SmartCarry first impressions

perception · April 5, 2005, 09:21 PM

Well, I received my SmartCarry holster the other day, and I thought I would give my first impressions.

It is the mediaum size holster, and It fits my sig 229 pretty well. It is very well made. It seems stable and secure, neither the holster or the gun has felt like it is moving around. Granted, I have not been that active while wearing it, but I would feel confident during more vigorous activities.

As far as comfort goes, once I found the best position, I barely notice I am wearing it. Sitting down was interesting the first time I wore it, but when I put it in the right spot it didnt bother me. It is very supportive of the gun, and I feel the weight of the gun less now than I did with my paddle holster.

Acccessibility of the gun is not too bad, overall. I dont think I would be more than a few fractions of a second slower than with the paddle holster, as I had to wear more clothing when carrying on my side to cover the bulge.

Carrying in the car however is not a high point. While it was not uncomfortabe, I don't think there is any way I could get to my gun quickly if I needed it. I would have to unbuckle my seatbelt and stand up as much as possible. Drawing while sitting is not too much of a problem as you can straighten your back, but in the confines of a car it would be much more difficult, especially if you wear a seatbelt.

As far as concealment goes, this holster is great. When I got it I put it on with a t-shirt and basketball shorts and couldn't see any signs of printing. The gun has a very wide grip and I dont have a body that supports concealment too well, so this was great. I cooked dinner for some friends that know I carry regularly the second day I had it. One of the girls said she looked to see if I had my gun when she came in, but didn't think so as I usually print pretty badly and she couldnt see anything.

Overall, I am very satisfied with this holster. It fits 85% of my needs perfectly. I would say this holster is ideal if you are going to be out and about, but is probably not the best option if your needs require a lot of sitting or driving. I recommend SmartCarry highly, it is a much better concealment option than anything I have tried before.

monco · April 6, 2005, 07:40 AM

How high do you wear yours? Where is the butt of your gun when carrying?

Boss Spearman · April 6, 2005, 08:50 AM

I've tried using one with an sp101. It isn't bad, but once in awhile the barrel pinches me when sitting or standing up.

perception · April 6, 2005, 05:32 PM

Yeah, thats why I titled it first impressions, I havent had it long enough to give a really good opinion on it.

As far as where I wear it, the butt of the gun is generally either just under the waistband or slightly below it. It really depends on what kind of pants I am wearing.

AttackTurtle · April 6, 2005, 05:44 PM

I use
http://www.thunderwear.com/
and I LOVE mine as a holster

It really is something you need to see to understand. The butt of my gun is also just below the waist or belt of my pants. You want to position the gun slightly off center of your body and if you do it right, there is NO bulge. It is very comfortable. The only time I feel disadvantaged is when I am in my car as it is not the fastest draw from a crouched sitting position. A plus for me is that it helps hold your shirt down when you have your shirt tucked in. (with or without a gun holstered)

perception · April 7, 2005, 03:14 PM

Yep, the thunderwear looks pretty much the same as the smart carry, it just looks like the thunderwear has two symmetrical pockets where the smartcarry has one large for the gun and a smaller one for a spare magazine.

AttackTurtle · April 7, 2005, 05:58 PM

hhmm,, (unzips pants) the right pocket is a little bigger on mine, still has the slope as smart carry. My girlfriends dad introduced me to thunderwear (durring that conversation all gun toting dads dream to have with new boyfriends) He has had his for years and swore by it.

I dont nor do I think I would ever use the 2nd pocket for anything. Speedloaders there WILL buldge. I dont think magazines would but It would not be a "quick" place to store it if you had to reload quikly. In most situations though, you probably wont need to and if you were in such a situation, I would hope you would find cover to do it where you could take some time anyway.

AustinMike · April 15, 2005, 08:36 AM

I've had my Smart Carry about a week now, here's my first thoughts. I got it to use with my Taurus PT-145. This is also the same size holster used for a J-frame, so that's another option for me. The PT-145, although it's one of the most compact .45's out there, feels like a brick. The blocky slide caused a lot of discomfort in IWB holsters I tried, so I was anxious to try the Smart Carry.

