I’ve often said there is no such thing as the perfect holster, but there is a perfect holster for a certain situation. That simply means that some holsters work well for deep concealment, others work well for a quick draw and some work well with certain types of dress. This has always been a firm belief of mine and it’s why I own so many holsters. Alien Gear seems bound and determined to prove me wrong in that regard. The Alien Gear ShapeShift Starter kit is an all-inclusive kit that is bound and determined to be the one holster to rule them all.
Inside the Alien Gear ShapeShift Starter Kit
Does it count as one holster is you are modifying it with different backings to fulfill different situations? It uses the same shell, so I’d say it will. The ShapeShift starter kit is complete with 4 different options that include 2 OWB and 2 IWB holsters. The key to the kit if the modular shell that’s fitted to your gun. The shell breaks into two pieces and you use half the shell for three of the holsters with one of two different soft neoprene material backings. For one of the OWB holsters, you’ll use both sides of the shell.
The OWB options are a duty style paddle holster that shoves the gun away from the body. Having the gun away from the body makes it quick and easy to draw. It’s pushed far enough away from the body you can wear it with armor without the armor getting in the way of your draw.
The second OWB option is a slide style holster with the smaller neoprene backing. This is better suited for concealed carry since it holds the gun tight to the body. It’s surprisingly comfortable and conceals easily. I wore my Glock 17 all day with nothing more than a T-shirt and no one was the wiser.
Inside and Out
The IWB options include a traditional hybrid style strongside holster and an appendix carry option. The standard strong side is a lot like a traditional Alien Gear IWB holster. It’s made for comfort and the clips can be adjusted for height or cant. The appendix holster uses the same smaller neoprene backing and a single clip point.
Also included is a spare base you can use to mount the holster to a variety of different surfaces. Mounting and dismounting the holster from this area is incredibly easy. A small slide unlocks the holster and releases it from the mount.
Is that it?
The name ShapeShift Starter Kit leads me to believe this isn’t the end for the ShapeShift holster. With its overall modular nature, I’d imagine there is still a lot to come with this line of holsters. If you purchase just the ShapeShift Starter Kit and decide you want to carry an additional gun all you need is to purchase a separate shell in most cases. The backing sizes are different for compact, full size, and subcompact guns. One of the keys to Alien Gear holsters has always been modularity. The Alien Gear ShapeShift is taking that to new grounds. Watch this space for our full review of the complete system.
