Review: Henry Holsters Hybrid IWB Holster

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  • esrice

    Certified Regular Guy
    Rating - 100%
    20   0   0
    Jan 16, 2008
    24,095
    48
    Indy
    Studio.jpg


    Several months ago Andrew Henry (amhenry) of Henry Holsters sent me two of his hybrid IWB holsters—a standard model and one with tuckable soft loops. He knew I was in need of an IWB for my M&P9 and that I was a previous Comp-Tac MTAC owner. As a fan of hybrid designs I was eager to see what Henry Holsters had to offer.

    I quickly received a nicely packaged box with both holsters. Each came in its own thick plastic bag with professional labels. It was at this point that I realized I had made a gross misjudgment.

    I had the misconception that Henry Holsters was a “kitchen table” holster maker. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I soon realized that Andrew's outfit goes far beyond the kitchen table and into a 1,200sqft dedicated workshop. While his holsters remain hand made one-at-a-time, he runs batch processes and fills orders just like larger manufacturers do.

    Removing the holsters from the packaging I was very impressed with their overall feel and fit-n-finish. Boltaron (similar, but different than kydex) edges were smooth, the leather was flexible, and the hardware was low-profile and snag-free. There was nothing to indicate that this holster didn’t come from a big name manufacturer.

    I decided to try out both holsters over the next several months, from daily wear to a Tactical Response training course to my own personal practice. What follows is my personal experience with two Henry Holsters IWB hybrid holsters.

    First, the holster itself.

    For picture purposes I used the configuration with tuckable soft loops. There are other options available, including metal belt clips and non-tuckable mounting.

    On such hybrid designs much is debated about exposed versus covered rear hardware. Although the hardware is exposed on this holster, everything is either flat or nicely rounded, and the screws are cut to a proper length as to not poke through. I experienced no rubbing issues with the hardware. If one were so inclined I’m sure they could cover them in moleskin or something similar.

    Studio-2.jpg


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    As a hybrid the holster it is essentially two pieces—a full boltaron shell mounted to a leather backer. This is somewhat different than other hybrid designs like the MTAC, where there is only half a shell, and the gun is sandwiched between kydex and leather. The addition of the leather is nice in that it places the belt mounting points further out along the beltline, and gives some added comfort and flexibility to an otherwise ‘hard’ style holster. The leather is good quality and has a unique finish on the front side. After some use it began to conform to my body, but never deteriorated—even through sweat and a rain-soaked day of training.

    Studio-3.jpg


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    Note that the leather comes up far enough to act as a sweatguard between slide and body. This feature can be deleted at the buyer's request.

    Studio-6.jpg


    The soft loops, metal belt clips, and accompanying hardware are of excellent quality. The soft loops worked best for my purposes. I didn’t experience any breakages, though I did have to re-tighten a few screws from time-to-time (no loctite was applied for this testing, but one could to help prevent loosening).

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    Here you can see the added strut that makes this holster tuckable.

    Studio-4.jpg


    And now, carrying in the holster.

    Overall I found the Henry Holsters IWB very comfortable when carrying a full-size M&P9. It kept the gun in tight to my body which aided in concealment greatly. With the wide-set belt attachment points I never had a problem with the holster shifting or moving around. In fact it almost became as if the belt and holster were one unit. Even through Tactical Response’s Fighting Pistol the holster stayed in place and I was able to use it without issue.

    Studio-15.jpg


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    *crunch* – laying right on the empty holster.

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    The only notable negative that I’ve found with this particular holster has to do with its shape and my personal body shape. Because the boltaron forms on both sides of the gun, opposed to just one side, there is a requisite convex bump right where my hip is. This caused a painful poke into my hip. This was not as pronounced on my old MTAC, where the leather-only side allowed for a more concave curve of the leather. I found a very quick remedy by simply moving the holster rearward a few more degrees than I was used to carrying. I experienced no issues after that. This may not be an issue with other body shapes, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

    Concealment is as good as or better than other IWB holsters I’ve tried with full-size pistols. Here you can see me in a solid color INGO polo shirt.

    Studio-16.jpg


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    So in summary, here is how I would rate Henry Holsters’ line of hybrid IWB holsters:

    Out of 7 stars


    Workmanship * * * * *

    Materials * * * * * *

    Hardware * * * * * *

    Comfort * * * * *

    Concealment * * * * * *



    Price of the Henry Holsters standard hybrid IWB is $78. You can add the soft loops for an additional $10, or you can add tuckable soft loops for an additional $15. As shown above is $93.

