Thursday, August 6, 2009

Another Bladetech holster review

Now that I have a government sized 1911, I wanted a good all around holster for it that would take care of as many needs as possible. I have a ton of holsters for half a dozen different types of handguns, and they all have a purpose, but sometimes you just want one that does it all.

I searched and searched the vast depths of the internet; consulted with Google-The-Wise; read every holster forum I could find, and finally settled on the Ultimate Concealment Holster by Bladetech.



I am still impressed with the excellent quality of the Bladetech IWB that I have for my Glock 17, so I was fairly certain that the UCH would be well made also. I was right.

The holster features a single offset belt clip to secure it for IWB carry. This has an advantage of making the holster more thin overall, as your belt doesn't have to wrap around the holster body and the securing straps like on most IWB holsters. The clip is a "S-Hook" 1.5" that secures over the top edge of the pants and wraps under the belt and back up over the top. There's no chance that the holster is going to come off during the draw, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it keeps the holster from sliding or shifting. The clip is adjustable for cant: you can have it set for a straight up draw or a FBI cant. It connects at the bottom of the holster with two open ended Chicago screws with a rubber grommet in between the holster body and the long end of the clip. This allows the shirt to be tucked in with the pistol holstered.

The tension on the pistol is adjustable with two Chicago screws, and I note that this holster holds with friction on the slide like most holsters do. There is no snicketty-snick like with the Bladetech IWB for my Glock 17, which isn't a bad thing, just different. I like to crank down on the tension for a very secure fit, and that's no problem here. When it comes time for me to draw, the extra foot pounds are not going to stand in my way.

Overall I have to say that this holster is by far the most comfortable IWB holster that I have ever tried, and that is saying a lot. IWB holsters for me are the exception to the carry solution, not the rule, and I normally use a belt holster for all day carry like the Galco Concealment holster that I use for the Glock 17. IWB holsters are for running to the store for a pack of smokes, or for maximum concealment with a T-shirt. I have to say that my mind is changed.

I have read that the MTAC and CTAC holsters from Comptac are all day comfortable, and they also have the thinness from keeping the clips out and away from the holster body. I was looking for something a little more svelte. I got that in spades - check out how thin this baby is:


It keeps the pistol in tight, and the high guard at the top keeps the safety from digging in to my side. I am still amazed to this day of how well 1911s conceal. I've never had a tuckable hoster before, and I'm going to have to explore the benefits of that type of carry.

I got a matching single mag pouch for it that has adjustable tension via two Chicago screws, and secures with a easy to use clip:



It holds tight to the body like the holster, and I think it will serve well.

Here is a picture of the beast with a tucked in shirt:



I am happy as a clam. If anything changes, I'll be sure to let y'all know.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was looking for a good IWB holster for my CZ-75 and ended up buying a UCH after reading this review. It's a great holster, thanks for making my decision easier

Anonymous said...

I also got one of these for my CZ-75 PCR. I'll post a review as soon as I have time to wear it some more.