Holster Review Resource

[Wildscar]

I spoke with Charles about making a Holster Review Resource. This thread is just for the review's of holsters worn and used by forum users. This way they can all be in one place. Reviews won't be buried and over looked. This should help people make one of the most important decisions of conceal carry.

I know I jump in to threads of people asking about holsters and I toss my MTAC review out. However it would be nice to give that person a little more variety. If they wanted is OWB, or all leather, or all kydex, and so on. That is where this resource would come in handy. Please add reviews and experiences to this resource.

Try to keep the reply's to reviews. Thanks.

I'll start with my M-TAC review.
Click here for the original post
Originally Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:07 pm

Comp-Tac Minotaur MTAC Holster Review

I know I said I was going to do this along time ago but I'm just now getting around to it. This review is for the new MTAC from Comp-Tac. I got the C-clips for mine. Best investment I have made holster wise.

First the customer service from Comp-Tac is really good. I ordered it on a Monday night around midnight. Got an e-mail from them the next morning about 9AM that it was being made and would take about a week to 10 days for that step. About 4 hours later I got my second e-mail stating that it had been made and that it was being sent to the shipping department. This was on a Tuesday. It was in my mail box on Friday afternoon. I live about 20 miles east of Dallas so that might have take it an extra day. Had a personal message to enjoy the holster and return it if I had any problem. Got the heart the smiley face and all.

Right out of the package it felt great. Took about a day to find the sweet spot for me. Adjusting it was simple and pretty straight forward.

I have been wearing it for over a month now and I would recommend this holster to anyone looking for a IWB holster. Here are a few points of interest.
1. With this holster on I have shot an IDPA match in it and placed 2nd in un-classed shooters. Even beat a Marksman in over all time.
2. I have put this holster on while sitting in the passenger seat of a moving car.
3. Gotten in and out of all my cars and have not ever felt it.
4. Chased down my dog one day when she got out. (She's fast too, Specially when she saw the cat.) Holster and pistol never moved.
5. Crawled around a roof top hanging Christmas lights.
6. Can re-holster with one hand. Some others say they have problems. I found it easy to do.

But here is the kicker. The other day my wife and I went and took our son to a Christmas carnival and they boasted the largest inflatable slide in the world. Weather it is or not I have no idea. Of course my son wanted to go and at first I thought I would get away with letting my wife take him down but after that he still wanted me to take him. So we go stand in line and I hand my wallet and keys and stuff to my wife and make the climb up this inflatable slide with my son under one arm cause he was having difficulty with all the bouncing around. All the way up I had thoughts of something going wrong and shooting a hole thought the darn thing or flashing the a crowd of people and the police tent that just happen to be right at the bottom of the slide. But I still did it. I sat down and placed my son so I could hold him in front of me. The attendant pushed me from behind and I thought for sure he was going to feel it. Never did. Slid down the slide and the holster and pistol stayed there. No ND/AD no flashing no S.W.A.T. team being called for a mad man with a gun on the thing. Met my wife at the bottom and put my shoes back on and collected my wallet ,keys and other stuff from her and went on my way. Wore the holster the rest of the day and didn't even have to adjust it any reason.

And just in case you don't know this is all done with a Beretta 92FS. If I can do it with that monster of a pistol it can be done with any pistol. I hope this has helped anyone looking for a new holster either add one to the list or at least consider a new alternative. Another bonus for this holster is the flexibility of it. If you decide you like this platform and want to use it for several pistols just send 30 bucks to Comp-Tac and they will send you a new shell to use with the different firearm. Like to see ya do that with a VMII or a Tucker.

Over all score A+. I have not found anything I don't like about it.

I will say this. It's a holster. Yes its going to affect the finish. ALL holsters do. This one is no different. I didn't buy my pistol to be a holster queen.
Beretta 92FS in MTAC

Empty MTAC from the top to show half kydex/half leather

This one is just me sitting here at the computer desk. I would normally have a cover shirt over it or just pull the shirt down over it but I wanted to show yall how it looks sitting down.

And this is a pic of all the other junk that I carry with me.


----December 12, 2008----
One year update.
Here is a small update for this holster. After wearing this holster for over a year I can only say its gotten better that when I first got it. I have not had to try the swappable body frames but the post below does have one person experience with them. Please read.
MTAC multi gun holster review..

