Armored farmer
Member
I have been very happy with my Desantis SofTuck. I have SofTuck holsters for four different pistols....if that tells you anything.
Oh, and they're about $35.
Oh, and they're about $35.
How do you pick out the right CCW holster??
- Thread starter borrowedtime69
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Madcap_Magician
Member
A good belt is an important base, and it matters more the bigger and heavier your gun is. If you're carrying a Glock 43 or something, you can almost get away without a good belt, but when you start getting into the Glock 19 range the lack of a good belt is noticeable, and with a full-size gun it's basically impossible. Something like a 4" K-frame or a 1911 will be hard to carry without a good belt because of the overall weight, but even a Glock 17 or a Sig P320 while a bit lighter, suffers from having so much weight in the loaded magazine so that the weight distribution is above the belt line, which makes the gun want to 'flop' while you're moving.
Getting a good gun belt is critical. My absolute hands-down recommendation is Bigfoot Gun Belts. These are double-layered full-grain leather with a steel core. They simply do not sag, and I've never worn one out. They're dressy enough to wear with a suit but casual enough to wear with jeans. The only reason I buy new ones is if I get too fat or too skinny, or if I need a different color belt.
I also prefer leather IWB holsters. What gun are you carrying?
borrowedtime69
Member
Glock 43X
Mizar
Member
I have several issues with that Alien Gear holster style:
Retention - as the holster is soft you achieve good gun retention only by how tight your belt is. Forget about wearing it with sweat pants - it's just a stupid ad, nothing more.
Shifting position while carrying it because of the single (and slim) belt clip.
No sight track - soon or later your front sight is going to rip that holster from the inside.
It's soft (see "retention"), making it harder for you to reholster - that's why they advise you to put you holster with the gun in it.
That adjustable belt clip style is adding bulk just where you don't want to - at your belt, one of the most visible places for printing.
I've been there and done that - those type of holsters are just no good for carrying for any extended periods of time. Yes, they are a cheap alternative, they do a decent job for a starter, but nothing more - one must acknowledge their shortcomings and move on shortly after.
As Armored Farmer mentioned Desantis sof-tuck - those are a slightly different breed. Still not ideal, but way better than the soft synthetic style IWB holsters with tiny belt clips. I carry a similar tuckable holster from time to time, when I have to, made by "Vega". Molded cow hide, sight track and somewhat adequate belt clip. It's not ideal, but it's working.
Retention - as the holster is soft you achieve good gun retention only by how tight your belt is. Forget about wearing it with sweat pants - it's just a stupid ad, nothing more.
Shifting position while carrying it because of the single (and slim) belt clip.
No sight track - soon or later your front sight is going to rip that holster from the inside.
It's soft (see "retention"), making it harder for you to reholster - that's why they advise you to put you holster with the gun in it.
That adjustable belt clip style is adding bulk just where you don't want to - at your belt, one of the most visible places for printing.
I've been there and done that - those type of holsters are just no good for carrying for any extended periods of time. Yes, they are a cheap alternative, they do a decent job for a starter, but nothing more - one must acknowledge their shortcomings and move on shortly after.
As Armored Farmer mentioned Desantis sof-tuck - those are a slightly different breed. Still not ideal, but way better than the soft synthetic style IWB holsters with tiny belt clips. I carry a similar tuckable holster from time to time, when I have to, made by "Vega". Molded cow hide, sight track and somewhat adequate belt clip. It's not ideal, but it's working.
CapnMac
Member
That's hitting the nail on the head.
You will "feel" it when the fit is right. Same as you will feel it when it's wrong.
What is right?
Well, we humans are arranges in every possible combination, which makes stating "this one" or "that one" sore difficult.
I have a DiSantis Softuck, and it's a good holster, and if I find the right spot, feels just fine. Now, it does not have an "against the body" flap, as you required in OP. (I find it quite suitable while wearing a kilt--I've not found a good pocket holster for a sporran, though.)
Fit is a wonderful thing.
