The Best Concealed Carry Holster Options for Everyday Carry

For most law-abiding gun owners, Everyday Carry (EDC) is synonymous with daily concealed carry. While EDC can give you an advantage in personal self-defense, it is a big responsibility and commitment requiring you to use your best gear yourself and those around you.

The key piece in your EDC carry setup is your holster. Without a quality holster, you won’t be able to carry safely or efficiently, no matter the quality of your gun or ammunition. Review the best concealed carry holster options on today’s market and find the best product for your EDC needs.

Why a Good Concealed Carry Holster Matters for Everyday Carry

Whether you are new to gun ownership or experienced with firearms, you are likely already familiar with the importance of selecting the right gun for the job. Most gun owners have spent time researching and considering their choice of everyday carry handgun and ammunition. However, it is crucial to do the same for your holster and select a quality product. Important factors include:

Essential Safety

The primary function of a gun holster is to securely retain your handgun on your body when not in use. If you aren’t shooting, your handgun should ride in its holster. The holster will ensure the gun remains in one place, does not bounce around as it would when carrying it in a pocket, and prevents it from falling out no matter how you move.

Most importantly, a quality holster should protect the trigger guard, preventing the trigger from exposure to debris or objects and reducing the risk of a negligent discharge.

Long-Term Comfort

Handguns are relatively heavy, and everyday carry implies carrying your gun for hours daily. If you carry a quality handgun in an ill-fitting holster, you may experience discomfort.

Constantly readjusting your holster or fighting with it while carrying it is not only bad for concealment but will eventually drive you to stop wearing it, defeating the point of concealed carry. A quality holster should be as light, comfortable, and adjustable as possible to ensure it fits your body and is easy to carry daily.

Concealment

Even if you live in an open carry or constitutional carry state, the most practical way for most gun owners to carry a handgun daily is by concealed carrying to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. So, ensuring your holster is primarily designed for concealment with minimal imprinting is critical.

A well-designed concealment EDC holster should feature a slim design that helps your handgun disappear under your clothes. It should also facilitate the carry style that lets you conceal your gun as efficiently as possible.

The Best EDC Holster Types

Although many concealed carry holster options are available, not all are suited for everyday carry. The best holster types for EDC applications are:

• IWB holsters
• OWB holsters
• Appendix holsters
• Trigger guard holsters

Inside the Waistband (IWB) Holsters

The standard Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster is one of the most common concealed carry holster options and an excellent choice for EDC.

IWB holsters are belt-mounted holsters that require you to wear a gun belt. Although IWB holster designs and materials vary, all models feature two core elements: a holster shell designed to ride inside the wearer’s pants and at least one belt clip to attach the holster to the gun belt. When worn correctly, the bottom half of the IWB holster is naturally concealed by the shooter’s pants.

Many modern IWB holsters feature additional conveniences, such as adjustable ride height, cant, retention strength, or compatibility with accessories such as a mod wing. These modern features allow shooters to adapt the IWB holster to their body, carry style, and preferences.

Benefits of IWB Holsters

• Excellent concealability: A quality IWB holster that has been properly fitted and adjusted to the wearer’s body is one of the most concealable EDC holster platforms available. These holsters should be almost impossible for an untrained eye to detect.

• Suitable for many carry positions: As a belt-mounted holster, IWB holsters can be adjusted to any position on your gun belt. Popular choices include strong-side (3 o’clock if right-handed, 9 o’clock if left-handed) and behind-the-hip (4-5 o’clock if right-handed, 8-9 o’clock if left-handed).
• High stability: An IWB holster rides between the wearer’s body and waistband and is secured to the gun belt with designated clips, giving it two points of contact. This arrangement means an IWB holster will remain securely in place and is unlikely to move or shift, making it safer to carry.

Drawbacks of IWB Holsters

• Less comfortable: By nature, IWB holsters trade away some comfort for maximum concealability. IWB carry requires you to carry a gun and holster stuck tightly between your body and pants, which may not be comfortable for everyone. You may also need to adapt your wardrobe to the holster, such as sizing up your pants.
• Limits handgun choices: The larger the handgun, the less effective the IWB holster is at concealing your weapon. Consequently, an efficient IWB setup may restrict your options to smaller handguns which are harder to shoot than larger models.
• Exposure to sweat: IWB holsters carried daily are exposed to body sweat containing mineral salts that can harm your gun’s finish. EDC with an IWB holster may require more frequent long-term gun and holster maintenance.

Best IWB Holster on the Market

If you are looking for a quality IWB holster for everyday carry purposes, the Incognito Concealment T3 is an excellent choice. It features a low-profile Kydex construction to minimize the holster’s profile and maximize concealability. The T3 also comes with adjustable retention, a sweat shield, and compatibility with a range of belt clips and accessories for enhanced comfort and a perfect fit.

Outside the Waistband (OWB) Holsters

Although less common than their IWB counterparts for concealed carry, Outside the Waistband (OWB) holsters are among the most popular gun holster options.

OWB holsters are traditional belt-mounted holsters and the oldest type of handgun holster. Like IWB holsters, you need a gun belt to wear one. The primary difference is the position of the holster shell. On an OWB holster, the shell rides on the outside of the waistband, meaning the shooter’s pants provide no concealment.

Although they may seem less suited for EDC conceal carry than their IWB counterparts, OWB holsters are popular concealed carry holster options due to the other advantages they offer.

Benefits of OWB Holsters

• Maximum comfort: Carrying a gun is easier if it doesn’t have to ride between your pants and your body. If you want to maximize comfort, an OWB holster is the best option.
• Fast access to your gun: While enough draw stroke training with an IWB holster can allow you to quickly reach and draw your weapon, a holster with an OWB design naturally provides easier access to your gun.
• Suitable for any handgun: If your EDC handgun of choice is a larger model, such as a full-size pistol or revolver, an OWB holster lets you comfortably carry them better than any other type.

