Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
For the past couple of years, it seems like everybody and their brother has been making these kydex pancake holsters and I’ve got to say, I think they are terrible. I shot my Glock 17 at the Shoot2Live IDPA match on Saturday, and the first holster I could scrounge up in the closet that fit it was a kydex pancake holster that I made some time back.
You know the type, they look like this (yes, I know this is a left handed G34 holster, I couldn’t be bothered to take a fresh picture tonight):
I put the holster on at home, and figured I’d just open carry from my house to the range. It was that short drive to the range that made me realize how much these things suck.
1. They are huge. You basically have a giant square of plastic threaded onto to your belt. The footprint of these things is way bigger than other holsters.
2. They’re uncomfortable. As a side effect of being so big they find lots of places to dig into your side while in any position but standing. I used to be a lot fatter than I am now, and I thought that this could have been a side effect of being a fatty. Wrong, the 235lb me finds them as uncomfortable as the 285lb me.
3. Kydex belt loops break. Its just a fact. If the manufacturer of the kydex pancake holster you are buying uses kydex molded loops, buy a different holster.
I think they look cool, so a couple years ago when I decided to start playing with kydex, this style was the first holster I ever made, and I hated it. I will concede that this style of holster does conceal fairly well by holding the pistol nice and close to your body, but it’s not any better than a nice leather pancake, and not nearly as comfortable.
What kind of belt loops are better?
Hey Mike, the better companies that make this style of holsters use an injection molded ABS belt loop.
Lucas, on your recc I am ordering the GCODE INCOG for my Glock 17. Which option did you get, HALF or FULL guard, and what’s the difference?
Full goes all the way to the end of the slide, half goes part way. I’d get full and you can always trim it later.
I’m just now reading this but I agree, these holsters are terrible. The only pancake style holster I like actually had wing belt loops that serve more of the purpose of a pancake holster. I picked up a comfort series from Cooks Holsters and loved it. If your looking for something similar I highly recommend it