The Most Comfortable Carry Technique 

I regularly wear a shoulder holster in the summer. In fact, warm weather is the whole reason I bought my first shoulder holster a few years ago (I wanted to be able to carry in shorts with no belt). I have no problems concealing the holster in light, summery, cotton, button-up shirts, like a hawaiian shirt, or a light, outdoor style, vest. It's about the garment being billowy, and wearing it open (unbuttoned), so that the folds of the garment conceal the shape of the firearm and holster.

In 90 degree heat when you want to wear shorts? Add a Hawaiian shirt. nobody suspects a guy In a Hawaiian shirt and shorts to be packing a .45

I found this vid 3 years later and the amount of info I got from it is as fresh as freshly baked bread. Best vid I watched on the subject. Gotta have that holster.

I bought my first shoulder rig 10yrs ago cuz I always wanted one. Like you I found out it is the most comfortable way to carry, especially the large frame pistols. It is my primary method of carry. I have found that wearing a tank top t-shirt under the rig and a light shirt sleeve button down shirt over the rig will do nicely in the warmer months.

Dude, I’ve been rocking shoulder rigs for decades, I’ve tried every kind of material and manufacture… I’ve always come back to leather. It is just natural and will move with your body more mutually.

I wear a shoulder holster EDC. And it is the most comfortable method I’ve found yet. Even in warm weather, you can wear a light vest…..and it covers every bit as well as a jacket. HOWEVER….not all shoulder holsters are created equal. Please note how high the shoulder strap rides across the back of his neck. Without a collared shirt, it WILL drive you nuts in a matter of minutes. Pay attention to this when you’re shopping brands. A correctly adjusted holster will NOT require the belt “suspenders” attachment. Some have a magazine on the opposite side of the firearm for balance…….and some just a strap that fits under the arm. One that has been a favorite of mine when carrying a J-frame is a Bianchi, #9R 1 Chief Sp. ( check an old poster of Steve McQueen in Bullitt….it’s almost identical…..and very comfortable.) Just take your time…..the right shoulder holster is really hard to beat……but a “strap across the back of your neck” is not the one you want !

Finally! My man, thank you for this. Shoulder holsters (since I got my ccw) are my favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. I like this Stamp fellow, let's give him a raise.

Slide a butter/bread knife in between the holster and snap strap to make adjustments.

Hey Matt after watching your video I ordered one of these and have been wearing it for about two weeks. You're right, it is very comfortable and Carrie's my Sig P229 with little effort. I've found a light button shirt over a t shirt conceals it very well. Thanks for the review

Excellent video. I definitely learned some new things today. I never really considered a shoulder rig but this has opened my eyes to the practical advantages. Right place, right time, one of these would be great for carry. Now I want one. LOL...Thanks a bunch Matt.

A well made leather vertical shoulder rig was always comfortable for my 1911 carry. I didn't have much success with the universal nylon types in the early 1990s. Of course, things change so I might give the Condor rig a try for when I am wearing jogging suits around the house. I currently wear a light garrison rig with sidearm, spare magazine, phone, and two way radio.

Shoulder holster makes me want to wear Gucci loafers, linen pants, pastel t-shirt and a sport coat.

Going on 1st in years..boat,camping trip to Santee Cooper SC. Black water,cypress trees ,lots of fish,white course sand that’s just right for not getting in everything & everywhere. That condor is probably going to be hanging from a hook by the front door of my tent. I make & alter stuff a lot of the time. That’s going to be much better to buy. My machine sewing isn’t up to snuff yet. & it’s not vertical or horizontal. Like it. Thx Matt. Not messing around ..you are the real deal. Smart. Road block story...thx for doing your part & mine & my daughters ect. I saw that condor holster before looking around online. Caught my eye,Didn’t get it because of bad experience with another nylon belt holster. Lost a old ruger mag .the 1 original I had for that 1952(?)standard 22. Found it a couple months later thank goodness. Not the end of the world but you know. LCP II 22 light rack does a lot of what I liked that nice HEAVY old(simi retired now)gun for. Will check it out 1st but might want to flip mags right side up. On mine. No splashes. Sig mags especially. Wear bigger vented fishing type shirts or cut off sleeves of button ups /light flannels & such ,that are stained/torn .keeps me leather back from more sun damage .unbuttoned ,button 1-3 middle buttons. I have a couple things I think I can make a little better than the originals. Or Desighn upgrades you might say. You ever try a jm4 QCC magnetic holster? Any interest in one at all?& if so what gun you thinking. Take care.

