allenruger

Thanks for all the replies. It does make sense that the position of the loops on a Galco IWB does make it a little thicker since they are right on top of the gun. JD... you brought up a good point about not understanding why companies like Galco don't make one of these holsters with the loops more spread out. To be honest I've never owned a holster like that but I bet it does make a difference on the comfort level. Oh, I might just be forced to acquire a custom holster to check the differences out for myself. But it will only be for research purposes and not for my enjoyment... honest.

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Allen

-"I may get killed with my own gun, but he's gonna have to beat me to death with it, 'cause it's going to be empty." -Clint Smith

dgg9

There's a tradeoff, though: the spread-out-loop style is indeed more stable, more concealable, and maybe more comfortable. But they take up a lot of beltline real estate and can be a PITA to wrestle into place. Whereas the loops-on-top style goes on and off easier.

Note that the better brands you listed -- Rosen, Sparks, etc -- ALSO make the loops-on-top style, so it isn't like the two holsters styles map into "cheap" and "high quality." In fact, both styles can be well made or cheaply made. As for why Galco, etc don't make the spread-loop style, I have no idea.

JD

Very true, and I wouldn't buy those styles either, such as the Sparks Summer Special and whatever Rosen calls their model of similar fashion, I started with a Galco Royal guard and Summer Comfort after a brief stint of using a Fobus, and after trying the "spread loop" style I don't think I'll ever go back.

The extra use of real estate doesn't bother me, I don't see it as loosing space on the belt as my rig is the only thing I wear on my strong side. And the other benefits of the design more than make up for it IMHO. When I wear the VMII I can almost not even feel the all steel 5" 1911 I carry, I could not say the same about my Galco Royal Guard. The Royal Guard is listed as $109.95 on Galco's website, so the avg. price of a VII isn't overly steep IMHO, it's just the wait time that's a pain, and there are ways to circumvent the wait period. The Summer Comfort is about half the price, it's below $70.00, and I wasn't overly fond of that model, it just didn't feel as sturdy.

I also prefer the sweat shield that is not present on the Royal Guard and the Summer Comfort, but that's totally a matter of personal preference.

I never stated that one was better quality than the other. I'm not going to say that the quality of the material is any better or worse pending on brands mentioned, although I will say that the overall appearance of the DeSantis rigs both in material and looks to be lesser quality, but I'm not a leather expert by any means.

If I had to rate the holsters that I am familiar with, I would put Desantis on the bottom, then Galco, then Sparks, but that's just a matter of opinion based on my experiences with each brand and even that will vary on which exact holster type and model being used.

I've also tried BladeTech, Comp-Tac, Uncle Mikes, 5-Shot Leather, Rhome Desibens, G-Code, Don Hume and a few others that I probably can't remember but that's topic for a whole other thread.

As is with almost everything in the firearms industry, your mileage may vary, and this is all my opinion which is always changing. I try to make an effort to try new things, be it holsters, mags, ammunition, firearms, and clothing to better base my opinions but for now that's just how I feel on the IWB thing.

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dgg9

True, but where I see the problem is that the holster takes up so much space fore and aft that I personally found it difficult to shift it around to find the most comfortable spot.

Well, here we agree. I can only IWB a G17 comfortably with that style (I use a FIST #20). The spread-loops style really comes into its own with big, heavy guns.

But it is a hassle to wrestle into position, and I've found that small to medium guns can be comfortably carried with the loop-on-top style. Naturally this is all subjective, but I found I can carry a G19 with the loop-on-top Sidearmor IWB but not a G17 with the same style holster.

So for me there's a cutoff in pistol size and weight where I'm forced to invest the time to put on the spread-loop IWB. But for a quick errand, there's no comparison: I can slide the G19-in-Sidearmor into place in 5 seconds.

CT-Mike

I am currently carrying my XD .40 Service in a DeSantis Cozy Partner while patiently waiting for my KD Dakota Defender to arrive. The belt loops are too close together, the leather is too stiff and doesn't comfort to the shape of my body very well. It does the job, barely. It was $50 at the local gnu shop, and the Dakota was $77 ($7 shipping). Granted the DeSantis was in my hands instantly and the Dakota is a 14-16 week wait, but I am certain that it will be worth it.

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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground."

- Thomas Jefferson

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jwhite75

Bottom line...YES. Are they necessary, NO. However you do not know the value of a Cadillac or a Lincoln until you ride in one and enjoy the ride compared to your Chevy or Ford. They will both get you to the same place, however, one will do it just a little smoother with a prettier look and feel, and be more comfortable on long trips. I have Don Hume, Galco, Blade-Tech, and Safariland. They work for me. I still want a K&D, or a Sparks or a Mitch Rosen.
If you need a good holster but not the wait or expense go for a Galco or etc. but if you want to indulge in some frivolous spending and treat you and your favorite carry piece like your pride and joy, buy the expensive good stuff.

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the_fallguy

After you spend enough time around holsters, you really can tell the difference. It's usually in the little details, or even in things that you can't see, like leather selection. Custom makers, or the good ones anyway, will look over the hides as they cut them and discard the inferior leather. I have seen new in the package Galcos that had fat wrinkles in them, indicating that they were made of weaker materials. A lot of the mass produced holster companies will use dies to cut out the holster parts, and sew them together without finishing any of the edges until the holster is shaped. This means that sometimes there will be layers on the holster that don't have their edges finished at all. That doesn't mean they are bad holsters; it just means that they aren't as finished as they could be. It's kind of like when you restore a classic car. You can probably do a great job making it look decent and run good, too. You might think it's a perfect restoration until you see a car that has been restored by Boyd Coddington or Chip Foose. Then all you can say is, WOW!
Basically, what I'm trying to say is this: When you get a mass produced holster, you get a holster somebody made because they had to go to work that day. When you get a holster from a custom maker, you are getting the result of somebody's efforts to perfect an art form, and continually strive to improve their craft. This is how I look at it anyway. Hope this helps.

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Where self preservation is concerned, if you're not cheating, your not trying...

T. Kanaley

In all fairness to Galco, there's probably more Galcos on the hips of those who carry for personal defense than all the custom makers put together! I don't recall hearing of any epidemic of people being made or killed because of their mass produced holster choices, so I think if you're happy with your Galco, Desantis, Bianchi, whatever, you shouldn't worry about it and stick with what works for you. Just my .02 and I've got plenty to gain by persuading you to the contrary.

T

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Milt Sparks Holsters, Inc.
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N.M. Edmands

Said it before, say it again--Kanaley, you're a class act.

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Nat

NRATodd

OK so there are so many options- and opinions- it's not like these are sold in stores that I can check out.... with all the options of brands, styles etc there has to be over 100 options. I think I want IWB- that's all I know- how the heck is a guy supposed to make a choice? I'm guessing the return policy on a custom rig is nill.....