It’s coming. There’s nothing we can do to stop it. No groundhog predicting the winter for six more weeks can stop it. It’s summer. A lot of people look forward to summer; in the South, we call them snowbirds as they return to their moderate-temperature areas. In Florida, the sun and humidity are brutal. The Florida sun turns shooting into an endurance sport.
When it comes to firearms and summer, a lot of people don’t have to do much to change how they shoot, compete, or train. In Florida and much of the Southeast, it’s wise to make changes to how you dress, weapon and gear maintenance, as well as how and what you carry. So let’s hit summer back and prep properly for the coming heatwave.
Do you know who has succeeded at beating the heat? Fishermen. They have mastered how to stay out on a tiny boat in the middle of the sun and not melt. They do this through selective clothing choices. There are two pretty solid options for daily wear and for training and competition wear in the summer.
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The first is the long-sleeve fishing shirt with a ventilated rear. These shirts are often made from extremely modern materials that are super lightweight and breathable, with a fair bit of moisture-wicking and fast-drying design.
They offer long sleeves, collars that can pop for neck protection, and ventilated backs and armpits to keep things cool. They also tend to be a bit baggy, which helps with concealment. These are a great go-to for concealed carry and tend to look a little nicer than a plain T-shirt. Formal they are not, but they are a little less bummy and offer protection from the heat.
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Next is my current favorite: sun hoodies. Sun hoodies came out of the fishing world just like the shirts. As the name implies, they have a built-in lightweight hood to provide neck and head protection. They are long-sleeve, lightweight, and moisture-wicking. They even include SPF 40 to 50.
I use these for classes and will be using them for this summer’s competitive run. They are super comfy and lightweight. I burned 16 hours a few weekends ago at a class wearing these, and they felt great. Pro-gun companies like Weekend Gunner even spice them up to make them a bit more stylish at the range.
The Sweat Is Killer
Sweat is the bane of a firearm’s existence. It’s also the bane of magazines, optics, and ammo. You don’t know sweat until it’s 2 o’clock and you’ve been outside since 9 AM. You’ve done nothing but chug water and somehow still haven’t peed. You’re soaked to the point where it looks like you jumped in a pool.
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Imagine that, but you have a gun inside your waistband. What’s that sweat doing to the gun? It’s clinging to it with no place to go. It doesn’t dry; it stews. The same goes for your optic and even into the gun and onto the ammo, especially when it comes to revolvers.
Will it disable the ammo? No, I’ve never seen or heard of that, but if it’s carry ammo, it will start to corrode. I tend to prefer nickel-plated ammo for concealed carry when I’m going to be swimming in sweat. It does better than straight brass at preventing corrosion, but it’s wise to check your ammo every so often for signs of corrosion.
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What about the gun? Well, it causes rust. Some guns resist it better than others, but you’d be surprised what rusts inside a gun. Magazines and sights might start before the gun, so checking them and applying some rust prevention oils and similar materials is a wise move to make.
What about optics? If you’re using an open emitter optic carried IWB, you might want to consider an enclosed emitter. Open-emitter designs can become a nice little shelf for sweat to collect. When you draw your gun, that sweat flows into the emitter, creating a disruption of your sight picture.
Carrying In the Summer
When summer comes around, you might start to feel the chafe. The sweat is caught by kydex pooling between your body and holster and becomes uncomfortable. There are two options: change your gun and carry style, or look into a holster designed for heat.
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Off the top of my head, the new Phlster Floodlight V2 comes to mind. It has these air gaps that promote airflow and allow things to be a little cooler. There are also the IceVents from Qore Performance. They are designed for holsters, but limited to Safariland OWB rigs and the T.REX Arms Sidecar designs.
A new carry style might be better. I’m a pocket carry aficionado during the summer, and I switch to a fairly small gun. That’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s an option.
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The Little Things
If we go back to training or shooting, there are two little things that I love for those long days at a match or the range training.
First, a towel. A little hand towel you can tuck in your belt. This allows you to dry your hands before a drill or stage. This helps ensure you keep a good grip but also reduces your gun’s exposure to sweat. It’s a little thing that’s fantastic to have and super helpful.
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Second, a little something called Salty Britches. I have no relation to this company, but they make the best anti-chafing ointment out there. As a person of calories, those thunder thighs be rubbing. So, a little Salty Britches goes a long way to keep you running and gunning in comfort and not walking like a green cowboy.
Staying Cool
I’m one of those rare people that hates summer. I don’t like the beach, I hate crowds, and I hate heat. Yet, the goal is to shoot better, to compete, and keep training. With that in mind, I face summer with an arsenal of tools to keep me comfy and efficient.
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