TFB Review: Craft Holsters Panther Belt Holster

Welcome back to another TFB review. This week, I wanted to look at the Craft Holster Panther outside the waistband (OWB) holster. For the most part, inside the waistband (IWB) style holsters are typically the most commonly used holsters, but the classic outside the waistband belt-mounted holsters are some of the best choices when the weather starts to change. I’ve had the Craft Holster Panther OWB rig for a few weeks now and have plenty to say about it. Let's take a closer look at the Craft Holsters Panther belt holster.

The Benefits of an Outside The Waistband Holster

The one question I get the most when I start talking about belt-mounted outside the waistband holsters rather than carrying inside your waistband is why move it to the outside when so many people are used to carrying inside their pant line? When the weather starts to get colder, having extra layers and heavier jackets on means you naturally have more coverage in your carry position, allowing for not only larger handguns but also the ability to move your holster outside. This allows you to carry more comfortably without fatiguing nearly as fast as an IWB style holster.

Eventually, having an IWB-style holster will begin to rub and form hot spots if you end up carrying your gun for 8-10 hours throughout the day. The beauty of an outside the waistband holster is the ability to carry all day with almost zero fatigue since it's on the outside of your belt line. Any of the hot spotting or discomfort often goes away with having an OWB style holster. Having a sturdy belt and holster attached allows you to carry a full-size handgun with attachments easily, without the holster or gun digging into your body. Whenever the winter season hits up north, I always switch over to an outside waistband holster. This Panther holster from Craft Holsters was fit for a HI Power and all the Springfield Armory SA 35 variants as well. For the last few weeks, I have been carrying my Tactical Gray Springfield Armory SA35 in a Black Panther OWB holster with no issues or discomfort despite being a larger metal-framed handgun.

Benefits of The Panther Holster

While there are certainly plenty of holsters out there to carry a Hi Power, the Panther OWB holster has a few features that made me want to review it over other options on the market. The first thing that became apparent is the thin pancake design that keeps the gun close to your body, offering a really low-profile carry method. Having the handgun snug to your belt line will let you carry with a simple zip-up sweatshirt or lightweight jacket. This flexibility means you can use the OWB style holster for longer periods of time throughout the year. Craft decided to put reinforcing stitching around the top of the trigger guard so there's no flexing while moving.

One of my biggest frustrations with most leather holsters is having a leather snap or physical retention that makes it harder to draw from concealment under pressure. Thankfully, Craft built in reinforcement for better retention without having a loop snap or any type of physical snap system, which means you can draw your firearm from concealment quickly without snagging any of the snaps.  Craft makes the Panther holsters for a wide variety of popular handgun models and also offers these holsters in Black or Brown leather. After a few weeks with this Panther holster, is a really solid option for $99, which is roughly half the cost of most options on the market. If you're looking for a well-built holster for an affordable price, I would certainly check out these Panther holsters.

Why Leather over Kydex

For the majority of us, it's easier to use Kydex since there isn't much maintenance, but for my nicer guns that I enjoy carrying, I always go for a leather holster. Kydex can cause issues when material like sand and dirt gets stuck in the channels of the kydex, which has nowhere to go, ultimately scratching your gun. It's not the actual Kydex that scratches your firearm's finish, but it is, in most cases, the actual material stuck inside the holster.

Leather holsters are more flexible and you don't typically get near the holster wear from the material as you would with a Kydex holster. The other argument for Kydex is typically the price difference between leather, but the Craft line of holsters is one of the most affordable for the quality you're getting. Given the choice between Kydex and these leather holsters, I would probably choose the Craft holsters over Kydex options since these models start at $99, which is usually comparable to most Kydex options on the market today.

Overall Thoughts

One of the benefits of working for The Firearm Blog is the ability to cover new products that I may otherwise not know about. Craft holsters are a hidden secret that has really high-quality holsters for an incredibly affordable price. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect, but after a few weeks with this holster, it's done exceptionally well and I have no problem recommending the Panther line of holsters from Craft.

Have you guys ever used Craft holsters and if you have, what is your experience? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below. If you have questions about these holsters or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you in the next review.