Carry Holster Considerations
I’ve been using two holsters recently that are worth your consideration.
Honestly, there are so many holster options out there that I’ve tried to steer clear of holster articles. However, people ask me for a holster recommendation all the time. I don’t know about you, but I like to have a reason for my opinions. So you’ll notice that I’ve ventured away from my trusty standby holsters to wade into the horde of holsters out there.
You may think, “what’s the big deal, a holster is a holster; you buy one, wear it and that’s it.”
However, that’s not the case. There are plenty of holsters that are poorly designed (and therefore needlessly uncomfortable or cumbersome) or poorly crafted (and therefore prone to breaking).
The offerings from the two manufactures I bring you today are neither.
Alpha Concealment: Apollo
First up is the Apollo holster from Alpha Concealment. Alpha Concealment was selected due to their growing reputation for quality. I chose to outfit the Sig 320 Compact that I’ve been shooting and carrying a bit more often lately.
I’ve been really happy with the construction of products from Alpha Concealment, and they utilize proven design types as well.
I’m a soft loop guy so I ordered my Apollo with a loop and took a walk on the wild side and chose an OD green holster instead of my typical black. Upon initial inspection: the edges were finished nicely, the retention was just right, and the form factor comfortable.
The push-the-dot snap was overly tight, but that’s a component issue. If you’re familiar with push-the-dot, you know that you can adjust the screw and internal lip to make them unfasten as intended. I tweaked it and was off to the races.
A couple months later, I can tell you that this is a quality holster and I believe it will hold up over time. It deserves to be listed among the good to go options.
TucTite: Annex
Second, I’ve been using a combined holster and extra mag holder from TucTite for my Smith & Wesson Shield called the Annex Appendix System. This form factor ventures outside my norm. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The raven concealment hook keeps the holster tight to the body.
The rubber pad installed on the back side of the holster near the gun’s muzzle is effective as well. However, I’ve found it a bit uncomfortable for my body type as it tends to push into my pelvis when sitting. That’s easy to remedy though, I unscrewed that component and left in my drawer. Since then, the holster has been awesome. I think that others may find this feature a real help. It’s inclusion definitely shouldn’t be seen as a negative.
The retention is adequate and adjustable. The combined mag holster will make users far more likely to have their spare mag with them, too. The Annex comes with 2 RCS 1.5″ tuckable overhook clips; I would prefer soft loops, but these have worked fine so far, so I’ll smile and hold onto hope.
More Options
In the end, I feel comfortable suggesting you check out the Annex from TucTite as well. Believe me, there are lots of holsters that don’t make the cut— these are solid options.
So if you are one of those folks who have been asking me about this holster or that holster, here are two good options.
