This is a common question we get from customers. And the answer is (drumroll please)... it depends. 

There are pros and cons to every option. The key is to strike a balance between purpose, safety, accessibility, comfort and concealment. 

For example, from a safety, accessibility, and comfort perspective, Outside the Waistband (OWB) carry with a safety mechanism (like a thumbbreak) would be ideal but that comes at the cost of sacrificing concealment. That would be an ideal way to carry if your purpose is to carry in the woods while hunting, but not in crowded public places. 

An Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster would be ideal for concealment but it may reduce accessibility and comfort. A Cross-Draw holster would help for those with shoulder problems and looking for comfort while sitting or driving, but offers little concealment. An ankle holster is good for a "backup gun" but a bad idea for primary carry choice due to poor accessibility. 

Size of the gun matters too; while a small 32 cal. gun may be quite comfortable inside the waistband, a large frame 5" barrel .45 may be very uncomfortable.

Other factors such as your body shape, clothing choices, climate and temperature also play a role in determining the right carry option for you. In colder climates and days, coats and jackets help with concealment even with OWB options while shorts and a t-shirt in warm weather does the opposite. 

A frequent request we get from ladies is a purse or bra holster. While a bra holster may provide concealment for some, it significantly hinders accessibility when seconds count. We don't recommend carrying in the purse because  in an emergency searching for your gun in your purse among make up, phone and other personal items is not a good idea. Also, your purse would be the first thing a bad guy will want to take away.

So, in conclusion, there is no one way that is best for everyone. It comes down to your purpose for carrying and the trade offs between safety, accessibility, comfort and concealment.

One final note, it is important to practice drawing with an unloaded gun and to try to be consistent. In other words, if you carry IWB some days and OWB other times, it would be hard to build muscle memory for that split second when you need to draw your gun fast.