The key to finding the perfect gun holster is finding a delicate balance of concealment and draw speed. With the best appendix holster, you do not have to compromise on either field. It is a highly popular holster type that can truly give you the best of both worlds.
With IWB holsters, the main issue is its draw speed. Although it gives you high levels of concealment, your clothing can get in the way of you reaching for your gun. An OWB holster, on the other hand, gives you a superior draw speed, but it is typically harder to hide your gun fully.
An appendix holster sits in the comfortable middle position of the two variants. Although it is technically a type of IWB holster, its unique carry position gives you better access to your weapon, making it a prime choice for many gun owners in the world because of its efficiency.
If you are looking to step into the world of appendix holsters, you need all the help you can get. In this article, we will give you a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about this product to ensure your investment does not go to waste.
Image | Name | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLACKHAWK Ambidextrous Appendix Holster | 5 out of 5 | |
| DeSantis 160KAB6Z0 Gunhide Pant Holster | 5 out of 5 | |
| Alien Gear ShapeShift Appendix Holster | 4.5 out of 5 | |
| Tactical Scorpion Polymer IWB Holster | 4 out of 5 | |
| BRAVOBELT Belly Band Holster | 4.5 out of 5 |
Top 7 Best Appendix Holster Reviews
Finding the best appendix holster on the market can be quite difficult, to say the least. Considering the large volume of products available these days, it is very easy to get overwhelmed even for a pro. Before you know it, you invest in a unit that gives you subpar results at best.
To ensure that you do not face this situation, we have compiled a list of the top products on the market along with a complete review of each of them in the following section of the article.
1. BLACKHAWK Ambidextrous Appendix Reversible Carry Inside The Pants Holster
Right off the bat, we are looking at an affordable appendix holster that is loaded with amazing features and excellent build quality. The appendix holster by the brand Blackhawk is not one you want to underestimate despite its affordable price. Over the years, the brand has created a significant impact on the industry.
The unit comes with a massive list of compatible weapons. It is a weapon-specific holster, and you have to choose which model you want to buy depending on the gun you are planning to use with it. Regardless of the variant you go with, you can expect an amazing performance from it.
It comes with excellent retention adjustment capabilities that allow you to quickly set up the tightness of your gun when it is placed inside the holster. The two belt clips in the unit feel sturdy and can securely anchor to your beltline without any wobble. Thanks to the ambidextrous design of the holster, you do not need to worry about making the wrong pick.
It uses high-quality polymer in its construction that feels strong and durable. It can easily survive extreme temperature conditions without showing any signs of abuse. Whether you are a hunter or a self-defense buff, you cannot go wrong with this unit because of its excellent design and build quality.
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2. DeSantis 160KAB6Z0 Gunhide, Pegasus, Pipe Hitter, Inside The Pant Appendix Holster
In the world of guns and holsters, DeSantis is a well-known name. Renowned for bringing high-quality holsters to the market, this brand has gathered much popularity over the years. This particular model is worth checking out if you are looking for a fantastic appendix holster.
One of the features that stand out about this product is the extended magazine attachment that comes with it. With this option, you can store an extra set of ammunition in the holster to use whenever you need it. Although it makes the size a little bigger than average, it is worth the sacrifice.
Both the retention and the ride height in the unit are adjustable, giving you a completely custom experience with the unit. With the retention, you can ensure a smoother draw while the ride adjustment allows you to ensure proper concealment of your weapon.
The unit is claw compatible, but you need to buy it separately. It does set the utility of the product back a bit; however, at this price point, that can be forgiven. Other than that, the build quality is excellent, and the clip system of the unit can safely anchor to your waistband without too many issues.Pros:
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3. Alien Gear holsters ShapeShift Appendix Holster for Concealed Carry
The next product on our list is by the brand Alien Gear Holsters. As you might know, the brand has a massive band of loyal customers because of their dedication to manufacturing functional and stylish gun holsters. Although a bit on the pricier side, this unit offers a lot of utility to its user.
First off, because of its large compatibility list, you can use almost any gun on the market and expect a custom fit from it. Whether you are a Glock fan or a Shield enthusiast, the chances are that you will be able to make this unit work flawlessly with your firearm.
