IWB vs OWB Holsters: Concealment, Comfort and How to Choose

Quick answer: IWB vs OWB is a trade between concealment and comfort. An IWB (inside-the-waistband) holster rides inside your pants with only the grip and clip showing, so it hides under a T-shirt. An OWB (outside-the-waistband) holster rides on the belt outside your pants: nothing presses on your body and the draw is easier, but it needs a longer cover garment.

What Do IWB and OWB Mean?

The two terms describe where the holster sits relative to your belt line. For the other holster types, see our guide to types of holsters.

• IWB (inside the waistband): the holster sits between your body and your pants and clips or loops over the belt. Only the grip and the clip show above the belt.
• OWB (outside the waistband): the holster mounts to the belt on the outside of your pants, usually with belt loops or a paddle.
• Appendix (AIWB): appendix carry is IWB worn in front, roughly over the appendix and just to one side of the belt buckle. Our guide to choosing an AIWB holster covers that position.

IWB vs OWB at a Glance

Sources: holster makers Tagua Gunleather, Rounded Gear and Just In Case Holsters, and the USCCA’s IWB vs OWB guide.

Why Choose IWB?

In the IWB vs OWB choice, IWB is the concealment side. Because the body of the holster sits below the belt line, the only part clothing has to cover is the grip, and Tagua Gunleather notes a well-built IWB at the appendix or strong-side hip can stay hidden under nothing more than an untucked T-shirt. Many modern IWB holsters are also “tuckable”, so a shirt can be tucked over the grip, according to the USCCA. Rounded Gear adds that a gun tucked inside the waistband is harder for someone else to grab. For carrying so that nothing shows at all, see our deep concealment holster guide.

IWB also moves around the waist: appendix (front), strong-side hip (3 o’clock) or behind the hip (4 to 5 o’clock). Our page on concealed carry positions compares them.

The drawbacks of IWB:

• Pressure. A Kydex shell and metal clips sit against your skin or undershirt all day. Rounded Gear calls it “abrasive”; the USCCA says comfort varies by body type, clothing and gun size.
• Pants size. The holster takes up waistband room, so most carriers size up about an inch (Tagua) or buy pants one size larger (Rounded Gear).
• Draw speed. The gun sits deeper and usually under a closer garment, so the draw can be slightly slower than from OWB (Rounded Gear).

Why Choose OWB?

On the other side of IWB vs OWB, OWB is the comfort and access choice. With the holster outside the pants, nothing presses against your hip or stomach, the drawstroke is cleaner and reholstering is easier (Tagua Gunleather). The USCCA describes OWB as more visible without proper cover garments, but easier to access. Tagua sums it up: OWB shines anywhere concealment is secondary to comfort and speed. Our OWB holster guide covers concealing one.

The drawbacks of OWB:

• Cover garment. To hide an OWB rig you generally need a loose flannel shirt, a jacket or a hoodie (Rounded Gear).
• Stability. Without a quality gun belt, an OWB holster can lean away from the body, which is both uncomfortable and obvious (Rounded Gear).

How Can IWB Carry Feel Better?

Two IWB complaints come up in every IWB vs OWB guide above: the holster pressing into your body, and the grip tipping out and printing. Two add-ons address them.

• A claw pushes against the back of the belt and rotates the grip in toward your body for better concealment (Rounded Gear). It fixes printing, not pressure.
• A holster wedge is a pad on the back of the IWB holster that angles the grip into the body for both concealment and comfort. Our claw vs wedge vs pillow guide compares the three.

The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge is the soft version of that pad. It is filled with adjustable shredded cooling gel memory foam under a breathable fabric cover, so you can add or remove fill to set the thickness, and it attaches to the back of any IWB holster with hook-and-loop. Unlike a hard foam or plastic wedge, it conforms to both your body and the holster.

Two customers describe it in their reviews:

“I love the pillow. It is a simple yet brilliant concept that makes it very comfortable. … All day comfort is now a very real thing.” (Chris D., Georgetown, TX, Walther PDP Compact in an IWB holster)

“It comes with more than enough memory foam to get the perfect fit and it solves the printing issues without the discomfort.” (Joe P., AIWB holster)

Which size? Pick between two sizes for your setup:

• Subcompact and micro-compact pistols without a light or sidecar (Glock 43X, Glock 26, Sig P365, Hellcat, Shield Plus): Standard or Deluxe.
• Larger holsters, light-bearing setups or wider sidecars: Deluxe or Monster. (More on sidecar holsters.)
• Full-size pistols such as a Glock 17 or 1911: Deluxe or Monster. Keith, the founder, says that when he carries a Glock 17 or a 1911, “the monster is the only way that’s comfortable for me.”

For larger body frames we recommend sizing up: a larger pillow can always be made to feel smaller (take some fill out), but a smaller pillow can’t be made to feel bigger. The Cloudster Pillow size guide walks through it by gun, light and sidecar.

Does the Belt Matter for IWB and OWB?

Yes, for both sides of IWB vs OWB. Tagua Gunleather puts it plainly: neither style performs without a proper gun belt to anchor the holster and fight sag, and a good holster on a flimsy department-store belt will always feel worse than it should. Rounded Gear adds that on a weak belt an OWB holster leans away from the body.

The Kore gun belts we carry are 1.5″ wide and 5 mm thick, with a reinforced Power-Core center, and Kore rates them for up to 6 lb for IWB, OWB or appendix carry. There are no holes: a ratchet track gives over 40 quarter-inch positions, so you can tighten a notch when the holster goes on and let it out when you sit.

IWB or OWB: Which Should You Choose?

• Choose IWB if you need the gun hidden under a T-shirt, carry in warm weather or at work, and want the gun hidden most days. Pair it with a gun belt and a wedge if the holster presses or prints.
• Choose OWB if concealment is secondary for you, you wear a jacket or open over-shirt anyway, or you’re at the range or in a class.

Whichever you choose, the USCCA’s point stands: picking the holster matters, but mastering its use matters even more. Take a class and practice your draw safely.

IWB vs OWB: Questions People Ask

What does IWB mean on a holster?
Inside the waistband. The holster sits inside your pants, between your body and the waistband, and clips or loops over the belt.

Is IWB or OWB better for concealed carry?
IWB conceals better, because only the grip needs covering. OWB conceals only under a longer cover garment.

Is OWB more comfortable than IWB?
Usually, because nothing sits inside your pants. A holster wedge and a stiff gun belt close much of that gap for IWB.

Do you need bigger pants for IWB carry?
Often. Holster makers say most carriers go up about one inch, or one pant size.

Can you conceal an OWB holster?
Yes, with a longer cover garment such as an open flannel or a light jacket over a high-riding, canted OWB holster.

Is appendix carry IWB?
Yes. Appendix carry (AIWB) is IWB worn at the front of the waistband.

Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the Cloudster Pillow holster wedge and carry Kore gun belts. We don’t sell holsters or firearms, and no maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.