After completion of Field Medical Service School, which included several short "marches" up and down the hills of Camp Pendleton, I reported to 5th Marines and did even more marches up and down hills - different hills, at least. I quickly realized that my issued boots were pretty much terrible and set out to find a new pair.

Issued boots suck.

I spoke to a few experienced Marines and Corpsmen, and they recommended Magnum boots. So, a few months before I deployed, I purchased two pairs of Magnum Amazon boots and proceeded to break them in with some walking and running around San Mateo.

Seven years later, I still have one pair of those boots, and I still wear them in the field. Here they are.

The other pair was stolen while I was in Iraq - why someone stole the bloodstained boots instead of the clean ones, I'll never know. I used this pair for the remainder of the deployment, as well as for hiking in South America - yes, along the Amazon river - and trips across the western United States, Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska. I absolutely love these boots. They have always been comfortable to wear, whether I was stuck behind a desk or moving with 100lbs of gear on my back.

The only issue I have with them is that they do not provide as much ankle support as I might like - one incident in particular, a dismounted patrol at night during which I rolled my ankle and fell down a flight of stairs - sticks in my mind. However, I was able to cinch up the laces on that boot and hobble along at the back of the platoon, despite a less-than-100%-ankle.

This hurt.

I got a lot of comments from guys in my unit about how they looked more like shoes than boots, and the best way I can describe them is to say that they provided a great balance between the comfort of a shoe and the support of a boot. I raved about them so much that it shouldn't have been a surprise when a pair disappeared. Lesson learned.

One thing that is very important to me is having boots that breathe, and these do a great job of not marinating my feet as the day wears on. In fact, they do a better job than other boots I have with vent holes in the sides. They also keep my feet dry when I splash through puddles or dance in the rain.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about them is how well they've held up. Seven years later, the stitching still looks great - a testament to the methods & materials Magnum used to make these boots. I haven't done a thing for them other than hose them off occasionally, and there are no signs that they're about to rot away or fall apart. In fact, the only true sign that these boots need to be hung up for good is that the soles have worn down in a few spots. This hasn't stopped me from wearing them in the field, though.

The soles are billed as "slip/oil resistant," and they most certainly are. Whether I was scrambling up a lava flow, down a muddy hill, or working on my car in my garage, I have never had a problem with slick or oily surfaces in these boots. There's not much to say other than they work very well in this regard.

The purchase price for these boots was around $90, which works out to something like 3 cents per day since I've owned them. Thinking back over all the gear purchases I've made, these Magnum boots are easily in the top three items in terms of how much I like them and how well they've held up. I was severely disappointed to find out that they had been discontinued by Magnum.

Praetor Defense Holster - Greatest Thing Since Powered Flight

My Holster Background

I have owned dozens of holsters. They run the gamut from leather to kydex to fabric. Some are made from a combination of materials. Some have active retention systems, and some do not. Some are intended for concealed carry, and some are intended for open carry or duty use. I have holsters that are meant to be attached to or hung from practically every part of my body, whether I'm wearing clothes or not.

There is no single holster that could perform all of the duties that the variety of holsters I own perform. However, there are holsters that cover the most common situations in which one would need to carry a duty size handgun. These situations might include general concealed carry, range use/training, or open carry in the field.

In the past, I have evaluated kydex holsters manufactured by Raven Concealment, NTAC, and Cane & Derby. These were all fine holsters, and still are. Each manufacturer has a significant lead time on production, which, at the time, was well deserved. They make a quality product which they back up with efficient customer service.

However, I still found the leadtimes required for these holsters discouraging. I don't generally plan my handgun purchases for months in advance, and I like to be able to carry newly purchased handguns within a reasonable period of time after I have purchased them – after I have ensured that they work.

Praetor Defense and Weapon Outfitters

Enter Praetor Defense and Weapon Outfitters. They first contacted me about a holster review at the beginning of this year, but my schedule prevented a timely reply. When I finally got back to them, they offered me a choice between Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P holsters, with 1911 and Sig holsters being in the pipeline. I requested a Glock 19 holster, and found it on my doorstep about two weeks later. Two weeks is still a little while to wait, but it appeared that my holster shipment was delayed because the "order" was not really an order. If I had actually paid for it, it would have shown up sooner. Still, this was the shortest period of time I had ever had to wait for a kydex holster.

I have been carrying with the holster every day in the four months since. I was cautioned prior to using it that I should use Loctite on the hardware (screws), and did not heed this advice. After about a week, one of the screws worked out of the "nut" to which it was attached, causing the holster to be a little loose on the belt. This did not affect my ability to carry it for the rest of the day, or my ability to conceal or draw the weapon. Had I followed the instructions I had been given, I would not have encountered this. Still, I mention it in the interests of full disclosure. This was the only issue I have had with this holster. I used another screw and nut, Loctited all of the hardware, and carried on.

