Bravo Concealment

Bravo Concealment Torsion 3.0 Holster: Makin’ it disappear

Bravo Concealment is a company that has risen from just another polymer holster manufacturer to one of the leaders in concealment holsters. In a short period of time, they have dominated the market. They are like 5 Guys Burgers and Fries in a lot of ways. Bravo Concealment doesn’t make a million different holsters. They keep to a core group of holsters and magazine pouches and focus on making them the best they can be. When they release a new holster the industry takes notice. The new Torsion 3.0 is their newest holster. I recently received one for my SIG p365 and have been rocking and rolling with the holster as my EDC for quite some time.

The Torsion 3.0 is an IWB holster designed to work with appendix and strongside carry. The holster is of course polymer in construction. The 3.0 can function with two clips or a single clip depending on how you are feeling that day. The Torsion 3.0 comes with two clips. The Torsion 3.0 is also designed for the Glock 19, 19X, 45, 23, and 32. The holster will not work with the 80% lower Glocks so be aware of that. That being said the SIG is the only non Glock model the Torsion 3.0 is molded for. However, I’m positive more and more guns will be added over time.

What’s New with the Torsion 3.0

One of the biggest changes from the older Torsion holsters is the addition of the ability to adjust the retention between two positions. This includes a heavy medium and a light medium retention. With a simple twist of a screwdriver, the tension is easily adjusted. Additionally, the holster uses a new injection molding. This gives the holster a much smoother design and more of a gloss appearance. The holster feels thinner and hides very well.

Carrying the Torsion 3.0

The Torsion 3.0 is a very deep concealment holster. It instantly makes the svelte and small P365 disappear under a t-shirt. I prefer a 5’clock carry for concealed IWB and this is the perfect holster for it. I ran two clips because I like the security of that design. What I fear most when carrying IWB is my shirt coming up over my gun.

The Torsion holds the gun at an angle that it’s not going to happen. The grip is presented for a right proper presentation and I can grab the gun and get into action, but at the same time, the gun stays concealed.

I’ve carried the P365 in the Torsion 3.0 holster over and over again, day after day and found it to be quite comfortable. The 5 o’clock position does make it prod a bit when sitting in a vehicle, but I have no other major complaints. The utter smoothness of the holster makes it extremely comfortable.

I love that the old seamlessly blends into my daily wear. The inward cant keeps the gun close you your body and less likely to create printing. The Torsion 3.0 is invisible when concealed.

Drawing and Firing

Hitting the range with the Torsion was a must. I experimented with varying positions beyond my normal IWB carry position. Drawing and firing from the Torsion 3.0 is easy to do. While the gun is held tight to the body you can still get your hand on the grip and draw the gun with.

In my normal carry position, I typically would rest my thumb on the rear of the slide until the gun was drawn. Then I could wrap my thumb around the gun and achieve a proper firing grip.

For appendix and strong side carry this wasn’t necessary. There was plenty of room to grip the gun fully in these positions. As long as I didn’t goof moving the cover garment I could easily draw and fire for any position. I tried both retention levels and never found the retention level to be so rough I had issues drawing.

In both the light and heavy settings the gun was natural to draw, with a noticeable difference between the two. I run the light-medium setting for daily carry. I could see great usefulness in a heavier form of retention for those most arduous days.

A long time ago I worked in a truck moving furniture in and out of homes and warehouses and all that climbing, moving, and lifting basically required me to have an active retention device on my gun. With passive retention, I’d feel the gun move way too much. I think in these kinds of situations the medium heavy setting would be perfect.

Crank It Down

The Torsion 3.0 IWB holster is a simple design, one that works, and will serve you for a very long time. It adds minimal weight and bulk and best of all it’s ready if you upgrade your gun. For example, this model is designed to function with my P365 if the barrel is extended and threaded as well as if it was wearing a red dot sight.

It’s perfect if you choose to adapt your weapon to your needs. The added ability to adjust retention is a nice touch, that doesn’t add bulk or much in terms of price. I think Bravo Concealment has made good on upgrading the already excellent Torsion series. Check them out here.

Bravo Concealment Glock 43 IWB Torsion holster

Loadout Room writer, Tim M, pits the Bravo Concealment Torsion holster up again a few other options and weighs in on why the Torsion holster stands above them all.

