smartcarry, condition 1 with a glock?

[Westtexasrancher]

Hey y'all. Looking at carry for a "life altering" NPE environment.

Bought a smartcarry that I'm waiting on for my new glock 26.5. I feel weird thinking about soft sided holsters with loaded glocks. Does anyone have any qualms? I think a gadget night help me feel better with it, but been checking for gen 5s for a month and still out of stock. Even if I didn't have one in the chamber, I would feel better having some kind of option, even if I have to rack the slide. Am I just being paranoid? Thought about a trigger guard holester tied to a belt loop, but as minimum as it is, that adds a "tell" if my shirt comes up or is tucked in.

Have a glock 43 as well, but wanted something "more" and I can carry a 19 reload (possibly even ankle, as goofy as that sounds).

Thanks all. Stay safe.

[Westtexasrancher]

To add: I don't work at a government facility, and I work along the (very hot) Mexican border.

[D-der]

An Enigma might be a better solution

[Westtexasrancher]

Sold out everywhere but the 150-200 dollar ones on ebay, unfortunately. I have looked at them.

[David S.]

To add: I don't work at a government facility, and I work along the (very hot) Mexican border.

Your concerns are very valid. Have you considered the PHLster Enigma (https://www.phlsterholsters.com/shop/phlster-enigma/)? It works well and solves all your concerns about SmartCarry.

It says out of stock. Get on their wait list and order as soon as they email you. (IIRC, they only email you once and your address drops from their system, so if they email you and you miss it, you'll have to get back on their list). I think the waitlist is currently under a month for their non-WML holster.

[RJ]

Would a thinner Glock like a 43X or 48 be an option? I don't know if the SCD is more available for the slimlines than regular size. The 26.5 will surely work, though, just be a bit thicker than the 43/43X/48 (which you probably know).

From what I've seen of the Enigma, it sounds like a great solution.

I agree with you on soft-sided holsters with Glocks, that makes me a little queasy. I had a Desantis Nemesis (tough fabric) for my P365, but I never was really happy with carrying it. Both were sold, and I'm currently only carrying the G48 AIWB. I still have another Nemesis, but that's for my LCR when I need to pocket carry. Dale Fricke makes a very minimal trigger guard sheath for Glocks, but as you noted it would add a bit of bulk, and the G26 is not thin to start with.

Can you expand on what a "life altering NPE environment" is? I mean to the extent you can, on an open forum. It might help to set out some more details for folks who can maybe then better advise what options there are. There are people on the forum who can do that (not me) with a bit more information.

[blues]

Check this Mastermind "Specialist Covert" belt which you can wear with an existing holster in NPEs or with clothes like gym attire, (as I'm doing as I type this).

https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/specialist-covert

It may offer a simple solution to your situation. I just got mine in yesterday and am quite pleased with how well it works.

(Mastermind Tactics is a P-F supporting business.)

[Navin Johnson]

Mount a holster in the smart carry. I think DSG makes a kydex with no belt clips for this.

I took the belt clip off a blade tech. Rivet the holster to the smart carry.

Thinner guns are more comfortable.

OR a use gun with a safety.....

[Westtexasrancher]

Awesome input so far guys, thank you.

Life altering means career repercussions affecting my family.

I do have a 43, but same concern in a smartcarry.

[octagon]

This is inexpensive and the most minimalist design I have found.

https://www.bastiongear.com/products/bastion-minimalist-tactical-kydex-trigger-guard-holster-with-paracord-for-glock-models

Using it attached inside the smart carry holster with a rivet or bolt through the lanyard hole would be one way. Another would be to attach kevlar shoe lace (much thinner and stronger than paracord) to the lanyard hole in the holster then the other end gets attached to the main button on your pants then run through the top of the zipper in the fly. Pretty much invisible even staring directly at it and no worries about retention moving the holster and Smartcarry rig up when drawing. This provides real trigger protection and better security/retention in a Smartcarry with no extra bulk.

Here is the kevlar laces. https://store.itstactical.com/products/its-escape-laces

[Westtexasrancher]

Check this Mastermind "Specialist Covert" belt which you can wear with an existing holster in NPEs or with clothes like gym attire, (as I'm doing as I type this).

https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/specialist-covert

It may offer a simple solution to your situation. I just got mine in yesterday and am quite pleased with how well it works.

(Mastermind Tactics is a P-F supporting business.)

Now that is interesting, I was just on the website this week but didn't realoze how that belt was used.

