One Year of Concealed Carry

I can't believe I almost missed this, but about two weeks ago was my one-year anniversary of getting my concealed carry permit.

Since that time, I have carried for about 8-12 hours a day, every day.  I started carrying at home before I got the permit in order to accustom myself to the weight on my hip, so that when I carried in public I wouldn't be fidgeting and walking funny. After that, I got used to the weight and just kept carrying because it felt good.

"Felt good" in more ways that one:  there is also a health benefit to carrying. You see, I like to sleep on my left side, and as a result my right hip is usually cocked upward. This mis-aligns my pelvis and gives me posture problems. However, after I started carrying my chiropractor noted that my pelvis was doing much better. More importantly, I felt better. It turns out that a loaded Glock 26 weighs just enough to gradually pull my right hip down into position!

Carrying a pistol gives me peace of mind and chiropractic relief. What's not to love?

Anyway, here are some pictures of my carry rig after a full year of use.

My knife, Tamara, and my Glock, Oleg. Both belt and holster are made by Michael's Custom Holsters, and they're holding up exceptionally well after a year of constant use. You may notice that the belt is slightly warped, but that's to be expected; it has nicely molded itself to my contours and is now very comfortable to wear.

The reverse is a little schmutzy from constantly being worn against my skin (I bathe regularly, honest!) but other than that it's also in fine shape. 

The suede lining has gotten a bit crushed from constantly being on my hip, but other than appearance it's still fine. No wearing, no tearing, no coming unglued, and is still comfortable to wear in the Florida heat & humidity.

This is about the worst thing I can say about the holster:  One day while I was driving to Orlando, the seatbelt buckle (which normally sits at about belt level) managed to work its way underneath and rub away some of the design. Naturally, I was heartbroken about this, but I recall Michael telling me that he wasn't sure how long the design would last because he'd never made anything like this before.  Aesthetics aside, there is nothing wrong with the holster; the buckle just wore away the color and design but didn't damage the actual leather at all.


So there you have it:  after a full year of carrying concealed, my holster shows some wear, my belt is a bit warped, and my hips have better alignment.*

* True Neutral, as opposed to their previous Chaotic Evil.