On my first attempt in the Smart Carry, I thought "this sucks!" The weight was resting on delicate parts and causing pinching when sitting down. Even more of a concern, I had the mag release button on the gun get tripped a couple times! I emailed Charlie at Smart Carry and he determined that I was wearing it too low for one and suggested tightening the straps. Second, I had the slide on the centerline of my body, when it should be the stitching line down the holster. The directions said to center the holster, but that's not quite right. So, I moved the holster slightly to my right, which runs the slide in the pocket between the bladder and top of the right inner thigh. Hmm...not bad, the weighted feeling is gone and the mag release is now in a pocket area where I don't think it can get hit by bending or anything. (Hey Taurus, a mag release should require some definite force to engage!!!) The gun conceals very well. The slide is invisible and there is only a bit of a bulge near the top of my jeans pocket. It doesn't present much of a problem for me since I usually don't tuck in my shirts. On some jeans, it can push the pocket lining out into visibility a little. Some larger jeans would correct this, I think.

Walking around is pretty comfortable, especially in comparison to IWB carry. Sitting down is something I'm still getting used to. The PT-145's trigger guard tends to stick me in the thigh when seated. I'm still experimenting, but what seems to help is when I go to sit down I can push on butt end of the grip a bit with my finger through the top of my pocket to tip the gun over a bit away from my thigh. When I stand back up, it seems to shift back on its own.

I tried carrying a 642 J-frame in the holster and over-all that feels better, except that the cylinder can dig into the bladder if not positioned just right. I think that this holster is going to work, at least for some purposes. I think it's going to be great for shorts. For jeans, I'm still debating whether I like this over a J-frame in a pocket holster. I'd like to have 11 rounds of .45 on me over 5 rounds of .38 special though! This thing takes some getting used to. In general, for me, I'd have to say that it initially seems to be more comforable than IWB carry and it's a LOT more concealed. With my build and the gun, I was having too many issues with printing and flashing with various shirts that I wear.

Drawing the gun is not bad with practice. The holster is snag proof, however, boxer shorts aren't as I found out. Boxer's are probably more comfortable with this holster, but you have to make sure they don't bunch up above the holster. Either that or have an under shirt tucked in between the boxers and holster. Briefs work fine too, but there could potentially be some rubbing of the straps in back, since they tend to ride up. Drawing while seated can be accomplished without too much contortion, except when in a car with a seat belt. Overall, I don't think this holster presents any more of a drawing challenge than does a pocket holster.

I don't yet feel comfortable wearing the Smart Carry to work, so I've been doing my testing in the mornings and evenings as I'm doing things around the house. Considering that I'm trying to hide a good size 2 lb. block on my body, I can't expect anything to be comfortable. Carrying anything is a tradeoff of security for comfort. Given the options so far, I think the Smart Carry is one of the more feasible solutions.

One other thing I'd point out is that although it's tough denim, the Smart Carry is still fabric and so it flexes around unlike a stiff holster. Now, the chances of a double action trigger getting pulled somehow would have to be slim to none. However, carrying a gun with a round in the chamber, I personally have more peace of mind having a safety mechanism. The PT-145 has both a long DAO trigger and external safety. I use my safety. I'd also feel OK with cocked-n-locked with a grip safety. Something like a Glock "safe trigger"...I dunno...

Charlie, the owner of Smart Carry, is a great guy. He stands behind his product and answers questions immediately. He offers a money back guarantee.

This is a little weird, but what the hell, I ain't modest. Here's some pics of my holster and how things look undercover.

http://www.austinmike.com/misc_pics/IMG_0029.JPG
http://www.austinmike.com/misc_pics/IMG_0030.JPG

rlp1970 · April 16, 2005, 12:01 AM

Well,
I just got mine in the mail yesterday. I am really just still trying to get used to it. I am new to concealment carry and have never carried before, so this holster is my very first holster ever. I have done quite a bit of research and seems to fit with my wardrobe. I am glad you guys posted this.
Thanks

