Ankle holster questions

[Thinking]

Hi all,
I always carry IWB or pocket. Generally I carry a P938.
There are sometimes where I don’t carry and I’m thinking about an ankle holster for those rare times.
I’d rather not get into why or why not ankle carrying is a good idea in this thread if possible. However I do have a couple of questions I was looking to the group for:
1) In general, is ankle carrying going to mean I need pretty relaxed fit pants? Does a gun print pretty readily while ankle carrying? I’m specifically thinking about dress pants, etc. Thoughts on this?
2) Comfort: I’ve read folks’ comments on this forum that ankle holsters are uncomfortable. Can anybody speak to this and why they find this to be the case (or not the case)?
3) This is the dumbest of my questions so far-if I’m a righty, I’m carrying on the outside of my right ankle, correct? That’s going to be the recommended position, IF one is ankle carrying, right?

Thanks in advance.
Again, I am aware of the tactical reasons for not ankle carrying, so I’m trying to shy away from those in this thread.

Thanks all

 

[Terrys]

I wear jeans 99.9% of the time and they’re fairly long, so I can’t help you with your dress pant question. Besides that, I find my ankle holster for my PM9 to be comfortable. It just took a little while to become accustomed to it. I do wear 6” work boots and the holster does ride on the top of the boot cuff taking some of the weight, so that probably helps some. As far as which leg is concerned, I’m also right handed and I carry on the inside of my left leg.

 

[92G]

i can guarantee this thread will become all about how ankle carry sucks, but it sure beats having nothing!

Galco Ankle Lite. phenomenal holster. something like an LCR with boot grip or a G42 will absolutely disappear.
ANKLE LITE (ANKLE HOLSTER): Ankle Holsters | Galco Gunleather

if one wears boots or girly tight pants then it's not going to work. if wearing normal shoes and male pants then GTG. even if the bottom prints a little bit it's just black so nobody would notice anything they would assume it's an ankle brace.

FWIW, I've found my preference to wear on the inside of the strong side ankle (rather than outside of the ankle). it ends up oriented in a "crossdraw". this makes it much easier to reach if you're on the ground AND can draw from either arm (L or R), whereas if carried on the outside of ankle it's very difficult to reach while on your back or from weak hand. i also think ankle carry is excellent if you want to be able to arm your spouse in a shit situation by giving the primary carry to her then backup little guy for yourself. personally i need my wife to survive more than myself. YMMV.

 

[67ray]

Recommend Alessi ankle holsters as most comfortable, albeit expensive but worth it

 

[M1911]

1) Yes.
2) Depends on the gun, the holster, and your footwear.
3) No, inside of the left ankle.

Most people who ankle carry wear low boots. This type of carry only works with relatively small guns. I think pocket carry with something like a Kahr PM9 or Glock 43 might work better than ankle carry, but YMMV.

 

[Picton]

I’ve been wearing DeSantis Apache ankle rigs for years. They’re comfortable and long-lasting, but cheap enough to easily replace. I, too, carry a 938.

1) Bootcut jeans are best, but tighter cuts also work. As long as you can get the hem over the gun. I was worried about printing, so I only carried the flush mag for a couple years; turned out not to be a problem, as NOBODY is looking for you to be ankle-carrying. I no longer worry about printing. Nobody knows, nobody cares. Dress pants, being thinner than jeans, might print more, but I still wouldn’t worry much. Compromise with a pair of khakis?

2) Not an issue for me, but my calves aren’t all bulky either. I’m sure it depends on your leg shape. Remember to wear your holster inside your sock, which’ll support a lot of the weight.

3) You’re incorrect. Inside left ankle. The only righty that carried the way you suggest was Christopher Moltisanti, and you saw how he ended up.

Happy carrying!

 

[igrace7092]

I've been wearing a Galco Ankle Glove holster for going on two years. It has sheepskin lining and I forget I have it on. I wear regular fit jeans and khaki pants. I've tried cheaper ankle holsters but I found them to either be uncomfortable or not hold the pistol securely all day, or fall down my leg etc.

 

[bbarer]

I ankle carry as a norm (uncle mikes holster and an XDS .45) I usually wear khakis so no problem printing. I also carry wearing wear boot cut jeans, but I can tell you it is tougher to draw as they aren't as easy to pull up away from the holster. I prefer the step forward and lift the pantleg with the left hand while drawing with the right. Works great with loose fit khakis but very tough to do with jeans... best advise is if you decide to ankle carry...practice, practice and more practice drawing.... This is a great video, I find I only need one hand though to pull my pant leg up.. how to ankle carry - Bing video

 

[fshalor]

For anything over 20 minutes in a car, I prefer having something on my ankle anyway. My 637 J frame disappears in a galco holster. I can get away with a g26, but it's a bit floppy.

All of my boots happen to have wear marks on the left side from the years of carry. I sometimes IWB or OWB but usually default to ankle carry if I happen to need to drive where I'm going or have no idea what the shirt and jacket situation is like.

I had no issues doing so into Cambridge riding the Redline for a year. But I had a 2 he plus drive to get to the red line and get home every day. I was more worried about the drive than the red line ride.

 

[seanc]

Ankle carry?

Have you never heard of Thunderwear?

But to address your question . It never worked for me. Jeans sneaker and a Seecamp.
I gave up before trying all sorts of footwear, holsters and pants combos.

 

[steve8140]

I’m in a similar situation as OP. Due to my line of work I can’t carry on my waist, especially in the summer. I wear jeans every day but some pockets can barely fit my 938.

I have ankle carried quite a bit and it’s not bad but I think it could be a lot better if I get a better holster. If someone’s sees the bulge on my ankle I’ll just tell them it my state monitoring device.