Pro tip when working those velcro bits, like the thumb break assembly, out on these nylon rigs. Get a plastic ruler or some other thin sheet of plastic or dense wood (even a big popsicle stick) and slide it between the hook and loop to break contact and then slide the bit you want right out/in. I think these nylon rigs don't get nearlt enough love due to them being so popular in airsoft and not looking as cool as a nice custom leather rig . I love me a nice leather setup ala miami vice, I own a galco and a craft holstera roto (EXCELLENT rig btw. Especially since I was able to getbone without the mah pouches as I prefer to carry my mags on the belt no matter what) but these babiea work just as well at a fraction of the price, and are honestly often more comfortable due to the generous sized shoulder/back pads. Also, I often carry my p365xl in a very minimal/trim kydex iwb holster shell. I found that with the UTG shoulder rig off amazon I could actually secure my kydex shell into the nylon holster attached to the system with minimal alteration, allowing excellent retention and ease of draw with a slight modification to the shell for a thumb rest/break. It's like a budget alien gear shoulder rig with a bit less modularity, but for 25$ and available at my local army surplus and readily online. Condor also makes decent drop leg systems too that fit just about any full size service pistol. Also lot's of budget battle belts, bags, mag pouches etc. Good company imo, and perfectly suibtible for use with actual firearms. Good vid man.

Andrews Custom Leather makes a model known as a Monarch Shoulder Holster I use with my N-frame model 329PD. It has a leather band behind your back and NO belt tie down needed.

The only problem with them is they are only useful during the winter for me lmao. I'm in a t shirt 3 out of 4 seasons.

thanks for the good content it really helped.

The most comfortable handgun carry holster I've found is a Tom Threepersons; OWB, strong side, slight cant. I have EDCed a 1911 or a single action revolver in .45 ACP for decades and I always default to a Tom Threepersons holster. It is comfortable when doing physical labor on the farm, knocking around the woods, driving, sitting at a dinner table, in the office, napping, etc. I now have returned to the city and I found the holster to work just as well here. With a properly planned cover garment, light jacket in the fall, sweater in the winter, cover shirt in the spring, and tactical Hawaiian or un-tucked t shirt in the summer; it conceals well enough that I'm not concerned about printing badly but I used to open carry most of the time anyway. . I just switched over to a Glock 17 (common ammunition, magazines, and manual of arms with my adult children) and have my favorite style holster on order. With present societal difficulties, I conceal most of the time now but I am confident that the Glock 17 will conceal just as well as the 1911 did, if not better. Once you get used to that method of carry, it's difficult to go back to any of the other, less comfortable methods.

Very good video, Matt! Thanks a ton for putting the Condor on my radar. Never heard of this particular rig before, and it looks pretty nice. Eventually I wanna get a handmade leather shoulder rig, but this'll be a good one to start out with to see if I like shoulder-carrying.

As a fellow nutmeg resident, I also have been looking into a shoulder rig for the cooler weather, haven’t got one yet, but this one looks great, thanks

Thank you for the video... I've ordered 2 shoulder holsters and am looking forward to using them both

Love the review brother, ive been considering a shoulder holster for a while now, you sole me on the condor, miss you over at Central

Thx nice to hear from someone practical, I didn’t want to spend a lot on custom fitted for each gun since I won’t be carrying a lot due to my state.

Nice review. Agree with comfortable, though I have to say, I almost always use inside the waist mid-back. For a small to mid size, it is very comfortable sitting or standing.

Mine came with a little flat plastic pc about 1”x6” that you could slide under the velcro thumb break to aid in removal/adjustment. It provides a block between Velcro as you position it. Then you simply slide it out and press the Velcro together.

Nice review! Seems like a good option with a light jacket.

I am looking for another way to carry and I really enjoyed your 2017 small of back carry video. You are right on so many points. You are have to respect someone's space and ideas. Being a retired oil tech I know where your coming from entering someone's castle. I would carry at night with my bosses blessing, but very carefully during the day so not to be discovered. Many opinions there in Assachusetts, glad to be retired and in N.H. Being 150 lbs and 5'10" does make it very hard for some of us to carry and not have our pants fall down. Had to side line my CZ many years ago for a S&W 342 w/ JIT. A flannel and your rig looks like a great option. Thanks for your service and insight. D

Thanks for sharing this Matt. I’ll check the link right now. Cheers!

