Most belly band holsters are an elastic tube with a pocket, and most of them are dangerous: nothing covers the trigger, nothing retains the gun, and the pistol rotates in the pouch until the grip is wherever it wants to be. Men buy them anyway, for gym shorts, sweatpants, scrubs, and running, because there is no belt to clip a holster to. This guide covers the belly band we sell, which solves the trigger problem by using a real kydex holster, and how to wear it.
What a belly band has to do
- Cover the trigger with something rigid. Elastic is not rigid. A holster is.
- Hold the gun in one orientation. The grip has to be where your hand goes, every time.
- Not move. The band has to grip skin or an undershirt without a belt, and stay put when you sit and stand.
- Reholster safely. With a rigid mouth. An elastic pouch collapses and you end up fishing with the muzzle.
The belly band we sell
STRAPT-TAC Belly Band
The STRAPT-TAC is a belly band that does not try to be a holster. It is an elastic band with a hook-and-loop panel that accepts your own molded IWB kydex holster, so the gun gets real retention and a fully covered trigger instead of an elastic pouch. It fits full-size, compact and subcompact pistols, comes in a holster-position style and an appendix-rig style, in three waist sizes from 23 to 48 inches, and ships with a universal magazine and tool sheath. $34.99; kydex holster sold separately.
Pair it with the molded holster for your gun: Glock 19, Sig P365, or any of the IWB holsters we make. Every Clip & Carry IWB holster is molded in .08-inch kydex to one gun with no excess material, so it seats with an audible click, has a full-length sweat shield and folded edges, a belt clip that cants 20 degrees either way, adjustable retention screws whose spacing accepts a claw, and comes right- or left-handed. Handmade in the U.S.A. by a military veteran, lifetime guarantee, $44.99.
How to wear it
Position
Appendix or 3 o'clock, same as a belt holster, with the band riding at the waistband line of the shorts. For running, appendix with the holster style keeps the gun from bouncing; the band is snug enough that it does not move.
Over or under a shirt
Under an undershirt, over the skin, is the most stable. Over an undershirt is more comfortable in heat and works with the band snug.
Sizing
Measure your waist where the band will sit, not your pants size. XS-Med is 23 to 30 inches, L-XL is 30 to 36, 2XL-3XL is 36 to 48, and the belt extender adds up to 18 inches beyond that.
The trigger-coverage test (do this before you carry)
Put the gun in the band the way you will wear it, then press a finger into the fabric over the trigger from the outside. If you can feel the trigger move, the band does not protect it and nothing about elastic or a strap changes that. This is the difference between a belly band with a pouch and one that holds a rigid kydex holster: in the STRAPT-TAC the trigger is covered by molded kydex and the gun clicks in, so it passes the test the way a belt holster does. Two more forum-tested checks: turn the band upside down and shake it (the holster should hold the gun), and draw through the shirt you will actually wear, ten times, to see whether the band moves when you pull.
Clip & Carry
The belly band that holds a real kydex holster
STRAPT-TAC: your IWB holster clicks into the band, so the trigger stays behind hard kydex. Made in the USA, 4.9 stars, $34.99.
See how it worksFrequently asked questions
Is a belly band holster safe?
A belly band with an elastic pocket is not. One that holds a rigid kydex holster covers the trigger and retains the gun, which is the point of the STRAPT-TAC.
Does the STRAPT-TAC come with a holster?
No. It accepts the Clip & Carry IWB holster for your gun, sold separately.
Can I run with it?
Yes. The holster keeps the gun from rotating and the band keeps it from bouncing.
Will it work with a full-size pistol?
Yes. The panel accepts holsters for full-size, compact and subcompact guns.
Can I carry a spare magazine?
Yes. Each band ships with a universal magazine sheath.
The bottom line
The STRAPT-TAC is the belly band for anyone who has read enough about elastic pouches to be worried. Buy the band, buy the holster for your gun, and carry in gym shorts with a covered trigger.
Related reading
Beltless concealed carry: every option
Best belly band holster for big guys
What makes a good concealed carry holster