----March 11, 2010----
2.3 year update.
I know this update is a little late. Just been busy. Here is a another small update for this holster. This holster just gets better with age. I have heard stories of people having a draw full of Holsters that didn't work or didn't live up to the hype. I can honestly say that I only have 2 holsters. This one and another from Comp-Tac that I only use for IDPA. Great holster from a Great company. And I know I have said it before but Ill say it again. If this holster can hide a Beretta 92FS it will hide anything.

[longtooth]

Jeff Wright is a new holster maker out of Misouri. http://www.boomstickholsters.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
His pictures are better than mine so I start with his. Front & back view of both holsters. Since they are the same holster for different guns most of the review will be statements made about both holsters. SP101 & GP100. The holsters are Jeff's take on a basic Bruce Nelson Design or Askins Avenger.
First impressions.
General appearance: Eye appeal is excellent. These are as beautiful in person as in the pictures. Each arc of the holster flows very smoothly into the next one. The lower outside of the mouth of the holster will make the drawmuch quicker. Outside of the holster mouth covers a little more than 3/4 of the cylinder & all of the trigger. The barrel portion of the holster is boned quit tight to the gun barrel & under lug then opens up to a very adaquate site track. The site track opening is extreemly even on both sides. Something many new holster makers struggle with.



The inside of the holster curves up smoothly to completely cover the cylinder release button & then back down until even w/ the outside covering the trigger guard.


Gun to holster fit is excellent. There was no need to wrap the gun w/ wax paper or put the gun in a baggie. It will break in very nicely after sitting over night. Belt to holster fit is the same in the main loop behind the cylinder & the tail loop also.
I like the contour of the holster. This will make break in easier than if it were built streight.


Dye is even throughout the entire peice. Stitching is even & stays the same distance from the edges throughout the entire holster. All edges are rounded & died to give a distinct outline of the holster.
First impression in a nutshell. Excellent. I will wear the holsters for several days & return w/ a function report.
LT

Time marches on.
Have now worn these holsters for a week.
First impression has been verified by time. Holsters broke in extreemly fast. I wore the GP100 Monday - Sat. & the SP101 Wed afternoon, through the evening worship time at church & all day Sunday. They conformed to my personal body contour by day 2. By day 4 the GP100 holster would slide onto my Rafters Gunbelt & into position w/ much less work than on day 1. SP101 holster still requires quite a firm pull. It will loosen properly just as the 100 did. When belt is buckled there is NO rock or slide on the belt. Comfort level is exceptional after it had time to set to my body contour.

I am very impressed w/ the design of the forward belt loop. It is positioned just behind the center of the cylinder instead of at the center. This reduces the overall thickness of the rig about an eight of an inch.
Holster retention is very good. No need whatsoever to add a tension screw as some makers do. With very good retention the draw is still virtually drag free after retention is broken. Reholstering is dragless and easily accomplished to the point of retention then almost has the effect of a kydex snap in. There is no gun movement at all when in the holster.

For those who conceal carry revolvers as your personal defense weapon I can assure you, Boom-Stick Holsters are Dynamite Good, & yes Jeff, you can quote me on that.

I now have one of his 1911 holsters & it has replaced my Tucker HF1 as my daily carry holster.

[longtooth]

There are so many positive reviews & coments on this holster that I will only say it is the most comfortable IWB holster that I have ever worn. It is the only tuckable I have tried that I like at all. (I carry OWB 99.911% of the time)

I have 2 - one for my Kimber Pro CDP & the other for my Ruger SP101.
Dont wear them often but when I reall need to not be bumped in a crowd they are the best thing out there I think.

[riggergreg]

I'm no writer but I have to tell ya'll about my new belt, Holster, and mag pouch made by Monica Kuehn. She is a fairly new holster maker in the DFW area.
I met her through the Texas Gun Talk Forum. After seeing and hearing about her work, I ordered a complete rig and she had it to me in less than 4 weeks. She warned that it might take a bit to get it broke in and feeling comfortable, but I was amazed at how well it fit and felt the first time I put it on.
The belt is nice and stiff and supports my fairly heavy, stainless steel compact 1911 very nicely. The holster, that she calls a "Bodhi", is an IWB that is nice and slim and wide enough to spread the weight, is very nicely shaped, the stitching looks nice and strong, snaps and straps are strong and I'm sure they'll last a long time, and the fit was perfect for the pistol I use. Mag pouch is simple snap on and holds the magazine very securely.
I also own a Crossbreed supertuck and it is a nice holster, but I'll wear my Bodhi everyday over CB.
She has a few more models and colors and is building her pistol list up, so take a look at her work and send her an email. I'm sure she'll do what she can to get you set up. You may be surprised at her prices, too.