[Westtexasrancher]

This is inexpensive and the most minimalist design I have found.

https://www.bastiongear.com/products/bastion-minimalist-tactical-kydex-trigger-guard-holster-with-paracord-for-glock-models

Using it attached inside the smart carry holster with a rivet or bolt through the lanyard hole would be one way. Another would be to attach kevlar shoe lace (much thinner and stronger than paracord) to the lanyard hole in the holster then the other end gets attached to the main button on your pants then run through the top of the zipper in the fly. Pretty much invisible even staring directly at it and no worries about retention moving the holster and Smartcarry rig up when drawing. This provides real trigger protection and better security/retention in a Smartcarry with no extra bulk.

Very cool, never thought about using thinner cord and being able to tie it in a way that can't be seen.

[blues]

Now that is interesting, I was just on the website this week but didn't realize how that belt was used.

I've tried the same concept with the thinnest of my early version Mastermind belts from a few years back. It works, but the nylon has no grip and the belt will rotate or move too easily under the clothing.

This belt works great. It "grabs" the material it is fitted over. If you don't wear a t-shirt, and can place it low enough to place over the wide band of your underwear, that works well too.

(That's how I'm using mine at the moment. Affixed over the underwear, gym shorts over it, and a t-shirt worn outside the shorts. Of course, I could tuck the t-shirt as well.)

It's simple...doesn't require a new holster, and works.

[JCS]

I used one for about a year before I got an enigma with a sig 365 and a Glock 43. I understand the concern but once the gun is in their the gun is not going to go off. You shouldn’t ever holster the firearm while wearing it.

If you’re really concerned with it put an unloaded firearm in it and try to see if you can cause the striker to drop.

Keep an eye out for an enigma and be patient because it’s worth it.

[Duelist]

I used a smartcarry for so long that there was more repair thread on it than original, and finally it totally gave up. I bought a couple of new ones. Someone else owns the company than when I bought my first one.

The enigma may be better. I look forward to trying it out.

A G26 with an SCD in a smartcarry works very well, but it can bulge oddly, depending on actual gun position, gut, belt, and pants. I have had success with a G19x in the same holster with less odd bulging because it puts the grip and back end of the slide behind the belt, anchoring it and keeping those parts of the gun most prone to bulges and printing in a better place. Of course, an untucked shirt must cover the belt line in this case, and can be used to cover odd bulges with the G26 as well. I have tried the RCS trigger guard with it, and it works, but it is fiddly. With 4 layers of canvas from the smartcarry actually covering the outside of the trigger guard, plus your pants, I don’t the see the risk in going without the RCS. If you do, then I’d say go with the trigger guard.

I prefer using a smaller, lighter gun in mine due to spine issues and the fact that I’m usually planning on being active or needing extremely low profile/NPE level of discreet carry when I’m wearing this holster, and usually go with a 642 or G42. I am currently wearing it, in fact, with the G42 and a spare magazine under dad shorts, and will probably do yard work and play tennis today while wearing it under these shorts.

Approaching 20 years of use of these holsters now, I have worked out some best practices for myself for use.

What I do: I put on my boxers. I put on the smartcarry. I open the mouth of the smartcarry with my off-side thumb. I pick up my loaded gun, put my thumb on the SCD, and bring it across my abdomen pointed at the floor, muzzle parallel to the abdomen and thumb, carefully slide the muzzle into the wide-open mouth of the pouch - all angled away from my bits - and slide it home. Then I put on my pants.

After that, I don’t mess with it. I don’t touch or do any practice draws with a live gun in this holster. I don’t use it at the range for live fire, but might be wearing it while shooting other guns. If I go to the bathroom, I *can* use a urinal, but it is a little awkward to slide the gun aside for access to the underwear fly and other gun, so I usually use a stall and sit. Slide the holster up higher on the abdomen while sitting to take care of business, slide it back down after boxers are back in place and put things back where they were.

What I do works for me, and may work for someone else. Or you may think I’m going to blow a hole in my junk/femoral artery.

[D-der]

JMCK offers an Enigma shell that may work
well, secured in a Smart Carry.

[jeffhughes]

Seeing as this is obviously a really big deal, why not just drop the extra $100 on an eBay enigma with a good holster and be done with it?

[blues]

Seeing as this is obviously a really big deal, why not just drop the extra $100 on an eBay enigma with a good holster and be done with it?

