The back story you'll want to skip if you're just here for a product review.
To be completely honest, I never had much experience with OWB holsters. Like many others out there, before I started carrying concealed, I didn't have much need for a quality holster. In fact for many many years the only holster I had was a cheap one size fits most Uncle Mike's nylon holster that came with my old Glock 20.The Uncle Mike's holster did everything I needed at the time. It protected the handgun while in storage and transit to where I was going to shoot it. I'd even put it on my hip once in a blue moon while at the range. I also (mistakenly) figured it there ever came a day when I "needed to carry a gun" that holster would work just fine. Now I carrying concealed and I've learned how important a high quality holster made specifically for the handgun it carries is.
Overall my personal preference has been for IWB holsters and for Kydex and other synthetic materials; but I can't deny there is just something about a high quality OWB leather holster. When done right a leather holster can truly be a functional work of art, and that's what I've found with the holster bought from Savoy Leather.
I've seen Savoy Leather ads on Facebook and review of their holsters on YouTube for years. I've often said "maybe someday" when I scrolled through all the very cool designs they show on their website. Well, about three and a half months ago when I decided to purchase a Glock 29, I went full on and ordered a Savoy Leather holster for it.
Since the 29 will be my new "woods gun" I wanted a OWB holster for it since it will often be carried in the open while hiking and spending time in the woods. In the past I've gone with the more tactical Kydex style OWB holsters. While inexpensive and tough as nails, the are not the most comfortable to wear. At least to me, others find them to be very comfortable. So I figured this would be a good opportunity to give Savoy Leather a try.
Speaking of open carry, follow this link to a post I made a while back on my thoughts regarding open carry.
The Actual Initial Review
When I decided to order a Savoy Leather holster, I had to spent a lot of time on their website. Their selection of designs and options was very impressive and it was hard for me to pick one. I finally decided on the "Join or Die" design on light brown leather with a black edge fade. I placed my order and began the long wait to receive my new holster.
Savoy Leather holster are made to order one at a time. So if you don't have patience this holster (like many things that take time to make right) may not be for you, but trust me it was well worth the wait. The quality of materials and workmanship are truly top notch. The stitching is superb without a single flaw that I could see. The holster fits my G29 and my hip perfectly. I am also very pleased on how well the "Join or Die" artwork turned out. The detail is pressed sharply into the high quality leather and the coloring is crisp and clear.
I've been wearing it around the house the past few weeks to break it in. It just gets more comfortable each day as the holster softens up and forms to me. The gun draws smoothly and there is plenty of retention to make me feel comfortable about wearing this holster. I'm really looking forward to see how it holds up to use.
The holster holds tight enough to my body to allow for good concealment with a light cover garment. Yes it's true, despite what some think, you can actually carry concealed with an outside the waistband holster. The cut allows for a full grip with you hand right up to the trigger guard, while still fully covering the trigger; and there is plenty of clearance for the front sight when you draw.
The holster also has an open design on the bottom. Some prefer having the bottom of the holster closed to help protect the handgun by prevent foreign objects from entering, but I like the open design better. While the open design won't stop debris from entering the holster, it makes the holster easier to clean. Plus if I decided to ever get another Glock 20 or try out the Glock 40, I'd be able to use this holster to carry them.
At this point I really have no complaints about the holster. So far it is worth the wait and every penny I paid for it. I got a feeling my views of it will not change with use. It looks like it's built to last and will provide me with many years of use.
Check out Savoy Leather's website at: www.savoyleather.com
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Link to the WMA Forum post for this gear review
thanks
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