Iwb holster advice needed

[pig]

I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this. I recently took my states concealed carry class. I am having a bit of trouble deciding on a good iwb holster as there is no where close by to check them out in person. I am looking hard at the crossbreed type leather/kydex holsters but I am not sure whether to go with the wider double belt clip or narrower single clip style holster. If it helps any I am about 6'1" and 190#. Any pros/cons to the two designs?

[Psalms144.1]

Personally I think it's more a question of what pistol you're trying to conceal, and how you're willing to dress to make it work. Also, not all holsters are created equal, so what's a "good design" from one manufacturer might not be so great from a second...

For me, carrying P30, P2000, or G19, for IWB I prefer the FIST #1K IWB with a single (strong metal) clip.

Regards,

Kevin

[pig]

Currently my most concealable pistol is a springfield xds. I live in a hot coastal area so I wear light clothing most of the year. I have several full size guns but I just dont think I can conceal them except in the couple of cold months.

[HalliganJoel]

My old man carries and XD(S). He carries OWB. I carry a Glock 17 or 19 in a G-Code INCOG. My research would indicate that I recommend the INCOG for the XDS which just came out today I think. :D

It's a bummer you're not somewhere where you can try different things.
My only real piece of advice would be don't get attached to one holster. I know that, for me, I've gone through several and they all have pros and cons.

[MoCop]

I would try both types of holsters if you could. The spread out loop style (versa max II, crossbreed) spread out the gun's weight, but take up a lot of room on the belt. The closer loop style is more of a minimalist style, doesn't take up belt space, but is a little bulkier. The two brands and styles I have settled on for now are the Raven Concealment (iwb) for my full size Les Baer and Blade-tech's IWB for my glock 19. Both very good, stable holsters.


Good luck on your purchase. But I'm sure this won't be your last holster you buy for this gun. That's usually how it goes.:D

[straterman]

I think the crossbreed style is the best I have mtac thats pretty much the same thing and its awesome I can conceal my glock 26 with just a t shirt its great. I have a single clip one but never use anymore its easier to take on and off but isnt very comfortable. I choxe the mtac over the crossbreed I forget all my reasons I just remember I hated the giant cross logos on the clips

[straterman]

Oh I remember why mtac was better than crossbreed the clips and the shell retension are not adjustable and I dont think u can change shells if u want to carry a different gun u can do all that with the mtac

[gunnut284]

I've been using a Raven style kydex holster (Zero Concealment) with Comptac IWB clips (as setup not radically different than the INCOG). Easy to put on/take off, conceals very well and is comfortable to me. (I carry a P2000 at 3 o'clock). I also have a Comptac CTAC which I like as well, just not as much. The leather backed types put too much material against the body for my preference which makes me sweat more. I prefer the a design with two belt attachment points for stability.

[ralph]

I recently bought a Garret Silent Thunder Tuckable IWB holster for my P-30..Kydex with a leather lining..It's adjustable for cant, tension on the pistol, and can also be adjusted for how high/low it rides in your pants..I was skeptic of Kydex holsters but, this one sold me.. It is very comfortable to wear for long periods, and unlike a leather holster will at some point, this won't collapse, The leather lining makes it quiet to draw, and reholster, and I suppose the lining also reduces the amount of wear on your pistols finish..I honestly don't know about that..Easy to put on, and take off. Anyway, I'm just throwing this out there, as it's just another option to look at...Holsters, like sights, are pretty much a personal preference item..As a aside, the P-30 holster, fits a P-2000 perfectly..Those of you who have both (P-30,P-2000) like I do, one holster will do both!

[JHC]

Personally I think it's more a question of what pistol you're trying to conceal, and how you're willing to dress to make it work. Also, not all holsters are created equal, so what's a "good design" from one manufacturer might not be so great from a second...

For me, carrying P30, P2000, or G19, for IWB I prefer the FIST #1K IWB with a single (strong metal) clip.

Regards,

Kevin

My all around favorite also. High utility factor. Straight drop models work well for AIWB. About 3 different cant options available too for not a lot of coin.

[Mr. Greene]

i prefer the double clips it spreads the weight out more for me and more comfortable over longer periods.

[Plumber237]

Another vote for the Comp-Tac mtac...very versatile, plus different clip options and able to swap out bodies for use with multiple guns.

