View Full Version : Bravo Concealment Vs Raven Concealment Vs ?? for Glock 17 Gen 4
cctroupe11
02-24-15, 12:41
Hey guys. Finally broke down and got myself another handgun. Looking to fix it up nice - Trijicon Sights, Surefire light, and maybe some upgraded pieces such as a mag release, etc.
Here's where I'm not sure what to get: a holster. I'm looking for a good Kydex that can be worn both IWB and OWB. I've seen guys running Bravo Concealment, some running Raven, and some running others. Bravo seems to have the best pricing from what I've seen, but is there anything to be known about any of these brands - pros/cons?
WickedWillis
02-24-15, 13:31
I am a Raven fanboy. Both have amazing fit and finish, but my Ravens seem to carry better overall. I had an issue with my bravo holster for my Shield, it was very top-heavy to carry with no way to remedy it. I carry a Glock 19 in an RCS phantom every day and it has served me very well. If you plan on carrying a light sometimes, but not all the time, look at Griffin concealment. Their light bearing holsters can be used with or without a light. food for thought.
I have had a good experience with Bravo holsters for guns with lights, but I also use Raven mag pouches. I personally have been very satisfied with Bravo, but i'm sure the Raven works just as well. The retention of the Bravo is more linear I guess you could call it. It has a constant tension as you bring the gun out, it's not like others I've tried where it sort of snaps into place at the bottom of the holster, and it needs to pop out of the retention to get the gun out.
I have a Raven holster for my G17/TLR-1HL. The fit was loose, but it was nothing I wasn't able to fix with 10 minutes and a hair drier. It's all-in-all a really nice holster.
bullittmcqueen
02-24-15, 14:56
I went through the same exact dilemma about a year ago. G17 Gen 4 with TLR1-HL. Ended up keeping the Raven and selling the Bravo. Nothing at all wrong with the Bravo but the Raven had better positive retention in my mind. I still use a Bravo DOS for appendix carry. Both make excellent kydex.
I've had two Ravens and had use a heat gun to loosen up both of 'em. Minor annoyance, but they work great after that.
I never tried carrying one IWB. A huge sheet hard plastic is just not something I want to stick in my pants...
bucsballsi
02-24-15, 17:14
Check out C&G Holsters, Ive had great experiences with them.
Raven holsters FTW. I use the tuckable inside loops and off set wings for my 1911 and it has zero issues with shifting or creating pressure points when I sit. Conceals the gun very well, too.
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cctroupe11
02-24-15, 18:17
Okay Raven guys - for OWB carry - should I get regular belt loops, or pancake wings? I vary between a 1.75" VTAC gun belt and a normal leather belt for everyday dress.
Also, full body shield or short?
there are so many options out there. Fury is my go-to. Quality, price, and lead time are excellent. They're definitely worth a look if you are undecided. http://www.furyholsters.com
MSparks909
02-24-15, 19:28
My two cents...after owning a Raven holster I'm now a convert to JM Custom Kydex. His attention to detail and aesthetics far outclass Raven's work. Just my opinion, but Raven's holsters are is more along the lines of a Camry (nothing wrong with that) where as JM Custom's holsters are like a high class Lexus.
Owned both and id buy the Bravo over the Raven, tho the finish of the Raven was a little better. The Bravo's retention was superior on the mag pouch and the holster. IMO you shouldnt have to take a heat gun to a brand new holster to "fix" what should have been caught by quality control.
cctroupe11
02-24-15, 20:05
Owned both and id buy the Bravo over the Raven, tho the finish of the Raven was a little better. The Bravo's retention was superior on the mag pouch and the holster. IMO you shouldnt have to take a heat gun to a brand new holster to "fix" what should have been caught by quality control.
How is the ride on the Bravo? Does it fit close to the body with the OWB loops? I'm looking at their RTT light bearing holster.
I think at this point, my Bravo's are completely outdated. My two are from before the time of the DOS, RTT, etc, when there was just one holster with a couple different mounting options. Mine is a simple belt looped version, and it carries the pistol very high. I have a WML version, but the light causes the pistol to sit off my body, so it never saw much use. I find the 10 degree cant bravo uses to be much better for the square range than concealed carry as the butt prints. IIRC, you can have more cant if you prefer.
I have two NTACs from when they were cloning Raven holsters, before they apparently got shady and went out of business. The 15 degree cant is a notable improvement for concealed carry, though. At this point, I don't see how carrying ANY of the larger square holsters IWB could possibly be comfortable compared to a holster designed entirely to be carried IWB. Maybe I'd feel different if I tried the thinner .06 kydex...