I just got the Cloak from Alien Gear, because it can accommodate a light. I paid $146, so while it’s not as expensive as the Galcos, it still does the job!

Thanks man I’ll check it out!

Thank You, answered most of my questions/concerns

Shoulder holsters are awesome! You just have to find one that doesn’t flag everyone behind you. Another really comfortable carry that I always knocked was fanny pack carry. My girlfriend wanted to start carrying and she wears tight pants. Couldn’t even fit a S&W Bodyguard IWB comfortably. Saw Nut n Fancy’s video on fanny pack carry and decided to make one for her because she felt comfortable with it. I decided to try it out myself first because I didn’t want to give her something untested- never realized how comfortable and convenient it really is! Guess you really can’t knock something until you try it! It’s also nice for concealed carry. You can get a small one and put it underneath your shirt, you really can’t even see it. If your shirt comes up in a store reaching for the top shelf, people only see a fanny pack.

My fil had a leather shoulder rig he wore with a kimber raptor. Similar set up for his glock 10mm. He started his cc with s/w 19s, carried same way. He always carried. No one ever knew. 5'8" 160.

Thanks for all the info! Great review!

I first used a shoulder holster nearly thirty years ago to carry my duty 1911 while on desk sergeant duty as a Marine MP. It was far better, for sitting, than carrying on our duty belt (aka black gear). But was merely a method of keeping up with the weapon, not good for quick access or retention. I picked up a Galco Classic Lite several years ago after seeing a Nutnfancy review. I liked it so much I got a Jackass Rig for my Glock 19. I’m in Mississippi & wear my shoulder rigs over a t-shirt & under a tucked in Columbia PFG button up shirt. I could Superman out if one of them, if necessary, but on the rare occasion where my spider sense is on edge I unbutton the middle two buttons for easy access. I just got a Miami Classic II for my P365XL & I love it. It’s much better made than the Classic Lite that it replaced & just as comfortable. These days I alternate my shoulder rigs with AIWB & anytime I have to go somewhere where I feel the threat level is higher, I carry AIWB & in a shoulder rig at that same time. This is rare as I’m in a rural area & avoid 🐂💩 visits to the city, whenever possible.

Got the Miami and a custom made 1911 spring and leather shoulder holster made for me by a guy out in Texas. Love em both.

I have a Condor backpack case for my Ruger PC9 Carbine. It's very well made, so I will check out their shoulder holster. I like the suspenders to hold the holster and mag carriers down. After I bought a Ruger Super Redhawk in 10mm I had a friend make a chest rig for when I'm hunting. I've also worn it several times on the 2nd of the month for Every 2nd Matters ... a 2nd Amendment group I belong to. Yes, it's not concealed, but it really looks good. It isn't easy to conceal carry a Super Redhawk, unless you wear a Thunderwear holster, then everyone thinks you're glad to see them. Know what I mean? Yeah. Take care and keep your barrel clean. Bo Leggs.

Im surprised you didnt get an M7 tanker holster. Those have the belt attachment strap at the nose of the holster to give a sturdy and dynamic tension to their attachment to the wearer. That said, my favorite is the Bianchi X-15, but I wear both. That condor one is nice though. Then again, on the M7, maybe the military had already discontinued their use by that point. Thanks for the video! I Love shoulder holsters! YT hadnt been showing me yr videos for a while, so glad to see you again. Have a great week!

For warmer weather , Dickies short sleeve button up work shirts work for me . I don't button the center chest , just above and below , so I can slim my hand in and draw easier...

Excellent review, thanks!

This is the first vertical holster I have seen that is not straight down but has the gun handle is more of a comfortable position. After seeing this I ordered on.

