11 Things to Consider for Everyday Concealed Carry

The beginning of a year is a time when a lot of people reflect on the previous year and think about what they want to accomplish in the coming year. This means that many people change their routines to reflect these new goals. Perhaps your goal for the new year is to get your concealed carry permit or fit concealed carrying into your daily routine. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Building a habit and routine takes time, but once you become consistent with it you will eventually not have to think about it. Beyond your morning and nighttime routines, there are other aspects of your daily life that can be affected by concealed carrying. How do you conceal carry when you go to work or out to eat with your family?

There are a lot of things to consider when you make the decision to conceal carry. But don’t worry, we aren’t going to leave you in the dark. We’ve gathered some information to help answer your questions. So here are 11 things to consider for everyday concealed carry.

Factoring Concealed Carry Into Your Morning Routine

Every person has their own method of waking up and getting themselves ready for the day ahead. For some people that may take 15 minutes and others may take longer. When adding concealed carry to your daily routine, there are a few additional steps you will probably take each morning.

As you are getting dressed in the morning you may find yourself paying more attention to what you wear. Typically darker colors and looser clothing is going to be better for concealing your weapon, and you may need to make sure your pants aren’t too tight for maximum comfort throughout the day. If you need more tips on clothing to wear while concealed carrying you can check out our article here.

Once you are at the point in your routine where you are ready to put on your carry system, you’ll want to make sure you have a sturdy gun belt and good holster to keep your weapon secure throughout the day. Both our Vedder V3 Gun Belt and our LightTuck™ IWB holster are great options for your carry setup. A typical belt is not going to be strong enough to support the weight of your gun and holster, that is why a gun belt is a vital part of your EDC setup.

Adding a few seconds or minutes to your morning routine to take your gun from its secure location, put on your gun belt, place your holster and gun on your waist along with any other accessories you want to carry could be the difference between life and death.

Factoring Concealed Carry Into Your Nighttime Routine

Just like with morning routines, everyone has their own routine when they get home and are getting settled for the night. Some people prefer to get comfortable as soon as they get home so they are pretty quick to remove their carry rig and maybe slip into some sweatpants. Other people prefer to wait and keep their carry system on until they are getting ready for bed. Ultimately when you choose to remove your gun and holster is your decision.

If you are someone who likes to get comfortable as soon as you get home you may value a gun belt that can be removed quickly. Our V3 Gun Belt might be just what you need, it uses a hook style buckle that makes it easy to take off and put on but stays secure all day.

It’s important to remember for both your morning and nighttime routines you’ll want to keep your gun in a secure location when it’s not on your person, especially if you have small children. Once you figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle, you can make your routine a habit and carrying will become second nature.

Can You Conceal Carry At Work?

If you aren’t someone who is able to work from home and you have to travel to an office to work each day you may be wondering if you can conceal carry at work. Unfortunately there is no straightforward answer, most of the time it’s up to your employer, the exception is if you work somewhere you are legally not allowed to carry. These are places like government buildings, unless you are law enforcement, and schools.

To find out if your company allows employees to conceal carry at work you can check your employee handbook or ask management. If they don’t allow you to carry you may choose to keep your gun in the car while you are at work and continue to carry once you leave. Just check your local and state laws for any restrictions on carrying at the workplace or leaving your gun in the car on the premises.

Some jobs require you to wear business casual or business professional clothing. If this sounds like your job, you could benefit from a tuckable holster. These types of holsters allow you to still tuck your shirt in over the holster for concealed carry making them perfect for dressing up. All of our IWB holsters are tuckable and you can check them out here.

So, if you aren’t sure if you can conceal carry at work it is best to check your handbook or ask management.

What should you do with your gun while you’re at the gym?

Going to the gym may be a part of your daily or weekly routine, so you are probably wondering if you can conceal carry at the gym? The answer is most likely yes. Many times it is up to a business to allow firearms on their premises or not so it's important to check with your gym or wherever you workout along with any state or federal laws.