QUALITY KYDEX TORSION GUN HOLSTER FOR GLOCK 43 FEATURES:

Custom-made for the Glock 43 pistol.
Even Deeper Concealment with NEW Torsion Technology.
Integrated 10 degree inward cant for greater conceal-ability.
Designed specifically for IWB / Appendix concealed carry.
Virtually drops out of sight and erases your weapon’s visual signature.
Comfortable to wear.
One of few IWB holsters offering retention.
Holster adds minimal mass to the weapon.
Holster retains its shape for efficient one-handed reholstering.
Gun Holster allows for Sights up to .355 (In).

For more information and to purchase

The Cinturon Belt from Bravo Concealment

A belt is an important tool in the concealed carriers arsenal. It supports the weapon, gives the holster something to attach to, and of course holds your pants up. Most concealed carriers with a little experience have the salt to invest in a quality belt, specifically a gun belt. Bravo Concealment is well known for making high-quality IWB and OWB holsters so their slow creep into gun belts makes sense, and best of all they did it in a very stylish manner. The Cinturon Gun Belt is their latest addition to the lineup and provides a subtle and stylish option to those seeking a gun belt.

Enter the Cinturon

One of the best parts about the Cinturon is that it goes out of its way to be both practical and untactical looking as possible. It can be worn with jeans and t-shirt and then you can turn around and wear it with slacks and a button down. It matches most styles. The belt is a simple black weave with a brushed nickel or a matte black buckle. The metal buckle is unmarked and looks very subtle and isn’t overtly tactical like a riggers belt or a Cobra belt of some kind.

Like any good concealed carrier the belt blends in.

The belt is made from a stiff scuba webbing that’s matte black. Again, not overly tactical here. It’s a rigid material, but it doesn’t dig into the body. The webbing is dual-layered and the belt is 1.5 inches wide and .180 inches thick.

In The Field

This was my go-to belt for a few months now and I wore it with me during the entirety of SHOT Show. The belt has also accommodated my normal concealed carry arsenal as well as my range day guns. This includes guns as small as SIG P365 and as large as an all metal CZ 75. The belt provides a tremendous level of support to guns both big and small.

Throughout the day the belt doesn’t loosen or slide and it remains in place regardless of what you are doing. Over the 35+ miles I walked during SHOT Show the Cinturon never budged or needed readjustment. My normal EDC is a handgun, a spare magazine, a pocket knife, a wallet, keys, and often a flashlight. I go for lightweight gear, but it does add up quickly.

Beyond Concealed Carry

Sure the Cinturon belt is a great belt for your EDC, but what about beyond concealed carry. What about carrying a full sized gun, a reload, and two spare AR magazines? The Cinturon can do that too. It’s designed for concealed carry but had zero issues with wearing two Bravo Concealment AR magazine pouches, a spare Glock 17 magazine pouch, and of course a Glock 17 in a Bravo IWB holster. The belt was rigid, tight, and held up the gear very well. It’s not advertised as a duty belt, but in a pinch, it’s a great working belt. I wonder if I added a belt pad how well it’d be as a war belt.

The Buckle

The belt’s buckle uses a sliding roller to secure the belt against the buckle using friction. This roller does an outstanding job, almost too good of a job. It can be occasionally difficult to defeat and take some real force to move and get the belt opened. Once I even had to use a key to get it to move and open. Its made to lock up tight and it does so.

So far the belt has yet to fray, indent, or degrade in any way. It’s had everything from holsters to mag carriers mounted on it without issue. The Cinturon is a tough and reliable piece of kit suited for any concealed carriers arsenal.

The Cinturon gun belt has never let me, or my pants down.

Gear Provided by Bravo Concealment. The OWB Bravo Concealment holster for Glock 17 (No 80% lower Glocks) IWB is the Tosion 3.0 for P365.

Nomad Defense: Subtle changes, big improvements

The Glock line of pistols are popular amongst most. The Glock pistol is also hated by some. Nomad Defense holds the solution for the rest of us that have to have the Glock or like the Glock but wants some improvements; The Nomad 9.

Same General Complaints

Everyone seems to complain about a few of the same things when they have honest critical conversations about the Glock. Usually, those complaints are centered around the frame and the way it fits or doesn’t fit the hand. It’s hard to argue with Glock reliability.

My biggest complaint is the slide bite that I get if I don’t install an aftermarket (or now on the newer Glocks OEM) extended backstrap. The scar on my hand reminds me that my hands are too big to shoot the Glock without it.

