The longer you own firearms the greater your holster collection becomes. In my travels, carrying exploits, and writing for TFB I have handled a lot of holsters. Many really good and some that were not up to par. Many of which were specialty makes and models. We can all likely point to a specific favorite brand of ours for Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) carry or Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) or something else. It is rare to come across a brand that can create nearly all scenarios of carry well. My friend and fellow TFB writer, Miles Vining, turned me on to Front Line Holsters because he has had personal experience with them and spoke supremely high of them. I respect Miles and I respect his word so I decided to check them out. In this TFB Review, we will take a look at 4 different products from Front Line Holsters: 2 magazine pouches and 2 holsters.

The 1st set of holsters we will look at are a classy set of a brown leather holster and magazine pouch. The brown leather is a clean presentation of holster attire that goes well from a business setting to being in the outdoors. The 2nd set of holsters reviewed from Front Line Holsters is made of their specialty material KNG: Kydex-Next Generation. It is very intriguing, to say the least.

front line holsters: quad – iwb / owb / rh / lh (QUAD18C)

If someone told you that you could only buy one holster for all of your purposes, you might reply that that is nearly impossible. While nearly impossible, it is not improbable. Front Line Holsters makes a holster called the “Quad” that can achieve 4 different popular carry positions of IWB or OWB on either your right-hand or left-hand side. Some of the other specifications can be read below as presented by Front Line Holsters:

• A concealed carry holster, with minimized profile and maximum comfort
• Can be worn both as an outside the waistband holster and as a concealed IWB holster.
• The unique design makes it accessible for both right and left handed
• Made of top quality leather over Kydex
• Includes two adjustable tension screws
• Allows smooth and fast drawing

The MSRP of the Quad, in either brown or black leather, is $102.20 and it can be purchased for 18 different manufacturers in a multitude of models. With a simple Phillips screwdriver, you can switch between the multiple positions the Quad can achieve. Simply test it for fit and comfort on your hip to see which position you like the best.

I carried the Quad for multiple days at my day job of managing my family’s gun shop which is pretty light activity being in a retail store. I also used out while hiking and walking my dog which is a bit more vigorous activity to test the holster. One thing I noticed and appreciated is the paddle conforms well to the hip. I know gun enthusiasts come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but it was very comfortable for me.

I also noticed that the lining of the leather holster was very soft to the finish of the slide. I consider all of my carry guns “working guns,” but if somebody carried a nicer firearm it is good to know your holster is not going to ruin the finish of your firearm after a couple uses. The Quad also had firm retention of the pistol while walking and hiking yet it could be drawn pretty easily when necessary.

The Quad from Front Line Holsters also had my Glock Gen4 19 riding higher in the holster so it is easier to hide under a t-shirt or coat. Conversely, it would be nice if the pistol sat a little deeper in the holster so the trigger guard was covered a tiny bit more.

Front Line Holsters – Quad in Brown Leather | Glock Gen4 19 9mm

Overall, I enjoyed my use of the Front Line Holsters Quad. The only complaint people may have is the price, but I would tell them to bear in mind it is accomplishing the work of 4 different holsters. If you individually bought 4 holsters for roughly $25 a piece that is a very fair price.

front line holsters: Leather Single Mag Pouch (FL2286G)

In tandem with the Quad, I used a Front Line Holsters Single Mag Pouch in a matching brown leather. Since I work in a firearm store, I truly believe that mag pouches are one of the most underrated accessories a conceal carry advocate can add to their arsenal. Front Line Holsters goes on to further explain theirs in detail:

The classic range of Front Line holsters is made from natural lubricated leather processed without synthetic additives. The cut, design, and hand-crafted finish of these leather holsters are the result of years of designing and experience. Every major gun make and model has a holster specially designed for it, and it alone. The leather holsters are available in black or brown and also with suede lining, for both right and left handed shooters.

The nice thing about the Single Magazine Pouch from Front Line Holsters is it was deep enough to accommodate either a Glock 17 (17 Round) magazine or a Glock 19 (15 Round) magazine. It also had two buttons to specifically and appropriately retain either size magazine. Aesthetically, the stitching was very crisp and the color of the brown leather matched perfectly to the color of the Quad holster.

