Now Let's Talk About Holsters
So, a friend of mine approached me about holster selection the other day, and I thought about it a little bit and decided I really didn’t have a good answer. And really, neither did the internet (at least not a consolidated answer). Along the lines with gun buying tips for new shooters it would be decent to have a resource like “Holster Buying Tips for New Shooters”.
There are a few good articles I found out there, from people like Greg Ellifritz at Active Response Training, or Aaron Cowan at Recoil. But by and large most of the articles and resources are biased by the writers’ opinions (duh), which are based on how they carry. And I found myself falling into that same trap. I like to carry a couple of specific ways, and outside of that I’m not really sure how to recommend something. Not to mention the way I choose to carry is not right for everyone. My wife, for instance, is not at all interested in appendix carry. She doesn’t like it, she doesn’t feel comfortable with it–it is a no-go for her.
The other factor is that I believe there are good and bad holsters, and good holsters with poor features and poor holsters with good features. And when trying to work with someone new, how do you impart the correct things to look for, and more importantly, the critical thinking necessary to select a holster right for their situation.
I would argue that each method of carry has an optimal way, and a number of variations, some of which work for some people, and some that don’t. And those methods are a near religious war with the carriers that espouse them. Some people will have an aneurysm at the thought of a ClipDraw, while others are anti-leather. The list goes on.
The problem is that very few people have experienced every holster variation out there. Other than people that are sent units for review, I would assert that most people narrow in on a solution that is decent for their situation and then optimize that. Not that I think there is anything wrong with that, but it is limiting.
I would like to get a discussion going in the comments about what YOU think makes a good holster and why, or what makes a bad holster and why. I’d also like to hear some thoughts on why you carry certain ways (e.g. why do you love/hate appendix/ankle/small of back/etc.). Depending on where this goes maybe we can do some short articles discussing each carry method, and the reader sourced best and worst features in holsters.
Tom is a former Navy Corpsman that spent some time bumbling around the deserts of Iraq with a Marine Recon unit, kicking in tent flaps and harassing sheep. Prior to that he was a paramedic somewhere in DFW, also doing some Executive Protection work between shifts. Now that those exciting days are behind him, he teaches wilderness medicine and runs an on-demand medical staffing business. He hopes that his posts will help you find solid gear that will survive whatever you can throw at it--he is known (in certain circles) for his curse...ahem, ability...to find the breaking point of anything.You can reach him at tom.r AT thefirearmblog.com or at https://thomasrader.com
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Well back in da 16th century a gun was as expensive as a Ferrari. So a little added bling makes some sense. Today that would be gay . . . really gay...
Today I prefer tooled leather bling but cannot afford it unless I make it myself. Unfortunately disability gives limited use of my hands for fine leather work and it is out of the question.
First, and I don't mean this to sound snarky, but Googling "holster buying tips for the new shooter" will return scores of pretty decent articles from sources like Optics Planet, Buckeye Firearms Association and USCCA that give new CCW folks the basics so they can begin considering options.
Second, there's a reason most of us have a box of holsters in the closet, some of which have hardly been used. Holsters are like shoes . . . all styles, all occasions, and some of them were just a bad purchase while others are like an old friend.
Finally, for myself, for IWB I like Crossbreed. They are comfortable, durable, safe, fit well, hold my gun well, and are easy to draw from. I tried Alien Gear, and was terribly disappointed. They were uncomfortable and the screws holding the kydex holster had to be continually adjusted and tightened. Crossbreed cost twice as much, but they are worth it. In my time I have also used belly bands, plain old Uncle Mikes sock holsters, Bulldog and Sneaky Pete belt pouch styles, and of course, OWB models. Crossbreed remains my favorite because it supports the full sized .45 Glock 21 I prefer to carry.