Personally I think an IWB holster can be fairly comfortable. After a few minutes I get used to mine and forget its there for the most part. I haven’t found that mine limits me in any way.
My recommendations
- Buy a quality holster fitted for the make/model of your weapon, nothing generic. A custom holster will likely run a few dollars more but will most likely be more comfortable, higher quality, retain your weapon better and last much longer.
- Use a good quality belt, something strong enough to support and distribute the extra load.
- Get pants a size or two bigger to accommodate your holster.
- Wear a light t-shirt as an extra cushion between your skin and the holster to reduce any rubbing.
I would also recommend finding the internet forum for your brand of handgun. Many have a section dedicated to holsters and almost all have holster threads. Read thru and see what holster brand is most recommended for your model. A little research can save you a lot of time, effort and money.
For whatever it worth I use a UBG Striker (
UBG Holsters) for my IWB and a Desantis Nemesis (
Welcome to DeSantis Gunhide®. "We didn't invent concealment, we just perfected it." — Desantis Gunhide) for pocket, off body and in-car carry. I would strongly recommend both.
Don’t forget to check out the USA Carry thread on holster makers for many more options (
Link Removed).
Let us know what you finally decide to do.