Background

The Praetor Defense holsters are made by Blade-Tech. I had used Blade-Tech holsters before, and found their manufacturing quality to be excellent, but the designs were not ideal for concealed carry. They either stuck out too far from the belt, had inferior attachment methods, or too much of a "footprint" - they were just too big. All of these issues – and some I had not even thought about – were solved with the Praetor design.

The Praetor Defense holster has been found to cure cancer in lab rats

Retention

Like every other kydex  holster I have used, retention is based on the holster gripping the trigger guard. Unlike some of the others, this one has adjustable retention – although this should not be compared to the active retention offered by a larger holster intended for duty use, such as a Safariland SLS or ALS. While the level of retention offered by the Praetor Defense holster is more than adequate for anything short of falling off a cliff, it will not stop someone from grabbing your weapon and pulling it out of the holster without having to defeat some type of retention system that they may not be familiar with. While this is most obviously important for police officers in uniform, anyone who open carries should also use an active retention holster - no exceptions.

Design & Manufacturing

The thickness of the kydex used for the holster is very important. While thinner kydex offers a marginal improvement in concealment, especially within an inside the waistband holster, it also results in drastically reduced durability. Most of the kydex holster manufacturers have abandoned the thinner layers and moved to slightly thicker ones. Praetor Defense and Blade-Tech have struck a good balance here, opting for what seems to me like a slightly thicker holster. Since it is designed for outside the waistband use, this is of special importance. If you fall on a hard surface, and I have done so several times while wearing kydex holsters, you do not want the holster to break and allow your pistol to skitter across the pavement or down a rocky hill. I have no issues with the design or materials used as far as durability goes. This is a solid holster.

Praetor Defense products can be safely used while operating machinery

Beyond that, the methods and tools used to make this holster are obviously different than those used to make competing holsters. While the other holsters all appear to be made by roughly the same methods, it is pretty clear that the Praetor Defense holster was made with industrial tools or equipment that offer a much better molded or pressed holster. There's not much more I can say on this other than both appearance and quality, or perhaps the appearance of quality, is higher with this holster than others.

As I mentioned previously, this holster was meant for outside the waistband use. I'm told that they're working on inside the waistband belt loops, but these are tricky to design and manufacture. The ones I have experience with are easily broken, especially if they snag on something, and this leaves you with an unusable holster. The outside the waistband belt loops used for this holster are rather interesting. They are solid loop of material, appearing to be molded as one piece. This is an example of how I feel that Praetor Defense took the right route with this holster. While other manufacturers can turn out a quality product, the industrial capacity, capability, and knowledge that Blade-Tech brings to the table cannot be ignored. This feature is simply out of the realm of possibility for most small holster manufacturers.

The Praetor Defense magazine pouch goes both ways

I should also discuss the magazine pouch. It's manufactured using the same methods and materials. It is reversible, meaning that you can carry bullets forward or backward, on your left or right side. There's not much to say about it, other than the fact that it is the best example of a kydex magazine pouch I have seen. Anything I say about the holster can also be said about the magazine pouch.

Israelis and Palestinians have temporarily stopped fighting to agree on one thing: Praetor Defense holsters and mag pouches are awesome

Size

In addition, the footprint, or size, of this holster is improved over competing designs. Holsters that are longer – that is, from front to back – are simply not as comfortable, especially if you are sitting for long periods of time in a confined space such as a vehicle. One might think that the wider holsters would be more stable on the body, but I have not found this to be the case. This holster feels rock solid when I'm drawing or holstering the weapon, even though it is the smallest I have used of this type.

Pistol Position

Since there are no provisions for adjusting the height of the belt loops, I was initially concerned that I would find the position of the pistol in relation to my belt too high. Instead, I quickly grew to appreciate this location. Being slightly higher than where other holsters placed the pistol gives me a little more leeway in terms of dealing with items of clothing that cover the pistol. This might seem backwards at first – the farther up inside a shirt or jacket the holster might be, you would think, the harder it would be to access – but the extra room between the forward edge of the grip and my beltline allows me to get a more solid and consistent grip on the weapon before I start to draw it.

There is a bit of forward cant to this holster, which I find beneficial when drawing with the strong hand – but it is not so much as to preclude me from coming behind my back with my left hand and drawing the pistol from the holster if I am unable to do so with my right hand.

Something I actually had to think about in the course of writing this review was whether the holster had ever moved in the time that I had been using it. This is almost funny – when I was using hybrid leather/kydex holsters, I was always having to shift their position, because they were always shifting their position. This holster has not budged a fraction of an inch in the entire time I have been using it. The one drawback to this is that with the kydex reinforced belt that I wear, it is slightly difficult to get the holster on and off the belt. However, I do not find this to be a problem at all. I much preferred this to having a holster that shifts around and doesn't leave the pistol in the position I expect to find it when I need it.

