View Full Version : Alien gear arrived. Not quite as pleasant as I thought.
No fault of the holster, I don't think. Thought the kydex area would still have a little more bend. Didn't realize carrying at 4oclock apparently I shoulda ordered left hand maybe? (Seemed that way in their picture, either way the suggested 430 position is hard for me to reach for sure. I can kinda make appendix work but didn't try sitting with it yet. Some of it may be I just need larger pants, but these were pretty loose before trying to stuff holster in it.
Dunno, maybe I was spoiled by pocket carry for the shield, and just need a tiny little pocket holster to add to safety. Because unless you are trying to conceal something bigger, seems like that's a more comfortable way to go. (Or return to the days when I first had my px4 a decade ago and open carry, or OWB with shirt + vest or second open front shirt over it.
Sadly I've added weight in the last 4 months, and that may be hurting things, I was already not very flexible for my age etc to boot too.
Zundfolge
01-07-2016, 22:55
I started carrying many years ago at the 4 o'clock position ... I soon realized that 3 to 3:30 is more comfortable (especially when sitting ... especially especially in the car).
Is the holster a straight drop or does it have a forward cant?
I find that a holster with a 15deg forward cant (aka FBI cant) in the 3 to 3:30 position with a good gun belt (I use a beltman.net belt) and pants an inch or two larger than what I'd normally wear works wonders.
You could try alternative methods of carry.
http://youtu.be/9CAyOJbsaU8
Problem I had with 3 to 330 like when I used to owb was the grip was printing bad. pre weight gain think it would have been fine. It does allow change if cant which I'll Mess with tomorrow. That is where I'd have liked to have it. Maybe if I adjust ride higher I can do the 2o clock.
Zundfolge
01-08-2016, 10:24
Printing is often like zits on a teen age girl ... the girl thinks they're a glowing beacon that can be seen from space when most people don't notice them.
I used to know a guy that was 5' 7" and 95lbs soaking wet. He open carried a nice custom S&W 629 and even he had plenty of interactions with people where they didn't notice he was armed until he pointed it out to them.
So what gun are you trying to carry?
Sounds like you'll just have to learn that style of carry. Everyone thinks they're printing horribly when they first start carrying.
HoneyBadger
01-08-2016, 10:46
I don't think that style of holster is intended for appendix carry. I carry that style between 5 o'clock and 3:30, depending mostly on my attire and choice of gun. A light jacket certainly makes CCW simpler. :)
Yes fits better in back but then my freak long and have a hard time teaching to high and back to manipulate much.
It's a shield, which usually worked well in pocket for me. Used to long ago oc a full size px4 and a few times recently in mountains with g17. So know the self consciousness. Some of what I tried for sure has feel sticking it at bad angle. More I thought about it this morning the more i think ride height and cant may fix.
Just makes me almost want to go back to oc, just stopped in the newtown days. Kinda moot since I rarely go anywhere besides work and rub errands after so I'm usually oc in uniform so no one bats an eye.
What about the quality of the holster? They seem very reasonably priced.
I like mine ... It is what it is and works for my purpose
The quality to me seems nice. Fitment is more an issue for my clothes/body. I suppose you could argue the geometry of the clips to holster is different than others perhaps. But that's fitment not quality.
I had to trim the edge of the neoprene on both my Alien Gear holsters. Having a healthy spare tire, they rashed the shit outta me like leather never did even after pursuading the stainless liner to permanently flex out a little at the tip. I like the thicker kydex but they do take some getting used to. FWIW, my locally made leather/kydex hybrid for my P229 winter carry lasted about three seasons before a rivet popped and then a few months later the kydex started cracking (not near the missing rivet).
I can wear a snug fitting dark color golf shirt (cause I've grown into them) over my P938 at 3:00/3:30 and nobody can tell there's an evil gun under there. The P229 is a little harder to conceal and I can't rock the 14 rd (.357SIG) magazine without printing unless I wear a loose button down untucked or jacket.