The nice people at Bullard Leather made me one of these:
Took 14 weeks, pretty quick for what they class as a "custom order"--but, I got it before they started their move out of Ft Worth to Throckmorton, TX.
It's not a "tuckable" but, that's ok, it's supple saddle leather, and feels marvelous. Paid extra to get the dark brown leather.
borrowedtime69
Member
WOW!!!!! I just returned that first holster I bought. I spent about 30 mins or so to look at most of the rest of the holsters made for my pistol. It was down to a Crossbreed for $75, and the one I ended up with.
I ended up getting a Rounded IWB Everyday Carry Holster. It's Kydex with a sweat sheild and is tension adjustable. This thing is very comfortable and it doesn't print very much. I think I got VERY lucky both in my choices AND reading your advice on this thread and others listed in this section. Thank you everyone!
I ended up getting a Rounded IWB Everyday Carry Holster. It's Kydex with a sweat sheild and is tension adjustable. This thing is very comfortable and it doesn't print very much. I think I got VERY lucky both in my choices AND reading your advice on this thread and others listed in this section. Thank you everyone!
JTQ
Member
Here's the Rounded for those wondering https://www.roundedgear.com/collections/iwb-kydex-holsters
Let me suggest something for your holster shopping in the future, find a holster that looks good to you, and ask the forum if anybody has any experience with the holster, or what they think about the design and the pros and cons of the style.
The holster you just bought looks like it should probably work, but you got a lot of recommendations for specific holsters in this thread, and I don't think either of the holsters you bought were among those recommendations.
Take advantage of being on a forum and ask first before you buy, it could save you some time, effort, and money.
JTQ
Member
borrowedtime69
Member
Will do! I'm real sorry, I know you guys put time in on this thread, and hopefully may help others in my predicament. My issue is that I can't order online due to Credit Card Issues, and I only had 2, maybe 3 choices of where to shop locally. I was also limited as to what brands those places carried. I just got lucky. But I did learn alot and may need another holster for some other purpose.
Thanks again everybody!
JTQ
Member
No need to apologize, we're here to help.
It's just that if you want to avoid this ...
asking the forum for help, before you buy, is usually the better way to go.
borrowedtime69
Member
A few posters here basically told me here that I would go through a few holsters before I found one that worked, filling a holster box full of them. I didn't want to waste time so I went at it with the mindset that I would be wasting money on holsters that didn't work, and unlike many I don't really have extra cash to waste. I have to take a CCW class,, though I don't need it in this state,, I want to be sure that I know the law backwards and forwards to make sure I am 100% following the law. I felt that in the times we are living in, I need to be able to protect myself as I've become medically fragile and cannot risk being gravely hurt or even killed. I may not look like I am but it's gotten worse.
JTQ
Member
Yes, nearly all of us go through several holsters before we find the one that works for us. However, most of us are missing on well recommended holsters that work perfectly for somebody, even lots of somebody's, but don't work for us for some reason.
For instance, Milt Sparks makes great holsters ( https://www.miltsparks.com/inside-the-waistband/ ). Two of the best and most popular designs of all-time are the Summer Special/Summer Special II and the Versa Max II. Some love one and hate the other. Both are great holsters, but they don't work for everybody. If you're going to miss on a holster, this is the kind "miss" folks should be looking for. A well recommended holster, give it a try, and see if it works.
The second holster you tried is probably something somebody here would have recommended, or at least looked at the features and said, that will probably work for you. Conversely, your first holster option, probably would have been recommended against by most of the folks. That is the kind of "miss" you hope to avoid by asking the forum first.
Lots of folks have holsters from before we knew about gun forums, and just gave it a whirl, taking a chance on something we didn't know about. Many of those choices were failures, but we learned, and now share those experiences on forums, so others don't have to make the same mistakes we made.
We just want to help. The new holster looks like it should work for you.
Shawn Dodson
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My primary CCW pistol is a Glock 19.
