Is Carrying a Backup Weapon on Your Ankle a Good Idea?

Most of the time, you think of cops when you hear the term “backup weapon.” It’s common for cops to carry a backup weapon on their person or in the vehicle. They do this because a secondary weapon could be the difference between life and death if things go bad. Most incidents where a backup gun was used by a cop involve hand-to-hand confrontations. Many times, the suspect is trying to take an officer’s gun or has already done so.

They can also be used if the primary gun fails or runs out of ammo. Most backup weapons are carried on the ankle. It’s just not feasible to carry two handguns on your side, so the ankle becomes a good choice for a secondary weapon.

There are pros and cons to this style of carry and in some cases, it works great. But carrying a weapon on an ankle also has its downsides. When your goal is to conceal a gun, using an ankle holster is appealing to some even when it’s their primary weapon. So, let’s get down to it and talk about ankle holsters and backup weapons.

Backup Weapon vs Primary Weapon

While we’re going to focus on ankle carry in this article, it’s important to mention the difference between a primary weapon and a backup weapon first. This is because people tend to think backup weapons are always small, micro-sized guns. People also think a primary weapon is always a large, full-sized gun. While this may be true in many cases, a primary weapon is whatever gun you have available at the time. When you head out the door with a small .380 hidden on your side, that is your primary weapon.

It’s the gun you grab if things go bad. If you carry more than one weapon, one will be a primary gun and one a backup gun. Most people don’t carry a backup weapon, or at least not on purpose. Anything you can use to defend yourself in a life-or-death situation can serve as a backup to another weapon. You just need to be conscious of it and know how to use it.

Ankle Holster Benefits

If you already carry a gun on your side but want to carry a second weapon, an ankle holster is a good option. They can be comfortable if the gun is light enough and you have the right holster. With the right pants, ankle carry is easy to conceal, but keep in mind that the pants will need to be somewhat baggy to successfully hide the weapon.

Skinny jeans, slim-fit, and other tight-cut styles don’t work so well for this. If your pants are too tight, people will be able to see you are wearing a gun. Or they will think you have an ankle monitor on. Either way, it’s not good. I have a pair of boot-cut jeans I wear if I’m planning to carry on my ankle. I view an ankle carry as an option when other options are not available. And sometimes, you just don’t have any other options.

Further, if the shirt I’m wearing makes it hard to carry an IWB holster, I often use my ankle holster. When this happens, the gun on my ankle becomes my primary weapon. When I need to wear a dress shirt and slacks, but it’s too hot for a suit jacket, an ankle holster works great. There are several styles of ankle holsters on the market, but I have always preferred an all-leather holster. I have a Tagua leather ankle holster that I use to carry my Ruger LCP Max. It has padding on the leather straps, and the hook-and-loop panel on the inside of the leather straps makes it easy to adjust.

Potential Drawbacks of an Ankle Holster

Overall, I don’t care for ankle carry. I know I just said I sometimes carry an ankle holster, but it’s not my preferred choice. When I first became a police officer, I purchased a backup gun and strapped it to my ankle. This was a daily habit of mine for years, so it’s become a part of my routine. One of the biggest drawbacks I found with my ankle holster, though, was how challenging it could be to keep it securely in place.

No matter how tight I make it or how place it on my ankle, it starts to move around when I’m running. It has never come off on me, but I couldn’t get used to the feeling of it moving around. No matter what ankle I placed it on, I would end up hitting it on something; my other leg, the car getting in and out, or the bad guy’s foot while I was trying to cuff him.

When I wasn’t in a foot pursuit, an ankle holster wasn’t too bad. You get used to the extra weight on your ankle and almost forget about it, but the biggest drawback is drawing the weapon.

Leaning down to pull a gun from the side of your ankle is not fast, and it requires you to divert your gaze from the suspect. If you need a second gun, having one on your ankle is better than nothing. But this is why I don’t recommend carrying your primary gun on your ankle.

Great for Backup Weapons, Not Primary

When your life is in danger and you need to draw a weapon, you want that weapon in a place that is easy to and quick to reach. This is why the side is the most common. If you decide to start carrying more than one weapon, an ankle holster is great for that. A backup weapon on an ankle doesn’t even have to be a gun.

If you want another option but a gun is too heavy or bulky for you, try a knife on an ankle sheath. I have a K-Bar ankle carry that I use frequently because its slim enough to wear with just about any type of pants. In a gunfight, a backup knife is not ideal, but it’s still better than no weapon at all.

The idea is to have a primary weapon that will defend your life if you need it to. A secondary weapon (backup weapon) gives you one more option. Make it a gun, if possible, but a knife will also keep you with another method of defending yourself.

Do You Carry a Backup Weapon?

A backup weapon can be carried in several different ways. Backpacks are a popular choice, and fanny packs and shoulder holsters all allow room for more than one gun. In the past, I’ve worn my primary gun on a shoulder rig with a smaller backup gun on my waist with an IWB holster. Just remember there is no right or wrong way to carry a backup weapon.

Find which way works best for you and train with it. I like to have options so I can carry an assortment of weapons differently. It all depends on what I’m doing that day and what I’m wearing. Sometimes that includes an ankle holster and other times it doesn’t.

I said I don’t like using an ankle holster as a primary weapon, but there have been a few times where an ankle holster is my only choice. Keep your options (and mind) open to different weapons and ways of carrying. The idea is to always be prepared. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.