April 5, 2005, 09:21 PM	#1
perception Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 421	SmartCarry first impressions Well, I received my SmartCarry holster the other day, and I thought I would give my first impressions. It is the mediaum size holster, and It fits my sig 229 pretty well. It is very well made. It seems stable and secure, neither the holster or the gun has felt like it is moving around. Granted, I have not been that active while wearing it, but I would feel confident during more vigorous activities. As far as comfort goes, once I found the best position, I barely notice I am wearing it. Sitting down was interesting the first time I wore it, but when I put it in the right spot it didnt bother me. It is very supportive of the gun, and I feel the weight of the gun less now than I did with my paddle holster. Acccessibility of the gun is not too bad, overall. I dont think I would be more than a few fractions of a second slower than with the paddle holster, as I had to wear more clothing when carrying on my side to cover the bulge. Carrying in the car however is not a high point. While it was not uncomfortabe, I don't think there is any way I could get to my gun quickly if I needed it. I would have to unbuckle my seatbelt and stand up as much as possible. Drawing while sitting is not too much of a problem as you can straighten your back, but in the confines of a car it would be much more difficult, especially if you wear a seatbelt. As far as concealment goes, this holster is great. When I got it I put it on with a t-shirt and basketball shorts and couldn't see any signs of printing. The gun has a very wide grip and I dont have a body that supports concealment too well, so this was great. I cooked dinner for some friends that know I carry regularly the second day I had it. One of the girls said she looked to see if I had my gun when she came in, but didn't think so as I usually print pretty badly and she couldnt see anything. Overall, I am very satisfied with this holster. It fits 85% of my needs perfectly. I would say this holster is ideal if you are going to be out and about, but is probably not the best option if your needs require a lot of sitting or driving. I recommend SmartCarry highly, it is a much better concealment option than anything I have tried before.

April 6, 2005, 05:44 PM	#5
AttackTurtle Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Location: Washington NJ Posts: 248	I use http://www.thunderwear.com/ and I LOVE mine as a holster It really is something you need to see to understand. The butt of my gun is also just below the waist or belt of my pants. You want to position the gun slightly off center of your body and if you do it right, there is NO bulge. It is very comfortable. The only time I feel disadvantaged is when I am in my car as it is not the fastest draw from a crouched sitting position. A plus for me is that it helps hold your shirt down when you have your shirt tucked in. (with or without a gun holstered) __________________ RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

April 7, 2005, 05:58 PM	#7
AttackTurtle Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Location: Washington NJ Posts: 248	hhmm,, (unzips pants) the right pocket is a little bigger on mine, still has the slope as smart carry. My girlfriends dad introduced me to thunderwear (durring that conversation all gun toting dads dream to have with new boyfriends) He has had his for years and swore by it. I dont nor do I think I would ever use the 2nd pocket for anything. Speedloaders there WILL buldge. I dont think magazines would but It would not be a "quick" place to store it if you had to reload quikly. In most situations though, you probably wont need to and if you were in such a situation, I would hope you would find cover to do it where you could take some time anyway. __________________ RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

