Holsters and Gear Recommendations
Pocket Holsters: How to Choose One and Pocket Carry Safely
Quick answer: A pocket holster keeps a small pistol upright in your front pocket, covers the trigger guard, and breaks up the gun’s outline so it looks like a wallet or phone. A good one has a grippy outside or a hook so it stays in the pocket when you draw. Pocket carry works best with small, snag-free guns: micro .380s, some micro 9mms and small revolvers. Keep nothing else in that pocket, and practice drawing while standing and seated.
What Makes a Good Pocket Holster?
- Full trigger guard coverage. Keys, coins or fabric should never be able to reach the trigger. A minimal option is a trigger guard holster.
- It stays in the pocket on the draw. Tacky or textured outer material, or a hook or “catch” that snags the pocket edge, lets the gun come out while the holster stays behind.
- It hides the gun’s shape. A flat outer panel or a wider body makes the outline read as a wallet or phone instead of a pistol.
- It keeps the gun upright, grip up and slightly toward the pocket opening, so your hand finds the same grip every time.
- A fit for your gun. Molded Kydex pocket holsters are made for specific models; soft pocket holsters come in size ranges. Either way, check the maker’s fit list.
Pocket holster makers include DeSantis, Vedder (the Pocket Locker, a molded Kydex design) and Mission First Tactical, among others. We don’t make or sell holsters; these are simply names you’ll see in the top pocket holster results.
Which Guns Work for Pocket Carry?
Pocket carry limits you to small, light guns without much to snag on the way out. Common choices:
- Micro .380 pistols, such as the Ruger LCP MAX and similar pocket pistols (more in our .380 holster guide)
- Small revolvers (“snubbies”) with enclosed or shrouded hammers, which many pocket carriers prefer because nothing snags
- Some micro 9mm pistols, if your pockets are deep enough and the grip doesn’t print (for other ways to carry one, see our 9mm holster guide)
For specs on the most popular pocket guns side by side, see our best pocket pistol comparison.
One caution worth knowing: guns with a side magazine release or a manual safety can have those controls bumped as the gun moves around in your pocket, even inside a holster. Check your gun’s controls after carrying for a while, and choose a holster that covers them if you can.
Pocket Carry: Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Works with almost any outfit, including tucked-in shirts and dress clothes | Limits you to small guns with lower capacity |
| No belt or holster clip required | Slow and awkward to draw while seated, driving or moving |
| You can rest your hand on the gun without it looking like a draw | That pocket can’t hold anything else |
| Easy to carry a backup gun, or to reach a gun under winter layers | Tight or shallow pockets print or won’t work at all |
Many people use pocket carry as a second option: a waistband holster most days, and a pocket gun for the gym, formal clothes or a quick trip out. For every holster type side by side, see how to choose the best concealed carry holster.
How to Pocket Carry Safely
- Always use a holster. A bare gun in a pocket can shift, turn, and have something reach the trigger.
- Front pocket, strong side, with nothing else in it: no keys, no phone, no change.
- Load and unload the pocket with the gun already holstered. Put the holstered gun in your pocket, and take it out still in the holster.
- Draw with a full grip. Your hand goes in, gets a full firing grip, and the gun comes out while the holster stays put. If the holster comes out with the gun, strip it off with your support hand, never by grabbing near the trigger.
- Practice seated and in the car. That’s where pocket carry is slowest, so find out now how long it takes you. Dry-practice with an unloaded gun.
Pants and Pockets Matter
Pocket carry works best in pants with deep, reinforced front pockets and a little room in the thigh. Many jeans, chinos and work pants are fine; skinny or stretch fits usually aren’t. See our guide to the best concealed carry pants for men.
Carry a Spare Magazine in the Other Pocket
Pocket guns hold fewer rounds, so a spare magazine matters more, and your other front pocket is the natural place for it. That’s why we make the Magnetic Pocket Mag Carrier. It clips in your pocket and holds a 9mm or .45 ACP magazine (each in its own version) with two N52 magnets, so the mag stays upright and in the same spot every time you reach for it. It needs magazines with a steel body for the magnets to grab, so it won’t hold fully polymer mags. More in our pocket magazine holster guide.
When a Waistband Holster Is the Better Choice
If you want more capacity, a faster draw while seated, or a larger gun, an inside-the-waistband holster is usually the better daily choice. Start with our appendix carry holster guide or IWB holster guide. If an IWB holster digs in when you sit, our Cloudster Pillow (a soft, adjustable memory-foam wedge that velcros to the back of the holster) cushions the edge and tucks the grip in. To hide a waistband holster under light or fitted clothes, see our deep concealment holster guide.
Quick Answers
Do you need a holster to pocket carry?
Yes. A pocket holster covers the trigger, keeps the gun upright and in the same spot, and stops the outline from printing.
Front pocket or back pocket?
Most people carry in the front pocket. A back pocket is hard to reach, uncomfortable to sit on, and exposes the gun to anyone behind you.
What’s the best gun for pocket carry?
The smallest, lightest gun you can shoot well that has no snag points, typically a micro .380 or a small revolver (see our revolver holster guide). Micro 9mms work for some people with deeper pockets.
Does a pocket holster print?
Less than a bare gun. Holsters with a flat outer panel or a wider body make the shape look like a wallet or phone. Looser pants help the most.
Is pocket carry good for concealed carry every day?
It can be, especially if you dress up or can’t wear a belt holster at work. Most carriers pair it with a waistband holster for days when a bigger gun makes sense.
Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make holster wedges and the Magnetic Pocket Mag Carrier, and carry Kore gun belts. We don’t sell holsters or firearms, and no holster maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.
