Experience with Ankle Carry?

[Dov]

I never looked at ankle carry because of pain issues in the past, funny thing is with physical therapy and etc for chronic pain and other issues my knees are pain free now, wish rest of me was.

Anyway I use pocket carry as primary method for CCW because my chronic issues cause debilitating pain with any form of IWB carry.

But looking at trying ankle carry as compliment ot pocket carry. i have always thought ankeland pocket carry compliment each other, with pocket carry being good except when seated, while ankle is good while seated in most cases.

So looking for people's experience with ankle carry, thinking J frame or LCR.

[feudist]

I carried an ankle gun as a BUG from day 3 of my career, mostly a 442 in a Galco Ankle Glove.
It's a very good way to carry a BUG, allowing access while seated or on the ground with either hand.
Other than off body carry, it's the last choice for primary carry.
Not everyone can tolerate it for one reason or another, and it requires an amount of wardrobe adjustment. There are definite weight and size limits, I carried a G26 for a couple of years and it started bugging my knee. That's probably the upper limit in weight and form factor, IMO.
Don't bother with a cheap holster, they either waste your money through shittiness or by giving you no real feedback on the system.
Galco, DeSantis and the Wilderness versions are generally well respected.

[Navin Johnson]

I never looked at ankle carry because of pain issues in the past, funny thing is with physical therapy and etc for chronic pain and other issues my knees are pain free now, wish rest of me was.

Anyway I use pocket carry as primary method for CCW because my chronic issues cause debilitating pain with any form of IWB carry.

But looking at trying ankle carry as compliment ot pocket carry. i have always thought ankeland pocket carry compliment each other, with pocket carry being good except when seated, while ankle is good while seated in most cases.

So looking for people's experience with ankle carry, thinking J frame or LCR.

Best thing to do is buy an ankle holster that is high-quality or well-known and try it. If it doesn’t work out sell it.

Also, if you use the Google function in the upper right hand corner, there is a shit ton of discussions.

You’ll never know for sure till you wear one all day for several days.

[BobM]

I tried a steel frame Model 60 years ago and it was painful. I got a 640 and a 642 when they came out and the 642 was much more comfortable to carry. I’ve tried a variety of holsters over the last 30+ years. The no longer available Renegade carried the best for me. I hear the current Wilderness version is pretty good. I have Galco for my Shield Plus and a Desantis for my Bodyguard 380. So far they are pretty good but I’ve not worn them as much.

[Trooper224]

I carried a Kahr K9 in an ankle rig for most of my career. The best advice I can give is, don't skimp on the holster. I used an Alessi and never regretted it. That was after initially going cheap with an Uncle Mike's sausage sack.

[BillSWPA]

In addition to a good holster as discussed above, use the lightest gun possible.

I have carried a Detective Special and Glock 26 on my ankle, and it is NOT something I would want to do in a regular basis. A S&W 442 or Ruger .38 LCR (not the larger caliber, heavier LCR’s) would be a good way to define an upper weight limit.

Make sure that the holster has good padding between the gun and your leg. Sheep’s wool is good with soft, elastic ankle bands like the Wilderness/Renegade or Galco, but will not protect from the edges of a leather ankle band. A leather ankle band needs felt that extends past the edge of the leather.

Your pants will need to be as long as possible without dragging on the ground. A small amount of bagginess helps keep them from rising up too much when sitting, getting in and out of care, etc.

[TCB]

Ankle carry is a great way to have a gun near you when you can’t carry normally. We aren’t allowed a BUG at work so my only experience is with a 442 in a Galco ankle rig. It works pretty good and is my go to for stuff like weddings when I’m in a suit and will be doing a lot of hugging with people who I don’t necessarily want to know I’m armed.

[PNWTO]

I was allowed to carry in a NPE for almost a year and half. Due to dress code and my Teutonic-orangutan build most of that was with a G43 in a Wilderness ankle rig. It was pretty awesome. I also counter-balanced with a Ryker med kit on the other ankle.

Now, I find myself using the Wilderness+LCR a lot. It just works well for life with little kids. Lots of trade offs, but comfortable. In the warmer months, I pretty much live in board shorts and flip flops so that’s Enigma but I feel like ankle carry is a very unique, but good, option to have the appropriate equipment for.

[DLWinner]

I have a Galco ankle holster that I sometimes carry a Glock 43 in. I’ve tried carrying a 26 on my ankle and it was almost too heavy.

[Dov]

I was allowed to carry in a NPE for almost a year and half. Due to dress code and my Teutonic-orangutan build most of that was with a G43 in a Wilderness ankle rig. It was pretty awesome. I also counter-balanced with a Ryker med kit on the other ankle.

Now, I find myself using the Wilderness+LCR a lot. It just works well for life with little kids. Lots of trade offs, but comfortable. In the warmer months, I pretty much live in board shorts and flip flops so that’s Enigma but I feel like ankle carry is a very unique, but good, option to have the appropriate equipment for.

Pretty sure years ago I read article about or by Clint Smith's wife Heidi about her carry guns and she carried pair of J frames, one on each ankle, besides whatever she was carrying on the belt.

[cosermann]

The only way ankle carry seems to work for me is if I’m wearing a 7” or 9” hiking boot or similar for the rig to sit on (and then, it eventually wears the top of the boot). Otherwise the whole deal seems to eventually slide down my calf and practically rest on top of my foot (calf strap or not).

[blues]

I carried a S&W Model 36 in an ankle rig pretty much daily for about 12 or 13 years. Then I began carrying a G26 on my ankle for the next ten years or so.

I've used ankle holsters from Renegade and Galco for the most part...with a DeSantis thrown in along the way.

