It was pointed out to me recently that the citizens of the U.S. are just about the only people on the planet that carry their cell phones in holsters. After a moment’s reflection I realized this was pretty accurate: in all my travels through Scandinavia, and Western and Eastern Europe over the last couple of years, I don’t think I saw a single cell phone carried anywhere other than in a pocket or purse. I’d like to think this American idiosyncrasy is a throw-back to the days of the Wild West, where a man would make it with a little grit and a gun in his holster. Everyone I’ve spoken to, though, suggests it’s a status symbol: “Look at the phone I’ve got!”
So, dear reader, sound off!
Do you use a cell phone holster?
Holsters are lame. Uberly.
I’ve always carried mine in my left front pocket.
The only yes options are “because everybody else does it” or “because I want to show it off”.. wow… no hidden agenda here.
I use a holster because my PDA-Phone is rather thick, and would be very uncomfortable in my pocket, not to mention risk being crushed or damaged.
The holster also makes it much easier to take out when I get a call or test.
I’ve got a treo I used to have in a holder, this war more to protect it from my keys and change. Now the honeymoon is over it goes right in my front pocket.
Not sure why someone would want to show off their phone, half the time it’ll be a big fat Nextel in the holster. 10-4 big trucker!
I prefer holster because it allows me to angle the antennae away from my body, personally. I just don’t feel safe with the cell phone very close to my skin like in a pocket.
Great point, good thing your face isn’t covered in skin.
My father-in-law carries his in a holster.
I promise you, the only reason he does it is because he still thinks that cellphones project a higher socioeconomic status. Forget the fact that I’m the one that bought him his phone, and pays his bill.
I’ve actually seen him pull his phone out and act like he’s talking on the thing, in front of his siblings, even though I know he’s not talking to a soul. He’s just trying to get everyone to notice that he’s got this amazing technological marvel (for some reason he doesn’t realize that they do as well). People in their seventies will do the funniest things.
So, I do think it’s sometimes done to project status, but only in certain demographics. I think the older folks are much more likely to display their “hotness”. Maybe in that age group it still is a status symbol, but in mine, I assure you it isn’t.
I dont buy my old Music teacher at school did, he looked like a fucking idiot!
Wow, this is lame. There are better things to write about than ask whether we wear cell phone holsters. The consensus will clearly be: if you are women, the phone is either in ur hand or purse. If you are a man, it’s in your pocket unless you own a blackberry.
I get a phone, I carry it in my pocket, it gets all scratched up in a month or two and I buy a holster because I know the phone will be wrecked by the time I get through my contract.
I used to use it on my belt holster, but I now prefer it in my pants because I can feel the vibrator better there.
I carry my xv6700 in a holster. It’s easier to get to when I’ve got an incoming call, I can use it with one hand (as opposed to keeping it in the included carrying case), and it’s more comfortable than keeping it in my pocket. I also carry my insulin pump in a holster on my other hip, so there’s no way anyone can deny I’m the nerdiest nerd they know. The nerdiest!
I carry my BB in a holster because my company gave me one that works well and because its more comfortable than keeping it in my pocket. I put my SE in my pocket because its slimmer.
I’d rather wear nothing but a hat with a feather and a thong.
If I had a regular phone, I’d be more inclined to use a holster, but since I use a larger WinMo smartphone, a holster is usually more comfortable. Sometimes I’ll put it in my pocket though.
On a side note, holsters aren’t a NA-only affair. When I traveled through Taipei and Hong Kong, a good number of businesspeople used holsters.
I use a holster for my Blackjack because it’s huge making it uncomfortable to carry in a front pocket. I don’t like to use back pockets because I fear sitting on my phone and crushing it.
Sometimes if I wear “Cargo pants” I throw it in a pants pocket but I hate the weight of it flopping around.
Ont he other hand I also carry a burner phone for work (I tuck a non burner sim card in it). I don’t us holster for this phone and generally carry it in that useless little picket on the side of my right leg. All of my Jeans have this pocket expressly for this purpose.
My observation is that the holster phenomenon is peculiar to men of “a certain age”. Someone mentioned that these guys are showing off and I think that’s spot on. Pretty hilarious when you think about it.
In particular, I remember a guy in his mid-50s that I used to see at church. He had not one but two(!) cell phones in holsters on his belt, plus a pager. I was duly impressed (NOT!). I mean, if you have to be that connected on a Sunday morning, should you even be at church?
Frankly, I avoid carrying mine on my person, if I can (similar philosophy to ‘Mads’). For example, if I’m at church, or somewhere else for a short period of time, I’ll just leave it in the car. If I go out for lunch when I’m at work, I’ll just leave it sitting in my office. Cell phones are great (obviously), but I think that they can be useful without being attached to you every second of the day.
I use a holster because the fanny pack just makes me look fat and American.
srsly?
the 90’s called and wanted it’s poll back…then the 80’s called and wanted it’s joke back…
What about the option: Yes, because I can’t fit my phone in my pocket.
Phones like the iPhone 3G or Bold are pretty damn big to put in your pocket unless the pants you wear are quite loose.
Don’t understand why you wouldn’t use a holster.
Front pocket; it falls out if i bend down to reach anything. Pocket with my keys; gets scratched. Pocket with my cigarettes and lighter; gets tobacco on it and lighter scratches it. Back pocket; sitting on it can’t be good.
Haven’t put a phone in my pocket since I had a Star-Tac and broke the last flaccid little antennae I was going to ever re-buy.
Holster is the only good option to get easy access to and not damage today’s smartphones. Unless of course your the kind of person who has to have one but doesn’t use it much anyway.
What’s more pretentious the guy who needs to display his phone or the guy who needs to buy one but doesn’t use it much?
Hell no.
Nice job on finding a pic of the most hideous phone holster available.
I carry my iPhone (personal phone) in my pocket and, during office hours, I carry my BlackBerry in a holster on my belt, but I usually leave my shirt untucked and covering it so it just looks like maybe I have a hip tumor and not a phone holster.
i wear my cell on a lanyard around my neck…it’s always close at hand
I had a custom pair of pants made with the pocket right in front of my penis. I keep the phone in this pocket, so every time it rings on vibrate i get a huge boner and shoot my load
I love holsters, I bought one recently and it fits my cell phone perfectly,it is padded so my cell phone does not get crushed and i recommend every one to carry a cell phone holster.