The tool-free retention adjustment system incorporated in the unit further enhances your customization options. You can easily modify the feel of your gun without having to fiddle around with screwdrivers. Its clip style anchor system also works perfectly and gives you a stable experience when using it.
It is a Kydex holster that comes with a Neoprene backing to ensure your utmost comfort and satisfaction. Due to the polymer construction, you can expect your unit to survive the test of time while the backing ensures that it feels smooth on the skin. Furthermore, the neoprene material is highly sweat absorbent, keeping your guns clean and fresh.
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4. Tactical Scorpion Gear Polymer Concealed IWB Inside Pants Holster
For the next product, we are looking at an IWB holster by the brand Tactical Scorpion Gear. Although it is not specifically an appendix carry holster, the unit allows for this carry position because of its compact design. When carried as an appendix holster, it gives you great performance and utility.
It is a combat-proven holster that promises not to let you down when you need it the most. The unit comes with a metal clip to use as an anchor that you can rotate to adjust the cant angle easily. It also allows you to experiment with the ride height to ensure you get the exact performance you want from it.
Its retention system is adjustable and gives off an audible click whenever it is activated. By making minimal adjustments, you can set the retention to your liking within a moment. Because of its compact nature, it is highly suitable as a concealed carry gun holster.
The unit uses high tech polymer in its construction that is both comfortable suitable for long term usage. Regardless of your choice of firearms, you can find a variant that specifically suits it. This holster offers easy concealment, an excellent level of comfort, and allows you to access your gun without interference.Pros:
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5. BRAVOBELT Belly Band Holster for Concealed Carry
If you want the highest level of comfort for appendix carry, belly band holsters offer a great alternative. This particular model by the brand BRAVOBELT is a great choice when you want that appendix carry position but do not want to compromise the comfort one bit.
The best thing about this unit is the massive amount of space it brings to the table. Not only is it compatible with a wide range of weapons, but it also has extra pockets to carry a couple of rounds of spare magazines. Regardless of your weapon of choice, you can easily use this holster with your weapon
It comes in an ambidextrous design, which means your hand preference will not be an issue. The modular design allows you to rotate the weapon in the holster to get your preferred draw position. It fits waists of up to 44 inches, so measure out your size before buying it.
The unit is designed for your ultimate comfort featuring a breathable neoprene base. Whether you are going for a jog or simply walking, you can relax, knowing that the weapon is safe and secure. Its Easy Snap retention system ensures that you never have to worry about your guns slipping off.
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6. Black Arch Entrada Appedix Carry Holsters
If you have a bit more money to spend, the Entrada by the brand Black Arch will give you massive value for the cost. It comes in a sleek and stylish design that ensures proper drawing experience without sacrificing your comfort. The unit gives you everything you want from your gun holster and then some.
This particular model features a lot of the Glock compact to regular sized handguns perfectly. However, if you use a Shield or any other weapons, you can order that model with the same list of features and build quality. It is a weapon-specific holster, which means you can expect the highest performance from it.
The device allows you to adjust the ride height, giving you full control over its concealment. When optimized for discretion, it leaves no visual printing over the clothes. Furthermore, it comes with an additional pouch to store an extra round of ammunition that you can access easily.
To make weapons and mag access easier, you can adjust the retention of individual pockets. The open-ended design of the unit allows you to load up a weapon with attached suppressors, compensators, or even sights. Overall, the build quality is also top-notch, giving you years of usage without showing any signs of wearing.Pros:
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7. Fierce Defender IWB Kydex Holster
Despite being the final product on our list, this Kydex IWB holster by the brand Fierce Defender is one of the finest units available on the market. It comes with many of the modern features that we like with our holsters in a reasonable price range that makes it a smart investment for just about anyone.
Whether you use a Glock or a Springfield XDS, you can easily use it with the holster. This weapon-specific holster comes with a massive compatibility listing that contains almost all of the popular handguns that are available on the market for commercial or domestic use.
The unit features an elevated pouch apart from the holster pocket to hold a spare round of magazine. It comes with retention adjustment options for both the weapon and magazine pockets, along with ride height adjustments allowing you to fully customize how the unit behaves with your weapon.
