Paddle Holsters for Concealed Carry?

Unlike many gun holsters on the market, paddle holsters offer one of the quickest way to put or take a holster off. Depending on your needs, a paddle holster can be a lifesaver if you are in a position where you constantly have to take your holster on and off.

While I like paddle holsters for some uses, I don't think they make a good choice for concealed carry. Here's why:

Although most paddle holsters offer a fairly stable platform for drawing a weapon, they aren't near as stable as a holster mounted to a belt. Even the best made paddle holster models suffer from an issue with shifting and other movements on the belt. In my opinion, the problem is even worse during a draw as the holster usually moves in an upward motion.

My single biggest issue related to stability with paddle centers around the fact that the paddle could actually slide out of the waistband during a draw. While this doesn't really seem possible, rest assured, it can happen. I actaully saw it occur during an IDPA match where the shooter was using a Safariland paddle holster. As he went trough the stage, he was in the act of drawing when the paddle disengaged and the holster came out with the gun during the draw. Obviously, he was disqualified, but what if this had been an actual encounter on the street? Drawing a holstered weapon where you can't reach the trigger to fire isn't a good option.

Aside from the stability and retention issues, paddle holsters don't seem to conceal near as well as most other holsters. I suspect that it comes from the design as the weapon rides much farther away from the body when compared to a traditional belt holster. I've tried a number of different paddle holster models, and never could find one that even came remotely close to concealing all that well.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like paddle holsters for certain applications like:

• General range use
• Hunting - I wear one hunting all the time
• Off and on situations

I just don't think they are a very good choice for concealed carry.