Pistol Compatibility

While this holster was designed for use with the Glock 19, it could also be used for a Glock 26. A Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Compact fits Glock 19 holsters quite well. The Ruger SR9 fits into this holster with a more than acceptable level of retention, and the Kahr P45/CW45 fits with an adequate level of retention. Kahr CW9/CW40/P9/P40 pistols do not have an adequate level of retention with this holster. Other pistols may fit this holster as well, but I cannot state firsthand which models would fit with acceptable levels of retention.

In the video below, the first pistol I draw - a Kahr CW45 - is from the Praetor Defense Glock 19 holster.

Concealment

Put simply, outside the waistband holsters do not offer the same level of concealment that inside the waistband holsters offer. However, outside the waistband holsters are more comfortable, and this leads to me not having to adopt body positions that might highlight the fact that I am carrying from time to time. In turn, this leads to easier concealment. I have never been "made" while carrying with this holster, and I am often in situations or places where concealment is essential.

Wait Time and Cost

I've saved the best for last. You can order this holster for $57 from Weapon Outfitters right now, and it will ship within a reasonable period of time – say, a business day or two. Wow.

Conclusion

The biggest and most obvious difference between this Praetor Defense holster and the competition is the appearance and evidence of different manufacturing methods, but what makes it excel is the attention to detail that was paid during the design phase. While I would put the other holsters on a roughly even level with one another in terms of quality and value, the Praetor Defense holster is simply without peer.

Recently, though, I spent some time with someone who was using the flash bang bra holster. This was on a strictly professional level, so it could be said that I was deliberately trying not to stare at her chest, or any other part of her body below the neck. Still, I like to think that I am fairly aware of whether or not someone I am near is carrying a firearm, especially when I'm in close proximity with them for hours at a time.

I had no idea that she was carrying until she told me. I think I asked her if she could spot my 1911 or my J frame, to which she replied "No, can you see my LCP?"

Despite this being a perfect excuse to check her out, I don't think I gave her more than a cursory examination. I still couldn't spot the pistol, although I was looking at the more traditional areas for carry – hip, ankle, and so on.

She was dressed in rather fashionable/stylish clothing, not skintight, but not baggy. My initial thoughts were that whatever the male equivalent of her clothing would have been, trying to find a place to conceal a handgun would be difficult. I said, "I don't see it."

That's when she tapped her chest and said, "I'm using the flashbang holster."

Needless to say, I was surprised. I don't even think that it was very noticeable or easy to spot after I had been informed of its location. Now, a Ruger LCP is not exactly a 1911 in terms of size, but it's something that I have carried in the past and would carry again.

I was discussing the issue with a friend and fellow male later on, and he brought up the point that it's a great location for carry, because it's rather impolite to stare at a woman's chest in public. Neither he nor I thought that "I was just trying to see if you are carrying a gun" is a good enough excuse in the face of righteous indignation from a female.

I'll leave discussions of its actual use to those who have the experience to discuss it with authority, but I can say that it offers a unique carry option that should not, in my opinion, be ignored.

I've been carrying a concealed handgun with various kydex holsters for years.

My first experience with kydex came from the half-leather, half-Kydex "hybrid" holsters, namely, the Comp-Tac MTAC. I still use these occasionally, but only when I have no other choice - I've found that all-kydex models are far, far better for concealed carry.

In January of this year, I compared the NTAC and Raven Concealment all-kydex holsters. Shortly thereafter, someone from Cane & Derby saw that article and asked if I would like to review their own all-kydex holster, the Pardus. Since I had just acquired a pistol for which I had no suitable holster - the alloy Browning Hi Power - I decided that their timing couldn't have been better. Due to issues on both ends, I didn't receive the holster until late April, but I've been carrying the Hi Power with it almost every day since.

Durability

Although three months might seem like a long time, a carry holster could theoretically be used for many years or even decades. I used my first Raven Concealment holster daily for four months before a belt clip broke, and my second Raven holster cracked near the trigger guard area exactly one year after I first received it. As noted in the review linked above, Raven took care of these issues very quickly, but my point is that even after three months, I cannot give any kydex holster a final verdict on durability.

What I can say is that based on my experience with how kydex holsters can break, this Cane & Derby holster seems very well designed. I've put it through more abuse in a short period of time than any other all-kydex holster I've ever owned, and there's no sign of damage. I've never felt confident enough in any kydex holster to use it for "strenuous outdoor activities" such as hiking, trail running, and so on - until, that is, I started using this Cane & Derby holster. As if to confirm that I had made the right decision, I once (inadvertently) fell right on the holster - the pistol stayed where it was supposed to, and there wasn't any visible damage. I'm impressed.

As for the belt clips, my problems with other holsters mainly centered on IWB belt clips that broke. For the most part, I've been carrying this pistol OWB - I'll get to that later.