Furthermore, the Flared opening in the weapon pocket also enables a faster than normal holstering experience. Its build quality is also superb, and you can notice the strength of the product the moment you pick it up. Thanks to the sweat guard in the unit, you also do not need to worry about any damage to your weapon if you are a regular user.
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Why do You Need the Best Appendix Holster?
To understand why you need the best appendix holster, you need to understand what it is first. We have already mentioned that it is a form of concealed carry IWB holster. However, IWB holsters are usually carried on the side or behind the hip. With appendix holster, the gun lies on the front part of your body near the abdomen.
This design offers many advantages over other gun holsters that make buying it extremely worth it.
The most obvious benefit of an appendix holster is the concealment it provides. Since it stays inside your waistband all the time, only a little bit at the top of the unit pokes out. However, it can be easily concealed with the overhang of your shirt without any hassle.
Since the gun rests in a position that is natural for you to reach, you have a drastically improved draw speed. Typically, the carry angle with an appendix holster is at either 3 or 4 o clock position. At either of these angles, you do not have to twist your wrist at all to whip out the firearm.
In the appendix carry position, you can better keep your gun in check. When a gun is holstered this way, it is nearly impossible for anyone to disarm you. As a result, even if the assailant knows that you are carrying a weapon, he cannot force it away from you before you can react.
Finally, with an appendix holster, you can get a fuller and sturdier grip on your weapon. Your gripping technique acts as a catalyst when you are building up your draw speed. Since you can get a full combat grip with this holster, drawing the gun and getting in a position to shoot it takes only moments.
Despite its many advantages, there are still a few issues that you need to know about when buying an appendix holster.
For instance, sitting down while wearing this type of holster is not very comfortable. This can make long trips on a car extremely unbearable.
Another major complaint is how the weapon barrel faces the vital positions in your body. If the gun accidentally discharges, the damage could be catastrophic.
However, there are workarounds to these issues. If you are a careful user and take all the safety precautions with your weapon, there is no reason not to go for this holster.
Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Appendix Carry Holster
With the list of products out of the way, we can focus on some of the important features that you should consider when buying an appendix holster. Although the design of this holster, in general, is highly efficient, if you buy a cheap knock-off unit, you will not get a great experience out of it.
When creating our list of recommendations, we focused on a few essential aspects. By knowing about these factors, you can critically analyze your requirements and end up with a unit that meets your every expectation. After all, not everyone wants something different from their gun holster.
To that end, here are a few important elements that you should focus on when buying the best appendix holster on the market.
Trigger Guard
The trigger guard is an essential feature in a gun holster, and you should prioritize it every time you buy a new holster. It is essentially an extended section of the holster that blocks the trigger of your weapon when you have it holstered. This small extension prevents accidental discharge when pulling out your firearm.
To get the best value out of your purchase, you need to check whether the holster comes with a trigger guard. Although there are many ways to make a trigger guard attachment for a holster by yourself, if your unit comes with one built-in, you do not need to take the hassle yourself.
Printing
Although an appendix holster is a concealed holster, you need to check whether it leaves any printing from under your clothes to verify its level of discretion. Printing is when people can see the shape of the gun from outside your cloth even though it is hidden from plain sight.
If the design of the holster causes printing, it is not truly concealed. For an authentic concealed carry experience, you need to remove all traces of your firearm once you put on the holster and go about your business. When you put on the holster, people should not be able to tell whether you are carrying or not.
To ensure that there is no printing, try out the holster in front of a mirror and see if you notice any printing.
Retention
Regardless of which holster type of material you are going for, retention is an essential factor. This feature refers to the strength with which the holster grips your weapon. Without proper retention adjustment features, you will face all sorts of issues that will impact your overall experience with the unit.
For the perfect retention, you want the holster to hold the gun strongly while giving you a smooth draw when you need it. Although Kydex holsters give you a lot of adjustment options, leather appendix holsters usually come with a preset retention level.
However, since leather molds to the shape of the gun, after continued, you can expect it to feel smooth and comfortable after a couple of uses.
Material Thickness and Quality
When it comes to appendix holster, you can never compromise on its construction quality. Since the holster pushes the gun against your abdomen, you do not want it to be too bulky, as it might cause discomfort over prolonged use. Generally, an appendix holster can be made from three materials, Kydex polymer, Leather, or Nylon.