I've found that leather is best for an OWB holster. Leather clings to a belt and doesn't shift on the belt as much as a kydex OWB holster does. I use a Grizzle Leather pancake-style holster with a 10-degree cant, that carries and conceals well at 3 o'clock. My belt is a Nexbelt EDC ratchet-style belt.
I prefer kydex for an IWB holster. I use a JM Custom Kydex IWB3 holster with 20-degree cant, split loops*, and a mid-length sweat guard. I carry it at about 4-4:30, depending on where the belt loop is located on my pants. It's a very comfortable holster - I'm not aware it's there for most of the day.
*I don't trust any kind of clip-style belt attachment on a holster. I only use a solid loop style attachment.
Good luck on your choice.
I've found that leather is best for an OWB holster. Leather clings to a belt and doesn't shift on the belt as much as a kydex OWB holster does. I use a Grizzle Leather pancake-style holster with a 10-degree cant, that carries and conceals well at 3 o'clock. My belt is a Nexbelt EDC ratchet-style belt.
I prefer kydex for an IWB holster. I use a JM Custom Kydex IWB3 holster with 20-degree cant, split loops*, and a mid-length sweat guard. I carry it at about 4-4:30, depending on where the belt loop is located on my pants. It's a very comfortable holster - I'm not aware it's there for most of the day.
*I don't trust any kind of clip-style belt attachment on a holster. I only use a solid loop style attachment.
Good luck on your choice.
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lee n. field
Member
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Iterative process. That's how one ends up with a Box of Regrettable Holsters.
- Buy something, based on advertising, Internet forum "research" (ignorance pooling and amplification, often) and some notion of how I'm going to use it, to meet some perceived need. Perceived need being, "carry this gun, concealed (usually), in this position."
- Try it. Discover, sooner or later, its shortcomings.
- Back to step one, refining the search to address the newly discovered shortcomings.
Along the way one discovers that there are a lot of sources ("influencers", folks on forums, etc.) out there that don't know nearly what they think they do.
Along the way one also discovers that G00gle & etc., Amazon, et al, searches will return page after page of crap holsters.
Different people end up with different results. And everybody ends up with a pile of crap holsters.
You're ahead of the game. Everybody makes holsters for Glock.
If you have a 1911, Glock, S&W J-frame, whatever the latest hotness is, you'll have abundant choices. Buy the latest flash-in-the-pan showflake Euro nine import, and you'll have much fewer options.
Finding the right position is part of that iterative process. I found, for myself, 3 o'clock, right on the hip, works better. YMMV.
Kydex against my skin doesn't bother me. The feature you're looking for to keep the gun from touching your skin is a "high sweat guard".
"Tuckable" is the feature you're looking for. Belt attachment mounted on a strut, strut attaches toward the bottom of the holster, not at the top. Shirt is tucked between the strut and the body of the holster, and bloused out over the gun.
never tried one, myself.
I tried Aliengear hybrid holsters early one. I found a bunch of things about them I didn't like, and moved on, haven't looked at hybrids since.
Exactly what holster? Maybe take a look at this: https://www.jmcustomkydex.com/p/AIWB-WC2.html
JTQ
Member
The OP listed all his shirt choices for wear as "untucked". He shouldn't need a "tuckable" holster. He can choose one if he wants, but based on how he says he wears his clothes (at least the quote you used) it isn't needed.
Seedy Character
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Like they all said, plan buying 6-12 holsters, THEN, get a quality belt.
I could never find an IWB I liked. Ended up using a left hand OWB under belt. It was very secure and comfortable, but difficult to reholster.
Still use it for revolver carry. 1911 rides in a custom OWB. Carry the 1911 90% of the time.
Sold or gave away 9-10 before finding what I liked.
I could never find an IWB I liked. Ended up using a left hand OWB under belt. It was very secure and comfortable, but difficult to reholster.
Still use it for revolver carry. 1911 rides in a custom OWB. Carry the 1911 90% of the time.
Sold or gave away 9-10 before finding what I liked.
