Home / Guides / IWB vs OWB Holster: Which One Should You Actually Carry?
Most guys buy their first holster on someone else's opinion, wear it for a week, and then buy a drawer full of replacements looking for the one that doesn't suck. The honest answer is that IWB and OWB aren't competing designs — they solve two different problems. Here's how to pick without wasting money.
| IWB (inside waistband) | OWB (outside waistband) | |
|---|---|---|
| Concealment | Excellent — the gun sits against your body | Requires a cover garment |
| Comfort | Needs a break-in period | Comfortable from day one |
| Draw speed | Slower, more deliberate | Faster, cleaner |
| Best for | Daily concealed carry | Open carry, cold weather, range days, duty |
| Body type | Slower for bigger builds at appendix/3 o'clock | Forgiving on any build |
The whole point of concealed carry is that nobody knows you're carrying. An IWB holster puts the gun between your body and your waistband, where the only thing standing between it and the outside world is your shirt. That's the most concealable real estate you have.
The tradeoff is comfort. A rigid holster pressing into your hip or thigh for ten hours takes getting used to. That's normal. Most of it comes down to three things: a holster that doesn't have sharp hardware poking you, a proper gun belt that actually holds weight, and wearing your pants one size up like an adult instead of pretending you're still 22.
OWB carry is faster, more comfortable, and easier to draw from under stress. If you're carrying where it's legal and expected — on a hunt, at the range, in a class, or in winter under a jacket — OWB is the better tool. It also works better for full-size pistols and for people with limited mobility or shoulder issues, because the draw stroke is shorter and further from the body.
Where a holster sits depends on your build, and this matters more than the brand you buy.
You'll spend more time frustrated by a bad belt than a bad holster. A flimsy dress belt will let any gun flop and sag, no matter how good the holster is. A proper gun belt — thick, stiff, and designed to carry weight — fixes 80% of "this holster is uncomfortable" complaints.
Second most important: retention. A holster should hold the gun firmly enough that you can turn it upside down and shake it without the gun falling out, but release cleanly on a proper draw. Anything with a thumb break you have to fight is a liability.
Yes — and this is where buying one good convertible holster beats buying two mediocre ones. A holster with an adjustable clip and cant can be worn inside the waistband for daily carry and outside the waistband for cold weather or range days. You get one system you trust, one draw stroke to train, and one set of retention behavior to learn.
The Original Badass Holster is built exactly that way: IWB or OWB, left- or right-hand, red-dot ready, and it fits over 90% of pistols so it survives your next gun purchase too.
Carry concealed daily? Buy IWB first. Carry openly or mostly in cold weather? Buy OWB first. Not sure? Buy one holster that does both and stop thinking about it. The best holster is the one you'll actually wear every day, and that's a comfort and discipline question more than a design one.
No. Both are safe with a rigid holster that fully covers the trigger guard. The risk with any carry method is a holster that lets something into the trigger area, so check that yours covers the guard completely.
A convertible IWB/OWB holster covers both. Many people run IWB in summer with a t-shirt and switch the same holster to OWB in winter under a jacket or hoodie.
OWB is generally faster because the draw stroke is shorter and unobstructed. IWB requires clearing the garment and pulling the gun tighter against the body. Practice beats design — a trained IWB draw is faster than an untrained OWB one.
Over time, a metal clip will wear on the waistband. Going up one pant size reduces the pressure and the wear dramatically. Leather-lined clips or belt-loop attachments reduce it further.
Veteran-owned. IWB or OWB, left or right hand, red-dot ready. $98.99 with a fit guarantee.
Shop the Original Holster — $98.99