Nylon
Right off the bat, we would advise you to steer clear of nylon holsters. Although these are extremely cheap and might seem like good value at first, the material is too unreliable. The primary issue with nylon holsters is that it can collapse on itself. As a result, holstering your weapon can be annoying once you pull out your weapon.
Leather
Leather is a better material choice if you want the holster to feel smooth and soft against your skin. However, a bit expensive, leather holsters tend to be quite durable. The major issue with this material is that over time leather can lose its elasticity. However, its durability is still quite high to justify buying a leather holster.
Kydex Polymer
The Kydex polymer is the most reliable material of the bunch because of its unprecedented durability. It is a tough and rigid material that does not bend or loosen up over time. However, not all Kydex polymer feels great on the skin, and since it is so hard, it can push against the abdomen.
Weapon Protection
The purpose of a holster is to protect your handgun not only from perpetrators but also from cosmetic blemishes. If your appendix holster is too stiff and made up of abrasive materials, it can damage the finish of the weapon every time you holster or take it out.
A handgun is a very personal piece of equipment, and any damage to it is unacceptable for most gun owners. If you care about how your weapon looks, make sure you buy a unit that does not pose these problems. Additionally, you should be careful of the retention, as too much retention can often damage the finish.
Another helpful feature that you often find on holsters is the inclusion of a sweat guard. This nifty little section ensures that your body sweat stays away from your weapon. The feature especially comes in handy if you live in a humid region or during hot summer days.
Grip
You also need to ensure your grip comfort when you are buying an appendix carry holster. Typically with this type of unit, the grip is already quite comfortable due to the carry position of the holster. However, if the design of the holster itself blocks your hand position, it might cause you a lot of issues.
For one thing, you will not be able to get a full combat grip on your weapon when you are pulling it out. This, in turn, will drastically affect your draw speed. In a high-stress situation, when it is a matter of life or death, every second matter. Without a comfortable grip, you will not be able to reliably come out of that situation unscathed.
Gun Compatibility
A simple factor that many people overlook is the weapon compatibility of the holster. Yes there are generic holsters out there that can fit almost any handguns, but since they are not made for specific models, they do not offer the level of performance that you get from a weapon specific holster.
Usually, a weapon-specific handgun holster comes with many variants suitable for different firearms. So make sure you are looking at the right product for your weapon. You do not want to buy a holster made for Taurus when you are using a Glock 27. It just does not work.
Barrel Rest Design
Appendix holsters can either come with an open barrel design or a close-ended style. In terms of functionality, both are pretty much the same. However, an open-barrel design is slightly more versatile. Since you can technically thread the barrel of the weapon through the opening, you have more space to work with.
It allows you to holster weapons equipped with suppressors or silencers without too much hassle as the extra part of the weapon protrudes from the end of the unit. Furthermore, the design gives you better ventilation and helps keep your weapon cooler during the summer. However, it is not an essential issue if you are not planning to use any attachments with your weapon.
Hand Preference
Are you a lefty or a righty? Your strong side should dictate which holster you are buying. Thankfully almost all the holsters in the market come with two different variants based on the hand preference. So make sure you are buying the one that you are comfortable with.
You can also find units that feature an ambidextrous design. It allows for both handed draw, which means whether you are a lefty or a righty will not impact your experience with the holster. If you can find one with an ambidextrous design, then you do not need to worry about choosing your hand preference.
Price
The last shopping tip we leave you is not only limited to gun holsters. This goes for every investment you make in your lifetime. Before buying a certain product, always make sure to get a clear understanding of how much you are willing to spend on it. It would save you from a world of headaches.
We already mentioned how difficult it is to browse through the sea of holsters available these days. By setting an appropriate spending limit, you can eliminate a lot of the products straight from the get-go. Then you can slowly narrow down on the perfect product by cross-checking your requirements and the available features.
Final Thoughts
Choosing to go with an appendix holster might be one of the best decision you ever make. With this unit, you can truly step up your shooting game by a large margin especially if you are an IWB user. It takes the best elements from an IWB and an OWB holster and combines them in a neat little package.
Our article on the best appendix holster should give you all the information you need to know to get started on the hunt for the perfect holster. So stop worrying about whether you will make the wrong choice and start browsing the market putting everything you learned here to good use.
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