By Concealed Coalition | Published May 15, 2026

Open carry vs. concealed carry is one of the most common debates in the everyday firearms community, and the answer most concealed carry instructors give is rarely about politics. It is about what actually happens in a violent encounter, what attackers actually choose to do, and what kind of carrier you want to be when no one is watching. In this episode of Behind the Holster, Concealed Coalition trainers Jody Picou and Matt Wheeler walk through the case for concealed carry, holster retention, the role of ego, and why ego and firearms do not mix.

What’s the difference between open carry and concealed carry?

Open carry is the practice of wearing a firearm openly visible on the body, typically in a hip holster. Concealed carry means the firearm is hidden from view, either under clothing or inside the waistband, with the goal that no one around you knows you are armed. Both are legal in most states with the appropriate permit, but the practical differences in how each plays out in a real-world encounter are significant.

Why does Concealed Coalition recommend concealed carry?

Concealed Coalition trains tens of thousands of students every year on concealed carry, and the recommendation is not ideological. As Matt Wheeler explains in the episode, a visible firearm in a violent encounter does not deter an attacker, it identifies the carrier as the first threat to neutralize. The Walmart scenario he walks through is direct. If a shooter walks into a store intent on causing maximum harm, the person with a holstered firearm at their hip is the first target. The same firearm the carrier hoped would deter the attacker just made them the priority.

Concealed carry preserves what Matt calls the element of surprise. The carrier chooses the response, rather than reacting to having already been targeted. To get started, you can find concealed carry training in your state through Concealed Coalition’s nationwide network of local trainers.

Does open carry actually deter criminals?

This is the most common counterargument from open carry advocates: a visible firearm makes a criminal think twice. As Matt frames it in the episode, an attacker does not see you as a threat with a gun. They see you as an opportunity with a gun. A determined attacker treating a public space as a target environment is not deterred by a holstered firearm, they are given a tactical signal about who to engage first.

There is also the question of ego. Both hosts note that the desire to open carry often correlates with a kind of confidence that does not pair well with the responsibility of carrying. Ego and firearms, as Matt puts it bluntly, do not mix.

What does the civilian use of force ladder mean for open carriers?

Civilians escalate force on a ladder that starts at open hand control, then progresses through closed hand control, non-lethal tools like pepper spray, less-lethal tools like tasers, and finally deadly force. Law enforcement, on the other hand, starts the ladder at officer presence. Because an armed officer’s visible presence already represents a level of force, simply being in a room changes the dynamic.

The same logic applies to a civilian who chooses to open carry. Walking into a coffee shop with a visible firearm, you have already entered the room at a level of force the other people in the room did not consent to. That can invite civilian complaints, police calls, and procedural interactions that would not have happened otherwise.

Why holster retention matters in open carry

If you do choose to open carry, holster retention is not optional, it is the entire margin of safety. Many open carry holsters sold in the consumer market lack any retention features beyond basic friction. There are documented cases on YouTube of bystanders walking up behind an open carrier in a gas station, pulling the firearm from the holster, and leaving the store. As Jody notes in the episode, it takes about 30 seconds on YouTube to find ten videos like that.

For anyone who chooses to carry openly, a retention-based holster is the minimum, ideally with two or three points of retention. The deeper dive on specific holster recommendations for both concealed and open carry lives in the Concealed Coalition members-only episode that releases the week after this one. For gear, holsters, and training resources, you can also browse the Concealed Coalition online store.

Watch the Full Episode

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between open carry and concealed carry?

Open carry means the firearm is visible to those around you, typically holstered on the hip. Concealed carry means the firearm is hidden from view under clothing or inside the waistband. Both methods are legal in most states with the proper permit, but they create very different dynamics in a defensive encounter.

Is concealed carry actually safer than open carry?

In most civilian scenarios, yes. Concealed carry preserves the element of surprise, removes the risk of having your firearm stolen from a non-retention holster, and avoids putting you at the top of an attacker’s target list in a public violence incident.

Do criminals avoid attacking people who open carry?

Generally no, according to instructors who train both methods. A determined attacker treats a visible firearm as a tactical signal about who to engage first, not as a deterrent.

What is the “guardian always” mindset?

Concealed Coalition’s “guardian always” philosophy is the idea that a responsibly carrying concealed carrier blends in with everyone around them in everyday life and only becomes a defender when the situation demands it. The carrier is invisible until they are needed, which both protects them and reduces unnecessary friction with the public.

Is it possible to be 100% situationally aware all the time?

No. As both hosts explain in the episode, sustained high-alert awareness spikes cortisol and is physiologically harmful over time. Concealed Coalition teaches baseline awareness instead, which is the practice of knowing what your environment normally looks like and reacting when something falls outside that baseline.

What does the civilian use of force ladder look like?

From the bottom up: open hand control, closed hand control, non-lethal tools such as pepper spray, less-lethal tools such as tasers, and finally deadly force. Law enforcement starts the ladder at officer presence because being visibly armed already represents a level of force. The same applies to a civilian who chooses to open carry.

Should I get concealed carry training?

If you carry, yes. Concealed Coalition runs training nationwide through a network of local trainers. The training covers legal fundamentals, fundamentals of carry, holster selection, situational awareness, and use of force. You can find a class near you through Concealed Coalition’s training network. Before traveling with a firearm, always verify the law through the Concealed Coalition reciprocity map or your state’s official .gov website.

Conclusion

The case for concealed carry is not political. It is practical, grounded in what actually happens in real encounters and what kind of carrier you want to be when nothing is happening. Concealed Coalition’s position, as both Jody and Matt make clear in this episode, is that concealed carry preserves the element of surprise, removes the retention risk of cheap open carry holsters, avoids the unintended escalation of force that comes with visible carry, and aligns with the “guardian always” mindset that defines responsible everyday carry. If you carry open and have an argument the hosts have not heard, the show is genuinely open to that conversation. Drop a comment on the YouTube episode, and you may end up on the next one. In the meantime, find local concealed carry training through Concealed Coalition’s network of local trainers or browse the Concealed Coalition online store for gear, holsters, and training resources.