TFB Review: Bravo Concealment Torsion IWB Kydex Holster
If you have been carrying a sidearm for any reasonable amount of time you likely have a shoebox or desk drawer with a dozen plus holsters inside. There is no magically perfect holster for carrying Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) or Inside-the-Waistband (IWB). To muddy the waters even further, if you ask ten friends what holster you should buy you will likely get ten conflicting opinions as well. In this TFB Review, we will examine a Bravo Concealment Torsion IWB Kydex Holster specifically for a Glock Gen4 17 9mm.
If a holster is deemed good it likely will be able to check the boxes of being comfortable, having retention, a level of conceal-ability (if that is your aim) and not make you broke at the end of the day. To identify if this Bravo Concealment Torsion IWB Kydex Holster can do all that, we will review this holster in depth today.
specifications: bravo concealment Torsion IWB Kydex holster
To lead off, it is always good to get a basic understanding of the materials, construction and features of any potential holster you may be buying. Aside from the simple necessity of fitting the firearm you own, there might be other requirements in your mind that need to be met as well. So here is the complete specification listing for the Torsion IWB Kydex Holster as presented by Bravo Concealment:
- Even Deeper Concealment w/ NEW Torsion Technology
- Integrated 10° Inward Cant for Greater Concealability
- Designed specifically for IWB / Appendix Concealed Carry
- Virtually drops out of Sight & erases your Weapon’s Visual Signature
- Comfortable to Wear
- One of few IWB Holsters offering Retention
- Holster adds Minimal Mass to Weapon
- Holster retains its Shape for efficient One-Handed Re-Holstering
- Gun Holster allows for Sights up to 0.355” (Most Suppressor Height Sights Fit)
- Gun Holster allows for RMR & similar-optics to fit as well
- MSRP – $59.99
This holster comes standard with the ability to accommodate a threaded barrel, tall iron sights, a red dot sight (RMR) and 1.50” belt clips. The performance of the holster is not compromised if you do not have these features or upgrades on your gun either. An even better explanation can be had by hearing Bravo Concealment’s own words. This is their public statement and explanation of the Torsion IWB Kydex Holster:
The Iconic Inside-the-WaistBand (IWB) Drop Out-of-Sight (DOS) gun holster is now better than ever! Our breakthrough Torsion Technology integrates a 10° inward angle which allows the gun holster to conceal your Glock 17 better than any competitor’s holsters. The integrated inward angle allows your handgun to ride closer to your body without any extra attachments or accessories.
The Torsion IWB concealed carry kydex gun holster is a dedicated IWB kydex holster. Whether you run appendix or anywhere else around your waist line this handmade kydex concealment holster is tough and built to last. The Torsion is easy to wear with our standard double IWB belt clip configuration. If you want more comfort and flexibility in your EveryDay Carry positions simply remove the shorter belt clip and utilize a single belt clip for on-the-fly adjustments.
Running the Glock 17 kydex holster in the ‘single belt clip configuration’ allows for the holster to go ‘Tuck-able.’ This means that you can tuck your shirt between your pants and the holster for a more formal style of concealment. Take advantage of our Free Shipping, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, Unlimited Lifetime Warranty, and get the best concealed carry holster at the best price around.
carry options: bravo concealment Torsion IWB Kydex holster
When it comes to this holster by Bravo Concealment, you have three main holstering positions to choose from. You can do an appendix, hip or far-of-back IWB carry using a right-handed holster. With all of these choices you can cant the holster or shade it to a certain side of your body if you so desire. By carrying a full-size pistol in the Glock 17, certain choices out of those three are definitely better than others. I attempted an appendix and hip carry to get a strong understanding of the holster. I opted to not carry far-of-back because I personally find it hard to draw from that position.
Over the course of a week I carried the Bravo Concealment Torsion IWB Kydex Holster in the two previous positions mentioned. My main daily activities were buying gasoline, buying groceries, visiting the bank and managing a gun shop (my day job). Most all of these activities are common and are in high traffic areas; lots of people coming and going.
Appendix Carry: bravo concealment Torsion IWB Kydex holster
This is a difficult area to carry a sidearm for many people. It can be a definite battle of the bulge; fighting one’s own waistline. I happen to be a skinnier guy, but this still is not the best position to carry for me either. If your job or day’s tasks require a lot of standing this is a very convenient location to carry and draw from. My choice of a Glock pistol with a threaded barrel and an RMR does not print at all, but the bulky firearm is hinder-some in other ways.
