Suspenders-a handguns best friend

[Eastex]

I'd like to say I've worked my butt off but honestly I don't know where it went. No butt means tighter belt, tighter belt means uncomfortable, and uncomfortable means you catch yourself looking at mouse guns. Luckily I tried suspenders before things got that bad.
My first pair were the trucker style side clips from Duluth Trading. I wear a untucked shirt most days so what I decided to try was wearing a undershirt with the suspenders over it and clipped onto my , much looser, gun belt with a overshirt covering the whole thing. My Ruger SP101 is my heaviest ccw and this set up carries it like a dream. You know that it's there only from the bulk, not the weight.
This worked great until just recently when the Texas heat started ramping up and the undershirt became a issue. To fight that I picked up a pair of the trucker style Hold Up Suspenders off of Amazon to try out. They're designed to be worn against your skin under your regular shirt. Same great result as the Duluth Trading, you just don't notice the weight of what you're carrying.
These have worked so well that I'm looking at full size guns more and more and given the way things are going that's not a bad idea.


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[Hizzie]

Love my Holdups! I have trucker style for AIWB and standard for OWB 3 o'clock.

[Peally]

I'll take the pain before I wear suspenders. I'm 27 years old dammit!

Death before suspenders!

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Perry brand works for me. Somewhere out there is the video of a competitor whose pants fell down during a stage.

[spinmove_]

Anybody got a link to these? I don't have much of a butt either and cinching my belt tighter does get fairly uncomfortable at times.

[Malamute]

Ive worn suspenders off and on for years, they really can help with the weight of carrying. Quite nice when carrying a 45 Colt pistol with belt of cartridges all day, or a belt of 45-70 rounds all day with a pistol on it.

I found some nice leather ones, made by a guy that caters to the cowboy style trade. Nice grade leather except for a very stout piece of elastic in the back at the bottom of the Y section. They are button on, but it takes about 20 minutes to sew buttons on that last the life of the pants.

[Eastex]

These are the Hold Ups I just got. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DB5NNVE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1466091054&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=hold+up+suspenders&dpPl=1&dpID=41VWohU1inL&ref=plSrch

These are the Duluth Trading ones
http://m.duluthtrading.com/store/product/side-clip-suspenders-mens-tall-side-clip-suspenders-92993.aspx?kw=Suspenders&processor=content


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[Poconnor]

Malamute, do you remember who made the leather one? I was thinking about looking at the leather suspenders firemen use.

[LSP972]

I settled on the Perrys after trying a bunch of different brands/types... including two types of leather suspenders. Both of the leather suspenders had short elastic back straps as Malamute described. The all-leather front straps were rather thick, and not so comfortable over a day-long wear.

The Perrys can be had either very wide or "normal" width; I have both. Not much difference in terms of holding up the weight (IWB holster, OWB mag pouch, and an OWB flashlight pouch- all kydex), so when I eventually will need some new ones, I go with the "normal" width.

The Perry's problem is that the single rear plastic belt clip will slip off when you drop trou for one's quiet time... ;) Then, getting it back into proper place can be rather PITA, so to speak. The way to avoid all of that is to use a thin nylon ziploc to firmly attach the rear clip by running the ziploc between the belt and clip itself. A minor annoyance to install before wearing the pants, and removing it once you're done with the pants... but worth every bit.

During my 30 years as a trooper, some of which was in plainclothes duty, and regular off-duty, I never could get into carrying IWB; mainly because most of the IWB holsters back then were not so hot. The Sparks Summer Special was good, but for some reason was not semi-comfortable for me. The wide IWB horse hide holster that Kenneth Null made for the ASP was way ahead of the time, so to speak, but I still had to wear a loose un-tucked shirt, and back in those days I was stupidly more concerned with snug jeans and tucked-in polo shirts for appearance. By the time I got past all that bullshit and went into a plainclothes assignment, the G19 had appeared and just beat the crap out of everything else in terms of a concealed handgun that carried lots of burrets.