Great video👍 Might pick one up for my m&p 2.0 compact

Good review. Shoulder holsters are also great for us "portly fellows", if you will, heh heh!! And, as I am ambidextrous, I have a double rig, for a "New York Reload" style(I've always carried a back-up, usually in the same model and caliber, in many different configurations)of carry. I am currently looking at a MONARCH custom double rig with a double mag pouch on each side, from AndrewsCustomLeatherin Tallahassee, Fl. Aside from the cost(they AIN'T CHEAP, but they AIN'T CHEAPLY MADE, either!!), the biggest obstacle is figuring out WHAT pistols I want to have one built for. I was carrying a pair of Ruger Security-Nines in the rig I have. They road just fine, but I was offered a fair amount more than I paid for them, so I reluctantly let them go. Concealment is not a REAL BIG problem for me, I usually wear a vest(leather in cold weather with a medium weight jacket I can remove and still remain CCW, and fabric in warm. In hot, humid, Deep South Summers, it doesn't matter. You're gonna fry, even with open carry)!!! But before you invest in a custom(or leather, for that matter), get an inexpensive fabric one. Try it during a hot to cold(or cold to hot)season change, with every imaginable clothing option. Experts say to adjust daily wear to your carry style, especially if you are a EDC carrier, and I agree. Shoulder carry also seems to be "more forgiving" and versatile than many other clothing options. So, thanks for putting out this video. It just confirms what I've come to know over the past few years. P.S. There are a lot of inexpensive shoulder rigs out there. I've never had a Condor, but have some Condor gear. If the shoulder rig holds up as good as the gear I DO have, I believe it would be a fine choice!

I carry a shoulder holster winter and summer. Winter is a loose jacket works great. Summer I wear a medium to light weight zipper vest. With vest unzipped. Conceals easy and I wear a TEE SHIRT underneath . It works real good for me.

I like the idea of a shoulder holster but in Florida, wearing a jacket isn’t an option 90% of the time. So when I start carrying (not 21 yet, one more year) I’ll most likely just carry at the 3 or 4 o clock position.

Great review (after the slow start) 👍🏼

And vests... THANKS. Great review!!

Great info. Thanks!👍👍👍

I used old m7 shoulder holster in 03 with flak. Then 05 went to a condor drop leg and 09 went to a blackhawk dropleg. I wore the crap out of the condor till i dragged an m9 in a training exercise at the proving grounds. Dummy cord held on well but embarrassing. Good stuff.

Shoulder holsters are comfortable but vulnerable to be grabbed and pulled by an aggressor. It puts the grip of the pistol pointing right for the aggressor. Then when you draw, you have to pull the pistol out, swing it 180° to point forward and aim. Far slower than a strong side hip carry. If you use a vertical shoulder holster, then you have to draw, swing 180°, ,and rotate the pistol another 90° to point forward instead of down. Now you're vulnerable to a bear hug grab immobilization. You're stuck. A shoulder holster requires you to wear a coat of some sort. A thick shirt jacket, a sport coat, a jacket. And you must keep wearing it to keep it concealed. With hip holster, yiu just pull the shiet over it. Or a sweatshirt over it. But yiu must have a coat of some sort to properly cover that shoulder holster. Wear safari or a photography vest. Cool, warm weather, loose, floppy and easy to grab thr gun. The best thing about a shoulder holster is that if you have the stomach flu, you can run to the restroom and drop your pants without dropping your pistol on the floor. You can hit the toilet and still be properly holstered. I wore a Galco Miami Classic leather holster when I worked in the gun shop 30 years ago. I had learned most of the pros and cons of each holster style and holster material. I still have that Galco Miami Classic but I don't wear it much. But it looks so good....just like Crocket in Miami Vice, right? Looks great under thaos3 off white Armani linen jacket.

Love the idea of shoulder holsters but I live in florida and wouldn’t help me much! Thank you for your service sir !!!!

Very good review and valid points made. I too wanted to know more about shoulder holsters. Hello Amazon and I ordered a vertical and horizontal shoulder system. Looks very much like yours. But, in black. I would sew the nylon holster to fit the firearm I was using for testing. And when changing to a different firearm, I would sew it to the newest firearm . I had someone explain to me, should I ever have a self defense situation, I would not see that firearm for a very long time. If it did not get lost while in custody. I purchased a 9mm PT 111 G2 at a very good $$. And liked it so much, purchased a G2C in forty. I had a kydex holster inside the waist band and it was uncomfortable. I sewed that kydex holster into the horizontal shoulder holster and it works great. oops , the reason I wanted to comment was, I too needed to Change the thumb break. Find a 6in ruler, or a plastic something. File one end like a chisel and slide it in between the the velcro and strap and you will be able to pull the strap out with ease. Place the ruler into the slot, place the strap in and adjust. Pull out the ruler and its done.

If you get yourself a light weight denim trucker I feel like that would be enough to wear in hotter weather. I could be wrong though, I sweat it out in denim year long so I guess I don’t know about the next guy.

Several types of vests work to conceal a shoulder holster. Lots of choices. Cold or hot climates.

