The jacket you choose for concealed carry should have two primary functions – to keep you warm and to conceal your gun. The first is obvious, but the second is a bit more complicated.
A few important things to consider when looking for a concealed carry jacket include a sleeve that won’t get in the way of your holster, a textured fabric to break up bulges, and snaps instead of zippers to help you draw faster.
Lightweight
Concealed carry jackets look like regular clothing, so they can be worn by people who don’t wear tactical gear. They’re designed to be comfortable and resistant to the elements. They have holster pockets large enough for a gun ambidextrous pocket holsters and plenty of other storage for a phone, wallet, gun cleaning kit, etc.
The fabric of a concealed-carry jacket needs to be thick enough to keep you warm, but it also needs to breathe so that you don’t get stifling hot. It should also be durable, holding up to repeated use and resisting stains.
Finally, it should have features that make it easy to draw your gun if you need to.
Durable
A concealed carry jacket should do two things: keep you warm and conceal your gun. This requires zippers that don’t snag on anything you wear or carry (like your pocket knife, car keys, and other miscellaneous bibs and bobs).
Luckily, concealment jackets are made to look like regular clothing.
Look for water-resistant jackets, too. They’ll be able to beat back the harshest rainstorms while keeping you dry inside.
Water-resistant
Concealed carry jackets should function well as everyday wear and handle the weight of a firearm and additional gear in a survival scenario. They should also resist water penetration, repelling snow or raindrops while keeping the wearer dry.
A decent CCW jacket will dry indoors in less than 3 hours and may have an exterior treatment coating to help water bead on contact rather than absorb directly into the fabric.
Another benefit of concealed carry jackets is that they are designed to look just like a regular coat from far away. This helps the wearer blend in and avoid unwanted attention from suspicious people. These jackets often have adjustable cuffs to prevent the sleeves from interfering with the gun draw and a pocket that can competently conceal a firearm.
Breathable
A concealment jacket should keep you warm while providing easy access to your firearm. It should fit comfortably and match your body proportions so that you can draw quickly. It should also have smooth zippers to ensure lightning-fast access.
Moreover, the jacket’s pockets are large enough to accommodate your gun, ambidextrous pocket holsters, and other accessories. This enables you to carry your sidearm without worrying about repositioning it whenever you need to pull it out. The pockets are also breathable to prevent sweating when wearing the jacket for long periods.
Resilient
Whether working outdoors clearing the snow off your car or climbing a ladder to work on your roof, a concealment jacket will protect you from harsh weather elements while keeping your sidearm accessible. Look for concealed carry jackets made from materials resilient against abrasions, punctures, and tearing.
Look for a jacket that looks like your casual outerwear and won’t stand out from the crowd so that it can be worn in various settings and occasions.
