Weight loss and CCW. Hmmmmm...... I didn't think of this.

[Zaydok Allen]

So I was promoted to a new postion about a year and a half ago. This meant that I went from spending about 3/4 of my work time hiking in the woods for a living, to about 1/4 of my time in the woods, and the rest in the office. I recognized that my health would start to slip and I'd gain weight, so I immediately started changing my diet and exercise regime to stay in good health. As it turns out I was an athlete in a fat guys body for many years, and never knew it until now. I just wanted to maintain my weight, but instead I dropped 50 lbs. I have to say that this is great, and I'm loving it, but it raised an interesting issue for me.

I have been ccw iwb a Ruger SP101, .357 for about 4 years now. I have always carried it in a Galco iwb holster at the 4 o'clock postion. Well as a result of literally "losing my ass" I now find that iwb carry is a little uncomfortable as the gun is resting directly on my hip bones with little padding left. I know a lot of people will chimme in and say "Well you ought to carry a 1911 because they are just flatter and more comfortable." but buying a new gun isn't really an option right now, so I'm looking for suggestions on the most comfortable iwb holster for an SP 101 with the 3" bbl. I've heard really good things about Crossbreed holsters. I'm also curious if anyone else has had this issue, and if so, share your experience.

 

[3KillerBs]

More cant? Less cant? Appendix carry? Crossdraw? A shoulder holster?

Congratulations on the weight loss. I've lost 40lbs myself and for me that opened up new options. I had been unable to use anything other than a fanny pack because I don't wear jeans/slack unless I have no other option and never wear belts. Now I can use a bellyband in at least 3 different positions.

If I can lose another 40lbs I'll be able to put my Slim where only the pocket .380 currently fits without printing.

 

[Steve C]

Have you tried just moving the location of your holster? Perhaps a cross draw at 10 O'clock. The shirts you used to wear should be loose enough to hide it.

 

[btg3]

I also trimmed down to the point where IWB was a nice fit in pants with a 34" waistband. But after several weeks at the 4 o'clock postion with either a J-frame (regardless of holster) or M&Pc (Crosssbreed SuperTuck) a chronic pain developed. I've adjusted to 3 o'clock IWB, alternating with pocket carry, and no longer carry full-time as I feel I am healing -- really there was some serious pain in the hip and down the leg. This was with a good belt on the waist and good holsters that ride high.

I changed to 3 o'clock from 4 o'clock based on other recommendations posted at THR. It would be interesting to know how many have and have-not had problems with IWB at 4 o'clock.

 

[Plan2Live]

Try this

Find yourself a top notch massage therapist. Not the dime a dozen "club rub" kind and not the ones at the Executive Mens Club off the Interstate. I had hip problems about three years ago before I was carrying. I'm sure if I was carrying at 4:00 o'clock it would have aggravated the problem. After two attempts with less capable massage therapists, a chiropractor and my MD giving me Cortisone injections all to not avail, I stumbled on a terrific massage therapist who found the problem buried deep in the buttocks. The Piriformis muscle. She hit that and I came off the table. Search Piriformis and/or Piriformis Syndrome and see if that describes what you are feeling. If so, try to find a genious like the one I found, it's not easy. Three trips and good as new.

But a warning. If you've never had a professional massage, be prepared. It's like crack or meth. One time and you are hooked!

 

[WardenWolf]

My advice is to carry it IWB at the 9:00 or 3:00 position, depending on which you prefer, with the handle pointed forwards. You can do a cavalry draw and pull it one-handed. This position keeps it from having pressure applied on it as you're moving or bending / sitting. Handle forward is the key, though.

I have the opposite problem: I'm on medications that have made me gain 40 pounds. My "love handles" now make my piece stick out more.

 

[btg3]

...try to find a genious like the one I found, it's not easy.

I lucked onto a good one that explained the distinction between therapist trained in "swedish-style" and "asian-style" massage. The former works the "belly"of the muscle and the latter work the connective tissue at each end of the muscle. Avoid swedish and seek asian.

 

[Frozen North]

Cross breed and MTAC are very comfortable because they have a wide chunk of leather between the gun and your side. The gun can't dig in or rub at all. it may solve your problem.

 

[alemonkey]

I'm a slim guy (6'1", 190lbs) and I find appendix carry works really well for me. I had a herniated disk a few years ago that required surgery and I find if I don't stay in shape I have problems carrying on my hip. It throws me off balance just enough that my back and weak side hip start hurting. If I'm exercising regularly it's not a problem though.

I really like appendix carry because it hides so well. I don't have much of a gut so it's comfortable, too.

 

[jojo200517]

I always found for IWB of about any kind that about 3 o'clock was the only really comfortable position for me. If it's too far foward I can't sit comfortably cause it digs into my gut, too far back and i'm setting on it. I'm a little pudgy tho so your results may vary, if ya too skinny it may dig into ya bone on the side of the hip, especially if its at like 2-2:30 on me.

As far as the get a 1911, if I could loose that much weight, i'd save up and get myself a new 1911 as a present for a job well done.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm 6'3" and I'm now down to 193 lbs. So the gut isn't as much of a factor as it used to be, but it's still there damit! I have had to rotate to 3 oclock and I did carry 9 oclock as well to move the gun around and avoid pain, but this just lead to pain in other spots. I know, quit whining. But it does start to get a bit unbearable after 3 or 4 hours. My hips are really kind of bony now in places, and the muscle can only take so much.