Retention

This alloy-framed Hi Power, made sometime in the '80s, I believe, wasn't really designed for concealed carry. It has a lot of sharp edges, especially on the trigger guard. Since this is where the holster is "pinched" to hold the pistol, I was initially concerned that too much kydex material would be shaved away, and the holster would soon lose some of its retention capability, which was initially quite positive. However, if it has degraded, I haven't noticed. I can still grasp the holster and turn it upside down, and the pistol won't fall out - even if it's loaded.

If retention is too positive, though, the holster can interfere with, or at least slow down, a proper draw. The C&D holster does not have this problem. Retention is balanced very well.

Concealability

As I mentioned above, I've been primarily using the holster for OWB, or "outside the waistband," carry. For a number of years, I've considered OWB carry to be associated only with open carry, or carrying of a firearm on duty, such as for a police officer or member of the military. I was expecting to swap the standard OWB belt loops for the (included) IWB clips right away, but I decided to try OWB for a little while. I'm glad that I did, because other than a week or so of IWB carry just to see if I encountered any issues, I've been very happy with OWB.

Before I continue, a note about belts - in addition to a good holster, a quality belt goes a long way toward properly - and comfortably - concealing a handgun. I use a kydex-reinforced Instructor Belt from Wilderness Products or a leather belt with kydex reinforcement when I don't feel that wearing the "tactical-looking" Wilderness belt would be appropriate.

With an untucked polo or t-shirt, a good belt, and the C&D holster, the Browning Hi Power is a breeze to conceal (Oh, I wear pants, too). I don't wear baggy clothes, mind you.

Now, I'm not going to say that carrying OWB is just as good for concealment as carrying IWB, mainly because the bottom of the holster occasionally peeks out from below my shirt. If I had just started carrying, this might make me worry that someone could see that I was carrying. It doesn't.

The vast majority of people are completely oblivious to this sort of thing, and the tiny majority that aren't have to be in a position to both see that sliver of kydex and figure out what it is. In other words, nobody knows that I'm carrying. I've gone so far as to stand with my back to a crowd, while on a podium, with my arms above my shoulders - no one saw that I was carrying a handgun.

Comfort

If you're going to strap a two- or three-pound object to your waist every day, you will eventually find yourself in some type of uncomfortable position. Sharp edges, parts that project from the handgun and poke you, or simply weight - no one is immune. When you finally work your way through holsters and belts that just aren't user-friendly and find something that agrees with you, you'll be hard-pressed to give it up. That's where I am with the C&D holster and Wilderness belt. You can pry them from my cold, dead waist.

I left some things up to the designers at C&D when requesting this holster, and I'm glad that I did. They "canted" - angled - the holster so that the pistol sits at a twenty degree angle to my waist. If you're familiar with holsters, you'll know that this is a pretty extreme angle - 10 or 15 degrees is more common, if the holster is angled at all. While this might not work for all combinations, it is perfect for the Browning Hi Power. With the holster at 4 o'clock on my waist, my draw is effortless and smooth. I hardly ever feel any uncomfortable pokes or prods, and the alloy frame, in combination with the belt, sometimes leave me with the impression that I'm not carrying at all.

Another thing to note is that the holster has a fairly small "footprint." This means that there are fewer chances for it to flex and have one end or the other dig into my side - and yet it stays in place perfectly. Pontiac was wrong - wider isn't better.

Availability/Price

"Into each life review, some rain must fall." Sorry, Henry, for bastardizing your work.

It would be great if we could order a custom-made holster and have it ship the same day, but unfortunately, that's not the case.

I ordered my holsters from The Malabar Front/Raven Concealment so long ago that I only had to wait a little over two weeks to receive them. My NTAC holster shipped in right around four weeks. Now, you'd have to wait four or more months to receive a Raven holster, or at least four to six weeks for an NTAC. I can't exactly say how long it would take Cane & Derby to ship a holster, but I recently canceled an order for two more C&D holsters after about six weeks had passed.

So there really aren't any quick ways to get a high-quality kydex holster. All of the manufacturers are priced about the same, with minor differences that would have no effect on what manufacturer I chose.

Summary

Maybe I'm impatient, but four (or more) months is a ridiculous amount of time to wait. Columbus discovered the New World in less time. The P-51 Mustang prototype was designed and built in just over three months. Even the ATF works faster than Raven Concealment. I love the quality of my Raven Concealment holster, and the 2009 iteration has proven to be far more durable than the 2008 versions I owned, but I just couldn't bring myself to order another one at this point in time.

The quickest way to receive a kydex holster seems to remain NTAC, with a four-to-six week wait. Their product isn't my favorite in terms of design, but it is durable, serviceable, concealable, and readily available.