http://monicakuehnleather.blogspot.com/

Here's mine

[MojoTexas]

I'm no writer but I have to tell ya'll about my new belt, Holster, and mag pouch made by Monica Kuehn. She is a fairly new holster maker in the DFW area.
I met her through the Texas Gun Talk Forum. After seeing and hearing about her work, I ordered a complete rig and she had it to me in less than 4 weeks. She warned that it might take a bit to get it broke in and feeling comfortable, but I was amazed at how well it fit and felt the first time I put it on.
The belt is nice and stiff and supports my fairly heavy, stainless steel compact 1911 very nicely. The holster, that she calls a "Bodhi", is an IWB that is nice and slim and wide enough to spread the weight, is very nicely shaped, the stitching looks nice and strong, snaps and straps are strong and I'm sure they'll last a long time, and the fit was perfect for the pistol I use. Mag pouch is simple snap on and holds the magazine very securely.
I also own a Crossbreed supertuck and it is a nice holster, but I'll wear my Bodhi everyday over CB.
She has a few more models and colors and is building her pistol list up, so take a look at her work and send her an email. I'm sure she'll do what she can to get you set up. You may be surprised at her prices, too.

http://monicakuehnleather.blogspot.com/

Are the straps on the Bodhi removeable? For instance, I typically wear a 1.25" belt during the week with my Dockers, but on the weekend, when I'm wearing jeans, I wear a 1.75" belt. Ideally I'd like to have a IWB holster that I can order two sets of straps for, to match whatever belt I'm wearing. I know I could just order the larger size, and use it with the smaller belt, but I think it would be more secure if they actually matched. (I'm thinking about a holster for my new J-Frame by the way...I already have a Supertuck for my XDm and my 1911.)

[Fire1141]

It is a little late, as I have already bought it, but would like to know if anyone has a holster made by black hills leather? They looked good and the guy sounded knowledgable. I joined this forum too late, I guess. BTW just took my class today and will mail packet Monday. Now I'm getting excited. !

[chefkristian]

Kholster Half-Moon holster for 1911 Officer.

I do not have pictures,but there are plenty on Kholster's website... http://www.kholster.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Out of the box, this holster ain't very pretty. Kinda just normal looking, which is fine by me since the holster is supposed to be CONCEALED right? It is a hybrid holster similar to the CrossBreed and MTAC. Leather back with kydex holster. The difference other than the price tag ($49 SHIPPED!) is the ability to completely customize the depth and cant. MANY MANY options.

I love that it is VERY easy to customize to how you want to wear it. The clips are easily removed and there are PLENTY of holes to move the clips around to. It took me 4 different times to get it set where it was the most comfortable and had ease of the draw. Now it is perfect. I have it sitting in the 4 o'clock and i barely notice that it is there. I tried it in many different positions. Appendix (was not comfortable in seated position, no printing), 2 and 3 o'clock (while comfortable, my gun printed too much), 4 o'clock (most comfortable, little to no printing), 5 o'clock (not practical for draw). I have been wearing it since 11am and it is now after midnight. I must say... this this is super comfortable.

Thanks!

[grad_Student]

I'm no writer but I have to tell ya'll about my new belt, Holster, and mag pouch made by Monica Kuehn. She is a fairly new holster maker in the DFW area.
I met her through the Texas Gun Talk Forum. After seeing and hearing about her work, I ordered a complete rig and she had it to me in less than 4 weeks. She warned that it might take a bit to get it broke in and feeling comfortable, but I was amazed at how well it fit and felt the first time I put it on.
The belt is nice and stiff and supports my fairly heavy, stainless steel compact 1911 very nicely. The holster, that she calls a "Bodhi", is an IWB that is nice and slim and wide enough to spread the weight, is very nicely shaped, the stitching looks nice and strong, snaps and straps are strong and I'm sure they'll last a long time, and the fit was perfect for the pistol I use. Mag pouch is simple snap on and holds the magazine very securely.
I also own a Crossbreed supertuck and it is a nice holster, but I'll wear my Bodhi everyday over CB.
She has a few more models and colors and is building her pistol list up, so take a look at her work and send her an email. I'm sure she'll do what she can to get you set up. You may be surprised at her prices, too.

http://monicakuehnleather.blogspot.com/

Here's mine

Awesome looking!

