Analysis of Gun Holster Designs: Exploring All the Available Options

We at Falco Holster went through a long journey of evolving the gun holster world. Thanks to decades of experience in custom gun holster making we gained a wealth of knowledge and an understanding of what gun owners truly need. From unstable weather conditions during hunts, through tactical or law enforcement scenarios, and even to the nuances of concealed carry, we've been able to design & provide the right, perfectly fitting holster to gun owners all around the world. Thanks to our expertise, we are now fully armored to provide a comprehensive gun holster guide to you. We want to make sure you pick the right holster that will serve you for a lifetime.

Gun holster hand-made for Springfield Hellcat Pro

Holsters come in various shapes, materials, and sizes based on the scenario, carry position, handgun itself, or even your style. They all have situations where they shine & situations in which you would rather switch to a different model. That’s why gun owners usually own multiple holsters, plan ahead, to decide on the perfect holster for the day. Below you can find an extensive analysis of all the different gun holster options available on the market today along with the scenario they shine in.

Holster Making Materials

Handgun holsters can be crafted from various materials. Each of them offers different comfort, basic holster retention & unique features. We at Falco Holsters offer custom holsters from all these materials and we compared them for you.

Leather Holster

We can’t even imagine classics like 1911 pistols or S&W revolvers in anything else than beautiful & shiny leather holsters. Leather gun holsters are classic in the holster world. This traditional material can be perfect for all handguns, however it is preferred mainly with classic guns. Leather holsters offer superb comfort in comparison with other holsters because they tend to form over the carrier's shape & a soft feeling against the skin. A huge advantage is they do not wear off the finish on your handgun. Basic retention with leather is usually good, however, they might break in overtime in case of irregular maintenance, so make sure to check the fit regularly or buy one that comes with a retention screw.

Hybrid Holster

Did you ever hear a remake of an old classic song on the radio and thought to yourself: Well this version is even better! This is exactly the case with hybrid holsters. They are a fusion of two materials. Usually Leather for extra comfort & Kydex for perfect basic retention. Leather has capability to form well around your body & feels good against your skin & on the other hand, Kydex provides a hard shell over your trigger guard for safety & perfect retention to further enhance your safety.

Kydex Holster

Kydex or polymer holsters are nowadays the norm set by the duty carriers & it was quickly established in the civilian market too. Kydex is a polymer material known to be widely used in various industries for example car industry. These holsters are loved by many because of their outstanding basic retention. You can even hear a click sound coming from the trigger guard area of the holster when reholstering or drawing your handgun. This satisfactory sound might be one of the reasons why it is growing in popularity every day. Although it is very safe & provides superb retention this material is hard and can be problematic when it comes to comfort. That is why gun owners reach out for the so-called holster wedges to help them tame their unyielding nature.

Nylon Holster

We love this holster material because it is the closest alternative to leather full of extra features. It shares good properties like great comfort & soft feeling against your skin, but there are details you wouldn’t expect. Since nylon is an inorganic material it does not require too much maintenance. Falco’s premium variants are equipped with sights rail protectors, that guard your gun but most importantly minimize the wear & tear of the nylon holster. If this isn’t enough, nylon holsters are the cheapest option in this guide.

Less Common Holster Materials

As pioneers in the holster-making world, we are always striving to create new designs & use extraordinary new holster materials just to find out whether they might be the future of our industry or to fulfill your unique needs. Examples of such an effort of ours are our lightest carbon-fiber holster & 3D printed holster for Glock 19. You can already find them in our offer.

Various Gun Holster Styles

Handgun holsters can be designed for multiple different carry methods. Each carry style has its pros & cons, and affects your ability to conceal your handgun, comfort, accessibility & reaction time. We did this extensive research for you & summed it into a table to help you compare them with each other and in the end make the right decision.