April 15, 2005, 08:36 AM	#8
AustinMike Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 171	My first impressions I've had my Smart Carry about a week now, here's my first thoughts. I got it to use with my Taurus PT-145. This is also the same size holster used for a J-frame, so that's another option for me. The PT-145, although it's one of the most compact .45's out there, feels like a brick. The blocky slide caused a lot of discomfort in IWB holsters I tried, so I was anxious to try the Smart Carry. On my first attempt in the Smart Carry, I thought "this sucks!" The weight was resting on delicate parts and causing pinching when sitting down. Even more of a concern, I had the mag release button on the gun get tripped a couple times! I emailed Charlie at Smart Carry and he determined that I was wearing it too low for one and suggested tightening the straps. Second, I had the slide on the centerline of my body, when it should be the stitching line down the holster. The directions said to center the holster, but that's not quite right. So, I moved the holster slightly to my right, which runs the slide in the pocket between the bladder and top of the right inner thigh. Hmm...not bad, the weighted feeling is gone and the mag release is now in a pocket area where I don't think it can get hit by bending or anything. (Hey Taurus, a mag release should require some definite force to engage!!!) The gun conceals very well. The slide is invisible and there is only a bit of a bulge near the top of my jeans pocket. It doesn't present much of a problem for me since I usually don't tuck in my shirts. On some jeans, it can push the pocket lining out into visibility a little. Some larger jeans would correct this, I think. Walking around is pretty comfortable, especially in comparison to IWB carry. Sitting down is something I'm still getting used to. The PT-145's trigger guard tends to stick me in the thigh when seated. I'm still experimenting, but what seems to help is when I go to sit down I can push on butt end of the grip a bit with my finger through the top of my pocket to tip the gun over a bit away from my thigh. When I stand back up, it seems to shift back on its own. I tried carrying a 642 J-frame in the holster and over-all that feels better, except that the cylinder can dig into the bladder if not positioned just right. I think that this holster is going to work, at least for some purposes. I think it's going to be great for shorts. For jeans, I'm still debating whether I like this over a J-frame in a pocket holster. I'd like to have 11 rounds of .45 on me over 5 rounds of .38 special though! This thing takes some getting used to. In general, for me, I'd have to say that it initially seems to be more comforable than IWB carry and it's a LOT more concealed. With my build and the gun, I was having too many issues with printing and flashing with various shirts that I wear. Drawing the gun is not bad with practice. The holster is snag proof, however, boxer shorts aren't as I found out. Boxer's are probably more comfortable with this holster, but you have to make sure they don't bunch up above the holster. Either that or have an under shirt tucked in between the boxers and holster. Briefs work fine too, but there could potentially be some rubbing of the straps in back, since they tend to ride up. Drawing while seated can be accomplished without too much contortion, except when in a car with a seat belt. Overall, I don't think this holster presents any more of a drawing challenge than does a pocket holster. I don't yet feel comfortable wearing the Smart Carry to work, so I've been doing my testing in the mornings and evenings as I'm doing things around the house. Considering that I'm trying to hide a good size 2 lb. block on my body, I can't expect anything to be comfortable. Carrying anything is a tradeoff of security for comfort. Given the options so far, I think the Smart Carry is one of the more feasible solutions. One other thing I'd point out is that although it's tough denim, the Smart Carry is still fabric and so it flexes around unlike a stiff holster. Now, the chances of a double action trigger getting pulled somehow would have to be slim to none. However, carrying a gun with a round in the chamber, I personally have more peace of mind having a safety mechanism. The PT-145 has both a long DAO trigger and external safety. I use my safety. I'd also feel OK with cocked-n-locked with a grip safety. Something like a Glock "safe trigger"...I dunno... Charlie, the owner of Smart Carry, is a great guy. He stands behind his product and answers questions immediately. He offers a money back guarantee. This is a little weird, but what the hell, I ain't modest. Here's some pics of my holster and how things look undercover. http://www.austinmike.com/misc_pics/IMG_0029.JPG http://www.austinmike.com/misc_pics/IMG_0030.JPG

April 6, 2005, 07:40 AM	#2
monco Junior member Join Date: April 1, 2005 Posts: 29	How high do you wear yours? Where is the butt of your gun when carrying?

April 6, 2005, 08:50 AM	#3
Boss Spearman Registration in progress Join Date: March 23, 2005 Posts: 319	I've tried using one with an sp101. It isn't bad, but once in awhile the barrel pinches me when sitting or standing up.

April 6, 2005, 05:32 PM	#4
perception Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 421	Yeah, thats why I titled it first impressions, I havent had it long enough to give a really good opinion on it. As far as where I wear it, the butt of the gun is generally either just under the waistband or slightly below it. It really depends on what kind of pants I am wearing.

April 7, 2005, 03:14 PM	#6
perception Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 421	Yep, the thunderwear looks pretty much the same as the smart carry, it just looks like the thunderwear has two symmetrical pockets where the smartcarry has one large for the gun and a smaller one for a spare magazine.

April 16, 2005, 12:01 AM	#9
rlp1970 Junior Member Join Date: March 22, 2005 Posts: 13	Well, I just got mine in the mail yesterday. I am really just still trying to get used to it. I am new to concealment carry and have never carried before, so this holster is my very first holster ever. I have done quite a bit of research and seems to fit with my wardrobe. I am glad you guys posted this. Thanks