Petrol & Powder
10-30-2017, 08:20 AM
Despite all of the advances in materials and designs, I still find myself gravitating towards the simple leather pancake holster with a thumb break strap. Old School, I guess.
I've used the synthetic materials and like them in some applications but the OWB types just do not conceal well for me. They seem to be a bit bulkier than the leather holsters and tend to ride much lower in relation to the belt line. So the old tried and true leather OWB pancake style still gets my vote.
I've used them all: Galco, G&G, Mitch Rosen, Bell Charter Oak and some lessor known makers. I've got a shelf, or two, full of leather gear. After all of the years, the rig I keep coming back to is the Don Hume H721 "Double-Nine".
At first glance the "Double-Nine" looks pretty much like any other thumb break pancake holster but there are subtle differences that are important to me. Perhaps I bonded to my first one and that influenced me ?
The first feature that I really like about the Double-Nine is the increased coverage of the pistol. A lot of the competitors' holsters are cut away (to increase the speed of the draw? not sure why). The Double Nine covers more of the gun and provides just enough room for a full grip prior to the draw. (The Galco FLETCH is also good in this area). It would be a secure holster even without the strap.
The second feature is the angle of the forward cant. The butt-forward cant is less than seen on other holsters. It's not a straight drop but it's closer to vertical than most others. I guess I just got used to that early on and it's burned in my brain somewhere.
The last feature is the relation of the holster to the belt line. I wouldn't call it a High-ride type but it just conceals better than others for me.
I've heard others criticize Don Hume for their "cheap" finish and hard leather but I've never had an issue with their quality. In fact, my Don Hume gear has held up to a LOT of abuse. They do take some time to break in.
When it come to gear, everyone has their favorites. I guess I'm no different.
I've used the synthetic materials and like them in some applications but the OWB types just do not conceal well for me. They seem to be a bit bulkier than the leather holsters and tend to ride much lower in relation to the belt line. So the old tried and true leather OWB pancake style still gets my vote.
I've used them all: Galco, G&G, Mitch Rosen, Bell Charter Oak and some lessor known makers. I've got a shelf, or two, full of leather gear. After all of the years, the rig I keep coming back to is the Don Hume H721 "Double-Nine".
At first glance the "Double-Nine" looks pretty much like any other thumb break pancake holster but there are subtle differences that are important to me. Perhaps I bonded to my first one and that influenced me ?
The first feature that I really like about the Double-Nine is the increased coverage of the pistol. A lot of the competitors' holsters are cut away (to increase the speed of the draw? not sure why). The Double Nine covers more of the gun and provides just enough room for a full grip prior to the draw. (The Galco FLETCH is also good in this area). It would be a secure holster even without the strap.
The second feature is the angle of the forward cant. The butt-forward cant is less than seen on other holsters. It's not a straight drop but it's closer to vertical than most others. I guess I just got used to that early on and it's burned in my brain somewhere.
The last feature is the relation of the holster to the belt line. I wouldn't call it a High-ride type but it just conceals better than others for me.
I've heard others criticize Don Hume for their "cheap" finish and hard leather but I've never had an issue with their quality. In fact, my Don Hume gear has held up to a LOT of abuse. They do take some time to break in.
When it come to gear, everyone has their favorites. I guess I'm no different.