It has been some time since I have posted on this site... though I have been reading on it this whole time. Just didn't really have anything to say. I do now though... I am so excited about my new holster and the problem that it solved that I wanted to make sure and right a review of it. I have to imagine there might be someone else like me out there and I wanted to take sometime to help shorten their search.
When I am at home, I wear basketball shorts. I find them by far the most comfortable... except they can suck to carry my SR9 in. I had used an Uncle Mike's cheapy Sidekick Holster... but the single clip would pull the gun away from my body as it simultaneously dug into my side. I was also tired of thumb break retention and didn't fully trust it. And I can't wear my Crossbreed Supertuck with bball shorts as its use is with the Velcro Clips for when I am out and about. So, I figured that a paddle holster would hold the gun closer to my body as the paddle would displace the weight against my body. I borrowed my bosses Bladetech paddle holster to get a feel and I loved it. When I returned it to him and we were talking, he told me that he hates when his wife wears a paddle holster without a belt on sweats or something... that they weren't designed to be worn with the type of pants that I was wanting to wear them on. Since stability is needed to unlatch from the kydex, bball shorts would cause the holster to rise with the firearm preventing a smooth draw or even any draw at all. I had seen that with his Bladetech. Still, I figured I would just train myself to do a two handed draw because the alternative would be lack of comfort would prevent me from carrying and I didn't want that. But, I also didn't want to spend an arm and a leg on a specific use carry holster. And frankly, I didn't like the retention systems on some of them... I was certain that I would have shot myself using a Blackhawk... just being honest here!
So, I ordered a cheapy Fobus on the shopRuger website. I had watched the Youtube videos slamming the Fobus and showing its draw issues EVEN WITH PANTS AND A BELT. But the price was right and I was going to work two handed anyway. Until... a few days later I was at my LGS looking for a long gun case when I stumbled upon the Uncle Mikes Kydex Reflex Paddle Holster (I always look through the holster section when I am there... because the SR9 holster selection is usually so penner compared to other firearms). I pulled it out of the box and was shocked and how solid it was!! I instantly knew that this was much higher quality that the Fobus, and only $10 more when compared to purchase price and shipping. Since it was Christmas time, Shopruger had not yet processed my order and I was able to cancel it. I decided to buy the Uncle Mikes Reflex Holster.
Just before I bought it, I asked the clerk if I could test the draw of the holster on one of the SR9's that he had. He said sure, loaded it in the holster (after making sure that it itself was unloaded), but had a tough time getting the SR9 back out of the holster. After a few moments, it seemed he remembered something as the gun came right out. He said that the holster DOESN'T utilize a swift upward draw from a mostly stationary holster. No, it utilizes a quick twist of the grip inward and then a draw out. At first, I almost changed my mind and reordered the Fobus... but the build quality was obviously so much better, I went with the Uncle Mike's Instead.
AND I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID. I hadn't put it all together in the gun shop that this was exactly the holster that I was looking for. The fact that it doesn't utilize a swift upward draw against a somewhat stationary holster made it perfect for what I wanted to use it for. A short, quick twist inward and the gun will draw up out of the holster without any movement against my shorts!!! It is super comfortable to wear and rides high and tight for when I want to through on a jacket and walk the dog or grab the mail right quick!
It is adjustable for height and cant, and can be used in paddle format or belt loop format.
The only two problems with it are that is comes from the factory beyond tight! It is actually tough to get on and off at first because the tight, solid kydex is difficult to flex so as to get the paddle away from the holster. It's breaks in pretty well after a week or so of use. The other problem is that it does utilize a hefty holster to the pants during draw retention system. Well, this is good because it makes the draw feel even smoother, but isn't good because it can dig into your side if you are sitting with pressure against the holster... such as sitting with the holster against the arm of a chair. And of course, the draw does take a couple days to get used to.
