Gun people love arguing about gear, methods, and what counts as the “right” way to do something, but every now and then one of those debates gets pushed so far that it stops being helpful and starts sounding more like a purity test.
That is the issue Colion Noir tackles in his recent video, where he responds to a podcast clip making a very blunt claim: if you are not carrying appendix, then the reason is basically one of two things – you are either too fat and uncomfortable, or too scared and untrained. According to the clip, there is “literally no reason” outside those two explanations for why someone should not be carrying appendix.
It is a strong take, and in Colion Noir’s view, it is also way too simplistic.
What makes his response more interesting is that he is not coming at this as someone who hates appendix carry or avoids it. Quite the opposite. He says he carries appendix “99.99999%” of the time. So this is not a guy defending an option he refuses to use. It is someone who actually prefers appendix carry, while still arguing that the online pressure to treat it like the only serious method misses an important point.
And honestly, that point is a good one.
Colion Noir Says Appendix Carry Really Does Have Big Advantages
Noir does not begin by pretending all carry positions are equal in every way.
In fact, one reason his response works is that he openly acknowledges why appendix carry has become so popular. He says that from a performance standpoint, it is hard to beat. It conceals better, gives the carrier more direct control over the firearm because it is positioned right in front of the body, and in his view it is simply faster on the draw.
Not just a little faster, either.
Colion says it is “noticeably faster,” and that matters because appendix carry supporters often build their case around practical performance. If the gun hides better, stays more accessible, and comes out quicker when needed, then it is easy to understand why many trained carriers would see it as the superior option.
And to be fair, for a lot of people, it probably is.
That is why this debate gets heated in the first place. People who carry appendix and train that way often do not just think it works for them. They start to believe it is so efficient that anyone choosing something else must be compensating for weakness, fear, or bad habits. That is the mindset Noir is pushing back on.
Not because appendix is bad, but because the argument for it often turns into something much more arrogant than the technique itself deserves.
The Part the Podcast Clip Missed
According to Colion Noir, the problem with the podcast take is not that appendix carry has benefits. It is that the people making the argument skipped over the biggest trade-off involved.
As Noir explains it, when you carry appendix, you are carrying a gun pointed at your own body.
That is not drama. That is geometry.
He says that when someone responds to this by saying, “I’m not comfortable with that,” it is a mistake to automatically translate that into “you need more training” or “you’re scared.” In his view, that reaction is not necessarily fear. It can simply be awareness.
And that word – awareness – does a lot of work in his argument.
Colion says he went through the same thought process himself when he transitioned from carrying at 3:00 to carrying appendix. He remembers the moment it really clicked for him that he was now walking around with a firearm pointed at his own body. He says that realization was not panic or cowardice. It was just a clear understanding of the risk he was choosing to accept.
That is an important distinction, and frankly, it is one a lot of internet gun debates bulldoze right past.
Recognizing risk is not the same thing as being ruled by it. In fact, in responsible gun ownership, it ought to be the starting point.
Reholstering Is Where the Real Trade-Off Shows Up
One of the strongest parts of Colion Noir’s video is the way he talks about reholstering.
A lot of debates about appendix carry focus on the draw. That makes sense because speed and access are easy to measure and easy to brag about. But Noir shifts attention to the moment many people quietly know matters just as much: putting the gun back in the holster.
He says that even now, after carrying appendix for a long time, he slows everything down when he reholsters.
Finger nowhere near the trigger. Eyes locked in. Attention on every tiny movement.
Sometimes, he says, he will even adjust the holster angle slightly to make sure that if the gun were to discharge for some reason during reholstering, it would be directed away from him as much as possible. He says he does that because he understands what is at stake.
That is the trade-off in plain English.
Appendix carry may give you concealment and speed, but it also changes the consequences if something mechanical goes wrong or if you make a mistake. Noir points out that if something bad happens with a gun carried at 3:00, you are probably in much better shape than if something goes wrong when the muzzle is oriented toward your femoral artery or other critical parts of your body.
That is not anti-appendix talk. That is honest appendix talk.
And it is refreshing, because people sometimes sell carrying methods like they are selling shoes. They focus on comfort, speed, and lifestyle appeal, while avoiding the much heavier subject of what happens if the system fails.
Confidence Matters More Than Internet Approval
The heart of Colion Noir’s argument is not really about appendix versus 3:00.
It is about confidence.
He says the worst thing someone can do is carry a gun in a way they do not fully trust. Because once hesitation, second-guessing, or discomfort gets involved, that uncertainty can become its own danger. In other words, a carry method that works beautifully in theory may become the wrong method if the person using it is never fully settled into it.
That feels obvious, but it gets lost online all the time.
Instead of talking about body type, training background, clothing style, daily movement, job demands, and individual comfort level, people reduce the entire issue to status. One method becomes the “serious” one, and everything else gets treated like a compromise for lesser people. That is the kind of dogmatism Noir says he rejects.
He still carries appendix. He still thinks it is the best option for him.
But he says he is not about to shame someone else for choosing differently, especially when that different choice may come from a thoughtful and realistic understanding of risk. That is a far more mature way to frame the conversation than just barking, “If you’re not doing what I do, you’re the problem.”
And honestly, that kind of maturity is often missing in gun culture debates.
Carry Methods Are Personal, Not Religious Doctrine
One of the smartest things Colion Noir says in the video is that this issue has turned into something “dogmatic.”
That is exactly the word for it.
A carry method should be a practical decision, shaped by body type, wardrobe, training, comfort, lifestyle, and risk tolerance. But too often, people talk about it like a creed. Once that happens, nuance dies. If someone carries differently, it is no longer treated as a practical variation. It becomes proof that they are lazy, soft, ignorant, or afraid.
That is where useful advice turns into dumb chest-thumping.
The podcast clip Noir responds to clearly wanted to motivate people, especially those who might use body size or anxiety as excuses not to improve. There is some truth buried in that idea. Yes, some people probably do hide behind comfort or inexperience instead of training harder or finding better gear.
But saying those are the only reasons anyone might avoid appendix carry is where the argument falls apart.
Because there really are other reasons. Serious reasons. Mature reasons.
A person can understand appendix carry perfectly well, respect its strengths, and still decide they would rather carry at 3:00 because they prefer where the risk sits on their body. That does not make them untrained. It makes them deliberate.
Colion Noir’s Bottom Line Is the Right One
By the end of the video, Colion Noir lands in a pretty sensible place.
Carry how you are confident. Understand the trade-offs. Make the decision for yourself.
That sounds simple, but it is probably the healthiest way to approach the whole topic. Not every gun owner has the same body, the same tolerance for risk, the same daily routine, or the same mental comfort with muzzle orientation. Pretending they should all land in the exact same place is not practical. It is just ego dressed up as instruction.
Noir’s point is not that appendix carry is overrated.
It is that it should remain a choice, not a test of worthiness.
And for people who do choose it, his own habits are probably the strongest argument for taking it seriously. He carries appendix almost all the time, but he never talks about it casually. He talks about slowing down, paying attention, and respecting what could go wrong. That attitude is much more convincing than the swaggering idea that anybody who hesitates is just fat, uncomfortable, or scared.
Because when guns are involved, confidence is good.
But overconfidence is where stupid starts.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.
