Holster Styles

[rundogdave]

What are the different holster styles? Pancake, Avenger. Are there others? Can someone show me what they look like and the characteristics, advantages, disadvantages are? Thanks.

[camano ridge]

Are you talking just concealed carry or all types?

[rundogdave]

Concealed carry for now. I would imagine there are dozens that are not of the concealed carry type.

[Lobo]

There are as many holster styles as there are ideas about what a holster should be.

There are two general types of holster construction, the pancake style and the envelope style.

With pancake construction the holster is made with an inner panel and an outer panel joined together with seams fore-and-aft of the handgun. Holster bottom may be open or closed. Holster top may be open or may incorporate a strap or thumb-break retention device. Mounting to the belt is typically done by using belt slots or loops situated in "wings" consisting of extensions of the holster panel fore-and-aft, but some designs use belt loops mounted to the back of the holster.

With envelope-style holster construction the holster is made using a single piece of leather wrapped around the weapon and secured by a seam.The seam is usually located along the rear (bottom of the handgun), but some designs locate the seam forward (along the top of the handgun). Holster bottom may be open or closed. Holster top may be open or incorporate a strap, thumb-break retention, or full coverage flap.

Some designs will combine elements of pancake and envelope construction. The Avenger style holster is an example of this, consisting of a basic envelope design extended to the rear to form a wing with belt slot and a belt loop mounted to the rear of the holster.

IWB (inside the waistband) designs can be constructed with either pancake or envelope methods. Belt attachment is usually done by belt loops extending around the belt or belt clips mounted on the holster to slip over the belt. IWB holsters tend to emphasize concealment (keeing the bulk of the holstered handgun inside the trousers), and typically offer reductions in accessibility (particularly ease of reholstering the handgun).

There are inherent advantages to both general types.

The pancake-style holsters can provide good concealability by keeping the handgun pulled snugly into the body, using belt tensioning to apply pressure to the holstered handgun and increasing retention qualities. Comfort can be improved by spreading the weight of the holstered handgun over a wider portion of the belt.

The envelope-style holsters can provide better accessibility, offering greater ease of gripping the handgun during the draw as well as allowing the handgun to be reholstered more easily.

Everything in holster design involves compromises among the 4 basic factors of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealability. Whenever one factor is emphasized there will be compromises in the other factors. There is no "perfect" holster design for every user or application any more than there is a "perfect" handgun for every use or situation.

A holster that is designed for maximum concealability is not likely to provide the greatest accessibility or comfort (a handgun is intended to be comforting, not comfortable). Holsters developed for practical shooting competitions are not likely to be the best choices for discreet concealed carry.

Then there are shoulder holsters, ankle holsters, pocket holsters, pouch holsters and probably other types as well. I remember once seeing a neck holster, simple pouch suspended from a strap around the neck and tucked inside the shirt.

Probably the best advice I can offer to anyone interested in holster design is to keep in mind the 4 basic factors:

1. Comfort. If it is not comfortable it will not be used.

2. Accessibility. If the user cannot access the handgun when needed the purpose of carrying is defeated.

3. Security. The holster must be capable of retaining and protecting the handgun during all anticipated types of activity.

4. Concealability. When discreet carry is required the holster must be capable of keeping the fact that the wearer is armed as unnoticable as possible.

When discussing a customer's needs and preferences it can help to steer the conversation through these 4 topics so as to determine what is most likely to meet the customer's needs. Other things to be considered include the customer's intended or usual activities (possible need for added retention), the customer's usual wardrobe (considerable effect on comfort and concealment), and any physical limitations the customer may have (range of motion issues such as wrist, elbow, or shoulder problems). Covering all of these bases can help the customer make a selection that is more likely to meet his/her requirements.

I hope this helps.

[chiefjason]

There are differences in construction too. You can make a pancake that is molded 50% on the front and 50% on the back, pretty standard for a lot of makers. These are usually completely stitched before molding. Or you can make a pancake that is 100% molded on the front and flat on the back. These are either partially or completely stitched after molding.

As Lobo said, it's a compromise. 50/50 molding will offset the gun a touch from the belt. But you get a very solid pocket to retain the gun. Flat backs ride closer on the belt, but have more potential for gun movement if they are not stitched tight.

Clear as mud, right?

