Holster Review Resource

[nightmare]

There are times when I don't want a bulky holster. http://store.alamotactical.com/minimalist-holster/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ske1eter]

I don't have one of these holsters. Just passing it along as another option: http://www.firearmholster.com/index.html

[CoffeeNut]

I'm a pretty big fan of leather holsters however kydex seems to be all the rage and has been for awhile so I thought I'd give it a chance. At the time I was looking there were not many holsters on the market for the P238 and kydex ones were all but non-existent except for the crappy one Sig included. Oddly enough I saw a guy on Instagram selling custom kydex holsters for a decent price and again I gave it a shot. It turned out to be a great decision and has the added benefit of helping out an American small business.

It's a ThinkFast Custom Kydex holster and they're made by a guy named Chad Stover. Since I ordered mine he has expanded his operation and gun selection a bit - as well as kydex color options. Mine was made and in my hands in a few weeks and there was a thank you note on invoice. I was also kept updated on the process, timing and shipping (even got a tracking number). I plan to order through him again.

I carry mine pretty frequently since I don't care for leather in 100 degree heat and I've been very happy with my purchase. Retention is great, the holster itself is tiny and I can seriously draw like lightning from this thing.

[Choctaw]

I wanted to give my opinion and review of the Hardcore M-11 IWB holster.
http://www.brigadegunleather.com/m-11.html

I stumbled upon Brigade a couple years back. I looked at their site and was very impressed with the pictorial detailing the building process. I used to ride horses and I remember going to the saddle maker for new saddles, bridles, etc. and repairs but, in the last 20 years or so I’ve noticed how in most cases leather working is not of the same craftsmanship and quality.

I ended up ordering/buying countless leather holsters of the same design by most of the top makers, after wearing the other holsters it seemed I could never quite find the perfect fit or one with the quality I was used to. I never ordered a Hardcore I guess, because there was always another makers holster to try. About a month ago I found a new Brigade for sale on another forum, I bought it. After receiving the holster I was very impressed with the craftsmanship, finish and overall appearance of the holster.

This is where it gets real good, like I said I’ve worn many that are of the same design as the Hardcore…NONE have been as comfortable as the Hardcore. I’ve worn the Hardcore every evening and all day/night on the weekends for the last month. It has molded to my body and pistol like no other. In fact the other holsters that I’ve worn more, still aren’t as comfortable and fitted as is the Hardcore.

One thing about the Hardcore I didn’t care for are the rotating loops but, I did notice on their site they have an option for rotating or non-rotating loops. I called and asked to order a pair of non-rotating loops. I was told there was no need unless I just wanted to spend my money, they told me what to buy at the hardware store for less than a dollar to make them non-rotating and, I didn’t even order the holster from them directly. I did end up ordering a set in brown to match my belt though.

I want to be clear that I have no association with Brigade. The reason for giving this review/opinion is to bring awareness to them. I know they’ve been making holsters for a long time and it puzzles me as to why we don’t see very many discussions about their products.

Choctaw

[OrangeAnimal]

Thought I would add an update on my Bullard Gun Leather Dual Carry Holster it's been a little more than a year since I started carrying with this holster and it's still great.

I abuse this thing like no other as well. I wear it OWB and I have slid around under cars on the cement with it on and while yeah the leather has some amazingly minor scuffs in it from doing so it has held up awesome. I also have one for a G26 but I haven't ever used it. The only gripe I have is you cannot easily reholster the gun if you are using it in a IWB fashion it does take a little working it around to get it back in place.

With the P238 worn OWB it's fantastic though. No bulging out etc. I have been wearing it under just a plain T-Shirt and aside from being a little careful with bending over it goes unnoticed.


Also had been using a Supertuck with my SA EMP .40, It was a nice rig but starting to show it's age the leather was starting to curl and occasionally the screws for the hooks would work loose. Still did the job and carried a very heavy firearm comfortably all day.

I recommend the Bullard holster for anyone with a smaller firearm like the Sig P238 or smaller it's awesome. The Supertuck is great for the larger guns.

I may order another one in future but now I am going to try a cheaper one similar to the Kholster really they look like twins the Alien Gear Holster for my newest firearm a SA XD-S 9mm. I will ad my thoughts on it when it arrives.

[OrangeAnimal]

Well my Alien Gear holster arrived today. Shipping was super fast. I am impressed with the hardware they use and the items to customize the retension and they even ship it with the allen key to change out the screws.

The kydex material it is made from is very thick. It is also larger than it needs to be which does create some issues when trying to make it actually concealable. The cure I came up with was to warm the kydex up and bend it slightly. Next is the ride height it's strange, you can tell they didn't do much R&D when designing it. There needs to be another set of holes above the highest set to get the height correct. Also the piece of leather while its thick and seems to be of fair quality is cut the same for multiple firearms. I am guessing that really helps keep the cost down.

Overall I was not able to use it straight out of the box as is. However I am very thin and concealing anything on my side is no short order. It looks like this will hold up just as well as any of the more costly brands but some willingness to make permanent adjustments to it may be necessary. My biggest gripe the ride height. Everything else is easily dealt with here are some pics of the holster I do not have any of it straight from the packaging only these after I molded it to fit the curve of my body some.

[RogueUSMC]

The clip height issue can be resolved...

On my CrossBreed, I removed the stock clips and replaced them with these.

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=79
I ordered them on a Wednesday and had them on Monday I think. They will allow you to mount your clips lower on the holster, multiply your height and cant options and give you an inch or so more tuck...

Keep in mind that Comp-Tac sells them EACH not in pairs...you will need to buy two.

[OrangeAnimal]

Didn't think of that, although it's going to add 17 dollars more to the cost of the holster. Plus whatever shipping they might charge to send them out. I will look around I am sure I can get some like that cheaper somewhere.

[OrangeAnimal]

They can't all be winners I guess.

With each passing day I have gotten more and more annoyed with the Alien Gear holster. I am almost 100% sure I want to send it back. Maybe they won't take it but I would risk it. Only issue is I don't want to go back to the P238 as my EDC while I wait for a new holster for the XDS.

The holster just doesn't support the gun well. The leather is not cut well. It comes down too low to be comfortable I am sitting on some of it as I type.

[mojo84]

The Alien Gear looks promising to me. If you contact them, maybe they will have a solution to offer.

[race4beer]

After spending some time with my Osborn Holster (http://www.osbornholsters.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) I have to say I was glad that I purchased it. Jonathan is local to the DFW area and has provided great customer service and a fantastic product. He started out small with a page on Facebook, which is where I saw his product. I have one of his holsters for my SR40c and it extremely comfortable, and liked it so much that I've ordered another for my M&P40c.

[race4beer]

I haven't seen many like this - seems like a pretty good idea to me.

From Osborn Holsters..

[OrangeAnimal]

SRO1911 what brand is it? Feel free to pm me.