I like Crossbreed holsters for something Kydex with a sweat shield and Desantis for all leather. Just my preferences but I have several from both makers and have been quite happy with them
How do you pick out the right CCW holster??
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I like Crossbreed holsters for something Kydex with a sweat shield and Desantis for all leather. Just my preferences but I have several from both makers and have been quite happy with them
@borrowedtime69 , holsters to men are as shoes to women. If you are married, this is important to memorize.
Set a budget, start collecting. Don't wear black holsters with brown shoes. Kydex is frowned upon at dress code establishments.
"Show me yours, I'll show you mine" is done in private. Engraved leather is a must at barbeques.
Others may add to this list of holster etiquette.
Set a budget, start collecting. Don't wear black holsters with brown shoes. Kydex is frowned upon at dress code establishments.
"Show me yours, I'll show you mine" is done in private. Engraved leather is a must at barbeques.
Others may add to this list of holster etiquette.
James Collins
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Haha I can’t think of anything else to add but this is funny
AlabamaIllinoisHunter
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I put together an image of various handgun carry locations and holster types for a friend who is new to handgun carry options. He reported that he feels a bit bewildered with the results of his urgent web searches (He is all over the place). I hope this is relevant and helpful to this thread.
AlabamaIllinoisHunter
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The only position I could think of that I didn't add was the "duct tape to the upper back/behind the neck" (aka "Die Hard") carry option!
JTQ
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Well, you probably don't have the most common concealment position, strong side IWB, but I think we get the point.
I have switched to this for IWB. It is extremely adjustable, much more so than other IWBs. Very well made.
https://jxtactical.com/fat-guy-holster/
https://jxtactical.com/fat-guy-holster/
Whiskeyhotel2020
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I give any new holster a week. I will wear it around the house everyday for that week. I pay attention to how it tucks the gun into my body, whether I can cover it with a Tshirt, and how long I can wear it before I notice that I'm wearing it. I also pay attention to the draw needed to present the weapon. I do prefer leather over kydex and will never buy a nylon holster. I have a few hybrid holsters that I wear but once I find a holster model/style I will stick with it until something catches my eye then I go through my box of didn't quite make the cut holsters to make sure I haven't tried that particular style and start the process over.
James Collins
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I like that idea. So you send them back and ask for a refund?
Oh I dont know, perhaps its the fact that your pants dont weight pounds? My dress belts for work are woefully inadequate to carry a gun.
Its typically a month or so for me. Some things are the greatest thing ever till you live with it for a while.
Whiskeyhotel2020
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No I don't I will throw it in the holster box. You never know when you'll run across a new shooter that needs a holster.
Whiskeyhotel2020
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I figure if it makes the initial week I put it into a different box. That's a keeper box. I have my preferred carry set ups and then the ones that I like for certain guns. It's funny cause sometimes I'm late out the door because I've changed rigs two three times.
Just to hopefully stave of any comments about changing rigs- Most of them hold the same gun in the same place. I do switch up carry guns from time to time but the spot on my body where it's carried rarely changes.
I like Tucker Gun Leather out of Texas. I have one of their belts and an isw holster from them I carry a full size xd and it's comfortable and conceals well I just purchased another holster from them the deep carry line. Their not cheap but make a great holster. The only drawback they are back ordered on many of their more popular styles
JTQ
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If you're holster searching, IWB is the more common abbreviation. For instance, that's what Tucker uses.
https://tuckergunleather.com/inside-the-waistband-iwb-holsters/
Valkman
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For my first IWB holster I read a LOT of posts and ordered ONE holster, and it worked as long as I carried that gun or about 17 years. The one I bought was a Milt Sparks Versa Max and it's a great holster if you can get one.
Valkman
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I'm ordering a new rig from Tucker tomorrow, and it's a 6 month wait. Very expensive but I'm getting everything I want. Can't wait.
Peakbagger46
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Took a lot of holsters collecting dust but Kydex IWB on loops (no stupid clips!) is where I’m at. Good luck and happy frustrations.
James Collins
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Adopt a holster program I like that
Madcap_Magician
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I just get TT Gunleather IWB Xc holsters for all my carry guns and call it good.
