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Thread: Video tutorial for forward carriage of primary equipment.

  1. #1

    Video tutorial for forward carriage of primary equipment.

    I plucked this out of the Graith Specialist thread because I feel pretty strongly about this issue and I haven't offered any actual content on P/F in quite some time.

    https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=1817757491621065


    https://www.facebook.com/martin.rigg...gged&ref=notif


    I'll also quote myself from the Graith thread as kind of a leader to help contextualize this a bit.



    Think of it in terms of a band of tension that runs the circumference of your body around the mid-line. Most people rely on the belt alone to keep things secure and in place, so we're talking about a band of tension that is at most 1.75" in width...usually 1.5". If we carry outside the waist-band then of course we can only rely on the belt itself for support. As you start adding more and more gear you need more and more width and lateral rigidity to maintain support. The most obvious example of this is a standard police duty belt which is usually 2.25" in width and historically made of thick leather. Also the heaviest items on the police duty belt are usually the handgun itself and the portable radio and most guys wear those on the opposing hips at 3 and 9 o'clock. 3 and 9 also is where one has the thickest, most supportive muscle around the waist line.

    So when we push the gear forward of the thickest, most supportive muscle...into the centerline usually between 10 and 2...we lose structural support afforded by the body. When that gear goes inside the pants now at best we can usually run a 1.75" belt. So we're losing quite a bit of width afforded by a duty belt AND the gear is not supported by muscle.

    The last part of this shit-show are the pants themselves and probably the most overlooked part of the puzzle. Most dudes wear pants that don't fit. Period. They are loose, saggy around the hips, ass, and waist and will fall down if they aren't wearing a belt. Guys usually think they need "freedom of movement' or a gusset or some shit like that to carry a handgun. Like they're climbing Everest. Or....they're given poor advice like "buy your pants 2" larger in the waist than you normally do to accommodate the gear". I'm sure everyone here has probably heard or given someone that advice.

    So with loose saggy pants that offer no tension around the hips, thighs, ass and abdomen....a rigid narrow belt that won't contour around the holster, mag pouches and knife sheaths....and no structural support offered between 10-2....most people I see carrying gear forward of the hip points do so....poorly. I had a kid in class recently wearing trousers that were probably 36" in the waist line and he may have been a natural 32". He was wearing an Aegis and a wide ass Eidolon and I could literally shove my entire hand down the front of his pants in the gap that was between his abdomen and the holster. And after the thumb knuckle we know it's a fist....

    And he's not the only one. This is common and that's why I felt compelled to do the video. Good appendix carry holsters are a relatively new development ( early 2000's). Appendix carry itself is not new. In the early days of body worn video ('96) the ONLY way to carry a gun, a .5 watt body wire, and a Sony 8mm clamshell recorder with power sources for all that shit plus mics and the actual board cameras them selves was in a belly band inside the pants. The belly band was/is wide.

    So....by wearing pants that fit snugly around the hips, thighs, ass and waist AND having a belt that is flexible enough to contour around the gear and pull it into the abdomen which is less supportive than the hips, we create a wider band of tension that makes forward carriage much more workable.

    The fit of your pants is just as important as the belt and the holster.

    Last edited by Tom_Jones; 05-17-2018 at 10:02 AM. Reason: embedded video

  2. #2
    I’ve definitely found this to be true since I started carrying AIWB in 2014. I hate the excess material bunching up at the front of my pants around the holster if they’re too large. When I buy pants now, I buy pants that fit. Sadly, I still have a few pairs of pants from when I was buying them too large in the waist. I’m cheap and won’t be replacing them until they tear.

    I’ll be at ECQC this weekend and am really looking forward to learning more from you and testing out my CCW gear.


    –————————————————
    My posts only represent my opinion and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official policies of my employer. Obvious spelling errors are likely the result of an iPhone keyboard.
    My posts only represent my personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official policies of any employer, past or present. Obvious spelling errors are likely the result of an iPhone keyboard.

  3. #3
    Watched most of this on my lunch break. I've got to finish it still.

    I definetly wear pants that would put me in the baggy pants category. I think alot of the problem is cut of pants. I've not found many pants with the 4" of tension you mention that dont also feel like they are riding up my ass. So i wear Blue Mountain pants from Tractor Supply that are a bit loose everywhere bit my waist line. Maybe I should look around at more pants options that I'm comfy in that will have the tension.

    Craig, how important do you think having a strong (pronounced, whatever) chest is to concealment? I wonder if having a built chest in comparison to your waist will allow for more concealment.

    Thought provoking thread. Awesome.

    -Cory
    Last edited by Cory; 05-16-2018 at 08:18 PM.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by cor_man257 View Post

    Craig, how important do you think having a strong (pronounced, whatever) chest is to concealment? I wonder if having a built chest in comparison to your waist will allow for more concealment.

    Thought provoking thread. Awesome.

    -Cory

    Cory I think having some good forward chest displacement definitely helps the shirt drape further away from the waist. I like how your mind is working buddy!

  5. #5
    Site Supporter
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    Going to watch the video later, great post Craig.

  6. #6
    Member
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    I am going through my wardrobe following Craig's advice. Would love to see a Shivworks concealed carry fashion store!!

  7. #7
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    Is there a direct link to video?

  8. #8
    And if the pants don't fit around your ass, it's time to start doing squats and deads.

  9. #9
    Supporting Business NH Shooter's Avatar
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    Informative video and timely for me. I've had a JMCK AIWB Holster for my PPS M1 for many months and just recently made the commitment to get comfortable with it. The lined Instructor Belts that have always worked well for a holster just behind the hip have proven less than ideal for AIWB. I was ready to order a 5-stitch Frequent Flyer Belt but need to give the Graith Specialist a closer look.

    I always enjoy SN's videos, LOL at the comment and response about one 45 vs. having to carry two 9s. :-)

  10. #10
    Hoplophilic doc SAWBONES's Avatar
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    Good observations and advice. Have carried IWB (not AIWB) for 30 years, and NEVER bought larger-waist pants for sake of the carried sidearm.
    "Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
    And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
    I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman

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