Where does this leave Cane & Derby? Well, I prefer the design and construction of this holster to the other examples. My only complaint is that it's a bit difficult to swap between IWB and OWB belt attachments. The wait isn't as bad as Raven, perhaps not as good as NTAC, but the C&D holster is, in my opinion, better. Which one is right for you? That depends on whether or not the company makes a holster for your application and how long you're willing to wait. As far as I'm concerned, if Cane & Derby makes the holster I need, I wouldn't look anywhere else.

Note: I'm aware that it's been literally years since I received the competing products, and they may have changed/improved in the interim. I've tried to avoid direct comparisons or criticisms for this reason. Still, I hold all three holster makers in high regard.

Similar in design to the BFG TenSpeed line of products which sacrifice long-term durability for significant weight, cost, and size savings, the bandolier lists for $43.95 and is designed to hold six M4 type magazines in its elastic pockets. It has a shoulder strap and a waist strap, both of which are constructed from thin webbing. This piece of gear defines minimalism.

It naturally hangs below your arm opposite the shoulder upon which the strap rests, and stays in place quite well through a lot of movement and activity, though it can be moved farther back behind the torso if you wish to hide it from the view of those in front of you. Retention of items carried is excellent.

The elastic nature of the pouches has caused me to use them for practically everything but M4 mags; it's a slim and lightweight solution for carrying radios, GPS units, pistols, flashlights, etc. I find that when asymmetrical items are placed in one pouch, it's best to leave the pouch on the other side unused - so I limit myself to the use of three pouches.

Loading the bandolier up with an IcomIC-A4 radio, a loaded Lancer 20rd 5.56 magazine, and a Glock 22 for 14 hours of hiking in a 20 hour period resulted in an interesting problem - the thin webbing of the shoulder strap cut into my shoulder and apparently pinched a nerve, for about half an hour after I reached my destination, I was unable to move my right arm and had to place it in a sling to avoid an annoying pain in my neck. Granted, I had also slung a ~7lb rifle on that shoulder - but I noticed more discomfort on the hike coming from the bandolier strap than the rifle sling (which was also a Blue Force Gear product and made of thicker webbing).

On the next outing, I padded the area under the webbing and reduced the amount of weight carried in the bandolier, and experienced no issues with pain or limited mobility, although I had a heavier rifle slung on that shoulder for a significant portion of the day.

I've noticed some wear on the elastic where the edges of items carried caused stress. I'm not entirely surprised, as elastic material is not 1000D Cordura. The TenSpeed stuff is not intended for heavy and constant use. This is meant to be a quickly accessible storage and carry solution for M4 mags or similarly sized items, to be used only when needed, and it accomplishes this goal quite well. I do not think that this wear will negatively affect the performance of the bandolier for quite some time.

The only thing I'd change would be some type of shoulder pad or thicker webbing for the shoulder strap. Despite the problems outlined above and the wear, I absolutely love the bandolier and do not think it'll be far from me whether I'm at the range or hiking in the desert.

While deployed, I wore ye olde Interceptor OTV, as well as the Eagle CIRAS-Maritime, and, occasionally, just a TAG plate carrier. The latter was the most comfortable, even if it was still intended to be used as an "external" plate carrier. I found it easier to sleep in, although the lack of soft armor did mean that my E-SAPI plates dug in here and there.

All of those armor carriers were well built and ready to handle long, daily use for months or years at a time. The unwelcome side effect of such durability is that the carrier itself is bulky, heavy, and interferes with the wearer's ability to perform normal tasks.

With no acute need for the constant use of heavy and restrictive armor, I acquired, in late 2009, a Mayflower R&C Low Profile Armor Carrier, and have been using it fairly often since. It is not, I believe, intended for daily external use on a long deployment - rather, it is intended to be worn for more brief activities requiring less turtle-like movement. I see it as armor that allows the wearer to change how they perform whatever tasks may be required of them.

For example, the Mayflower LPAC may be worn under a uniform blouse, and will probably remain undetected at range, even with plates in the carrier. I recently spoke with a LEO who was surprised to find that I was wearing Level IV armor - and having a much easier time going up and down the banks of washes (dry river/creek beds) than he was with a more overt armor system. To be fair, I only had about 50lbs of gear, while he had a good bit more.

Unlike other armor carriers which use Interceptor or BALCS/SPEAR cut soft armor, the Mayflower carrier is intended for concealment cut armor - which can vary in size and dimensions, so you should speak with them before purchasing it. In addition, it uses 500D Cordura, not 1000D - the result is a carrier that weighs just over 1lb empty. The result is that, when putting on the Mayflower carrier, I don't have the usual "Oh, crap, this armor is so heavy/restrictive/sucky" feeling that I do when putting on an OTV/MTV. In addition, it doesn't interfere with shooting to even a fraction of the amount that, say, an OTV does.