RetiredUSNChief
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This is such a good question, and I wish there were a business out there which could do "holster fittings" for people.
I think what intimidates people about the whole holster issue is the potential cost. So let's put this to rest: YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR A GOOD HOLSTER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
If you buy cheap, you'll end up figuring out you bought a holster that is somewhat "less than optimal" and you'll be looking for a replacement. Some people do this and end up gradually spending more until they finally end up with a decent/good holster. They can easily spend more on the cheaper holsters than the one they finally end up with.
I haven't read through all the posts yet, but I'll chime in on my opinion anyway...if it duplicates others, oh well.
There IS a process you can follow such that the first holster you buy is more likely to be one you're satisfied with. Not saying it'll be what you might consider "perfect", but at least it shouldn't cause too much aggravation.
1. Realize that a holster without a belt specifically intended to carry/support the weight of the holster/gun and any spare magazines is a recipe for aggravation. You can have a great holster, but if the belt sucks you will NOT be happy. If buying both at the same time might weigh a bit heavy on your budget, either save up or buy one with one paycheck and the other later. Belts are easy: pick one that fits just like any other belt you would buy...only it should be a belt DESIGNED to support all this weight.
2. Decide what kind of holster you want (IWB/OWB, the only two I'll consider in this posting). Body geometry and clothing makes a difference here and what you would LIKE may not be optimal for your shape or the clothing you typically wear. Figure something out and make changes accordingly. If you really want IWB, but you're carrying too much weight around the waist to make this practical, then lose the weight, go OWB, or maybe go OWB while you lose the weight and then go IWB.
3. Decide on what you want your holster to be made of. In general, it should be stiff/rigid enough to allow not only proficient drawing, but also re-holstering. The dreaded "Uncle Mike's" and similar styles are NOT conducive to this. Stay. Away. From. These. If you like leather, then shop leather. If you like kydex, then shop kydex. If you like hybrid, then shop hybrid.
4. Decide what kind of retention you want. Whatever you get, you absolutely MUST have something that's going to keep that gun IN THE HOLSTER under normal wearing conditions and activities. This does not necessarily mean a buckled strap or whatever. My IWB holsters are reinforced with steel and keep the gun in the holster no matter what I'm doing, no strap involved. If I had an OWB, I would much prefer a strap for added retention because it's not being so closely bound to my body and that makes it a bit less secure...both from falling out and being snatched.
5. Look at various holster designs. You want something that's NOT GOING TO SHIFT AROUND on you. You do not want the holster to slide along your belt, nor do you want the angle of draw to change. You want that holster to stay put EXACTLY where you put it so your gun is EXACTLY where you expect it to be and at EXACTLY the angle you wish it to be when you grab and draw. Holster designs make more of a difference the larger the pistol you choose to carry.
Once you've decided on all this, GO SHOPPING TO FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE. Esthetics mean something in my opinion, so long as you keep these things above in mind. As I said, I like leather. I carry mine IWB, right side at about 4 o'clock. My holsters have two straps which not only keep the holster secure, it also keeps it from moving around (either sliding along the belt or changing the angle of draw).
Read up on the holsters and LOOK at them. What are they made of? What type of belt clips are used? What angle does the holster hold the pistol at? How is the holster constructed to maintain shape and keep the pistol secure? Do you know of anybody who has a certain holster that you could try on for size?
If you follow this, then you SHOULD end up with a holster (AND BELT) that is decently functional your first time around. Yeah, you're gonna pay a bit for a good belt/holster. Yeah, you may find little things that could be a bit better. But it's much less likely to be a "deal breaker" with respect to being something you hate and absolutely regret having spent the money on. It'll work just fine and you can replace it as much later as you wish with no huge issues in the meantime.
And if you DO end up replacing it...you now have a holster you can pass along to someone else (either adopted out or sold at a fair price) who can then carry while they try to figure out what works best for them.
I did this with the first leather holster I bought for my Colt 1991A1 (a leather Galco). Carried with it for a few years until I bought a Milt Sparks to replace it, which I liked much better. Then re-homed it to someone else with a 1911.
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