Female Gun Holsters: Form vs. Function

Women are making up an increasingly large portion of the population of gun owners in the United States. What’s more telling is that women not only are increasingly constituting this figure but are making up more and more of the subpopulation that identifies as first-time gun owners and those that carry a gun for self-protection.

The fact that more and more women are buying guns and carrying them has exposed a glaring deficiency in the industries for shooting sports and self-defense - that is, many shooting accessories, including holsters, are specifically designed with the needs of men in mind.

As more and more women join the community of gun owners, the market has scrambled to provide shooting equipment and accessories that are well designed for women shooters. In the area of holsters, some producers were quick to jump on board and release holsters that were evidently designed for women. Many of these holsters were so-called corset holsters or belly band holsters. Unfortunately, many of these female gun holsters suffered from a few significant issues.

Classic Issues of Quality, Comfort, and Practicality

Despite the fact that there has been no apparent shortage of female gun holsters, many of these holster designs have been found wanting in several vital areas when they were put to the test of use. Some of these more pressing issues had to do with the way these concealed carry holsters responded to some basic needs of women shooters.

For one, all holsters, regardless of how the holster works or what the design is, should be made from high-quality materials that promote gun safety and enhance a gun owner’s ability to carry and use the firearm safely. Some designs in belly band holsters were made with thin fabrics that, while they contained the firearm, did not eliminate access to the trigger through the material. This is a significant issue with holster safety and one that cannot be overlooked, regardless of the other features that a holster possesses.

Other issues were central to the functionality and comfort of these holsters. Many belly band holsters were made from thin fabric as detailed. This caused some of them to shift or migrate on the body when worn for prolonged periods of time. This is not only an issue of comfort but also of security; no holster features what can be called a safe design if it does not remain in place on the body.

On a similar note, holsters that contained the firearm but did not secure it in one location or allowed it to migrate on the body are also troubling. For one, training with a concealed carry holster is in part about consistency. You need to be able to confidently and securely draw your firearm, and it should be where you have expected it to be in training. If the holster allows it to shift, this is both an issue of comfort and of security.

Summarizing these common issues in other belly band holster designs and corset holsters would yield a disturbing portfolio of deficiencies. Chief among the problems are those of safety. A holster that is not safe to use and does not properly secure the firearm is not a holster that can be used responsibly regardless of the circumstances.

Adding onto this are the facts that many of these holsters were uncomfortable, not compatible with a large enough range of handguns, or did not properly conceal the handgun in question. It should come as no surprise that if a holster’s fabric was too thin to properly secure the trigger from outside access, that it could print the firearm through thin clothing.

These undesirable traits in female firearm holsters left a hole in the industry that could only be filled by those who were willing to invest the time and effort into the development and production of a gun holster specifically designed for women.

We watched and listened, absorbing all of this information before proceeding with the development of the Lady Defender Gun Holster, our first concealment holster specifically designed for women.

We addressed all of these traits that were resulting in ineffective, unsafe designs, and then we added onto the upgrades we produced, resulting in one of the most practical, comfortable, and safe concealed carry holsters for women available in the industry today.

Qualifying a Purpose-Designed Gun Holster for Women

To create a female gun holster that is better by design, we needed to address the totality of the circumstances that were responsible for these previously mentioned, impractical designs. Armed with the experience of those that actually carried these holsters, we were able to enhance and refine the Lady Defender Concealment Holster into the game-changing design that it is today. Among its many features are as follow:

●Trigger protection

The Lady Defender is not the only concealment holster that we sell here at Pistol Wear that features excellent protection for the firearm but specifically protects the trigger area, disallowing outside access.

As you can imagine, a holster that allows access to the trigger from without, while the firearm is holstered, is a serious menace to safety. A trigger should never be exposed to access, except by a purposeful action on behalf of the gun owner. That is just a simple matter of design and one that we were quick to address in the development of our holsters.

The Lady Defender, like many of our other concealment holsters, contains a rigid outer wall, a component of the function of which is to completely eliminate outside access to the trigger. It is not only practical - it is safer for everyone, including the gun owner herself.

●Elimination of printing

Shakespeare’s Falstaff is accredited with the infamous quip, “discretion is the better part of valor.” We will, for the present, abstain from a philosophical reflection on the matter, but we will state in plain terms that concealment is no longer concealment if the holster allows the firearm to print.

Thin fabric in female holsters that allows access to the trigger provides an additional hassle. It can print the firearm, thus canceling out the value of concealed carry, and effectively labeling the gun owner as a target.