If you need to be seated, bend over or squat in any way you will be digging hard into your inner thigh with kydex. Conversely, the holster does not print at all. The ability of the holster not to print in appendix carry I give credit to Bravo Concealment. The fact that it has such limited use I give credit to myself for choosing such an illogical gun, but this is meant to be an encompassing review.
I chose an admittedly cumbersome and large firearm to see if Bravo Concealment even made a holster that fit it. They do so they passed test #1 before I even got the holster in my hands. If I were to have the real intent to carry appendix day in and day out I would absolutely pursue a smaller handgun like a Sig P365, Ruger LCP or Springfield Armory 911.
My intent was to carry appendix for 1 1/2 – 2 days out of the week, but it ultimately was too uncomfortable. The need to bend over, move, sit or squat is nearly inevitable in any line of work. After poking myself in the inner thigh several times by carrying appendix I moved the holster to directly over my front pocket, but still IWB. That, too, did not work out. My attempt at appendix carry was a dud and lasted only one day.
Overall, when standing upright the holster is invisible in an appendix or front pocket IWB position. It is comfortable to walk around and is completely undetectable by others. The tremendous downside lies in trying to carry a large gun. You cannot squat… sit… bend over… lean over… basically doing anything outside of merely standing is a no-no. I am being pretty blunt about how crappy this was to carry appendix so I want to reiterate a final time that the Bravo Concealment holster was not the problem. The problem is full-size, threaded pistols with an RMR on top are not fit for appendix carry, in my opinion.
hip carry: bravo concealment torsion iwb kydex holster
Without cracking open an entirely different can of worms, I open carry in the state of MN maybe 10% of the time. Typically gas stations because I am fueling up at night; otherwise, I am an advocate of concealed carry. While wearing a T-shirt and either doing open or concealed carry on the hip I found it very comfortable, accessible and not an impediment to my motions.
Even while sitting in a car with a seatbelt buckled the holster was no problem. One thing I will mention again, which is not a mark against Bravo Concealment, is that the few times twisting in a car (getting that DQ Blizzard glorious-ness in the drive-thru) or sitting in a booth (Perkins Tremendous Twelve, baby) hip carrying a Glock 17 with a threaded barrel and RMR bumps into quite a bit of stuff. For the record, those are not advertising plugs. I am just a fat kid at heart.
My other work ensemble is 5.11 pants and a tucked in gun-branded polo since I manage a gun shop. When I am at work I normally open carry because its a gun shop, but just to test the “tuck-ability” of this holster for a few days I conceal carried under a polo. Full disclosure, I have never used a tuck-able holster before for a polo or dress shirt so my thoughts may come across like… a newbie.
I thought it was kind of arduous to tuck in my shirt with the holster. I do not imagine it to be really easy for any branded holster, but just a thought I had. When I state arduous, I mean it took a full 60 seconds to get the comfort right as opposed to just slapping it on in 5 seconds and going about my day. Once it was tucked in though it definitely hides away. Several times I would be standing in a holster aisle, assisting customers to pick out a holster of their own and they were astonished and slightly baffled that I was carrying unbeknownst to them.
final thoughts: bravo concealment torsion iwb kydex holster
Overall, I was very happy with the use of this holster. It was easy to draw from out of the appendix and hip positions I tried. It had good retention for a molded kydex holster. I never had concerns about my pistol being loose or coming out while carrying it whatsoever. It was also very slim compared to other generic nylon holsters I own and use to carry IWB. A final thought I had was being impressed that my tacti-cool Glock actually fit in a kydex holster that was not a custom request. While a threaded barrel, really tall iron sights and a Trijicon RMR make for a really fun day at the range it is never easy to find a holster to fit it.
In closing, I would like to thank Bravo Concealment for allowing TFB to test-drive one of their products. After a week of carry, I genuinely would have no reservations recommending anyone to give one of their holsters a try. At a price-point of $59.99 for the holster I used they are fairly priced, have strong retention, disappear under clothing and are easy to draw from.
Thank you once again to the men and women of Bravo Concealment. Be sure to check out all of their offerings and let us know your thoughts in the Comments below!
Editor | AllOutdoor.comWriter | OutdoorHub.comWriter | TheArmoryLife.comWriter | Tyrant CNCWriter | MDT Chassis SystemsSmith & Wesson Certified ArmorerGlock Certified ArmorerFirefighter/EMSCity CouncilmanInstagram: strength_in_arms
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Talon Retention Systems. Vacuum Molded consistency and precision. IMO best kydex gear around.
"Far-of-back?" Really? What is "far-of-back?" A quick search shows the term used only one place: this article. Is TFB still failing to proof-read? Perhaps "small of the back" is the term you are looking for.