I did get myself a present. It was an FNP45. I love it, but it is more of a duty type hi cap nasty pistol than a looker like a 1911.

As far as a massage therapist goes.......... no. I have an "ism" or two, and I do not like being touched except by an attractive woman I am dating. I have a chiropractor and it takes every ounce of will power to keep from choking her. It's just a reaction....... and I have no idea where it comes from. I wasn't abused as a kid or anything nor was I in prison or jumped at any point. I've had friends walk up behind me in a bar and squeeze my shoulder, and I've nearly thrown them down on a table.

So it comes back to a holster. I'll check out the ones you mentioned Frozen North. Thanks

 

[ForumSurfer]

When I lost weight, I lost the padding around my hips. I also noticed that some holsters were uncomfortable without the love handles to pad them. The crossbreed style holsters work well in this situation. I prefer the standard soft leather over the horsehide. It makes for some nice padding between that lump of steel and my hip bone. The extra width of the holster spreads the pressure out more so than a standard, narrower leather IWB holster. I find that an all kydex IWB holster is just unbearable with an absence of love handles...you have a hard lump of steel encased in hard kydex digging into your non-padded hip...yeouch. YMMV.

 

[Dnaltrop]

You have my deepest sympathy.

My worst was about 285, not so noticable at 6'5", I left High school at a good solid 225, then spent a pair of years doing the morning prep-work in a small pizza shop, until running my hand through a dough sheeter.

A few years selling IBM's with Mall food as the primary option put me up to my max after half a decade.

In the last 11 years, I cut down, (not out) the pleasurable foods, I've started cutting my sodas in half with plain club soda, snacked on peanuts, and stopped myself from eating until early afternoon.

I'm blessed with a whirlwind metabolism, but cursed with the inability to feel "full" until my esophagus is packed LITERALLY to the back of my throat. Moderation in everything... including moderation.

I lost 15 lbs in the last 2 months to a badly connected Jawbone, the last month has made me feel like the guy in the book "Thinner"

200 even right now.

I'm also with you on the "don't touch" bandwagon, though In my case I'm very well aware of why I have such a visceral reaction to people behind me or touching me from behind.


As to adaptation, I still wear at 4'oclock, moving my gun up to 3 in IWB leaves the cant of the back end in a perfect position to NAIL the nerve tunnel in the elbow... 6 works, but too hard to move back to 3/4 when getting into a car.

Shoulder rig or Cross draw maybe?

 

[Shmackey]

Try 3:00.

 

[ErikO]

Yep, I'm working at loosing my extra padding as being a better idea than bigger pants.

 

[carbuncle]

When I was skinny and packed a revolver I used appendix carry successfully. I'm a long way from skinny now...

 

[MikeNice]

After losing weight I found that sliding the holster clip against the belt loop at the back of my side pocket helped. I cant the holster forward about 10 degrees and it stays in just the right spot on my hip.

 

[Sulaco]

I have a little extra padding around the midsection, bit I don't have a problem with 4 o'clock carry. I imagine if I lost a little weight and did, I'd just move it to 3 o'clock or appendix carry like others have mentioned.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've tried moving it around to just about every position I can, and it hurts no matter where I put it. I'm not kidding about losing just about all of my padding on my hips. That means my holster no longer works. I went from size 42 waist to 36. That's the kind of "ass losing" I'm talking about. I'm going to try a Crossbreed holster. I need a much thicker layer of leather than the Galco holster I have is going to provide.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I need a much thicker layer of leather than the Galco holster I have is going to provide.

It isn't the thickness that you will appreciate, it is the extra width. It just spreads the weight and pressure out more, especially once it conforms to your shape. That's why I actually prefer the softer leather over the tougher horsehide. It is really comfortable to wear all day. My crossbreed-ish holster looks pretty worn, but it is still tough as nails and does it's job. Very comfortable when worn anywhere at or between the 3:00 and 4:30 positions.

 

[MikeNice]

Kodiak, have you bought size apropriate jeans?

It could simply be a matter of pulling your belt to tight. I had that problem when I first lost weight. I kept pulling the belt too tight trying to keep the gun locked in place.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yep, I've bought new pants and a new belt. I really do think it's just that I'm using a holster that doesn't distribute the pressure enough as Forumsurfer pointed out. When I tuck my gun in, I only pull the belt tight enough to keep my pants from riding down. It isn't being ground into my hip, it's just that it is sitting on bone and muscle in a very focussed spot for too long. I even had my gun on me when I tried on the new pants to make sure it fit properly. I keep coming back to the holster being to narrow for me now that I'm not as squishy. Just too much pressure in one small spot.

 

[Dr_2_B]

Hmm, am I the only person who's noticed that revolvers carry higher than autos? Maybe it's just my particular holsters. Anyway, the crossbreeds are good. They distribute the weight across a wider area of your hip. Also, don't rule out that your answer may be a good gunbelt. If you do a search on here you'll find people describing the difference as night and day. $70 for a gunbelt may serve you better than $70 for a crossbreed.

 

[Hoth206]

Give the Crossbreed/Theis/Comp-tac minotaur spartan style hybird holster. If I had the "lack of padding" problem (which I don't) I think I'd try gluing a layer of something soft to the flat leather backing for a little extra comfort.