Firearms Friday: Secure Your Carry!

We all have a box of crappy holsters somewhere.

We have all seen it and have ready countless gripes about it… someone buys a high quality firearm and shoves it in a dirt cheap holster they got at Wal-Mart... this is also known as 'crap carry' (in addition to having a few other choice descriptors. When you see it you can’t help saying something but there are few words that have ever gotten through the excuses… it does the same thing as the expensive holsters so why spend the money; I would rather spend the money on the firearm, everything else doesn’t really matter; it’s going to wear out anyway so why bother getting an expensive one. It is really a sad situation that such a fine piece of machining and mechanical art is tucked away in something that wouldn’t be fit to carry your phone.

I have never been a high end firearms aficionado or a big dollar holster buyer so don’t expect any suggestions along those lines. I like to have quality items that are moderately priced… the kind of items that people think you spent a lot of money on but that is far from the case. Along those lines, there are some great options on the market to make sure that your firearm is secure when you make the decision to carry. They meet all of my criteria: affordable, high quality, durable, secure, comfortable, and they fit the firearm properly.

Don Hume IWB holsters.. a good start. 

Early on, when I carried quite frequently I turned to a simple holster that got the job done. Not the best but certainly not the worst. During that time my Don Hume inside the waste band (IWB) holster held up pretty well. It retained its shape, secured my Glock 17, and it was only about $20 at my local gun shop (I got it on sale, I believe the full retail is slightly higher). Overall, it wasn’t a bad option at the time but there is one holster company that I use now that is far superior and only a few dollars more.

Alien Gear... better quality and warranty at half the price. 

I was first introduced to Alien Gear Holsters when I came across a number of their ads in various firearms related magazines. I also read and watched a lot of reviews at the time as I was looking to upgrade from my current accessory. When I finally explored the website I was surprised by the simple fact that the high quality holsters were half (and in some instances a quarter) of the price of their competitive counterparts. This opened up a variety of options for me and so I opted to take advantage of the 2 holster combo to replace my Glock holster and add another to the rotation. With combos starting at $50 there is really no other company that comes close to the value offered by Alien Gear.

DALTECH FORCE... maybe the best belt on the market. 

So, I now moved up to a good quality holster for those times when I make the decision to carry (I know, don’t give me crap for being inconsistent). However, a good holster (no matter the brand) can only do so much if you have a cheap and flimsy belt. Again, I was on the hunt for an affordable option as most gun belts hover around $100 and many are much more than that. Thankfully Pete from The Armory Channel on YouTube posted a video at the perfect time. We have similar mindsets (maybe because we are both from the Philadelphia area) and when he showed the quality offered by DALTECH FORCE I was intrigued. When he revealed the price I knew that I had to order a couple… they are the best belt (gun belt or otherwise) that you can find for around $40. On top of that the company offers free shipping on orders and Pete arranged for a 10% discount by using the coupon code “thearmorychannel”.

 So, in the end, you can buy a cheap holster and belt at Wal-Mart for about $40-50 and run into a variety of issues on a daily basis: unsecured firearm, sagging pants, unnecessary wear and tear on both your firearm as well as on your clothes and accessories, potential mocking by other concealed carriers, among many other issues. It just isn’t a safe or responsible way to carry. Plus everything is going to wear out in about 6 months (if you’re lucky) and you will be spending another $40-50.

Instead, you can spend a little more (around $60-65) and know that you have a quality belt and holster that will allow you to securely and confidently carry your firearm with you. In addition to the fantastic warranties offered by Alien Gear and DALTECH, you will get a lot of use out of each of the product and won’t have to worry about replacing them at any time in the near future. So, basically, if you’re cheap at the onset, in addition to being unsafe, you are going to end up spending 2, 3, 4, or more times the money in the end.