U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- I remember years ago when Uncle Mike’s came out with their canvas holsters. Up until then all that was on the market were leather holsters. A buddy that owned the largest outdoor stores in Idaho told me the story of how they ran the idea by him before they started producing them. He told them that was the dumbest idea that he had ever heard of. Boy was he ever wrong on that one. He should of loaned them the money to produce them.
And I have to admit, I still love leather holsters. Maybe I’m old school but to me they are a lot tougher, they look cool and it’s just how it ought to be. But, for an economical, lightweight, functional holster Uncle Mike’s stormed the market. So, I loved them and I probably own 6-8 of them as we type.
So, I like the Uncle Mike’s canvas holsters but there are two tweaks that I wish they would make on them.
- I wish the side went up a little higher so the holster fully covered the trigger. It scares me that a limb will snag the trigger and shoot off my revolver while scrambling up and down the mountains.
- Numerous times I look down and the snap has unfastened. This scares me because I’m afraid my pistol will fall out while hiking or riding a horse. I wished they snapped down more securely but on the other hand, if they snapped too tightly, I’d be worried that I couldn’t get it out in time in an emergency.
So those two tweaks would enhance the holster.
THINGS HAVE CHANGED…..AND NOT FOR THE BETTER
In the old days the belt loops were made by sewing on a piece of canvas strap. They held up pretty good. The holster in which I carry my mountain pistol has started ripping loose and I had to re-sew it but that’s understandable. If I’m in the mountains, I’m wearing that holster so that’s just normal wear and tear. It has been worn a lot.
Now we get into why I can no longer recommend an Uncle Mike’s Holster. Somewhere along the way they switched from sewing on a piece of canvas for a belt loop and started using a piece of plastic. Over time this plastic becomes brittle and fractures in the blink of an eye. Everyone I own broke and without hardly being used.
Over the last few years, I’ve bought my girls holsters to carry their pistols. I’d always had good luck with Uncle Mike’s and unfortunately didn’t even pay any attention to the change from canvas to plastic belt loops. To my dismay, every one of them have broken. And it’s not like my girls carry a pistol every day as I do. My wife may put her pistol (in the holster) in her fanny pack but I bet she doesn’t actually wear the holster but maybe once every 4-months. So it’s not like it has any wear. In fact, the actual holster still looks brand new.
If you notice, I never blast a company in any of my articles. Everyone is trying to make a living. So before I ever say something negative I try to research the topic first. I’ve worked production all of my life. An old boss once told me, “Tom, everyone can mess up. If you handle the problem professionally, sometimes it will become a blessing. The customer will be impressed with how you handle the problem”.
Didn’t happen in this instance. I called Uncle Mike’s. The company contact person I talked to was excellent but you could tell, this decision was made way above them. The company told me that if I had the sales receipt, they could replace it but if not, I’d have to repair it. Who keeps a $20 receipt on every item you daily buy?
That’s the wrong answer. If a product has only been used a handful of times and breaks, I expect it to be replaced.
SUMMARY: In a nutshell here is my advice. Don’t buy an Uncle Mike’s holster until they come up with a new belt loop and get a viable warranty program.
About Tom Claycomb
Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoor writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net, and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal, you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening #ad for $.99 if you’re having trouble.”
I’m sure we all own some of these holsters. It would really be a shame for a company that is used by so many to start selling junk.
I have never owned any of their holsters. My parents didn’t raise a dummy.
Fine guns deserve leather but yeah I’ve worn out my share of Uncle Mikes cordura rigs. They all would be of older vintage though so they simply got threadbare before the loops for the belt gave out. My EDC has been riding in a MASC Leather OWB for better than 3 years now. No sign of that giving up at all.
http://www.mascholster.com.tr
When (I started to say, “if”, but we all know how that goes) I buy a new handgun, I usually pick up an Uncle Mikes holster for it at the next gun show for $5 to $10 bucks. To me they are more gun holders, than actual holsters, and in that role I’m happy with them. They protect the gun, at least the covered portion, from scratches and dings and cushion it while riding in the vehicle or when at the range with other guns. I don’t use them for every day concealed or open carry, I have mostly leather… Read more »
They were my first holster. They were perfectly suited for what I needed. I have some other holsters that I picked up at yard sales, etc. that had the rubber back, and they were a POS. I now buy only decent quality holsters, as they are worth the money.
The ONLY reason to get one of these is if you have a gun thats unique enough where you simply can’t find a kydex holster for.
I looked at a few of them several years ago and thought that the opening needed some kind of stiffener to hold them open when you draw. It seemed as though re-holstering would be a challenge. Are they still like that?
Thank you for the update. I have several older holsters that work well. I need to get a few more holsters for new;y-acquired guns. I WILL NOT be buying from Uncle Mikes.