I’m a righty and I carry on the inside of my left leg.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Wanding rarely goes down to the ankle in semi-permissive environments (ones in which the establishment bans carry but doing so it not a crime).

I went to a Harvard graduation where the speaker was an organized crime kingpin (head of Clinton Foundation), and there was a lot of wanding on the way in but the never went below the knee. This would rate non-permissive though because the little people are not allowed to carry by law.

 

[Buck F]

1. Yes. Works fine w/ dress pants
2. No, it's not uncomfortable and it doesn't print. Once in a while your pant leg may ride up a little but no one will notice. I think the closest call I had was when I went to a wake and knelt at the casket, noticed my pantleg rode up a little and had to adjust, but it wasn't bad enough anyone could see it. At most they'll see the bottom of something black sticking out from under your pantleg but they'll never make out what it is.
3. Inside of left leg.

I tried the Bugbite holster, works better in theory than in practice since it can slide down a little depending on your calf/ankle build. It all depends on individual fit, didn't work well for me since I have muscular calfs (calves?). Probably works great on cankles though. I have a basic RangeMAx or some such stretch/velcro ankle holster. It's not something I wear around all day, I usually wear it to meetings when I don't feel like having the 938 in the pocket, then it goes back in the pop out safe drawer under my desktop. If I was going to ankle carry all day, and I would if that was my only option, I'd get something a little better.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

At most they'll see the bottom of something black sticking out from under your pantleg but they'll never make out what it is.

Answer "urine collection bag".

 

[MGnoob]

1... I wear relaxed fit anyway... the issue is with even lower cut boots it move the holster up higher... restricting access es and making it less comfortable... now with relaxed fit and Birkenstocks your walking on sunshine.

For normal people with dress pants/dress shoes... noones going to notice any printing... people look at my “winter sandles” all the time and no one notices my S&W 360pd

2 ankle is the most comfortable way to carry IMO... but it’s a trade off... your weapons harder to get at.......and it gets a lot more dirty being so close to the ground.

3 I’m rightly and I go inside left....

 

[cams]

Ankle carry every day with boots and boot cut jeans (during cold weather). No printing, people are oblivious anyway.

This particular holster from Daltech is made to go (stretch) around your boot and secure with a heavy, wide piece of Velcro. It’s not made for low quarter shoes, but they do make ones similar for that purpose if that’s what you need.

Customer service for Daltech is fantastic. If you want something modified just email them and they’ll work with you and sew it up exactly how you’d like.

Very comfortable, doesn’t slide around, doesn’t come loose, doesn’t ride up, secure and thin profile and has 2 spare mag pouches that hold either my .380 or G43 mags. Holster fits medium to small frame pistols.

Left handed and wear it so firearm is on the inside of right ankle.

ETA: They typically come with one spare mag pouch, I asked for 2 and they said sure, no problem and no extra charge.

 

[enbloc]

Years ago I carried a Colt Lawman MKIII in Nickel-Electrolysis with Pachmayr stocks in a Bianchi Ankle rig and jeans.
A massive revolver... no one ever noticed it. Ever.

 

[clampett]

I went to a Harvard graduation where the speaker was an organized crime kingpin (head of Clinton Foundation),

That's funny and true.

 

[clampett]

I ankle carry a LC9S with a DeSantis ankle holster. I have it riding on top of my work boots, so it is actually about 3-4" higher than my ankle. It is so comfortable that I often forget that I have it on, all of the weight is carried by the boot.
I wear carhartt work pants or boot cut jeans.

I use to wear the holster on the inside of my left leg, but it would give that leg a rash, so now I wear it on the inside of my right leg and I haven't had an problems.

 

[DPR]

I have a Galco ankle glove for my 938. It is excellent. Super comfortable, great fit for the gun, thumb break works real nice and it conceals great w/ everything I've worn. I was amazed at how it felt like it wasn't there. Do not hesitate to buy one.

 

[Andy in NH]

1) I use this measurement when looking at pants for ankle carry and ankle IFAK use.
~9" with the pant leg laying flat works for me.
Like others have said, "printing" depends on the combination of; the gun, the holster, and the pants.
IME, my J frame conceals better than my G26 and G43.


2) Get a good holster (Alessi, Galco, or DeSantis) and wear it for a week.
You'll get use to it.

3) I wear my ankle holster on the inside. I feel it is more accessible to either hand while sitting.

Sometimes ankle carry is the best, bad choice for having a gun available.

 

[42!]

Ankle carried a Walther PP for many years, office attire made it the best way to go, but occasionally wearing jeans.

1) In general, is ankle carrying going to mean I need pretty relaxed fit pants? Does a gun print pretty readily while ankle carrying? I’m specifically thinking about dress pants, etc. Thoughts on this?

For me this wasn't an issue, but it was a while back and slimmer fit pants are more in fashion now. I'm pretty sure I would have heard about it is anyone noticed.

2) Comfort: I’ve read folks’ comments on this forum that ankle holsters are uncomfortable. Can anybody speak to this and why they find this to be the case (or not the case)?

Not at all uncomfortable, easy to get used to the extra weight. Buy Quality.

3) This is the dumbest of my questions so far-if I’m a righty, I’m carrying on the outside of my right ankle, correct? That’s going to be the recommended position, IF one is ankle carrying, right?

Personal preference. I was outside right ankle (right handed). Others do it differently. Fortunately you can try different positions and pick what's right for you.

 

[Thinking]

All great stuff. Thank you all for the really helpful comments (and jokes)

 

[MattyD]

would not recommend the aliengear shapeshift ankle rig..... just bought it last week for my shield and its heading back to them soon. it was comfortable but the velcro came loose within 2 hours of walking... going to be looking into some of the other options here.