This is the "Mr. Softy" IWB holster made by High Noon. Yes, I agree, it's a silly name for a holster but if you read on below, the only thing I've found silly about this holster is it's name. And it's price new is SILLY REASONABLE, like $27 from the maker, plus shipping I suppose.
I got mine for a screaming $4.00 price. It's in barely used condition. Mine is exactly like the one at left, but I am carrying a Glock M36 in it. I'll go over my impressions in a moment, but I want to add that this company makes this same holster but with a 15 degree forward cant, called BARE ASSET, and based upon my great satisfaction with this holster, I plan to get one of those soon as I generally like a forward cant in holsters.
It's made of leather, and the exterior is finished. The trigger is well covered in firm but not bulky leather. In fact, I was amazed at the supple yet firm nature of the leather in this holster. It holds it's shape inside the pants for pretty easy reholstering. The reinforcing lip of leather is somewhat collapseable, but I have found a slight bit of flexibility in the reinforced mouth of the holster to lend itself to less bulkiness and greater concealability.
It's a very lightweight holster and mine is unfinished on the inside. It is perfectly molded and offers excellent retention and the leather covering the trigger area is very firm. Although some leather finished exterior holsters can be "sticky" or "slippery" against the skin, this finish or stain seems to offer just the right amount of contact and movement against the body.
Unlike the suede roughout exterior IWB holsters I usually use, this one wears better, or at least it is more comfortable, with a t-shirt or undershirt underneath the holster and another shirt worn on top. Even a bit larger t-shirt provides excellent concealment with this holster. With a thicker polo shirt worn untucked, you can't tell I am armed. Which, of course, is a requirement of discreet concealed carry.
It has a metal J clip that extends further than the standard "flatter and flared end" clip used on many holsters such as the old school Bianchi clip. The J clip is large, meaning there is an full half-inch of unused clip below my one and a half inch belt. I don't wear two inch thick belts, and the largest I have is one and three-quarter inch.
I don't know if any other size clips are available, but I'd sure like to see one marketed with the more traditional belt clip used on old school holsters.
Other than having a different clip, I'd love to see a rough out suede exterior version of this holster.
I give this holster a nine out of possible ten, with one point deducted for the clip situation, but it is extremely comfortable and I'm guessing I'll wear it a lot. If I liked this kind of clip, I'd give it a ten. On the plus side, although the clip is big, it offers a great fingerhold to lift it off your belt, and although the holster is held firmly with this clip, it's not hard to get it off your belt at all. In fact, it's easier than the old school clip type holsters.
This unique clip does seem to operate as some sort of large clothespin, pushing down on the bottom of the holster from the pants portion below the belt of the wearer. Perhaps this action is what has kept this holster so steady since I've been wearing it.
It's a lightweight IWB holster that is not flimsy and that offers very good weapon retention. It's a very reasonable price and it has every bit as much quality as a holster costing three times as much. The leatherwork is great and the stitching appears to be of good quality thread. It's not a fancy looking holster but again, it's an IWB so who is going to see it?
It's light enough to wear in summer with some belted shorts and an untucked shirt.
Although the slimline Glock Model 36 .45 caliber is a thick gun, it conceals very well in this holster, riding a bit lower than some other IWB holsters. This lower positioning is a very good balance point for the Glock M36, and it hugs rather then leans out from the body.
Great holster. I'll get another one, the one with the forward cant. Maybe I can get a custom one, and if not, I'm pretty sure one of my holster repairmen can install a new clip and rivet and you won't hardly be able to tell.
UPDATE: I'm still liking this holster. It conceals extremely well under a t-shirt with jeans and a belt. It does not hardly print the butt of the Glock at all. It is very comfortable.
One handed reholstering is difficult but possible. With the Glock, if there is one in the chamber, I prefer to remove the holster and reholster safely.
This holster shines in being easy to put on and take off. The design of the "J" clip that is used makes removing the clip from the belt very easy, and the finish and shape of the holster combine to make putting on and removing very easy. Much easier than any other IWB holster I've owned.
Good review, thanks.
ReplyDeleteMine's in the mail.
Happy carrying!
Here's another update. I found out some time ago that part of these holsters are made from some synthetic material, not dissimilar (at least to me) from the leather like stuff that Mercedes Benz uses or at least used on their non-leather seats in the 1990's, and may still use for all I know.
ReplyDeleteI now own several Mr. Softy's for several different guns as well as two Bare Assets. I've found that these are great holsters, and when I use a IWB holster with a semi-auto, this is the only one I've used since getting the first one on ebay. I've bought the rest from the company direct. Cheap and shipped to me within five days. Shipping could be cheaper and faster if High Noon would use the USPS instead of UPS. You could mail these holsters first class with delivery confirmation for two bucks, and it'd make the trip from High Noon to me a couple of days sooner.
I now like the J clip. It really retains the holster in the same spot when carrying and when drawing. I've been using a number of Bianchi #6 IWB holsters for various revolvers I have since 1981. I'm about to order a Mr. Softy for j frames, an L frame and my Cobra. The venerable Bianchi #6 may have met it's match. I'll see if these High Noon holsters work as well with revolvers as with semi-autos.