Great review

Hi Matt - got a question for you but first, thanks for making this video. Interesting how a low cost shoulder holster can move to the top of your list! Will this holster work for revolvers?

Like the info. Thanks.

Hey matt. Love the vid. But im pretty sure the strap across the back is supposed to be more between your shoulders. Not so high on your neck. Try just undoing the buckles on both sides and flip it over and rebuckle. It looks like it would put more padding on your shoulders also. Anyway not saying im right but my thoughts are saying that bad boy came as a left hand user since you had to change the thumb snap. Hence why the shoulder peice looks funny. Keep up the great work

Excellent review, very thorough and concise, one question- how has the elastic part held up over time? Any signs of the elasticity giving out? That appears to be the only potential drawback. Thanks in advance for any feedback

Could it be made to work with pistol that has a red dot? Thx good review

Carry the mags horizontal works better. Nice tilt inward on the pistol

Just heard about you my man.great videos love em

@Matt Stamp How safe is this holster for a pistol with trigger safety only? Any chance the trigger can be pulled thru the fabric?

I use a Galco Miami Classic everyday. It is the most comfortable carry ive ever had.i dont even know its on. Never leave home w/ o it

I prefer a shoulder holster but I have a problem with the counter balance. My pistol weighs more than my spare mags so the balance is thrown way to the left and sags a lot. Any recommendations?

Great video. Just wish Condor offered and optics ready model.

Nice vid....I have reviews on dirty harry x15 shoulder holster and a leather dual shoulder holster by craft

Yo, Leatherneck! 5×5 vid. Already have a Condor for casual backwoods use. But - what's the skinny on the brand & source for the lightweight jacket? Semper Fi, MSgt (ret)

Options are good.

I carry 1911 in shoulder holster and have been for years

Wonder if just a simple loose button up shirt would solve that problem. Wear a thin, cool moisture wicking shirt under and a one size up button up short or long sleeve over. You could even wear shorts and flip flops. Make sure to get those snap button shirts vs button shirts so your not busting buttons when training or irl ;)

Gave me an itch on my bat wing back in the day lol or my thunder thighs

Can I order one of these holsters with the Matt Stamp modifications already made?

This is perfect for us because every other shoulder holster we’ve looked at are made of leather!😂

Someone needs to bring back the western spring clip skeleton holsters. Would love a double rig with a Colt 45 (or Blackhawk) on each side. If I ever get rich perhaps a brace of Schofields or even Redhawks. 😇

Are mag pouches detachable?

Get a good lose leather vest so you can conceal carry using the shoulder rig.

I am going to get this

what jacket is that, its really nice

Would the mag pouches fit 10 round 1911 mags?

K I bought one cause of this I will let you know if I agree when Amazon gets it to me

Hadji Shop at Al-Asad. Remember it well! LOL

10:01 This man needs some Hawaiian Shirts! :P

But will it fit a S&W model 29? Inspector Callahan wanted me to ask.

Will the holster work with a hammer fire pistol, or just striker fired ?

Looks very tight

I can't find one for a lcp II

What are your thoughts on chest holsters?

Great review. I wear sports jackets a lot so nobody would be the wiser.

Use the same rig ... Warmer weather = light weight vest with T shirt..

Is not like we use jacket's or coats all the time in S Florida.

This makes me want the Marylyn holster from Flashbang even more. Women wear a bra all the time. It’s made to stretch. It would be a very natural carry.

well, they dont seem to make one for revolvers. wtf? Many of us don't like Semi-autos.

Not the fastest draw, but if you have to draw fast then you have already failed at noticing your environment

Spend the money and get a quality leather shoulder rig molded to your handgun,, you will never go back to the plastic ,kydex,etc... ,, not to mention your waistline will thank you...heat of summer would be only time for IWB..with loose clothing...

I want to keep a Bersa Thunder Combat+ in something like that as a secondary... with a silencer in the jacket pocket, The left jacket pocket.

Just get a cotton or linen over shirt or Shackleton on top.

Club shirts.... or Hawian shirts are coming back.

Just periodically check the mag that is in the pistol. They gave a tendency to pop out every so often. Especially if the mag release comes in contact with the holster. As far as Covid-19 just going away, everything I've heard and read on that subject says that the way we are now existing could very well be the new normal, at least for 2-3 years. In Florida I still use my Galco shoulder holster occasionally during the fall and winter. Over top of a t-shirt with a Flannel or Levi long sleeve unbuttoned shirt.

Peace