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Tulster Kydex Holster Review

jagermeister

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The more I carry a gun, the more my my preferences have evolved. I started with an Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.0, which is a relatively large hybrid dual-clip IWB holster. It's nice... It supports the weight very well, but I dislike the bulkiness and it's somewhat of a hassle to put on compared to smaller, single-clip IWB holsters. I've found that I prefer the quickness and versatility of the single-clip holsters, and the difference in comfort, at least for me, is negligible.

So then I moved on to a Foxx Holsters IWB single-clip hybrid. Leather back, kydex front. Nice lightweight holster, works well anywhere around the hip. But then I decided to experiment with appendix carry. At first it wasn't bad, but after a long day this holster was killing me. It's simply not made for this style.

Fast forward to today... I received from Amazon a fully kydex single-clip holster made by Tulster. Specifically, this is the Tulster "Profile." I spent a good bit of time searching and googling for recommended holsters for AIWB. The results were pretty variable, which I expected. I mean, there's a million brands available and holsters are such a personal thing. But one brand that kept coming up time after time was Tulster. It was highly touted, but on average, also way more expensive than some other very similar brands. In pictures, the cheaper ones just didn't appear as smooth or as high in quality. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, so I pulled the trigger on the Tulster.

Right out of the box, I was immediately impressed by the craftsmanship. I know I know... It's just kydex. But I could instantly tell whoever put this holster together paid careful attention to detail. There is not one single cosmetic flaw that my eyes can see. And not one sharp edge anywhere. It's smooth as butter no matter where you look. It's also very minimalistic, having just enough material to get the job done. I am a huge fan of that approach... The more I carry, the more I can't stand "bulk."

This holster features adjustable cant and also adjustable retention. The company ships it with a business card, a nice Tulster decal, a small portion of Vibratite thread locker, and of course a liability statement. Other than wearing it around the house for a bit, I can't speak in depth as to all-day comfort or ruggedness, so that will have to wait. But as of right now I'm very happy with this purchase.











In comparison with the hybrid IWB made by Foxx Holsters (similar price point).
 

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Mike

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I have something similar and really like mine. I bought these on eBay from a guy who manufactures them. They were super affordable at $20 but now he's charging a freakish amount for shipping.


 

jagermeister

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Any pictures carrying?

I'll have to get back to you on that. Next time I'm not wearing gym clothes I'll throw it on and snap a few more pics.

I have something similar and really like mine. I bought these on eBay from a guy who manufactures them. They were super affordable at $20 but now he's charging a freakish amount for shipping.

Yea I think that's the same guy I looked in to. He had a ton of positive reviews as well but I think after shipping it was still around $55 or so. So I just decided to go with Tulster since I could get one through Amazon (which anymore is just scary easy and fast lol).
 

jagermeister

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Any pictures carrying?


I spent the entire day today carrying with this holster, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. I was in and out of the truck, working in the field at multiple job sites, sat down for lunch at Bob Evans, and covered over 200 miles behind the wheel. Never took it off except to destroy the Bob Evans shitter. Lol. No exaggeration here... I absolutely love this holster. It is by far the most comfortable I've worn. I was wearing it AIWB at about the 12:30-1:00 position. Sitting down was no issue whatsoever. Even while driving I kept forgetting I was wearing it. Very, very pleased with it so far.
 

"J"

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I spent the entire day today carrying with this holster, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. I was in and out of the truck, working in the field at multiple job sites, sat down for lunch at Bob Evans, and covered over 200 miles behind the wheel. Never took it off except to destroy the Bob Evans shitter. Lol. No exaggeration here... I absolutely love this holster. It is by far the most comfortable I've worn. I was wearing it AIWB at about the 12:30-1:00 position. Sitting down was no issue whatsoever. Even while driving I kept forgetting I was wearing it. Very, very pleased with it so far.

Good deal.... I'll be looking closely at these....