[RBid]

I'm similar size to the OP. 6'2", 185. I carry a Glock 19 in a Galco King Tuck. This holster is similar to the Crossbreed. The holster is incredibly comfortable, and conceals the firearm very effectively.

I have a coworker who is 5'5" and 140 pounds. He carries a S&W M&P 9 full size in a DeSantis Intruder, which is another Crossbreed clone. He only prints when he bends a lot at the waist.

Hybrid holsters are fantastic.

[LHS]

I really like the wide-spread belt loops, I think they do a better job of spreading out the weight and pressing the gun into your body to keep it from printing as easily. I also like the hybrid holsters, because you get the more cushioned leather against your body, while retaining Kydex's ease of draw. I have an MTAC and love it.

That said, everyone's body type is different, and what works for me may not work for you. There's a reason most serious gun folks have a box full of unused holsters somewhere in the garage...

[Psalms144.1]

I will say that while I prefer the single clip holster, I have seen some VERY good concealment results from the Crossbreed and similar holsters; to include a female agent (5 foot tall and about 110 pounds) working under cover concealing a P229 in clothes appropriate to the club scene with NO sign of her being armed at all.

Regards,

Kevin

[Gadfly]

CompTac Minotaur... very secure, very comfortable. I am 5'10, 225. I easily conceal a Glock 17 or 26 in the same holster.

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=95&osCsid=vcsl472e6q5p8dmqv82nc26916

Good review of the MTAC... http://gunsovertexasradio.com/2013/05/19/carrying-the-shield/

[AR Newby AZ]

I would try both types of holsters if you could. The spread out loop style (versa max II, crossbreed) spread out the gun's weight, but take up a lot of room on the belt. The closer loop style is more of a minimalist style, doesn't take up belt space, but is a little bulkier. The two brands and styles I have settled on for now are the Raven Concealment (iwb) for my full size Les Baer and Blade-tech's IWB for my glock 19. Both very good, stable holsters.


Good luck on your purchase. But I'm sure this won't be your last holster you buy for this gun. That's usually how it goes.:D

+1 for incog. I use it for my s&w 40c at 3 o'clock because its most comfortable there. If I lost about 20 pounds it would be great for aisb but my gut gets in the way when sitting down.

[Big Bronze Rim]

Another vote for the MTAC. It's well made and I find the smooth leather backing more comfortable than the raw back of the crossbreed. Also, the slightly smaller leather portion of the MTAC makes it more comfortable than a crossbreed. The adjustable retention and ability to change shells are icing on the cake.

[tb-av]

Will Brink has a couple of YT videos on that Garrett holster. But his is OWB. Looks like the build and quality is very similar though.

I'm looking at the tuckable loop IWB but would like to see a review somewhere. I like the idea of Kydex and leather and his looks like it held up well.

[TacCommE21]

I have the Crossbreed and wear it daily (G19). I too live in a coastal area. The Crossbreed and those like it are a good choice. FWIW, Crossbreed will let you try it and give a refund if you decide against it. I have always had excellent CS with them as well. Go with the horsehide option.

Good luck!

[zekus480]

Raven Concealment Systems is really hard to beat, i carry a FS M&P9, 2 spare mags, and an Surefire LX2 flashlight in RCS gear plus a Leatherman Super Tool in its original pouch and i can conceal it all in an XL T-shirt. I'm 5'9 212lbs

The holster is is only part of the equation, IMHO you need a belt that can support the weight of your CCW. The Ares Ranger http://www.aresgear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=33_58&zenid=98ih0ceo5gfslictbjlqtf2er0 or something from The Beltman http://www.thebeltman.net/ will do the job. Good luck!

[Briman1001]

http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=68

I use the Infidel belt clip and it is very easy to to put on remove when needed and works well for a smaller shield or XDS size pistol.

[Arik]

I'm similar size to the OP. 6'2", 185. I carry a Glock 19 in a Galco King Tuck. This holster is similar to the Crossbreed. The holster is incredibly comfortable, and conceals the firearm very effectively.

Hybrid holsters are fantastic.

I'm about the same size and carry that exact setup. G19 in a Galco King Tuck. Very comfortable all day.

