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CCW Clothing you hate/love

38K views 176 replies 130 participants last post by  Bad Bob 
#1 ·
#73 ·
My pet peeve is the Wilderness Instructor belt that every tacticool person has to wear at all times. I have never seen one on a non-gun person. .. not once.

Doesn't mean it doesn't happen I just have yet to see it so when I see a wilderness instructor belt I almost always want to ask, "Whachya' packin'?"

Most often the wilderness instructor belt is accompanied by 5.11 pants and one of their three discreet cover garment shirts. It looks like someone went to their catalog and just bought everything they saw.

Now, I'm not knocking the wilderness belt. I have one. I wear it to the range and I have no issues with instructors who wear it during classes, etc, but for average, everyday wear, it just SCREAMS "GUN!!!" at least to me.
 
#75 ·
I must be getting old - for sure I am showing my age. My favorite CC clothing? A sport coat or a suit coat! I wear them as often as possible. My shoulder holsters are concealed well as are my hip holsters. I also have mine tailored according to the means in which I carry. I have a couple of
light weight and heavy weight vests and they are ok (shoulder holsters show through the arm hole on the ones I have, however) and I don't like to
wear an untucked shirt (although I do from time to time). Sport coats and summer weight jackets are best for me.
 
#78 ·
I have a 5.11 vest that I bought just for going shooting, as it's convenient for holding my earpro, ammo, extra AR mags, water bottle, etc. etc.. I have worn it a couple times though when walking to the corner store as a concealment garment, just because it was too hot to throw on anything else and I was too lazy to load one of my smaller guns.

I have a tactical vest and black combat boots (I wear them regularly just because they're comfortable and can withstand pretty much anything I throw at them. One day I had a friend over and he was going through my safe and insisted I put on all my gear and put my slinged AR-15 on, so I did and we had a good laugh.

We went across the street to the gas station, and I left it on just for kicks (not the AR-15, obviously). Combat boots, black pants, black shirt, tac vest, black tight-fitting beanie, shooting glasses, etc. He was wearing a suit. A couple young teens were walking past us being loud and smoking cigarettes and when they saw us they got real quiet, stamped out the cigarette and stared at us, and one of them said "Oh ***, it's the police" quietly and they both said "Hello sir." as I walked by.

However, what I normally wear is pretty much regular clothing. I have a couple blackhawk leather belts, but you wouldn't know they weren't regular belts.
 
#80 ·
Back in the late 70s and early 80s it was a S&W model 60 in a shoulder holster under a members only jacket...Now it's a IwB PF9 under a t shirt or a S&W 642 the same way or in a pocket holster. In the upper 90's and in NC rain forest summer humid days I have a kel Tec P32 in a pocket holster in my Cotton short pants with a cotton t shirt while I'm hunting for air conditioning.
 
#82 ·
"YES!

What, exactly, is the functional purpose of those instructor belts? I much prefer leather." - redbeardsong

1. The functional purpose of instructor belts (at least for me) is longevity, and to have practically infinite adjustment. Not happening w a leather belt w holes. Also, I've never seen a leather belt, don't care who it's from, last as long as a WildTac. I work in the telecom industry, so I spend a lot of time getting very hot and sweaty in attics where the moisture is literally sucked from your pores and saturates all articles of clothing. Took me less than a year to go through leather belts, even of good quality. Been using the same WT for work for over 8yrs. For gun carrying, the CSM model can handle the heaviest of loads (used to carry 5" all steel 1911, now g22) and make it comfortable (for me).

2. YOU much prefer leather. Good. Different strokes and all that.
 
#92 ·
Thanks for the explanation. Those are both good reasons to like them, but why are they called "Wilderness Instructors" belts? Is that buckle used for belaying or something? And how did they get co-opted by the gun crowd?

Oh...

The belt was originally designed to clip into a secure system while "instructing" others in high places during mountain rescue training, although they can be used for emergency rappelling with proper training. Our belts have also proven to be a fantastic everyday pants belt for casual or outdoor use, as well as concealed-carry.
And I guess Gunsite made them popular?
 
#84 ·
" My pet peeve is the Wilderness Instructor belt that every tacticool person has to wear at all times. I have never seen one on a non-gun person. .. not once.

Doesn't mean it doesn't happen I just have yet to see it so when I see a wilderness instructor belt I almost always want to ask, "Whachya' packin'?"

Most often the wilderness instructor belt is accompanied by 5.11 pants and one of their three discreet cover garment shirts. It looks like someone went to their catalog and just bought everything they saw.

