CS Holsters proclaims on their website that “we make concealed carry more comfortable.” For a person who has made the switch from an “inside the waistband” holster to an “outside the waistband” holster for comfort reasons, that’s a pretty tall order for an IWB holster. Naturally we had to try one out ourselves to see if it really was as good as they claimed.
Over the last couple years, the construction of an inside the waistband holster has more or less standardized. Either you use a completely leather holster with a snap or two on the back, or you have a slab of leather with a kydex bit in the center and clips on the end. The kydex design especially is a pretty popular design and seems to meet with most people’s approval, especially given the benefits over a leather holster. Specifically, the kydex material allows you to easily draw and re-holster your gun without fiddling with the holster at all.
The overall design is familiar, but it’s the details that complete the package.
Some holsters have a plain leather backing and call it good, but CS Holsters tacked a foam backing to the side facing your body. It’s a nice touch that definitely adds some comfort to the holster above and beyond the normal design. Other than that, it’s pretty much bog standard. The clops can be moved to change the cant of the gun. The holster is flexible enough to work anywhere you want to put it. And, of course, if you have tight pants it might cause some circulatory issues.
That padding and flexibility means that the holster is pretty comfortable to wear around all day long. Compared to a leather only holster, the difference is night and day. Plus, the padding keeps the leather from chaffing on your skin if you’re running without a shirt between you and the holster.
As far as function is concerned, the holster works fine. The gun disappears into my waistband, drawing the gun is a breeze, and re-holstering is quick and painless. Not quite as quick and painless as an outside the waistband holster, but for what it is it’s not bad. And while the gun is tucked securely into the holster, there’s no way the gun can become dislodged without a significant and injury producing application of force to your body. So as long as you don’t plan on flying head-first into a brick wall at 60 miles an hour, you’re fine. And if you do, you have bigger issues than firearms retention.
Overall, it’s a good inside the waistband holster. It has the same features as the big boys, works great in terms of retention, and is right in the same price range as a Comp Tac MTAC. In short, if you want an IWB holster, I can’t think of a reason not to buy one of these. Other than the fact that it’s an IWB holster, and I don’t like ’em in general.
Specifications:
Model: CS Holster IWB Comfort Carry
Price: $76.99
Ratings (out of five stars):
Comfort: * * * *
I generally don’t like IWB holsters, but this one was less uncomfortable than the others I’ve tried. So I guess that means it gets high marks compared to the others.
Value: * * *
It’s about the middle of the range. The Comp Tac MTAC holster is the one I always think of when someone says IWB, and that runs only a few dollars cheaper.
Concealability: * * * * *
You can’t tell I’m wearing a gun unless you know it’s there. Then again, I always wear a gun…
Overall: * * * *
It’s a good holster at a good price. Not the best I’ve ever tried, but in the IWB range it’s among the best.