[Mainsail]

I'm in the market for a holster for carrying my G29 on hikes, something simple like the Bianchi M12 just downsized for the smaller gun. I did an internet search and am completely amazed at how many manufacturers are making drop-leg thigh holsters. Since they wouldn't be making them unless someone were buying them, I have to wonder how many people have thigh holsters sitting unused in the closet.

Who is buying all this tactical crap?

I'm not happy about the lack of variety either. It seems like everybody is making dozens of holsters for only about six guns- few if any are making holsters for the rest of the guns, like my G29.

Does anyone know a custom holster maker that works in ballistic nylon?

[Skribs]

I don't see the point of a drop-thigh for anything less than duty size, personally.

[1SOW]

I shoot at the range and at matches with a good number of military or ex-military who use tactical holsters.
Maybe it's "familiarity". Maybe "wannabes" buy them too.

While some may laugh, the Uncle Mike's OWB nylon holster actual works pretty well for uses like hiking with it's optional retention. I use it as a loaner for new shooters without strap retention. They have one that will fit and it carries an Xtra mag.

[spikedzombies]

I use a drop leg for hiking and camping as my bag has a waist strap that interferes with a regular holster.

"Sent via a teleportation device"

[Davek1977]

Face it, tactical accessories and the like are here to stay. The market has been established, and seems to be thriving. Complaining about it might make you feel good, but will do the same amount of good as the parents going hysterical over Elvis in the 50s and 60s. Times change, its inevitable. To think, at one point in the not so distant past, there were people out there wondering who is buying those newfangled "plastic guns" that couldn't possibly be worth a crap......

[ColtPythonElite]

Most of my leather holsters are black. I was tactical before tactical was cool.:D

[TAKtical]

I think a lot of the sales go to airsoft players. Thats just my guess. By the way, I make holsters for all glock models.

[Sam1911]

I'd imagine most buyers of drop-leg holsters use them a couple of times and then toss them in the "stuff" box.

As I'm sure you're aware, they arent' very comfortable, aren't very secure (they do NOT stay put), and flop around a lot when you move. I've read numerous times of soldiers and other servicemen discarding them when issued one for just those reasons. (Most recently in Chris Kyle's American Sniper (http://www.amazon.com/American-Sniper-Autobiography-Military-History/dp/0062082353), just last weekend.)

But they have a place, if you really can't make anything better work with the rest of your gear.

I even saw one at the range, once.

[RUT]

Goes to show you the power of "marketing". ;)

[beatledog7]

Many gun buyers these days are all into the cool-ness and macho factors, and having all this tactical stuff makes them feel like they're a character in some first-person-shooter video game.

I think if these games had never been invented, the tacticool market would be pretty darn small.

[MrCleanOK]

Drop leg holsters do serve a purpose. They get your gun out of the way when you absolutely can't wear it on your belt. For instance- full coverage body armor like the IOTV or IBA, too much stuff on a war belt, wearing a backpack with a hip belt. Even then, the intent is to get the gun out of the way, while still keeping it as close to the belt line as possible.

Unfortunately, enough cool guy wanna-bes see the cool guys wearing them and say "I want that!" without thinking critically about why the cool guys wear them. I will admit, I did it once upon a time. Used it long enough to figure things out, and it has been bouncing around my closet ever since. I am actually blessed to be tall enough that I can get away with wearing my M9 at my beltline.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[JTQ]

No drop leg stuff for me. No ballistic nylon for me either, though.

Does anyone know a custom holster maker that works in ballistic nylon?
Ballistic nylon is probably not a material for a custom holster maker. You may want to bring a picture of what you're thinking of to a tailor or a sail shop. They may be able to sew something up for you.

[Skribs]

Most of my leather holsters are black. I was tactical before tactical was cool.

I've been wearing all black since I was a teenager. No, I'm not goth or emo, I just feel comfortable in the color. Lately I've been wearing biege shorts though...anyway, I've been wearing the tacticool color long before I was a gun nut.

[tarosean]

I'm sure you're aware, they arent' very comfortable, aren't very secure (they do NOT stay put), and flop around a lot when you move. I've read numerous times of soldiers and other servicemen discarding them when issued one for just those reasons. (Most recently in Chris Kyle's American Sniper, just last weekend.)


As a matter of fact I was watching a whole group of people with them on this morning, and they were bouncing everywhere.. Course they also had body armor, helmets and AUG's and were not playing commando/tackykool...

[sgtstryker]

Johnny Cash always wore black, too..He was cool back then, but not tacticool..

[Mainsail]

I don't really know how color got in this, but that isn't what I was talking about. I'm wondering why a search for nylon holsters returns dozens of holster makers making mostly drop-leg holsters.

