With the equivalent of two shoulder holsters this shirt provides you with great functionality at a very reasonable price. Its versatility and durability make this shirt an absolute necessity for any police officer who is considering concealed carry. It is also a great value as a work out shirt because of the storage compartments for your workout necessities.
W**R
Great Shirt!
Whether you're going to use it for Concealed Carry, workout shirt, or just as a comfortable undershirt, this is really the perfect product. Obviously, compression shirts are a little expensive, but for the price, it seems really high quality. I was very excited to try on this shirt. I usually wear a 2XLT (I'm a pretty big guy), but I went a size small to prevent my gun from drooping. My Every Day Carry is a Springfield XD 45, with a 4in barrel. Its not the best gun for concealed carry, but my options are occassionally limited and I wanted a concealed carry shirt for the warmer weather (in the fall and winter I wear a shoulder holster rig, but that is difficult to conceal when it is warm) I bought this shirt to carry my new Taurus TCP 738, but I was amazed at how versatile it was. I can easily carry either gun, or both and two magazines for each. Obviously, that heavily loaded, there is some bulging, but that's to be expected. One gun, and one magazine, tucked in, under a light shirt and you really can't tell. The pockets are secured by velcro and allows me the option of a semi-horizontal carry, or completely tucked under the arm and verticle. Note for anyone considering carrying this way, cross draw can really slow your draw time. With this shirt, your weapon is tucked further under your arm, and you have to slip your hand under the flap and break through the velcro. I'm used to cross draw, its my prefered way to carry, but I even needed to practice to get a consistent draw speed. Buyer beware of that. I wear the shirt under my dark shirts at work (I wear a suit) and it is extremely comfortable, and the compression and fabric keep me cooler (than regular undershirts like cotton or poly, suck in my gut a little, and keeps my back straight. I'd buy more of these shirts just for that reason, and for the versatility of easily carrying after work without strapping on a holster. Also, the shirt, even a size smaller and not a tall size, is a perfect length, and stays tucked in well. I really like this shirt and plan to buy more. The only draw back to this style of shirt (I don't know if its specific to the 5.11 brand, is that the pockets press against the skin on the side of your chest, and the stitching and seams take some getting used to. Mine felt a little itchy at first, only because I've never worn a shirt like this. I am quickly getting used to it, and really do love this shirt. Buy it, wear it, and enjoy.04/19/13 Update: I've worn this shirt several times, washed and dried it, and still love it. The only issue I've had with this shirt is that I was at a barbecue, bent over, and my gun fell out. Luckily, no one was around to see it, but I wasn't happy. My 45 XD, fully loaded, is pretty heavy, and the small velcro patches just can't hold up to that much pressure. I still love the shirt, and I will still definitely use it for this gun, I just have to be more careful.
E**4
Let me clear up a few misconceptions ..
Gentlemen (and ladies) I just ordered 2 5.11 tactical holster shirts, one black/gray (old style) and one black/black. There is a slight difference in design but the black/black is not a cheaper version. The black/black has slightly thicker inner padding and different stitching but seems like it will hold up better. Almost everyone complains about the tight fit ... well this is NOT a t-shirt .. it's a compression style moisture-wicking fit much like how under armour would fit. It is designed to be tight! I do not know how anyone who buys the correct size could have their weapon fall out. I am 5'9" and 200lbs, 34" waist and I bought a large size, yes it is tight but it's supposed to be. It is not uncomfortable and certainly does not compress my rib cage so much that I cannot breathe. I have pretty broad shoulders, chest and lats and I'm happy with the fit. Again, this is not a Haynes t-shirt. The one improvement I am going to make is the depth of the pocket. I am going to take it to my tailor and have her throw a seam to reduce the depth. It is large enough to hold a 4.5" full size auto but that size pistol is too heavy. My 3.3" XDs fits nicely as does my Glock 23, Kahr PM40 and P380 but again the pocket is too deep. Note that this shirt is going to be HOT! Moisture wicking means the fabric does not breathe ... i.e you're going to sweat your butt off. I live in FL and use to wearing performance undershirts in my daily duties so it doesn't bother me but brothers if you're hot blooded by nature then this is not a shirt you want to wear on a hot summer day. All-in-all I love these shirts ... I bought the black/gray because of the review claiming how much better it is but that is NOT the case. The black/black is the 2.0 improved version .. but both are nice. I hope this no nonsense review has helped. Stay safe.EDIT: Ok, after putting a little more thought into this ... as mentioned the gray/black padding is not at thick as the neoprene on the black/black and even with a proper fit I can see where it is possible to find yourself in a situation where the weapon can fall out. The gray/black is thinner therefore weapon retention is not as stable as the black/black. The black/black is better for chasing suspects or doing gymnastics :) The gray/black may be a little more comfortable on the warm days.
Trustpilot
1 week ago
3 weeks ago