Must-Have Qualities of a Holster

What is a holster's job?

A good holster has a standard set of qualities that make it good at its job, but first, what is the job of a holster?  The short answer is to hold the gun, but a good holster accomplishes a lot more than that.

Safety is always a primary goal with anything involving firearms, however safety shouldn’t impede the ability to access the pistol if it is needed.  A good holster is going to not only hold the pistol securely to your body in the holster but also make it safe to carry during typical daily activities.  Good holsters will stop the gun from being activated while holstered, meaning the trigger cannot be depressed, causing a round to fire.  In short, a good holster keeps your gun safe and secure during transport but allows the user to easily and consistently deploy it when needed.

Holster Types

There are a few main types of holsters and then several less common ones.  It is important to understand that while these are choices that need to be made no matter which is chosen it should still have the standard qualities discussed below.

A quick introduction to holster types quickly divides them into two categories, is this to conceal the gun which is most commonly called inside the waistband or IWB, or is it for open carry, commonly referred to as outside the waistband or OWB.  

The next factor that dictates holster selection is placement, is it actually on your waist or is there another place it is going to be stowed like an off body carry bag.  While less common, and generally not suggested, other placements exist like ankle, chest, belly band, pocket and shoulder.  

Once concealed or open and where the intended placement on the body is there is the choice of what is called retention.  There are two options, passive or active.  Passive retention is most associated with civilian carry and uses friction and pressure from the holster to “click” the gun into place, holding it securely.  While active retention is what is generally seen on a law enforcement officer's holster, there is a hood and some buttons that need to be disengaged to draw.  Active retention has multiple retention level options, meaning how many manual actions must be done to disengage the holster safety mechanisms to free the gun so it can be drawn.  

Lastly, the material the holster is made of, there may be a preference for looks and style but those should be far down on the list of considerations when choosing a good holster.

Depending on the choices made in each of these categories will dictate what holster options are available.  There are “A answers” and “F answers” of holsters made in each of these categories, so knowing what qualities to look for no matter what type of holster is helpful in narrowing down what is a good option.

Holster Qualities

No matter what type of holster you choose, these qualities should be verified to ensure it is safe for use.

Full Trigger Guard Coverage

The trigger guard should be fully covered, a good rule to follow is that no daylight can be seen coming through the loop of the guard.  

Also, verify that once the gun is inserted that the mouth of the holster around the trigger guard is narrow enough to prevent foreign objects from entering it. 

Failing to fully cover the trigger guard may allow entry into the space and a depression of the trigger causing a round to fire.  Make sure that no item, including zippers and strings can enter into the holster.

The material of the holster also plays into this, it should be rigid enough that no item can enter into the trigger guard through the material covering it.  This is often kydex, but rigid or layered leather can also be stiff enough to prevent intrusion into the guard.  Leather can break down over time or if wet, so be sure it has something built in to keep it stiff and open.

Something like a belly band may or may not be stiff enough on its own leading to a kydex holster being needed anyway.  Nylon or other soft material holsters might cover the guard but can easily be pushed through allowing depression of the trigger while covered.

Accessibility of Grip

No matter where the holster is placed a full master grip should be easily established.  Everyone has different body mechanics and mobility, so finding a holster that works with your specifics may need the ability to adjust the cant and have some amount of offset or adjustable ride height to allow the hand to fully grip.  There should also be enough space between the holster material and the gun’s grip to wrap your fingers fully around with consistent ease.  Once gripped, the draw should be efficient and unobstructed, leading to the ability to draw as quickly as skill level safely allows.

Comfort

If your holster isn’t comfortable, you likely aren’t going to use it or be efficient with it.  This is especially true of IWB.  Placement is going to be a big consideration in how comfortable the holster is to you, and depending on your typical activities you may choose one placement over another.  OWB is much easier to make comfortable but that can change if you spend a lot of time sitting.  The ability to get a good grip can also change as you move about so there may be times where choices in a holster need to be balanced to meet multiple qualities.  

There are also solutions that can help with this, for IWB many people use some type of padding, wedge, or pillow on the back side of their holster to reduce a hotspot on their body.  Appendix carriers use the wedge not only for comfort but also to adjust the ability to conceal.  

Secure Fit

A secure fit ensures that the holster is anchored in place and isn’t “floppy” throughout the day.  This aids in being consistent and efficient with the draw as well as in concealability.  It also prevents it from catching or snagging on other items or worse being pulled off the belt during the draw rendering the gun useless.  

If your daily activities mean you will be rather mobile or even running, a secure fit will prevent bouncing and keep the gun attached to the body and in the holster.  Another consideration would be if the altercation becomes physical, you wouldn’t want the holster to be able to be ripped off either by the environment or the other person.