One reason why is that it might not be the ideal solution for him. You can't just make that assumption, imho.

[FAS1]

Tie off the cord trough the bottom of the SmartCarry so when you draw the gun the trigger guard pulls off.

72023

[orionz06]

Mount a holster in the smart carry. I think DSG makes a kydex with no belt clips for this.

I took the belt clip off a blade tech. Rivet the holster to the smart carry.

Thinner guns are more comfortable.

OR a use gun with a safety.....

We used to. Most of the time an old holster works fine, but it doesn't resolve the belt issue like wearing a floppy belt under everything else does, though the Smart Carry does lower the pistol. The Enigma is probably the end game here, as runcible and I have gone back and forth over the underbelt thing for over a decade now and it addresses the deficiencies found for a lot of users.

[camsdaddy]

I currently carry in an enigma.

I have carried a Glock 26 and a Glock 19 (not at the same time) in a smart carry for 10+ years. I agree with the before mentioned suggestion of put an unloaded gun in smart carry and try to pull the trigger, it can be done but it’s dumb how much effort it requires. It’s just short of impossible. Smart carry is having a sale for Memorial Day.

[CCT125US]

Now that is interesting, I was just on the website this week but didn't realoze how that belt was used.

That makes two of us. That could be a useful addition.

[blues]

My bill is in the mail.


;)

[GAP]

Check this Mastermind "Specialist Covert" belt which you can wear with an existing holster in NPEs or with clothes like gym attire, (as I'm doing as I type this).

https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/specialist-covert

It may offer a simple solution to your situation. I just got mine in yesterday and am quite pleased with how well it works.

(Mastermind Tactics is a P-F supporting business.)

Whoa, now I want one!

[RJ]

Check this Mastermind "Specialist Covert" belt which you can wear with an existing holster in NPEs or with clothes like gym attire, (as I'm doing as I type this).

https://www.mastermindtactics.com/shop/specialist-covert

It may offer a simple solution to your situation. I just got mine in yesterday and am quite pleased with how well it works.

(Mastermind Tactics is a P-F supporting business.)

Gahhh...damn. That is pretty cool.

I never gave this a second look as when I saw "covert" I assumed it was some kind of secret squirrel mall ninja operator belt...but actually reading the description, it looks really good for gym shorts carry.

Question for ya? The latex listed, how actually comfortable would that be, sans a T-shirt? I see the description mentions one is recommended...but I wonder if it would be possible to wear without, here where I'm at in the FL heat?

[blues]

Gahhh...damn. That is pretty cool.

I never gave this a second look as when I saw "covert" I assumed it was some kind of secret squirrel mall ninja operator belt...but actually reading the description, it looks really good for gym shorts carry.

Question for ya? The latex listed, how actually comfortable would that be, sans a T-shirt? I see the description mentions one is recommended...but I wonder if it would be possible to wear without, here where I'm at in the FL heat?

Rich, it's probably going to depend upon whether you are latex sensitive or not. It doesn't bother my skin, at least on my hands...but I've worn it either against an Under Armour sleeveless compression shirt as an under layer, or against Under Armour Heat Gear underwear at the band and below...(so that the the belt is not in direct contact with the skin). The latex portion is interwoven in the middle of the belt.

The only way to know is to try it, I guess. But you don't need the t-shirt if you can have the belt ride on the underwear itself. That's how I had it set up this morning when I took the dog out.

[Mitch]

Mount a holster in the smart carry. I think DSG makes a kydex with no belt clips for this.

I took the belt clip off a blade tech. Rivet the holster to the smart carry.

Thinner guns are more comfortable.

OR a use gun with a safety.....

That would be my recommendation if you’re intent on using the 26. A 26 was too wide for me in a smart carry. It was comfortable enough but printed.

This is a situation where I like two or three j frames. One in the pocket, one in a smart carry and maybe one more on the ankle. It’s easy enough to throw a speed strip or two somewhere for a reload too.

[Mack]

Gahhh...damn. That is pretty cool.

I never gave this a second look as when I saw "covert" I assumed it was some kind of secret squirrel mall ninja operator belt...but actually reading the description, it looks really good for gym shorts carry.

Question for ya? The latex listed, how actually comfortable would that be, sans a T-shirt? I see the description mentions one is recommended...but I wonder if it would be possible to wear without, here where I'm at in the FL heat?

