As a law abiding, concealed carrying individual I am a huge proponent of AIWB (appendix inside the waistband) carry. This “style” has made a comeback in popularity in the last several years and I am unashamed to say that I jumped on the bandwagon. I had always bounced back and forth between IWB and OWB carry and while I could always find comfortable holsters, they were not always the most concealable, or accessible from the various positions I found myself in in day to day life. After much research I came across a small custom holster company that according to myself and many experienced people produces one of the best, if not the best AIWB holster on the market. The JM Custom Kydex AIWB holster is a holster that I feel I need to proclaim my everlasting love for.
Appendix holsters should be purposefully designed for carrying in the appendix position due to the area that the firearm will be carried in and to maximize comfort and concealment. A simple 00 cant IWB holster either will not work, or be incredibly uncomfortable for this position as the design is different compared to a purpose built AIWB. The JM AIWB holster does this magnificently by being incredibly well thought out and thoroughly tested with various experienced shooters of all shapes and sizes. Like most custom kydex manufacturers you can choose the thickness of the holster, belt loops, and of course firearm. What makes JMC stand out with the plethora of kydex holsters is the attention to detail that it has. There are no rough edges, the bulk is minimized, and the tension is where it needs to be to properly retain the firearm. There is no “stickiness” or death grip with this holster which is something that not all kydex holster manufacturers can claim. This holster is also incredibly strong for weapon retention classes and various hard use activities that a person may find themselves doing on any given day. This is not your average IWB holster as JMC also offers an “extra tuck” feature which is an extra wedge of kydex at the muzzle end of the holster designed to push the grip of the firearm further into the body to increase conceal ability. I believe that this is a “must have” feature as the purpose of this style of carry is to maximize concealment. Many holster makers will only attach a foam wedge to the holster to accomplish the same thing. I can’t speak highly enough of the extra tuck feature as it is so cleverly designed into the holster as to hardly be noticed unless compared to a holster without this feature. Did I mention comfort? If my pants are on my gun is on. The JMC AIWB holster is one of the most comfortable holsters that I have ever worn. Combined with a good carry belt it makes it about perfect for all day comfort whether that is just working in the yard, driving, training, or running errands. I have worn this holster to a training class, and while it did heat up slightly more than normal (the kydex is SLIGHTLY thinner than the other kydex I have) it was never uncomfortably hot. Of course it being made of kydex I never have to worry about it collapsing for re-holstering. I have also driven 6hrs to a class while wearing this holster and there was never any discomfort. Something that a potential buyer needs to be aware of though is that AIWB is actually more comfortable with and designed for mid-size to full-size guns. Smaller guns such as sub-compacts or short single stack guns may be uncomfortable as a full size gun actually serves to fill in the natural “gap” at the appendix position and a shorter barrel will dig in to the body easier (such as bending over) than a larger firearm. So if you carry something along the lines of the Glock 19, then it may be beneficial to buy the Glock 17 holster. Two holsters for the price of one right? Another potential drawback and one that is obvious is the position of the holster itself. Some gentlemen may not like it as the muzzle is pointing right at our manly bits and those with ahem, extra padding, may have comfort or accessibility issues with this holster. My opinion on the position itself…this should be treated like any other holster when putting your heater up; that whole finger off of the trigger thing REALLY comes into play here; please for the love of nylon drop leg holsters, learn to PROPERLY re-holster especially if you choose to carry in this position. Hint, hint: get training. There is a wrong way and a right way and a definite wrong way is to speed re-holster. For a proper re-holstering (for all holsters if you ask me) take your time! As for other drawbacks of this holster and position, I cannot think of any. This holster screams quality as there is a definite difference in the craftsmanship compared to most kydex out there, and it is produced by a person that stands by their work from order to delivery. Tony Mayer, owner and proprietor of JM Custom kydex is very responsive to emails and questions. This is always a plus as it is my goal to not only purchase good equipment and accessories, but to do business with good people with great customer service. He is constantly learning and adapting various designs to make them better for customers such as his AIWB holster. This is a company that produces a higher standard for those looking for it. If you are looking for a strong, minimal bulk, comfortable, concealable holster than I can highly recommend the JM Custom Kydex AIWB holster. There is more to come as I like OWB holsters and of course his mag pouches are some of the best out there. www.JMCustomkydex.com |
Tim ElmerTim Elmer is an instructor at Shootlogic LLC. working alongside Tommy Judy for the past several years. He is an avid shooter that makes the attempt to keep up a blog. Archives
April 2017
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