These all can be helped by making sure that the attachments are strong and tight, along with a good belt.  The holster should not shift, slide, break or move in any way during typical activities.

One-Handed Operation

Being able to draw and re-holster one-handed is crucial.  If you need to use two hands to draw the pistol out this is not only inefficient but unreliable, especially in a stressful situation.  Needing two hands to re-holster is also highly unnecessary; while speed isn’t a factor here, your support hand may be occupied or injured.  Any time two hands are used also opens up the possibility of muzzling or flagging yourself which violates one of our safety rules.  

Fit Compatibility - Gun Retention and Accessories

Guns are unique and the fit of the holster should be too, universal holsters are not recommended.  The material should be rigid and form fitting for the particular make and model of each gun, they must be compatible to ensure a proper fit and retention.  

When a model-specific holster is used it fits like a glove and even with passive retention will hold the gun in place.  You should be able to hold the holster upside down with an unloaded gun in it without it falling out, even with a bit of a shake.  This can happen with active retention or with a proper fitting and tightened passive holster.  Just turn the screws tighter so that an audible “click” is heard upon insertion but a good master grip and draw can still unseat it without a fight.

If there are any accessories on your gun such as an optic, light, or laser ensure the holster is compatible with them.  Trying to make it work is not going to result in a secure fit with proper retention for daily activities.

Overall Build Quality

Your gun probably costs a fair amount and your life is priceless so don’t cheap out on a holster.  Budget to spend anywhere from $80 to $200 on a holster.  If you have a light, want a spare mag pouch, nice clips, and a color other than black each of those will add to the cost.  But a good holster is more than worth it, not only will it ensure you actually use and wear it comfortably, but it will be safe and secure for you and those around you.

A quality holster will have smooth edges, be resistant to not only wear and tear but breakages too, resist stretching or becoming misshapen, and be built with quality materials and attachments.  

Verifying your holster choice has these qualities will make sure that it is a proper holster that is safe to carry in daily activities on or off range.  You want the holster to be safe meaning the gun stays in it when you want it to, it stays attached to your body in one spot, has hard coverage over the trigger, and does not cause you to muzzle yourself while getting a proper master grip.

Qualities to Avoid

There are going to be some bad designs out there, and while some people may argue a special case for why you want them, the general consensus does not.  Special circumstances may make some of these appropriate but your level of skill should also be considered, as your mind and actions are always going to be the first line of safety.

Universal fits - they simply don’t fit anything well.

Soft materials - don’t sacrifice safety for comfort.

Floppy attachments - not only will it be inconsistent and cause you to not use it, the holster just might come off with the gun when drawn.

Trigger finger active retention buttons - these often lead to negligent discharges as the finger pressing the button continues inwards, into the guard and onto the trigger.

Hard to defeat active retention devices - if you really need one, know how they work and practice it.  If you can’t consistently defeat it, that is probably not the holster for you.

Open slide - These have their place in competition with race guns and high skill, otherwise full encapsulation of the firearm will be the most secure.

Trust but Verify

Take the time to do some research and look at many different holster options, watch reviews and critically think about the options you are considering.  Trends and cool looking holsters can be tempting, but these are tools not fashion, pick the best one for the job.  

These qualities will help slim down the choices and ensure the holster is actually good at its job but until you actually test out the holster for yourself it is all speculation.  What works on paper or for your friend might not work for you, this is how most of us end up with a box of holsters.  

If you have a shooting tribe, ask to try out other people's gear, see what they have found works for them, and what they avoid.  Ask some smart questions and analyze it for your own setup.  

Once you have a holster you think works in hand, test the fit and adjust the retention screws and attachment ride hide as needed for you.  If it is concealed, find the proper placement, ask your family or friends if they can spot it and remember exactly where and how to place it for concealment.

You will also want to take it for some test runs in dry fire.  The Holster Draw Analysis drill on MantisX is a great way to help quantify the optimization.  When drawing your unloaded gun, notice the process and optimize if needed, then draw again.  Do this not only for standing, but for sitting in a chair and your car. Try kneeling and laying down or any other position you might find yourself in.  Then just wear it around the house, see if you can forget about it, notice when it becomes uncomfortable or shifts.  Perhaps you need a wedge or want to change the attachment style.

Finding the right holster needs a bit of a lab test, don’t just chuck it after the first wear, see what can be done to make it work for you.  Many holsters can be just ok out of the box and placed somewhere around here, but can really be optimized if you take the time to critically think about how it best works with your body.

Once you have what you think is the best setup, go to the range and test it live.  If you have a shot timer or take classes, use those as a bit of a stress test to see how this holster works when the pressure is on.  Just because it meets the qualities needed doesn’t mean it’s going to be your favorite holster.

When you do find your favorite holster that just might be your easy button, buy it again for a different gun, make the same adjustments and build a system that allows you to carry the gun you need.