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A little backstory: I bought my first holster a few months ago. It was a Remora for a Glock 23. I liked it, used it, still use it in specific occasions. I switched to a XDSC40, and kept using the same Remora. However, the back sights would get caught on the lip of the holster and the entire thing would come out when I would draw. Not a good issue to have! (Not Remora's fault, I was too cheap and was using the wrong holster). That said, I decided to buy a new holster, and looked around at what I could get. I was comfortable with an IWB since I wanted to stay concealed, and after getting some advice, I decided to go with the Crossbread/Galco Kingtuk style. The Galco I bought had the wrong cut, and part of the polymer frame road against my body. So I took it back and looked around. Then I came upon this little company called White Hat Holsters.
Here's what I bought:
Customer service:
Options:
The particulars:
Problems:
Last thoughts:
Conclusion:
Here's what I bought:

Customer service:
I found out they were on facebook. I posted a question or two, and lo and behold, got answers! Quick! That caught my attention. Then we exchanged a couple emails, and once again, my questions were answered rather quickly. I learned that this is a company that is actually concerned with customer service. Very impressive! I had a note on my order concerning the cut of the holster. The previous one I tried from a different company didn't cover the ridge where the slide and polymer meet on the XDSCs (on the side of the gun, behind the handle). I received both an email and a phone call about my concerns. In the end, they said they'd make it and send it out, and like all their products, I could return it within the first two weeks. Crossbreed has the same policy I believe, but the amount of attention they gave to my concerns was very impressive.
Options:
First: Whitehat gives you quite a few more options when it comes to horsehide-leather (than other companies). I ordered the Antique "Cowboy" black horsehide, but the options for different types of Kydex and colors of leather were pretty broad by comparison.
Second: the Kydex is not riveted on. It is screwed on. That means if I end up buying the XDs .45 I want, I just have to spend $23.00 for a replacement Kydex, and I get to use the same leather that is nice and broken in. Three minutes of work switching the Kydex in order to EDC one of two weapons in the same holster is a GREAT bonus and future option.
Third: they do not charge for combat cut!
Second: the Kydex is not riveted on. It is screwed on. That means if I end up buying the XDs .45 I want, I just have to spend $23.00 for a replacement Kydex, and I get to use the same leather that is nice and broken in. Three minutes of work switching the Kydex in order to EDC one of two weapons in the same holster is a GREAT bonus and future option.
Third: they do not charge for combat cut!
The particulars:
Price: I paid just short of $90.00.
Shipping: USPS priority mail. Shipping was $6.00, but that is included in the overall price above. The actual holster was $82.45, and shipping was $6.00. No "handling" charges.
Ordering to receiving: I don't remember at this point, but it took a couple week plus a few days. However, when they got close to making mine, I received the phone call about the remarks I had on my order. The lady on the other end of the phone stated that I should be in the mail by Friday the following week, or the next Tuesday thereafter. I received it in the mail by that Friday. Couldn't be happier!
Clips: very firm and a bit of a pain to get over a work/carry belt. Putting the holster on and taking it off isn't exactly a piece of cake, but that also means this holster will not come out of my pants in an inopportune moment while I'm drawing in a bad situation. Also, there are no markings on the clips that distinguish them as clips for a gun holster, unlike some others.
Kydex: the gun slides in nice, but there is a distinct snapping into place at the end of holstering. The tension is enough to keep the gun in place at multiple angles. It doesn't take too much force to break the tension and draw the weapon, but I doubt very much it will come out of the holster on its own/drawn by gravity. These things are well made.
Leather: it was smaller than I feared. In truth, one of the reasons I shied away from White Hat was because the way they cut the leather, it looked like there was a large, three quarter inch strip of leather at the bottom that would just get in the way. How wrong I was. The bottom of the leather is just long enough to make sure that any barrel/slide will rest comfortably against leather. Even with it, the entire holster seems like it is smaller than the Kingtuck, and yet has a much better quality. Speaking of that, there is no stitching on the leather. Nothing is sewn together, and the leather itself is pretty uniform in thickness. Wherever they get their horsehide leather from, it is quality.