I have the RTT light bearing and Raven light bearing. Both are good, tho I dont carry much OWB, if I had to pick one in that area id give the edge to the Raven. I cant put my finger on exactly why maybe its the loops or one has a little more curve than the other. Like mentioned above the Bravo carriers slightly higher IMO
cctroupe11
02-24-15, 20:30
Is your Raven running normal belt loops or the pancake wings? I saw that previously you said the retention was better on the Bravo, but do you still find the Pros of the Raven outweigh that, considering it can easily be fixed with a hair dryer or heat gun?
I'm beginning to lean towards a Raven just from sheer numbers that I've encountered recommending them over the other brands. I'm just curious which loops I should go with.
Not sure if my body size would help the deciding factor, but I'm about 5'11", 155 lbs. 30-32 inch waist.
In fairness, I'll add that Bravo did exactly what I asked them to each time, and was happy to mod the holsters and pouches to my liking. And they certainly did a good job with it. I intend to try some of their IWB holsters at some point, and I happily referred my brother to buy one of their holsters when he needed a first holster to figure out his likes and dislikes. I guess I've just moved away from a do-it-all approach with holsters, and have started using specific holsters for specific tasks. Example given, for a rather short period of my life, a Safariland thigh holster was my most sensible option, but it hasn't seen use since then.
Is your Raven running normal belt loops or the pancake wings? I saw that previously you said the retention was better on the Bravo, but do you still find the Pros of the Raven outweigh that, considering it can easily be fixed with a hair dryer or heat gun?
I'm beginning to lean towards a Raven just from sheer numbers that I've encountered recommending them over the other brands. I'm just curious which loops I should go with.
Not sure if my body size would help the deciding factor, but I'm about 5'11", 155 lbs. 30-32 inch waist.
On both holsters I have been using the standard loops so I dont know what kind of difference the pancake loops would make. You might could say that, maybe it put a bad taste in my mouth that I had to modify the holsters right off the bat. Tho i dont believe you can go wrong either way. Given my experience with the Raven is why I suggested Bravo over Raven tho it may only be an isolated issue. Ive seen more Bravo holsters in person than Raven and the retention and quality on the Bravo have been consistent on across the board from my experience.
cctroupe11
02-24-15, 20:52
Do you find that the standard loops hold it pretty close to your body? I'm currently running my Safariland ALS from when I worked at my county Sheriffs Office and I want something more streamlined to my body.
Do you think maybe the loose retention on your Raven was an isolated incident? I'm interested in overall fit and finish, and I notice you said the finish is nicer on the Ravens.
Yea I cant complain with how close they kept to the body. The ALS is anything but streamline. It very well could have been isolated. The edges on the Raven were nice and smooth compaired to the Bravo but that was not a big deal to me, never had them dig into me or rub anything.
cctroupe11
02-24-15, 21:23
Agreed. ALS is a great design in terms of retention - but it's just another duty belt mounted design. Which, as a prior service LEO, isn't bad for what its made for, but for civilian carry, is less than ideal. Which is the reason I'm looking at these lower profile kydex holsters.
From what I've gathered thanks to you guys and some other stuff I've read.... The Raven is the way to go. Better finish, better belt loops, cant angle, etc. I'm gonna look around a bit and see if I can find anything else about the retention on the Ravens being a problem before I commit to buying one though. I appreciate the help!
mrosamilia
02-24-15, 22:01
Another vote for JM Kydex. I own two and love them.
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cctroupe11
02-24-15, 22:19
JM looks sweet but damn! 8-9 week lead time!
Yeah, but if you get what you want, that 9 weeks won't seem like any time at all.
firefighter37
02-25-15, 01:27
I use pancake wings. They get closer to the body than the normal loops.
A..................... Which, as a prior service LEO, isn't bad for what its made for, but for civilian carry, is less than ideal. Which is the reason I'm looking at these lower profile kydex holsters.
If you want a very "standard" OWB, there are many options now. Raven makes a very good product and has good service. You can't go wrong with their products. I just received a holster from Sawyer Concealment OWB for a Glock 19 with Insight APL and it seems outstanding. The turn around was a couple weeks and he is very easy to deal with.
The footprint of most "standard" designs is relatively wide though. If you want low profile, there is nothing better than the X Concealment C Series OWB in my opinion.