    You can check out and purchase Henry Holsters (and support gear) online at Gear Store Categories | Decisive Action . OWB holsters are also available through INGO Advertiser AGS Armament.

    Because Andrew loves INGOers, he says the best way to purchase is from him directly by emailing him at HenryHolsters@gmail.com .

    You can also track his every move on Facebook by liking his page ----> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Henry-Holsters/171216739558123


    I hope you found this review helpful and informative. If you have any questions about the holsters or my experience please post them below and I’ll try to answer them the best I can.
     

    Manatee

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Jul 18, 2011
    2,359
    48
    Indiana
    Nice review and very good fotos. I'll keep this holster in mind when I eventually get an IWB for my 1911 commander. Doesn't look like he's got one for the H&K P2000 though which I really need.
     

    Turf Doctor

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   0
    Nov 2, 2012
    982
    28
    Brownsburg
    Nice review, as always.

    Thanks for posting the review, I was in a scenario class with Andrew and thought about talking to him about and IWB holster.
     

    DaKruiser

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    36   0   0
    May 6, 2010
    9,030
    63
    Morgan Co.
    Great review esrice! Jenn's pics really help convey the quality of these holsters, a big thank you to both of you!

    HotPocket and I have been using Henry holsters for a couple years now, they hold up great, and are very comfortable!
     

    WebSnyper

    Maximum Effort
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    56   0   0
    Jul 3, 2010
    15,417
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    127.0.0.1
    If all other things were equal, would you prefer the full kydex/Boltaron (front and back) or the half shell found on most other hybrids?

    I've only tried the half kydex shell hybrids.
     

    esrice

    Certified Regular Guy
    Rating - 100%
    20   0   0
    Jan 16, 2008
    24,095
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    Indy
    If all other things were equal, would you prefer the full kydex/Boltaron (front and back) or the half shell found on most other hybrids?

    There are tradeoffs.

    With the full wrap you get retention on par with other regular OWB kydex holsters. That same *snick* is present upon reholstering. Drawing and reholstering is equally as smooth. I appreciated this fact in class where the gun was going in and coming out a lot.

    With the half wrap the inside leather forms to your body better and the gun doesn't poke me as much. It's almost like a 2/3 wrap opposed to actually 1/2. Tough to describe in words. This is great from a comfort perspective, but you do lose some of that clicky retention.

    (not my picture)

    Here's an MTAC where you can see how the back is more concave, versus having a convex bump in the middle that contacts your hip. I believe others like Kholster, Crossbreed, etc are similar.

    MTAC3.jpg
     

    derrickgoins

    Expert
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    34   0   0
    Oct 23, 2009
    1,452
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    Westfield
    Great review as usual. I'm a happy Henry IWB owner but mine has the "zero cut" so it doesn't have a sweat shield. I previously had an MTAC, Crossbreed, and Blade-Tech Nano and the Henry IWB beats them all IMO. Been wearing it for the last few months and I'm a big fan.
     

    Fordtough25

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.1%
    110   1   0
    Apr 14, 2010
    6,898
    63
    Jefferson County
    Superb review as always! I use a solid kydex Galco for my IWB carry, have for awhile now. But I have had a crossbreed supertuck before and it was comfortable. I have been thinking of getting another hybrid for my 19, maybe I will try a Henry now. Thanks for the info!
     

    BravoMike

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Nov 19, 2011
    1,164
    74
    Avon
    Thanks for another excellent review!

    I'm in the market for a new IWB holster and recently bought a MTAC but wasn't pleased with it compared to my Supertuck so I returned it. I have been thinking of buying a Raven, but this holster piques my interest. I would like go try it out, but don't want to shell out $93 if I end up not liking it and don't see any refund policy with this holster.
     

    Que

    Meekness ≠ Weakness
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 98%
    48   1   0
    Feb 20, 2009
    16,373
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    Blacksburg
    Like many of you, I've owned several IWB holsters for a variety of guns. I have found the Henry Holsters to be the best among them all, which may not be the conclusion others find for themselves. But, for my build, his holsters provide the most comfort and ease of access to my gun and easy deployment.

