Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

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jeep45238
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Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

Firstly - my personal opinion is that if you carry in a holster where the mouth collapses, you need a new holster. Either kydex or reinforced leather, and preferably not a hybrid holster (one side provides NO retention/friction, thus the holster overall has hardly any). From a safety perspective, pretty much anybody who has one of these wedges their muzzle of a loaded gun in there, wiggles it around, and forces it in there; they are literally flagging themselves in the pelvic region for a contact shot to exit (hopefully) out the butt. So, get a holster that keeps the mouth open with belt tension without a pistol in it, please. Additionally, I prefer a firearm that is DAO, DA/SA, or has a manual safety for appendix - lots of people carry striker guns safely in them every day. If you want to do so, and carry a Glock, seriously consider the purchase of a Gadget ( https://taudevgroup.myshopify.com/produ ... rol-device" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ).

Now, onward....

So, I've carried commander 1911's in an appendix holster for a bit now, and frankly would compete in IDPA with it if they'd allow the carry method (helloooooo USPSA!).

I'm a huge fan of it. It's fast, convenient, effecient, easy to guard from attacks, not prone to being touched in a hug, and shockingly comfortable IF you have a good holster and play around with belt positioning and equally importantly, the ride height.

It does come with some problems however - the big one being if you're careless, you're dead. The femoral artery is potentially in the blast zone, and even with it being shown that the odds of the round impacting the femoral is very low, it's still dead. There's a few folks that make REALLY good gear for appendix, and you're unlikely to see them on a facebook or similar ad. JMCustom, DarkStar, Philster, and Keepers Concealment are the ones that come to mind pretty much immediately. They just plain old work - and their products are typically put through ground grappling courses with feedback applied to the production models. A holster's no good if the mounting system fails, or the gun won't stay in if you take a fall and are no longer standing up (where gravity keeps things in the holster). The prices are at first a lot - but honestly for the comfort, concealment, speed, and R&D that went into making them, the price is pretty darn good.

I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the JMCustom Wing Claw 2.0 with discrete carry clips. I get vertical ride height adjustment, the pistol grip tucks into my body, the holster/pistol unit move with my body during the day, and minimal/no printing. I'm 5'11" 195lb at the moment with a bit of a belly.

Detailed review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqYp1s8 ... irk0h00410" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Holstering in these, as I said earlier, is a bigger potential deal than a hip holster, and safer by far than a soft holster. If there is a hammer or a gadget installed, place your thumb over the hammer (in-between the slide and hammer if cocked/locked), lean back a bit, visually ensure the holster is cleared during the process, and insert the pistol. There's no prize for fastest to holster a pistol at last check, so be deliberate with it.

An analysis with a Simgun of what will likely happen in the event of a negligent discharge during appendix carry, and safe practices of holstering : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGU7HbgDIvE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What the gadget does for the user, and why another layer of safety isn't a bad thing : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t69VcNx-58" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by Brian D. »

As someone who slowly switched to Appendix Carry over a period of--gee, probably 15-16 months--I can't take issue with your review. It did require some (sigh) further consideration of clothing choices. Instead of sweeping back an unfastened coat/jacket in cold weather, now I have to lift any cover garment straight up. That works best if there's nothing in the front pockets, or they're shut, anyway. No sense having my car keys fly out and go into the nearest storm sewer, or snow bank.

Many of the AIWB trainers seem to own a LOT of hooded sweatshirts for that reason. (One frequent blogger says they all look like tactical hobos! :lol: ) Much easier to do that upward tug when there's just fabric, no buttons, snaps etc. making the garment front stiffer. Or at least that's been my experience so far.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by carmen fovozzo »

About 2 months for me..Shield...haven't tried my G19 yet..
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

Brian D. wrote:As someone who slowly switched to Appendix Carry over a period of--gee, probably 15-16 months--I can't take issue with your review. It did require some (sigh) further consideration of clothing choices. Instead of sweeping back an unfastened coat/jacket in cold weather, now I have to lift any cover garment straight up. That works best if there's nothing in the front pockets, or they're shut, anyway. No sense having my car keys fly out and go into the nearest storm sewer, or snow bank.

Many of the AIWB trainers seem to own a LOT of hooded sweatshirts for that reason. (One frequent blogger says they all look like tactical hobos! :lol: ) Much easier to do that upward tug when there's just fabric, no buttons, snaps etc. making the garment front stiffer. Or at least that's been my experience so far.
Great point on pockets.

A lot of trainers like that look like tactical hobos - 5.11 this, sheepdog that, nothing clear about them besides wanting to make a statement and not knowing what that statement is (in my opinion).

I just wear a t-shirt. Zip sweatshirt/barn jacket is my preference until a winter coat is needed. It helps with regulating your temperature, and it's an easy draw no matter.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

Brian D. wrote:As someone who slowly switched to Appendix Carry over a period of--gee, probably 15-16 months--I can't take issue with your review. It did require some (sigh) further consideration of clothing choices. Instead of sweeping back an unfastened coat/jacket in cold weather, now I have to lift any cover garment straight up. That works best if there's nothing in the front pockets, or they're shut, anyway. No sense having my car keys fly out and go into the nearest storm sewer, or snow bank.