CapnMac
Member
And, when your New Buddy talks about their new firearm, you gift away a matching holster
And not all the holsters are necessarily "regrettable." They may not fit present needs, but, the future remains to be seen.
Do I use my Yaqui slide regularly? No, but, if I did decide to carry a 1911, every single 1911 I own would fit it.
Fashions change, swirl, ebb away and return. The seasons change as well--the "What do you do in Winter" thread is a good example.
OP, the “box of holsters” that results from trial and error is something MANY of us have experienced. One thing that helped me reduce the odds of putting more holsters in that box was identifying what features were important to me. For example, I like “wings” on my holsters, meaning that the holster attaches to the belt on either side of the gun. I don’t like having a belt clip that “stacks on top of” the pistol. I think it conceals better, if only so slightly.
The_Quartermaster
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- 474
You don't.
Instead, you get to do like the rest of us and buy what you think are the best features based on your needs, and then end up with a bin of holsters piled up until the "right" one is "found" for that particular gun.
Instead, you get to do like the rest of us and buy what you think are the best features based on your needs, and then end up with a bin of holsters piled up until the "right" one is "found" for that particular gun.
borrowedtime69
Member
So, to better hide my pistol I bought a "Claw" that you put on the holster to help tuck the grip tighter into my side.
It really does tuck it tighter into me without being uncomfortable. The grip is much less noticeable now.
The only issue is that I had to go get longer screws from ACE to get it mounted right. I guess they didn't figure anyone would need longer screws. Anyway, it has a lesser and greater wedge incase you had to tuck it in even more.
It really does tuck it tighter into me without being uncomfortable. The grip is much less noticeable now.
The only issue is that I had to go get longer screws from ACE to get it mounted right. I guess they didn't figure anyone would need longer screws. Anyway, it has a lesser and greater wedge incase you had to tuck it in even more.
Here are some tests for a good holster. (Spoiler alert. "Universal" holsters usually fail at least two of these) Hopefully this is obvious but do these with the gun unloaded.
1. With the gun in the holster and both in your hands, not on your belt, it should be totally impossible for you to pull the trigger.
2. Next, turn the holster upside down and holding just the holster, give it a couple shakes. The gun shouldn't fall out. Not talking about violent shakes here necessarily, but about like you'd shake a can of parmesan cheese over your spaghetti. Your holster needs to be capable of retaining the gun while you're doing strenuous physical things like running, rolling on the ground wrestling someone or dragging someone/something.
3. Put the holster on your belt in whatever position you intend to wear it and holster the weapon. It's ok to look at the holster while you do this but you should be able to holster with one hand. You should not need to use your other hand to hold the holster open and you should absolutely not use the muzzle of the weapon to wiggle the holster mouth open.
If the holster fails any of these 3 tests, you shouldn't be using it. These, of course, are just tests for the safety and retention capability of the holster, not it's comfort or concealability. They're a good starting point though since safety and retention should take priority.
BJung
Member
Why don't you guys post your extra holsters online somewhere to trade or sell? I'd think there are some holsters you would consider better than what you have or don't want your money tied up in a box.
I keep mine as loaners, basically. It's come in handy a number of times, especially when I was teaching CHL classes. Besides, I'm not likely to get enough for a used holster to make the hassle of selling it worthwhile.
JTQ
Member
JTQ
Member
Not always.
For #2 - Tony Kanaley, former owner of Milt Sparks holsters, has commented his own personal IWB holsters won't pass such a shake test. He isn't concerned about it since the belt he's wearing provides enough additional tension to the holster when it is worn to keep the gun secure.
Also, a design feature of the pancake holster, a true pancake holster, is that when worn on the belt, the holster will clamp down on the gun since the outer panel has to travel farther than the inner panel, and will provide more retention while worn than when not on the belt.
As written, I agree, though many may read that you shouldn't be able to reach the trigger (at least it often seems that is the case). A covered trigger is a big deal with a striker fired gun without a manual safety. However, it is less important for a revolver.
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