Stock – Good or Great but Could be Better

Stock offers a “meh” grip angle that could be a little better. The grip angle is good for most but not great for all.

Another common complaint is the ability of the shooter to get their hand deep into the gun and the gripping surface itself. Sure there are lots of solutions to these problems from custom stippling and cutting of the frame. You can also get great products like those from Talon Grips but wouldn’t it be great if the pistol just came that way?

Another common gripe is the lack of indexing points, lack of a funneled magazine well, and on the models with finger grooves that they only fit some shooters.

The aftermarket is flooded with options for people to send their frames in for working over or slipping onto or how-to videos to risk it all with a hot iron and sandpaper. Do a quick google search for “custom Glock frame work” and you’ll see that you get “about 3,170,000 results in less than a second of searching!

Those solutions are all fine and dandy but what about those of us that aren’t allowed to modify the pistol – like most working in law enforcement etc.?

A Reasonable Accommodation

I believe the Nomad Defense, Nomad 9, is a viable option for agencies wanting to stick with the Glock platform but also wanting to have a better pistol or wanting to accommodate smaller handed officers.

Think of it as an ADA compliant frame for the “petite” hands and more.

For the LE agency, The Nomad 9 can be a smart option. They could stick to stock Glock internal components by just switching over the guts from the OEM frame. Take those internals and place them into the Nomad 9 and putting the slide on.

Put the OEM frame in the safe and save it for when you get rid of the pistol or issue it to someone that doesn’t need the Nomad.

For the individual purchaser, I see the Nomad 9 as an exciting opportunity to build the pistol the way they want it the first time. It’s like buying a stripped AR15 lower and building it your way the 1^st time instead of wasting time and money on a complete rifle that you tear apart and add onto as you go.

With the Nomad 9 you could truly build a one of a kind awesome pistol, starting with the intelligently designed and beautiful Nomad 9.

For the Custom Build

Start by going to Rainier Arms and purchasing the Nomad 9. Ship the Nomad 9 to your local gun store/FFL dealer fulfilling your usual firearms purchasing requirements.

Next, fill your cart with your favorite aftermarket components to finish the build, just like your AR15 build. It’s really that easy!

Stand out features of this Nomad 9 are hard to put into words. While I’m telling you this pistol is great for “petite” hands, I have very large hands and I love how this pistol feels and shoots with the Nomad 9 frame.

Great Gun Before, Even Better Now

I like the Glock 19 just as it is and think it’s a great gun. I like the Glock 19 so much more with the Nomad 9 frame on it.

The flared out thumb and index points forward of the trigger guard give my fingertips a feeling of being on home base and they just belong.

Recessed trigger guard for middle finger placement intelligently drives the pistol deep into your hand while the extended backstrap or beavertail protects hands like mine from getting a painful bite.

The lackluster frame texturing that you get with a stock frame is immensely improved with the Nomad 9 texture that grabs a hold of your hand without tearing up your hand or clothing while carrying concealed.

The stippling feels like you paid an extra $200 just for someone to work their magic with a hot iron.

On the Nomad 9, a new shooter is driven towards a successful forward thumbs style grip with the hand and finger recesses and shelves that direct the senses to where they belong.

At the magazine well, you find a subtle flare that both improves reloads and keeps your hand secured to the grip.

One Handed Shooting Surprise

My biggest surprise while running the Nomad 9 was the improvement I saw with my one handed shooting. I saw less muzzle rise and felt like my hand was glued to the frame. The improved ergonomics on the handle remind me of some other manufacturers that have had the grip right for a while now.

Using the Nomad 9 pistol frame feels like going from the original square Nintendo controller to an ergonomically correct Xbox one controller. Or like switching from a pair of cheap poor fitting tennis shoes to a pair of custom made expensive boots.

Holsters, Will it Fit?

While I obviously couldn’t try every holster out their for fitment, I did get a chance to try several duty holsters and concealed carry kydex holsters. My 1st observation was that if you have a light bearing holster, it seems to work flawlessly. If you don’t have a light bearing holster, it’s a snug but workable fit.

The holsters I tried without a light had a little bit of drag from where the built up finger rests fall on the front of the frame, just ahead of the trigger guard.

The Safariland duty holster that I carry daily was a perfect fit with perfect retention as the system of retention is based off of the ejection port of the slide, not the trigger guard.

