solutions

So apparently some people finally got tired of choosing between "safe but uncomfortable" and "comfortable but sketchy" and decided to do something about it.

Hybrid Design Advantages

These new hybrid systems are basically what would happen if a belly band holster and a tactical belt had a baby that inherited only the good genes:

• You can use your actual IWB or OWB holsters (you know, the ones with proper trigger guards) without needing belt loops

• Position your firearm wherever you want it (revolutionary concept, I know)

• Maintain the same level of protection regardless of whether you're wearing suit pants or gym shorts

• Use the same draw technique every time, whether you prefer IWB or OWB carry, which seems important when seconds count

It's almost like someone should have thought of this years ago. But hey, we also used to think carrying pagers was cool, so I guess we all evolve.

The key innovation here is the merging of two concepts that previously existed in separate universes. On one side, you have the comfort and versatility of belly band holsters—the ability to wear them with anything. On the other, you have the security and functionality of traditional belt systems with proper IWB and OWB holsters. For years, we've been told we can't have both. Turns out, that was just a failure of imagination.

Real-World Impact

Let's talk about all those times you've:

• Left your gun at home because you were "just running to the store real quick" (nothing bad ever happens at stores, right?)

• Changed your entire outfit because your IWB holster was being difficult

• Carried with a less secure belly band holster because it was the only option that worked with your clothes

• Spent an entire dinner adjusting your OWB holster under the table and hoping no one noticed

• Developed strange, contortionist-like movements to prevent printing or shifting with your IWB setup

Each of those moments is basically a silent admission that traditional carry methods aren't cutting it anymore.

I once watched a friend try to retrieve something he dropped under a restaurant table while carrying appendix IWB. The expression on his face—part concentration, part physical discomfort, part fear of exposing his firearm—was something I'll never forget. Is that really the best we can do in 2025?

The Phantom Belt Solution

After testing practically every carry system on the market—and collecting a small museum of failed concealed carry holsters—I found one that actually lives up to the promise:

🥇 The Phantom Belt

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a carry system that floats and doesn’t seem like it’s even there. A hybrid solution that offers comfort everywhere, rigidity where you need it.

Here’s how it works:

• A breathable, low-profile elastic band hugs your waist without creating hot spots or shifting like traditional belly bands

• A flexible nylon web belt runs through the band, providing rigid structure where your holster clips in

• The Bolster anchor system lets you use the IWB or OWB holsters you already trust—no need to learn a new draw or buy a proprietary holster

I’ve worn it with everything from gym shorts and leggings to jeans and business attire. It never budges, never prints, and my draw is always the same. My training is consistent again.

Because comfort without security? That’s just clothing.
And security without comfort? That’s daily torture.

With the Phantom Belt, you finally get both.

The Decision Point

So here's the real question: are we still carrying like it's 2003 because that's actually the best way, or just because change is hard?

Threats don't exactly send a calendar invite before they show up. They don't care if you're in your tactical pants with your OWB holster or your comfy shorts with a belly band holster. And yet here we are, still adapting our lives around outdated carry methods instead of demanding carry methods that adapt to our lives.

Seems a little backward, doesn't it?

Every time you leave your firearm at home because it's "inconvenient" to carry with your chosen outfit, you're accepting a vulnerability in your personal security plan. Every time you