I seriously tried IWB concealed carry after I retired, because now I needed to care about folks not seeing my pistol. On the job with solid working details, most cops just didn't (and don't) care one way or another whether or not folks see their gat. I never really enjoyed it UNTIL I tried suspenders in desperation... and never looked back. The suspenders actually make carrying a full detail of stuff (service pistol, spare magazine, small flashlight) somewhat comfortable over the entire day. I have had several acquaintances say (like young Mr. Peally) that they would suffer before wearing suspenders. Okay, I used to feel the same way when _I_ was young.

Things change; attitudes differ. I feel the need to wear a solid pistol and spare magazine anywhere away from the house, against the initial retirement hope I had that a J frame in the pocket was enough. The Perry suspenders make it a lot easier for me. The older you get and no longer give a DAMN what your appearance may- or may not- be, well... things get simpler. ;)

.

[LHS]

I've been using the Hold-Ups snow pants suspenders with my daily CCW setup and have been very happy with them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KE8FA9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Initially I looked at the trucker-style suspenders, but they attach directly where I place my gun and mag pouch/flashlight pouch/leatherman pouch. These instead clamp on the rear (split to accommodate a central rear belt loop) and front via plastic grips that I attach directly to my Wilderness belt. Now I don't have to hitch up my belt anymore, and it's reduced knee pain that I've come to believe was due to off-balanced loadout (I have more items and thus more weight on the left side of my body than the right). They're also flat enough that they don't print through my shirt.

[Malamute]

I settled on the Perrys after trying a bunch of different brands/types... including two types of leather suspenders. Both of the leather suspenders had short elastic back straps as Malamute described. The all-leather front straps were rather thick, and not so comfortable over a day-long wear..

The particular ones I found weren't thick leather. I don't know what youd call it (its .075-.080" thick by my caliper), its thin enough to be comfortable, but high grade enough to keep its shape. Ive been pleasantly surprised.

ETA: the clip on types Ive used, I often ended up having troubles with the clips coming loose at inopportune moments. I resigned myself to sewing on buttons, but it wasn't as much trouble as it seemed at first. They just worked, so I adapted my outlook.

[APS-PF]

Don't know why I never thought of this for daily use. I even used suspenders in a training class where I had to carry a ton of ammo in my pockets.
For those with the clips, do you clip to the belt or to your pants? IE, would a wilderness belt be too thick for the clips to work?
Thanks, Adam

[TGS]

Perry's are very popular at my agency when wearing suits for protection.

I think mine do a great job.

[LHS]

Don't know why I never thought of this for daily use. I even used suspenders in a training class where I had to carry a ton of ammo in my pockets.
For those with the clips, do you clip to the belt or to your pants? IE, would a wilderness belt be too thick for the clips to work?
Thanks, Adam

I clip to my 5-stitch Wilderness belt, not my pants, but I'm also using the heavy-duty snow-pants suspenders. I would prefer to have some kind of belt loop attachment, but I couldn't find any on the market that were low-pro enough to be concealed and still had belt loops. I think there's a definite market niche that's not being filled here.

[Eastex]

I clip my Duluth ones to my belt but I've noticed that the clips have "sprung" to the point that they won't grip just jeans or shorts. The Hold Ups I'm clipping directly to the clothes.


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[SAWBONES]

I've used the Perry's suspenders daily for 20 years (tried Hold-Ups too for a while before that, but found the support better when attached to the belt rather than the pants).

When carrying concealed they never show, and are quite comfortable, so why worry about wearing suspenders, just 'cause you're young? :cool:

[Malamute]

Pic of my button type. I think they have about 4 or so years of use on them. No elastic breakdown, and no problems with the leather getting funky.

8571

[23JAZ]

I'll take the pain before I wear suspenders. I'm 27 years old dammit!

