By Mark Kakkuri
Carrying a tool on or in some kind of waist strap or belt is as old as time itself. Thankfully, human innovation and modern manufacturing have improved not only the tools but also the means of carrying them. Today, in the context of self defense in America, we have the right to carry excellent handguns and the opportunity to carry them in excellent concealed carry holsters.
Nine times out of 10, my preferred carry location for a concealed self defense handgun is inside the waistband (IWB), meaning on the inside not only of my gun belt but also of whatever pants or shorts I’m wearing. A real gun belt creates a stable and secure platform on which to attach a handgun holster and, located inside my waistband, hides easily under almost any type of shirt. It’s an old form of carry but today it’s being taken to new heights.
A quick word about the handgun: That’s a Walther PPS M2 you see in the pictures. It’s a reliable, accurate, and rugged 9mm auto-loading pistol with a six-round magazine and a seven-round backup magazine. In my years of carrying and firing this gun, it’s never jammed but consistently delivered rounds to the target with precision. With the six-round magazine in the gun, its stocks hardly protrude yet I can get a decent grip on it. As such, it’s a favorite concealed carry gun, its thin-ness contributing to comfortable IWB carry.
But the Walther is nothing without a functional holster. And by functional, I mean a holster that offers easy installation on my person, easy installation of the gun into the holster, safe and secure carry of the gun in holster, and easy deployment of the gun from the holster. Moreover I want a holster that requires zero break-in or maintenance. But I also want to be able to make minor adjustments to the holster as needed. As such, Bravo Concealment’s Drop Out Of Sight (DOS) holster not only meets my functional requirements for IWB carry but also does so with thoughtful design, modern manufacturing, and versatility.
DOS is thin but strong, unyielding but comfortable. Made from Kydex, the DOS wraps perfectly around the gun, putting just the right amount of friction around the slide and trigger guard, ensuring a perfect fit. The belt clips are robust — so much so I only use one. This also allows the gun to cant forward or backward just a bit as needed yet still stay firmly in place. And I can adjust the ride height of the holster and gun by relocating the clip. It’s an easy customization; I usually land on a medium to high ride for guns carried concealed.
Additionally, the DOS offers IWB carry in more than one location. Although I prefer to carry the Walther at the appendix location (AIWB), I can also go strong or weak side, usually at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock. All locations are strong-hand draws, pretty much straight up, and the DOS offers a combat grip and a natural place for my trigger finger to ride alongside until my sights are on the target.
Concealed carry keeps getting better by the year and holsters like the Bravo Concealment DOS are taking IWB carry mode to new heights.
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