Drawbacks of OWB Holsters

• Less concealability: OWB holsters sit further away from your body than IWB holsters and require a cover garment that hides the entirety of your pistol and holster shell to conceal it efficiently. These factors can make dressing around an OWB holster more challenging.
• Slightly looser fit: Due to the holster shell riding on the outside, the only contact points between your body and the holster are the belt clips, which may introduce a looser, less secure fit.
• Handgun choices affect effectiveness: While an OWB holster is ideal for larger handguns, EDC concealed carry with this holster type is as challenging as the size of your handgun, potentially introducing practical limitations. The larger your handgun, the taller the holster shell and the more challenging it is to keep it concealed.

Best OWB Holster on the Market

If you’ve decided on an OWB holster for your everyday carry needs, choose the Incognito Concealment Venture. Its robust Kydex construction and contoured design are intended to fit your body’s natural curves, making it suitable for use as a concealment holster.

Appendix Holsters

An Appendix Inside The Waistband (AIWB) holster is an IWB holster designed explicitly for appendix carry, where the holster rests on or around the 12 o’clock position.

Appendix holsters are more comfortable and safer for this carry position than regular IWB holsters. Quality AIWB holster models offer unique advantages for everyday carry that other holster types do not possess.

Benefits of Appendix Holsters

• Fast access: Appendix carry places your EDC handgun directly in front of your body, making it easier and faster to reach than other carry positions because it presents your gun in the correct orientation and angle to facilitate draws.
• Can conceal large handguns: An AIWB holster takes advantage of the appendix carry position to help the shooter efficiently conceal handguns of nearly any size. Because this position places the gun in front of the shooter, the body’s entire frontal profile conceals it, making it possible to conceal-carry full-size handguns efficiently.
• Comfortable for active people: If you spend most of your time on your feet, an AIWB holster remains comfortable all day long, particularly if you have a slim or fit build. With the right configuration, your AIWB holster can also keep your gun from snagging on car seatbelts, keeping you comfortable while driving.

Drawbacks of Appendix Holsters

• Requires discipline and experience: Appendix carry involves carrying a handgun placed in front of your body, muzzle pointed down and at the crotch or one of your thighs. This carry position means that a negligent discharge while drawing or holstering can be life-threatening or fatal due to the high risk of shooting into a major artery. It is not recommended for inexperienced or undisciplined shooters.
• Some positions may be uncomfortable: If you carry a larger handgun in an AIWB holster, such as a full-size pistol or a long-barreled revolver, you may find it uncomfortable to sit down or bend due to the barrel poking into your thigh.

• May not be suitable for all body types: Plus-sized gun owners may find appendix carry uncomfortable or impossible, depending on weight and body size. Although proper holster configuration can mitigate these issues, they may not be enough for all shooters.

Best Appendix Holster on the Market

The hallmark of a quality appendix holster is practicality. The Incognito Concealment 2-Piece Appendix Rig offers shooters a range of practical features to enhance their carry experience. The 2-Piece Rig employs two slim Kydex holster shells: one for the gun and another for a spare magazine, joined together with a sturdy rope. The Rig features two belt clips, a mod wing, and an adjustable retention feature, keeping your weapon safe, secure, and adequately concealed at all times.

Trigger Guard Holsters

A trigger guard holster is a lightweight, minimalist holster that uses the minimum amount of parts possible while still providing safety.

Typical trigger guard holsters comprise a small holster shell covering only the handgun’s trigger guard and either a lanyard or a single belt clip. The lanyard’s purpose is to help the shooter draw by pulling on it with the off-hand while pulling on the handgun’s grip with the dominant hand. You can replace it with a belt clip to assist with one-handed draws.

Benefits of Trigger Guard Holsters

• Lightweight design: A trigger guard holster keeps your EDC handgun secure and protected from negligent discharges with none of the extra bulk of an IWB or OWB holster. It is an excellent alternative to traditional holsters for informal settings or for carrying at home.
• Requires little maintenance: Trigger guard holsters have open-ended designs with very few parts. These attributes make this type of holster easy to clean and maintain.
• Inexpensive: Most trigger guard holsters are significantly cheaper than other, more traditional designs, making them more attainable to shooters on a budget.

Drawbacks of Trigger Guard Holsters

• Less retention than traditional holsters: Due to the trigger guard holster not featuring a full-sized shell, the retention strength when holstered is lower than that of a traditional holster. Trigger guard holsters have less “grip” on the handgun when holstered.
• May require two hands to draw: Although some trigger guard holsters feature a belt clip to aid the shooter in carrying and drawing the handgun one-handed, you may need to use your off-hand to separate it from a trigger guard holster. This particularity can make it impossible to draw if you are in a situation where you have only one hand available.
• Leaves the top of your handgun exposed: Trigger guard holsters lack shells encompassing the top side of your handgun. This design causes your iron sights to remain exposed even when holstered, increasing the risk of snagging on your clothes or other objects.

Best Trigger Guard Holster on the Market

If you’re looking for a high-quality trigger guard holster for your EDC handgun, look no further than the Incognito Concealment Minimalist trigger guard holster. It uses the same type of low-profile Kydex sheets as Incognito’s other products. The standard version features a high-durability lanyard made of paracord, with an option to replace it with a standard belt clip.

Carry Every Day with Incognito Concealment

At Incognito Concealment, our mission is to provide law-abiding American gun owners with the highest-quality concealed carry holster options possible. Our products are 100% hand-crafted in the United States and designed to help you carry your favorite handguns safely and responsibly.