Comfort in a holster
- Thread starter KLGunner
- Start date
I have a few different kydex holsters from multiple manufacturer's for different pistols but the one holster I feel most comfortable with is my IWB Muddy River tactical leather holster for my LC9s. The holster is made of 100% Water Buffalo leather. It has a perfect flex for me when sitting and doesn't stick to my skin. The leather stands high at the grip against your skin so there isn't any contact with the pistol grip texture irritating your skin.
Classified
Professional
Ive made a few holsters. I really think its all about your mindset and use. That's what really dictates if you are comfortable with the holster.
This was one of my favorites: P380 pocket holster with extra mag. Nothing crazy just simple and effective, reducing print by adding the magazine.
This was one of my favorites: P380 pocket holster with extra mag. Nothing crazy just simple and effective, reducing print by adding the magazine.
Attachments
I love my Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.5. I carry in the 4:00 O’Clock position and find it to be very comfortable with my EMP4 CCC. Their 30 day test drive is nice.
KingDiamond
Operator
I'll take a look at the Alien Gear one. I've read a lot of good things about them but need to find one in a store around here so I can take a close look at it.
Troy Scott Fitch
Master Class
I use an IWB tuckable from Wild Bill's Concealable for my mod 65.I carry my CMD.in an El Passo owb.both at 4 o'clock
BET7
Ronin
I started with OWB holsters thinking that I wouldn't like IWB because of not being comfortable. the OWB holsters were numerous to match my numerous compact pistols I own. These include Blackhawk Sepera's, Galaco, DeSantis, etc. I then decided to try an IWB DeSantis, and to my surprise, it was very comfortable. I notice some Crossbreeds, but theirs looked like they wouldn't be comfortable or secure. USCCA had them as a partner offering a substantial discount, so I decided to try them. Low and behold, I liked them very much. They are comfortable (due to the leather backing), and secure with their molded kydex to fit each pistol (with or without lasers, etc). Since I not only wear IWB with firearm, but also loaded double mag pouch on opposite side, my pants would always slide down causing me to pull them up with the classic "he's carry" look. I then bought 2 Crossbreed belts and was surprised at what a difference they made in securing the weight on my pants. I now have several Crossbreed IWB holster for my many different compact pistols & a box containing several dozen other brand holsters 
The biggest variable here is simply that of "comfort."
Our individual perception of that is, by definition, subjective.
^ And this is the other biggest factor - support gear as well clothing (the waistband of the pants itself will exert pressure on the holster) will also drastically impact "comfort." Different gear interface differently - how an extremely stiff and rigid belt interacts with a more pliable belt is one factor that drives the distinction between IWB versus AIWB setups. Similarly, differences and nuances of how each of us choose to set up the same piece of clothing/gear/holster can cause differences in perceived comfort that can seem out-of-phase with the subtly of any such changes.
Even if though any two of us are built similarly and share very similar physical traits, this simple difference in how we perceive sensations can well mean that we will have completely opposite opinions of the same holster, set up the same way, while wearing the same clothes.
As with several other members in this thread, in addition to the few holsters that I actively use, I also have a much larger collection of holsters that I've run-through over the years. What's more, this collection continues to grow even today as I continue searching for the next best thing and as my gun undergoes changes, too (advancements in lights, mostly, driving this change, but I will soon need to look at a micro-RDS enabled setup, too). While I'm nowhere near as BuckyP of GlockTalk (https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/diary-of-a-holster-junkie.1522065/) I'd be lying to say that I haven't spent a significant amount of money on holsters.
In one of my other posts today, I relayed my experiences with my EDC gear and how it has evolved over the last 10 years - https://www.thearmorylife.com/forum/threads/xdm-3-8-compact.105/#post-2758, and the same can be said for OWB:
Here's my good buddy and I (the puffy looking Chinese guy on the left, the one with the 4.5-inch XDm9 in a camo-pattern holster) in the Alliance PD Training Facility's shoot-house, getting schooled by the amazing Joe Weyer at the Practically Tactical 2017 Partners Shoot-House Listeners' Weekend:
* Image courtesy of Practically Tactical
The weather was really nice those days and nights, but its not always so kind in NE-Ohio. The picture below was taken two years prior, at one of Varg Freeborn's "OG" classes on his private range here in NE-Ohio. On that day, we saw both snow and freezing rain:
^ That same holster (that entire setup, actually) was also what I used 4 years prior in Chris Costa's classes -
- as well as at Chris Cerino's Marksmanship Enhancement Clinic the year before -
Because of the light on the handgun for the shoothouse class (as well as the war-belt), I had to move to a different holster than my usual OWB setup. The evolution of not just my gun (no-light to light), but also what I wanted to do with that gear (simple flat-range versus the problem-solving hell of the shoothouse) meant that my gear had to evolve along with it, too.
Unfortunately, there's a bit of trial-and-error, here.
Our individual perception of that is, by definition, subjective.
^ And this is the other biggest factor - support gear as well clothing (the waistband of the pants itself will exert pressure on the holster) will also drastically impact "comfort." Different gear interface differently - how an extremely stiff and rigid belt interacts with a more pliable belt is one factor that drives the distinction between IWB versus AIWB setups. Similarly, differences and nuances of how each of us choose to set up the same piece of clothing/gear/holster can cause differences in perceived comfort that can seem out-of-phase with the subtly of any such changes.
