Belly band holster, or IWB?

Try wrapping yourself with a big ACE bandage under your shirt for a couple days and see how hot you get. That will tell you how a belly band will work out. If it does not bother you, go for it....

The belly band made me sweat (I am not a person that sweats a lot or easy ) and it will probably get to stinking if you don't wash it everyday in the summer . I would look for a IWB holster that has the belt clips that are made for tucking in your shirt . I know Milt Sparks has them .

Have a belly band rig and found that it was just too uncomfortable to wear and that I perspired way too much underneath it. No such problems with a decent IWB holster.

I use both a belly band and an IWB kydex holster depending on the weapon and situation.

My normal carry is a Glock 19 AIWB in a kydex holster with tuckable belt loops. But sometimes when I need to be very discrete (ie at work where it is against the rules to carry) I don't want belt loops to be visible. While generally you're ok with belt loops showing, if a gun guy sees a belt loop, he'll know you're carrying. Also women tend to notice small things about appearance. They may not say anything, but odds are they will notice (so take that into account if you work with a lot of women near by).

I use the belly band (usually with a j frame) for deep concealment in situations where I can't risk being seen with something that would be suspicious because it can be completely covered up and won't have the tells like a belt loop or clip. I also wear it in the exact same position as my IWB holster, or maybe a little lower so more of the gun is hidden by my pants. I find this is both easier to conceal and easier to draw from than if the gun is higher and actually around your belly.

The belly band also does well if you're in situations where you don't have a belt such as wearing sweat pants or athletic shorts. I use my belly band while running or going to the gym and it works well.

Because there is so much elastic, I consider the belly band to be a wear item that needs to be replaced occasionally. Wearing the gun low on my hips does stretch out the lower portion of the elastic, but the belly band has proved to be surprisingly durable. I can usually get a few years of regular (but not daily) carry out of one before I need to replace it. A standard IWB holster definitely beats the belly band for longevity.

All in all, it really depends on what you want to do. If you're looking for general concealment and are ok with belt loops showing, go with a good kydex IWB holster. It will last longer, have better retention, and protect the trigger guard better. However if you are looking for deep concealment, the belly band works very well and is what I would recommend.

A shield should be perfect for a belly band. I haven't gotten to hold a .45 shield, but a 9mm shield works fine and I even occasionally have my Glock 19 in the belly band with no issues.

I may have been a little misleading on my previous post about the lifespan of the belly bands. Mine is about 4 years old and is still going strong. The pocket that holds the gun has become a tad bit looser, and as I mentioned the lower portion of the elastic band has flared out a bit due to how low I wear it, but it is still a serviceable holster. I'd expect that I can get at least another year or two out of it. I believe my belly band is a Desantis and I would recommend it.

As far as holsters that combine a kydex shell and fabric or elastic band, I haven't found any that I like (so I'm working on designing/building one myself). Crossbreed has or had one that was a band that went around your midsection and then the actual holster was attached to that via Velcro. I didn't really like that design because it seems like it would be thicker than a normal belly band while not really letting the gun conform to your body like it can when the whole setup is elastic. It would be handy if you had different types of guns that you wanted to use the belly band for. Just buy another shell and stick it on.

I haven't noticed the band stretching out at all. Most of these (including the Desantis) have a rather large area of Velcro so that even if it does stretch a little bit, you still will have room to take up the slack.

I'm not really a fan of neoprene backers in holsters, and I don't think it's really an important piece. It is also less breathable than the elastic, and some people put on such a large piece that it pushes the gun further away from the body (which is the opposite of what you want for deep concealment). It might be helpful comfort wise if you're concealing a full sized pistol, but I don't think it would be necessary for a shield.

I have tried several holsters. I use a Foxx leather and kydex IWB mostly. If I am out in shorts and light clothing I'll wear a belly band. I mostly don't like them though. For one, I sweat too much in them and is soaks through to the gun and makes it rust faster. I also tried a chest band that rides high like shoulder holster. It is more comfortable but still very hot. Another alternative is an ankle holster. I wear boots and couldn't have one low on the leg. I found the Bugbite holster. Its neoprene and stays on the calf muscle. You have to measure your leg and order the right size. I've only worn it a dozen times or so but its very comfortable with a SIG P238. A larger pistol like the Glock may be doable too.