It’s summer and definitely hotter. I’ve switched to just a t-shirt only which means my IWB is right on my skin…G10 grips are great and grippy…and scratch the heck out of me when holstered.
What do you all use when carrying against skin? Is there a certain holster or a breathable fabric that can be placed between the holster and my skin that exists.
I’m pretty fond of Under Armour as a second skin as it wicks away sweat and such. There are many performance fabric shirts under various names but Under Armour worked well overseas and is the one I know. Just don’t sit too close to the camp fire.
I’m not above hiking my underwear up to fit under my holster. I’m also not above wearing an undershirt in the Summer; there are really cool fabrics that make this comfortable. And I also have a fabric holster that’s relatively comfortable against my skin.
But honestly, I tend to pocket carry in the Summer. I’m trading one pocket and a little bit of draw time for some comfort and extra concealment.
I live in summer 11 months out of the year. Very hot /humid. I use aggressive G-10 Grips as well. I never wear my weapon without a t-shirt. I will, in some cases wear t-shirt over another t-shirt or an extremely lightweight polo. There are some great cooling lightweight moisture wicking materials out there
Living in FL and being partial to kydex holsters, I had the issue with irritated skin with most holsters. Two things helped: 1) With previous holsters, I wore a light sweat wicking undershirt underneath everything; 2) I started using Alien Gear holsters which had the neoprene material which extends to the grip. I now just use that without the undershirt shirt.
I always wear a tank under my t-shirt. I have some longer ones that I really like. They keep the the gun & holster from being more of a burden. But, I have recently ordered one of the AlienGear holsters to see what the hype is all about. The neoprene backing is supposed to be much easier on the skin.
I recently got a Kimber 1911. The G10 type grips felt like cheese graters after a few mags. I sanded them down so they are not as rough, but still have plenty of ‘traction’. You might try another set of grips sanded down for summer carry.
I’ve been taking the scrapes (not recommending this) with my M&P 2.0 grip texture . In all seriousness though, it’s not usually a problem for me, but the other day, I was out longer than expected while also moving and it was bad, might start wearing tanks for long trips like suggested by @DLVick38, that’s a pretty affordable, light solution.
Thanks all for the great suggestions. A lot of good ideas I haven’t considered. It’s great we have this place to share experiences of firearms and gear.
If you go for the under shirt, thing… I used to spend a lot of time on the motorcycle from MN winter through summers with full leathers. IMO, the SmartWool T-shirts kept me cooler than Underarmour (or other polyester T-shirts). The SmartWool T-shirts I used could be machine washed and dried, but I didn’t wash them hot or dry them on hot. Additionally, at least back-in-the-day, I often found that Champion had inexpensive versions of UnderArmour and Nike sweat-wicking shirts that worked basically the same.
I have always been a “tank under the T” guy anyway. Even working out in the heat. No matter what, you’re gonna sweat. So having an under shirt at least puts that “wetness” to work. I know sounds gross but when that breeze picks up just a bit it sure feels good.
Scott, great question, I’ve struggled with the same. Even my neoprene backed holsters get slippery and nasty. The thing that has helped me more than anything is to wear a compression shirt under my t-shirts. Basically a tight fitting polyester/spandex shirt that wicks moisture away. So, I’m 54 and definitely cannot pull off the spandex look, however under a t-shirt nobody sees it, it removes moisture, keeps me cooler, and really helps keep my holster & firearm dryer.