[dessl]

I'm no writer but I have to tell ya'll about my new belt, Holster, and mag pouch made by Monica Kuehn. She is a fairly new holster maker in the DFW area.
I met her through the Texas Gun Talk Forum. After seeing and hearing about her work, I ordered a complete rig and she had it to me in less than 4 weeks. She warned that it might take a bit to get it broke in and feeling comfortable, but I was amazed at how well it fit and felt the first time I put it on.
The belt is nice and stiff and supports my fairly heavy, stainless steel compact 1911 very nicely. The holster, that she calls a "Bodhi", is an IWB that is nice and slim and wide enough to spread the weight, is very nicely shaped, the stitching looks nice and strong, snaps and straps are strong and I'm sure they'll last a long time, and the fit was perfect for the pistol I use. Mag pouch is simple snap on and holds the magazine very securely.
I also own a Crossbreed supertuck and it is a nice holster, but I'll wear my Bodhi everyday over CB.
She has a few more models and colors and is building her pistol list up, so take a look at her work and send her an email. I'm sure she'll do what she can to get you set up. You may be surprised at her prices, too.

http://monicakuehnleather.blogspot.com/

Here's mine

Monica makes some awesome holsters. Im placing a order with her when I get some extra cash.

[johncanfield]

Looks like this thread could use a little activity. Here's three pictures of my M&P 9mm compact in a Galco King Tuk holster. I've carried quite a bit with this combo and I'm extremely pleased with the entire setup. The holster is very well made, comfortable, inexpensive, firmly holds the M&P, and it was in stock (via Amazon.) The clips are metal and have enough spring to firmly keep them in place.

I decided that actually tucking in a shirt around the setup would be a bit of a challenge to make it not print, so I have been carrying with an overhanging shirt covering the gun.

[OrangeAnimal]

Here is my rig. D M Bullard dual carry worn owb with my sign p238. I love it. Super comfortable you would never know I had it on if i didn't tell someone. It can be worn iwb but with a piece this size this works well owb I have tried both ways.

[Longshot38]

Alright I'll throw a review of my most recent holster experience. I purchased a Comp-Tac Spartan and have been wearing it for several months. For those that aren't familiar the Spartan is the cheap version of MTAC. Basically it is the MTAC with a single layer of leather backing rather then two. I ordered my holster for my 5 inch 1911A1 with the inch and a half c clips.

Now for my impressions of this holster. The comfort is good. However the grips on my pistol have rather aggressive texture and thus the combat style cut of the leather can leave something to be desired when you don't have a base layer between you and holster. The weight distribution is excellent don't even feel the pull of the considerable weight of my pistol. Concealment is quite good and when wearing loos fitting pants the firearm practically disappears. However I did find that that I had change my pants size and style a little bit. My jeans have largely been retired when wearing this holster and most days I can be found in a set of Carhartt work pants. But that worked well due to the pockets working out really well for CC.

[WildBill]

Looks like this thread could use a little activity.

Thanks for the pictures.

[Longshot38]

Alright so I recently I've been hearing about a holster company down in Florida called Remora that is making some rather unique holsters. The have a IWB clip-less concealment holster design. Basically the design uses a tacky rubberized exterior that clings to you and your clothing.

So out of curiosity I order one up just to see what all they hype was about. Fast forward to today and I find my new holster in my mail box. Turn around was good, I placed the order on the 13th, it shipped on 15th, and I received it on the the 21st (damn weekends). Now for exactly what I ordered. My EDC pistol is a full size 1911 so I order the 12D RFT-SS tuckable holster. Which translates to 12D being the size for a full frame 1911 and RFT-SS means reinforced top w/ sweat shield and the tuckable part I think is self explanatory. And for visual reference:



My initial impressions are favorable. The quality is good and considering the price, under $50, it is exceptional. The exterior material is tough and does keep the holster in place very well. To the point to pulling my undershirt out when I remove the holster. And concealment is acceptable. What I have found is that a subtle nondescript bulge can be seen on my hip. However I think this is more a by-product my NoAssAtTal syndrome rather then the holster.



In terms of comfort this thing is awesome. I thought my Comp-Tac Spartan was the standard which to judge a IWB holster upon, but now I am re-evaluating that.

Now these are just first impressions. I'm going to update this in about a week and see what time will teach me. But for now I have to say I'm very impressed with this holster.