STRONG AGREE. If a holster makes you stop and think, don’t stop and think more than the already-available adjustments (relocating a belt clip, adjusting retention on an adjustable model)… And if it makes you stop and think more than once, SET IT ASIDE. We all have different shapes, and while it doesn’t affect pants (as much), it definitely affects how a gun sits on our waist (esp. IWB).
But that said, I don’t know that complaints are “common” or not, actually, about the hybrid holster… I swear by my hybrid holster, but it might not work on all body types, or maybe it wont even work right with some gun designs (shape-wise)? IDK.
But, I personally have had more qualms with 100% kydex holsters (actually almost all of them that are IWB) than leather-back/kydex-front (I don’t think I’ve bought one I didn’t like).
The thing that gets me the most is - I am trying to find a holster in the 100% humidity
and 90 degree heat of Palm Bay Fl. The heat means less clothes and more visibility
of my weapon. I was thinking the IWB holster might solve some of that printing when
I am out and about. Will make some decisions and see.
The clips do 2 things. They hold the holster in place while they also clip on
your belt during the draw sequence so your weapon comes clean from the
holster. They do all that well, it’s just getting your weapon back into the
holster after the draw that is problemmatic. I am going to move the clips on
the holster so the kydex is even with or above my waist band, and loosen my
belt to keep it from tightening down on the kydex.
@Gary_H - Thank you for the reference, it has totally different clips than the
ones on mine. I also see that the clips are adjustable vertically, which makes
it possible maybe to put the kydex holster right at your waist band. I am going
to make some adjustments to mine via the belt hooks, position, and belt
tightness and see where I am at. Thank you very much.
Mike,
Had one exactly like that. I did carry about 4oclock. Didn’t have trouble reholstering. The one I had only went away as my carry gun had changed and traded the xd. Let us know if you get it worked out. Like I said if the kydex isn’t above your waistband of your pants.
Craig
Great response Mike. Over tightening and low ride will cause over lipping of the pant top on the holster seat. More of the newer holsters have adjustments for higher ride, canter degree, and push back to the side. With the XDm it may be necessary when inserting the barrel back into the holster you twist the grip clockwise slightly creating a more aligned entry to the holster.
@Mike_T I’m not a Kydex guy and have run a Bianchi 3S on multiple platforms for most of my gun carrying life so I’m a bit biased towards leather and a thumb break. That said that holster looks like a whole lot of bulk to be carrying in an effort to stay cool. The first thought that jumped into my head since there was no release button was to install a knife clip on the Kydex holster itself and get rid of the vast majority of the leather and belt clips.
The other thought is something (Belt?) is compressing the holster enough that it is not possible to re holster.
The 3:00 position is one of the more problematic positions to carry on since that is at the apex of the pelvic girdle which means more bone to holster contact. In my early years I tried to carry there but found my comfort level when the holster slid back to the 4:00 - 4:30 position so that it was directly in line with the front seam of the back pocket of my jeans. Canting the gun forward a few degrees all but made the gun disappear under a shirt.
That’s that same full size beauty I saw stuck to a magnet earlier. That’s a lot of frame to keep under a shirt without a big flag when you bend forward. But I agree a forward cant helps. Had to do that with my SW. Glock is not an issue.
I’m also a 32 waist, and can’t carry at 3. If I try, gun always finds its way to 430 anyway by moving my pants around my waist.
You wear yours pretty high. I used to put my pixel 3 in back right pocket, but it kept hitting the end of SW barrel when I walked. If I raised holster up on belt, felt like it was going to flop out over belt from weight of mag… It’s all just such a custom fit isn’t it??? Every body carries differently, and it can take quite a while to find your comfort and function groove.
@Glock27ccw No that is my Officers Model that I have been carrying for 30+ years. If you look real close you can see where the muzzle of the holster is printing on top of the knife. It sits right comfortably under my rib cage where the back of your love handles would be (if I had any). Like I said, I’m all twisted around in the picture so other than the position of the gun/holster it is “staged” it’s about where it would be if I was reaching over my head.
@Craig6. When I saw your holster I went to the Bianchi website to try to find a holster for my Taurus G2S. it looks like they only make holsters for 1911’s, Glocks and Sigs…and I am not even sure I was on the right website (it was one from the UK and they only had 5 holsters on it. I could not find on that was U.S. based).
@Henry_A I’m not up on Taurus pistols and the G2S didn’t pop up, I’m thinking there is a model number missin. For my purposes I carry cocked and locked and the 3S is one of the few holsters that have 3 features that I LOVE.
Thumb break/hammer block: Keeps me happy with the hammer blocked via the holster as well as retention.
Double snap belt closure: Love that I can unsnap and pull the whole rig out or tuck it partially in and feed the flap under my belt then snug it down and snap it shut. NO BELT LOOP FEED.
Behind the belt loop closure is an adjustable disk that allows you to cant the pistol 360* so no matter what you can find the MOST comfortable spot to carry.
I have these holsters for full size 1911’s, my Officers model, EAA Witness which also happens to fit a Beretta 92/M-9. My FIL has one for his colt snubby, 1911 Commander, Smith 4506, and a couple others but he has more $$$ than I do.
I just discovered I have the same problem. I bought a new crossbreed holster a few weeks ago. I was unhappy with the how high it was on my body (my kydex holstering sits in the perfect spot). When I raised the clips up, I discovered I cannot safely holster the weapon like this. I tried moving my position to 4, but it only helped a little and I’d rather keep my gun where it always sits. I’m going to raise the clips back up, which kind of stinks because I like my gun sitting lower in my waste band.
@Mike_T, sometimes we do things without thinking about it. Something I noticed yesterday and this morning is when I re-holster into IWB, I lift and hold the cover garment out of the way with my left hand (I am right handed) and also push the top of the leather backer against my body with my left hand to help hold the holster open.
@Gary_H - Thanks - I will work on that tomorrow, it sure can’t hurt. I appreciate
the advise you and my other friends have given. I carried at 3 o’clock in a kydex
holster for years, never dreamed going from OWB to IWB would take this
much adjustment. I will keep working - Mike
