After Action Review: Covert Shirt

Guest post by Joe Houser

Perfect Casual Concealed Carry & Travel Shirt

Typically, men's shirts all seem to be the same. Find a color that you like in a size that fits and you’re all set. Features are few and tend to begin and end with button-down collars.

But the folks at Propper have a saying, “For almost 50 years, making tactical gear with a purpose has been our way of life.” They definitely had that in mind when designing their Covert Button-Up shirt.

The aptly named Covert shirt is designed to conceal a weapon. It’s a great shirt when not carrying a sidearm, too, but it really shines in the concealment role because it serves as more than just a great hiding place. It also allows the wearer the accessibility to quickly and safely draw a firearm under duress. That’s where intelligent design comes into play.

The shirt appears to be a button-up, but looks can be deceiving. All of the buttons except the top two are actually false buttons that hide snaps. In one quick motion, the front gives way to allow easy access to a holstered weapon concealed on your torso. Have you ever seen pro basketball players rip off their warm-ups? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.

If you carry IWB, you’ll like the side slits in the short sleeve version that are held closed by hook and loop but easily open if you need to draw. And as for printing, the plaid pattern and looser fit hide the gun from even the most discerning observer. The long sleeve style doesn’t feature the side slits because it’s designed to be tucked in, but you can still access a torso mounted weapon through the snap front.

The features don’t end there. The shirt sports two hidden vertical document pockets with magnetic closures for quick and quiet access. I’ve actually had friends notice me using these pockets and say, “Is that a magnet? Cool!”

I fly a lot. I always make sure that I’m wearing a Propper Covert Button-Up on the plane. Those pockets are perfect for my phone, boarding pass, and ID. It’s really nice when I’m buckled into my seat and my phone can be easily accessed and not buried in a pant pocket.

The Covert Button-Up features underarm gussets that allow a greater range of motion. The extended length helps for weapon concealment when worn untucked or keeping the shirt in place when tucked in your pants. The fabric is also of the easy-care variety. No ironing is required and the shirt doesn’t get wrinkly throughout the day.

Available from a size small to XXL, I found the fit to be true to other shirts on the market. I like plaid. That’s a good thing since these are available in Barn Red Plaid, Loden Green Plaid, Ocean Blue Plaid, and Steel Grey Plaid.

To sum it all up, this is a quality shirt that looks sharp. It’s a good value, too. Not to mention all of the technical features for the CCW wearer or the guy that just needs more pockets without looking like he’s going on safari. Add that to the equation and the Covert Button-Up is hard to beat.

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Joe Houser is a former marketing executive with SureFire, Viridian, and several marketing firms. His passion lies in firearms and firearm training, and he has trained across the country with some of the top names in tactical training. He teaches defensive pistol and CCW in his home state of Minnesota, enjoys shooting competitively, and is a Master Class IDPA shooter.