It seems that lots of people are making “kydex” holsters these days. Late 2012 I was given one to review from a training academy I attend. Here is my take on this particular holster.

This is an IWB Appendix carry holster. The holster fits “across” the belt loops to assist in holding it in place, or you could just place it between loops, however that dramatically effects the draw and I do not recommend it.

Normally I use firearms products for a year before writing a review of them. Since this was a borrowed item, I did not feel it appropriate to extend my use of it for much longer.

The cons are:
Thin belts fit through the holster loops easily but, they allow the holster and gun to flop more when going to the bathroom and getting dressed and undressed. You can read about my preferences in my previous article, but I like the gun belts, wide and thick.

The dress belt slipped through the loops and pants easily and when tightened held the firearm in place. A gun belt was tough to run through the loops, due to its stiffness, it caused the belt to be away from the pants and skin, a strange feeling.

When I wore dress pants and a thin belt, I did worry that the entire holster and gun would fall to the floor when I was standing at a urinal. The combination of thin pants, thin belt and weight of the G-26 was the cause of my concern.

With appendix carry, if you are seated and need to bend forward, the holsters and gun digs into your gut. Picking up things off the floor made me wince and hope that I did not have a ND each and every time, no matter the pants or belt worn.

When holstering (after practice draws et al), if you are not careful, and the gun goes bang (a ND – Negligent Discharge) you will most likely hit your femoral artery. It is my understanding you are in deep poo at that point. Just Saying.

If you have wide, double or non-standard belt loops the holsters loops do not fit around them. Fortunately, the 5.11 pants I wear have both a thick and thin belt loop.

Another disadvantage is you cannot tuck in your shirt without looking sloppy, I hate that. However with a sweater or a dress vest the gun and holster disappeared.

I don’t like that the loops are only black. This limits your belt to black, on a brown or tan belt, if you have a “slight showing”, say when you raise your hands and the vest comes partially up, then the contrast is noticeable. I do however admit that I only have a vague idea on how to solve this.

The one piece construction seems solid. I consider it better than two pieces that are riveted, like the Fobus. I am concerned that the holster appears to have been a flat piece of material, heated and folded to fit a Glock.

Plastic wants to return to its natural state. If the original material was flat, that is the shape it wants to return to. So, time, heat, cold and use will, at some point, affect the holsters integrity.

My final concern is the ridge along the back. It is nice for the front site, necessary even; however I am also concerned about how long that weak point will last.

The pros are:
For me there was a much quicker draw than my normal IWB carry draw. I did not time it in all honesty but I could feel the difference. Maybe it was the time it took to untuck my shirt or maybe the location of the holster, or dare I say, both?

As you can see from the above image, the gap “underneath” the weapon is large and open. The holster so far, has held its form between guns tested in it. G-26, G-19 and G-22.

The belt loops are strong. I was worried that I would break them or pop the snaps every time I put the holster on, but not so. They are thick (wide) and sturdy.

In the first 10 minutes the strangeness of carrying at my appendix went away, it did come back after about 4 hours of wear. The feeling went away on day 2 and never came back (except for the noted issues above).

Instead of rivets you can see in the image that the maker used screws to hold the holster tight at the muzzle of the handgun. If they work lose, you can re-tighten them, a very nice touch.

Not once was I worried about the gun falling out of the holster.

Neither here nor there observations:
I am not sure if you can tell in the different pictures, the pistol sits in a different place depending on where your belt loops are located, each pair of pants could be, and in my case were different. Low Rise American Eagle jeans compared to Wrangler jeans as well as 5.11 pants and two different “cargo” pants all put the gun in a slightly different spot. All together they put the handgun in about 2” of different space.

I drive a Honda Accord or a Toyota Highlander. The gun was more “noticeable” to me when getting in and out of the Accord, however the way the seats are configured; I noticed the gun more when driving the Highlander. The Highlander has me sit more upright.

Do notice the extended +2 magazine on the G-26 magazine. I could not draw the gun with the flush 10 round magazine. The G-19 and G-22 had no grip issues.

Until we meet again.