We have been getting a lot of questions about wearing the Covert without an under shirt, although it works better with one we have plenty of people using it without one. We have a thread in our sub form about the Covert, if anyone has any other specific questions or needs more info.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?46391-Specialist-Covert-Now-Available

[zpelletier]

Seeing as this is obviously a really big deal, why not just drop the extra $100 on an eBay enigma with a good holster and be done with it?

If you check their website regularly you will come across it in stock. They want people to use the waitlist so that it’s fair for everyone, but it seems like they get posted on the website around 7-8pm EST

[Crashpad]

Gahhh...damn. That is pretty cool.

I never gave this a second look as when I saw "covert" I assumed it was some kind of secret squirrel mall ninja operator belt...but actually reading the description, it looks really good for gym shorts carry.

Question for ya? The latex listed, how actually comfortable would that be, sans a T-shirt? I see the description mentions one is recommended...but I wonder if it would be possible to wear without, here where I'm at in the FL heat?

I've used it without an undershirt several times while working out and running. I didn't find it uncomfortable.

[Utm]

Gahhh...damn. That is pretty cool.

I never gave this a second look as when I saw "covert" I assumed it was some kind of secret squirrel mall ninja operator belt...but actually reading the description, it looks really good for gym shorts carry.

Question for ya? The latex listed, how actually comfortable would that be, sans a T-shirt? I see the description mentions one is recommended...but I wonder if it would be possible to wear without, here where I'm at in the FL heat?

I wear it without a t shirt regularly and have zero issues and I'm in TX

[Westtexasrancher]

Thanks everyone. I will carry around the house, dry, for awhile and see how it goes. I also ordered a trigger guard holester just in case. I'm thinking about the covert belt as well, as my velo isn't concealing very well for me for my 19 and want to see if that will help, as well as 26 carry. I'll keep an eye out for the enigma as well :)

I appreciate all the feedback, this is such a great place

[WobblyPossum]

Thanks everyone. I will carry around the house, dry, for awhile and see how it goes. I also ordered a trigger guard holester just in case. I'm thinking about the covert belt as well, as my velo isn't concealing very well for me for my 19 and want to see if that will help, as well as 26 carry. I'll keep an eye out for the enigma as well :)

I appreciate all the feedback, this is such a great place

FYI, Tenicor has a pretty good satisfaction guarantee and if your Velo isn’t working for you, they might allow you to return it for a refund. I’ve never found holsters with built in wedges to work for me in regards to the level of concealment I’m looking for. I have much better results with holsters that are flat on the body side combined with foam wedges attached with Velcro.

[JHC]

Hey y'all. Looking at carry for a "life altering" NPE environment.

Bought a smartcarry that I'm waiting on for my new glock 26.5. I feel weird thinking about soft sided holsters with loaded glocks. Does anyone have any qualms? I think a gadget night help me feel better with it, but been checking for gen 5s for a month and still out of stock. Even if I didn't have one in the chamber, I would feel better having some kind of option, even if I have to rack the slide. Am I just being paranoid? Thought about a trigger guard holester tied to a belt loop, but as minimum as it is, that adds a "tell" if my shirt comes up or is tucked in.

Have a glock 43 as well, but wanted something "more" and I can carry a 19 reload (possibly even ankle, as goofy as that sounds).

Thanks all. Stay safe.

I’ve worked HARD trying to dryfire a Glock in a Smart Carry. Couldn’t do it. I use them with Glocks and 1911s when needed.

Alternatively a Dale Fricke trigger clip with lanyard on a G43 - lanyard looped through pants button hole is super invisible and comfortable

[Navin Johnson]

It is very difficult to pull a Glock trigger through the smart carry.

At the time I had p239 and it was easier to pull the trigger double action than it was to pull the Glock trigger.

If you use any safety pins or clips to hold it up a bit higher and they come loose that could be a problem though ....especially squatting.

It would be very difficult carrying Mexican to fire a clock too but no one seems to think it's a good idea.

I was never comfortable carrying a condition one Glock in a smart carry.

As I mentioned earlier it's very easy to slide a kydex holster in the smart carry and you is good to go.

[JoeSixPack]

Haven't use one but the Enigma is showing in stock at Philster with 5 left as I type....

[ViniVidivici]

Nobody uses belly bands anymore? They work great for this, done G19 and G17 for a year, hot summer.

[blues]

Nobody uses belly bands anymore? They work great for this, done G19 and G17 for a year, hot summer.

Not since the 80's during UC assignments. Either for a gun or a Kel / Nagra setup.