Now, I'm not knocking the wilderness belt. I have one. I wear it to the range and I have no issues with instructors who wear it during classes, etc, but for average, everyday wear, it just SCREAMS "GUN!!!" at least to me."- limatunes

I like my WT belts. But, knowing they are usually a gunny giveaway, my untucked shirts are long enough to cover them, as well as closed in the front to prevent buckle recognition, while also keeping my Spyderco's clip hidden. While clip knives have become more prevalent amongst non gun folks, there was a time when a clipped knife was a pretty good sign of other hardware. I've been in this game (concealed carry) now for 20yrs. I can generally spot even leather gunbelts by the width and thickness. If you are seeing someones WT belt, just like if they are wearing full coverage 5.11 clothes and 'the Gunny-this is my glock...........' shirt, they WANT someone to notice them.

dan
 
#88 ·
Interesting plethora of opinions...this is exactly the kind of back and forth we wanted when we wrote the article. Anytime you can challenge people, just a little bit (even maybe get some "danders" up!!) and make them consider a topic that they would not have even thought about before, well you have educated and did some good.

And to answer the question about "Do BAD really guys really give a hoot about what I am wearing, and why should I even care?" I can answer that with some stories of my PSD days, being posted on my blog Soon. I think it will change your way of thinking.

Stay Dangerous Gents!
 
#155 ·
Interesting plethora of opinions...

And to answer the question about "Do BAD really guys really give a hoot about what I am wearing, and why should I even care?" I can answer that with some stories of my PSD days, being posted on my blog Soon. I think it will change your way of thinking.



Ive worked the last 20 years in a large jail, and can say without a doubt that BGs do watch what you wear. Most of it is to see if you have something they can get, But they also size people up and decide if they think they can take people. They are also very aware of what gun carriers look like. And are least likely to bother people who are aware of there surroundings. DR
 
#90 ·
I have NEVER heard of any body getting shot because of the vest.......
I'm wondering the same thing. I've been reading the phrase, "shoot me first vest," for quite some time, but I've yet to read where that actually happened.

As for what I wear, I wear mostly the same clothes I wore pre-ccw days, although I have changed some. I now wear sweaters more during the winter than I used to. I was raised thinking that ALL shirts were ALWAYS tucked in. I've worked hard to change my raising so that I can now wear shirts untucked more often than tucked. During the summer, I usually wear an untucked short sleeve, loose fitting, unbuttoned casual shirt (not sure the actual name, but I think of them as "fishing shirts" and buy them at Bass Pro or Academy Sports). For casual wear, I still wear jeans most of the time during the winter. During the summer, I wear cargo shorts a lot more than I used to.
 
#93 ·
I have moved to hurley or volcom brand shirts as they are often longer. I also prefer the blend fabric because it keeps the same shape after being washed, when sometimes cotton doesn't. I found a long jacket made by hurley, which is fleece lined, so very warm, and long enough that I have no problem concealing anything. And I don't look like a tool.

My wife constantly makes fun of me because when I shop, my first concern is that it conceals a gun, everything else is secondary.
 
#94 ·
Been away from a computer and the forum for a few days, and just read all the comments here! I guess I fall into that "old guy with a 1911" category.:rolleyes: I've been wearing Levis since about 1949 or 1950, back when they didn't have 9 gazillion different numbers and styles!! And since I retired in 2003 and put away the suits and ties, my attire consists entirely of Levis, cargo pants/cargo shorts, T's, tanks, casual shirts, and yes, "shoot me first" vests!

While I don't wear them all the time, I do quite frequently. I love all the pockets for carrying things! And I'd like to see some documented evidence that anyone has ever been "shot first" because they were wearing a Woolrich or 5.11 vest!!!:wink:

One of the nice things about getting "older" is you've been around long enough to realize it isn't important to dress to impress other people! Since I'm no longer a slave to a job, I don't have to conform to any dress standards at work, and I don't give a rats backside what other people walking the streets think about how I'm dressed.:image035: I'm beyond the age where I'm trying to impress young women (or old women, for that matter) and don't really care what guys or the fashion police think! I'm perfectly content with my 5.11 vest and my 1911 and I don't really care if someone "suspects" I might be carrying.:smile: On the other hand, I might be a photographer, going fishing, or just a mean looking old man with a lot of crap to carry!:biggrin2:
 
#96 ·
I've worn the so called "shoot me first vests" off an on since the mid 80s, many different brands and styles.
I even wore the vest while working in a plain clothes/anti-crime unit - during stakeouts, "john" details, and even a couple of hand to hand buys. (Carrying my SIG P220 under it at the time).

Last time I checked, no one had shot me first; at least not yet anyways.
 
