[Review] Tenicor Velo Lux: Most Comfortable AIWB Holster?

Appendix carry is likely the most popular means of carrying concealed. It’s secure, it allows for a fast draw, and it’s comfortable.

Well, if you have the right holster.

I recently gave the new Tenicor Velo Lux a turn as my daily CCW holster, and I’m here to dish all the details so you can determine if it’s right for you.

Tenicor Velo Lux Specs & Features

Specs

• Style: AIWB
• Material: Thermoplastic
• Belt Clips: Mod4 (2)
• Retention: Passive (adjustable)
• Compatible Manufacturers: 1911, 2011, Glock, Sig Sauer, Staccato, Smith & Wesson
• Country of Origin: USA

Features

• Belt clips by Discreet Carry Concepts
• Adjustable ride height (1”), cant (5 degrees), rotation, and clip position
• Compatible with optics and suppressor-height sights
• Designed for IWB and AIWB carry

Tenicor Velo Lux Background

If the recently launched Velo Lux looks familiar, that’s because it’s actually been around for a while – kind of.

Tenicor used to offer the Velo, Sagax Lux, and Malus Sol holster lines. The products were good but the naming convention got customers a little confused. 

Now, the Sagax Lux and Malus Sol are no more. Instead, standard AIWB holsters fall under the Velo family, and light-bearing models fall under the Velo Lux family. Simple enough. 

Key features of the new Velo Lux include a medium sweat guard, Discreet Carry Concepts Mod4 belt clips instead of T1 clips, double nuts instead of square nuts, three belt clip positions, and compatibility with large pistol red dots.

Most Velo Lux holsters are open-ended so you can run a threaded barrel. The exception is the multi-light configuration, which relies on a partially closed end for retention.

The Tenicor product catalog is always evolving, and the Velo Lux represents the best features from past iterations combined with some fresh ideas.

Carrying the Tenicor Velo Lux

Velo Lux Initial Setup

I kicked things off the same way you would: by assembling the Velo Lux on my workbench.

Setup was fairly straightforward, with easy access to the inside of the holster to hold the double nuts in place while I positioned the clips and threaded in the screws. The rest was a matter of shuffling components around until I was satisfied with how it fit.

Tenicor recommends wearing the holster with your pistol but without the belt clips, and marking it along the waistline of your pants where it’s most comfortable so you have a reference point when you mount the clips. That’s a lot easier than trial and error.

As always, I appreciate pre-applied thread-locking compound.

Concealed Carry With the Velo Lux

To give this holster a thorough shakedown, I made it my primary CCW holster with a Glock 45 for more than a month. I wore it with heavy denim and board shorts; under a T-shirt and with outer layers.

Printing was practically a non-issue. That’s impressive because I typically don’t conceal well at the appendix position, let alone with a full-size grip.

The thin profile of the Velo Lux helped, but I give most of the credit to the integrated shim on the back of the holster. It acted like a keel, keeping the pistol upright and snug to my abdomen rather than sagging outward over my belt. 

You might have noticed from my other reviews that I’m a huge fan of Discreet Carry Concepts belt clips. They lock onto a gun belt like a vise-grip and give me total confidence that the holster is going to stay put.

The Velo Lux doesn’t have a sidecar option like a lot of holsters these days, but Tenicor does offer the Abdo magazine holder that you can add anywhere on your waist. It’s one more thing to put on in the morning, but I appreciate the flexibility of being able to wear it, move it, or skip it.

I’m a proponent of responsible off-body carry when it’s appropriate, so I also paired the Velo Lux with CCW bags from 5.11 Tactical, Eberlestock, and Vertx.

Those Mod4 clips bit down on each of the retention systems I tried. The Velo Lux is just as good in a bag as it is on a belt.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

Retention

There are two types of retention when it comes to IWB holsters.

First, the holster has to securely hold your pistol as you go about your daily routine. It’s essential that a manufacturer get this right, and Tenicor puts two rubber bushings in the Velo Lux that you can compress with the camming bar screws to get a tight fit.

If you can shake your holster upside down over your bed without the pistol falling out, you’re in good shape.

Second, the holster has to stay in place on your belt – especially when you draw. That’s not a concern in this case because the Mod4 clips are excellent.

