Concealed carry is becoming more and more popular with everyday citizens but how do you want to comfortably carry and adequately conceal your handgun? Body type, build, style of dress, lifestyle, location, temperature changes, preferences for where on your body you want to carry, etc. can often dictate where you can and cannot place your handgun on your person and let’s face it, some types of carry are certainly more comfortable and more concealable than others.
One unique method of concealed carry on the market today is the integration of a holster into the clothing for your firearm. So what type of concealed carry will work for you in your environment? How about a Tee-shirt? If this option interests you consider the Men’s Packin’ Tee by Ridge Footwear.
Over the past month I have extensively tested this Tee-shirt in a variety conditions and I must say this is one tough Tee-shirt.
The Men’s Packin’ Tee crew neck black Tee-Shirt, holster pouch, and magazine pouch arrived in a nicely packaged small box along with a catalog of other products made by Ridge footwear.
TECH SPECS as advertised
- 100% Pre Shrunk Cotton
- Compression Fit
- Extended Length
- Holster placement on left side, right side or both
- Reinforced mounting pads, shoulder and arm holes to prevent sagging
- Commercial-grade hook & loop attachment pads for ease of switching accessories and making subtle fit adjustments
- 5 types of pouches are available: Small or Large holster (left or right draw), a Universal holster, a Accessory pouch for (cell phones, passports, badges, etc.), and extra Magazine pouches
- Color Choices: white or black
I extensively tested this concealed carry shirt over four weekends wearing it in a variety of different conditions. Surprisingly the shirt was quite comfortable to wear and did not restrict any of my movements. I found the shirt to be versatile and easily adaptable to left or right hand draw and the different pouches provided easily carried a large or small firearm. The reinforced mounting pads in shoulders did prevent sagging and I was surprised to find that the hook & loop attachment pads held up well and allowed me to easily make slight adjustments to any of the 5 types of pouches provided. Under all conditions when wearing just the Packin’Tee I was able to draw my weapon and engage the target.
Initially I wore just the tee-shirt, but what if weather conditions or other factors required me to wear some type of shirt or clothing over the Packin’Tee? How would the shirt perform? I called this “deep concealment” because the Packin’Tee was now worn under a shirt or jacket. The deep concealment method sacrifices the speed of the draw for concealment and comfort. Generally I found that after some practice I could get to the gun but it was obviously slower than just wearing the Packin’ Tee and the speed was dependent on the type of over garment I was wearing. When I wore a button up shirt the fastest way to access the firearm would obviously be to pull the buttons away to access the firearm or reach under the shirt or from the top of the shirt to access the gun. If I wore a sweat shirt I generally accessed the weapon by reaching under the shirt. If I wore a zippered jacket, depending on fit, I generally accessed the weapon by reaching under the jacket. All of these methods presented different challenges and compromised the speed of the draw.
Summary
The Packin’Tee is one additional method of concealed carry I recommend you add to your kit. You can easily wear this shirt in the late spring, summer, or early fall; and you can always wear additional clothing over the Packin’Tee for added comfort and concealment. $43.00–$64.00
- PRODUCT SCORES
Functionality: 3/5
Weight: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Cost: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5 - PROS & CONS
Pros
Excellent comfort and concealment
Lightweight and versatile
Quick drying
Durable
Cons
If you wear clothing over the Packin’Tee you compromise the speed of the draw
Material Disclosure
I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
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