Death before suspenders!
Sweat baby Jesus! Do they come with a photographers vest or a fanny pack? :confused: Suspenders or pain you say? I take pain with a extra helping of discomfort!

[APS-PF]

For those who wear the Perry's, are they OK up against your bare skin? All of the pics that I have found show them on top of a shirt.
Thanks, Adam

[Glenn E. Meyer]

For those who wear the Perry's, are they OK up against your bare skin? All of the pics that I have found show them on top of a shirt.
Thanks, Adam

Thank you God for that. A picture of me with no shirt and just suspenders would not be ....

[LSP972]

ETA: the clip on types Ive used, I often ended up having troubles with the clips coming loose at inopportune moments.

Yup. I now do them this way, on the rear clip along with the belt and pants belt loop. You can also do with two ziplocs just on the belt, if the pants don't have a centered rear belt loop.

[LSP972]

IE, would a wilderness belt be too thick for the clips to work?
Thanks, Adam

Nope (at least with the Perry clips). The photo I just offered shows the Wilderness five-stitcher belt I use… with the titanium buckle, which weighs a LOT less. makes a difference all day.

.

[APS-PF]

Thanks for the info. I've been using a Frequent Flyer for 5 years now and can't go back to a belt with holes.

[41magfan]

If you're considering Hold-Ups, sign up for their e-mail sales flyers.

http://www.mysuspenders.com/

[VW.45]

I use these over an under armor compression under shirt, and then a t shirt or button up, or polo over that. These can hold up whatever we can throw at them, for EDC.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002APSUE6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

[SAWBONES]

For those who wear the Perry's, are they OK up against your bare skin? All of the pics that I have found show them on top of a shirt.


When not wearing them under a vest (as I usually do, over a dress shirt), I wear them on top of an Under Armour sleeveless T shirt, with a loose overshirt. It's not that they're really uncomfortable directly against the skin, but they'd get dirty faster and lose elasticity from perspiration.

[busykngt]

Ohhhh, Lord have mercy... you guys have got me considering them. [emoji849]

[23JAZ]

Ohhhh, Lord have mercy... you guys have got me considering them. [emoji849]
For the love off all things holy please do not let this spread!

[busykngt]

For the love off all things holy please do not let this spread!

Too late... two pairs on order! [emoji38]

One from Amazon: Perry 'Y' style with the polymer clips that'll clip on, under my gun belt. (Read where the clips are supposed to go under the belt; some folks put the clips over top of the belt, which apparently isn't the right way). The clips are supposed to be wide enough to fit a thick gun belt according to answers I got on Amazon. This pair ran just over fourteen bucks.
The other pair I ordered was from 'The Suspender Store' (they do YouTube videos which'll tell you more than ya ever care to know about suspenders! [emoji42]). I ordered a little more expensive set of their design called 'Rugged Comfort' which ran just over forty bucks. That was a 'Y' style too but uses leather belt loops around the gun belt to hold them up. (We'll see if they're worth the extra money).




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[M2CattleCo]

I wear suspenders if I carry strong side. I wear some heavy duty kind for holding up Work pants. They have alligator clips that clip to the jeans. Worn over a t-shirt they're plenty comfortable.

[LittleLebowski]

I'd like to say I've worked my butt off but honestly I don't know where it went. No butt means tighter belt, tighter belt means uncomfortable, and uncomfortable means you catch yourself looking at mouse guns. Luckily I tried suspenders before things got that bad.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pqPETI1JYw

[GJM]

I have heard suspenders work best if you wear your pants above your belly button?

[Peally]

They do but the catch is you need knee high socks as well. The cost adds up.

[Gadfly]

With jeans, I don't hardly ever use suspenders. With suits, it's another story. Suit pants just want to slide down with all the weight. So Perry suspenders with the plastic J hook style attachment....

If you wear them under a sport shirt/pull over, yo can spot them is the shirt is thin enough (like under armor.) I have not tried the clip ins. The Perry hooks seem to hold well....

