Suggestions for first IWB holster?

I'm fairly new to handguns and carrying concealed and have recently purchased a Sig p225 that I plan on carrying daily. I have my ccw but have never carried consistently every day. I've moved to an area that I feel warrants daily carry and was wondering about some suggestions for an IWB holster and gun belt for my p225. I am thinking I will buy something like the Crossbreed super tuck. I need something that is as comfortable as possible and won't allow the gun to shift at all. Like I said I am new to any holster of better quality than an uncle mike's and would like some opinions on what might be the best rig for me. I'm a taller skinny fellow if that makes any difference. Thanks.

I am a holster maker and I still recommend the Tucker "Answer" for any tucked IWB needs. I don't make a tuckable holster so I always recommend his. I have one for each handgun I own. It is very similiar to the Crossbreed, but it is the original. The kydex can be leather lined, and the back of the holster is lined with comfy suede for up against the skin.
As for a belt, I make belts and does many leatherworkers on this site. As for belts just make sure it is two peices glued and sewn together. Make sure it is sealed so you do not get any dye bleeding into your clothes when you sweat or it gets wet. Hope this helps and good luck...

I can't recommend High Noon Holsters highly enough - incredible quality equipment. The Down Under IWB holster rides with me every day, and their Rock Steady gun belt is the perfect platform.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/High%20noon%20Gear/DownUndertwomonthslater.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/High%20noon%20Gear/Phantominholster.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/High%20noon%20Gear/HOLSTERS.gif

http://highnoonholsters.com/

Question 1: Might you want to carry concealed with your shirt tucked in?

I'd go with the crossbreed and a BeltMan belt. I carry a Sig 228 and it conceals pretty easily with just a tshirt and doesn't move around at all. The belt helps A LOT by distributing the weight well and keeping the holster close to your body.

Thanks for the replies, unfortunately I'm apart of a little bit younger generation and don't think I'm going to start tucking in my shirts. That would make concealing easier though. I was wondering how stiff of a belt I need for iwb carry. Do i need one of the very stiff belts to keep my rig solid?

C5 Leather (http://www.c5leather.com/) (click for link)

Big Jim will make you one that is beautiful to behold and works like a champ!
He bent over backwards to get three magazine holders right for me after the first double and one single were riding too high, causing them to flop over from my belly fat.

He made me the IWB, the single and double mag holders and a really nice, thick (over 1/4") Belt to hold it all together! Very functional and beautiful at the same time. I have about $170 into the entire rig.

Also, for some reason i have decided that the crossbreed super tuck style of holster is best as opposed the style armoredman reccomends above because the clips are not directly on the sheath that holds the gun making it lower profile. Is this correct thinking or does it make a difference? Thanks for the help.

The gun secures the holster, the holster secures the gun. Yes, you need a proper gun belt.

http://www.thewilderness.com/storepinnacle/index.php?p=catalog&parent=142&pg=1

www.thebeltman.net

Hands down the Crossbreed Supertuck...... I have tried several makers and all are a pain in the ass to wear for any amount of extended carry. I now have THREE of the crossbreed supertucks and they are VERY comfortable even in the heat of Alabama. Plus they don't "print."

You will absolutely want to invest in a solid belt. Something made specifically for carrying a gun.

If you like the supertuck you may also like the Comp Tac Minotaur. I've purchased from Comp Tac in the past and they are great to deal with - the website and customer service are totally spot on.

+1 for the Crossbreed Super Tuck! Excellent company and customer service! Mark at Crossbreed is a great guy!

Here's my Super Tuck Deluxe with my Glock 19 Gen 4:
http://img.tapatalk.com/47eb4c49-3b69-acbd.jpg

Definitely check out the above mentioned crossbreed supertuck and the comp tac MTAC and CTAC

www.comp-tac.com

Very good holsters that are available quickly. The comp tac examples can be tucked with the default/standard clips if you ever need to do that.

Triplec wrote,
...for some reason i have decided that the crossbreed super tuck style of holster is best as opposed the style armoredman reccomends above because the clips are not directly on the sheath that holds the gun making it lower profile. Is this correct thinking or does it make a difference?

