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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 on his private parts 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 (making me look like I suffered from a bad case of penis envy!), 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! (Note: slow dancing on a first date is probably ill-advised!)
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 (tel. (954) 989-6844; fax 989-9405)