If you look on YouTube these days, you find a lot of articles about appendix carry. Some people love it and others do not, but lately it appears that the scale is falling more on the positive side. I am left-handed and have been carrying my handgun in the 8 o’clock for the last 15 years. Some days it feels good and other days its very uncomfortable. So I thought I might try something different.
Why Do Some People Dislike Appendix Carry?
For those of you that may not know, appendix carry is in the 11:00 to 1:00 position, right where your belt buckle would be. That poses a problem for some guys that do not like the idea of having a loaded gun pointing at their crotch. Especially handguns that do not have an external safety. Whether your gun points at your crotch, or some place on your leg or your femoral artery, those are areas that you don’t want a bullet to enter. Others object to the fact that it is uncomfortable to sit wearing a handgun in the appendix position. And finally is seems that appendix carry does not work with all body types.
Why Do Some People Like Appendix Carry?
Those people that favor appendix carry will say that it offers good concealment, as it is in an area that most people do not readily check out on a regular basis. It has also been documented that appendix carry brings about very fast presentation. Also with a good holster and the right body type it can be every bit as comfortable as other carry options.
What Gear Do You Need When Carrying Appendix?
When I speak of appendix carry I am definately not talking about sliding your handgun down the front of your pants. There is some special gear that is necessary to make it safe and effective. 1) A good holster is a necessity, it needs to fit your handgun securely, have a slim design, it needs to have a neutral cant, and a secure belt attachment. 2) A wing or claw of some sort that helps to push the gun butt into your body for better concealment. 3) Some people like to have a wedge that also pushes the gun barrel away from your leg which also pushes the gun butt into your waist. 4) A belt that has a small buckle that can be turned to the side so it does not get in the way of your holster. Now put that all together and you are ready to carry appendix.
My Appendix Carry Gear
Since holsters are one of the most important pieces of equipment, I got two custom made appendix holsters. One made by 
Tier One Concealment which is a holster and magazine holder combined. These two are joined together using stretch cord which makes it flex with my movements. They make it fit your gun perfectly thus giving it that “snap” fit and it has a neutral cant. It also has a double belt attachment that snaps on your belt to let it ride securely on your belt. It also has a claw which fits against your belt thus pushing the gun butt in toward your side. This is a great idea having everything connected together
The other one is made by 
Muddy Rivers Tactical where the holster and magazine holder is separate. Muddy Rivers Tactical has to have the fastest turn around time of any holster company I have ever used. My order was delivered to me in one week – now that’s fast! This holster fit my Glock 30 perfectly, the cant is adjustable and it has my favorite belt loops for attachment to my belt. The magazine holder fits my 45 auto magazine very securely too and it also has belt loops for a secure attachment.
The belt that I use when I carry appendix is made by 
Blue Alpha Gear, its the Cobra EDC belt. For being a nylon belt, it is extremely ridgid and holds it’s shape very well. It is very easy to adjust the fit and it has a Cobra buckle that snaps together very well. The nice thing about this belt is it slides to the side very easy thus keeping the buckle out of the way of your holster. No matter what holster I wear it works well with this belt.
Final Thoughts About Appendix Carry?
So what is my true feeling about appendix carry? I really like the idea of this method of carry, the quickness of draw, the great holsters, the fantastic belt, all that works well. My problem is my body type, I am not thin, I am carrying about 25 pounds more than I should. So I have a gut and a pouch below my belt. When I put all my gear together the gun felt good but the butt of the gun would not conceal very well. It tips outward, not inward. So I am not sure that appendix carry will work for me.
Those that seem the most excited about appendix carry are of thin built, where they do not have uneven contours in their body type. I have seen overweight people talk about wearing their handguns in the appendix position and they feel good about it.
Am I done wearing appendix – NO! But I may need to loose some weight before I can carry appendix effectively. Or maybe I need get a different holster to fit my body type. But one day I will carry in the appendix position, just not right now.
If you have any questions about this post or anything else related to Everyday Carry (EDC), feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you.
All the best,
Larry
Founder of EDC Essentials