While riding on my hip, the single mag pouch did not slide around at all. It was also high enough on my belt line that if I chose to I could easily hide it underneath a t-shirt or coat. Overall, the construction and thoughtfulness of the Front Line Holsters Single Mag Pouch are really high in my eyes. If you are interested in getting one, they run for $55.30 on Front Line Holsters’ website.

front line holsters: open top kydex-next generation holster (kng18)

The next set of holsters I tested from Front Line Holsters featured a proprietary material that only Front Line Holsters has. That special material for fabricating holsters is Kydex-Next Generation (KNG). It is essentially a blend of 5 different components to provide a new tier of comfort, flex, and durability. The holster in this material that I used with my Glock Gen4 19 was an Open Top KNG:

• Open, belt-holster design
• KNG, 5 layers molded holster
• Tough and durable Kydex combined with perfect fit and protection to the gun’s finish
• Enables smooth and fast draw
• Includes two adjustable tension screws

Before I even began wearing the Open Top KNG holster I was impressed from handling it. This KNG product had the rigidity of Kydex, a gentle interior lining for your firearm, and an attractive exterior appearance to boot. I flip-flop on a daily basis between open carry and concealed carry because I do not travel to many places (gas station, gun store, etc) and in my small town, most people know me. With that being said, it is important if you ever open carry to have a clean, professional looking holster because no one is going to be at ease if you are open carrying and look like a slob. So I appreciated the tight, professional appearance of the Open Top KNG.

While setting up the holster for use, you can choose between two different belt width inserts and an entirely open option. This allows you to wear a belt that is 1.2″, 1.5″, or 2″ in width with the holster. Once your appropriate belt width is selected, there is an additional clasp on the bottom of the holster to even more securely lock down the holster onto your belt.

Similar to the brown leather set I tested earlier, I took the Open Top KNG with me to work and on a couple outings hiking and walking my dog. I found that the KNG material is an incredibly soft yet firm lining, great for maintaining the shape of the holster, and gentle enough where it is not going to ruin the finish of your firearm. Like I mentioned earlier, my carry guns are working guns, but nobody is searching for a holster with an abrasive interior surface.

While carrying I always felt like I had good security of my weapon and the holster did not feel tippy to me at all. Even while bending over and picking some wild morel mushrooms I found or taking a break and sitting on a log, the holster always did its job of securing the pistol while still making it easily accessible.

The Open Top KNG holster is produced for over 20 different manufacturers and a plethora of models within each company. The MSRP of $75.80 might be a bit steep for some shooters, but the Open Top KNG utilizes an extremely thoughtful and proprietary material that no one else has. For an attractive-looking yet rugged holster, it does not bother me paying that amount for something that works as well as this.

front line holsters: Next generation single magazine pouch (NG2286g)

An associated product I used with the Open Top KNG holster was a Next Generation Single Magazine Pouch. While KNG employs 5 unique elements in its make-up, Front Line Holsters’ Next Generation material utilizes 4 components.

Our N.G. (New Generation) material provides a consistent perfect fit that does not change with exposure to water or harsh environments. The N.G. holsters are lightweight and durable. The inner layer of velvet protects the finish of the pistol. Over this is a layer of foamed polyethylene for extra protection against impacts. The third layer is molded PVC that fits the shape of the weapon perfectly, and the outer layer is Cordura.

Similar to the first magazine pouch I tested, this one had enough depth for multiple magazine sizes and two clasps to respectively retain either size you choose (Glock 17 – 17 round magazine or a Glock 19 – 15 round magazine). Interestingly, the belt loop on the magazine pouch has Velcro on the inside of the loop where it makes contact with your belt. This creates a little more friction against your belt making it less prone to sliding around on your hip. This single magazine pouch also has a big enough opening for a 2 1/4″ belt and could be carried in a vertical or horizontal fashion. At a price of $41.00, it is a nice compliment to anyone’s everyday carry holster.

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final thoughts: front line holsters – magazine pouches & holsters

While working with Front Line Holsters, they sent me upwards of 20 different products of theirs to test and evaluate. I appreciate their enthusiasm to share their products with TFB’s readers, but it was too much to cover in one article with all of you so I chose to highlight 4 of their most interesting holsters and magazine pouches.

Overall, the fit, finish, appearance, and quality of all of their products is truly top notch. Their attention-to-detail is stellar and all of their products work better than advertised. Because of all of these high marks, the price point follows along accordingly. For some people, the pricing might be a little too high, but I would implore that crowd to not skimp on their holster when it relates to protecting yourself and potentially your loved ones.

In closing, I would have no reservations against recommending any of Front Line Holsters products. I met with many of the good folks from their company while attending SHOT Show 2019, and their staff is as much a class act as their products. Thank you to Front Line Holsters for allowing TFB, and myself, to check out some of their products!

After checking out their KNG material, magazine pouches, Next Generation fabric, and a few of their holsters, what do you think? Are these products something you would be willing to carry? Let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

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