Since I have had, and used, the carrier for over a year, I feel fairly qualified to speak about its durability - which has been excellent. Again, it is not intended as a 16-hours-a-day, 365-days-per-year armor system. I am seeing very slight amounts of wear in the elastic "belly bands" - the amount of which I am comfortable with. I am sure that Mayflower carriers have been subjected to far more grueling use than mine has seen, and are still in service. Frankly, the quality of these elastic bands seems to surpass the quality of other items I have used that relied on elastic bands for attachment purposes. To me, the carrier still looks new, which may be because I've almost exclusively worn it under a blouse - but the quality of its construction certainly plays a role as well.

If you have a need for a lightweight, high quality, concealable armor carrier, I highly recommend the Mayflower R&C product.

What are the benefits of all-Kydex holsters? Well, they're lightweight, thin, they provide excellent retention, and they reduce the amount of sweat that touches the holstered pistol, which can have an effect on corrosion in certain environments and with certain finishes. I've also found that they stay in place better than leather/kydex hybrids. On the other hand, some people prefer leather holsters for comfort - I actually find kydex to be more comfortable - and kydex holsters do cause more wear on the firearm than leather holsters do.

I was a pretty early adopter of Raven holsters, and have used them extensively. There are plenty of high volume shooters who started using them even before I did, and the feedback they provided has allowed Raven to continuously improve their product.

The early holsters sold by Raven were made of a thin kydex - meaning that they were very easy to conceal, but also not exceptionally durable. I used two such holsters - one for a Glock 19 with a Surefire light attached and one for a non-railed 1911. Although the addition of the pistol light made the Glock 19 holster a little bulkier, I was still able to carry it without being "made" in a variety of environments.

The original IWB belt clip design was also made of a thinner material - they also had square "folds" over the top of the belt/pants which did not transmit force very well, and I ended up breaking several, which Raven replaced immediately.

Still, my Raven 1911 holster found more use, and eventually I drew from it enough times that the body of the holster cracked. I discovered this while on a "creeper" underneath my car, as the pistol slid out of the holster and clattered across the concrete. I contacted Raven, was asked to send it in, and had a new, thicker holster on my doorstep within a week and a half, complete with new belt loops that were thicker and had rounded "folds". I used this holster almost daily for about a year and a half until, again, one of the belt loops cracked.

Again, Raven stepped up, though in the future I might switch to the IWB attachments used by the Comp-Tac MTAC (not to be confused with NTAC) holster, which I have found to be very durable and adjustable, though one of the benefits of the Raven's belt clip design is how it stays perfectly in place at all times - precisely because they are non-adjustable.

This brings me to NTAC holsters. NTAC started making Kydex holsters in mid 2009, and I purchased one almost immediately. They're priced just below Raven holsters ($65 vs $75) and seemed to offer similar, made-in-USA quality.

Well, I wasn't too disappointed. Made of a thicker material, the holster itself has proven to be quite durable. Retention is very positive - on the edge of being too strong - and customer service is great. There was a mixup with my order, and they sent out the correct item (a magazine pouch) immediately. My only major complaint is that the stock belt loops placed the pistol too high, so I replaced them with the aforementioned Comp-Tac loops, which have proven to be a nearly universal upgrade.

When I suddenly needed a holster for a Glock longer than the G19 the NTAC holster was designed for, I simply hacked the bottom off the holster, filed down the edges, and voila - a holster that works well for my Gen 4 G22, as well as maintaining compatibility with the G19.

So, which company's product is better?

Well, that's a complicated question. Both are, in my opinion, very high quality, with good fasteners and other materials. I've had fewer problems with NTAC products, but I've used them for a shorter period of time, and they've had the benefit of learning from Raven's product improvements. One major factor is time - if you want a Raven holster, either scour the internet for a used one or be prepared to wait 16-18 weeks or more. NTAC, on the other hand, says their current wait time is only 30 days. Raven offers more models - as well as weaponlight-compatible models - but both companies can make custom holsters upon request. I consider myself an early adopter of both, because the longest I've had to wait for a holster from either company is 3 weeks.

Another factor is belt loop attachments - I have little use for passive retention holsters for OWB (outside the waistband) use, so the fact that IWB (inside the waistband) components must be ordered separately, and add to the cost, of the Raven holster is mildly annoying to me. NTAC gives you the option of IWB or OWB for the same price, or both for another $10.

Now, some might say that NTAC is simply copying Raven - I don't really want to address this, but I know it will come up. Raven has been a victim of their own success - the incredibly long timeline to receive a Raven holster, a result of the popularity and quality of their product - has created a demand beyond Raven's ability to supply, and the free market worked in the form of NTAC. If this bothers you, well, you will not be disappointed with the Raven product or their outstanding customer service. I would not hesitate to order another Raven product - as long as I didn't plan on needing it for 4 or 5 months. I really hope that Raven will be able to step up production in order to meet the demand for their holsters.

