concealment vest

[cmgee67]

What do y’all use? Never tried one. Don’t know if I’d like one.

[Jusme]

Need more info. Are you looking just for a cover garment, or one to actually use to carry a handgun?

[bblhd672]

For concealment only, I have a vest from Columbia that I got on sale at the Columbia Outlet store. Bought one size larger than I needed to provide plenty of looseness for handgun.

[cmgee67]

Strictly cover garment basically. Usually I use a open button down shirt but thinkin a vest might work sometimes too

[oljames3]

What do y’all use? Never tried one. Don’t know if I’d like one.

I can't tell you what will work for you. However, since you asked, I will share what works for me.

I carry my S&W M&P M2.0 9mm 5inch openly in a Safariland 7TS ALS with Guard and QLS at 3 o'clock. Except when encountering effective notice or in the sanctuary of my church during worship, concealment it not a concern for me.

I conceal when required or as the situcation/weather dictates. When I go into HEB (not as often as I did before 1/1/16), I secure my M&P and go in with my backup Ruger LCR .38 concealed as it always is.

If I have to conceal my M&P, I just put on a jacket as the situation/weather dictates or simply untuck my shirt. I am not concerned with "printing."

A large frame, 17+1 pistol works best for me. If you are carring a smaller firearm, concealment may work better for you. Typically, I only conceal my backup using a Remora RFT (reinforced opeing) pocket holster.

If you do choose a vest, carrying in the vest itself presents the issues of access, comfort, and doffing the vest. Accessing and comfort work together. If the firearm is in the vest, there is a significant weight on one side. The vest will sag on that side unless counterbalanced. Then there is the issue of losing contact with your firearm when you doff the vest.

An in waist band pistol will be easier to conceal with a vest than an outside the waist band pistol. I carry OWB, so a suit vest would not conceal my pistol but a suit coat does.

We each have to do our own due diligence and risk assessment to decide which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

[Bitter Clinger]

I have a Coronado Leather concealment vest that I bought at Cabela's. Works really well for smaller conceal carry firearms such as G43.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Coronad ... s?slotId=0

[longtooth]

Since OC passed I go that way all the time unless NECESSARY.
I still keep a western vest in the truck.
If you have a wife that sews at all they are easy to make from a Wrangler heavy cotton snap shirt.
I like the long tail ones.
Take the sleeves out at the shoulder seams.
At the high point of the taper on the sides cut them square all the way around and hem it.
Use the sleeves to make a lower pocket on both sides. They are usually a different color and really look nice. They have 2 top pockets that snap.
They starch and iron real sharp.
People always used to ask me where I got them.
YMMV

[stash]

I have a real nice Royal Robbins lite weight vest. In the winter it is useless and in the summer it would work except it seems to me it would look weird wearing a vest with a short sleve shirt. So it just hangs in the closet.

[Gator Guy]

If you think a vest is too hot, have you tried a CHL sash instead.

[Jusme]

I have a couple of different vests, that I wear. One is an Ariat fleece vest, that is one size larger than I need, it covers, my OWB holster, and two extra mags well. The other, is a photographer type multipocket vest that I wear in the summer. I don't remember the brand, but it is 100% cotton, and has mesh vents in the back.
There are vests for just about any style that you prefer, I don't know of one brand, or style that is better than another, just make sure it is long enough to give you the concealment you want. J HO

[cmgee67]

I am on my Church Security team and I am going to start carrying owb with a couple extra mags. I typically dress western so I will go to the local western wear stores and see what’s there. Also anybody point me in the best bang for your buck felt cowboy hat?

[Jusme]

Resistol, Stetson, Adams hats, and some others are all made in the same facility in Garland. I like Resistol hats been wearing them since my rodeo days as a teen. Not the cheapest, but will last forever. I have a black XXX beaver hat, that I have had for close to 30 years that still looks good. For a good mass produced hat expect to spend close to $200.00 like with most things, you get what you pay for.

[KLB]

For cooler weather, I recently bought a Carhartt Denwood vest from Amazon. I love it, and the zippered left breast pocket is great for concealed carry.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C4 ... UTF8&psc=1

[jason812]

Since OC passed I go that way all the time unless NECESSARY.
I still keep a western vest in the truck.
If you have a wife that sews at all they are easy to make from a Wrangler heavy cotton snap shirt.
I like the long tail ones.
Take the sleeves out at the shoulder seams.
At the high point of the taper on the sides cut them square all the way around and hem it.
Use the sleeves to make a lower pocket on both sides. They are usually a different color and really look nice. They have 2 top pockets that snap.
They starch and iron real sharp.
People always used to ask me where I got them.
YMMV

How can I get one of those?

That is a wife that sews that is. Those vests seem pretty cool.

[mojo84]

If you think a vest is too hot, have you tried a CHL sash instead.