View Full Version : Which holsters are ideal for concealed carry?
pbmaster2k89
01-29-12, 21:16
I have a Sig p226 and I was told that Uncle Mike’s Kydex holsters and raven concealment holsterS were pretty good but is there anything better?
CommackBoy
01-29-12, 22:42
Crossbreed holsters are one of the most comfortable for IWB. Outside I use raven concealment.
pbmaster2k89
01-29-12, 22:55
Are the crossbreeds quality and are the ravens also ideal for ccw?
Ravens are simply awesome, if the Sig p226 is not on the quick ship list then just order one now and find something to tide you over if don't all ready have something.
Raven is the best thing I have used for the ride height, had a high noon holster (hidden ally) that rode lower better but pretty much any holster that rides lower than a certain point causes me discomfort and compromises a better grip on the get go. Ravens of course are customizable as well which gives a lot of options.
Uncle Mike's kydex holsters should be skipped over completely for conceal carry or anything at all. Their inside waistband options are sub par compared to alternatives. Their pocket and some others may be acceptable but I have an eyebrow up.
SWATcop556
01-29-12, 23:31
I would say RCS is the standard for concealed carry. I've heard really good things about PSS holsters as well and as soon as I can try some out I'll be able to speak more on them.
Baby Jesus wept when you mentioned RCS and Uncle Mikes in the same sentence.
Raven Concealment is the way to go, especially if you want to carry your pistol with a light. I don't think crossbreed makes any light-compatible holsters. The Raven is modular as well. You can set it up to do just about anything you want.
Baby Jesus wept when you mentioned RCS and Uncle Mikes in the same sentence.
:haha:
+1 for RCS, I have one set up for OTW and one for IWB with the soft loops. I can conceal both pretty easily but the IWB holster works a lot better at not printing. I believe the company is called Praetor and a buddy of mine just got one and he likes it. He ordered one while waiting for his RCS. I have also used holsters from Hideous Holsters with great results. It's always a good idea to stick to holster manufacturers that have a great track record, your gun is no good to you if you can't draw it quickly.
Iwb is the best for cocealment. You dont have to hide the gun below your beltline.
the leather kydex hybrids are very comfortable with one hand reholster capability, which is important.
I dont know why the comptac minotaur hasnt been mentioned yet, but imo its a great holster.
For outside carry a custom kydex holster will be best. Its not easy to conceal outside the waistband without baggy shirts or cover garment.
This is coming from someone who is smaller in stature. If you are bigger then concealment gets easier. If you dont care about fashion it gets even easier.
If you're just starting out with concealed carry you will eventually have a box full of holsters that didn't work for you. This is normal, and expected, because holster choice is extremely personal, and complex. Not only is there choosing the holster itself, but the attachment method, inside or outside the waistband, the location on your belt (the "o'clock" you carry at), and then handgun selection.
For example, a Sig tends to be a thicker gun. Combine that with an IWB holster that is made of thicker material AND try to carry at 3 o'clock and you may find it difficult to conceal. Change any one of those variables and it may work better.
As others have said, don't buy anything from Uncle Mike's.
CommackBoy
01-30-12, 06:24
Are the crossbreeds quality and are the ravens also ideal for ccw?
Crossbreed is of extremely high quality. So is RC. The leather backing on crossbreed hugs your body (once it is properly broken in) and becomes part of you. You don't even know its there.
I have a Sig p226 and I was told that Uncle Mike’s Kydex holsters and raven concealment holsterS were pretty good but is there anything better?
"Ideal" is what works best for you, and that always differs person to person. There are of course some guidelines to what makes an appropriate holster for a given need, but that's as far as is gets, and the rest is experimentation, experience, etc on the users end, which which why anyone who has carried a gun for a while has the "Box O Holsters" they have collected over the years. :D
Also, carry a gun long enough, you learn that you'll wish you had taken the advice you ignored early: purchase a good belt. The belt matters, and it's non negotiable to secure comfortable carry.
Finally, try and save $$$ on crappy stuff, only gets you more in the "Box O Holsters" you collect as you learn the hard way (vs just start with the good stuff...) that cheap stuff generally leads to problems, and you would have saved $$$ had you just started with quality stuff.
Ask me how I know...
As with anything, more $$$ does not always = superior, but the products of quality will tend to cost more.
Good luck with your search :cool:
i like comptac. they hooked me by their return policy, and i can switch bodies if i want to carry a different pistol.
Iwb is the best for cocealment. You dont have to hide the gun below your beltline.
the leather kydex hybrids are very comfortable with one hand reholster capability, which is important.
I dont know why the comptac minotaur hasnt been mentioned yet, but imo its a great holster.
