Outside-the-waistband holsters, or OWB, date back all the way to the invention of the handgun itself.
Although OWB holsters are being tossed aside in favor of inside-the-waistband (IWB) holsters for concealed carry, OWB still reigns as the king of duty and tactical carry.
And contrary to modern belief, it can still be great for concealment, too.
Today, we’re taking a look at some of our favorite OWB holsters. Whether you are looking for an OWB duty or concealment holster, we have you covered!
THE QUICK LIST
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Most Affordable
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Best Duty Holster
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Best Universal Holster
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Best Leather Holster
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Best Revolver Holster
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Best Budget Leather Holster
Table of Contents
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How We Tested the Best OWB Holsters
Input for this article came from the editorial and freelance writing team at Pew Pew Tactical. Between us, we have spent time with every holster on this list across a wide variety of different handgun platforms.
Our team is made up of former military and law enforcement personnel, competition shooters, and concealed carry instructors with a combined experience of over 50 years.
The models listed below have been evaluated based on the following criteria: ergonomics, comfort, fitment, features, durability, and value.
Best Kydex & Polymer OWB Holsters
1. Rounded Gear OWB Belt Loop – Editor’s Pick OWB Kydex Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Modular design for lefties or righties
- Adjustable height and cant
- Audible click signaling retention
Cons
- Passive retention might not be for everyone
Rounded Gear (formerly Concealment Express) is well known for its modern AIWB rigs, but has expanded its lineup to include the OWB Belt Loop holster.
This sucker clings tight to the body, providing excellent concealment. This is an OWB rig designed from the ground up to be concealed.
Users can adjust height and cant at will for better concealment and an easier draw. You can even swap the holster between left- and right-handed configurations.
Passive retention is the name of the game here. A loud click signifies that the holster is locked in place and ready to go.
These holsters are molded and cut to accommodate red dots, threaded barrels, and suppressor height sights. While their list of supported guns isn’t massive, they are available for a decent number of mainstream firearm options.
Overall, the OWB Belt Loop from Rounded Gear is comfortable, easily concealable, and affordable.
2. Bravo Concealment BCA 3.0 – Most Affordable OWB Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Affordable
- Can switch to IWB with change of clips
- Accommodates threaded barrels, suppressor height sights and red dots
Cons
- More material than necessary adds to the bulk
A good holster is important, but sometimes spending $90 on a piece of plastic can be a tough pill to swallow. And many of those random foreign holster brands on Amazon aren’t confidence-inspiring.
But for the budget-conscious, Bravo Concealment offers some excellent OWB holster options that come in around $30 to $40.
Bravo Concealment’s latest model is the BCA 3.0, a no-frills, OWB Kydex and injection-molded polymer holster. It is available in both standard and light-bearing configurations.
As the company’s name implies, these holsters are designed for concealed carry more than duty use. This is clearly reflected in its tight-to-body design and smooth angles.
Retention is passive but adjustable via a single screw. You can also add up to 10 degrees of cant if you wish. And if you decide you need even more concealment, you can swap the BCA to IWB carry with just a quick change of the belt clips.
The BCA 3.0 will accommodate threaded barrels, suppressor height sights, and red dots.
These holsters are precision-molded and fit the advertised guns very well with almost no slop. My only complaint is that they use quite a bit of material on the outer edges versus something like the Rounded Gear. This makes the holster feel a little more “square” than we’d like.
While the number of guns they support is limited, they are worth checking out if they happen to make one that works for your gun. These are, without a doubt, the highest quality holsters at this price point.
How do you like your Bravo Concealment? Give it a rating below!
3. Safariland 6390RDS ALS – Best Duty Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Proven track record and reputation
- Active retention
- Versatile mounting options
Cons
- Expensive, especially with specific mounting options
Safariland is the #1 supplier of police and military holsters for a reason. They make some of, if not the best, duty holsters on the market.
But you might have a tough time finding the right holster because Safariland’s naming scheme is an utterly confusing mess of random numbers and letters.
Don’t worry, we picked our favorite one, which happens to be one of their most popular offerings — the 6390RDS ALS. This OWB rig is designed with duty in mind.