[vaalpens]

What are the different holster styles? Pancake, Avenger. Are there others? Can someone show me what they look like and the characteristics, advantages, disadvantages are? Thanks.

This is a great question!

Are you talking just concealed carry or all types?

It will be nice to know all types.

Maybe somebody knows a great source to find out the history of holster design and how it evolved. This is probably a great question for katsass with his wealth of experience and knowledge.

Edited September 26, 2013 by vaalpens

[Colt W Knight]

I'd recommend checking out GALCO gun leather. They have a lot of holster styles and great pictures. That will give you a good idea of the most popular styles and how they are worn concealed.

[JLSleather]

There are as many holster styles as there are ideas ... the customer make a selection that is more likely to meet his/her requirements.

I hope this helps.

This is positively refreshing. Simple question, followed by a detailed, but on topic, answer filled with relevant information. Irks me sometimes when you see a guy with a question, some ass tells him use the search function (seriously, if you aren't going to answer, then why reply?). Or, you ask what time it is, only to get a long winded speech about the 'invention' of time zones and the Roman calender ... often (I suspect) by a guy who really has no idea what time it is.

So, just one guy popping on to say THANKS for some actual USEABLE information.

[Dwight]

Rundogdave, . . . something else you might do, . . . is get a ream of paper and put it into your lazer printer, . . . then Google up "Holster: leather, IWB".

Spend an hour a day or so looking at the styles you see there, . . . and do a good old "copy / paste" onto the paper, . . . make up a folder and hang onto the pics of the different holsters.

I did this (and still do this for some I like but don't have) and it has given me many, many good ideas.

As you look at the different styles, . . . think about the info Lobo gave you, . . . and think about the importance to you of the different aspects. Once you determine your own personal needs / desires, . . . it is much easier to help someone else find their optimum holster.

Take for example, . . . the folks who work for Brinks Armored, . . . at the bank where I used to work, . . . they came in with revolvers in an open, loose fitting holster with no retention at all other than gravity keeping it in the holster. You might even call it more of a bag than a holster, it was so used and out of shape.

On the other hand there is a shoulder holster I made for a policeman twice (white model and a black model, . . . summer wear and winter wear) which was a band around his chest and an armpit holster with thumb break for a sub-compact Glock (?).

The one extreme offered zero concealment, . . . but instant access (Brinks), . . . while the other offered 99.9% concealment, . . . but he had to rip the buttons off the front of his shirt, . . . hit the thumb break, . . . before accessing his back up firearm.

The rest of us fall somewhere in the middle. My avatar shows my signature model IWB that is very comfortable, . . . can be tucked, . . . and is my favorite of all holsters, . . . as it MEETS MY needs, . . . but others may not like it as well.

You can pretty well sum up a list using 2 main criteria: Concealability VS Accessability from least concealed / most accessable to most concealed / least accessabie as looking something like this -

OWB holster, no retention

OWB holster, thumb break

OWB holster, suicide strap

IWB holster, no retention

IWB holster, thumb break

Shoulder holster, clamp retention

Shoulder holster, thumb break retention

Shoulder holster, suicide strap retention

Belly band / deep concealment, no retention

Belly band / deep concealment, thumb break

Of course this is not cut in stone, . . . but a general rule of thumb. And of course, . . . all of these can qualify for a concealed holster if you simply add a cover garment.

Hope this helps your search.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited October 8, 2013 by Dwight

[Red Cent]

pancake

http://www.bing.com/...electedIndex=21

Hybrid

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=concealed+carry+holsters&qpvt=concealed+carry+holsters&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=70D3777EE0BA8F85800112FD423ADC49250C162A&selectedIndex=469

Small of Back SOB

http://www.bing.com/...lectedIndex=255

Sneaky Pete

http://www.bing.com/...lectedIndex=307

pocket holster

http://www.bing.com/...lectedIndex=352

Stephanie

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=concealed+carry+holsters&qpvt=concealed+carry+holsters&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=C265BDCF5E014ED7F0491BA8ABF21B9C99D6DE71&selectedIndex=458

IWB

http://www.bing.com/...lectedIndex=488

Avenger style

http://www.bing.com/...lectedIndex=518

more

http://www.bing.com/...ers&FORM=IGRE#a

Edited October 9, 2013 by Red Cent