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#97 ·
I'm pretty sure bad guys are not as in-tune with tactical clothing as us. However, I can't stand tactical clothing because they scream "*******" to me, and I am Asian...I can't carry off that look. :)

I just like semi-stylish understated clothing that says "I can't be armed...I'm almost preppy-looking." I wear jeans and lean-cut t-shirts/shorts untucked. I wear sport coats and jackets with jeans, and I never wear cargo anything. However, my Kahr or P2000 will be with me most times. Be who you are, but a vest screams "GUN" to me, as does a fanny pack. Fortunately, bad guys are (in my opinion) mostly unaware of gun dress code. I simply want NOBODY to know.

EDIT: I do realize blazers are not literally understated, but they are not (when worn with jeans) typical tactical attire.
 
#99 ·
I'm pretty sure bad guys are not as in-tune with tactical clothing as us. However, I can't stand tactical clothing because they scream "*******" to me, and I am Asian...I can't carry off that look. :) {QUOTE} Chandne

You know I appreciate you are Asian and that you are not a a "*******" and can't carry off that look so please don't wear that type of clothing and I won't wear anything that might scream........... Bruce Lee cause being a "*******" I can't carry off that look. :yup:

OS
 
#102 ·
I wear the same things to the range as I wear to training classes as I wear to work every day, and as I play with my family on the weekends.

A $5 Old Navy T-shirt, untucked, over a $25 pair of Old-Navy jeans. I either have on an ARES Ranger belt or a custom leather gunbelt (which will go just fine with a suit, thanks to Chicago screws and a nice buckle), but no-one sees that, anyway, since my shirt's untucked. :smile:

I'm at an age where I'm no longer looking to impress potential mates. :lol: The same clothes every day means that I can roll out of bed and just go - I don't have to worry about matching this with that. Sure, my wife makes me "dress like an adult/human" sometimes, when we go out, but otherwise, I like the consistency - which is "me," 90% of the time.

I know how my daily clothes lay. I know what happens if I do X or Y motions to clear garment - whether it be to draw my gun or to get to my knives - because I've trained in these same clothes.

I don't care what anyone else wears. As long as it fits their lifestyle and they're happy with it, who am I to say otherwise?

I just hope they know which pocket to reach in to access the defensive tool of their choice.

I just hope that they know what motions they need to make, to give themselves greater chances of properly clearing the garment, be it to draw the gun or to do a reload.

I just hope that they have trained with it, like they've trained with all the rest of their life-support equipment.

:smile:


------


And as an side, I don't know if bad-guys know/target "concealed-carry dress," but it's worth noting that this is a distinctive trait, and is one which has recently been featured in a PoliceOne.com article:

Dealing with citizens legally carrying a concealed weapon

I'm not citing that article to make any particular point, one way or the other. Rather, I'm simply bringing it up (again) because I think it is of-interest to all of us here, as legal concealed-carriers.
 
#106 ·
Jeans and a t shirt, maybe a button down or a suit, depending. Love 'em! You'll never catch me in any of the CCW clothing, though I will wear some cargo type pants on occasion.
 
#107 ·
I've been wearing wilderness instructor belts since the early nineties. I love them; especially the 5-stitch variety. I am a shorts/jeans/t-shirt/urban-hiking boots guy for the most part, but I also like a square-hemmed short sleeve shirt once in awhile. I hate vests of all kinds and always have. This has more to do with being forced into a sweater vest at a young age than any prejudice against appearing too tactical.
 
#108 ·
Just because unarmed civilians don't confront you doesn't mean they don't notice, it just means they have common sense. In any case, they aren't the problem.

Neither are crooks who are too dumb or strung out to notice you're armed.

Some crooks are smart enough to wait for easier prey, so again, you get a pass.

But then, there are those occasions where you are just a minor annoyance to be blind-sided first, or your weapon itself is the prize. It only has to happen once, and they have the initiative; you can only react.

Tacticool works in the woods, leather vests on riders (horse or Harley), business suits on Wall Street (unless you're an occupier) and country club casual on the links, etc., etc...

If you're totin', it doesn't pay to advertise.
 
#109 ·
I want to go retro 80's with the Magnum P.I look !! Tight white shorts , blazing hawaiian shirt and deck shoes with a no holstered 1911 tucked in plain sight at 6 oclock in belt loop !! Yea thats what im talking about but I cant afford a ferrari but maybe an 80's model t-top fierro . I will bring back the Hawaiian shirt !! I have been saving them in my closet I told the wife they will be back in style !
 
#118 ·
Just wait one second here...the Hawaiian print shirt has never gone out of style! The tight white shorts on the other hand...unless your a female, don't even think about it!
 
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