Savannah Arsenal thanks .40Smith for their review of the Minimally Invastive Holster (MIC).
What is the best holster for concealed carry?
That’s kind of like hashing out what the best calibre, brand of firearm, or which of your children you love the most.
While some are better than others (holsters, not your kids) the only truly “right answer” to this question is “the one you use.”
Like most concealed carriers, you probably have a drawer full of holsters. Some are better than others, a few may be complete junk, and others may be stellar in some roles and impractical at others. Concealed carry (CC) is a huge component of every day carry (EDC) for the prepared and responsible citizen, and a good carry system is the foundation of that. For newbies to concealed carrying, the choices available are mind numbing. While you will likely end up with several, you have to start somewhere, and the MIC holster (or equivalent) is a good a place as any.
The MIC (Minimally Invasive Concealment) is a small trigger guard only holster with a cord that will attach to your belt. When you draw the firearm from your waistband, the gun is removed from the holster and it stays attached to your belt by the cord. It’s fairly cheap, its the lightest weight holster on earth and when you remove your gun at the end of the day (or to put in a vehicle safe, etc) the holster stays on it to protect the trigger area.
Hey, if you knew you were going to get into a Mumbai style SHTF mass terror event when you left your house, you’d pack full tac gear, a long gun, a backup gun, ballistic protection and many, many reloads. But for the average CC’er who is just making a milk run or even going out and about for a few hours, the best gun and calibre on earth is what you have with you. Get a MIC holster (or something like it) and you will be surprised at how often you chose it over other options because it is so light and compact and flat-out practical.
Does that mean its the best holster? I have Crossbreeds, Galcos, DeSantis’s, Goulds, Bravo Concealment, Dale Frike’s, Blackhawks and others. They are all quality rigs and they all see use in their EDC role. But the one that gets the nod more than any others is the MIC because it combines the simplicity of “Mexican” waistband carry with the safety of a modern Kydex holster, a quick and easy draw and, most importantly, it is the one you will have with you when you may have otherwise opted to leave the huge slab of horse hide one behind in the middle of July. You will need a good belt (as is the case with almost any CC holster option) but that’s pretty much it. Grab and go. If you need to de-gun to leave the firearm in your vehicle, you can remove it from your belt and the firearm stays holstered while remaining the exact same size as a naked gun. No other holster solution comes close to that.
Advantages:
- The lightest weight holster you can get
- The smallest/least bulky holster you can get
- One of the cheapest holsters you can get
- appendix carry, which is one of the best positions for drawing, concealability and retention/control
- Glock ones interchangeable with pretty much any size/model Glock
- Extremely practical and versatile, which means:
- You will have your firearm with you at times you may have left it at home with other holsters
Disadvantages:
- Not the best choice for all carry/longer distance walking
- Limits you to pretty much appendix carry
- Easy one hand draw but requires 2 hands to reholster
- Limited brand availability (Glocks and some Smith/Taurus…more being added over time though)
- Can crack if you don’t follow instructions for how to use it (mitigate this disadvantage by following the easy instructions)
There are other similar holsters hitting the market as well. Some have belt loop attachments like the Raven Concealment Deep Cover model. While these minimalist holsters aren’t for everyone all the time, they are absolute must-haves for CC/EDC’ers. Get one and you will be surprised at how often you use it.
The Savannah Arsenal Project 