Seven Things To Look For In A Gun Holster For Running

Picking out a gun holster for running is not a decision that should be taken lightly or made as an afterthought. In many ways, selecting the right gun holster for running is nearly as important as selecting the right gun for self-defense in the first place. While it’s helpful to train with a variety of action types and cartridges just to develop a familiarity for shooting and gun safety, you choose the handgun you carry based on the way it fits you and because of how it performs. You don’t just pick a revolver chambered in .500 S&W simply because it offers great stopping power. You pick a gun that is comfortable, that fits you as a shooter, and offers you traits in power, recoil and reliability that you can appreciate.

Then, of course, you train with that firearm extensively. You load and unload it, even in the dark. You train with it to know exactly when, and how, the trigger will break. You study your groupings to figure out the best ammunition to use and how it will perform under different circumstances. You might even accessorize your gun with features like night sights and grips.

Since you might be called upon your gun and training to defend your life and limb, it’s no surprise that you invest so much time and resources into it. Here’s the thing - you should put almost as much care into selecting a holster such as a gun holster for running when you decide to carry.

Your gun wouldn’t be much good to you if it failed to fire or failed to eject when you needed it most. In the same way, a holster makes it possible for you to access your gun. If it isn’t comfortable, doesn’t secure the gun or doesn’t make retrieval easy and quick, how much good can it really do?

Not much. That’s why we’ve put together this list of seven things to look for when you’re shopping for a gun holster for running. If you intend to carry while running, here are seven things to look for before settling on a holster.

Quality Of Construction
This is kind of a general consideration that will affect all of the other things to look for outlined in this article, and it’s something that might mean different things to different people, but it’s something you’ll need to look out for.

Stay away from a holster that feels cheap or even too light. You’ll want to look for premium materials and quality workmanship in a holster, whether it’s for running or not. That being said, running puts a strain on equipment that wouldn’t otherwise be experienced going about the course of a normal day so in athletic situations, it’s even more important.

Some people choose neoprene and some people choose Kydex, but regardless of what you choose, a gun holster for running should feel solid and secure, be stitched without flaw, fit your gun properly and offer features for adjustment so that gun owners can get a better fit. In this respect, we’re straying into other areas to consider since quality affects everything underneath of it. Before we dive into the other things you should look out for, let’s say that while you can define quality individually to a degree, a holster should feel solid, secure, and well put together.

Safety Should Be A Top Priority
Since the reason people carry a gun in the first place is to ensure safety, you should look out for safety features in the holster you pick out. There are a few things that go into what it means for a holster to be safe.

The first is that the holster should hold the gun securely. A holster that does not secure a gun is a danger. The second is that the holster should fit the person carrying securely. There are many options that people choose to take to offer them a number of these benefits.

Many people choose wet formed leather holsters or Kydex holsters because they can offer a nearly matchless fit to a specific firearm and the grip is typically exposed for a quicker draw capability. That being said, there are many people that prefer the benefits of holsters constructed from softer materials including neoprene because they are more comfortable and they typically allow the user to carry different handguns in the same holster.

Here at Pistol Wear, we’re proud to offer carry holsters that pair the comfort and fit of soft holsters with the retention and security of hard holsters. A holster from Pistol Wear won’t just hold your gun securely until you need it, it will fit you comfortably as well - but that’s the next thing to look out for.

It Should Be Comfortable
The first thing to recognize here is that you will hate to wear a holster that is not comfortable or does not fit you well. In some situations, you might want to just tough it out and deal with the discomfort of a holster that offers you otherwise great functionality.

The thing is, though you might be able to put up with an uncomfortable holster, a holster is something you might be wearing most if not all days of the year, and over time that will become a burden.

Besides, the idea of a carry holster is to keep you prepared, and you won’t really be prepared if you’re uncomfortable all the time because of something as simple as a poorly designed holster.

All of our holsters here at Pistol Wear, including our holsters designed for running and athletic activities, are made from very comfortable and adjustable materials including neoprene and other performance foams that incorporate comfort-enhancing features. For example, our PT-ONE and PT-2 carry holsters feature a breathable belt and perspiration barrier to keep you comfortable and dry while you’re running. They also feature a cushioned pouch area that offers the user additional benefits besides comfort that will be addressed in a moment - and since we mentioned that a holster for running should be adjustable, that’s our next topic.

It Needs To Be Easily Adjustable
Just as one gun doesn’t fit every shooter, one holster doesn’t fit every shooter either. When a gun doesn’t fit for any number of reasons, there are accessories on the market that you can use to get a better fit from that platform - and if that doesn’t work, you can train with different guns to pick a better sidearm.

