Pocket Holsters

As more and more people migrate towards CCW carry, we are frequently asked:

"What do you think of a pocket holster, and what do you recommend?"

Ed and I both feel that a pocket holster is an excellent method of CCW carry, especially for certain applications. As a matter of fact, it's become my first choice of CCW carry.

Let's take a look at pocket holsters and some useful features:

• What is a pocket holster, and what is it designed to do?

• What are pocket holsters made of?

• Some important pocket holster features

• Our recommendations

What is a pocket holster, and what is it designed to do?

Well designed pocket holsters should do the following:

The problem is that many of the pocket holsters on the market today won't perform well in all the areas listed above. Some are strong in one area, but weak in another. Would you want to carry a pocket holster that conceals well, but is difficult to draw or one that draws well, but won't conceal? Don't worry, we'll be happy to help with our top recommendation down below.

What are pocket holsters made of?

Today pocket holsters on the market are usually produced from either:

Leather - About 80% of all pocket holsters on the market are made from leather. Some manufacturers use a stiff grade leather, while other use a softer style leather. The stiffer leather tends to be thicker in width, which can add to the overall bulk of the holster.

Nylon - Many of the lower priced pocket holsters are produced from nylon. Personally Ed and I feel that nylon isn't really strong enough for the daily rigors of a pocket holster, and feel that it lacks the rigidity to properly break-up the weapon outline. If you're on a really tight budget, than nylon pocket holsters are definitely going to be something for you to consider.

Kydex - As kydex continues to evolve in holster applications, a select few manufacturers are now using it to produce pocket holsters. As kydex is significantly more rigid and stronger than leather or nylon, the kydex pocket holsters tend to be very thin.

Some important features

Release Device - Be careful about the release device that is used when the weapon is drawn from the pocket. Some manufacturers use a hook of some type (See holster pictured below), while others rely on friction or a combination of the two.

Be aware that, if these release devices fail or don't work properly; you could experience a draw problem or draw a holstered weapon in your time of need. We're not saying that these types of holsters don't work, we just want you to be aware of that possibility.

Concealability - An absolute must for CCW. Please realize that the level of concealability for pocket holsters will depend greatly on the size of the weapon carried. Pocket holsters are specifically designed for and work best with small handguns. Please be realistic with your concealment expectations. It's going to be almost impossible to conceal a Glock 19 in a front pocket holster (Although we've seen people try). Choose the right size weapon, and pocket carry becomes much simpler. Some popular weapons that we've seen conceal well in a pocket holster include:

• Kel-Tec P-32
• S&W J Frames
• Small Kahr models
• Beretta Tomcat
• Colt Pony
• NAA Guardian .380/.32
• AMT Back-up

Our recommendations

Far and away the best front pocket holsters Ed and I have seen on the market today are the FIST #5 in leather or the FIST K5 in kydex.

FIST #5 Leather	FIST K5 Kydex

We both prefer the K5 kydex model, but the #5 in leather works very well also.

Here's why we like the FIST pocket holsters:

• Both are constructed using very thin materials. The #5 uses a thin leather and the kydex model uses FIST's "ultra thin" kydex, which is the thinnest kydex on the market today. The result is a very thin holster, which reduces the overall bulk and weight generally associated with pocket holsters.

• The FIST line of pocket holsters is designed with a gradual curve on the lower end. This curve is designed to loosely mimic the curve outline of your upper thigh, and does an outstanding job of helping breaking up the outline of the holster. I routinely carry my P-32 in a FIST K5 in the front pocket of my jeans. It blends into my pocket so well that even my eagle eye wife can't tell I'm carrying.

• Here's the best part of the FIST pocket holsters: the thumb push release. Remember our comments and concerns about release mechanisms? Well, FIST bypasses those concerns by producing a unique design that features a thumb push release. This release mechanism allows you to acquire a full firing grip on the weapon in your pocket, and then draw it out of the holster using the thumb push. This design is much more reliable than other release mechanisms, and quicker as the weapon comes out of the pocket ready to fire.

Check out the picture below:

Please click on the links below if you're interested in additional information regarding the FIST pocket holsters.

FIST #5 Leather Pocket Holster

FIST K5 Kydex Pocket Holster

We hope that you found this information informative and useful. Please don't hesitate to e-mail or call us (877-486-6111) if you have any questions.

© Gunner's Alley 2003

Gunner's Alley
115 Felspar Way
Cary, NC 27511
1.877.486.6111
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