These are ultra-tough holsters that feature Safariland’s patented active Level 1 retention Automatic Locking System (ALS). Once the holster clicks into place, you can remove it by depressing a convenient thumb switch and drawing straight up with a normal draw.
It is a simple and intuitive system that ensures your gun won’t accidentally fall out or be snatched by would-be criminals.
Safariland makes holsters for a wide range of guns. They also offer options for red dot compatibility, and they likely have more options for weapon lights than just about any other holster maker on the market. You can also choose between a mid-rise or low-rise design depending on your needs.
The interiors of these holsters are also suede-lined to reduce the amount of finish wear on your gun during repeated draw cycles.
If you are looking for a tough-as-nails active retention holster, Safariland is the way. Trust us, you won’t hear many people argue otherwise on this one!
4. Stealth Operator – Best Universal OWB Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Universal design fits a ton of handguns
- Extremely affordable
Cons
- Doesn't hold the guns as snug or with as much retention as a fitted holster
Pew Pew Tactical contributor Travis Pike has a ton of experience with the Stealth Operator holster.
What makes this holster unique is its quasi-universal design, which uses trigger-guard retention to accommodate over 150 different firearms.
Since we review guns, the universal design of the Stealth Operator has some obvious appeal. New gun? No problem. Just toss it in the same holster!
It is available in full-sized and compact variants. The full-sized version covers the entire barrel and slide, while the compact model is cut for smaller guns.
Its fit to the body is nice and tight, making it quite simple to conceal firearms. Even firearms as large as the CZ P-09 fit with ease and carry well.
The obvious downside to this is product is that due to its universal nature, it isn’t going to be a perfect fit for any gun. Retention and complete trigger guard coverage may vary from gun to gun. But if you have multiple firearms or a gun is tough to find a holster for, the Stealth Operator is a solid option.
Best of all, this product is quite affordable and made in the United States.
Best Leather OWB Holsters
5. Galco Combat Master – Best Leather OWB Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Made from premium steer hide
- Hand-molded
- Comfortable against the skin
Cons
- Requires a break in period
Leather holsters may have fallen out of popularity, but can still be an excellent choice for carry. It is hard to beat the comfort of a well-made leather holster, and damn, do they look good.
Galco is one of the biggest names in the leather holster industry. They have been in business for over 50 years and make some of the finest leather holsters outside of the custom holster realm.
We picked Galco’s Combat Master is pancake-style rig that makes for easy concealment with a simple overshirt or light jacket.
It features a forward cant design, which allows for a more natural draw while also keeping the grip of the gun more forward to further aid in concealement.
An open-top design allows for a rapid draw and makes getting the gun into action quite easy. The gun sits just far enough from the body to accommodate a good full grip for a safe and intuitive draw.
While these don’t come cheap, you are getting a holster made of premium steer hide that is hand-molded each individual gun.
The hand molding process ensures you get excellent retention and a solid fitment. This is paramount on any holster, but especially leather holsters. Trust me, you don’t want a floppy holster.
That being said, the thick, high-quality leather means that these holsters have a break-in period. It may be slightly stiff at first, but once it breaks in, you are going to love it.
6. Bianchi 5BHL Thumbsnap – Best Revolver Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Exceedingly smooth draw
- Excellent thumbsnap stiffness
- Comfortable
Cons
- Single belt loop doesn't keep the holster as close to the body as dual loops
Leather holsters and revolvers go together like peanut butter and jelly. It just feels wrong to put a wheel gun in a kydex holster.
But holsters aren’t there to just look good, they need to work well. And man oh man does the Bianchi 5BHL work well.
One of our Editor’s, Wyatt, has over 100 handguns and lists the 5BHL among his favorite holsters.
On the surface, it looks like a simple leather holster. But the devil is in the details.
The single large belt loop makes this holster super comfortable and easy to get slide it around to a comfortable spot. With a perfect cant angle and suede lining, the draw is super fast and smooth without damaging your gun’s finish.
But the best feature may be the thumbsnap retention. Many thumb-break holsters have snaps that are either too thin and they just flop instead of snapping open, or they are too short and stiff, making it hard to open.
