The Shame

I have a confession to make...

First of all, it's not like I actually bought it. It came with the gun. And I didn't have a holster that would fit...

*deep breath*

I own an ankle holster. And even worse I've used it. And worst yet, I think I like it.

Please, stop throwing things for a second and listen, will you? Just hear me out.

My standard mode of carry until now has been a full-sized sidearm in a hip holster either outside or inside the waistband. I then usually wear a baggy T-shirt or a loose button-down shirt, untucked, as a cover garment. This is great for normal about-town jaunts but in situations where sitting for a long period it gets quite uncomfortable. Inside a vehicle is even worse as the armrests and seatbelts can encumber the drawstroke.

Another strike against it is when in situations where there's a good chance of physical contact between yourself and another person. I've posted before on THR that my brother has made me a couple of times while I was carrying. Each time, he made an unexpected move such as poking me in the ribs at something he found funny or trying to playfully punch me in the side. And even though he's gotten a little more mellow about it, the first time ended with him making a scene in a restaurant and possibly outing me to other patrons.

Pocket carry would go quite a ways toward mitigating the risk of the latter problem but does nothing to help the former. However an ankle holster can work to solve both problems. It is an unobtrusive mode of carry and quite discreet so long as you don't go around lifting your pant legs in public or trying to kick people (or getting frisked by fellows in blue uniforms with guns and badges. Hey, whatever you're into...it's just not my bag). While wearing loose pants (think carpenter jeans) the pistol is not any more likely to get hung up on the draw than with a loose cover garment and the risk of printing with a small pistol like the PF-9 is minimized. And while sitting, the pistol is much more accessible than in normal carry methods.

With all this in mind, it's looking like I'll be able to arm myself in situations where it might be detrimental to certain aspects of my life (think sitting at a desk for hours on end). But at least I'd still be alive to look for other prospects.

So yes, I own an ankle holster. And I'm proud of it!

And maybe one of these days I'll be able to admit that to someone's face...