 
Looks like a good one! I don't like carrying up front like that, more of a 2:30-3 set-up as when sitting I don't want it aiming at my junk or femoral artery LOL! Not to mention my fat rolls would put a lot of pressure on it. A buddy at work had one similar but I didn't like the stiff Kydex on the inside as it seemed to cut in. I opted for the Raw Dog with leather backing and absolutely love it. Easy to forget you are carrying when it's comfortable so I will keep this brand in mind!
 

bowhunter1023

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Good review JB. I follow Alpha Concealment on IG and really like their holsters, but they run $70+ for Kydex and I can't figure out why they want so much more. I want a new holster, but with a new gun purchase looming, I will likely hold off until I bring home the new piece...
 

jagermeister

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Good review JB. I follow Alpha Concealment on IG and really like their holsters, but they run $70+ for Kydex and I can't figure out why they want so much more. I want a new holster, but with a new gun purchase looming, I will likely hold off until I bring home the new piece...
The worst part is it seems like the quality to price relationship doesn't always match. I've got a couple holsters I've spent good money on that I'm not real happy with. They're just such a personal thing that unless you know someone who owns a bunch you can try on, or you just get lucky, it's a big crap shoot on whether or not you'll be satisfied with the purchase.

I'm still loving this Tulster holster. It's without a doubt my most comfortable holster. I've gotten over the fear of shooting myself in the crotch. In the event of a discharge it'd likely hit my thigh and not my junk. I know, that's bad too. But hey as long as the trigger isn't pulled it shouldn't go bang.
 

bowhunter1023

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With my Taurus, I have a thumb safety and a trigger safety, so I really have little to worry about. After working on some real world scenarios this weekend in my practice, I do think appendix carry is the best method for me from a draw and shoot quickly standpoint.
 

jagermeister

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With my Taurus, I have a thumb safety and a trigger safety, so I really have little to worry about. After working on some real world scenarios this weekend in my practice, I do think appendix carry is the best method for me from a draw and shoot quickly standpoint.
There are definitely some advantages to it I think.

My Shield has the thumb safety as well, but I always carry with it in the OFF position. When I bought the gun I thought I really wanted the safety. It gave me a sense of security and kept my mind at ease. For a new carrier, it made all the sense in the world. But now after carrying for a while, I doubt I'll buy another carry gun with a manual safety.
 

bowhunter1023

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I'm the same way. Grew up with safeties on my guns and felt like it was necessary. However I'm real close to bringing home a Glock, so that'll no longer be a "thing".
 

jagermeister

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JB, are you still liking this holster? I'm looking at getting one and was curious if you still recommend it.
Yep, love it. It's become my go-to EDC rig without a doubt. I've only carried it at the 4 o'clock once. Everything else has been appendix carry at about 12:30 or 1:00ish.

I have seen some other similar holsters made specifically for appendix that intrigue me. A lot of them have a special "tab" or spacer just off to the side that basically tilts the grip of the gun in towards your belly. I could see that helping conceal things better, but honestly I haven't had any issues with concealment.

There may be cheaper holsters out there that work just as well as this Tulster, but I really don't have a reason to keep looking.

 

jagermeister

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Anything more to add JB?

Not much other than I still absolutely love this holster. Of the dozen or so I've owned it's by far my favorite. That includes IWB and OWB, single-clip and dual-clip, kydex and hybrid, etc. It's just simple and comfortable. A while back I thought I'd save some money and buy a similar designed holster for my G19. I wish like hell I would have just ponied up for another Tulster. This other one doesn't have adjustable cant and is not nearly as smooth or ergonomic. I will likely buy a Tulster to replace it soon.

Quick little story to add...

I wore my Shield/Tulster combo all day yesterday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, in and out of the truck to and from three different Christmas get-togethers, in the 1:00-oclock appendix position. The only time I took it off was when using the restroom at about 9:00 pm. On our way home, I had a brief panick attack because I thought I left it on the counter in the bathroom. It's so comfortable I completely forgot I was still wearing it. Once I came back to my senses, I smiled inside thinking of how much I like this holster. Lol
 
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