Today, there are a multitude of holsters available for just about any gun you can think of. I know I’ve had, and continue to have, my share of them. How many of us, if we’ve been in the shooting game for a few years, have a drawer or box full of holsters – many of which you can’t identify or remember buying? My hand goes up. There are some good ones and some not-so-good ones. I think I found one of the good holster companies… Hidden Hybrid Holsters.
This company, based in Ohio, was founded in 2009 when Brian Rossow and Dave Kerry joined forces to create holsters. They perfected their product and officially launched the HHH company in 2011. The company is a bit different in that it makes a hybrid Kydex-and-leather holster (not so different there), but the leather is sourced from local Amish craftsmen (that’s different).
I live in an area of Indiana with the second-largest Amish population in the state, so I know a thing or two about Amish leather. There’s an Amish store not far from my home that sells top-shelf, handcrafted leather items. These are not inexpensive, but they are of the highest quality. Consequently, I am impressed when I read that HHH uses local Amish leather.
That they combine it with Kydex makes it all the more interesting to me. I am old-school… well, just plain old… and I have made many leather holsters throughout my almost-five-decades-long shooting experience. Combining it with Kydex is, in my opinion, the best of both worlds. Kydex is firm and unaffected by weather or moisture. It always keeps its shape and holds a gun tightly. You have choices… they offer 9 different colors of Kydex for the double-clip holster, along with six different belt clip options.
Leather, on the other hand, is more aesthetically pleasing and feels more comfortable than Kydex. Well, I think so at least. Leather “breathes” and can conform itself to whatever gun is placed in it. I own several other hybrid holsters for handguns, and I like them. You can get your leather in either brown or black from HHH. I chose brown… I’ve always liked brown leather.
Another point… Hidden Hybride Holsters takes our gun – and other – rights seriously. Each holster not only comes with that nice storage bag, but also a pocket copy of the Constitution. That’s very thoughtful, and is a welcome “extra.”
HHH Products & Services
You can get IWB and OWB holsters, belts, and T-shirts from HHH, along with magazine carriers. In terms of how many holsters they produce, I’m not sure. It’s a bunch. I do know that when I typed “J-frame” in the search box, it returned 20 hits.
That’s a lot for an “unpopular” handgun like a revolver. If you need custom work, no sweat. Tell them what you need, and they’ll do it with prices ranging from $5 to $65. Left-handed, like me? No problem. You have many options to choose from with their holsters.
They make holsters for 21 different gun brands and their assorted models, so chances are, they’ll have something that should work for you.
These Two Holsters
If you’ve read many of my gun reviews, you might conclude that I like oddball or off-the-beaten-path guns and related items. I said above that I’ve been around the shooting “block” a time or two … right at 50 years … and so I tend to lean towards old-school solutions, whether it involves what gun to carry (I like revolvers) or what to carry it in (I said I like leather, but a hybrid holster works, too.) So, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the HHH products. I am not disappointed.
The first holster is what they refer to as their flagship model… A double-clip holster that works either IWB or OWB. Being a southpaw, I sometimes have problems finding holsters for guns – especially guns that may not be considered mainstream. But I had no such trouble with HHH.
I ordered two holsters to try, both of which are designed for J-frame-sized revolvers. I had an ulterior motive in mind… I am in the process of reviewing a Diamondback SDR .357 2” snubby. It arrives today. I wanted to stick it in these holsters and carry it around my yard, etc. I’m not quite ready to load it and carry it out in public, since I haven’t even gotten it yet. That will come after I shoot it a lot and get familiar with it, and prove its reliability. But for now, I can at least check out how it carries in these holsters.
Well, there ya go! The holsters fit well, even though they were made for a S&W J-frame. (Before you call me on not having the trigger covered in the pic above, I didn’t insert the gun into the single-clip holster that far, for some reason… the trigger is covered normally, like the photo shows with the double-clip one, when I do. The holsters are both tight, safe, and well-made.)
In terms of pricing, each of these holsters goes for $89.95.
Anyway, here’s the double-clip model, front and back…
Note the dual nature of this holster. You have both tuckable belt clips and loops, so you can carry it in the manner to which you are accustomed, either IWB or OWB. The Kydex will be a tight fit, as it should, but the leather back will give a bit – as it should.
The backs of both holsters are 9-10 ounce leather with suede on the outside, to keep the holster in place.
Here is what they say, on the website, about this holster… they say it better than I could:
- Inside The Waistband And Outside The Waistband In One Quality Holster!
- Custom-made, leather / molded Kydex holster.
- Each holster is carefully crafted to fit the gun specifications.
- Kydex is .093 thickness.
- Comfortable 9-10 oz. leather backing, with suede, so your holster stays in place.
- Adjustable retention screws. 1 3/4 inch Belt clips are adjustable to fit the height and cant of your liking.
- Outside the waistband belt holes, fits up to a 1 3/4 inch belt.
- Excellent holster for concealed carry.
- Clips are mounted in a way that makes it possible to tuck a shirt in while wearing the holster.
The second holster they sent is a single-clip model.
The packing slip refers to it as “appendix carry” but also lists “strong side” as an option. That would be me, as there’s too much of me for appendix carry.
Again, we have the suede back, but this time, only one tuckable clip on the front. This holster is an IWB carry model. It comes in 9 shades of Kydex, with four belt clips available.
Here is what they say about this one:
- Strong Side Holster
- Right Hand can be used anywhere from 1 to 5 O’clock
- Left Hand can be used anywhere from 7 to 11 O’clock
- Custom-made, leather / molded Kydex holster.
- Each holster is carefully crafted to fit the gun specifications.
- Kydex is .093 thickness.
- Comfortable 9-10 oz. leather backing, with suede, so your holster stays in place.
- Adjustable retention screws. Belt clips are adjustable to fit the height and cant of your liking.
- Excellent holster for concealed carry.
- Clips are mounted in a way that makes it possible to tuck a shirt in while wearing the holster.
- Please let us know in the special instructions section of the order form if you have anything different about your handgun that might be an issue with a holster. Examples might be sights, ambidextrous safety, Mag release, or anything else you have as an add-on.
Conclusion
If you are like me and just HAVE to have another holster every so often, give Hidden Hybrid Holsters a look. Their quality is primo – I’ve owned and reviewed many holsters, and I can confidently state that these are very well-made. Their pricing is in line, or even slightly below, that of other holsters in this quality tier, but their workmanship is of the highest quality.
They warranty the holsters for a lifetime (clips excluded – they have no control over how those will be used, or what they’ll be attached to), so you’re covered there. Clips, they will sell you at a discount if you ever need one. As I said, there are a ton of holsters out there, but I think you’d be good to remember three “H’s”!
Where To Buy
Read the full article here