Comfort

To some degree holster comfort is a matter of personal preference. I found the Velo Lux extremely easy to live with.

Every feature, from the adjustable belt clips to the mid-rise sweat guard helped the holster work with my body rather than against it.

I suspect that the attributes that made it comfortable for my test would be even more noticeable with a larger pistol. If you’re a member of the full-size family and rock a light-bearing 2011 every day, give the Velo Lux a try.

Adjustability

Aside from retention, there are two components you can adjust on the Velo Lux.

There are three possible locations for two belt clips, so you can set them up however you want. There’s about 1 inch of height adjustment and 5 degrees of cant adjustment so you can tweak your holster’s orientation.

Tenicor provides three camming bars. Their job is to press against the inside of your belt and push the grip of your pistol inboard toward your torso. Start with the medium one, and size up or down as necessary.

Improvements We’d Like to See

Tenicor includes a disclaimer that its holsters are not for safe queens. It’s a friendly heads-up that the hard material can and will eventually wear away at your pistol’s finish.

If you run a Glock or something similar, that’s no biggie. If you’re precious with your carry pistol, a leather holster might be a better option for you.

One way to address this would be to add a faux-suede lining like the Safariland Species has. The tradeoff is the potential for it to wear down or compress, compromising retention.

I’m not bothered by any of this, but it’s something to be aware of. I’d hate for you to knock the gold accents off your custom 1911.

Who is the Tenicor Velo Lux For?

The Velo Lux is somewhat expensive and it requires you to invest some time in setting it up properly. If you’re willing to do that, it’s an outstanding AIWB holster that you can carry every day.

I find it more user-friendly than holsters that have a magazine carrier attached, and it’s much slimmer than the Safariland Incog-X (another well-designed AIWB holster). If you want more firepower, grab an Abdo for your belt or a NeoMag for pocket carry.

If you like everything about the Velo Lux but wish you could carry it on your strong side, check out our Tenicor Certum3 review. It’s a versatile IWB holster that works appendix or strong-side.

By the Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

I carried this holster all summer, and it hasn’t let me down. Welcome to the regular rotation, Velo Lux.

Ergonomics: 5/5

This is probably the most comfortable AIWB holster I’ve worn, and I didn’t need any foam padding or shims.

Customization: 4/5

The Velo Lux is highly adjustable, and the range of pistols and lights it supports is pretty generous.

Value: 4/5

The price is fair; not a screaming deal, but not too high.

Overall: 4.5/5

This is a case of getting what you pay for. The pricey Velo Lux will earn its keep.

Upgrades for the Tenicor Velo Lux

The biggest upgrade for this holster is a good gun belt. I’m a big fan of Kore Essentials because the ratcheting mechanism makes on-the-fly adjustments super easy and discreet. 

This design will let you quickly tighten the belt when you’re up and about, and loosen it when you sit down or get in the car. It’s stiff enough to support this holster and a spare mag carrier, if you wear one.

If you’re going to carry concealed, you need to practice drawing and firing from concealment with lots of dry fire training. The SG Timer GO has a dry fire setting that lets you track your progress at home, and you can even pair it with Bluetooth headphones so nobody else has to hear the buzzer.

Check out our full SG Timer GO review for all the features!

Meet the Experts

At the helm of this article is editor Scott Murdock. Scott formed his opinion on the Tenicor Velo Lux after making it his primary concealed carry holster for several months. His experience with the brand also includes in-depth testing of the Tenicor Certum3.

Scott has also conducted extensive testing of IWB, AIWB, OWB, shoulder, and chest holsters made from leather and rigid synthetics, as well as off-body-carry systems. He’s completed holster-specific training, including martial arts and live-fire evolutions with Safariland at Full Spectrum Warrior.

Final Verdict

Sometimes, holster manufacturers get carried away with a “more is more” approach when it comes to AIWB holsters. That’s not the case with the Tenicor Velo Lux.

This holster is packed with features and clever engineering, but it’s still thin and comfy inside the waistband. I think I’ve found my new favorite AIWB rig – have you?

What’s your favorite AIWB holster for concealed carry? Let us know in the comments. Looking for a sidecar rig or something different? Head over to our guide to the Best AIWB Holsters!