ROCity Holsters: Appendix Inside the Waistband Holster

The amount of present day companies that are producing custom made kydex holsters is uncountable. It seems that everybody is jumping on the bandwagon and is making durable, lightweight and best of all inexpensive holsters for the everyday citizen. The real question is “Who do I trust?” Thankfully there is an up and coming company that is new to the scene, and they seem to have a new product that is going to take the “appendix carry scene” by storm.

Overview:

• Extremely minimalist design
• 100% complete, thin kydex shell
• Does not take up extra bulk which leads to very little discomfort
• Uses a single “strut” with a rubber loop for attachment
• The loop can be cut to fit anything down to a 1.25 in. belt (default is 1.75 in)
• The strut is mounted down low enough as to enable “tucking in” of cover garments
• It is also at a forward cant so the firearm will sit perfectly in the “V” of your leg
• Comes standard with “medium type” retention, can be modified by using a blow-dryer just as with any kydex material
• Will be produced for a variation of handguns

Background:

ROCity Holster is a new holster company that started in the beginning of January 2012. As their name states, they are out of Rochester, New York and have made a name for themselves on the NYfirearms forum. They have produced everything from: traditional Outside the Waistband (OWB) holsters (with or w/o lights), magazine pouches, and now, Inside the Waistband (IWB) type holsters. Firearm instructors from the likes of Rob Pincus to Chris Fry have been known to use their brand of gear in their courses as well. Being a company that has such great customer service, a few weeks ago they posted on the NYfirearms forum stating that they will be sending out new mounting hardware to all of their customers. They found that their aluminums posts they were using were not up to standard and, with no questions asked, stated that they would be sending out new hardware free of charge. Now that’s customer service for you. Always looking for new innovations, ROCity constantly asks for feedback from their customers as well as gun owners scrolling through their pictures. From a few friends who were sick of having a box of unused holster to now an up and coming name in the kydex industry, ROCity Holsters will definitely give the big names in the business a run for their money.

Review:

Since the day I started carrying AIWB, I have been on a constant search for the “golden grail” of AIWB holsters. Being carried in such an unorthodox location, there are a few things to take into consideration when carrying in this manner. First is having no extra bulk that rubs into the “V” of your upper thigh. Second is having a proper cant, if it’s not set correctly it can be extremely uncomfortable. Third is will it retain its shape when the firearm is deployed as to enable one-handed re-holstering in a worst case scenario. Lastly, and this is just for me personally, is it able to be “tucked” if I’m going out somewhere where I need to dress up. I had gotten into contact to ROCity Holsters after I returned from the 2012 NE Shooters Summit in Pelham, NH. While there, I got talking a fellow shooter who owns a company in Webster, NY. We started chatting about how I have yet to find a comfy AIWB holster, and he showed me a picture of a prototype for one of his friends by a company called ROCity Holsters. From there, I was sold I had to try one out. As soon as I got home I got an email out wanting one for my Glock 19. Literally within a day of them mailing it, it showed up at my door. I ended up finding out that they made it three separate times for me because they weren’t “happy” with how the other two came out. I’ve yet to see comparable customer service at that level. Also, priced at $40.00 how can you beat it?

Final Thoughts:

After wearing it daily for over a week, I’ve come to a conclusion that this will be my EDC holster. It completely disappears under a t-shirt as well as tucked in with a suit. It’s extremely minimalist design can be compared only to that of the Raven Concealment Vanguard 2. The only difference is that you don’t have to actually “un-snap” the holster from your belt to re-holster it and you’re not going to sweat all over your handgun. The single strut it uses is extremely sturdy and I have yet to see any over flex present while carrying it. The rubber loop also uses a “mil-dot” type snap that is extremely durable as well as is user friendly. If you look closely on the inside of the loop you will see lines describing the different size belts it can be trimmed and configured too. Personally, I left it stock at 1.75 in. and it works fine. If you feel the need to take the entire “system” out of your pants, simply un-snap the loop and you are able to take the holster and firearm out in a single, completely safe manner. The cant of the strut is also made perfectly as well. At first glances the strut looks crooked, but it’s not at all. It’s actually positioned towards the center of the gun as to allow a full purchase on the grip of your handgun. The stock retention comes fairly loose, but when it’s inside your pants the pressure of your body and belt keeps it in place. As aforementioned earlier you can always alter it by using a simple blow-dryer. Even while keeping eyes on the threat, one-handed re-holstering is extremely efficient and you can hear the infamous “click” once set fully in the holster. My only complaints as to why I couldn’t give it a perfect rating is I sometimes got pinched by it not having a sweat guard. Seeing that it’s a minimalist design though, I wouldn’t expect such a feature.