    I like the holsters because the materials (leather and kydex) appear to be thin, but strong. This allows the build of a OWB holster, without the extra bulk of simply reversing the straps on an OWB to the other side and placing the holster between the belt and waist. The holster stays in place and doesn't creep, which other holsters have done and I find to be extremely irritating. Because the holster used kydex on both sides of the gun, the holster doesn't molt to my side, but to itself. This allows a comfortable carry for me, without pushing the gun into my side. Additionally, the double-sided kydex placement allows easy reholstering, which is a plus for me.
     

    HICKMAN

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Jan 10, 2009
    16,762
    48
    Lawrence Co.
    I've been looking for a holster like this. While I've loved my MTAC, it does make holstering for the fluffier among us a little more difficult as we have to wear our belts pretty tight.

    I like the looks of this because it keeps the space for the gun "reserved", if that makes sense. When I draw from my MTAC, I've created space that loosens my belt.

    Good review Evan!
     

    esrice

    Certified Regular Guy
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    20   0   0
    Jan 16, 2008
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    Indy
    I like the looks of this because it keeps the space for the gun "reserved", if that makes sense. When I draw from my MTAC, I've created space that loosens my belt.

    I know exactly what you mean. Reholstering was done exactly the same as if I was using a OWB holster-- it was just on the other side of my belt.
     

    WebSnyper

    Maximum Effort
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    56   0   0
    Jul 3, 2010
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    There are tradeoffs.

    With the full wrap you get retention on par with other regular OWB kydex holsters. That same *snick* is present upon reholstering. Drawing and reholstering is equally as smooth. I appreciated this fact in class where the gun was going in and coming out a lot.

    With the half wrap the inside leather forms to your body better and the gun doesn't poke me as much. It's almost like a 2/3 wrap opposed to actually 1/2. Tough to describe in words. This is great from a comfort perspective, but you do lose some of that clicky retention.


    Here's an MTAC where you can see how the back is more concave, versus having a convex bump in the middle that contacts your hip. I believe others like Kholster, Crossbreed, etc are similar.

    Thanks, I have experience with the 2/3 wrap as I carry a Galco King Tuk and really like it. I've also carried a borrowed Crossbreed before. I was just curious about the full wrap kydex as I had not seen one like that previously.
     

    riverman67

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Jan 16, 2009
    4,105
    48
    Morgan County
    Nice review and very good fotos. I'll keep this holster in mind when I eventually get an IWB for my 1911 commander. Doesn't look like he's got one for the H&K P2000 though which I really need.

    I would contact Andrew,I bet he can make one for your P2000. It may require a trip to his shop though.
     

    esrice

    Certified Regular Guy
    Rating - 100%
    20   0   0
    Jan 16, 2008
    24,095
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    Indy
    Small update:

    So in summary, here is how I would rate Henry Holsters’ line of hybrid IWB holsters:

    Out of 7 stars


    Workmanship * * * * *

    Materials * * * * * *

    Hardware * * * * * *

    Comfort * * * * *

    Concealment * * * * * *

    Andrew was curious why I gave the holster a 5-star rating in Workmanship. I explained that it would've been given 6-stars if his hardware was covered like other manufacturers' hybrids. He was kind enough to explain why he actually prefers it that way, and I thought his response was deserving of being posted.

    amhenry said:
    The question of covered or uncovered hardware is a big one to some people. Hardware that is glued and stitched between two thinner layers of leather (MTAC) seems less reliable to me for two reasons. First, the fastener has less material between it and a complete tear-through, where a fastener on the backside would have to be torn through the entire thickness of the leather backer before it would break free. Second, if one of the screws gets accidentally cross-threaded and damages the enclosed fastener… it can't be replaced, and the backer could be toast.


    Using uncovered, open backed fasteners on my hybrids allows me to get the maximum tear-through strength out of 6-7 oz. leather without adding any extra bulk, and provides easy access for loctite application, or fastener replacement in case of damage. The IWB hybrids are already the most labor intensive holster I offer, and I wouldn't want to spend the extra time (and charge more) when uncovered fasteners aren't a deal breaker for most people.


    It would be more of an issue if I was using carbon steel screw posts and tee nuts, which most other hybrid makers are. Good stainless steel hardware stays shiny and corrosion free.
     

    rbMPSH12

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 29, 2012
    424
    18
    Just got a hybrid holster for my M&P9 from Henry Holsters with an OWB mag carrier. Fantastic products. Andrew makes really high quality gear. I really like the double-sided kydex with adjustable retention. The leather also makes it very comfortable to wear. I highly recommend Andrew's gear.
     
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