What type of clothes do you wear while you work out? Many people will choose to wear athletic clothing which isn't ideal for concealed carrying. Depending on the type of exercise you will be doing you might be able to wear your belt and holster if your pants have belt loops. If not there are a few other ways you can carry your firearm with you to the gym.

One option is to use a fanny pack. This could be a fanny pack made for carrying guns or one that you securely place your gun and holster into. A fanny pack keeps your gun on you throughout your gym session while still allowing you to be comfortable and move around.

A second option is to place your gun in a locker while you work out. Many gyms have designated lockers or ones you can place your own lock on to store your belongings while you are in the facility. Using a locker lets you keep your concealed carry gun on you until you work out and allows you to immediately resume carrying when you are finished with your workout.

Can You Conceal Carry While Driving?

Absolutely. Many people commute to work by car, have to pick up their kids from school, or need to run errands during the day. If you conceal carry you may be wondering how that fits in with when you are driving. While it may seem complicated, there are a few ways you can conceal carry while driving.

The main way is to keep it in the same position you normally carry in, you don’t have to move your gun and holster at all. Most carry positions can still be accessed while driving and with the right holster will be comfortable. Alternatively, if that position isn’t working for you to drive in you can slide your gun and holster into a different position before you begin driving.

Another option for concealed carrying your gun while you drive is keeping it in a small safe or in the glove box while you are commuting. Having a small safe in the car can also be beneficial if you need to leave your gun in the car for any reason, which we have mentioned but will talk about more later on too.

Beyond these there are a few other things you can consider to make concealed carrying while driving meet your needs. You can read about them here in our article “How to Comfortably Conceal Carry While Sitting For Long Periods of Time”.

How Do You Use The Bathroom While Concealed Carrying?

You never know when nature is going to call. So, what do you do if you are concealed carrying and need to use the bathroom? We know this is a weird thing to mention and possibly something you didn’t think about, but conceal carrying can change how you use the bathroom.

Here are a few tips for going to the bathroom while concealed carrying. Try to find a bathroom meant for one person at a time. This will make it easier to get in and take care of business without worrying about someone seeing your gun. If you do have to use a bathroom with stalls pick one with a wall on one side to limit the angles someone could see your gun from.

Be careful when you are pulling your pants up and down, as you have extra weight on your waistband. Also be mindful of where your barrel is aiming. It's always important to practice gun safety and muzzle awareness. Once you are seated you may choose to place your gun between your legs, resting in your pants, or just leaving it in the holster.

If you choose to remove your gun while using the bathroom we recommend removing both your gun and holster. Leaving your gun in the holster can help prevent a negligent discharge, especially if you are using a Vedder Holster since all our holsters fully protect the trigger guard.

Some people choose to take off their gun and holster while they are using the bathroom. These people might place it on the back of the toilet or on top of the toilet paper dispenser. If you choose to do this make sure to not forget your gun when you go to leave.

Something that can help not only when you are concealed carrying but especially when you are using the bathroom while carrying is having a holster with good retention. All of our holsters are custom made to fit your gun and holsters like our LightTuck™ have adjustable retention.

Can You Conceal Carry At Restaurants?

Whether you are going out to dinner on a date or with your family you may be wondering if you can conceal carry in a restaurant. Well, you absolutely can but you may not be able to sit in a certain section of the restaurant.

You are probably confused so let’s clarify. As you most likely are aware, each state has different laws regarding concealed carry beyond the ones set in place by the federal government. Some states do not allow you to conceal carry in a bar and others don’t allow you to carry while drinking alcohol.

What does this mean for restaurants though? Some restaurants like Chili’s and Applebee’s have a bar section of their restaurant. This section is typically labeled as a bar because it’s purpose is to serve alcohol rather than food like the rest of the restaurant. If the restaurant you are going to has a section like this and your state does not allow concealed carry in a bar then you will want to request not to be seated in that section.