Mix of holsters for various carry styles

Holster Type	Position	Concealed Carry Effectiveness	Comfort	Designed For	Reaction Time
OWB Holster	3-5 o’clock	Concealing an OWB holster or so-called belt holster can be complex. It must be covered with a jacket or coat and may still create a bulge on your side. A canted OWB holster is easier to conceal.	Comfortable during standing and active movement. Less comfortable in a seated position.	Duty, Law Enforcement, Shooting Range, Open Carry, Hunting	Fast. OWB holsters have been used for quickdraws for centuries. They position your gun right next to your strong hand.
SOB Holster	6 o’clock	Concealment is easy. The human body's shape is well-suited to conceal SOB holsters under a jacket, hoodie, or coat.	Comfortable during standing and active movement. Less comfortable in a seated position. SOB holsters are considered to be dangerous by some gun owners in the event of a fall.	Open Carry, Everyday Concealed Carry, Hunting	Slower. Drawing from a seated position is challenging, and there is less control over your firearm due to its placement on your back.
Cross Draw Holster	11 o’clock	Concealment is moderate. A jacket or an additional layer of clothing is necessary to cover the cross-draw holster.	Comfortable in most situations.	Ideal for driving or sitting for extended periods. Everyday Concealed Carry, Hunting. Might be banned in certain competitive shooting disciplines.	Medium. The trajectory of your reaching hand is further from the handgun than with OWB holsters positioned at 3 o’clock.
IWB Holster	5-12 o’clock (Appendix Holsters)	Concealment is easy once the best position around the belt for you is found. You can easily conceal an IWB holster under a T-shirt.	Less comfortable due to placement between your body and pants. The comfort of IWB holsters greatly depends on the exact position & body type of carrier. We recommend softer materials such as leather or nylon.	Everyday Concealed Carry, Undercover Law Enforcement	Faster. With proper training, IWB holsters can be swiftly deployed. A layer of clothing must be moved before drawing.
Belly Band Holster	3-12 o’clock (Appendix Holsters)	Concealment is perfect, similar to IWBs. A belly band holster can be concealed under a shirt without needing a belt.	Comfortable in most situations.	Ideal for most sports and everyday concealed carry.	Faster. Like IWB holsters, belly band holsters can be quickly deployed with proper training. A layer of clothing must be moved before drawing. We recommend using models equipped with a Kydex shell where the trigger guard is covered for maximal safety.
Shoulder Holster	Side of torso	Concealment is moderate. An effective concealment requires a jacket or a winter coat which is usually worn only in colder months.	Comfortable in most situations.	Ideal for driving or sitting for extended periods. Everyday Concealed Carry, Hunting	Medium. The path your hand must take to reach the handgun is longer than with OWB holsters positioned at 3 o’clock. Proper training is needed to avoid flagging yourself or bystanders during the draw.
Leg Holster	Leg	Concealment is impossible without a concealed carry leg bag. Concealing a leg holster without one is unfeasible.	Comfortable in most situations.	Duty, Law Enforcement, Shooting Range, Open Carry, Hunting. Not recommended for everyday carry.	Fastest. Leg holsters allow for the most natural and ergonomic draw possible.
Ankle Holster	Ankle	Concealment is easy. Wider pants will flawlessly cover an ankle holster.	Comfortable in most situations.	Formal Attire, Everyday Concealed Carry	Slow. Ankle holsters position the handgun far from your hand. The carrier must untuck the gun from their pants and reach for it, making it the longest draw trajectory on this list. We recommend this carry style more as a backup than a primary holster.

We can’t forget about the two following extra gun holster types. They do not change the performance of the carry styles above, however, they significantly change the looks of a holster.

Pistol Holsters

FALCO offers custom pistol holsters designed to accommodate over 2000 different handgun models. That all packaged in thousands of available IWB, OWB, shoulder, or even SOB holsters. With our ongoing commitment to innovation and development, we are able to offer reliable and comfortable solutions like chest holsters for pistols, ensuring a seamless and secure carrying experience. The importance of perfectly fitting holsters for pistols cannot be overstated as it ensures secure retention of the firearm, reduces wear on the weapon, and improves comfort for the wearer.

Revolver Holsters

Our revolver holsters, including shoulder holsters for revolvers, classic OWB & IWB holsters, and leather holsters for revolvers, are customized to match the specific frame, caliber, and round count of your firearm, which is vital for optimal safety and comfort. With over 900 available models of revolvers, FALCO has a custom solution for every revolver owner. Thanks to this you would be finally able to enjoy a custom leather holster for Taurus, Smith & Wesson, Ruger & multiple other firearm brands.

Custom Holsters

With nowadays trend to equip your handgun with tactical lights, lasers, red dot sights, or even gas pedals, we empower you to create your bespoke holster from the ground up, ensuring a comfortable carry experience with handgun in all shapes & sizes via our custom holster configurator. We stand ready to tailor-make any custom gun holsters to fit any available revolver frame or pistol model, offering optimal protection for both the carrier and the firearm. With FALCO, the personalization extends beyond function - you can customize your holster to match your handgun sights, preferred sweat guard, color, cant, and belt loops, and even elevate its aesthetic with a custom laser-engraved logo & more. At FALCO, we honestly believe that tailoring holsters to match every individual's precise requirements and aesthetic preferences will turn your carry into an enjoyable journey.

What Makes A Good Gun Holster: Choosing The Right one

If you are an experienced gun owner you might already know this, however having a good holster for your handgun is crucial for gun safety, accessibility when you need it, and protection of your firearm. In case you decided on a preferred gun holster based on previous sections and you are new to firearm carry you should know the following essentials we summed up for you into helpful points.