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160620/4b03e79097093a092c3f8bbe9488206f.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160620/91ea80cc8152e438958fb6c0c48794ec.jpg

[GJM]

With jeans, I don't hardly ever use suspenders. With suits, it's another story. Suit pants just want to slide down with all the weight. So Perry suspenders with the plastic J hook style attachment....

If you wear them under a sport shirt/pull over, yo can spot them is the shirt is thin enough (like under armor.) I have not tried the clip ins. The Perry hooks seem to hold well....

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160620/4b03e79097093a092c3f8bbe9488206f.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160620/91ea80cc8152e438958fb6c0c48794ec.jpg

You don't need suspenders -- you need a wheel barrel to haul all that crap around.

[busykngt]

You youngins need to go on out and play & let us old farts have our worldly philosophical suspender discussions. [emoji108][emoji38]

[Gadfly]

You don't need suspenders -- you need a wheel barrel to haul all that crap around.

That's not showing the gun, OC, and crap on my ankle and in my pockets...

I need the wheel barrel to carry my gut, that gets bigger by the year..,

[OnionsAndDragons]

I've been seriously considering suspenders. I have oddly shaped hips, so it can be hard for me to get pants to ride well without a belt too damned tight. Guess I'll have to order some of these.

[23JAZ]

You youngins need to go on out and play & let us old farts have our worldly philosophical suspender discussions. [emoji108][emoji38]
8675;)

[Eastex]

It makes sense that I'd have Hank Hill butt. I'm surrounded by more than a few guys who sound just like Boomhauer and a ton of guys that could talk conspiracy with Dale Gribble all day long. My wife and I even joke about going into the city early "before the gangs wake up".

[lwt16]

I have been kicking the idea of suspenders around for suits only. I have found that cinching up the belt tighter works well and if I exercise and eat right, there is no discomfort in doing so.

But some of my suit pants had to be taken in in the waist as i am a 46 long in suit/sport coat and a 36-38 inch waist.....depending on if I am eating clean. Lately, more like 36. I have no hips whatsoever and there is only so much you can take in pants without the pockets starting to look goofy.

I carry Iwb so the pistol/holster takes up some of the slack but still find myself struggling to fight pants sag from all the gear. I know that suspenders with belt is a huge faux pas but I never remove my coat so nobody would be the wiser.

May look into them.

[Malamute]

I carry Iwb so the pistol/holster takes up some of the slack but still find myself struggling to fight pants sag from all the gear. I know that suspenders with belt is a huge faux pas but I never remove my coat so nobody would be the wiser.


It is?

They serve slightly different, but overlapping purposes. A belt keeps your shirt in, and gives a place to hang your stuff off of. Suspenders hold it all up.

[busykngt]

I know that suspenders with belt is a huge faux pas...

From what I gather, if the dress is "formal" (as in tuxedo) then what you say is very valid - perhaps even so with business attire (i.e., business suit, vest, shirt & tie etc.). But with bluejeans or business casual (depending how casual), I think it's not considered so out of the ordinary nowadays. Probably especially, if you've got "stuff" hanging off your belt (cell phone case, Sneaky Pete holster case, or open carry, etc.). [emoji855]

[Wondering Beard]

I know that suspenders with belt is a huge faux pas


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ4985O1ypI

;-)

[busykngt]

Funny! [emoji3] (What's that from?)

[Wondering Beard]

The Sergio Leone classic: Once upon a Time in the West.

One of the great Westerns.

[busykngt]

Here's a guy who probably wishes he had worn suspenders:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta-V-1olX-o
And maybe a belt too! [emoji23]

[Eastex]

I'm not in law enforcement but I know a lot of the guys here were or are currently. For you guys that are, what's your best guess on the percentage of runners whose capture was made easier by sagging pants?


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[Eastex]

I have heard suspenders work best if you wear your pants above your belly button?

The ultimate hybrid holster, a belt holster work in the shoulder holster position!


