by Galia Berry
Thunder belt is an innovative holster that offers maximum concealment.
It looks something like a pouch with two long elasticized velcro-type
belt straps on each end, and fits below one's hips, worn under
one's pants but over one's underwear. The gun and spare mag fit
into two slot pockets in the pouch.
I was anxious to try this product, since I had seen impressive
ads of men and women wearing shorts and swimming trunks yet concealing
their guns completely. I ordered the holster from company owner
Charlie Parrott, who informed me that Thunder belt is a refined,
improved, and longer-lasting version of Thunderwear, a competing
product.
My husband and I spent a lot of time test-wearing Thunder belt,
and I thought I would share both its advantages and disadvantages.
Like any holster, Thunder belt requires plenty of dryfire practice
with a carefully checked, unloaded gun before one becomes proficient
on the draw. After several hours of practice, I was able to draw
and point the gun in a bit over 2 seconds. Charlie tells me that
he himself is able to draw in about 1.7 seconds, but he gets plenty
of regular practice time when he demonstrates Thunder belt at
gun shows.
Thunder belt's wide elastic straps did not bind or pinch and the
holster fit comfortably. Even though it must be worn below the
hips for proper fit, it felt secure, especially significant because
I was wearing a denim skirt and the holster theoretically could
have dropped to my ankles, since I didn't have the advantage of
the extra security of slacks to hold Thunder belt up.
The gun sort of rested on my groin, but did not feel uncomfortable.
My husband, on the other hand, felt that Thunder belt worked best
only with smaller, lighter guns, since otherwise, the pressure
and weight made him feel uncomfortable and "squashed."
I also noticed that due to our different shapes and waist-hip
ratio, my husband could wear Thunder belt slightly higher than
I could. Unless I wore it exaggeratingly low slung, my gun in
Thunder belt printed, but when worn very low, it was nearly invisible
under my skirt.
I really took the Thunder belt to task. Wearing Thunder belt with
a fully loaded S&W 3913 and spare mag, I sat at my desk for
several hours of work. I shlepped the kids around town, getting
in and out of the car for several carpools and errands. Later
in the day I did some gardening, which required lots of bending,
stretching, and kneeling. The Thunder belt never caused discomfort,
and at times I even forgot it was on.
That is not to say the Thunder belt is perfect. The denim material
was sturdy, but it (or maybe the reinforced edging?) caused some
chafing on the parts of bare skin not covered by my underwear.
This would not be a problem for someone wearing slacks, since
the slacks hold the holster more tightly in place, but wearing
a skirt did allow for slight movement that caused the chafing.
I solved this problem by wearing a thin lycra/cotton bicycle-type
short under the Thunder belt and the chafing sensation disappeared.
Also, while the "new and improved" firmer reinforcement
piping along the bottom edge of Thunder belt increases its durability,
it also increases stiffness, but this might soften up after a
few machine washings. I would like to see the part of the pouch
that touches the skin/underwear additionally lined with Comfortrel,
a thin fabric that wicks perspiration away from the body.
As with any deep concealment product, it is unfortunately impossible
to reholster Thunder belt one-handed and without looking. My husband
usually wears white shirts tucked into his slacks. His main complaint
was that the Thunder belt's elastic waistband was black, and he
was fearful that if his shirt rode up for whatever reason,the
black waistband would show if his pants rode a bit too low and
would be suspect. He felt that a white elastic waistband would
be more likely to be mistaken for underwear under those circumstances
and therefore less obvious and a better color choice than the
black elastic waistband. Addressing this concern, Charlie Parrott
suggested that my husband place the flap of his shirt over the
outside of the strap in the back, and then tuck the shirt into
his slacks. That seemed to do the trick.
One modification is necessary by individuals planning on carrying
a spare magazine. The magazine pocket is too deep for most 10-round
single stack magazines, and can slip down to the bottom of the
pouch pocket, making it impossible to grasp quickly for a reload.
By placing a small piece of fabric filler at the base of the pocket,
or even better, by stitching across the pocket at the level where
proper fit will be attained, the magazine stays put and within
reach.
Thunder belt is available for small, medium, and large-sized handguns.
A Taurus 92 that I tried in the large size holster, while undetectable
for concealment purposes, was really too heavy and unwieldy to
wear comfortably. A Smith & Wesson 3913 fit perfectly in the
medium-size Thunder belt. I would imagine that a small gun would
be even more comfortable (i.e. an Airweight snubby or a Seecamp,
but not owning either of these I had no opportunity to try it
out).
Thunder belt is also available in two waistband sizes, but extra-extra
large sizes can be accommodated by special order. At approximately
$50 (including shipping), Thunder belt does seem a bit pricey
for a denim holster, in my opinion, though I have no qualms with
the workmanship. The holster is guaranteed for one year and there
is a thirty day money-back trial period in case you decide that
Thunder belt is not to your liking. The owners stand behind their
product and give excellent and quick service.
There are several practical advantages that I can see in using
Thunder belt. As a woman, it allows me to conceal deeply and keep
my hands free (unlike a gun purse). It means I can wear a skirt
without a belt, so it's nice for dressier occasions. If you live
in a cold climate, there is probably no reason to get Thunder
belt, since you can rely on wearing a second piece (i.e. vest,
sweater, etc.) over your tucked-in shirt, and can therefore wear
a sturdy leather belt-slide or in- the-waistband holster. But
if you live in a hot, humid climate where a second piece of clothing
is an invitation to heat prostration, or your style of dress or
circumstances don't allow for a fanny pack, Thunder belt gives
you a practical alternative.
Then there are social/cultural issues. My friends are the "touchy-feely"
types. Ever notice how women greet one another? They rarely shake
hands; instead they may hug lightly or throw their hands around
each other's waists or shoulders. This makes concealing a gun
near one's back, waist, or under the arm (i.e a shoulder holster)
a near impossibility. Yet one is very unlikely to be touched in
the area where Thunder belt is worn.
How safe is Thunder belt? Let's just say that I don't recommend
Thunder belt without having practiced unholstering your unloaded
gun a gazillion times first. And my husband still doesn't feel
comfortable carrying his Glock in Thunder belt, instead opting
for the S&W 3913, safety ON. With practice, though, one should
not have any problems unholstering one's gun from Thunder belt
in a safe and speedy manner.
Thunder Belt is available from:
C&C Marketing
3325 Griffin Rd. #154
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 989-6844
fax (954) 989-9405
(c)1996 Galia Berry, All Rights Reserved