Whether because they are looking to carry a firearm for self defense, secure a firearm a little more safely, or need something for competition use, for many people holsters become an inevitable and integral part of firearm ownership. My personal use case for holsters is for everyday carry and range use. Today I wanted to walk you through just a few of the appendix carry holsters that I have used and point out a few features that I think are key for someone looking to buy an appendix holster. Before we go further, you can find the holsters that I reference in this article at from these places: Mckinatec Holsters Slimfit Holsters Brownells
I think is the first key feature of a good appendix holster is good level of adjustable retention, with audible and tactile feedback when holstering. Retention I think is key because it is what is physically holding your weapon in the holster (and consequently on your person). A holster with poor or weak retention might let the weapon move around or even fall out during certain motions. You want a holster with a good amount of retention, with the ability to dial in more or less retention according to your tastes. Along with this, you want a holster with good tactile and audible feedback about when the weapon locks in to place, so you know that it is secure.
The second key feature of a good appendix holster is the ability to carry a spare magazine. Not long after I started using the concealment express, I decided that I wanted to carry another magazine with me and I needed a holster that would facilitate that. That's what caused me to a full appendix rig: it has an extra sidecar that allows me to carry that second magazine. There's a lot to be said for being able to keep a second magazine close to the same place as your weapon; it allows you to build muscle memory for reloads, as well as put on/take off the whole thing as one piece when necessary. I liked the sidecar style so much that I decided I wouldn't buy another appendix rig without one.
The third key feature of a good appendix holster is a concealment wing. This little piece of plastic is a gamechanger for concealment and printing. What it does is press against your belt and effectively levers the handle of the weapon closer in to your body. This makes it easier to conceal the weapon with slimmer-fit shirts like I usually wear. Just like adjustable retention, most appendix holsters come with this feature as standard; if not, its usually available to add for only a few bucks.
The fourth key feature of a good appendix holster is actually a group of things: options. With holsters, as in life, options are key. You want a holster that will accommodate your specific weapon, and anything and everything that you have done to it. This means things like mounted optics, tall sights, threaded barrels, weaponlights, extended magazine releases, etc etc. A good holster will let you pick and choose exactly what you have on or done to your weapon and fit that specification exactly. Both of these holsters are cut for optics, and this slimfit is also molded for my specific weaponlight.
Just a side note / bonus point, always take into account any work that you PLAN on doing to your weapon when buying a holster, so that you don't have to buy a whole new holster when you add something. That's what happened to me with two of my appendix rigs; I had to buy a whole new holster when I added the optic because I didn't choose an optic cut when I bought this first holster. While this allowed be to upgrade to a flex rig that's a bit more comfortable, I could have saved myself from essentially buying the same holster twice if I had thought about this beforehand.
So there we go: 4 things you should look for in an appendix carry holster. As always your method may vary; this list was just my personal preference based on personal experience, and there are a ton of other factors to consider when choosing a holster. Hopefully this helps you out a bit. That's all I've got for you today. Until next time, stay safe!