How I conceal a pistol comfortably in the appendix position

Here are my tips for achieving all-day concealed carry comfort while effectively hiding your firearm. These are strategies that have worked well for me, though they may not suit everyone.

TL;DR:

Wear a high quality belt, flexible pants sized appropriately, and move the holster and mag carrier around your waist to find your sweet spot for comfortable IWB or AIWB concealed carry. 

Position:

Think of the positions around your waist like a clock, with your belly button being 12 o'clock. I suggest starting with appendix carry at the 1 o'clock position, or the dip in your body where the gun seems to fit into your body shape. Finding the dip in your body is the first important step to find comfort. If you try to wear your pistol right at the 2 o'clock position on your hip bone inside your waist, I expect it is going to hurt. Don't do that. Find your sweet spot, where you body says it is ok to nestle a pistol. 

Holster:

Wear a good holster with a Modwing, concealment claw or whatever the name. It doesn't have to be a Four Brothers Holster. The concealment wing rotates the butt of your gun closer to the body by applying pressure to the inside of you belt, which reduces printing. I find the wing actually helps with comfort and increases stability.  You can add foam wedges or pillows to your holster to increase comfort. Our favorite is from Mastermind Tactics. Some holster companies add a wedge shape to the holster for you. 

Magazine Carrier:

Add a magazine carrier  to help balance the pistol and fill the void of your belt and pants. This is my second biggest "AH-HA" moment. I carry appendix at the 1 o'clock position and I have a mag carrier at the 11 o'clock position. This rounded out the belt and balanced the weight and pressure of the belt against my body with both the holster and magazine in place, which improved my comfort level exponentially. This may not work as well with strong side carry, trial and error will be your best friend.

Belt:

Use a solid, high quality belt designed for concealed carry, no cheap leather or flimsy nylon belts. This is a critical step in comfortable concealment. Cheap flimsy belts have to be over tightened to hold the added weight of the holstered pistol, which will hurt in the end. I also move my belt buckle to the left side, about 10 o'clock, so it does not interfere with my holster and magazine carrier.

If you don't wear a regular belt, you can use a Phlster Enigma or a Comfort Concealment Blackout Belt

 Kore Essentials X7 Belt in Black Multicam

Pants:

My #1 suggestion and my biggest "AH-HA" moment: Wear flexible pants, like American Eagle Air Flex jeans. This is my go to jean, because of the flexible fabric, quality and decent price point. They have several options for men and women. I also like the Vertx Delta Stretch 2.1 and Stretch LT for work pants. I wear the Stretch LT on the warmer days, and the Stretch 2.1 on the colder days. Try on your new jeans with the belt, holster and mag carrier. You may need to adjust your waist size slightly to accommodate the added gear you are carrying.  

American Eagle AirFlex Jean

Vertx Stretch 2.1

Vertx Stretch LT

Shirt:

I wear slightly oversized shirts to help conceal the pistol and magazine carrier in the appendix position. I try to buy shirts that are NOT 100% cotton so I don't have to compensate for shrinkage as much, but it is almost unavoidable. 

Things I Don't Do:

I don't wear a side car style holster. I wear a separate magazine carrier beside the holster attached to my belt separately. This allows me to move the pistol and mag carrier to the comfortable spots on my torso. Sidecar holsters are very popular, they just don't work for me.

I don't carry a full size pistol in the appendix position. I have tried a Glock 19, Sig Sauer P365-XMACRO, Icarus P365XL Frame and a Smith & Wesson Carry Comp with a Streamlight TLR-7 X and a magazine pouch to balance it all out. I find them to big for my body shape, it isn't comfortable for me. I carry the Sig P365XL with a TLR-7 Sub and Holosun 507k religiously, and I hardly notice it is there.  

Conclusion:

Don't give up. Putting a pistol inside your waist for the first time is going to introduce your body to a new feeling, and it might fight back. I relate the first time I tried to carry appendix to getting poked in the gut for about 30 minutes straight. It didn't hurt, but it felt odd. Now, if I am going anywhere without my pistol and magazine carrier in the appendix position, I feel empty inside (not really, I made that up). I feel like something is missing, like I forgot my wallet or my phone is missing from the pocket I always carry it in. My body is accustomed to the presence of a pistol and a magazine. 

If you see any information in the article that you don't agree with or that I missed, please leave a comment below. I am all about continuous improvement, so I am open to hearing about your tips and tricks to concealed carry more comfortably. 

Stay Safe,

Jason