1boredguy

I originally posted this on the ruger forum:

My first holster was a cheap nylon holster from Holster USA. It was around $20 and was a limp piece of junk. I got tired of it fast and I started to look for higher quality holsters: that will hold tight against the body, have good retention, have a comfortable style, and is not a major hassle to take on/off. A lot of research on brands and consideration of features occurred before I made my purchases.

I spent many hours checking out holster selections from dozens of brands including Fist, High Noon, Uncle Mikes, Milt Sparks, Del Fatti, Galco, and Bianchi. Making a decision on something you’d wear often, without even trying it on or seeing it in person, is a real guessing game.

My researched ended up being a tight decision between two brands very popular among the forums. It took a lot of thought, and I decided to go with Simply Rugged. The main selling points were “simple”, “rugged”, competitive pricing, and versatility. Over a year I purchased two holsters and one belt from Simply Rugged artist Rob Leahy.

Below is my SP101 Silver Dollar Pancake with the Killer Fish Scales. This holster can be worn strong side, cross draw, or in the waist band (IWB).






The stamp detailing is both rugged and fancy.




I decided to go with the 3 slot option, so the holster can be worn cross draw.




The removable IWB straps are very sturdy. There are male and female screws that secure the straps on the holster.





Below is my GP100 Sourdough Pancake with border stamping. The removable IWB straps are screwed on. This holster can also be worn strong side, cross draw, and IWB.









The retention holds the GP100 in place well.



Here are some quick thoughts:
• The holsters are awesome and have been living up to my expectations.
• I do highly recommend Simply Rugged pancake holsters.
• They are very comfortable to wear.
• The design holds the firearm close to the body and there is very little flop, if any, when running.
• However, don’t wear it on a rainy day or exercise because the dye color will run onto your clothes when wet.
• Having the option to wear both IWB and on the waist band is great.
• The stamping is awesome, and I might be more inclined to make my next purchase from Simply Rugged if there were a few more options in stamping designs.
• I was a bit skeptical about the security of the male to female screws, for the removable IWB straps, but they didn’t get loose [holding my GP100] over a rocky six mile hike so it seems good (I’ll update if there’s any change).
• Simply Rugged a top option for my next holster purchase.



I decided to try out Simply Rugged’s belt. I just wanted a solid heavy duty belt.

Here are a few photos of my Real Man’s Belt with border stamping:





Here are some quick thoughts:
• It’s a good slab of leather and very competitively priced with a stamping design.
• It was delivered very stiff.
• I do recommend considering the Real Man’s belt as an option.
• I would be more satisfied if the edges were cleaner/smoother (see final belt image above).
• It has lived up to my expectations of being a simple and solid belt.
• Also I’ve been wearing it as my dress/work belt.
• If you do make a belt order remember to include both the measurement from the your currently used belt hole to the base of the buckle (where the metal "toothpick" sticks out) and your pants size. The belt measurement given will end up being the middle hole, so there's a few notches for a diet or a few notches for Thanksgiving.
I also noticed the price went up recently.

The time it took for the order to reach my doorstep was eight weeks for my first order. My second order took only four weeks. I have had friendly customer support over phone and email. Replies to email questions have been spotty.

So there you have it. I hope my tips help you shoppers out there weighing your options.

Cheers!

redbird

Nice looking leather goods wish I had one.

MN Lefty

Great looking holster. I'm thinking of a LH one for my 325PD after seeing you holsters. Do they ride high on the belt? How long was turn around time on your order?

1boredguy

The SP101 holster rides high. I can get away with a T-shirt over it. My first order took 8 weeks. My second order took 4 weeks. I think the current turnaround time is lower now.

retsupt99

Nice looking leather.
Hard to tell from the pics...is the holster 'boned' for a particular gun?

Stay armed...get a good holster...stay safe!

__________________
"That I cannot do."

"Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks."


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