Not to miss out on a good thing, Smith and Wesson jumped on the .380 bandwagon with their wildly popular Bodyguard series. The low cost of these guns and their great reputation have led many Americans to adopt them for an everyday carry pistol, and many of those same people are looking for the best inside the waistband (IWB) holster for their Bodyguard.
Because we have an insatiable urge to keep up on trends second perhaps only to the NSA, we joined that search and found a few great holsters. These would all qualify as the best Bodyguard 380 IWB holsters on the market.
DeSantis Insider
DeSantis makes excellent holsters, so it’s no wonder one of the best Bodyguard IWB holsters is made by them. Designed to fit Bodyguards with and without the integrated laser, this beautifully crafted leather IWB holster is fitted with a steel spring clip to ensure your holster is perfectly secured. The holster itself is crafted to provide optimal comfort and to be easy wearing. A classic open top, IWB holster, the DeSantis Insider isn’t the last word in IWB holster technology, but it’s certainly one of the most popular sorts, and for the price, you really can’t go wrong—it’s without doubt one of the best S&W Bodyguard 380 holsters around.
Bellyband Holster
If you are looking for flexible and slim concealment comfort, this bellyband style holster (see full specs) is one of the best Bodyguard 380 IWB holster choices. Made of comfortable neoprene, this one size fits most holster (up to 46”) will securely hold your handgun and a spare magazine while providing the ultimate in slim holster technology. These sorts of holsters are popular as they require no belt or have uncomfortable metal clips to dig into your side, are flexible and move with your body, and can be worn to place the gun exactly where you are most comfortable with carrying and drawing it. at this price, it’s hard to say no to this kind of comfort and versatility. As an added bonus, if you have other small handguns, this will fit them too, saving you money on piling up different holsters.
Outbags Leather IWB Holster
This is a pretty holster. Actually, it’s one of the nicest IWB holsters I’ve ran across. Made of a rich leather that evokes imagery of bomber jackets and comfortable leather seating, this is about as luxurious a Bodyguard holster you can purchase. The minimalist open top design (see full specs) secures your gun, while making it comfortable to wear and easy to draw from, while the spring steel clip securely holds the holster in place. Surprisingly affordable and highly rated, this is the sort of holster you wear when you want to look and feel your best, even if nobody else can see it.
DTOM IWB/Pocket Combo Holster
Usually multipurpose holsters are either expensive, gimmicky or both. After all, while some designs lend themselves well to several carry styles, others do not. We are fortunate that there is precious little variation between what makes the best Bodyguard 380 IWB holster and what makes for an excellent pocket holster.
The small size of the Bodyguard lends itself to pocket carry at times and having a quality holster that rapidly converts from IWB to pocket and back again is an invaluable accessory to own. This patent-pending design is again, an open-top holster that emphasizes personal comfort and ease of access. Well-built from rugged nylon, if you buy only one Bodyguard holster, this probably should be this one.
Carrying the Bodyguard IWB
The Smith and Wesson Bodyguard is a gun that all but demands to be carried inside the waistband. Curiously enough, this method also lends itself to some of the more affordable and simple holsters.
Traditional belt carry often dictates that a holster must also offer some additional features to further secure the gun; better protection against third parties trying to grab it. But the deep concealment of IWB mainly requires a comfortable to wear holster that maintains a low profile and simply holds the gun in place. Most IWB holsters do that with a basic tight friction fit. After all, you are already digging through clothes to reach your gun, you don’t need the added hassle of a retention strap as well.
Small guns merit small holsters, and IWB carry demands small and streamlined holsters, which is why we see holsters that are usually little more than roughly gun-shaped pockets with a metal clip. That is really all you need, and it does a beautiful job of doing it’s job. Some IWB holsters can double as a pocket holster with the metal clip removed, while others, like the bellyband holster are little more than a flexible neoprene strap with a holster built in to it.
Ultimately, you’ll choose the so-called best Bodyguard 380 IWB holster based less on cost (they are all oddly affordable) but on comfort and personal choice in materials. Me, I’d go with a nice open top leather holster and call it good, but you may reach a different conclusion, because each person’s body is different and will make different choices in carrying. No matter how you slice it, the convenience and security of a well concealed pistol is invaluable, making choosing the best holster a critical personal and even lifestyle choice.
