This daily carry includes a Smith & Wesson M&P SHIELD and Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops knife. The 9mm SHIELD and its spare mag are carried in Remora holsters. For the mag that’s fine so long as the mag pouch/holster is capable of holding the mag firmly in place. If it slips and slides and the mag can fall out then there’s a problem. Remember, having a spare mag means being able to readily access it should the occasion arise.

Now, you guys probably think I harp on holsters a lot (for this Remora I’ll leave you to your own discussion). And hey, we all have boxes – or multiple boxes – of discarded holsters. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding the right fit and sometimes it’s something else.

Part of the process of growing and learning as gun owners is understanding what is and isn’t safe and/or what is and isn’t functional. If I do nothing else here at TTAG – and now I’ve opened myself to some wonderful commentary – I want to work to keep you guys safe. Whether that means suggesting training drills or methods or saying hey, you need a more secure holster, it’s all part of being safe.

What do you guys feel makes a holster safe and secure?

15 COMMENTS

  1. If a holster covers the trigger properly, has some form of decent retention and is in good condition it’s acceptable in my book.

    I prefer something fitted to the specific gun but that’s not absolutely required for a holster to he safe in my book. Just because I wouldn’t pay for or use a certain holster doesn’t mean I think it’s unsafe.

  2. recluse, crossbreed (seconds), r. grizzle and el paso. four holsters for three carries.
    on sa, i find a thumb break good, but i don’t have any for mine.

  3. I’m not here to comment on the holster. I’m here for the knife. I haven’t used this exact model but every S&W knife I’ve used has a cheap feel to it and does not perform well enough for me.

    • I definitely stay away from any knife maker that licenses out to be brand schwag for another company. I’d as soon buy a $10 knife at a truck stop.

    • I was happy to get a Winchester brand knife, Wow Winchester, then I saw the made in China, bummer, another cheap knife with a name. Holsters, trigger covered, good retention in any scenario( running, fighting, DANCing) and sturdy…… Oh I see someone shot a K9. Why doesn’t PETA bitch about the way law enforcement uses these dogs. It’s not a war, or is it?

      • Last time I bought a Buck knife it was a simple 3 bladed folder with no locking device on it. A classic pocket knife like my dad and granddad carried. I didn’t notice til I got it home that on the reverse, hidden, side of the blade was “China” stamped into it.

        I threw it in the trash.

  4. Remora is good for quick trips, places where you need to disarm and rearm repeatedly and good for pocket carry for the right gun and pocket.

  5. I like my vedder iwb for everyday carry.
    For teaching classes, I find the Glock sport side is a good platform.

  6. Some holsters just conceal the trigger … they do not adequately cover it 😉

    A good holster also keeps the gun positioned consistently and offers sufficient retention.

  7. Have used a Remora holster since 2011 for all of my self-defense pistols including my EDC S&W Shield 9 and very happy with them. Use their mag holster only for storage in a compartment such as a backpack. Use DeSantis Mag-Packer for the magazine, since it positions the mag much better in my pocket than the Remora mag holster.

    EDC knife is a Spyderco C28PGRE2 Dragonfly 2.

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