The Lady Defender’s design helps to cut back on the risk of printing. Much of the firearm is enclosed and protected by a rigid outer wall that will soften the lines of the firearm; the soft construction of the holster also works to eliminate printing in order to keep the wearer safe as well.

It’s designed to be most compatible with casual or business attire, but if you’re looking for a female holster that has these same positive attributes and is better suited to athletic activities, consider the PT-2 Concealment Holster.

●It must secure the firearm throughout your entire range of movement

A quality holster must not only secure the trigger against outside access and work against printing; it must also secure the firearm throughout the wearer’s full range of motion. This is a deal breaker; a holster that does not do so is not safe to use.

The Lady Defender, though it is not purposefully designed for high levels of exertion and physical activity, will secure the firearm in one place on the body when it is properly worn and adjusted, through your entire range of motion.

This means that the holster will not slide, slide, shift, roll, flop or migrate on your body as you go about your day. In fact, as an added safeguard, the Lady Defender comes with an adjustable support strap that can be used to better secure the holster if it is worn higher on the body.

●It should keep the firearm within easy access

Another thing that a holster must do if it is to be considered a valuable, practical shooting accessory, is to keep the firearm within easy access on the body of the person wearing it. Unlike some other concealed carry holsters for women that unfortunately allowed the firearm to shift or move around, the Lady Defender will keep it securely located in one place.

This will enable you to train to draw your weapon consistently so that you can be prepared in the event that you ever need to draw your weapon. Training with a concealment holster will verse you in the indispensable habits of firearm safety as well as in muscle memory. For example, you might need at some point to draw your firearm in the dark. Only consistency can prepare you for such an occasion, which means your firearm must remain secure, in the location that it is supposed to be.

●Compatibility with a wide range of clothing

While the Lady Defender has not been intentionally designed as a fitness or a running holster, it is widely compatible with a range of clothing. You can wear the Lady Defender with business attire as well as casual attire and it will fit comfortably and without printing.

These types of clothing may be what the Lady Defender was intentionally designed for, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment. The only way to know for sure if a holster will work with a given outfit is to try it on. You’ll be surprised at the slim lines, ergonomics, and practicality of the Lady Defender, and if you have questions before you try it out, you can always call us at 1-918-289-2976.

●Room for accessories

While room for accessories is not an absolute requirement in a concealed carry holster, the ability to accept accessories or the compatibility with attachments that enable you to carry them are big bonuses.

The Lady Defender itself can accommodate subcompact handguns less than 6.5 inches in length as well as trigger guard mounted laser sights. In addition, it, like our other concealed carry holsters, can accommodate accessory pouches so you can carry along vital accessories like extra magazines or your phone.

●Adjustability for security and comfort

Finally, the Lady Defender exhibits excellent features of adjustability which impact not only functionality and security, but also comfort. It is capable of accommodating waist sizes from 28-46 inches and it is also compatible with belt extensions to fit larger waists of any size. In addition, it comes with a strap to support wearing the holster higher up on the body with more security and comfort.

Balancing Aesthetics with Safety and Utility

In all of this, we have aimed to create the ultimate female holster and one that has cultivated the ideal balance between form and function. Whereas others may have put form first, we have fostered a unique balance, incorporating performance features into the Lady Defender Concealment Holster and finishing the package with thoughtfully incorporated, subtle lacing accents.

Comfortable, exhibiting premium workmanship, practical, and most importantly, safe, the Lady Defender Concealment Holster has redefined the image of a gun holster designed specifically for women and continues to do so.

What Do You Need to Carry with a Female Gun Holster?

While you’re on the subject of ladies’ gun holsters, you might as well take a moment to reflect on what you need to carry with one. More often than not, it is advisable to carry more than just the firearm.

In addition to your handgun of choice, you should consider carrying a spare loaded magazine to be better prepared, along with your phone and a light. Beyond that, consider your own specific, individual needs and call on us if you have any questions. Being as prepared as foresight allows will help you to be a safer, more responsible citizen.

Here for Something Else? Visit Our Collection

If after analyzing the Lady Defender Concealment Holster you’ve decided that you have different needs in a concealment holster, we offer much more innovation and practicality in our other models. For example, if you are interested in a concealment holster designed for athletic activities, either the PT-ONE or PT-2 may suit your needs better. The PT-2, specifically, is ideally designed for runners and joggers, specifically smaller framed shooters and women.

We also carry a variety of other concealment holsters that are meant to create a balance of useful features and traits which can be assessed in our collection of holsters.

Consider our models alongside your unique needs, and if you would like a recommendation or have some additional questions you would prefer to have answered before proceeding, please get in touch with us at 1-918-289-2976.