Here's the three main things I need for my second IDPA shoot I think.  I borrowed a friends gear for my last one, and I think I've narrowed down my list.  Any suggestions, recommendations where to purchase are gladly wanted.  Thanks everyone.

Galco KingTuc
G Code GDM Double Mag Carrier
HL Impact Sports

Any particular reason why you are going IWB?

IMO, OWB has tons of competition benefits, but if I'm going to train as I fight, then I would need an IWB.  I plan on using the IWB on a daily basis, and IDPA is structured to give shooters a more realistic setting to compete in.  I was really eyeballing Comp-tac's Spartan, but I've heard enough great things about the KingTuc to justify the cost advantage.

IMO, IDPA is a competition shoot, and nothing more.  I shot IDPA for about 2 months, and each time I went out there, I was annoyed by the fact that I have to shoot the targets in order of what they give me, instead of letting me solve it on my own.  IDPA isn't necessarily priming for a fight, and 99% of the guys wear a concealment vest, that they NEVER wear anywhere else except to IDPA.  To each his own though, I never once got the impression that IDPA was helping me in any shape form or fashion with concealment combat, and once I changed mindsets to shot in different federations, I started having more fun shooting, plus learning a heck of a lot more.

My biggest qualls were called targets (shoot order) and magazine retention.  I believe magazine retention is a bad habit to get in to.  There's no way going in to a gun fight am I going to worry about storing my magazines anywhere except where they land.  

Crossbreed does make some good holsters though, you can't go wrong with their IWB set ups.

First off, awesome icon.  First time I’ve seen that.  But yeah, I can see where you’re coming from.  I’m pretty new to competitive shooting, but I’ve been competing at something nearly my entire life.  It is what you make of it.  Being ex-military, sequential shooting is a great tactic, and I’ve seen it work more times than not.  I liked the structure as well, because I didn’t have to guess who’s got what when you go front to rear, weak side to strong side, so now I just have to adapt to IDPA's courses of fire.  For me, thinking “outside the box” means doing things that might be considered a little unorthodox, because that creates challenges for myself that I personally enjoy.  The mag retention thing is natural for me, training and fighting kitted with a dump pouch on my body armor has made it second nature.  I’m going to try and give IDPA a real go though, just because I still think that it’s possible to beat those shooters who come out purely to place, and not for the fun of repetitious training. I wasn’t really looking at my first comp to see who all ran an IWB, but you bet I’ll be keeping track at this next one, it just doesn’t make sense to me that if IDPA was meant to enhance concealed carry shooter’s abilities in a competitive environment that you would run anything but your real life day to day kit.  But as of right now, I’m still on the outside looking in, so what do I know.

You ex .mil, I put you on several levels higher than I'll be at, thanks for your service.

IDPA can definitely help push the limits of your shooting for any reason.  It's still going to incorporate outside stressors to your shooting.  I had good times shooting IDPA, and still go out every now and then, depending on which of my buddies are going out that weekend.  I'm like you, going in to anything you've gotta go in full throttle.  If nothing else, compete with yourself each time out.  I ran both IWB and OWB, as I carry both depending on daily wear/tasks.  I have shirts that will allow OWB, which me personally I'm a few ticks quicker at getting on the gun than IWB, so either way, you'll definitely learn something, and increase your personal skills.

Gear looks good, I would just add a good belt like a http://www.thewilderness.com/storepinnacle/index.php?p=catalog&parent=142&pg=1, and you should be good to go.



I lot of people knock IDPA for some of the strange rules, but I think you get what you put into it. I use a Glock 26 in a Milt Sparks summer special IWB holster covered with a T-Shirt. It might be a little slower than the fishing vest, and the sight radius might be smaller than a full size Glock, but because of good fundamentals I place in the top 5 at our "fun match", and in the top 10 at larger club matches.



There is a lot of things I would like to change about IDPA, but its the only game in town for me and it sure beats the hell out of staying at home.


 

Shit, I wish it could be an everyday social norm to wear a drop leg everywhere I went, because damn it’s fast.  But for some reason walking around strapped up freaks people out.  What a bunch of irresponsible liberal pansies everyone has become.  I’m not saying I would never try another shooting association, but IDPA speaks my language, or is it the other way around.  I spent a year out in Arizona, and every time I’d go camping or hiking all you would see were paddle holstered glocks.  It was like a “modern” old west cowtown. Everybody was packing with those gun laws, which is freaking awesome in my opinion, because the gun control lobbyist were the minority out there.  Back here in Texas, you might think everybody is pro-gun, but they still don’t like the sight of them, damn laws, ergo, IWB for me.  OIF 2x makes a man feel butt naked without some kind of weapon slung or strapped to you.  It’s a habit I should have had years before, but never appreciated until making it a constant practice.    

Regardless of anyone's thoughts on IDPA's as training or a game, if you are planning on carrying concealed, the most important considerations are the comfort and concealability of your gear. It is likely that you'll go though a few holsters before you find one that you settle on for everyday use. Read the reviews, buy from quality makers and be prepared to buy and sell a few holster till you find the right one.

I went and observed my first IDPA match yesterday at Firearms Academy of Seattle here in WA state. Before I found myself in this same quandry, I wanted to make sure IDPA was something I felt like "investing" in. After reading some members' take on their rules, I wanted to see for myself. Maybe we just have a good club where I am at, but overall it seemed like a fun way to spend an afternoon with like-minded firearms enthusiasts.

I have already identified some key areas I will need to work on before hand, such as drawing and holstering. So now I too begin the long search for a holster...