But, I must say that it is the perfect holster for the problem that I wanted to address... if you have ever run into a similar problem, this is the holster for you!!
http://www.unclemikes.com/holsters/reflex-holsters/reflex-holsters
Blessings all!!
Yawn
When I am at home, I wear basketball shorts. I find them by far the most comfortable... except they can suck to carry my SR9 in. I had used an Uncle Mike's cheapy Sidekick Holster... but the single clip would pull the gun away from my body as it simultaneously dug into my side. I was also tired of thumb break retention and didn't fully trust it. And I can't wear my Crossbreed Supertuck with bball shorts as its use is with the Velcro Clips for when I am out and about. So, I figured that a paddle holster would hold the gun closer to my body as the paddle would displace the weight against my body. I borrowed my bosses Bladetech paddle holster to get a feel and I loved it. When I returned it to him and we were talking, he told me that he hates when his wife wears a paddle holster without a belt on sweats or something... that they weren't designed to be worn with the type of pants that I was wanting to wear them on. Since stability is needed to unlatch from the kydex, bball shorts would cause the holster to rise with the firearm preventing a smooth draw or even any draw at all. I had seen that with his Bladetech. Still, I figured I would just train myself to do a two handed draw because the alternative would be lack of comfort would prevent me from carrying and I didn't want that. But, I also didn't want to spend an arm and a leg on a specific use carry holster. And frankly, I didn't like the retention systems on some of them... I was certain that I would have shot myself using a Blackhawk... just being honest here!
So, I ordered a cheapy Fobus on the shopRuger website. I had watched the Youtube videos slamming the Fobus and showing its draw issues EVEN WITH PANTS AND A BELT. But the price was right and I was going to work two handed anyway. Until... a few days later I was at my LGS looking for a long gun case when I stumbled upon the Uncle Mikes Kydex Reflex Paddle Holster (I always look through the holster section when I am there... because the SR9 holster selection is usually so penner compared to other firearms). I pulled it out of the box and was shocked and how solid it was!! I instantly knew that this was much higher quality that the Fobus, and only $10 more when compared to purchase price and shipping. Since it was Christmas time, Shopruger had not yet processed my order and I was able to cancel it. I decided to buy the Uncle Mikes Reflex Holster.
Just before I bought it, I asked the clerk if I could test the draw of the holster on one of the SR9's that he had. He said sure, loaded it in the holster (after making sure that it itself was unloaded), but had a tough time getting the SR9 back out of the holster. After a few moments, it seemed he remembered something as the gun came right out. He said that the holster DOESN'T utilize a swift upward draw from a mostly stationary holster. No, it utilizes a quick twist of the grip inward and then a draw out. At first, I almost changed my mind and reordered the Fobus... but the build quality was obviously so much better, I went with the Uncle Mike's Instead.
AND I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID. I hadn't put it all together in the gun shop that this was exactly the holster that I was looking for. The fact that it doesn't utilize a swift upward draw against a somewhat stationary holster made it perfect for what I wanted to use it for. A short, quick twist inward and the gun will draw up out of the holster without any movement against my shorts!!! It is super comfortable to wear and rides high and tight for when I want to through on a jacket and walk the dog or grab the mail right quick!
It is adjustable for height and cant, and can be used in paddle format or belt loop format.
The only two problems with it are that is comes from the factory beyond tight! It is actually tough to get on and off at first because the tight, solid kydex is difficult to flex so as to get the paddle away from the holster. It's breaks in pretty well after a week or so of use. The other problem is that it does utilize a hefty holster to the pants during draw retention system. Well, this is good because it makes the draw feel even smoother, but isn't good because it can dig into your side if you are sitting with pressure against the holster... such as sitting with the holster against the arm of a chair. And of course, the draw does take a couple days to get used to.
But, I must say that it is the perfect holster for the problem that I wanted to address... if you have ever run into a similar problem, this is the holster for you!!
http://www.unclemikes.com/holsters/reflex-holsters/reflex-holsters
Blessings all!!
Yawn
