Holster Clips: An Essential Element of Concealment & Comfort
Everyone who carries a concealed firearm understands the importance of a holster, and most of us also know that a sturdy belt is necessary to support the weight of the gun. But there's one more piece of the puzzle that often goes overlooked: holster clips. These clips, overhooks, or loops serve as the critical connection between your inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster and its support system.
In this article, we're going to take a closer look at different types of holster clips, how to attach and adjust them, and how they affect the comfort and concealment of your pistol.
The Function of a Holster Clip
Let's start with the basics. Holster clips serve to attach your holster securely to your belt, or in some cases, your clothing. They're designed to prevent the holster from moving in undesirable ways — sliding out of your pants as you draw, falling into your pants as you walk, or tilting diagonally at an awkward angle.
Some holster clips have a degree of flexibility that allows the holster to flex in and out along your waistline, while others are much more rigid to resist unwanted movement.
Remember: your holster clips should match the width of your belt. If they're too small, they may slip off the belt as you draw, and if they're too big, they'll allow the holster to move around more than it should.
Types of Holster Clips
There are many types of holster clips to choose from, so let's take a look at each. Keep in mind that we're only focusing on inside-the-waistband (IWB) clips for concealed carry — outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster mounting systems are a topic for a separate article.
Traditional Clips
Traditional holster clips are typically made of a single wide piece of metal or polymer that fits over the wearer's belt. These are a tried-and-true option for a variety of carry positions, and are offered on holsters like the LAS Concealment Rampart.
Overhooks
Overhooks are a slimmer style of clip that were developed to accommodate a wider variety of belt and clothing types. Unlike traditional wide holster clips, overhooks fit more easily around belt loops, buckles, and other obstructions, allowing the wearer to position their holster more precisely on their waistline.
We offer several types of overhooks for our holsters, including IWB Overhook Struts, metal Discreet Carry Concepts (DCC) overhooks, and our new LAS Stiff Hooks. These Stiff Hooks (pictured above) offer a secure fit that ensures your holster stays exactly where you put it.
Above: The LAS Concealment Kaizen holster offers five different overhook configurations tailored to the user's needs and preferences.
Soft Loops
If the Stiff Hooks are at one end of the flexibility spectrum, soft loops are at the other end. Unlike overhooks — which hook over the top of the belt — soft loops are inserted behind the belt and attached at the top via a metal snap closure. This design keeps the holster from moving vertically or tilting, but allows it to pivot in and out along the waistline. Some wearers like this ability to move along with the body, while others find it uncomfortable.
Specialty Clips
Lastly, there are holster clips designed for more niche applications. For example, the Ulticlip is designed to clamp onto the edge of a piece of clothing, making it possible to wear a holster without a belt (for example, wearing a lightweight gun with gym shorts or sweatpants).
There's also the NeoMag Alias system, which uses a two-piece latching mechanism that sits behind the wearer's belt to partially conceal the presence of a belt clip.
Attaching & Adjusting Holster Clips
So, you've chosen your holster clips — now you need to install or adjust them. The placement of your holster's clips is essential for everyday comfort and effective concealment. There are three variables to consider:
1) Vertical - Adjusts how high or low the holster rides on your waistline. Higher placement can improve access for a quick draw, but if it's too high, it'll become uncomfortable during common movements like bending down.
2) Horizontal - Adjusts clip placement on the belt. In many cases, the clips will be fine where they're at, but large belt buckles or belt loops on certain pants can create obstructions that must be worked around.
3) Cant - Alters the angle of the gun on the waistline. A small amount of forward cant (leaning towards the top of the slide) will help with concealment by repositioning the butt of the gun higher on the wearer's midsection, but too much cant may lead to discomfort or difficulty establishing a secure grip on the gun.
Adjusting these variables is as simple as loosening the hardware that holds your holster's clips in place and repositioning it. After making a change, try on the holster again to see how it feels. Walk around, bend down, and go through other normal movements to gauge comfort, and look in the mirror to check concealment.
Once you're happy with the position of the clips, remember to apply some blue Loctite or similar light-duty threadlocker to prevent the hardware from loosening over time.
Looking for Replacement Holster Clips?
Whether you're in need of a new set of clips for one of your existing holsters or you're ready to upgrade to a holster with stronger clips, we've got you covered. Our new LAS Stiff Hooks are available individually or as part of our Kaizen holster platform.
Holster clips may seem like a small part of your concealed carry setup, but don't overlook them — they make a huge impact.