Phlster Pro Glock 43/43X/48 Holster
I haven't reviewed anything for quite some time, but this was such a "game changer" for me, that I figured I would pass on my experience with this fine piece of equipment, in case anyone else was in the market. Before I get into my thoughts on the holster, I feel I should give a bit of a back story on carry set ups I typically use, and what I have used in the past, for a point of reference on this particular holster. I've carried appendix off and on over the years, using a multitude of different kydex holsters, and the only one that was truly comfortable, was a Dark Star Gear extended length (more about that later) holster for the M&P Shield, but I went away from the Shield platform, so I no longer had a use for that particular holster.
I've owned my 43X for going on a year, and have been using a Galco King tuk hybrid holster and a Mission First Tactical kydex OWB holster, as well as a T-Rex arms kydex IWB holster that I tried appendix carry with, but it wasn't working out for me. While I would prefer to carry OWB year round, the type of clothing I am required to wear in order to be concealed, isn't really practical in the summer months down here, so I really wanted to revisit appendix, so I could wear a light t-shirt and be fully concealed. Without further ado, onto the holster.
Fit and finish: Phlster is a household name in some of the other forums I belong to, so I was expecting top quality, and they delivered. Molding is very precise, hugging the curves of the pistol, eliminating unnecessary bulk, and the edges have been smoothed out very nicely. There are multiple holes in this holster for nearly unlimited adjustment, and those are also drilled nicely and evenly. Overall I rate the fit and finish a 5 out of 5.
Retention: There isn't a whole lot to say here, as a company with a top shelf reputation should have this down pat, but I feel it's an important topic to cover. Retention for me is completely adequate, but is not adjustable, so that could be an issue for some. When holstering, there is a nice tactile and audible click, and when conducting the upside down "shake" test, the pistol remains secure. Due to the lack of adjustability, I rate retention 4 out of 5 (lack of retention is a zero issue for me, but it's worth noting).
Adjustability and hardware options: As stated in the fit and finish portion, the Pro comes with multiple holes drilled, allowing for tuckable clips towards the bottom of the holster, and non tuckable clip or soft loops towards the top of the holster (carry depth can also be adjusted for three separate settings), and is ambidextrous. The holster comes standard with soft "pull the dot" loops, but you can also get upgraded hardware in the form of plastic "grip hooks", TuckStrut retrofit kit, Discreet Carry Concepts Monoblock, or Discreet Carry Concepts Mod4 1.5" steel clips. I ordered the holster with the soft loops, but purchased the DCC Mod4 steel clips from a second vendor, as I'm not a huge fan of soft loops. The DCC steel clips are far and away the best clips out there (IMO) and are likely the most secure clips you are likely to find. Although I would likely upgrade to the DCC clips anyway, I would like to see a non "upcharge" option for plastic clips, for that reason I rate adjustability and hardware options 4.5 out of 5 (with zero knock on adjustability).
Color Options: I contemplated not covering this aspect of the holster, as it's purely a cosmetic feature, but then I thought about the fact that we like color options on our cars, so why not our holsters. There really isn't much to say here, as currently Phlster only offers their holsters in black, and while fine for most people, I was really hoping to get something in an FDE color, and nearly went with another maker due to this, so if your in the market for something other than black, this won't be the holster for you. Due to lack of color options, I give this category a 1 out of 5.
Value and Availability: Price in the standard configuration with soft loops runs $79.99, and they offer a 10% discount to Mil/LEO. In doing research this is very much a good price when compared to some of the other "top tier" holsters, and there is no lead time on their products, it is either in stock or not, and most holsters were in stock when I purchased mine. Shipping was also VERY fast, even with USPS. 5 out of 5 in this category.
Comfort and Concealability: I saved the best for last, as this was very important for me, and this is likely to sound like a sales pitch, but I have no vested interest or connection to the Phlster brand, other than being a very satisfied customer. This section will be the lengthiest, because I'm going to explain the concept of this and similar holsters. As mentioned in the introduction, the only comfortable holster I've used in the past, was a Dark Star Gear extended length holster, which means the holster extends beyond the length of the slide (similar to using a Glock 17 holster with a Glock 19 pistol). Many manufacturers now make extended length appendix holsters even for longer/full size pistols, but I would venture to say most folks could get away with a standard length holster for pistols with a barrel 4 inches in length or longer, where you have issues with comfort and "roll over" are with the shorter subcompact barrels. In the case of the Glock 43/43X Phlster Pro, you can only get the Glock 48 length, this is done intentionally, as the theory (in addition to the roll over issue) is that the contact area of the holster is distributed over a larger portion of your appendix, lending to a more comfortable experience, and this is accurate in my experience. Additionally, Phlster has molded the muzzle end of the holster, into what they call a more "organic and ergonomic" form, and that's precisely what it is, and what I attribute to the majority of the comfort in this holster. While it appears bulky and uncomfortable, it is the complete opposite, and the design all but eliminates hot spots that traditional "edgy" holsters typically suffer from. This design also lends itself to better concealment of the pistol by pushing the grip inward towards your person, eliminating the need for the more traditional "wedge" that many folks have used in the past. Speaking of concealment, this holster also comes with a "wing" or "claw" attachment, which also pushes the grip inward, also attributing to better concealment. To put into perspective the comfort level of this holster, I've played basketball and soccer wearing this holster, and it was extremely comfortable, and for that I give Comfort and Concealability a 5 out of 5.
In summary, after tons and tons of research for the perfect appendix holster, despite not having the FDE color I wanted, I couldn't find any reason not to go with this holster, it had everything I was looking for, including price and availability. Additionally, the owner of Phlster Jon, started out with a YouTube channel where he assisted DIY folks with holster making, and has a great reputation in some of the other national forums I belong to, he is also an avid shooter and trains using the equipment he sells. I hope this helps you make an informed decision if the time comes that you are looking for a quality appendix holster.
NOTE: Phlster has recently come out with the "Enigma", which they describe as a "Chassis" system, allowing you to carry in virtually any attire you can imagine. The system has been getting excellent reviews from many folks, and although they seem to be unobtainium right now, I'm on the e-mail notification list, and plan to purchase one when they are in stock. I will do a full review on it when I can get one. A link for reference:
https://www.phlsterholsters.com/enigma-for-him/
As you can see when compared to a standard Glock 43/43X holster, there is a significant length difference as well as size difference of the built in ?wedge? feature.
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