Fits well in the Safariland ALS light bearing holster

The Tactical Design Labs holster worked flawlessly with the Nomad 9 as well.

I tried the Nomad 9 in several holsters from Bravo Concealment and TRex Arms and found no concerns.

Will it fit your holster… That I can’t tell you.

Watch for more

We hope to be bringing you more about the Nomad 9 as we look to partner with companies that you would go to for a custom, 1-off build. What would you like to see done for a custom build on this frame? Let us know by chiming in below.

A Reasonable Accommodation

A reasonable accommodation is assistance or changes to a position or workplace that will enable an employee to do his or her job despite having a disability. Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Bravo Concealment Torsion 3.0 holster

Bravo Concealment hits the nail on the head when it comes to Kydex holsters. Simple, innovative, and priced well. Their new Torsion is upgraded with an even stronger polymer and an adjustable retention screw. I can’t recommend them enough. Check out the video for my thoughts on the new Bravo Concealment Torsion.

Author – Tim M.

BCA 3.0 | Evolution of the Bravo Concealment BCA Holster

With winter looming (there’s actually 12″ of snow on the ground as I write this) I make the transition between my every day carry firearms. In the warmer months, I carry a sub-compact Sig Sauer P365 with an inside the waist belt holster due to its deeper concealment under lighter clothing. As the temps drop and I begin wearing heavier clothing, I make the transition to my trusty Glock 19. A pistol that has been by my side yet recently undergone a major facelift thanks to Shadow Systems and TAC Solutions. I used to carry this pistol in an outside the waist belt Bravo Concealment BCA Holster…until now. With the recent introduction of the new BCA 3.0 holster featuring an adjustable retention setting, it just made sense to switch.

BCA 3.0 Video Review

Bravo Concealment has been my go-to holster for my Glocks. Although they don’t currently produce a holster for my Sig P365, I’ve been very happy with their durable holsters and mag pouches for years. The continuous evolution of the industry-leading BCA holster has brought us to version 3.0. And there are two glaring differences between v3.0 and its BCA predecessor. The inclusion of a solid locking adjustable retention setting. As well as a manufacturing shift from Kydex to a diversified Polymer plastic. A material that is known for its balance between rigidity, impact strength and hardness. Providing superior protection for your firearm at all times.

BCA 3.0 Retention

Kydex holsters have been the industry standard for years and will continue to serve a purpose. But retention in this medium is basically pre-set from the manufacturer and dependent on specific design features. Possibly limiting its usefulness for some shooters. The addition of the solid locking adjustable retention setting is sure to satisfy those that have more specific retention requirements. I for one was happy with the retention of my Kydex BCA holster and in turn, have set my new 3.0 to a similar retention setting. But having the ability to lighten or tighten the overall retention is a nice feature. One that should be strongly considered when selecting a holster.

Another nice by-product of switching to an injection molded polymer is the overall reduction in holster weight and profile. This new manufacturing process allows Bravo Concealment to minimize the profile while allowing a more customized fit for your specific pistol. You can clearly see the difference in the video between the heat molded Kydex holster and the detail of the injection molded polymer. Comparing my original BCA holster with the new 3.0 I found that the BCA 3.0 was actually 11 grams lighter than the original. Despite the addition of the adjustment screw and hardware. Further solidifying the refinement and evolution of the Bravo Concealment BCA holster line.

BCA 3.0 OWB Gun Holster Specs courtesy of bravo concealment.com

Solid locking adjustable retention
Minimalist Design for even more all day comfort
Polymer plastic provides supreme rigidity and impact strength assuring protection of your firearm.
Designed for outside the waistband carry, but can easily be converted to inside the waistband by swapping out the belt loops with our IWB belt clips.
10° cant enhances concealment under loose garments.
Robust 1.50” or 1.75” injection molded belt loops prevent breakage even under rigorous use.
Belt loops can be replaced with Belt Clips for inside the waistband carry.
The BCA creates adequate room for a positive grip thus enabling a smooth draw with solid weapon retention.
All edges on holster are rounded for comfort.
All holsters are curved to fit the contours of your body.

Whether you’re looking for your first holster, or an upgrade to your existing holster. The BCA 3.0 from Bravo Concealment is a solid choice in my opinion. Because both of these guys trust Bravo Concealment.

BCA 3.0 Available Glock models

(Gen 3-5) 19, 23, 32
(Gen 5) Glock 19
19X
45