I have been carrying my G19 in an X Concealment for several years now and it has become my favorite for daily carry due to its narrow profile. The design of the X Concealment integral belt loops makes the C Series OWB the most compact and closest fitting holster I have ever used. It also has adjustable retention which I prefer. It is not convertable to IWB though, but they do make an IWB model. I only carry OWB now that I found this holster. The photos below show the X Concealment is 1 3/4" narrower than the more typical designs. Mine started to crack along the rear of the holster and they sent mr a replacement at no cost after I mailed them.
http://www.x-concealment.com/X-Concealment/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=66&zenid=6a7ba864d77d2fe546e32885328c0a09
X Concealment:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/DWood13/20150118_135931_zps3af67855.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/DWood13/media/20150118_135931_zps3af67855.jpg.html)
Sawyer Concealment:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/DWood13/20150118_135953_zps451e1d3c.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/DWood13/media/20150118_135953_zps451e1d3c.jpg.html)
The X-Concealment is a really good, slim OWB. Take a look at the Dale Fricke Gideon Elite as well.
brickboy240
02-25-15, 11:26
I asked this same question earlier.
Decided from the feedback I got to order my second Raven Phantom.
Best to go with what you already know and like...
cctroupe11
02-25-15, 20:12
Yeah, I think I've decided to go with Raven.
I have a Raven for my G19, and a Bravo RTT for my G30.
Both are great kydex, I do like the fit/finish on the Bravo a bit more, and it is slightly less bulky.
Can't go wrong with either, I use both regularly.
cctroupe11
03-02-15, 12:16
Just an update:
I went with the Bravo because the RTT was slightly more compact than their regular holster and the Raven Phantom. Also, Bravo was the first to email me back with a discount for .mil personnel. Sent them an email Sunday around noon, received a reply and a discount code for 10 percent off before I went to bed. All in all, I got the RTT light bearing holster for 77 bucks, shipped. Hopefully they won't take long to make and send it to me. I already have my Surefire X300U on the way.
I'm eager to test it out. Expect a first impression/ review when I receive it.
I have a Raven for my 17/x300 and Bravo for my 1911 with X300U. The Raven is a little bit more curved whereas the Bravo is straight. Sample size of one but its makes all the difference for carrying comfort.
Take a look at Garrett also.
I have a DSG Alpha for my M&P9L & TLR-1 light. Very comfortable. for the 5" & WML gun
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HansTheHobbit
04-03-15, 17:15
Raven all the way.
I have a Raven Concealment for a g19 with a x300u. I like the holster, however the retention is based off the light. There's a dimple that locks into a slight hole in the x300u. The dimple seems to have been worn down a little bit and the retention doesn't seem as tight when I bought the holster a year ago. Granted I draw out of the holster practically everyday for dry practice and range work. The finish and attention to the edges are awesome. However I stopped carrying IWB as it's slightly large but it hides well with the offset tuckable wings and distributes weight well. I carry it OWB when it's cold under a jacket with the pancake wings and highly suggest them. I've moved on to the ICOG Eclipse for IWB with no light however.
I have a Raven Concealment for a g19 with a x300u. I like the holster, however the retention is based off the light. There's a dimple that locks into a slight hole in the x300u. The dimple seems to have been worn down a little bit and the retention doesn't seem as tight when I bought the holster a year ago. Granted I draw out of the holster practically everyday for dry practice and range work. The finish and attention to the edges are awesome. However I stopped carrying IWB as it's slightly large but it hides well with the offset tuckable wings and distributes weight well. I carry it OWB when it's cold under a jacket with the pancake wings and highly suggest them. I've moved on to the ICOG Eclipse for IWB with no light however.
That will occur with all kydex eventually. One year sounds a bit short but I have no experience with raven.
If it's something you're comfortable doing, take a blow dryer to the area you're describing that provides the main retention. use a pen, pencil, similar tool, to push in the dimple. Make sure the firearm is in there, and be sure to only heat that one small section. Tape it off or cover it with a towel to avoid heating anywhere else. Be aware too much heat can cause the kydex to "melt" essentially, and applying heat on different areas will cause your firearm to no longer fit snugly.
Derek
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Nightstalker865
04-05-15, 11:44
Raven gives a 10% Mil discount as well and the directions for it are right on the website. I've been a customer of theirs for a few years now and have always been happy with their product. As other have stated they really haven't evolved much over the past couple years and the rest of the industry has caught up.
Let us know what you think of the RTT once you get it in.
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