FAT ADOPTIVE DAD REVEAL HIS JOURNEY TO FIND HOLSTERS TO PROTECT HIS TWO CHILDREN

Trust me, I know the struggle.

Finding the right holster was a problem that used to haunt me too. But let's roll back the clock a bit.

Last winter, I lost my brother.

He and his wife, they had this shared love for mountain climbing.

 On one of their expeditions, disaster struck. An unforeseen avalanche claimed their lives, leaving their two kids, aged 6 and 8, without parents.

Their loss hit hard. Dealing with my own grief, I suddenly found myself in the role of a dad.

Just back from my duty in Afghanistan, I was transitioning from a military lifestyle to the day-to-day of a farmer.

 The lifestyle change, combined with the stress and sorrow of losing my brother, made me put on some weight.

But life goes on, and with a new family to look after, I picked up two more jobs to make ends meet.

In the midst of all this, worry for their safety was a constant companion.

During my time in the service, I'd learned how to face danger and protect myself.

 Now, with two young ones depending on me, carrying a gun everyday, something I never envisioned doing back home, seemed necessary.

And let me tell you, as a big guy and a farmer, finding a holster that fits right is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

 If you're carrying a bit of extra weight like me, I bet you know the feeling.

I must've tried a dozen different holsters, each one recommended by some guru on Youtube. But none of them got around the problems that us bigger folks face.

- Heat and Sweat: Fat folks like me tend to sweat. A lot. I found most holsters just didn't breathe. And that sweat wasn't only making me uncomfortable – it was ruining my holster and, worse, damaging my gun.

- Snugness: Us bigger guys, we've got a bit of a belly. And when I'd try to squeeze my gun into my waistband, it'd end up buried under a mound of me.

- Lower Back Ache: Whether they were made of kydex or leather, every holster I tried focused all the weight in one spot around my waist. It was like they were trying to give me back problems.

- Seated Drawing: Every holster ad showed a trim, fit person drawing while standing. But what about when you're sitting? Especially in a truck, I found drawing to be anything but smooth and natural.

- Pointing Horizontally: I'd tried a few leather shoulder holsters from a local maker. But they pointed the gun horizontally. Behind me. Breaking the second rule of gun safety: Always point the gun in the safest possible direction.

 Now, I know what some folks think. That us gun owners are reckless, that we don't think things through. But I've got to tell you, with all due respect, that couldn't be further from the truth. We put a lot of thought into gun safety. We're the most careful people you'll meet. Well, except for a few bad apples.

So if you've got a holster and it's got any of these issues, I'd suggest you think about swapping it for something else. Or even consider not carrying at all.

Because when it comes to guns, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

During an online search, I spotted a review by my cousin Robin Green on a veteran-owned holster website.

 He was praising something called the 'Fujobi Pancake Holster.' He sent me one to try.

I was unsure at first, but wore it for a month. This holster was a lifesaver.

It sat easy on my hip comfortable. No more backaches.

Gone was the sweaty discomfort of my old leather holster. My skin felt cool, and my shirts stayed dry.

And drawing my firearm? As simple as getting my wallet from my pocket. That sealed the deal. The Fujobi Pancake Holster became my everyday carry.

  The Fujobi holster is like a part of me now, not an annoying add-on.

 The kids noticed the change too. No more shifting and adjusting at their school events, no more soaked-through shirts. 

 I was just their dependable, cool uncle again. Their friends even started calling me 'The Gentle Giant.'

 People around me began to see me differently as well. 

 At work, my colleagues stopped making 'sweaty' jokes. 

  Instead, they started asking about my new holster. Some even bought their own Fujobi.

 In church, there were no more wary glances, no more whispers. People respected my responsibility as a firearm owner, and my choice of a secure, safe holster played a big part in it.

 The Fujobi Pancake Holster didn't just make my daily carrying routine easier. 

 It brought a newfound respect and eased the tension of my surroundings. 

 I became a figure not to be joked about, but to be looked up to, and it gave me confidence like never before.