[simonsez]

I carry an m&p 9c in an mtac and love it. It is very comfortable and stable. I am 5'10" about 160lbs.

[G4PI09]

Another vote for the King Tuk, carry my glock 19 and occasionally carry my glock 17 in it. im 6' 5" 210lbs. Conceals very well with large t-shirts and costs about half as much as the Crossbreed.

[rackham1]

The hybrids are nice, but FWIW I now prefer the consistent retention of full meal deal kydex. I used to love a Crossbreed but seemed like the leather backing of this style lent itself to sloppiness over time for me. Maybe not a big deal for others, but I train and compete regularly exactly the way I carry, so it became a big deal for me.

For IWB I use a Persec Systems Ultimate IWB package. Been using it to carry a G19 all day (12+ hours) almost every day for the last year. Awesome.

[Freakdaddy]

Another vote for the MTAC here. I carry a full size M&P45 with no issues and it's very comfortable. One thing to keep in mind, get a good belt designed for concealed carry regardless of the holster design.

[Newaza]

The FIST #1 clip holster with ultra thin kydex is an excellent holster. I've carried a couple for years, and they are very comfortable for appendix carry. The clip is fantastic.

[Hemoglobin]

I'm about 5'9" 170. Pretty fit.

I tried a crossbreed and a MTAC a couple times for a few different guns. Along with a sidearmor for my glock 19. I gravitated to AIWB carry with a JM custom kydex and a Raven for regular IWB/OWB. I never could grow on the hybrid holsters. I will say I like the clips on the Crossbreed better than the MTAC. At least the ones they had at the time.

They are comfortable. If I had to buy a hybrid holster it would be the crossbreed again just for the spring metal clips. I just like kydex more these days.

Don't skimp on the belt like others said. A good leather gun belt or even better something akin to the Ares belts make things so much less complicated.

[tha101]

+1 for the Incog holster.

[Mike169]

I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this. I recently took my states concealed carry class. I am having a bit of trouble deciding on a good iwb holster as there is no where close by to check them out in person. I am looking hard at the crossbreed type leather/kydex holsters but I am not sure whether to go with the wider double belt clip or narrower single clip style holster. If it helps any I am about 6'1" and 190#. Any pros/cons to the two designs?

I've carried several different IWB holsters, including the uncle mikes "gym sock with a clip", the supertuck, the infidel, the MTAC, even a raven knock off, and I have found the MTAC to be the most comfortable of them all for "all day carry". I am 5'5", 170, and can conceal a G19 no problem.

[jp0319]

I have had good luck with Comptac, and Raven Concealment holsters, I usually just order and try as most of the places that stock holsters around here have the standard stuff like Galco and Desantis, I prefer custom Kydex personally. Like Raven Concealment and Comptac. Comptac usually ships within days of order where as Raven will be months out. Search the web for something you like and has a good rep that is how I usually do it.

JP

[clarkz71]

Another vote for Comp Tac m-tac for my Glock compacts. 19/23

http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/products/p_100009010_2.jpg

[LHS]

I will add one caveat to my endorsement of the MTAC. I use it for a Beretta 92G Elite, which has the thicker Brigadier slide. They don't offer that model anymore (more's the pity, I should have bought another one when I had the chance), but they do still offer one for the standard 92. Unfortunately, their mold is about 15 years too old, because it's still set up for the older-pattern straight dust cover. The modern 92 variants with their angled dust cover won't fit properly. I have a second Kydex body for my MTAC for my 92F, with straight dust cover, and so I never noticed it. My friend bought an MTAC on my recommendation for his later-model 92FS, and it won't fit properly due to the dust cover dimensions, nor will my post-2000 92Gs.

[Tzed250]

I carry my Walther PPS in a SHTFgear ACE-1. I find it comfortable to wear and it helps to conceal the pistol well. The holster allows a full grip from draw but totally covers the trigger and mag release.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8561686669_65c32f7e0b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41385771@N03/8561686669/)
ACE-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41385771@N03/8561686669/) by zweitakt250 (http://www.flickr.com/people/41385771@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8562797498_1150ebec6f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41385771@N03/8562797498/)
ACE-1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41385771@N03/8562797498/) by zweitakt250 (http://www.flickr.com/people/41385771@N03/), on Flickr