The 5BHL strikes a perfect balance. It is insanely easy to snap both open and closed with just slight pressure, but won’t open on its own unitentionally.
A perfect intersection of form and function, the Bianchi is worth a look at if you love carrying revolvers.
7. 1791 Gunleather OWB – Best Budget OWB Leather Holster
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Attractive finish
- Comfortable to wear
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Multi-fit can lead to less-than-ideal fitment on certain firearms
We have established that leather is cool, but it leather is usually expensive.
But if you are looking to roll in style on a budget, check out the Open-Top OWB Holsters from 1791 Gunleather.
These holsters are billed as “multi-fit” holsters that are meant to accomodate a variety of guns, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair. Instead, they offer a few different models for different sized guns.
The initial fit was was tight on PPT founder Eric Hung’s P320, but he used their provided instructions on how to every-so-slightly loosen the fit. It now slips in with minimal effort and has a nice draw, all without feeling like it will fall off if he starts running.
Many other leather holsters are flat on the loops and it can be a pain in the butt to break that part in, but the 1791 already has generously curved belt loops. The curve opens up slightly when you run a belt through it and it ends up hugging the shape of your hip nicely.
Coming in around $60, these are a solid alternative option for leather holsters if you don’t want to spend nearly $100 on a Galco.
What is OWB?
OWB stands for outside-the-waistband, meaning the holster sits on the outside of the pants.
While carrying inside-the-waistband has its benefits for concealment, carrying OWB prevents the poking and prodding that can happen around abdomen area with IWB.
Outside-the-waistband carry also allows for easy access to your gun, regardless of whether you are in a standing, seated, kneeling, or prone position.
Admittedly, concealment can be tricky with OWB holsters. But with a little practice and the right wardrobe, this issue is greatly minimized. (Want to see how IWB stacks up against OWB? Check out our in-depth look here.)
Common Types of OWB Holsters
- Pancake (Standard Loop): Features two loops on each side of the holster that are meant to keep the holster high and flat to the body for increased concealability.
- Active Retention: Active retention holsters typically feature a mechanism that must be depressed or moved in order to draw the gun from the holster. These can include push-buttons, levers, and movable hoods.
- Paddle: These holsters use a large, wide paddle that slips inside the waistband while keep the holster on the outside. These are convenient as they can put on and taken off without removing your belt.
- Belt Slide: Although similar to standard holsters, belt slide holsters are typically leather holsters usually have either a single loop on the rear of the holster, or a combination of integrated loops that your belt can slide directly though.
- Light-Bearing: As the name suggests, these are holsters that are specifically designed for handguns with rail-mounted lights attached to them.
- Hybrid: These holsters feature a soft canvas or leather backer that sits against the body for better contour and comfort while using a hard Kydex outer half shell for more positive and clickly retention.
Meet the Experts
Multiple members of the Pew Pew Tactical editorial and freelance writing team contributed to the picks in this article.
Editing this article is Pew Pew Tactical Editor, Wyatt Sloan. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor, a former competitive shooter, an avid hunter, a reloader, and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms, over 100 of which are handguns. He cycles through over 25 carry guns on a regular basis, and as such, cycles through more holsters than he’d like to admit.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Thoughts
Outside the waistband holsters are largely overlooked these days, and it’s a shame. These holsters maximize both comfort and access and are well suited to a variety of tasks.
While many of us do carry IWB, most of us are big fans of OWB as well. We have tested dozens of holsters over the years. And for some of us, it is even our preferred method of carry.
Keep in mind that there is no perfect holster for every scenario, so having a few different types of holsters allows you to have the right holster for the right situation. We encourage you to give OWB a try if it seems like it might be right for you.
Do you have a favorite OWB holster? Let us know in the comments Below! Already have a holster? Brush up on [How-To] Practice Drawing from a Holster. And don’t forget to check out article on the Best Gun Belts!
Latest Updates
October 2025: Removed Safariland 7377 7TS, Blackhawk T-Series L2C, Desantis Speed Scabbard. Added Safariland 6390RDS, Bianchi 5BHL.