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[Glenn E. Meyer]

Perry has a shoulder holster model, IIRC. As far as belly and pants position for your gun, it depends if you can see over the steering wheel of the Buick sedan that a true geezer drives.

[lwt16]

From what I gather, if the dress is "formal" (as in tuxedo) then what you say is very valid - perhaps even so with business attire (i.e., business suit, vest, shirt & tie etc.). But with bluejeans or business casual (depending how casual), I think it's not considered so out of the ordinary nowadays. Probably especially, if you've got "stuff" hanging off your belt (cell phone case, Sneaky Pete holster case, or open carry, etc.). [emoji855]

Yes, formal attire and suits.

Again, from what I have read. But it matters not to me as I can't remove my jacket/sport coat anyway so worrying about rules of dressing is pretty low on the priority list.

Regards.

http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/menswear-faux-pas-mistakes/

[busykngt]

Well... the first set arrived❗️
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160624/2e497e36ac8a9eb2cc64079c845d77fa.jpg
That's a PX4 compact in 9mm.

[SAWBONES]

I know that suspenders with belt is a huge faux pas...


But this isn't about the arbitrary and shifting dictates of "mens' fashions".
It's about providing for comfortable and secure support of the sidearm and reloads for the purpose of CCW.

Nobody ever sees the supportive gear.

The belt supports the holstered sidearm (whether in IWB or OWB mode), the suspenders assist the weight-bearing of the belt by shifting some of that weight to the shoulders.

Yes, a "cover garment" is required.

I've used this approach unobtrusively and quite comfortably for some 25 years.

[TGS]

I don't "get" using suspenders for just a gun but when you're talking a lot of gear, they're damn near essential. Not only do they help with carrying weight, but they're damn useful in carrying extra gear. I keep a TQ on one side, and a small rescue essentials kit on the other side. I put the gear between my shirt and suspenders to keep it tightly concealed against my body, and also prevent it from chewing up the suit lining.

In doing protection, just about everyone I've worked with wear Perry suspenders. The only ones who don't are usually wearing a shoulder holster, which is a minority but are still very useful for the niche.

Wear your suspenders with pride, in my opinion.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

As a fog, with a Glock, two mags, small Surefire, a knife and then wallet and keys - the Perry set avoids a fashion faux pas of no pants! My physique demands it.

[JohnO]

Sorry no suspenders for me. I haven't worn suspenders since I graduated to big boy pants. :D

[Glenn E. Meyer]

You may start to wear them when it gets time for adult diapers under your big boy pants. :rolleyes:

[busykngt]

You may start to wear them when it gets time for adult diapers under your big boy pants. :rolleyes:


Too funny. What I've noticed as "older" age sets in, physical things I never even considered as a remote possibility when I was in my 40s, now take on new meaning in my 60s. Now perhaps those numbers for you, might be 50s and 70s but one thing you most certainly can count on, are things changing (and generally NOT for the better).

In my 40s I would've laughed out loud about the possible need for suspenders; in my 50s I would've still laughed, but probably not out loud and now... I'll be "test wearing" a couple of pairs. I'm reminded of: Never say never. [emoji6]

ETA: Hopefully (for me) the 'Adult' diapers are still a few years off!
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[Glenn E. Meyer]

ADIWB carry is coming.

[UNK]

Jay is waiting to get his from the Karma thread.


For the love off all things holy please do not let this spread!

[busykngt]

The Perry suspenders arrived today and were a great fit. These were the Y-style Perry's with the plastic (polymer) belt clips. The clips do fit my thicker gun belts and are easy to put on & take off the belt (as compared to the more expensive suspenders with the leather belt loops). Overall, I'd have to say the Perrys are the way to go. The Rugged Comfort suspenders from The Suspender Store are good quality but "value-wise", I'd have to give the nod to the Perrys (since you could buy twice as many Perrys and still have money left over). If I buy anymore, it'll be the Perrys. [emoji106]


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