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Shorts for summer time pocket carry and your pocket carry

Tallahassee said:
As soon as people realize printing isn't an issue, carrying becomes a lot more comfortable. I usually just use a safariland OWB holster, and an over shirt of some sort. Never had an issue, and super comfortable. The typical person has no idea what printing is, nor do they want to know.
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Those who notice don't care, those who care don't notice. Once you get past that, EDC becomes a whole lot easier. Heck, I have had CT Scans done while carrying.
 
I've had good luck with UA golf shorts and pocket carrying a P365 with the flush magazine, in a Nemesis holster. Pocket looks full but doesn't scream gun
 
I pocket carry my p365 when wearing jean shorts but its way to bulky for me to pocket carry at work or when wearing lighter pants/shorts. I was carrying my p238 but im going to have to send it to sig because it continues to malfunction. So obviously i can't trust it as a carry anymore. Been looking for something closer to that size but not sure which way to go. I don't want a revolver. I wonder if i should wait longer and see if manufacturers buy in on the 30 super.
 
Nice post. I went through this this morning. I have several pairs of shorts for summer wear, but some of them just won't work for pocket carry for the reasons you point out. Today I ended up carrying a J Frame in a Mika Pocket Holster because nothing else would work. Nothing potentially worse than pocket carry with the grips sticking out of the pocket.

I have a couple of pairs of Red Head shorts, but I don't know if any of them are the Stanley shorts you mention. I'll have to check them and if I don't have any, I'll be off to Bass Pro tomorrow.

Dench said:
For those who pocket carry... we've all been there. We put on our favorite pair of shorts, slap the gun in it's pocket holster throw that bad boy in the pocket and.... er........ Not going to work. Either physically sticking out or the gun is in plain sight.

Turns out deep pockets are sorta hard to come by these days for shorts. Since all I can really wear here is shorts if I'm to be outside for anything longer than 5 minutes here in SWFL, I need to go hunting for the uniforms that are deep pocketed shorts to accommodate a pistol with it's pistol holster.

I previously used a Glock 42 in .380 with a Detroit Holster "John R (Pocket)" holster. Pocket Holster Detroit Holster John R
Why? The G42 is very slim and this pocket holster is fantastic. It weighs next to nothing, is easy to get the gun in and out of and it has a little hook at the end, so if you grab the pistols grip really hard and really fast that hook will snag your close keeping that holster in your pants and not on the gun when you draw.

I now use a Glock 43 in 9x19 with the same holster (the version made for the slightly different dimensions).

The crazy part is I can tell the difference between the 2 frame sizes like night and day, and I can also feel the weight differences. Even though the differences are almost trivial:
G42 Length: 5.96
G43 Length: 6.26 (makes it s tad bit harder to hide in pocket as sticking out is the main problem)

Weight with full mag
G42: 15.9 ounces
G43: 20.9 ounces

The crazy part here is the G42 weighs less LOADED than the G43 with no mag in. Woof.

The rest of the dimensions are extremely close.

Anyway, I'm not sure yet if I regret trading the 380 for the 9. Till will tell. If it keeps being a pain worse case I'll switch back or to another gun.


So, for the holster here it is again Pocket Holster Detroit Holster John R
I recommend it. However, I did not that after several years of the gun sitting in the holster the holster starts to lose its grip. When I 1st got it I could holster the gun and hold the holster upside down and it would not fall out. After a few years it either really wanted to fall out or would fall out. Such life I suppose.

Now, for the new pants I found yesterday. I found them at Basspro.

The RedHead Stanley Shorts for Men. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/redhead-stanley-shorts-for-men

They come 30-48. I am wearing either a 30 or 32 depending on what weight I'm keeping myself at for jiujitsu competitions. If I'm going holocaust survivor mode at 155, I have to wear the 30's. I normally walk around at 170 when I am not grinding out a 4 month diet for weight so I wear a 32 inch for that. I am 5'9 and the gun looks like something of a large smart phone in my pocket. I give my dimensions to make the point that If I con conceal with the smallest sized pants, I suspect everyone else will have no problems if they have to wear the largest ones.