When there’s so much riding on a decision like what firearm you will choose to protect your life and keep you safe, you should get the same perfect fit from the holster that you expect from the gun. The firearm that is chosen, the location on the body that is chosen to carry the firearm and the body shape of the individual results in an infinite combination of holster fit requirements. The exact fit that is required can be difficult to achieve. However, savvy makers create holsters that can be easily adjusted so shooters of a wide range of sizes and body types can easily make them fit like a glove.

All of our holsters are easily adjustable and we offer options that shooters of all sizes can make use of. Our larger PT-ONE fits waist sizes up to 40 inches and it includes an integrated extra magazine pouch while our smaller PT-2 is a single pouch ambidextrous holster that can also accommodate waists up to 40 inches. We also offer accessory belt extensions that can be easily added to either of these holsters to fit customers of any waist size. For individuals with small waists, 30 inches or less, we offer the PT-2 in a short belt band version.

The fit of your holster will impact your comfort as well as the practicality of the holster itself. If it doesn’t fit properly, it’s not going to secure your gun and it certainly won’t make it easy for you to draw either. You might be starting to see a pattern here - that all of these considerations go together. Following adjustability for a great fit -

It Shouldn’t Bounce
This is easily one of the most important considerations to make when you’re shopping for a holster for running or other athletic activities. One of the biggest complaints that runners have is that it’s just about impossible to find a holster for concealed carry that doesn’t bounce while running, and they have good reason to complain about this.

A holster that bounces while running is uncomfortable, impractical and dangerous. It violates many of the maxims we’ve set out already and it serves up its own complications. If a holster bounces with the movement of running, right out of the gate that is going to compromise comfort. And while a bouncing holster might not necessarily compromise the security of the retention of the gun in the holster, it certainly is not securing it as it could be. Additionally, a bouncing holster could compromise your concealment, but we’ll get there in a moment.

We’re proud to report that we’ve got anti bouncing technology pretty much down pat in our PT-ONE and PT-2 concealment holsters. When these holsters are adjusted and worn properly they will not bounce - and that provides you with a secure holstering of your gun as well as much greater comfort when you are running. Now, on the topic of giving away your concealment.

It Shouldn’t Print The Gun
People who practice open carry don’t need to worry about this, but the entire point of concealed carry is you provide yourself with discrete options for self-defense. Any concealed carry holster that prints your gun is giving you away. At best it ruins the entire premise of concealed carry and at worst could make you a target. Whenever you’re shopping for a concealed carry holster, regardless of whether or not it’s for running, you should be looking for a slim profile holster that can accommodate a range of clothing and won’t print the holster.

This is a taller order in a running holster, as even a holster that doesn’t expressly print your gun will give it away if it bounces. As we’ve already explained, our PT-ONE and PT-2 holsters will not bounce when worn properly, and we’re just as proud to announce that they also will not print your firearm. Not only can we offer you an option for concealed carry for running that will keep you safe and won’t bounce, but our technology incorporates a hardened outer wall into the soft body of the holster that will not print your firearm. That gives you better trigger protection than other soft holsters while at the same time affording you the benefits associated with a slim, discrete holster that will not give away your method of carrying.

It Should Offer Perspiration Resistance
Here’s just one more thing you can love about the holsters for concealed carry for active lifestyles available here at PistolWear.com. Other holsters for concealed carry while running or working are typically uncomfortable and part of that discomfort stems from the fact that you may become sweaty while you’re running or working intensely.

Many other holsters will absorb sweat, only to remain damp for hours. When that damp holster rides against your skin, it becomes abrasive and uncomfortable, even chafing at times. In addition, other holsters generally allow the perspiration to flow freely onto your gun. It’s an issue that’s widespread enough that it has become a complaint among those who practice concealed carry and we took notice.

That’s why the designs of our PT-ONE and PT-2 holsters feature an integral perspiration barrier to minimize the moisture that enters the holster and that comes into contact with your gun. In addition, the holster is made of a moisture wicking material and it has a breathable belt band that was designed to keep you dryer and comfortable while you’re carrying. Whether you’re on the trail knocking out a 5k or just at a job site, our holsters will enable you to practice concealed carry while staying comfortable and dry.

It’s just another feature we’ve built into our holsters that make them the ideal solution for those who want to engage in an active lifestyle without giving up any of the security of carrying their means of self defense.

So there are seven things to think about when you’re shopping for a gun holster for running. It’s a good place to start, but you should consider your unique situation as well before you invest in one. It’s an important decision to make. Regardless, our PT-ONE and PT-2 concealment holsters are made for running and address all of the points listed herein. To learn more about our products and how they can accommodate your lifestyle, take a look through our offerings here or give us a call at 918-289-2976.