The Backup On Your Ankle

Carrying a sidearm makes sense today, whether you open carry or concealed carry.

What about those times when you cannot carry on your hip, appendix or pocket? Have you ever thought about a backup to your primary sidearm? Putting one on your ankle may be the answer to both questions.

Tucker Gun Leather has ankle holsters to fit revolvers and autos. By necessity, these holsters are meant for compact and subcompact handguns. Wearing a full-sized Glock on your ankle is probably more than you want to deal with. A sub-compact auto or a snub nose revolver is a lot easier to carry at the end of your leg.

Before you decide to get an ankle carry, we have some things you need to consider. 

1) It is a backup.

This is not your primary weapon. If you need to use your backup, it means your primary is out of ammunition or has a malfunction. You do not have time to clear a malfunction when you need your gun. Drop that primary and pull the backup!

2) Carry the same caliber as your primary.

Before you fire off an angry email, keep reading. Your ankle carry can be the same caliber as your primary, unless you pack something like a .454 Casull. Most every day carry guns today range from the .32 to the 45 ACP.

You can ankle carry and shoot the same ammo as your primary. If you run out of ammo in one, you have some in the other one. If your primary malfs, then you have ammo in it which you can use in your backup. More ammo is a good thing.

3) It is your primary.

Some people cannot carry a sidearm near their waist. A few examples are doctors, nurses, people who wear jumpsuits and ladies in fitted tops. That kind of clothing makes it next to impossible to carry something appendix-style or on your side.

In some situations, a carry piece around your waistline may be noticeable no matter what you do. If you do not want to be noticed, you have to do something else.

4) Getting to your gun.

As we age, bending over and grabbing something at our ankle becomes harder. It should not be impossible. Getting to your gun from a standing position may be too hard to do.

If you are sitting down at a restaurant or you get knocked down, then you don't have to bend over as far. Getting to that ankle carry is much easier. Also, if you are knocked to the ground, having that carry gun on your ankle could make a huge difference.

5) What about the gun slipping down?

Some ankle rigs will slip down the leg and start bouncing on the ankle bone or shift around to make walking less comfortable. We have that handled. You can order a calf strap with your Tucker Gunleather ankle holster to hold your rig up.

Other people find wearing boots or higher-topped shoes work well to stop the slide.

6) Health concerns must be considered.

Some people with health issues that affect circulation must be careful about choosing an ankle rig. Cheap rigs with elastic bands will cut off the circulation. That is a real danger for some people. Hard plastic holsters have no give and might create blisters, another danger. Diabetics must be extremely careful.

At Tucker Gunleather, we use leather products that have padding to protect you. Over time as you wear the holster, it will adapt you and become more comfortable. We recommend a break-in period for this reason. Wear it around the house or somewhere you can remove it safely. Start with 15 minutes and work your way up to longer and longer periods.

Our all-leather straps are also adjustable. The strap will not cut off your circulation.

7) Keep it secure.

Some ankle rigs, especially the elastic ones, rely on the tension to keep the gun securely in place. Elastic degrades over time. Imagine walking along and the elastic finally gives out. You hear your gun hit the ground. Disaster! Get a quality holster that will last as long as you do and you never worry about that.

Even better, Tucker Gunleather's ankle holsters come with a strap to hold the gun place. The strap easily comes open after you practice drawing it a few times. It is also designed so that accidentally jostling will not release the strap.

8) A final thought to consider.

You carry a sidearm for protection. Think about the other things you use to protect yourself. Your vehicle has glass to stop the wind, steel and airbags to protect you from crashes. Even motorcycle riders (smart ones anyway) wear helmets and leather. A backup plan is always in order. An ankle-carry handgun makes good sense. It makes even better sense to carry it in a Tucker Gunleather holster.