Again, what I'm looking for is a holster like the Bianchi M12 (with or without the flap) that can accept the quick-lock mechanism, but sized to fit the G29. (The loop on the back of the holster would have to be sewn on 90° from the standard belt loop for this)

[savanahsdad]

I made a drop holster for my 10 1/2 BlackHawk 44mag and I use it every year for deer hunting , I can keep my coat ziped up and the grip don't jab in my side when I'm going under a fence or going through the brush . and it stays right in place

[Skribs]

Mainsail, it's because black is "tactical". It's the color of ninja attire. It's the "evil black rifle" (AR-15) instead of the "hunting rifle". It's the Glock vs. the 1911. Essentially a weapon being "black" means its modern and dangerous, and accessories being "black" means they will conceal better in ninja gear.

At least, that's the stereotype for tacticool. I just like the color black.

[savanahsdad]

Mainsail, it's because black is "tactical". It's the color of ninja attire. It's the "evil black rifle" (AR-15) instead of the "hunting rifle". It's the Glock vs. the 1911. Essentially a weapon being "black" means its modern and dangerous, and accessories being "black" means they will conceal better in ninja gear.

At least, that's the stereotype for tacticool. I just like the color black.
1911 come in black , and always have , so have just about everything else that has ever been made in the gun world

[W.E.G.]

Nobody guessed the right answer yet?

The answer is: "OPERATORS"

... of course. :cool:

[mljdeckard]

I used a few rigs in Iraq, and to be honest, I liked the old-school M-12/UM-84 with the (very cheap and simple) thigh extension. It's more rigid and moves less than most. But what I usually used when I was in garrison was my old tanker chest holster. (And yes, I really was a tanker that long ago.)

[PabloJ]

I'm in the market for a holster for carrying my G29 on hikes, something simple like the Bianchi M12 just downsized for the smaller gun. I did an internet search and am completely amazed at how many manufacturers are making drop-leg thigh holsters. Since they wouldn't be making them unless someone were buying them, I have to wonder how many people have thigh holsters sitting unused in the closet.

Who is buying all this tactical crap?

I'm not happy about the lack of variety either. It seems like everybody is making dozens of holsters for only about six guns- few if any are making holsters for the rest of the guns, like my G29.

Does anyone know a custom holster maker that works in ballistic nylon?
Look at Blade-Tech Partial Eclipse Holster OWB for Glock 20/21. It works very well with my 29SF.

[Mainsail]

Thanks Pablo, but that will not work for hiking. There is no way the pack's huge QD buckle will fit through the slots on the holster. That's why I want to use the Bianchi quick-lock. Also, I need a holster that is closed at the bottom. Even in the M12 with the flap, crud still gets into my G20 during a hike. The gun would look like crap after a glissade using a holster like the blade tech. :eek:

I don't need an extender, it just needs to sit on the pack belt.

Can you see the fir tree needles in the slide?

http://www.topohiker.com/Hikes/images/Wonder2011/Glock.png
http://www.topohiker.com/Hikes/images/Wonder2011/HikeHolster.png

[AZ PAUL]

I have a drop leg holster... I used to use it everyday that I worked. Now that I am not in that same line of work, its got a nice coat of dust over it.

[JTQ]

Mainsail wrote,
There is no way the pack's huge QD buckle will fit through the slots on the holster.
It doesn't solve the other problems with the holster, but the Blade-Tech "Tek-lok" should work.

http://www.blade-tech.com/Belt-Holster-w-TEK-LOK-pr-910.html

[FMF Doc]

I have a drop leg platform that I can attach any number of holsters to. Depending on what I am doing and where I will be, a drop let makes a lot of sence. If your woods carry pistol is a 10mm or .45 acp, then it might make a lot of sense. I have used that setup myself. If open carry is legal where you live, no matter how "mall nijaish" it might look, it is still a viable, practical and comfortable way to carry a gun, perticularly a large one. If was going to OC something like a G34, I would probably go that route, wardrobe depending. Now, that being said, I don't think I can envision a time where I will be OCing a duty sized pistol stateside, but when I did overseas, I loved my dropleg set up.

[Duble Naught Spy]

OK I'll admit it.

I strap one on every time i play SOCOM or CALL OF DUTY. Makes it more realistic. Although i should probably start wearing pants since its pulls hairs like crazy.:)

[Rick R]

Have you looked at the Safepacker by The Wilderness?

http://www.thewilderness.com/storepinnacle/index.php?p=catalog&parent=171&pg=1

I've got one designed to carry a G26 size pistol. A bit obvious for "concealed carry" around town but it works well for hiking.

[Mainsail]

You would think it would be a lot easier to spend some of my money.

Drop-leg holsters blow for hiking. They might work for meandering around in the forest, but they are not practical for hiking or scrambling.

The Safepacker would be silly here where open carry is legal, accepted, and far better.

http://www.topohiker.com/FS/Packinsnow3.png

[jhco]

Ninjas!