Combat cut: I am able to get a full grip on my weapon while it is in the holster without interference. What makes me real happy about this part, is that there is no part of the slide or polymer body that is next to my body either. (Handle is, obviously). They've done a very good job creating these combat cut holsters and I would unhesitatingly recommend going with the combat cut.
Shipping: USPS priority mail. Shipping was $6.00, but that is included in the overall price above. The actual holster was $82.45, and shipping was $6.00. No "handling" charges.
Ordering to receiving: I don't remember at this point, but it took a couple week plus a few days. However, when they got close to making mine, I received the phone call about the remarks I had on my order. The lady on the other end of the phone stated that I should be in the mail by Friday the following week, or the next Tuesday thereafter. I received it in the mail by that Friday. Couldn't be happier!
Clips: very firm and a bit of a pain to get over a work/carry belt. Putting the holster on and taking it off isn't exactly a piece of cake, but that also means this holster will not come out of my pants in an inopportune moment while I'm drawing in a bad situation. Also, there are no markings on the clips that distinguish them as clips for a gun holster, unlike some others.
Kydex: the gun slides in nice, but there is a distinct snapping into place at the end of holstering. The tension is enough to keep the gun in place at multiple angles. It doesn't take too much force to break the tension and draw the weapon, but I doubt very much it will come out of the holster on its own/drawn by gravity. These things are well made.
Leather: it was smaller than I feared. In truth, one of the reasons I shied away from White Hat was because the way they cut the leather, it looked like there was a large, three quarter inch strip of leather at the bottom that would just get in the way. How wrong I was. The bottom of the leather is just long enough to make sure that any barrel/slide will rest comfortably against leather. Even with it, the entire holster seems like it is smaller than the Kingtuck, and yet has a much better quality. Speaking of that, there is no stitching on the leather. Nothing is sewn together, and the leather itself is pretty uniform in thickness. Wherever they get their horsehide leather from, it is quality.
Combat cut: I am able to get a full grip on my weapon while it is in the holster without interference. What makes me real happy about this part, is that there is no part of the slide or polymer body that is next to my body either. (Handle is, obviously). They've done a very good job creating these combat cut holsters and I would unhesitatingly recommend going with the combat cut.
Problems:
No product is absolutely perfect, and I tend not to trust reviews that make a product sound like it is. On that note, there are two issues I have with this holster. The first is that there is only one screw per clip. When I'm putting the holster on, I have to struggle with the clips because they invariably start sliding back and forth. This becomes a real pain if I put it on, and realized it's at 3 or 5 o'clock, rather than four. It is almost easier to take it off and put it back on than it is to slide it the couple inches on the belt. Finding a way to add a second screw to each clip would be a very good idea. Just to remind everyone, the single screw doesn't affect how well the holster is secured. It only comes into play while putting on, taking off, or adjusting the holster.
Second, the leather seems to scratch very easily. One scratch was completely my fault (hit it with a screwdriver while I was tightening the screws, can't expect that to not scratch). There are a number of other scratches on it now however, and I have no idea where they came from. Maybe it's the something on the inside of my pants, but since I very seldom wear pants with rivets, I don't know where it would come from. This isn't a big deal, except that for the money spent, I'd like to see the material withstand minor things just a little better.
Second, the leather seems to scratch very easily. One scratch was completely my fault (hit it with a screwdriver while I was tightening the screws, can't expect that to not scratch). There are a number of other scratches on it now however, and I have no idea where they came from. Maybe it's the something on the inside of my pants, but since I very seldom wear pants with rivets, I don't know where it would come from. This isn't a big deal, except that for the money spent, I'd like to see the material withstand minor things just a little better.
Last thoughts:
Some people have mentioned a squeaking noise while the leather gets broken in. I had that happen to me once or twice, but it wasn't that big of a deal. If I was out in public either no one would have noticed, or if they did, it would have been passed off as shoes.
Conclusion:
I've now had it for two or three weeks and I'm very happy with the holster. The leather is completely broken in. I am sitting at my desk right now with it strapped to my waist, and a few minutes ago (which is what made me remember to give this review), I had to check to make sure I was even wearing it. That is how comfortable it is. I've heard multiple stories about people having drawers full of disposed holsters that they tried and didn't like. Not so for me. One piece of leather, and one Kydex per make of gun is all I'll end up with. Buy one, you wont be disappointed, IMO.