Piggies,

This week I'm letting my partner Christa take over the PHC Dispatch Desk. The topic of gun culture as it pertains to women (and those who identify as women) is something we talk at length about on long drives or over cocktails after work. It's a topic near and dear to us both, Christa as a women and me, a believer that everyone should have access to personal self defense.

But gun culture in America is one of the most male-centric aspect of our lives. So much so that to reliably conceal carry as a woman you're left with very few options, hardly any of them good.

Personally, I'm not exactly qualified to do a deep dive on this topic, so who better than Christa, a woman and conceal carrier, to lay it down for us. I'll turn it over to her from here. I'll be back next week with some bullshit about a chain restaurant or some other personal grievance I'm carrying.

Here's Christa:

​

Hola Pepperonis!
​

Jim's partner/wife/cat momma here doing a Dispatch TakeOver(TM). He asked me to chime into this week's Dispatch with some advice for the femme's about CCW considerations for us.
​

Perhaps you've already noticed, but there seems to be a standard uniform of sorts for your typical CCW Fudd: 5.11 cargo pants in flat dark earth, dark solid color T-shirt with completely unbuttoned button down shirt over top that is some variation of plaid to help hide the "print" of the grip on what is 99.7% likely to be a Glock 19 in an IWB appendix carry holster. Probably wearing tac boots just to underscore the "I'm ready for anything" vibe that goes with the folding knife clipped in his side pocket and extra mag flopping around near his knee in a cargo pocket. (Note: "ready for anything" will not include supplies for patching people like TQs, gloves or guaze. Or even a snack for low blood sugar moments.) This dude will dress like this on the coldest of winter days and the hottest, dog days of summer- only the varying sleeve length of his shirt to give away what season it is. You see this guy in a store and you already know he's packing by the 'uniform' he has on.
​

​

In some ways, guys have it easier when it comes to CCW. Until the recent jogger/we-live-on-zoom-so-I-don't-have-to-wear-real-pants-anymore trend, most guys always went out in pants with a waistband and belt loops. Easy-peasy for attaching an IWB holster to. Tuck that Bad Boy into your waistband holster, throw on the plaid cover garment du jour (and a spritz of axe bodyspray) and you are GTG. Out and about at the store and need to take a leak? No problem! Probably best to use a stall instead of a urinal just in case you flash (your gun, you pervs) the guy next to you when you pull your plaid shirt out of the way. But otherwise, just lower the zipper, fish out your on board hose and take care of business. No need to undo the structural integrity of a belt that is holding your gat and a full mag from dropping on a bathroom floor. Ewwwwwwww.
​

When I got my CCW & started carrying, I found a lot of the standard recommendations for how to carry didn't work for me and quite frankly, that's frustrating. Trying to find a creative solution to the problem, I watched a ton of YouTube content that basically came down to "carry it in a purse."
​

I hate this even though, yes, I looked at a ton of "conceal carry purses" when I first started carrying. For one, I like to change my bag up with what I need to carry and what my outfit might be that day. I do not want to carry a big tote everytime I go out just because that is the only bag that has a pocket for my gat. For two, off body carry is dicey. It's too easy to set it in your shopping cart at Target and walk away while something pretty catches your eye. Or for it to be stolen off your shoulder. Now the Bad GUY(TM) has the thing that is supposed to protect you from said BadGUY(TM). Cue meme of Homer Simpson saying "D'OH!" for the 80 millionth time.
​

OK, so carrying on your person/body is best. It gives you quicker access and it protects your protection from being lost or stolen without a connection to you. I did start out with an IWB appendix carry holster. I practiced dressing around the gun and found my equivalent of SuperCCW Guy(TM) I described above. But I'll never forget the first time I used a public restroom in this get up.
​

​

I had just a tiny fanny bag slung around my shoulders because my gat was in my waistband. When I went to undo my belt to lower my pants to actually use the restroom, I had a "Houston we have a problem" moment. Where was I going to put the gun while I lowered my pants? It was either going to slide off the belt or clamor to the floor with the rest of my now shapeless pants. Since this was a public restroom, there were no tanks on the back of the toilet to set it on and my bag was too small to shove into while I peed. Aside from having other CCW strategies beside IWB appendix carry, another ‘pro tip’ I'll share with you piggies that I learned from this moment is this: Use the "Family Restroom" instead of the Women's Restroom. There's only one toilet in there so you can lock the door and be by yourself to do whatever you need to do to keep that gat on the DL. (or whatever shamefully stinking deuce you need to leave in there.)

​
Another problem I have with IWB appendix carry is belts. Y'all. I got hips like HUN-NAAAYYYYY. (So thick and so sweet.) I don't need no belt to hold my pants up. Shhiiiiiittt, all this cake and sometimes the waist of my pants gaps terribly so adding a heavy weighted object that goes pew pew around my waist would be quite the liability. (*le sigh* too bad I can't just rock a bad ass drop thigh rig in tiny shorts a la Lara Croft). Also, between the gym, work and jujitsu, I don’t often wear pants with belt loops. Leggings, scrub pants, joggers, and shorts dominate my wardrobe.
​

I’d also like to point out too that for femmes, we tend to have a more versatile wardrobe. Skirts, dresses, leggings, etc. We’ve already been fighting a battle to have useful pocket in our pants, having a consistent concealed carry strategy is difficult at best with all this variety. So that’s my sum advice for you- have multiple strategies and devices to conceal your firearm that are appropriate for various outfit choices. Most of us won’t be able to simply tuck it in a waistband holster and be good.
​
Make sure you consider access as well as trigger protection. And save your money on the gimmicky stuff. As I recently found out, the conceal carry leggings with the beefed up waistband are great in theory, but you’ll rip all the stitching out of the waist trying to get the reinforced waistband over your butt if you have any hips to speak of. And don’t try to get out of those in a hurry if you get a sudden need to use the bathroom.
​

With the exception of the Enigma holster (yo, if you have one, smash ‘reply’ and send your reply about your experience with them to me by way of Jim), we need several options for various outfit choices. If you have a favorite CCW solution that you think would benefit other gals, hit reply and Jim will share the best ones on the PipeHawk Consulting Instagram.

​

Christa is a Doctor of Chiropractic, concealed carrier, hunter, fisher, and avid outdoorswoman. When not doing one of the above, you can find her at the gym or on the mats crushing hearts and windpipes. Give her a follow on IG at ArtemisAscendant if you haven't already. She certainly is NOT a cop

​

--

Like what you’re reading? Want to support me in some way? That'd be dope! Check out my product page! Starter Packs are $45! Or book a consultation for a fitness plan, Bug Out plan, Ruck plan, etc. Looking for some gear? You can use promo code PIPEHAWK at the A Better Way 2A store for $5 off your whole order! You can also DONATE a $1 or whatever (buy me a cup of coffee, yo) with $pipehawkconsulting on CashApp! I'm not telling you what to do, I'm not a cop.