Here is a review of the 5Shot Leather Inside Burton Scabbard (IBS) from Jason Burton of Heirloom Precision. He has posted this on a variety of forums, this is the first one I found. The loops on this style of holster are maybe, 1/8" thick. That is how much thicker than the holsters with wide spaced loops. However, with this style of holster you have a whole lot less material inside your pants.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=50083

I'll preface this by saying that I'm writing it for anyone searching through looking to get their first IWB CC rig in general, and for Triplec in particular.

I'd go with the crossbreed and a BeltMan belt
SuperTuck (I almost never tuck with any of mine, but the feature does work)
BeltMan

Those two companies are the ones I go back to, I have three SuperTucks and 2wo BeltMan belts at this point. Other products are OK ... but those two are outstanding and not much more expensive than the "OK" gear.

Also, for some reason i have decided that the crossbreed super tuck style of holster is best[3] as opposed the style armoredman reccomends above because the clips are not directly on the sheath that holds the gun making it lower profile. Is this correct thinking [1] or does it make a difference[2]?
1 - Yes, it helps spread weight and reduces overall thickness
2 - Yes, in stability and comfort
3 - Be careful with "best" ... everything is a trade-off. For example, a "winged" holster is bigger and a bit sweatier underneath, and needs more storage space, etc etc.

I was wondering how stiff of a belt I need for iwb carry[a]. Do i need one of the very stiff belts to keep my rig solid?[b]
a- Stiffer than anything you'll find in a department store
b- You could probably get away with not getting horsehide or a stiffiner added for IWB, but yes, stiffer is better, it supports the weight better and doesn't let the gun move around, and also makes getting the gun into the holster a lot easier (the Kydex shell and big smooth leather backing of a SuperTuck both help with re-holstering, as well)

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Here's the deal, you can buy good stuff now and pay some money out ... or you can buy cheap stuff over and over and end up paying just as much in cheap stuff, at which point you'll just buy the good stuff anyway.
There are more companies out there than CrossBreed and BeltMan, and a lot of them are very good ... but the core design of the BeltMan bullhide belt and the SuperTuck hybrid Kydex&leather holster are sound.
Similar holsters: Theis, Comp-Tac, KHolster, Tucker Gunleather (off the top of my head, at least)
Other belts: CrossBreed*, 5.11, "instructor belts" (again, just off the top of my head)

* (actually, I'm wearing a CB belt right now, it isn't quite as nice as bullhide/horsehide from BeltMan and I pressed it into service for a work belt because I don't care if it gets scuffed once in a while)

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And a random additional thought - if you're ordering from BeltMan anyway, throw in a jar of the leather preservative he sells, it's good for belts/holsters/wallets/bondage gear/leather coats/boots/etc etc. Anything you want to preserve but NOT soften.

And another random thought - my SuperTucks don't cause a lot of finish wear on my guns - but any gun you carry WILL get finish wear over time. Get over it now, if you can't prepare yourself for some finish wear on your favorite gun, get another gun to carry - either a copy or an ugly gun

I was looking at the Iron Side made by C5 leather suggested by Friendly, don't fire and it looks like a similar style of holster to the crossbreed supertuck but it is all leather, and has a closed muzzle end and is very reasonably priced. I think this is what I'm looking for. Thanks again for the opinions, it is definitely opening my eyes to other options.
It does sound like there are a lot of happy crossbreed users out there, I'll probably stick with something a lot of people have used and has been proven to do the things I need a holster to do.

While not a real fan of IWB carry, I use a Sparks Versa Max II when I do.

I've heard good things about Comp-Tac rigs, especially the Minotaur, but have no personal experience with their products.

YMMV

Triplec wrote,
...has a closed muzzle end...


High Noon's take on closed muzzle holsters
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#51

High Noon has an excellent "Questions" section covering a variety of holster design issues. You may not agree with them, or even like High Noon's offerings, but at least it will make you think when looking over different designs and why the maker chose that design and the pros and cons of each design.