For outside carry a custom kydex holster will be best. Its not easy to conceal outside the waistband without baggy shirts or cover garment.
This is coming from someone who is smaller in stature. If you are bigger then concealment gets easier. If you dont care about fashion it gets even easier.
was just about to mention comp tac.there very good holsters and priced very competitively. There all I use.
I've tried most of the holsters out there including RCS. There a few good options, but I usually recommend Personal Security Systems (www.psholsters.com) (PSS). They make a variety of pancake kydex gear. I own 4 of their holsters, and they have held up great through classes and everyday concealed carry.
They are convertible between IWB and OBW by switching a few pieces of hardware.; and have the option of being made for a pistol with or without a light.
Not largely important, but something to note if you get a PSS holster designed for a pistol w/ a WML. Though not optimal, if forced to use a holster made for a WML with a pistol w/o a light for some reason, there seems to be enough retention to keep the pistol snug, unlike some of the others I have had.
The owner, Steve, is a standup guy and will accommodate most custom requests. Turn around time for anything custom is about 7 weeks, which was important for me since it was less than other similar makers. Although, now PSS has a line of "ready now" gear which is pre-made for common models, Glock, M&P, 1911, etc. which is the way to go IMO.
Hope this helps.
OWB Uncle Mikes kydex holsters are fine for range use and competition shooting. They don't make really anything else worth using for concealment or duty use, though.
I've used most designs mentioned in this thread and none solved my "box of holsters" problem.
Leather IWB and OWB... kydex behind the hip, on it, and appendix... with retention and without it... I still ended up cycling through high end holsters that were well built, that didn't carry well concealed (and comfortably) for me.
I still cycle through a Desantis OWB kydex holster (like the UM or Blade-Techs) for pure range/ competition shooting, a CCC Shaggy for highly concealed stuff like sitting on a bar stool and not wanting waist carry to print, an IWB Tracker Dan holster for 3 o'clock carry (my usual), and I just got to play with a RCS Vanguard 2 which I might have to put into rotation as well.
I like having different capabilities and options based on what I'm doing. I don't carry AIWB at carbine training (going prone or transitioning sucks!), and as mentioned I don't carry on the hip in some situations, either.
It's part of the journey, only you are going to know what will work for you. Try on friends gear when you can, suck it up and give stuff a try when you can't.
Good luck.
Not the best looking holster, but the N82 Professional Holsters are actually very comfortable with larger/full size pistols. I have found them to be much more comfy than plain kydex......and I love kydex! Check with them to see if they can make one up for you P226.
As with anything, more $$$ does not always = superior, but the products of quality will tend to cost more.
To put some personal experience to this. I have a $185 holster that I just couldn't warm up to because through some combination of its set up (ride height, cant, attachment method/point, etc) it just wasn't that comfortable and seemed to shift and move. Instead I used a $40 holster that was later replaced with a RCS which with accessories (not including what I ended up not using) comes to around $106 which I like at about 4-4:30 and largely it seems like it isn't there.
For a concealment holster i would probably add that its like a leather gun belt, dont cheap out on it. There may be other things in any one set up that you can "get away with" cheaping on, but the concealment holster and the belt should be top tier.
Personal preferences and all that aside, the 226 is a meaty full sized pistol and you'll want a solid platform that spreads out the weight across your belt without adding much extra thickness. Of the two holsters you mentioned, the RCS wins hands-down. I actually prefer the Raven for OWB rather than IWB because it hugs the pistol so close to my side.
I don't forsee carrying my 226, but if I did it would be in a RCS holster.
crashbubba
01-31-12, 14:11
I could never get used to IWB. I've carried a Sig 229 and 239 in a Galco or DeSantis leather pancake OWB holster for years. I have an RCS and other kydex I've worn, but I'm most comfortable with my old leather OWB holsters. I always wear a Gould and Goodrich belt (same one for almost 7 years). I've tried the 5.11 leather ones, but it wasn't as sturdy as the G&G.
I would say that the "best" holster for concealment is largely dependent on a number of variables, aside from the firearm you're trying to conceal:
Season
What you're wearing
What you'll be doing
Where you could potentially be going
In the wintertime, when I'm layered up, an OWB kydex holster like the RCS Phantom is great. On the other hand, I couldn't swing that in the office as I'm often in a suit and my jacket comes on and off, so I go with a WhiteHatHolsters Maxtuck (an IWB hybrid like the Crossbreed Supertuck).
I also go AIWB rather frequently.
