carry options for dress attire(fla.)

[nick@xtremeboost]

just wanted to get an idea what people who have to dress up for work ect. are doing for concealed carry, especially in florida. my normal work attire usually consists of slacks and company polo shirts, or slacks and button down long sleave dress shirt(with/without a tie).....winter time here in north florida allows for jackets so carry options improve greatly, but summer time is different. summer attire for work requires either slacks and polo shirts or dress shorts and polos.......any ideas? im a big guy 6'1 260-275 and will be carrying a xd-45acp. thanks in advance. nick f.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[PatrioticRick]

Can't help you on this one, since I'm a jeans guy, but someone here will be able to.

[tanksoldier]

Can you wearf the polo's untucked? If so, a white t-shirt under an untucked polo and an IWB holster seem like they would work.

[Rock and Glock]

I have similar weather and work requirements occasionally, and am sometimes in a suit. I have taken to wearing light sportcoats, or going pocket carry with a BUG. Other than that, I'm not much help.

[Exodus]

This came up in a previous thread before and the best solution came from fed_wif_a_sig:
http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin...?t=7233&page=3
Check #29 for the rig in action. I haven't worn one myself, but it'll be my choice once I get my CHL. Here's a link to manufacter's website:
http://www.uccomfort.com/default.html. I hope this helps.

[nick@xtremeboost]

This came up in a previous thread before and the best solution came from fed_wif_a_sig:
http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin...?t=7233&page=3
Check #29 for the rig in action. I haven't worn one myself, but it'll be my choice once I get my CHL. Here's a link to manufacter's website:
http://www.uccomfort.com/default.html. I hope this helps.

thanks for those links! thats exactly what i need!

[srfl]

I'm a fan and user of the Smart Carry holster.

[Gideon]

It it's business casual and tucked shirts in an office environment you may have to consider a smaller weapon. I can't carry at work but as a Pastor in Missouri, I've had to figure out how to carry without a cover garment. I can wear a suit coat on Sundays but in the summer it's VERY hot with that on and looks odd to leave it on all the time. You can go deep with the various deep concealment T shirt style items but I can't imagine how anyone can truly carry a large weapon without it printing or getting uncomfortable under their arm all day. Perhaps they wear a larger, almost baggy shirt?

IMHO, the more casual the dress the easier it is to conceal unless you add a suite coat or sport jacket. As for the tuckable holsters I can not believe that anyone can call that concealment when you have two clips on your belt with nothing else? I believe people in my office would be very curious about that. The better shape you're in, the harder it is too because that bump doesn't blend in with any love handles.

I too have used Smart Carry and it works very well with small guns like a J frame or keltec p3at so long as your pants fit somewhat loosely in the crotch area. Being as tall/large as you are, that should also help your comfort factor when you sit down. With a Kahr P9 It' make it too tight in the crotch area on me (5'7") with dockers.

I think the options for hot weather business casual dress are limited unless you can leave the shirt untucked. I would think pocket carry with a smaller weapon would be an option for you. I've pocket carried a Airweight J frame but it's still a pretty good chunk to ride in the pocket.

Not much help but it's hard. There's a reason secret service guys are always wearing jackets in 100 degree's. I even tried ankle carry but that was the most obvious method of carry I've tried.

Hope you find what works. I carry a Kahr P9 whenever I can dress w/come kind of cover garment. Other than that, it's a keltec p3at in a pocket holster w/an extra mag in my weak side pocket. Good luck!

Gideon

[gregarat]

I’m not much help either. My armed security job is open carry. It’s illegal to carry, while working my unarmed security job. Off duty I can easily conceal a 1911 with an untucked tee shirt.

If I were you I would invest in a sub-compact, or a snub nose for work carry. Then you could pocket carry or appendix carry (1:00 position IBW), even smart carry.
Thunderwear might be a good alternative to smart carry, wich is a holster where you can appendix carry large handguns, exept that Thunderwear is more of a 12:00 position.

Here is a link for Thunderwear:http://www.thunderwear.com/

[PJH]

You might try this:

http://www.holsters.org/deepconceal-holster.htm

Kind of a fancified belly band, but it might work.

-Paul

[Obiwan]

During those years that I was in the business world, I found that if I downsized the gun, then carry options opened up. Think either single stack or revolver. Carry it in a belly band, pocket holster (my favorite) or Smart Carry. For years I carried a PPK in a Rybka pocket holster. Later I switched to a KT P11 in a pocket holster. Occasionally I carried a Jframe in a Mika or Uncle Mike pocket holster. My choice today would be a Kahr K40 in bellyband or Smart Carry. I'd still use the P11 in the pocket.

[Rocnerd]

I live in S. Florida, with a similar dress code at work. If you can wear a hawaiian style (they do make ones without the loud prints on them) shirt with an undershirt you are all set. If not then pocket carry is the only thing I have come up with, and the reason I bought the Rohrbaugh. I can wear the hawaiian style shirts and try to wear those with my paddle holster most of the time. I am usually the first into the office so I take it off and put it in the drawer at my desk. When I leave I check the vicinity and slip the holster back on and walk out. If I wear the polo and dockers it is pocket carry.

[Exodus]

You're welcome Nick. Glad to finally help someone (indirectly at least). And thanks to Fed_Wif_A_Sig for the initial linkage on these holsters.

[dr_cmg]

I live in Alabama and have similar dress constraints. I have been looking at guayabera shirts as a possible answer. If you can wear shirts that are not designed to be tucked in the guayabera is very good for several reasons. First they are cut so that there is plenty of room in them and so that the tail extends out past the hips. Second the design itself lends itself to breaking up lines. The embroidery, the pockets, and the vertical design of the tucking breaks up the lines so that anything under the shirt is pretty much obscured. They are also available in many colors.

Florida should be a place where it is easy to get guayabera shirts. Online there are a number of places in Florida selling them.

[erh]

Thanks for the tip..! I did 3 1/2 yrs. in the lower Fl. Keys, and just wore a loose Tee shirt over shorts while off duty, that worn over a full sized Sig P220... Never got "Busted Out" that I know of, or I did & the locals were just not anxious to mention it..!

In any case,

Thanks for the idea,

Eric Howland
Savannah, GA.