So, most of the time yes you can conceal carry at restaurants but check your state laws before sitting in a section that may be considered a bar.

How Does Conceal Carry Affect Nightlife?

Are you someone who likes to go out on the weekends with friends? You may want to consider how that affects your choice to conceal carry when you go out. As we just mentioned in reference to concealed carry in restaurants, some states have restrictions regarding carrying in a bar and consuming alcohol while carrying.

If you live in a state that has a restriction on carrying in a bar you may want to consider leaving your gun at home or in a small safe in your car. If you are not subject to any restrictions on carrying in a bar but there is a restriction on consuming alcohol while carrying you’ll have to choose between carrying or having a few beers.

Can You Conceal Carry While Traveling?

Whether you frequently travel for business or leisure you may be wondering if you can travel with your concealed carry weapon. The answer is yes but it is a little bit more complicated than that. Traveling with your gun will be different depending on whether you are flying or driving.

If you are traveling by car you have a few options for how to carry your gun with you. You can conceal carry it on your body or place it in a secure location inside the car while you travel. If you are traveling by plane you can check your firearm as baggage given you follow the rules provided by the TSA. For more information about traveling by plane with a gun, you can check out the article here.

The most important thing to consider when dealing with concealed carry and travel is reciprocity between states. Certain states have reciprocity agreements meaning they will honor an out of state concealed carry permit. Before traveling you’ll want to check the laws of each state you will be in to see if you can conceal carry in them.

Does Conceal Carry Affect Running Errands?

It can but the majority of the time it will not have an affect on you running errands. During the week you may find yourself visiting the grocery store, a department store, or the doctor. These are all places where you can conceal carry. Although you may want to think about what doctor you are visiting before you conceal carry into your appointment.

Even though you will not have any issues at the grocery store there are other places you might not be allowed to conceal carry in. For example, if you need to pay a speeding ticket at the courthouse you will want to remove your concealed carry weapon before you go inside. Whether you have a concealed carry permit or not weapons are not allowed inside government buildings. You may not think about it but this includes the post office.

What if you want to go have lunch with your son or daughter at school, can you conceal carry on school property? No, typically schools will have signs stating they are a gun free zone. If you aren’t sure whether you can carry somewhere it is best to check federal, state, and local laws before you end up in trouble.

Can You Conceal Carry At Church?

Potentially, it depends on if the church allows you to carry on their property and what your state laws say about concealed carrying in a church. Some states don’t allow guns to be carried onto church property whereas others have no restrictions on carrying in a church.

So, first you’ll want to check your state’s laws to make sure there are no restrictions on carrying in a church. If your state allows concealed carry inside a church you’ll next want to check with your church to make sure they allow firearms on the premises. Something to think about is if your church has a daycare they may be considered a school which could have different rules depending on your state.

Most likely when you go to church you wear nicer clothes similar to what you would wear in a typical office. If you are able to concealed carry in your church this means a tuckable holster might prove beneficial for you. All of our IWB holsters use a tuckable clip that is perfect for those days you need to dress up, like church on sunday mornings. For more tips on how to conceal carry while dressed fancy you can check out our article here.

Summary

Let’s review some of the important information. Concealed carrying can easily fit into your daily life, you might just have to make a few slight adjustments.

First and foremost make sure you know your state and local laws so you don’t risk losing your permit or worse. It’s important to have a secure place to store your firearm when you are not carrying. A good holster and gun belt can go a long way in keeping your gun on your person throughout the day. And most importantly, remember to always practice good gun safety.

If you are looking for belts or holsters we recommend visiting our Vedder Holsters website for all of our belt and holster options and for more information to help you choose the carry system that works best for you. Like everything we sell, our gun belts are covered by a Lifetime Warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee.

Looking for items beyond holsters and belts? Check out our Resources Page for popular product links like lights, laser, first aid, maintenance, and more. You can check out our video on everyday concealed carry tips down below.