In the end, I have a favorite holster for each of the following categories:
3:30-4:00 IWB hybrid (WhiteHat Maxtuck)
AIWB (Dale Fricke Archangel)
high-ride OWB kydex (RCS Phantom)
OWB with retention (safariland ALS)
No one is the "best" but they each have their place.
TacCommE21
01-31-12, 21:11
As others have mentioned, Crossbreed makes an excellent IWB in the Supertuck. I live in Coastal SC so a comfortable IWB is mandatory. Their horsehide version is very comfy and holds up well to sweat. I find that it stays in place well with the friction of the leather.
OWB I carry a PSS which is modular, so it can be carried in a number of ways. I did not find it comfy IWB, YMMV. But throw on a SS button down with shorts and its body-hugging profile easily conceals my G19.
Along this vein, RCS gear comes highly recommended and is an excellent choice as well.
Good luck!
There are only 2 companies I look to for my ccw holsters: Fist Inc. and Dale Fricke Holsters. My edc is a dfh seraphim for my rds equipped Glock 19. I use a dfh archangel for my Glock 34. Fist does some of the best leather products, and they have some excellent deep concealment holsters. Personally, I find either of these options to be more comfortable than rcs. Dale Fricke is also one of the most genuine and honest people on the planet. Anything is possible with him, nothing is out of the question.
af22raptor
02-01-12, 00:10
I have a Sig p226 and I was told that Uncle Mike’s Kydex holsters and raven concealment holsterS were pretty good but is there anything better?
I use the Galco Royal Guard IWB for a Glock 22, Galco Combat Master for the Glock 22.
1911 the Galco Combat Master, Blackhawk inside the pants, Hillmans Kydex.
Those are great choices for CWC.
For OWB kydex as others have said the RCS or RCS styled holsters are where it is at. For IWB I would say anything in a Versa Max II styled holster are the best way to go. I am currently carrying my duty P226 off duty in a UBG canute (a VM II styled holster). You can check them out here:
http://www.ubgholsters.com
I am not affiliated with UBG in any way, I have just ordered his stuff and liked it quite a bit. I would recommend getting getting it with the reinforcement.
Another talented holster maker is Ryan Grizzle of Rgrizzle leather. He has a bit more of a wait time but also has a few more options in that style:
http://www.rgrizzleleather.com/
Good luck in your search.
an additional consideration with concealed carry is concealing your reload. i would say this is sometimes worse than concealing the actual firearm.
for concealing a mag i would say you should conceal it where you train. if all the training you do centers around reloading from the hip, hiding the mag in your front/back pocket or in a jacket or cover garment is going to do you no good.
in order to have any chance of concealing a mag i would say you have to go with custom kydex or an iwb mag carrier. things start to get pretty unwieldy with an iwb mag carrier in addition to an iwb holster. some things to consider: how many sizes do you go up? does it put you between sizes of pants? does it make your pants unwearable without both the holster and the mag (the belt induced crotch fupa)?
in my opinion the only option is a custom kydex mag carrier from a quality manufacturer like psholsters or a similarly reputable company. things to keep in mind when you shop for a mag carrier:
do you want a high ride mag or a low ride mag? this has to do with your intended use. will you ever be donning body armor over your concealment rig or do you have a layered system of reloads where you do not have to access you belt mags when you don your body armor? if you do still have to have access to your belt mags, then you should get something that rides lower, or has the adjustment in the belt loops. however, keep in mind a lower riding mag will tend to peek more if you wear untucked shirts. when you sit, bend over, kneel, step out of your vehicle, you are constantly scooting your untucked shirt up, if you are rocking an iwb holster your shirt may never eclipse your belt line in these daily movements (flashing your firearm), but your shirt might eclipse your mag carrier. in your mode of operation flashing a mag may be just as bad/compromising/problematic as flashing the concealed firearm. it may not, just depends on your individual need.
Here (http://mail.myptsmail.com/mercop/blog/?p=1936) is what I have been wearing after years of kydex- George
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with this company, just a very satisfied customer
Check out tommy theis holsters @ theisholsters.com
Very similar to CBST about $10 cheaper and ships much faster. Got my holster in 10 days from order to doorstep. Responded quickly to all correspondence. Can't speak highly enough of this holster maker.
among those who carry a P226 IWB regularly, the Milt Sparks Versamax 2 is the gold standard...
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with this company, just a very satisfied customer
Check out tommy theis holsters @ theisholsters.com
+1 to this. Also check out White Hat Holsters at http://www.whitehatholsters.com/.
They're another hybrid IWB maker and I've been extremely satisfied with their work. I have one leather backing and can swap out kydex bodies for both my M&P 9c/9fs and LC9, reducing my total overall cost for holsters. From order to doorstep, total elapsed time was less than 2 weeks.
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