July 2024: Removed PHLster Floodlight OWB
31 Leave a Reply
The Tulster Contour has worked best for me of all the OWB holsters I've tried. Comfortable and not a huge piece of plastic on my waist.
I have several craft holster, a few small of back and a few pancake style. I love them especially small of back, summer I carry a 365xl with a loose fitting tshirt,fall i carry a vp9sk and winter i carry a 45c. They conceal very well and are beautiful leather holsters,very well made and will last a lifetime. They have many styles and individually fit many models and manufactures.
I have a Blade-Tech Eclipse holster that fits OWB as well as any IWB without having to invest in new pants for the IWB. Have not seen mention of Blade-Tech in any PewPew article though they are one of the forerunners of synthetic holsters and make excellent products affordably. I suspect a commercial reason for the black out.
I've had luck with Garrett holsters. They are kydex with leather lining to minimize damage to the pistol's finish.
Bought a Galco Combat Master for my Springfield Hellcat fitted with a Vortex Defender CCW. This is my EDC. It rides on a Kore Belt my favorite Gun Belt. This is my personal perfect EDC package. Need a new holster for my Kimber Tactical 1911 and it will be the Combat Master.
Rounded Express looked great. Tried to buy but they do not have holsters for any of my Beretta or CZ handguns.
I recently purchased 2 holsters from Orpaz Defense for Glock 30 and Glock 45. Simple design, perfect fit and level 2 retention
C-SERIES-OWB LEVEL I&II
I did not want a drawer full of misfits. These work great!
Check out Versacarry holsters.
IMO, the hardest part about owning a firearm is finding the right holster!
I have a drawer full of dissatisfaction.
I've settled on leather thumb breaks for full size with optics and Sticky Holsters with a kydex trigger guard on a lanyard for compacts.
I personally prefer a backward cant it’s easier to get the gun out faster and bring it on target quicker than the forward cant which take two extra movements to bring it up to fire..
Any mention of OWB holsters that doesn’t talk about Fobus is incomplete.
For leather I like the Craft and DeSantis holsters.
Great choices, but for OWB I have really liked the Vedder "lightdraw" with pancake wings for the belt. You can color them with every type of camouflage. My favorite is black carbon fiber. A little on the expensive side, but top quality kydex holsters.
Missed one. Blackhawk Serpa CQC. I've carried it for decades on duty and off.
You completely missed the Bianchi 82 CarryLok as usual. It's my main choice.
My favorite kydex holster is the iTac (now IMI) tactical and modular holster. Old works. I'm old and I know what works. A lot of the stuff made today comes from China, and I won't buy it.
One of my frustrations with holster makers is the phrase "Fits belts up to 1.75." That means they have standardized production on 1.75" belt slots and don't care how wide your belt or the loops on your pants are.
Do you realize how wide a 1.75" belt really is? Unless you are a member of a motorcycle club or engage in leather fetishism, you probably don't own a 1.75" wide belt. Most jeans and slacks come with 1.5" loops, some even smaller. Finding pants with 1.75" belt loops is difficult. (Maybe BDUs have them, but do you really want to wear BDUs if you're carrying concealed?) Having that huge, wide belt slot on the holster introduces up-and-down slop in the drawstroke. The belt slot must be the same width as your belt. So when I see the phrase "fits up to" I immediately write-off that maker. Their target market does not include serious pistoleros.
I started with Milt Sparks holsters back in the day, but they have become so popular and expensive I don't shop there anymore. ("Our current backlog is approximately 30-35 weeks." Fuggedaboutit!) When dealing with leather holsters, I have come to prefer Kramer Handgun Leather and Mitch Rosen Gunleather. I think Mitch Rosen has the highest-quality leather you can buy today. I'm sure there are other custom leather holstermakers who produce quality products, but in my experience Rosen, Kramer, and Sparks provide the best quality. All of these makers can give you a custom belt slot to fit the width of your belt.
Having mentioned leather, I tend to think of it as a luxury item. As I type, I'm wearing a JM Custom Kydex IWB holster with split loops on a Wilderness Instructor Belt. Nothing magic about that combination, but it seems to suit my needs and budget. The belt and belt slots on the holster are 1.5" wide and the pistol rides securely. When your pistol is mostly plastic, it makes sense to wear a plastic holster. If you're carrying a blued-steel heirloom, then opt for leather.