Either company's product is more than satisfactory for my purposes - daily concealed carry - and I do not think about whether I will be using a Raven or an NTAC holster when I select a carry handgun.

However, recently, I've found myself needing - perhaps wanting is a better term - stuff that Surefire doesn't offer.

I've been using some of the following products for a few months now, and I'm pretty impressed with what they have to offer.

Before I get started, I should explain a few things.

Your average Surefire 6P flashlight uses two 3 volt lithium batteries, type CR123. It has a xenon, or incandescent, bulb designed to be powered with 6 volts.

There are batteries that are similar in size, but are actually 3.7 volts. These are sometimes called RCR123A or 16340. If you delve into the world of rechargeable batteries, make sure that you know what you're buying. If you see a 5 digit number for a battery, for example, this refers to the size of the battery - 16mm wide, 34mm long. An 18650 is 18mm wide, 65mm long, etc. Some won't fit in regular Surefire bodies

Furthermore, LED drop ins - or replacement bulbs for Surefire and other flashlights - are not necessarily designed for 6 volts. Some are designed for only 0.8-4.2v, or a single AA (1.5v), CR123 (3v), 14500 (3.7v), 16340 (3.7v), or 18650 (3.7v) battery. Others are designed for 3.2-9 volts, or one or two 16340 or 18650s or two or three CR123s. Still more work with 3-18 volts...you can do the math. If you decide on a drop in, be sure that you understand the minimum and maximum voltages.

FiveMega 1xAA

The first item is from a company called FiveMega. It's a flashlight body, designed to take a single AA battery, that fits a Surefire P60 bulb and head - that is, the same as the Surefire 6P/6P LED.

It has an integrated switch - "forward clicky", meaning that the light comes on in a momentary fashion before it clicks and stays on. After the click, it doesn't matter if you press the button slightly, the light will stay on. With a "reverse clicky" light, the light doesn't come on until after the "click", at which point you can use the momentary function by pressing the button forward to turn the light off - but if you go too far forward and click it, it'll stay off. I prefer "forward clicky", but it's not impossible to learn how to use a reverse clicky light for most situations.

Certain readers will be pleased to know that this body is made in the USA and is definitely of the highest quality. The body will fit VTAC and Vltor light mounts designed for Executive series Surefires. Not having a tailcap means that the light can be fixed very far forward in the mount, if necessary for your application, without worrying about preventing the cap from being rotated. On the other hand, not having a tailcap also means that one cannot "lock out" the tailcap for travel or other purposes, preventing it from inadvertant activation. That's probably the biggest drawback to this body. You can use 1.2-15.v AA or 3.7v 14500 (14mm wide, 50mm long) batteries, depending on the bulb you choose - you'll get a lot more brightness from the 14500 rechargeables, but you'll generally get longer battery life from AAs. Figure on 25-40 minutes with a 14500, or 2-3 hours with a AA, depending on the drop in and the battery. With a Malkoff M30 and a AA battery, output is fairly similar to a G2 LED (80 lumens). With that same drop in and a 14500 battery, output is over 235 (honest) lumens.

Solarforce L2/L2m/L2i

I was driven to purchase the FiveMega product because it offered something "different" - AA compatibility - and that's also what drove me to look into the Solarforce line of lights.

While most "tactical" lights are powered by two CR123 batteries, there are other batteries that offer longer runtimes, more light, or both. Also, I don't always need a two cell light.

Solarforce L2

That's where the Solarforce L2 line comes in. The standard L2 has a larger inside diameter than the G2 or 6P in order to allow the use of a 3.7v 18650 battery - 18mm wide, 65mm long. This is approximately the size of two CR123s end to end, but is wide enough that it won't fit in the average Surefire. Why would you want an 18650-powered light? Well, a 3 volt to 9 volt LED drop in that will provide a lot of light for an hour with 2 123s will provide nearly as much light for over 2 hours with an 18650. In addition, 18650s are rechargeable, which will save you a ton of money in the long run over buying 3v lithiums.

Solarforce L2m (with optional extender tube for 2x123 or 18650)

That's all well and good, you say, but what about the L2m and and L2i? Well, the L2m is designed for a single CR123 or 16340 cell (16mm wide, 34mm long, slightly longer than a CR123, and 3.7v). If a more compact size is what you desire, this is the ticket. I should mention that FiveMega also makes a single CR123 body. Sans head, tailcap, bulb, and battery, it retails for $35. The Solarforce lights - body, head, and tailcap, no bulb or battery - retail for $15. One is American made, the other is Chinese made. The Solarforce stuff isn't made to the exact same standards as Surefire or FiveMega, but it is pretty high quality, and it's miles better than some other Chinese lights. One caveat, however, is that the L2m head and tailcaps I have don't fit my Surefire 9P - and of the 2 L2ms, one has a 19mm bore (for use with an extender and an 18650) and the other has a 17mm bore (meaning that only a CR123 or 16340 will fit).

