Originally posted on LinkedIn, here
It may sound selfish for a holster maker to write an article about how to be a great holster customer. Does it seem like I’m trying to have my cake and eat it too?
But the reality is that the vast majority of holster buyers will never be my customers, and the process of buying and selling is a two way street, with room for improvement on both sides.
So let me reframe it this way: I want you to be a successful holster customer. I want you to find a high quality holster that enables you to carry safely and comfortably.
I’m sure you’ve often heard the phrase “The customer is always right.” It’s true, in a sense. The customer gets to decide to buy or not, of course, but a customer who is misinformed, or is missing some important information, is much more likely to end up purchasing a product that doesn’t fully meet their needs.
As a customer, my goal is always to find the best solution for my problem, at the optimal price. “Best solution” doesn’t mean “most expensive”, or “most fully featured”. In fact, the best solution will often be whichever one I can find with the minimal amount of wasted time, especially in a market where many holster companies offer a money back guarantee.
The “holster drawer” is a proverbial place of regret, lessons learned, and money wasted. I don’t advocate going out and blindly buying lots of holsters just to see what works for you, but there is such personal variability in body type, clothing, environment, firearm choice etc, that there is never a perfect video review or a perfect blog post that can give you 100% certainty that a particular holster will work exactly the way you want. The element of trial and error can never be fully eliminated from the holster buying and carrying process.
In the interest of finding the best solution for your carry needs with the minimum of wasted time and money, here’s a list of suggestions, in no particular order, that I hope will help you become a more successful holster customer. This assumes you will be shopping online, because it’s 2019…
· Buy a good belt. This will be the subject of a separate article, but many holster customers struggle to get a holster to perform well because they have a lousy belt.
· Read product descriptions carefully.
· If the product description leaves you with unanswered questions, skim the site FAQ before firing off an email with questions.
· If you come across terms you don’t understand, it’s usually faster to Google something than to send an email/dm and wait for a response.
· If you solicit input on FB/IG or forums, ask specific questions. “Has anyone tried the overhook that Generic Concealment Holsters uses?” instead of “Anyone here tried GC Holsters?”
· If you ask for holster company suggestions, provide as much relevant info as you can. “I’m left handed, carrying a G48 with a Volund Atlas belt, looking for an IWB holster for strongside carry in business wear.”
· Don’t be afraid to buy something and then return it if it doesn’t work for you, so long as the company policy allows for this.
· If you know someone locally who has the holster you’re considering, ask to try it on, or even better, borrow it for a few days.
Do you have any tips for prospective holster buyers? If so, please leave a comment!