High Noon's take on closed muzzle holsters
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#51

High Noon has an excellent "Questions" section covering a variety of holster design issues. You may not agree with them, or even like High Noon's offerings, but at least it will make you think when looking over different designs and why the maker chose that design and the pros and cons of each design.
Thanks JTQ, maybe a closed end is not what I want.

Should I rule out comp tac then?

I don't think any of the Comp-Tac IWB holsters (actually any in their line-up) have a completely closed end. They all have some opening at the bottom.

http://www.comp-tac.com/catalog.php?cPath=28

While not a real fan of IWB carry, I use a Sparks Versa Max II when I do.

I've heard good things about Comp-Tac rigs, especially the Minotaur, but have no personal experience with their products.

YMMV

I have two Versa Max IIs, a minotaur/MTAC and a CTAC. They are all nice. The big thing here is that the wait time for a VMII is 5-6 months. The wait time for a Comp Tac is nothing (should receive 3-4 days after ordering). Also, the comp tac products are more adjustable. Each clip (fore and aft of the gun) has its ride height adjustable to one of five different positions. This allows you to adjust ride height and cant of the gun. The VMII is all leather, though, and is quite nice and even more stable in my experience.

I ordered my crossbreed super tuck last night. I'll look at getting a belt from belt man. Thanks for helping me make my decision.

Supertuck + beltman is a great setup

I totally agree on the Crossbreed and Beltman belts. I've worn the belts since I discovered them years ago and the Crossbreed tried the first one about 2 1/2 years ago. Now have a few beltman belts including the first I ever bought and 4 crossbreed holsters for several guns.

I love my Crossbreed - I ordered it from their "seconds" site and I can't find a flaw. It took a couple weeks before the holster I wanted got listed for the gun I carry but with a little patience it came up. http://www.crossbreedseconds.com/

...bondage gear...
Wow... so not firearm related.

Anyway, I was looking at the MTAC that was mentioned before, mostly because I don't like the idea of an open muzzle like the Crossbreed. This review sealed the deal for me: http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/04/tyler-kee/gear-review-comptac-mtac-holster/.
The MTAC will be my next firearms related purchase.

I LOVE the Comp-tac MTAC Minotaur. I have 2 of them for different guns. I also have a Comp-tac kydex reinforced belt. I love this setup. It allows me to carry a Compact XD .45 (4 inch barrel) & a Kimber Ultra Carry II .45 (3 inch barrel) comfortably. :)

Alicia, Thanks for the Crossbreeds "Factory Second" website. I did not know of it. I do have handguns, that I usually DON'T carry, that are on the list. Hmmm, I may have to get a couple of the seconds for these pistols. Thanks again.......

Carried a SIG 228 for many years in a Milt Sparks VM II when I carried 9mm.

I still carry in a Milt Sparks HR-LTD (Think of a thin VMII with all the original VM benefits). It now houses Custom Colt LtWgt Commander.

I don't like clips, I want loops, no matter who's holster it is. For IWB if not plastic, I want Horse hide or as with the HR-LTD a sandwiched membrane. Now because of my age and arthritis I want my OWB holsters sitting rather low. I have always preferred a straight drop or minimal 'tilt' in all my holsters IWB or OWB. (the tilt does make it hide better, but that was never an issue for me) I have always preferred the 2:30 to 3:00 O'clock position too. Just my way, after carrying handguns at work beginning in 1966 I know what I like and why.

Don't forget your belt. I don't care how 'good' the holster is or isn't, with a poor belt nothing will work well. I have been using the Wilderness Tactical's 5 stitch 1.5" belt for about 25 years now.

In the end, holsters are VERY VERY subjective. I know what I like and why, but within reason your choices are just as valid. Besides after years of carry, you will evolve into what works best for you and why.

Enjoy the journey. Most folks will not wind up with what ever they started with.

Good luck.

Fred

Gunner69 - you're welcome! They only deal with cash, but I had no problems sending it in the mail. The holster came lightening fast - within a couple days of them receiving my payment. I'm very pleased with the seconds site and am lurking on there now for a dress belt in my size...

Milt Sparks Versamax II.