I have an Alien Gear for one of mine. it is not as nice as my Hidden Hybrids or Flashbang, but a bit nicer than my SHTF Gear. Factor in price, though, I'm _very_ happy with it, and I'm sure with use it'll wear in and mold and conform nicely. I wear mine at 3:30-4, under a jacket or vest, a trained eye might think there might be something there, but I doubt it. I'm happy with it.
colorider
02-03-2016, 21:37
I have an alien gear iwb for my springfield emp. I opted to get the leather/kydex one. The leather now has a really nice curve to it and formed nicely. Very comfortable and printing is not a problem. Only problem I had was the screws that go into the rivets on the belt clips. they kept coming loose and had one clip come all the way undone when in use. That was interesting.
Now I use a drop of loctite on the screw and no more problem.
Got some more time on my Alien Gear. Like colorider, it has broken in well. HOWEVER, this one had an annoying/unusual feature. The gun - CZ P07 - comes stock with a decocker, but bits to put in a safety, which is what I prefer. The shape of the Kydex in this particular case/combo had an annoying and scary "feature" of turning the safety off. Took me a while to figure out what was happening - not ALL the time, but oftentimes, once removed from the holster, the safety was off.
I initially thought my hatred of ambidextrous controls was finally justified (I don't hate leftys, mind you, I just would prefer my gun have the bits where I want them, and I don't want a safety on the wrong side waiting to get flicked off). Turns out the mold of the Kydex was done with the decocker, not the safety, and it would flick the safety down as the gun was drawn.
Five minutes with a file, problem solved, but with a couple more weeks of use, I'm very happy with it, especially now that it has no added "features," like turning safeties off. My screws are loose, too, loctite will certainly fix.
Overall, I like the holster, and again, once you factor in price, it is an enormously good value. My safety-flick-issue is the result of their molding the kydex as the gun comes out of the box, and there's zero problem with the decocker getting nudged down. I can't hold this against Alien Gear, first time I've run into it, personally (most of my safeties are not covered by kydex - 1911, this is the only one I have like this). I'm a very satisfied customer.
Update on my AG holsters - starting to like less. I have three, one for my CZ P07, two for 1911, one 3.5", one 5". CZ has a safety vs decocker. ALL THREE have an annoying habit of clicking off the safety during draw. CZs safety is ambi, various 1911s are not. All three holsters across approximately five guns will do it. It was repeatable on the cz before I filed the Kydex, now it is intermittent. 1911 holsters, I've not filed kydex (no kydex near safety lever). I _THINK_ the difference is the soft backing vs leather on my others, like the soft stuff grabs the lever and snaps it down on draw.
I've shelved all three until I figure it out. Not a concern for decockers/no safety guns.
Also, the screws holding the clips on come loose after 1-3 days of use. Loose to the point that they unscrew themselves and the holster falls into your pants. I've not loctited them yet, just tighten every morning I used them. I'm sure loctite will work; I know where I like the belt clips, so I'll likely red-loctite them - but the safety thing bugs me, particularly on the 1911s.
SO - great value, yes, but....hrm. NONE of my leather 1911 holsters do it. hrmph.
.02c!
Approximately what position on your belt are you wearing them?
Ya, that sounds kinda odd, you'd hear more outcry if it was prevalent. Wierd draw position?
colorider
04-05-2016, 21:49
I have one for my Springfield EMP (small 1911) and have no problem with the safety getting pushed down. Have drawn from the holster thousands of times
Have an AlienGear holster for my g43 and it's very comfortable. I too experienced the rubbing of the neoprene and started wearing a tshirt tucked in under my button-up which is not tucked. Previously I was carrying a generic kydex IWB for g19 and the g43 w/ AG holster is definitely more comfortable -- partly due to the weight reduction of the g43, partly due to having more area over which that weight is spread.
Thanks for the tip on the loctite, as I have been having to randomly retighten the screws on the clips. Printing has not really been an issue so far. I agree that the forward cant on it kinda limits position of carry -- at least as a training/lack of familiarity issue. In order to keep everything same/same, I marked my usual carry belt (LBT riggers) w/ sharpie and place holster in same place every time. Started doing that after I went to more of a 4 position on accident and got jabbed in the side when sitting in the car. 3:30 position works well.
whitbaby
11-21-2017, 16:21
A month ago I ordered an Aliengear Cloak tuck IWB and a Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB for my CZ P-07 9mm.
I received them promptly, but the shells (pockets) didn't allow the gun to fit. I told AG about the problem, even including pics showing the problem.
They sent me two more shells and same problem.