The right rig makes a world of difference. Haven't carried on the ankle much since I retired...though I do have one for my 642.

[Rex G]

I used Alessi and then Ritchie ankle holsters for decades, for handguns up to and including the Ruger SP101 and Glock G26. My PD-issued duty trousers had ample clearance to conceal such guns quite decently. FEW of my “civilian” trousers do a good job of even covering the ankle rig, much less concealing it, so, I rarely wear ankle rigs, since retiring, but, such trousers probably still exist, for those who want to find them. Of course, less-bulky ankle rigs, and J-Frames or smaller, are simpler to conceal, so, finding trousers should be simplified.

A short-topped boot helps. This used to be called “chukka” style. My personal favorites are the Danner Mountain Lite and Danner Patrol. If the holster can rest on the top of the boot shaft, the strap need not be so tight, around the leg.

Smartwool socks, or a true Merino wool equivalent, are a tremendous help. Smartwool socks work well, even in humid, subtropical SE Texas.

[TGS]

I use ankle carry infrequently. I used to do it more regularly when we were authorized the PM9 as a secondary. I find our currently mandated Glock 26 secondary to be entirely unusable as an ankle gun, so I only rarely carry an ankle gun these days with the Glock 42 for similar off duty events as previously mentioned by others.

Minor changes in holster position can make a big difference on comfort, and often times I will need to go into a restroom to adjust it. Boots>shoes, as previously mentioned. Dress slacks will ride up and reveal it, whereas looser casual slacks and jeans work better.

Use the lightest gun possible. Adding significant weight on your ankle can be physiological hell for your knee and hips. There are people here that report carrying a Glock 26 long term a-okay, but every single person I know in meatspace that ankle carried a Glock 26 or Glock 27 (all current or former patrol cops) ended up with some sort of temporary ailment that discontinued the practice, and in one case ended up in physical therapy (he's in very good physical shape, btw). You've already decided on a j-frame or LCR...both great choices...so I mention this just to point out that it may make a difference if you choose the lighter options within those two lineups.

Maybe you'd be fine with a steel J-frame or a 357 LCR, which have their advantages for shooting such as greater weight to soak up recoil, longer extractor rods on the 357 models to allow more positive ejection, etc. However, given your body already seems to be sensitive to physiological afflictions, it might make more sense to get the lightest gun to head off any potential issues. This sounds like it might even be a great time to choose a scandium J.

[jnc36rcpd]

I've carried a SIG 239, a Glock 27, and a Shield in a DeSantis Apache ankle holster. I eventually decided carry on my body armor was a better option. I had high hopes for the Boot-Lok, but for whatever reason, the combination of my boot and the holster made it look like I had a severe compound fracture of the ankle.

I'll echo other contributors to not skimp on your holster. While you want to carry what you want to carry, the lighter and smaller the gun, the easier it will be to carry on the ankle.

[Coyotesfan97]

I regularly carry my G26 on my ankle in a Galco holster. Wilderness Renegadexare GTG. I have no issues carrying there.

[CZ Man]

Yet another vote for the Galco ankle holsters. As has been previously mentioned the right holster choice makes all the difference.

I've been wearing a G26 daily for almost 15 years in the Galco ankle glove holster without any issues. Just dress around the gun. Boot cut jeans work great for concealment and ease of draw. With an ankle med kit on my other leg, it balances out the weight and makes it comfortable. The velcro seems to last me about 3-4 years with daily carry before I have to replace the rig.

[BillSWPA]

What kind of medical kits are all of you carrying on your ankles? I use a Dark Angel Medical ankle kit in business casual attire during the summer, and it is only about 10 ounces. This weight does not seem to be enough to balance out much on the other ankle.

[PNWTO]

What kind of medical kits are all of you carrying on your ankles?

I used the Ryker; albeit I only packed at TQ, a bandage, my EDC light, and a Ti Perrin, during the work day.

[Cookie Monster]

Pretty sure years ago I read article about or by Clint Smith's wife Heidi about her carry guns and she carried pair of J frames, one on each ankle, besides whatever she was carrying on the belt.

The times I spent at Thunder Ranch, I often saw Heidi with a Glock 19 on her ankle.

I ankle carried a 26 and a 42 but my footwear changed to mostly Muck Boots, I sold off the ankle holsters.

26 was a brick. 42 better. I liked it and wish I was more committed.

[CZ Man]

What kind of medical kits are all of you carrying on your ankles? I use a Dark Angel Medical ankle kit in business casual attire during the summer, and it is only about 10 ounces. This weight does not seem to be enough to balance out much on the other ankle.

I run an ankle pouch from Lynx Defense: https://lynxdefense.com/medical/ankle-medical-kit/

I keep my fully loaded with TQ, gauze, gloves, chest seals, emergency blanket, and a seat belt cutter. It's a bit bulkier despite being lighter than my G26 on the other ankle, but still conceals pretty well with boot cut jeans.

[rathos]

Been doing some form of ankle carry for just over 15 years. The galco ankle lite or ankle glove seem to be the only ones that always work for me. The wilderness rigs are nice and have good retention, there just isn't enough padding for my ankles. I have also tried the alessi style ankle holsters. While they are well made, the extra padding makes the holster seem really heavy. I have found your ankle gun should be a pound or less (a little over is ok but much more noticeable). I have found the holster to be the most comfortable when the barrel is just behind the bone protrusion on the ankle (I think I read that from Clint Smith or Mas Ayoob, but it works well for me). I prefer a revolver (442, old style colt cobra or the new Kimber k6xs), but lately I have been toting around a LCP II and it is very comfortable.