There comes a time in most people’s lives when they start looking for exactly what they want instead of just what is available. With the benefit of experience and some additional disposable income, many experienced shooters start seeking out custom solutions that match their needs precisely. This is true in the world of holsters, too. Let’s look at why you should (or should not) consider a custom holster.

Holsters @ TFB:

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• Tenicor Drops Gen 4 CERTUM Holsters for IWB and AIWB Carry
• Types Of Holsters, Explained

Disclosure: Falco sponsored this article and provided sample holsters.

What Matters In A Holster?

Whether carried on a belt, an ankle, in a bag, or some other method, the core utility of a pistol is having it with you when you need it. Handguns exist to be portable. We all accept the reduced range and power of handguns compared to rifles and shotguns because long guns are simply too difficult to haul around at all times. Holsters are as essential to handguns as optics are to modern rifles. Without them, we cannot fully make use of the gun. There are myriad options for pistol holsters on the market.

Why Not To Go Custom?

Custom holsters are not the answer for everyone. The market is replete with good quality options that can be purchased off the rack. For some people, that is the better route. Here are some good reasons not to get a custom holster.

Tight Budget

For many people, shooting is primarily a hobby. Life can be expensive. If you are on a tighter budget, the differences in price between custom holsters and off-the-shelf options can be a deal-breaker. Or, if you have to choose between a standard holster and a supply of ammo, or a custom holster and no ammunition to practice with, the prior is probably the better solution. Look, having a cool custom holster is really nice, but if you have to choose between the necessities of life and having the holster of your dreams, you should not feel pressure to splurge on a holster.

Getting Started Carrying

Another situation where a custom holster is less advisable is for people just starting out. Factors like the gun you carry, how much of the day you carry it for, whether you use it primarily sitting or standing, how you dress, and your height and weight all factor into finding the right holster for you. While figuring out what the best options are for you and your lifestyle, sticking to off-the-rack holsters is best. There is a running joke about the “box of holsters” that most serious gun owners acquire as they are trying out various setups. Usually, one or two will stand out from the rest and enter the carry rotation, and the remainder are relegated to a bin in the garage or basement.

While going through this process, it is much easier to try out easily available options. If you try a holster and end up not liking it, you are only out the cost of a standard holster instead of the typically higher prices charged for a custom rig. A standard holster will usually be easier to resell as well because it is not personalized to one person and has broader market appeal.

Employer Mandates

For people who carry guns professionally, there are layers of bureaucracy and policy to consider when selecting a holster. If you carry a gun as part of your job duties, your employer will likely have something to say about the holster in which it is carried. These policies can range from very simple to very restrictive. If there is a specific list of approved holsters, a custom version is unlikely to be on that list. There may also be specific characteristics like retention mechanisms or the ability to clean a holster when exposed to hazardous materials which a custom manufacturer may not be able to provide.

Depending on the nature of your employment, a custom holster may still be a great choice for off-duty carry. Now, not everyone around the world is able to carry their gun when they are off the clock, but if you are, a custom holster may actually be a very good choice. If you are expected to have your gun with you at all times, finding holsters that make it easy to have your gun on is imperative.

Expedited Timeframe

If you need a holster right now, custom is probably not the best route. Almost by definition, custom holsters meeting your specifications will not be hanging on the shelf of your local gun store. A skilled craftsman will need to take your vision and turn it into a physical product. Many providers of custom holsters also have extensive backlogs of orders, and delivery times can be measured in months or years. There are some custom holster manufacturers who can provide extremely fast turnaround, but this is the exception rather than the rule. If time is of the essence, an off-the-shelf option is probably the better route to take.

Why Go Custom?

Custom holsters may not be right for every use case, but there are many circumstances where they make sense. Let’s look at some of the reasons why you might want a custom holster.

You Want One

The best reason to buy a custom holster is simply that you want one. Much like with men’s suits, there comes a time when buying off the rack no longer interests you. And once you have reached a point financially where paying a little extra to get precisely what you want will not mean your kids go without shoes, knowing what you want and getting exactly that is plenty of reason.

For people who carry guns regularly, you will spend a ton of time with your holster. When I am getting ready in the morning, I always grab my watch, phone, wallet, knife, and handgun. It feels wrong to leave the house without any of those items because it is so habitual. An item that is on your person day in and day out should be tailored to you and should work just how you want it to.

Now, if you are someone who has expensive tastes or you have become bored with the available options, getting just what you want is doubly important. An experienced shooter who has spent the time and effort to know exactly what works best for them can have a custom holster

There is also something to be said for having something that no one else does. Guns are usually mass-produced, and most handguns are not unique. But with holsters the sky is the limit. For instance, check out this rig:

I would bet there are no other turquoise IWB holsters for the Ruger Security Six .357 magnum with included TFB branding out there! A 4-inch wheel gun is not a common choice for inside waistband carry, but it works very well. On the range trip where I took these pictures, I entirely forgot that I was carrying this setup. Eventually, I came to put on another strong-side holster only to find that I was still carrying this one.

You Carry Something Unusual

This is a big one for true gun connoisseurs, particularly to carry the kind of pistols we call “barbeque guns.” These are interesting or expensive handguns carried in low-risk settings like a cookout with friends and family. There is nothing wrong with carrying a serious handgun to grill some burgers, but it is also a good chance for that P210 or P7M8 to come out of the gun safe.

These guns are usually less common, and holsters are harder to find as a result as well. Custom holsters are often the only option for an obscure pistol, particularly if you want a specific material or carry method. It also just feels right to match the quality and craftsmanship of an exquisite pistol with a custom holster.

I recently purchased an FN Five seveN USG because it was too good of a deal to pass up. A lightweight pistol with a deep magazine and some long-range advantages is a nice option to have for a desert dweller like me. But holster options from many sources are underwhelming.

Not so on the custom side. Falco has over 350 holster options for that pistol! They have 80 options with a weapon light attached. Just about any type of carry imaginable has a compatible holster. And beyond simple compatibility, many of those models offer additional customization.

To Pair With A Special Gun

Building on the prior point, some guns, particularly bespoke ones, deserve a special holster. Even if there are off-the-shelf options that would work, mere functionality is not the right objective for an heirloom-grade handgun. An exceptional pistol should be paired with an appropriately special holster. Just as you would not accept no-name magazines or a knock-off red dot on a handgun like this, the holster should also not lessen the experience.

This pairing can also move beyond simple quality into material and style choices. Perhaps the stocks on your 1911 are a point of pride, and they would be complemented by a nontraditional holster color or material. Or perhaps you have a deep and abiding love of some form of exotic animal skin and want that used in the construction of the holster for your dream gun. When you go custom, you can make it happen, whatever “it” may be.

Conclusion

Custom holsters are not the right solution in every instance. But if you want exactly what you want, a custom rig cannot be beat. Being able to specify every detail and have the holster match what you want instead of working around the limitations of what someone else thought you would want is very freeing. So whether a custom holster is in the cards for you now, or if you just want to daydream about what you might order someday, it is worth taking a look at custom holster options.