The exhibit hall at the 153rd NRA Show had something for everyone. Women were especially catered to, with many women-owned businesses and other vendors offering products for the lady gun owner. New carry designs for women seemed to be a popular theme.
There were three businesses that stood out to me as I wandered throughout the exhibit halls. At least one of these products should appeal to every female gun owner. If you prefer a belly band, a bra-like holster, or options to conceal carry in a purse, check out these great businesses with whom I had the pleasure to visit, chat and shop!
Kat-Luca Belly Band Gun Belts
It was hard to pass by this corner booth on the convention center floor without pausing to see what all the excitement was about. I was welcomed into this booth space and really enjoyed the meeting Kim Bishop, founder and owner of Texas-based company Kat-Luca Belly Band Gun Belts. She was proudly wearing her belly band and had several training guns and magazines tucked around her band to show off the many options people have to wear her product.
Kim said she was motivated to make this product because in her experience with other belly band holsters, she had only found a few choices with which women to comfortably carry their firearm on body. Typically, all the belly bands that she tried eventually started rolling over on themselves and scrunching up around her waist.
So she decided to design her own belly band holster that would stay in its place. She discovered that by adding vertical stabilizers in both the front and back of the belly band it wouldn’t roll over on itself. She took the prototypes to a local gun show, and they were an instant hit due to her “No Roll…No Scrunch” design.
Today, Kat-Luca offers several variations of the belly band gun belt including side draw, crossdraw, back draw, combo front draw and combo back draw, and more. The holsters are ambidextrous and fit most standard handguns. These are very comfortable belly bands when placed around the waist, are easy to wear and conceal, and the stabilizers are a bonus feature to have one less thing to worry about in the design of a holster. Kim says, “Bellybands are all we make! We not only make them, we wear them!”
Flashbang
Excited to see other women-owned businesses showcasing their products at the NRA Show, I was drawn into the next corner booth on the convention floor that had quite the crowd surrounding them. You could not help but smile and enjoy listening to the women owners of Flashbang Holsters excitedly talk about their products. They were sharing their stories and telling the other women who gathered around their booth all about their holsters.
This is a relatively simple concept. A Flashbang Holster attaches to the front center area of your bra with a sturdy and comfortable strap. The holster seats under the bra’s band, which makes concealment easy. When you purchase a Flashbang holster it comes with three different lengths of straps to fit a variety of bras of different widths and styles.
Everyone’s question seemed to be the same—how does this work? The ladies explained that the firearm is securely held in place within the holster. The retention actually comes from the bra, not the holster or strap that connects it to the bra. This is important to know for deciding which bra you are going to choose to add the Flashbang holster. Once you select your bra, you will be able to adjust the position where you choose to carry your firearm. Whether you prefer to carry hi, mid, or lower, your choice is based on your level of comfort.
Flashbang holsters are made of Kydex and are molded to perfectly fit your specific model and caliber of handgun, and completely cover the trigger guard. The Flashbang Teddy Edition takes the original Flashbang Holster and covers it in a soft suede that feels great against your skin. They had several options on display with “blue” training guns of different sizes and calibers so women could try out the holsters and feel the retention of these holsters. Once you felt the strong retention of the holster and the soft “Teddy Edition” option of comfort, it was hard to not make a few purchases on the spot! Another added benefit is the communication and follow up you receive after a purchase. You will get an email with a “Flashbang Holster 101” step-by-step tutorial video, and links to several other resources across their social media platforms.
Jessie & James Handbags
I feel like I never have enough purses, especially those specifically designed to conceal carry different sizes and calibers of firearms. I have several conceal-carry purses that each fit different firearms, but I have yet to find an all-around sturdy purse that can accommodate different options of my carry guns. There were several vendors on the convention floor that had bags designed to conceal carry, but many had the “tactical” or “range” bag look. I was shopping for something that looked more like a purse, rather than something that was obviously designed to look like it was to carry a firearm.
A very nice display caught my attention on the convention floor. Jessie & James Handbags had a very nice selection which included a wide variety of conceal carry purses available in all shapes, sizes and colors. I began chatting with the vendor and asked more questions about their company and products. The company was started by James and his wife Jessie. The mission of their company was to create a conceal carry handbag that was not only comfortable but stylish for women to use across different occasions. Whether it was an every-day purse for work and running errands, or a handbag that was made for a more formal event, they wanted to suit a range of options that had one purpose. They wanted to empower the women who chose to carry their firearm in a Jessie & James Handbag.
After trying out many of the styles that were on display, I was able to feel the high quality of all their products. All handbags featured attached holsters that were adjustable, and the concealed firearm could be secured within the specially designed compartment with a lock and key. With the increased popularity of sling bags, this company did not disappoint! The vendor shared with me this was their most popular handbag, as they quickly sold out of all of their NRA show inventory of these cross-body sling bags! They also had a few of their soon-to-be released handbags on display. I’ve got my eyes on the sling shoulder backpack, because a woman can never have too many purses!
With all the conceal-carry options on the market to choose from, the most important thing to take into consideration is the comfort of knowing you and your firearm are safe and secure. No matter how you choose to carry your firearm, do your holster research to see which product will best fit your purpose. Regardless of the type you decide upon, always practice drawing and re-holstering your unloaded firearm so you are not only safe but comfortable with your method of carry and confident in doing so.