One of the main reasons to standardize on 1.75" belts is that is the typical width of a duty belt. If you are selling into the LEO/Military/Competition markets, then you need to provide stuff that fits those belts.
Most normal humans, though, wear belts that are 1", 1.25", or 1.5". And most holsters designed for CC are sized for 1.5" belts. All my concealed carry gun belts are 1.5" and I normally replace whatever paddle thing the holster has with a DCC Mod 4 1.5" clip or two.
Truth.
My solution is not to wear a holster on the belt I use for my britches!
2 belts means that my holster belt doesn't do double duty and I can shift it around to accommodate my blubber.
I know everyone has their pet favorite brands, but I just have to put in a word for Milt Sparks. I carried a full size .45, even in TX summers when you routinely get triple-digit temps, and like a certain pop song it never let me down.
I completely agree that having a high-quality holster is essential for any survivalist, and Arrowhead Survival definitely offers some of the best holsters on the market. A good holster can mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation, as it ensures that your weapon is always within reach and ready to use.
Arrowhead Survival has holsters? I can't find a handgun holster on their web site.
"concealment" for the Blackhawk L2C is, well, relative. If you wear a coat or really baggy shirt over it then yes in that sense its concealed from view and maybe not as noticeable. But if you were expecting something being drawn in close to the body in a 'pancake holster' flater and closer to the body way that you can get away with by a baggy t-shirt kinda way then the L2C is not going to do it for you.
Oh, by the way...the belt loop is made to rotate the grip back closer to the body but it also rotates the front of the holster away from the body to do that...so in terms of printing the effect is still a more printed gun but instead of the grip its the front of the holster and the pointed up back of the slide.
So 'concealment' is relatively with this holster.
I strongly disagree with your recommendation of any "multi-fit" holster. In fact, your photographs of the 1791 Gunleather version covering only SOME of the P320 trigger guard prove my point. Anyone who doesn't understand the safety problem should Google "Idiot Police Chief Shoots Himself In Gun Shop" and watch the video. Everyone should carry with one in the chamber, but that means nobody should tolerate a holster that doesn't cover your ENTIRE trigger guard. Your life is worth the cost of a holster made for your specific gun!
Was that the guy that the drawstring on his jacket got into his holster and the drawsting when reholstering caused the negligent discharge?
If so your point really doesnt address the issue you raised.
I can't believe we are debating this. OK, so that video wasn't enough to convince you, because his drawstring got tangled in the trigger area WHILE REHOLSTERING, rather than afterward? I need to find you a better video where something (drawstring, zipper pull, keys, leather folded over, fingers, etc.) got into an unprotected trigger area at some OTHER time before you will agree it's dangerous to carry without a holster covering the entire trigger guard ? You're entitled to your opinion and carry how you want, but please stay away from me and my loved ones in case you have an "accidental" discharge (btw, I believe those don't exist).
As is usually the case, this is yet another article on the “best holster” you can buy that can be ignored. I’d say 90-95% of these articles completely ignore high quality holster manufacturers such as TT Gunleather, Del Fatti, Milt Sparks, and the like in exchange for mass-produced holsters. If you want to say the best “mass-produced” or “readily-available”, then that’s one thing, but stop acting like a Desantis is better than the guys listed above.
I have a 9mm S&W Ez and was wondering what’s the best owb holster that conforms to you’re hip for this gun and is comfortable for CCW for driving and walking around with? Thank you in advance.
I'm a fan of 'minimalist' style holsters like leather belt slides and open bottom pancakes that snug up close. Really liked the Blackhawk 'Compact Askins' style holsters but they don't make anymore. Looking for a replacement.
My favourite kydex holster that I own is from Gunfighters, Inc.
I wish someone would design a good comfortable OWB holster for a glock model 22 with laser attached. Got a fobus paddle type holster for it out of desperation and it is the most uncomfortable holster I've ever used.
Alika
I’m also looking for a good holster for my Glock 22 with Streamlight TLR-4. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you