Good week for leather

cunroe · August 18, 2007, 06:25 PM

Received the Split Decision for the XD on Thursday and the Lou Alessi APX for the SP101 today.

j-framer · August 20, 2007, 09:10 AM

Very nice. Haven't heard too much about the Split Decision, but Lou Alessi's reputation is legendary.

Might you briefly describe what led you to make these holster choices--that is, what concealment/comfort needs you are working around? There is such an array of IWB options out there these days that I always enjoy hearing how people arrive at a decision for a particular gun's holster.

Evidently you prefer clips over loops; easy on/off, probably? The only clip IWB I ever tried was someone else's Uncle Mike's nylon monstrosity years ago. It was horrible

! Therefore, my IWB clip experience is practically nill. These holsters, on the other hand, are obviously quality pieces of leather, so I'd like to hear about how you satisfied you are with the execution of the clip design. Are they as stable as loops when carrying these small guns?

I like the placement of the clip on the Alessi APX. This seems like the minimum bulk you could hope for in the case of an IWB revolver holster, even more compact than loops.

cunroe · August 20, 2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

j-framer: "Might you briefly describe what led you to make these holster choices--that is, what concealment/comfort needs you are working around?

j-framer, I have zero credibility with respect to commenting on holsters as I have very limited "real-world" use to back it up. I reside in one of only two "rights infringed" states (WI) and as a result, I can only carry on private property and do not have CCW experience with holsters. That said; I'll share what I can.

Clips? Yup...that is exactly what I wanted, simplicity and ease of use. I clearly understand there are substantially better holster designs for IWB than what I purchased and if were able to carry more "aggresively/legally" I would probably have landed on a quality belt and belt holster combo (many craftsman to choose from as you are aware). Here is a brief bullet-point list with some of the "pros" for me and that drove my decisions:

Alessi APX:

Hell...its a Lou Alessi custom and I have one now, nothing more needs to be said!
As you noted, I wanted a clip design and this style has the clip mounted "off-cylinder" and well forward for comfort and a slightly slimmer profile
Research indicated this was a "smart buy" for my desired configuration, expected use and an SP101 worn at ~1:00 o'clock strong-side (pored over many threads on the net)

High Noon Split Decision:

Available "off-the-rack" yet known high-quality (fast delivery)
Tuckable option for my XDSC...tuckable...tuckable and...it actually exceeds expectation for tucking in a shirt
Planned for ~4:00 to 5:00 o'clock and feels great in that position so far in testing the fit (long way to go before I can comment on longer-term comfort with this combo)

Quote:

j-framer: "Are they as stable as loops when carrying these small guns?"

By no means would these be as stable as some other designs available (i.e. belt holsters) but candidly, they are "stable enough for my needs" and better than I expected.

Bottom-line, would not suggest they are right for everyone but I'm good.

Take good care,

Golddog · August 20, 2007, 07:45 PM

Forward single clips slip under the weight of the gun, in my experience, making access slow and awkward. However, maybe Alessi's magic will avoid that. I have his Bodyguard shoulder rig for a 3" 66, and it works beautifully.

My favorite auto OWB is from HBE Leatherworks, and his COM IWB is just as remarkable - thinner than Spark's VMII and thus more comfortable. Tauris' shoulder rig is the best I've found for heavy autos.

For revolvers, the Tucker Texas Heritage IWB is a concealment masterpiece - thin, hidden, comfortable, no break-in period.

August 18, 2007, 06:25 PM	#1
cunroe Member Join Date: January 15, 2007 Posts: 39	Good week for leather Received the Split Decision for the XD on Thursday and the Lou Alessi APX for the SP101 today.

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August 20, 2007, 09:10 AM	#2
j-framer Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Posts: 375	Very nice. Haven't heard too much about the Split Decision, but Lou Alessi's reputation is legendary. Might you briefly describe what led you to make these holster choices--that is, what concealment/comfort needs you are working around? There is such an array of IWB options out there these days that I always enjoy hearing how people arrive at a decision for a particular gun's holster. Evidently you prefer clips over loops; easy on/off, probably? The only clip IWB I ever tried was someone else's Uncle Mike's nylon monstrosity years ago. It was horrible ! Therefore, my IWB clip experience is practically nill. These holsters, on the other hand, are obviously quality pieces of leather, so I'd like to hear about how you satisfied you are with the execution of the clip design. Are they as stable as loops when carrying these small guns? I like the placement of the clip on the Alessi APX. This seems like the minimum bulk you could hope for in the case of an IWB revolver holster, even more compact than loops.

August 20, 2007, 07:45 PM	#4
Golddog Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2006 Location: rural central Maryland Posts: 151	Forward single clips slip under the weight of the gun, in my experience, making access slow and awkward. However, maybe Alessi's magic will avoid that. I have his Bodyguard shoulder rig for a 3" 66, and it works beautifully. My favorite auto OWB is from HBE Leatherworks, and his COM IWB is just as remarkable - thinner than Spark's VMII and thus more comfortable. Tauris' shoulder rig is the best I've found for heavy autos. For revolvers, the Tucker Texas Heritage IWB is a concealment masterpiece - thin, hidden, comfortable, no break-in period.