Holsters and Gear Recommendations
Concealed Carry in Shorts: Belt, Holster and Gun Choices
Alien Gear’s guide to carrying in shorts says shorts “aren’t actually much of a barrier,” and “What makes the biggest difference in concealment are the top one wears and the gun belt”. This page works through those two items first, then the holster types that suit shorts, gun size for hot months, and whether dedicated carry shorts are worth buying.
Start with the belt, not the shorts
Most shorts, as Alien Gear’s shorts guide puts it, are “pants missing the lower half,” and the other important element it names is “a good gun belt”; a drawstring “is not going to be sufficient”. Our belt stiffness guide gives a simple test: held out by the buckle, a good gun belt “should stay roughly horizontal rather than flopping straight down toward the floor,” and that vertical rigidity “keeps the grip from rolling outward and printing against your cover garment”.
The Kore USA Black Tactical Nylon Gun Belt 1.5″ is built for this job. Its product page lists a “Power-Core™ Center for Added Stiffness and Support,” a load rating of “Up to 10 lbs. / IWB, OWB or Appendix,” and states that “Tactical belts are 2X’s as stiff as our leather EDC belts”. Its size range “Fits 24″ – 54″”, and it is “Cut to fit during setup,” with “Over 40 – ¼” Size Positions” from the X Series buckle. The 1.5″ width “matches virtually every IWB and OWB holster clip”.
Kore’s own cut rule starts from your pant size; our Kore belt sizing guide has Kore’s instructions word for word. Belts custom-cut to size are final sale.
If your shorts have no belt loops, skip ahead to the beltless section.
The shirt does the rest
Our strong-side guide calls summer clothing “the biggest challenge, as lightweight fabrics cling to the firearm shape”. Our clothing guide notes that “thin fabrics print more readily” and recommends “breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics like polyester blends or performance cotton in darker colors” for summer carry.
With inside-the-waistband carry, the body of the holster sits below the belt line, so clothing only has to cover the grip. A well-built IWB holster at the appendix or strong-side hip “can stay hidden under nothing more than an untucked T-shirt”. Outside-the-waistband carry needs more: a high-ride OWB holster can be concealed under an untucked shirt worn with shorts, but our IWB vs OWB guide says hiding an OWB rig generally takes “a loose flannel shirt, a jacket or a hoodie”.
Which holsters work with shorts
IWB and appendix. IWB carry only requires that the waistband has enough room for the pistol and holster. Our IWB vs OWB guide recommends IWB “if you need the gun hidden under a T-shirt, carry in warm weather or at work”.
Comfort inside the waistband. The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop and angles the grip into your body for better concealment and comfort. Its fill is shredded cooling gel memory foam, and thickness is set by how much fill you use. Because the wedge “sits against your skin, it’s the part of your rig most exposed to sweat and oils,” our cleaning guide recommends cleaning it “once a month (or more often in hot climates or during heavy use),” hand washing the cover only, with the foam removed.
OWB. As above, a high-ride OWB can hide under an untucked shirt with shorts, but OWB generally needs heavier cover garments than IWB.
Pocket carry. Alien Gear notes that cargo shorts make pocket carry easy: put the pocket pistol in a pocket holster and place it in a cargo pocket. Our pocket holster guide says pocket carry “limits you to small, light guns,” carried “Front pocket, strong side, with nothing else in it,” and warns that “Tight or shallow pockets print or won’t work at all”. Our pocket pistol guide covers .380 ACP, .32 ACP and 9mm pocket pistols and .38 Special revolvers.
Belly band. For shorts without belt loops, a belly band “works with athletic wear, dresses and sleepwear” and needs “No belt or belt loops”. The trade-offs on the same page: it is hot and traps sweat, the draw is slower, reholstering often takes two hands, and the elastic wears out. Alien Gear’s gym guide says a belly band should be “Made of moisture-wicking, breathable fabric” and “Reinforced with structural elements (no floppy neoprene)”.
Ankle. Ankle holsters cannot be concealed in shorts.
Beltless shorts: gym shorts, swim trunks, drawstring waistbands
Gym shorts “lack the sturdy waistband found in traditional pants like jeans”, and “clipping a holster to flimsy gym fabric is asking for trouble”. Our running guide points to the belly band, because “it needs no belt, and it cinches down as tight as you want”. It names a chest holster under a loose shirt as the pick for trail runners. Sweat “contains corrosive substances like salts and lactic acid that can damage your gun’s finish,” so after exercising, wipe down the gun and holster with a clean cloth.
Should you carry a smaller gun in summer?
Some carriers “switch to a smaller pistol during the hot months,” and “Slim, single-stack pistols are easy to conceal”. For athletic wear specifically, “Compact or subcompact firearms” reduce “weight and bounce during cardio” and “bulk for low-profile concealment”. Whether you switch is your call.
Are dedicated concealed carry shorts worth it?
Purpose-built carry shorts exist. Alien Gear notes they “can allow for easier carry, but one will pay a premium”. Pew Pew Tactical’s review of one pair, the Arrowhead Tactical Carrier Shorts, reports an elastic waist with enough material built into the front that “they look more natural with a holster than without.” Its listed downside is that they are “Not as breathable as normal gym shorts,” and the reviewer found they “got pretty warm at times”.
What counts as concealed?
What counts as “concealed,” and what happens if a shirt rides up, is set by each state’s law. Our concealed carry laws guide covers federal rules and state basics.
Quick setup for shorts
- Shorts with belt loops.
- A 1.5″ reinforced gun belt, cut using Kore’s pant-size rule.
- An IWB or appendix holster with a Cloudster Pillow wedge for grip tuck and comfort.
- An untucked shirt in a darker, breathable fabric.
- No belt loops: belly band, or a pocket holster with a small pistol in cargo shorts.
Gear for carrying in shorts
- Cloudster Pillow holster wedge: mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop, angles the grip into your body, and has shredded cooling gel memory foam fill you can add or remove to set its thickness.
- Kore 1.5″ gun belts: ratchet gun belts that you cut to size.
- Magnetic pocket mag carrier: clips over the inside edge of a front or back pocket, with no belt and no holster modification. 9mm carrier: Fits most 9mm and .380 magazines. .45 ACP carrier: Fits .45 ACP 1911-style single-stack magazines.
Concealed Carry in Shorts: Questions People Ask
How do you conceal carry in shorts?
Alien Gear’s shorts guide says most shorts are “pants missing the lower half,” and that the top and the gun belt make the biggest difference in concealment. An IWB holster can stay hidden under “nothing more than an untucked T-shirt”.
Do you need a gun belt with shorts?
Yes, if the holster clips to the waistband. A drawstring “is not going to be sufficient”, and a stiff gun belt keeps the grip from rolling outward and printing against your shirt.
Which holsters work with shorts?
IWB and appendix with a belt; high-ride OWB under an untucked shirt; pocket holsters in cargo shorts with a small gun; belly bands for shorts with no belt loops. Ankle holsters do not conceal in shorts.
Should you carry a smaller gun in summer?
Some carriers switch to a smaller pistol in the hot months for easier concealment with fewer layers, and slim single-stack pistols are easy to conceal.
Are dedicated concealed carry shorts worth it?
They can make carry easier but cost a premium. One reviewed pair was less breathable than normal gym shorts and got warm at times.
Does the Cloudster Pillow get sweaty in summer?
It sits against your skin and is the part of the rig most exposed to sweat and oils, so clean it monthly, or more often in hot climates, hand washing the cover with the foam removed. The fill is shredded cooling gel memory foam in a soft fabric cover.