I tried every single pair of shorts they had in the store, perhaps 10+ pairs of every day shorts. These were the only ones by a large margin that would would.


Please post your pocket pistol carry gun, holster and shorts here!
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Greg said:
Good lord... I wore board shorts the majority of my life growing up in CA.... I wear board shorts here until it's too cold.

I hate pants.

That being said, pocket carry is impossible in board shorts, I have Fox cargo pants and they are ok I guess for carrying. Sometimes I don't even carry in the summer because I would rather wear board shorts lol

I am anxiously awaiting for fanny packs to come back in style, I'll be all set... Look like a typical househusband with no sense of style, but at least I will have stuff in a bag tied around my waist :) Gain like 50 pounds, wear Patriots gear.. Fit right in like a grey man
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I wear speedo board shorts all the time an d pocket carry with no issues, no printing.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Ghetto cargo shorts I picked up at BJs with a Keltec P3AT in an Uncle Mikes pocket holster. Disappears in the pocket.
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This sounds like me.

Not sure of the brand of shorts, because I really don't care*. I think I have an Uncle Mike's pocket holster, because I've never found a real difference in pocket holsters - they're like pizza: they may be different but they're all ok (unless you go out of your way to screw them up). I PC a Ruger LC9s. No issues.

Only thing I care about is the depth of the pocket and enough belt loops. Depth of pocket I check with a dollar bill to make sure the pocket is deep enough for the pistol. Belt loops are needed because pocket carrying takes up my pocket for my knife, so I'm forced to use a belt sheath, and I hate the sheath sliding from my 2:00 to my 6:00, I prefer it to stay in place.
 
tuna said:
Only thing I care about is the depth of the pocket and enough belt loops. Depth of pocket I check with a dollar bill to make sure the pocket is deep enough for the pistol. Belt loops are needed because pocket carrying takes up my pocket for my knife, so I'm forced to use a belt sheath, and I hate the sheath sliding from my 2:00 to my 6:00, I prefer it to stay in place.
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Why aren't you open-carrying your handgun,
but the same reasons don't apply to wearing a visible knife?
(I'm assuming it's not a literal fixed-blade "sheath knife").

It seems to me as if you need more pockets.
 
AHM said:
Why aren't you open-carrying your handgun,
but the same reasons don't apply to wearing a visible knife?
(I'm assuming it's not a literal fixed-blade "sheath knife").

It seems to me as if you need more pockets.
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A gun is way heavier than a knife, even my Buck 110 that I'll usually carry is a lightweight compared to my small LC9s. I find that I use thinner belts for my shorts, and it sags if I belt carry and just doesn't feel right.

My knife will either be a Buck type folder or a "literal fixed blade sheath knife". It isn't a matter of being seen, as I'll open carry a 1911 and no one will bat an eye - as long as my pants stay up.

I usually wear cargo shorts, so I've got plenty of pockets. But my front right pocket is my knife / pistol pocket. I've tried the other pockets for knife and gun but they just don't sit right to me. So for me, it's either a pistol on my hip and knife in front pocket, or vice versa.

I'm too old and set in my ways to start doing weird stuff, I just stick with what works.
 
Cabela's cargo shorts. Deep enough pockets. With no friggin' "elastic" in the waste to stretch and slide down. With a good gun belt (Akers B81). Whatever I want to put in it. I've carried up to a Glock 17. Might need a handkerchief on the end of the grip for a little camouflage.
 
I have never been a fan of pants or shorts with pockets on the leg. I've found that Wrangler Riggs carpenter shorts have very deep front pockets and are loose enough (on me) that they don't print with a pocket holster.
 
Blackmore said:
I have never been a fan of pants or shorts with pockets on the leg. I've found that Wrangler Riggs carpenter shorts have very deep front pockets and are loose enough (on me) that they don't print with a pocket holster.
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Someone else mentioned these. IIRC, pockets were so deep you'd never get out what you put in them. LOL.
 
I can confirm that 5” shorts are on trend in the fitness lifestyle ( social media 🤡s) scene and creeping into the general 20-30 something public. not for me, no where to hide my 1911 or the governor.

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