Thursday, October 14, 2010

Belly Band

So, I've been carrying the P32 in a Uncle Mike's belly band, and it's been long enough that I think it's time for a review.

First off, I was dreading belly band carry, even though it fit the necessary criteria nearly perfectly: highly concealable, low risk of printing or flashing, even when I forget about it.

I'd heard a lot of stories about how uncomfortable and hot belly bands were, as well as how difficult it was to keep them in place without cinching them down to Victorian Era Duchess proportions.

I'll note here that all of those stories were from men, because I think that perhaps women have an advantage when it comes to belly bands.

It's called a waist.

For me, I don't have any problems with the belly band staying up, so to speak. It straps around the narrow part of my waist and the shape of my body helps support it.

It's not entirely comfortable but it's not uncomfortable enough to turn me off of it as a method of carry.

The Uncle Mike's specifically, I could take or leave. It's the only belly band I've tried so I don't know if it's the best or the worst, but I'll give a run down of my likes and dislikes on it.

Likes: It's a mesh material, so it breathes. I don't wind up with a super sweaty strip around my stomach. The elastic is stretchy enough to move with me, but stiff enough to be secure. It also has an adjustable velcro strap to secure your pistol, so you can carry more than one gun in it if you like.

Dislikes: The seams are fairly stiff so if you're not paying attention when you strap it on, and one gets rolled under, it can get pretty uncomfortable. The holster pocket is a one size type thing, so if you don't get the retention strap adjusted just right there can be some wash. The draw is a little awkward, too, since I position the pistol directly in front. Boobs create great camo for the pistol, but without some practice, they can really get in the way of your draw.

All in all, for what I need it for, the belly band is a win. I'd put up with a lot more discomfort and dislikes for the conceal-ability, and the horror stories turned out to not apply as much as I expected.

If you've got a pocket pistol but your pockets aren't big enough, or you need a deep concealment option for some reason, I'd say consider the belly band, over all.