Safety First: A well-made holster should fit exactly your handgun for perfect retention, and ensure that your trigger is fully covered at all times and protected to prevent accidental discharge. That is why you should always look for holsters crafted exactly for your handgun. It is easy to do so thanks to our holster finder by gun model right on this page. Other than that make sure your holster does not move on your belt or feature retention levels you require.
Accessibility: As we discussed in detail in the analysis above, make sure you pick the right carry method so you can fast access your handgun whenever you need it. Inside the waistband, leg tactical holsters & OWB holsters are recommended when accessibility or speed of draw is your main requirement.
Protection for Your Firearm: Although your safety is in the first place at all times, a good holster should also protect your firearm from unnecessary scratches, impacts & wear & tear. If you want to prolong the lifespan of your gun opt for softer materials as leather or nylon.
Comfort: Wearing a holster shouldn’t be a torture. The right holster will fit comfortably on your body, allowing you to move freely without irritation or discomfort. This is especially important for the ones who carry a firearm for extended periods of time. Our customers report that carrying in shoulder holsters during colder months & in belly bands during summer can be one of the best options once you focus solely on this aspect of carrying.
Concealment: In case you plan to concealed carry the best holster would be the one that hides the outline of your handgun & does not print through your clothing. Clothing itself plays a crucial role in effective concealment, however, the good design of a concealed carry holster might allow greater freedom in your wardrobe.
Legal Compliance: Different states have various laws regarding the carrying of firearms. Make sure to check your local laws, before you head into a shopping for a holster.
Maintenance: Always make sure your holster is clean & does not contain items that shouldn’t be inside. Leather holsters are more sophisticated than other materials when it comes to maintenance as they have to be broken in before first use & oiled regularly to ensure they will last you for decades.

Gun Holster Reviews and Comparisons

In case you are still hesitant & can’t choose your future holster because our offer is very wide & full of unique features, we prepared the following video reviews to help you make a decision. We covered all the most popular carry styles with a review of our best-selling gun holster for each category for your convenience. Expert advice is included in each of them.

IWB Holster Review

OWB Holster Review

Cross Draw Holster Review

Belly Band Holster Review

Shoulder Holster Review

Leg Holster Review

In case you want to find more useful customer reviews, you can find them here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gun Holsters

To save you time and reduce the workload on our customer care department, we have answered these frequent questions about gun holsters for you. We hope it will further help you.

What is a holster claw?

A holster claw is an attachment, usually made of plastic that should be positioned & mounted in line with the clip on your holster. This device, when inside the waistband, pushes to the inner side of your belt and tilts your holster along with the grip of your firearm closer to your body. It is a wonderful feature to have on your holster as it will massively help you with concealed carry.

What is an IWB holster & How to wear an IWB holster?

We prepared an answer to this question in a short video on our YouTube channel.

How to wear a paddle holster & What is a paddle holster?

Paddle holsters typically don’t lend themselves well to the appendix carry style, so paddle holsters are almost exclusively carried at the 3 o’clock or 4 o’clock position simply because that’s where the curve in the paddle fits best on most people. That being said, many paddle holsters can be fitted with alternative hardware in order to allow them to be carried more suitably in the appendix carry position. Learn more about paddle holsters in our paddle OWB holster guide.

How to break in a leather holster?

In order to break in your leather holster in a short amount of time, there is a very simple method that only involves a few basic materials.

You will need:

Your firearm
The leather holster
A plastic bag
Denatured alcohol
A small brush or rag

Lightly apply the alcohol throughout the inside of the holster, paying special attention to the areas you noticed before that needed it. Once you have applied it to the inside of the holster, place your gun inside the plastic bag. Push the gun back into the holster with the plastic bag around it. You may have to leave the gun for a little bit of time (or even overnight) in the holster this way, but once the alcohol evaporates, remove the gun from the holster and then from the plastic bag. Check the fit and see how you like it!

You can find out more about leather break-in in our guide or watch the video tutorial we made for you.

Conclusion

In the end, selecting the right gun holster is art & science in one. We at Falco Holsters armored with knowledge thanks to decades of holster crafting hope that you found your answer in this piece. We encourage you to leverage our expertise, resources, and reviews to make an informed choice. Your perfect holster should be a balance of function, comfort, safety & style after all.

Thank you for trusting us with your safety & considering Falco Holsters as your partner in this aspect of gun ownership.

Author: Martin Lukacko

Date: March 27th, 2024

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Belly band + Cross draw + Shoulders Gun Holsters

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IWB Holsters

OWB Holsters

Shoulder Holsters

Thigh Holsters

Chest Holsters

Ankle holsters

Magazine & Speedloader Pouches

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