I find myself wearing a shoulder holster much more often in the fall and winter months. does anybody else do the same? Always seem to be able to wear a vest, jacket/coat as a cover garment much more easily than during the hot humid summer.

Yes! Love my Alessi Bodyguard.

Yep, and I live 12 miles from the home of the "Miami Classic" too.

Yes, I just pulled an Andrews Monarch from the closet, a couple of days ago. I am considering swapping some of the components; perhaps two holster bodies, left and right, rather than having the mag pouches attached. Or, perhaps, sort-out a way to use two holster bodies, and keep the mag pouches, if it is not too bulky. (I found a part-Bianchi Scorpio, part-Andrews Monarch rig, pre-owned, on the evil bay, so, have an extra Monarch holster body.)

And, while it is a tanker/chest rig, rather than a typical shoulder holster, I also recently tried-on one of my El Paso Saddlery 1942 rigs, to verify the adjustment setting on the strap. This is a supremely comfortable way to tote a large handgun, in circumstances that do not require concealment. (I am not advocating open carry, when out and about, among the general public.) Actually, a tanker-type rig can be semi-concealed, under a poncho, or some other loose-fitting cover methods, such as a woobie or serape.

I only carry shoulder. Basically I admitted physique has an influence, and a tapering funnel isn't where you practice hanging heavy objects like guns and mags. It was either that or become a plumber's apprentice a few years before I retire. not so much.

I generally use a PW athletic holster which works well in cool weather over a tshirt under a cover shirt. And I have done so in summer, traveling, even on the beach or while shopping on the sea front. If a .38 is carried I have an older Brauer Bros vertical which is cooler and easier to work with on and off during cool weather with a cover jacket.

I'm looking for a copy of the BB for a P365 and that is a market niche being ignored right now.

Certainly the cooler weather makes concealing a shoulder rig a lot easier but I resort to shoulder holster carry more and more often regardless of the season. Since I resumed carrying steel frame 1911 pistols, I've been using shoulder holsters almost exclusively. I have just started using an Andrews Monarch which I am liking very much. I've also used a Galco vertical shoulder system. When carrying the Glock 19 or 26, I use a Galco Classic Lite setup. Old hips and lower spine complain about guns and ammo snugged up tight against the waist.

Very much, ohio, tight gun belts on the hip joint are not conducive to comfort.

Shoulder carry was much more prevalent when wearing a suit coat of some kind on the job was the normal "uniform" for wear away from administration. The cultural dress code was based on the formal suit and even working in a post 1900 cabinet factory, I've seen individuals doing it. In fact, the carpenter overalls in that plant were the minority.

What changed was HVAC and popular culture, when a golf shirt and jeans or khakis became accepted then carry resorted to IWB tucked. As most at the time were LEO it drove the holster makers in that direction, and the people followed because "that's what cops do." Along with that were competition events which promoted holster carry. Draw from a shoulder holster was nixed for events and then culturally went out of fashion.

Now polos and khakis are a management uniform - dressy. A lot have moved to untucked in the summer - which helps conceal - and in winter we've realized that an IWB isn't the fastest or most accessible. The range of "attack" had also expanded, defense while sitting at a table, desk, or in a vehicle now has awareness.

Take a typical vacation routine - travel by car for 14 hours to get to a beach. Belted holsters are compromised by another seat belt over them. Dining in faster food locations on the road is seated there or in the car. Fillups on the road? If it's summer, untucked makes it bearable, and a shoulder holster with no cross chest strap is still concealed unbuttoned. < And this is where I'm at, looking for the older Brauer Bros style with offside loop, not a cross strap over the chest. It might as well be neon orange with flashing letters spelling out Gun!. And cross chest straps are universally hotter to wear. Some of us really don't need the lift and separate styling they offer, either. A good shoulder holster isn't a belly band worn high with a shoulder strap.

It's becoming a pet peeve lately that all the "quality" shoulder holsters have evolved into mule harness with as much hardware involved. A hybrid maker using ventilated fabrics and kydex would be a better and more modern solution. And the concept of being "minimalist" could stand for some effort, too.