REVIEWING THE PHLSTER ENIGMA: Concealed Carry In A Suit, Simplified

“Revolutionary” and “Game Changer” and “Innovation” are buzzwords that get bandied about, especially whenever a new piece of concealment tech hits the market. More often than not it’s either a minimal tweak on an existing design, or worse, some poorly thought out gimmicky BS that’s somewhere between a practical joke and criminal negligence. The PHLster Enigma is a true “Game Changer.”

PHLSTER ENIGMA

Now Jon and Sarah will be the first to tell you that they were improving upon the previous incarnation of the Runcible Works YP (Yoga Pants) Holster, but they truly revolutionized. With updated materials and a deep understanding of the mechanics of concealment PHLster set out to create the most modular system possible, so the concealed carrier was no longer limited to what they could hang off of their belt.

When my career change necessitated the daily wearing of suits, I had to overhaul my EDC, because gun belts were too overt, and soft loops & overhooks were an unacceptably conspicuous method of attachment. So at that point I opted for the mouse gun in a pocket holster, understanding that I was sacrificing performance for discretion.

In instances where I was going to black tie events, my solutions were either a J-frame with a Barami Hip Grip (not the most secure option), or a Shield in a fabric kangaroo pouch like Smart Carry (that was more challenging to access)

I personally never had much success just wearing a belt underneath my clothing, although I know that’s how some chose to solve this problem.

CCW With The Enigma

Well now instead of working around various appendix-ish placements I’m able to run the exact same rig whether I’m in my tuxedo, slacks & a sport coat, loungewear, or nothing by my drawers!

Aside from the attachment method itself, the true beauty of the system is the ability to control and adjust the level of tension that’s exerted on the grip & slide sides of the holster independently of one another, allowing the carrier to tailor it to their own morphology and truly maximize the concealment potential.

It also offers the most consistent placement possible. When mounting a gun to your pants belt, you’ll occasionally have to work around belt loops as well as pant rise. These two factors can result in inconsistent access. With the Enigma, that’s no longer an issue. You can always keep the pistol in the optimal position on your body, regardless of wardrobe.

This is just an introduction to Enigma and its potential. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there’s any configurations/applications you’d like to see!

The Suited Shootist
Alex Sansone took his first formal pistol class in 2009, and has since accumulated almost 500 total hours of open enrollment training from many of the nation's top instructors including Massad Ayoob, Craig Douglas, Tom Givens, Gabe White, Cecil Burch, Chuck Haggard, Darryl Bolke, and many others. Spending his professional life in the corporate world, Alex quickly realized incongruities between "best practices" in the defensive world, and the practical realities of his professional and social limitations. "I've never carried a gun professionally. I'm just a yuppie suburbanite that happens to live an armed lifestyle. Having worked in the corporate arena for the last decade, I've discovered that a lot of the "requirements" and norms of gun carriers at large aren't necessarily compatible with that professional environment. I also have a pretty diverse social background, having grown up in the Northeast, and there are many people in my life that are either gun-agnostic or uncomfortable with the idea of private gun ownership. This has afforded me not only insights into how we are perceived by different subcultures, but how to manage and interact with people that may not share your point of view without coming across as combative or antisocial. This is why my focus is the overlooked social aspects of the armed lifestyle."