by John Markwell | Contributing Editor
Leather and polymer; both provide adequate retention, concealment and speed of presentation while catering to differences in shooters’ tastes.
Over the years, we have been accused of having many weaknesses. Searching for the Holy Grail of holsters is one that we proudly share with many handgunners. Below are two of the latest rigs to cross the threshold of the gun room. They are from differing genres: one old school and the other new-wave high tech. Both are fully functional and each fills a niche in the current world of gun carriers.
High Threat Concealment (www.HighThreatConcealment.com) is a veteran-owned company specializing in low profile tactical gear for the support and carrying of weapons and gear in close protection and/or low visibility operations. Many of the products that HTC produces are also applicable to the needs of the legally armed citizen. We received two items for review from HTC; their SPEKTRE IWB holster and a 1.75” Everyday Tactical Belt.
The SPEKTRE IWB holster and the Everyday Tactical Belt make a good combo for everyday concealed carry of the Wilson Combat ULC Commander Compact in 9mm.
As most readers know, the belt is the heart of any system used for the daily carry of the defensive handgun. The Everyday Tactical Belt is built from a double layer of nylon webbing and is surfaced with Velcro on the outside. The EDT has an AustriAlpin slide frame buckle rated to a minimum strength of 9KN. When the buckle is threaded the tail of the belt is Velcro secured. For everyday carry, the EDT is stout enough to support either an IWB or OWB holstered handgun and support gear like a spare mag carrier. The EDT also can serve as a quick attach foundation for High Threat Concealment’s Low Profile System (see the website for details). We used the EDT in conjunction with the SPEKTRE IWB holster and found it to be comfortable and supportive in that role. The EDT belt is available in black or coyote tan, 1.5” or 1.75” widths and has an MSRP of $60.
According to the HTC literature the SPEKTRE IWB (inside-the-waistband) holster “is a no-compromise solution for those who want to comfortably conceal a fighting-sized handgun every day.” Wearable either strong-side or in the appendix position, the SPEKTRE comes with three different attachment systems allowing the user to configure the holster to their particular style of carry. The SPEKTRE is vacuum-formed from BOLTARON (a high-tech thermoplastic developed for hard-use tactical applications). The holster is hand finished and incorporates a tension adjustment. The SPEKTRE is available in black or flat dark earth, engineered for a variety of handguns and is compatible with most pistol-mounted red dot optics. MSRP is $70.
The buckle of the Everyday Tactical Belt is stout and strength rated.
We carried our Colt Wiley Clapp 45ACP CCO in the IWB SPEKTRE, with the EDT belt supporting it, for about a week. Although we personally did not find the hard polymer holster to be as comfortable as a leather IWB rig, it was effective in its concealment of the pistol; even under a T-shirt. Presentations were slick and re-holstering was positive. We ended up using the dual Biothane Soft Loops with pull-the-dot snaps on the BOLTARON struts for attachment to the EDT belt. This system is similar to the classic loop attachment system found on many IWB holsters. We also tried the belt clip and polymer Overhook clips that came with the rig but found them to be prone to snag on stuff, like chair arms and car consoles.
It is obvious from the number of manufacturers of guns and holsters that there is a large contingent of the shooting public that has an affinity for polymer pistols and holsters. The folks at High Threat Concealment have a great line of products that cater to the needs of both the armed professional and the citizen gun carrier. The EDT belt and the SPEKTRE IWB holster are just two of their offerings. Both items reflect the experience of the designers and the care taken to produce a quality product that will serve the user well, regardless of one’s situation, for many years.
If Polymer is not your particular cup of tea, Rob Hipp crafts leather holsters the old- fashioned way; one at a time. Located in Torrington, WY, Rob is a Game Warden as well as a very talented leather worker. We discovered Rob by chance through the 1911 Forum and ordered one of his holsters off eBay on the recommendation of others on the Forum. This first holster is a modified Rhodesian style rig with a low front or “speed cut.” Made from quality vegetable tanned leather and beautifully stitched, Rob told me via Email that he’d made several of this model for Richard Heinie and some other IDPA shooters. I sent my buddy Ken Hackathorn a photo of the rig and he replied that he too had one.
The SPEKTRE holster with the three different belt attachment systems.
As we have a soft spot for Rhodesian styled rigs, another holster, without the speed cut, was ordered up in short order. Rob asked if I’d like for this holster to be made with welted seams and I jumped right on that idea as, right or wrong, I’ve always felt welted seams were stronger. If they are not stronger, they certainly seem to be stiffer. When the holster arrived, it was immediately paired with my Wilson Combat ULC Compact Commander. The higher cut of the holster’s front provides additional security for the pistol and covers the ejection port keeping out the kind of detritus generated thru daily wear around our place here in the hills. The stitching on this second holster is absolutely beautiful and the hand boning is excellent, providing a very snug fit to the pistol. The clearance for the middle finger when gripping the pistol is generous and the nicest touch is the way Rob contours the leather around the pistol’s muzzle. This normally takes a few years of wear to accomplish; that is if the holster is the proper length to begin with.
We are using our Rob Hip holster with the covered ejection port for the daily carry of our Wilson Combat pistol; the low-cut version will be reserved for IDPA matches. Priced at $75 each (a bit more for a welted seam model), these examples of the holster maker’s art are a true bargain and delivery times from Rob are very reasonable, for now. We predict that as Rob’s work becomes more well-known both prices and lead times will increase as he operates a one-man shop. Rob can be contacted via Email at robhip45@gmail.com or some of his leather holsters can be viewed at ebay.com/scg/i.html? saslop=1& = smith329123.
There’s a holster out there in the marketplace to fit anyone’s taste, be it “tactical” or traditional. These offerings from Rob Hip and High Threat Concealment are just the tip of the iceberg but each is at the pinnacle of their genre. Handgunners can’t go wrong with gear from either maker. Good shooting.