Many of the AIWB trainers seem to own a LOT of hooded sweatshirts for that reason. (One frequent blogger says they all look like tactical hobos! :lol: ) Much easier to do that upward tug when there's just fabric, no buttons, snaps etc. making the garment front stiffer. Or at least that's been my experience so far.
So, my thoughts on the cooler weather stuff - a stiffer, looser fabric cover garment hinders my draw big time, be it closed front or open front. Snug fitting/slightly loose hoodies (fit like long sleeve shirts) present zero issues for me. A zipped front causes my shirt to ride up with the hoodie, and an open front causes an gap about an open-hand width that acts as if there is zero cover garment.

I ran par times of 1.5 seconds for consistency's sake (I can easily beat that with just a shirt) on all of them. The canvas barn jacket was the only one I struggled with/couldn't beat compared to a zip front hoodie that is NOT loose. I was easily able to beat the 1.5 par, looking like a well-dressed/fitted (not skin tight/uncomfortable) mid 30's male. With the canvas barn jacket, which I view as a jacket for long-sleeved flannels, thusly a going somewhere nicer and probably taking it off once I'm inside, I'll be sticking with the 'ol j frame.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

Brian D. wrote:As someone who slowly switched to Appendix Carry over a period of--gee, probably 15-16 months--I can't take issue with your review. It did require some (sigh) further consideration of clothing choices. Instead of sweeping back an unfastened coat/jacket in cold weather, now I have to lift any cover garment straight up. That works best if there's nothing in the front pockets, or they're shut, anyway. No sense having my car keys fly out and go into the nearest storm sewer, or snow bank.

Many of the AIWB trainers seem to own a LOT of hooded sweatshirts for that reason. (One frequent blogger says they all look like tactical hobos! :lol: ) Much easier to do that upward tug when there's just fabric, no buttons, snaps etc. making the garment front stiffer. Or at least that's been my experience so far.

Stiff barn jacket : https://youtu.be/b4UOF_G3Ls0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tight hoodie : https://youtu.be/sEy6IAfAYks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thick hoodie : https://youtu.be/afBD-uV2jlo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by BEAR! »

jeep45238 wrote:
Brian D. wrote:As someone who slowly switched to Appendix Carry over a period of--gee, probably 15-16 months--I can't take issue with your review. It did require some (sigh) further consideration of clothing choices. Instead of sweeping back an unfastened coat/jacket in cold weather, now I have to lift any cover garment straight up. That works best if there's nothing in the front pockets, or they're shut, anyway. No sense having my car keys fly out and go into the nearest storm sewer, or snow bank.

Many of the AIWB trainers seem to own a LOT of hooded sweatshirts for that reason. (One frequent blogger says they all look like tactical hobos! :lol: ) Much easier to do that upward tug when there's just fabric, no buttons, snaps etc. making the garment front stiffer. Or at least that's been my experience so far.

Stiff barn jacket : https://youtu.be/b4UOF_G3Ls0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tight hoodie : https://youtu.be/sEy6IAfAYks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thick hoodie : https://youtu.be/afBD-uV2jlo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good videos! Very Enlightening.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by tracker1 »

I have carried appendix for about 45 years and some times in a soft holster, the last 10 the Remora. All loaded house guns sit in Remora holsters so sometimes I just grab one and go. I never reholster without pulling the holster. But for the most part I like kydex and all of my latest are Vedder holsters, I’ve been very happy with them.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

tracker1 wrote:I have carried appendix for about 45 years and some times in a soft holster, the last 10 the Remora. All loaded house guns sit in Remora holsters so sometimes I just grab one and go. I never reholster without pulling the holster. But for the most part I like kydex and all of my latest are Vedder holsters, I’ve been very happy with them.
Thanks for giving me something to think about (the no reholstering w/out pulling the holster part). At the end of the day, you do you, but with the your body moving it changes the pressures and potential retention only a belt provides, so if it doesn't clip/loop around a belt and become a closed 'unit' I'll pass on it (that includes paddles). Just something to think about.

It also made me realize I hadn't mentioned a big thing that I had worked into this AIWB and my competition holster from JM Custom Kydex - a thumb safety 'shelf' that re-engages a thumb safety if you goofed up and forgot about it, and provides extra resistance in case the ambitious safety catches on something throughout the day.

https://youtu.be/GZxO0jMGhN0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by tracker1 »

AIWB isn’t for everyone and it takes confidence in your gear and a very disciplined trigger finger.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

tracker1 wrote:AIWB isn’t for everyone and it takes confidence in your gear and a very disciplined trigger finger.
Absolutely- and using quality gear from the get go. If you mess up you’re more likely to die from an injury with aiwb than a hole in your outer thigh or butt.
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by Glock Rock »

I love AIWB for about 8 years now, but I'm more concerned with it's excellent concealment rather than quick daw / quick reholster. I do it sloooooow and deliberate.

If I am in a situation like Zubiena here at the 1:19 mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXv8IepBVJQ perhaps it's just my time to meet my maker.



The 1:30 mark here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEZeb5lKPkk is pretty quick for 3:30 carry!
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by jeep45238 »

Glock Rock wrote:I love AIWB for about 8 years now, but I'm more concerned with it's excellent concealment rather than quick daw / quick reholster. I do it sloooooow and deliberate.

No reason to be quick back into the holster
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Re: Appendix (A-IWB) holster review

Post by BEAR! »

Hey homie, that my briefcase? Great scene!
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