Solarforce L2i

Finally, I come to the L2i. This body also accepts Surefire bulbs and heads, but takes three AAA batteries in an internal carrier. Its outside diameter is a little larger than a standard 6P, so it's not a good weapon light, but it's a great choice for people who may not have an interest in flashlights - and therefore not much interest in the various rechargeable batteries. 3 AAAs provide enough voltage for an XP-G drop in (claimed output of anywhere from 270 to 345 lumens) to run for about 40 minutes at max brightness, then slowly dim over a period of about 2 hours to about 5 lumens. After that, I swapped in a Malkoff M30 module, and it provided nearly max brightness. I was told that this module would run for a long time on "run down" Surefire CR123 batteries that wouldn't even power a G2, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I was still impressed.

One other impressive feature is that the L2i will actually accept single 14500 and 18650 batteries. It's best to use the 14500 batteries with a spacer for some added length, but it's nice to know that with one body, I could conceivably use three different types of batteries.

Hybrids/Frankenlights/"Legos"

If you want a runtime increase while still using as many Surefire parts as possible, the Solarforce L2 body is fully compatible with Surefire heads and tailcaps. You can use an 18650 body with an appropriate (4.2v) drop in and your Surefire switch for maximum reliability. Such drop ins include the Solarforce LC-1 (0.8-4.2v, $20), ThruNite XP-G (3.2v-9v, $33), or Malkoff M30 (1v-5.5v, $55). You'll get the best runtime with the Malkoff or the LC-1, which will run all the way down to 1 volt and 0.8 volts, respectively. However, you'd have to be careful not to use them with 2 CR123 cells, as that would be instantly fatal to the drop in. The XP-G, on the other hand, will work with 3 CR123s, 2 CR123s, an 18650, or a 16340. It won't run off a single 3v CR123; although it's claimed to be a 2.7v-9v drop in, I've found that it needs one of the 3.7v batteries to work.

You can even use a Surefire P60 LED drop in with a single 3.7v battery, if you're so inclined - but output is only about 50 lumens.

From Left: ThruNite XP-G, FiveMega AA with Solarforce LC-1, Malkoff M30

Solarforce Reversible Pocket Clip

I choose to carry my "big" flashlight on my left (weak) side, clipped inside my front pocket. I carry "bezel down", or "button up". In addition to them being necessary for this style of carry, I prefer reversible pocket clips. Why? Well, when they inevitably snag on something and are pulled away from the light, you can do a quick field repair with a set of pliers to return them to a useful state. When I did the same with a "one way" pocket clip on a knife, I had to replace the clip. I could have repaired it with help from a vise, I guess, but I don't carry a vise around in my car.

Solarforce L2 with Surefire tailcap and Solarforce pocket clip; Surefire 9P with Solarforce tailcap

Solarforce sells such a reversible clip. It fits any light that uses a Surefire "C" head (G2/6P/etc). You can find them on EBay for $5, or buy them from a store in the States for $10. They seem to hold up pretty well to daily use over a few months time, but we'll see how they are faring a year from now.

Conclusion

Is the FiveMega AA body of the highest quality? Yes. Does it have some drawbacks? Yes. However, if you think you might be limited to AA type batteries, or you want to use AA type batteries and 14500 rechargeables, you'd be doing yourself a favor by looking at it.

Are the Solarforce products on par with Surefire or FiveMega? No. Are they of surprising quality, given their origin? Yes.

Would you be doing yourself a favor by checking out these products? Most definitely.

I'll be doing a more extensive writeup on the drop-ins described here as soon as I can.

They fit just fine in my Interceptor, but when other plate carriers were used, the rear, which was countoured differently than the front, would not fit.

Even after I had owned them for 6 months, the company offered to swap out the rear for a front plate (for a 20% fee - very reasonable in my opinion, since they would have had to X-ray the plate before reselling it).

However, I decided to test the plate myself, and see if it really did what they claimed - stop multiple shots of .30-06 armor piercing ammunition without any supporting soft armor.

Here is a video of the test.

The plate did indeed stop 3 shots of .30-06 AP (163gr hardened steel penetrator projectiles courtesy of Rich_V on AR15.com), as well as many other rounds.

The plate allowed part of one .308 projectile, as well as 4 5.45x39mm projectiles, to penetrate.

However, these hits were in rather close proximity to other impacts. Because this was a ceramic plate, the initial impacts fractured the plate (it's designed to absorb the impact this way) and the later projectiles "slipped through" the cracks.

Even after it had been shot over a dozen times, and it had literally come apart, it still stopped XM193 5.56x45 and a 12ga slug.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the performance of this plate, especially considering the cost ($270). I'd still probably wear soft armor underneath the plates, given the chance, but at least I know that the plate exceeds the manufacturer's claims.