Things got a bit tense. Their 'Customer Service' people didn't really seem to care. I got a call from an Amber at AG. She sweet talked me into giving them one more try and to send her the pictures.
I did so on a Friday, they mailed them on a Sunday, I got them on Wednesday and they fit! Amber must have some serious clout at AG!
They even fit my Sig P229 SAS now and 'almost' fits my Sig P250.
FYI, the Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB is much more comfortable than the Cloak Tuck IWB. I also bought a 36 x 30 Wrangler jeans to replace the usual 35 x 30 pair...much better.
Also the two plastic 'clips' are serious clips. I just keep the holster clipped on the jeans/belt all the time. I don't seem to have a butt so I wear suspenders which further complicates matters. But the 'perma-mount' eases use/rotation and I carry at 4 o'clock without issue.
The low prices at AG have been attractive, but my skin doesn't like neoprene. I went with the "The Answer" (https://tuckergunleather.com/the-answer-holster/) holster from Tucker Gun Leather for my latest CCW addition, a Walther PPS. They pioneered the hybrid Kydex holster. It's more expensive, but the leather rough side toward my body is very comfortable. I run a forward cant at about 3:30 and the butt tends to push in the love handle and I still look symmetrical, so no printing. I went with the leather lining for the Kydex shell which should protect my pistol and it makes drawing very quiet.
I've been using Tucker IWB holsters (mostly "Texas Heritage" models) for many years and they build great products.
I have an AG Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB for g43. I found it annoying and not quite as comfortable as a lot of folks seemed to indicate (perhaps in comparison to a torture device?).
Wore it almost every day for a few months and found it would rub weird, some of the edges of the body-contact parts were wearing, and overall it was just darn umcomfortable.
Once I got my g19 and g43 holsters from HBARTactical, all other holsters went into a box.
mattiooo
03-06-2018, 12:03
I have an AG Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB for g43. I found it annoying and not quite as comfortable as a lot of folks seemed to indicate (perhaps in comparison to a torture device?).
Wore it almost every day for a few months and found it would rub weird, some of the edges of the body-contact parts were wearing, and overall it was just darn umcomfortable.
Once I got my g19 and g43 holsters from HBARTactical, all other holsters went into a box.
That's the problem with holster reviews and people's opinions of holsters. We are all shaped completely differently. Even the smallest of curves will make a huge difference in comfort. I happen to LOVE my Cloak Tuck 3.0 and even though I like everything about the Vedder holster, it jabs me in the groin in the WORST way.
That's why no matter what, we all have to end up with a shoe box full of holsters, no matter how many videos we watch or how many forums we read.
I have an AG Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB for g43. I found it annoying and not quite as comfortable as a lot of folks seemed to indicate (perhaps in comparison to a torture device?).
Wore it almost every day for a few months and found it would rub weird, some of the edges of the body-contact parts were wearing, and overall it was just darn umcomfortable.
Once I got my g19 and g43 holsters from HBARTactical, all other holsters went into a box.
Very disappointed in the AG neoprene backed holsters. Very uncomfortable, especially for a larger (around) guy. Liked the retention and the extra thick Kydex, but can't wear it anymore. The screws need to be lock-tite too.
Vic Tory
04-08-2018, 20:46
Alien Gear has been getting so much "buzz" lately I ordered two (OWB, IWB ... and a mag holder). They arrived promptly.
The OWB was missing some screws for me to make the proper adjustments. I didn't know "modular" meant it would appear to have been built DIY in someone's garage. It lacked "fit and finish."
The mag holder also looked like some Jr. High kid had built it.
By the time I'd gotten to the IWB, I'd lost all confidence in AG.
The Return process stinks. AG made me jump through several hoops and they were not nearly as prompt returning my money as they were to take it.
I don't recommend AG.
Printing is often like zits on a teen age girl ... the girl thinks they're a glowing beacon that can be seen from space when most people don't notice them.
I used to know a guy that was 5' 7" and 95lbs soaking wet. He open carried a nice custom S&W 629 and even he had plenty of interactions with people where they didn't notice he was armed until he pointed it out to them.
So what gun are you trying to carry?
Most people are oblivious about everything going on around them. I carry a full size owb and even friends who know I carry have asked if I am carrying and couldn't tell. Then go with people who don't know you carry and they will never notice.
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