Even if though any two of us are built similarly and share very similar physical traits, this simple difference in how we perceive sensations can well mean that we will have completely opposite opinions of the same holster, set up the same way, while wearing the same clothes.
As with several other members in this thread, in addition to the few holsters that I actively use, I also have a much larger collection of holsters that I've run-through over the years. What's more, this collection continues to grow even today as I continue searching for the next best thing and as my gun undergoes changes, too (advancements in lights, mostly, driving this change, but I will soon need to look at a micro-RDS enabled setup, too). While I'm nowhere near as BuckyP of GlockTalk (https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/diary-of-a-holster-junkie.1522065/) I'd be lying to say that I haven't spent a significant amount of money on holsters.
In one of my other posts today, I relayed my experiences with my EDC gear and how it has evolved over the last 10 years - https://www.thearmorylife.com/forum/threads/xdm-3-8-compact.105/#post-2758, and the same can be said for OWB:
Here's my good buddy and I (the puffy looking Chinese guy on the left, the one with the 4.5-inch XDm9 in a camo-pattern holster) in the Alliance PD Training Facility's shoot-house, getting schooled by the amazing Joe Weyer at the Practically Tactical 2017 Partners Shoot-House Listeners' Weekend:
* Image courtesy of Practically Tactical
The weather was really nice those days and nights, but its not always so kind in NE-Ohio. The picture below was taken two years prior, at one of Varg Freeborn's "OG" classes on his private range here in NE-Ohio. On that day, we saw both snow and freezing rain:
^ That same holster (that entire setup, actually) was also what I used 4 years prior in Chris Costa's classes -
- as well as at Chris Cerino's Marksmanship Enhancement Clinic the year before -
Because of the light on the handgun for the shoothouse class (as well as the war-belt), I had to move to a different holster than my usual OWB setup. The evolution of not just my gun (no-light to light), but also what I wanted to do with that gear (simple flat-range versus the problem-solving hell of the shoothouse) meant that my gear had to evolve along with it, too.
Unfortunately, there's a bit of trial-and-error, here.
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Mountain Man
Elite
I too looked for a comfy holster for my first pistol. I did a bit of research and decided on Crossbreed. I have not needed to buy another or different holster. I carry a .40 XD Mod 2 Service. So I needed something comfortable and easy to hide. Give em a look. Their reversable nylon belts are awesome too.
^ The Crossbreed SuperTuck Delux and the Comp-Tac MTac were the standard-bearer of their day for the hybrid IWB genre - they spawned a whole lot of copies and evolutionary improvements, and are still going strong.
I actually carried with both for a short while, before my needs/wants moved me to a full leather rig. I still have them in that historical collection, though!
Hybrids are not without their shortcomings, but they are definitely extremely comfortable for many. Realistically, the less comfortable the carry method, the less folks will tend to carry - thus, in my humble opinion, the hybrid IWB still has its place, despite it having fallen out of favor among most top-tier defensive handgun instructors/schools today.
I actually carried with both for a short while, before my needs/wants moved me to a full leather rig. I still have them in that historical collection, though!
Hybrids are not without their shortcomings, but they are definitely extremely comfortable for many. Realistically, the less comfortable the carry method, the less folks will tend to carry - thus, in my humble opinion, the hybrid IWB still has its place, despite it having fallen out of favor among most top-tier defensive handgun instructors/schools today.
I carry an XD Mod 2 3.3" 9mm in a "wethepeople" IWB holster. The pistol fit and the comfort of the carry are excellent. I've got a Hellcat coming and I'm thinking of carrying that inna "wethepeople" as well.
dc3dog
Alpha
For many years I carried a J Frame in an absolutely super comfortable holster from https://www.pistolwear.com/holsters/
This is not an ordinary belly band that lets your gun squeeze its way out when you bend down. It has positive retention. I have the Trump Card mini for my J Frame. My Hellcat OSP does fit albeit it is very snug and that is without the optic. I will get the larger one when that time comes. It has no requirement for a belt or dependence on any other clothing to keep it in place. In the heat of the summer I can wear 'BBQ' shorts or loose swim shorts (just as example), you could play basket ball with no worry of any loss of control. I can even have a sit down bathroom break without making any adjustment to my firearm. I don't want to sound like an advertisement but I'm 5'5", 145 lbs. and have no hips for a belt to rest on. I have to cinch a belt tight to hold up car keys and a flash light. For comfort and concealment, none better.
Now having said all that I am looking for other options for winter that provide a little quicker access when I am wearing multiple layers.
I recently purchased the cushion pad from Clinger. It velcros to your current holster and for both my XDS and XD Service, those pads have really made a difference in my comfort level. There are times that I actually forget I have my weapon on my side because of that comfort level. I would highly recommend to anyone that product.
Bassbob
Emissary
Ditto. All my IWB are combat cut mini tucks. I wear a wife beater under my shirt and use a good gun belt. Very comfortable.
I never liked Kydex holsters except for competition. My usual holster is a Mike's Special by T&T Gunleather. It is a Milt Sparks VMII Clone that IMO is a little thinner, sits a little lower, and has a better cant. He stands behind his work and only has about a 4 week delay. For a small P365 I have a Don Hume Clip on Leather holster from my PM9 or very rare times a DeSantis Super Fly for pocket carry.