Let's get right to the point, shall we?
Nylon holsters suck.
I've been carrying concealed since 1993, and I've tried all different kinds of holsters. Leather, nylon, Kydex, you name it, I've tried it. And the one inevitable conclusion that I have come to is that nylon holsters suck. Regardless of who makes them (but especially Uncle Mike's) nylon holsters suck.
Now let me explain why.
First and foremost, they're not pistol-specific. They're all generic, made to fit a certain size of pistol, not a certain style or model. That means the pistol may or may not fit snugly in the holster like it should, and if it doesn't fit snugly then it's gonna move around in the holster - and that may lead to it falling out, even with a hammer strap.
Second, the nylon material can't support the weight of a large pistol like leather will. It will sag, lose its shape, and may once again let the pistol fall out (if it's a shoulder holster). If it's an OWB holster (Outside Waist Band) the straps that your belt go through will lose their shape which will prevent the holster from sitting snug against your body like it should. It will also allow the holster to flop around, and that's not good.
But IMHO the absolute worst kind of nylon holster is a shoulder holster. These abominations are just that - abominations. The whole purpose of a shoulder holster is to be able to carry a pistol concealed without letting anyone else know you have it, and a nylon shoulder holster won't do this. Nylon shoulder holsters all have these large shoulder pads, and they're festooned with big, plastic buckles. These buckles are needed because as with all nylon holsters, nylon shoulder holsters are generic. And in a bid to make them more compatible with more pistols, the manufacturers make them infinitely adjustable - which means lots of extra strap left over to flop around, and LOTS of buckles.
And anyone who's worn a shoulder holster knows that buckles "print." That means you can see the outline of the buckle under the shirt you're wearing, and that's not good. It tells people you're armed, and that defeats the purpose of carrying concealed.
There's only ONE nylon holster out there that I'll use, and that one is the ankle holster made by Crossbreed. It's made of heavy duty Cordura nylon and is the most stable, most comfortable ankle holster I've ever worn. I carry a .380 in that Crossbreed holster all the time, and it's so comfortable that I can wear it all day long. It's very snug and won't flop around on your ankle, and since it has a retaining strap that goes around the top, thick part of your calf, it won't fall down onto your foot. If you're gonna use an ankle holster, then Crossbreed is the way to go.
Now, about Kydex holsters. I have several, and I like them. But NOT for shoulder holsters! IWB and OWB, yes, but a shoulder holster - NO. And I say that for the same reasons I hate nylon shoulder holsters. The straps and buckle system is the same as for nylon shoulder holsters.
So in case you haven't figure it out yet, my favorite kind of holster and the one I use most often is a leather shoulder holster. I'm a BIG fan of Galco, and have been using their holsters since 1993. I bought my first pistol, a Beretta Model 92FS in 9mm that year, and the first thing I did was buy a Miami Classic shoulder holster from Galco. (The picture at the top of the page is a Miami Classic.)
33 years later the holster is still going strong. I like this holster so much I bought two more, one for my Springfield Mod 2 .45 and another for my Springfield Hellcat 9mm.
IMHO holsters are the epitome of the old saying, "You get what you pay for." If you're gonna drop $600+ on a quality pistol, then why in hell would you cheap out and buy a $45 holster for it? Spend the money and buy a good, quality holster befitting of the pistol you just bought. Besides, a cheap holster just may cost you your life when it fails at a critical time.
And that ain't good.


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