Why Concealed Carry Jackets Are a Must-Have for Self-Defense Enthusiasts

The proper clothing can conceal a firearm without attracting unwanted attention. Still, certain factors must be considered—things like gun printing and the ease of clearing and drawing your weapon when needed.

Thankfully, concealed carry jackets are the perfect solution for those who want to keep warm and have reliable firearms access in self-defense scenarios. They offer plenty of storage space for firearms, backup magazines, and other essentials.

Concealment

A quality concealed carry jacket will not only keep your firearm hidden from view but also support it comfortably when worn in your normal draw position. It must also accommodate your EDC gear without printing your gun or allowing too much room for air to circulate your body. A concealment jacket is designed to hide firearms, keys, and other everyday items inside dedicated pockets that can be easily accessed. This makes it an excellent choice for CCW permit holders who want to avoid wearing a holster. Some concealment jacket offers a great deal of versatility, including the ability to store a wide variety of survival and tactical gear in their many secure pockets. It features a layer fabric design that helps to deflect wind and water, wick moisture, and retain body heat. This enables it to be used as a warm jacket in the fall and winter or even as a light layering piece for survival situations during rain or snow.

Accessibility

Unlike regular jackets, concealed carry jackets are designed to cover and facilitate access to your sidearm. The material shouldn’t be kept from snagging or catching on accessories like car keys, gun magazines, or straps on range bags. You also don’t want to avoid finding yourself with a zipper or buttoned-up jacket that can slow down your draw, especially if you’re in a hurry. A well-concealed carry jacket is shaped like a cardigan or flannel and works over the top of other layers without looking out of place. It’s oversized to accommodate your firearm and appropriate mags without pinching or sagging. It should also have ambidextrous pocket holsters and a left/right hand warmer pouch to adjust your gear as the weather changes. Having these extra features in your jacket is what makes them worth the price and effort.

Comfort

In addition to keeping you warm, a good concealed carry jacket should be functional for the conditions and activities you’ll be using it in. It should be designed to enable you to hide your firearm effectively and allow you to access it quickly and efficiently when you need to do so. This is where many regular jackets fail the test. For example, a heavy winter coat would be excellent in North Dakota on a freezing day, but it wouldn’t provide the insulation needed in California during summer. A concealment-friendly casual duty outer shell should be weather-resistant and feature a large side pocket that can accommodate most outside waistband holsters.

Also, ensure the zippers and snaps are high quality to prevent weapon printing or snags and that the jacket fits correctly for comfortable movement when carrying a firearm. You want to be able to form muscle memory for your concealed carry position, which will help speed up your draw.

Safety

A good jacket can keep you warm while allowing easy access to your concealed-carry handgun in self-defense scenarios. Many jacket options have a right/left holster configuration, giving you quick and easy access no matter your preferred draw side. Many peace officers and soldiers use a shoulder holster, which keeps the handgun tucked under your armpit against your upper ribs. This style is quick and easy to access but doesn’t work so well with unbuttoned clothing – it only takes a breeze to reveal the pistol. Another concealed carry option is appendix carry, which positions the pistol in front of your body and allows you to maintain situational awareness while keeping the firearm accessible in close-quarters struggles. A good concealment jacket should let you wear a suit or sports jacket and keep your gun comfortably hidden. It should also be easy to remove the jacket and shouldn’t bind or constrict around the shoulders/arms. If you have a tailor specializing in CCW, consider bringing them your firearm so they can alter your coat to meet the needs of concealed carry best.