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Fobus is an Israeli based polymer holster manufacturer that is often hit with the same, love it or hate it fandom as Glock’s. Few companies garner as much love or hate as these 2 companies so when Fobus contacted us about a review we said sure let’s see what it is all about. We figured just for good measure lets be sure to test the holster using some of our Glock’s.
As mentioned above Fobus is an Israeli based company. I am neither Jewish or Israeli but I can tell you that I have liked almost every gun based product out of that country. When you live in a heightened alert, with war in your backyard everyday, it is likely that any weapons and gear you produce will be based on first hand knowledge and have the ability to last. Fobus develops what we think to be the premier lightweight all weather plastic holder on the market. With recent changes to its product line you will see they have only gotten better.
Fobus has specialized in the OWB or outside the waistband holster for over 35 years dating back to 1978. If you are looking for a fast draw, OWB will almost always win over any other method. When seconds mean the difference between life or death, hunting, or at the range OWB is often the preferred method of carry. We have spoken here about how a holster can only the right holster individually based on your needs and body type. So lets explore the reasons why Fobus might be the right holster for you.
Material and Specs
Holsters are made out of just about anything that can be molded these days. The most common is leather, kydex and polymer. Leather has been around as a holster since the earliest guns. Many people swear it is the best thing to use period. I personally love the look of leather and have a few leather holsters but I will be honest it does not compare to the new materials available.
There is a school of thought that polymer is for kids toys. Early forms of polymer have shown to be weak, to this day some of the low quality Chinese plastic is indeed garbage. In fact Fobus even warns of Chinese knock offs that are set to try and ruin the Fobus name. Learn more about that here: http://firstsamco.com/Fobus/counterfeit/.
It should be no surprise that Fobus excels int he polymer holster market as they ere the first to the market with this revolutionary product. Unfortunately that early entry left them with the burden of perfecting the product. After 35 years of doing this though and many new versions and changes to the product line they have perfected the molding injected polymer holster.
Fobus and Glock have proven that quality companies can produce top notch and worthy of our attention. Lets look at some of the advantages to polymer:
- Weather resistant water, sun sweat and other environmental factors that ruin leather do not affect polymer the same way
- Lighter then leather. Quality reinforced leather can become very heavy and add extra weight
- Less damage to the gun. Leather is known to cause wear marks on the finish of weapons. Polymer has been proven to be less destructive to the finish.
- Adjustable retention is achieved on Polymer and virtually impossible to easily adjust on leather
- Rigid form allows for easier re-holstering. Leather or fabric’s will collapse without the gun in them. Rigid kydex and polymer will not.
Open Carry
Michigan is an open carry state. Due to the way that the laws are written there are some places in Michigan that a CPL holder can not carry concealed but can carry open. In cases like this the Fobus holster really shines. Open Carry can pose a unique set of issues. While some feel that the presence of a gun on their hip is an indication of a hard target, encouraging criminals to pass on to an easier target, others will contest that the gun itself makes you a target for criminals looking to acquire a weapon.
Putting either theory’s validity aside for a minute one thing becomes clear if you do open carry and you are attacked the likely hood is that the criminal will go for your gun first. This is where the Fobus retention systems specifically the Thumb Lever/Drive holsters are an advantage. Further the very tight paddle, retaining tabs and rubberized paddle backing separate Fobus from most of the cheap paddle holsters on the market notorious for being grabbed away from you.
Hunting
In Michigan you are allowed to open carry in the woods when hunting. However based on our nasty weather common during the hunting season it is not uncommon to ruin a leather holster. The advanced polymer in the Evolution Series are even designed to allow for fast draining, so your gun can dry out faster. Fobus’s adjustable retention will allow you to get in and out of your blinds, tree stands and special hunting spots with no fear of your sidearm coming loose. With a wide assortment of supported guns with lights Fobus makes an excellent partner to take with you in the woods.
Range and Competition Time
The most common use of Fobus holsters in my experience has been as a range holster. Having a light weight adjustable retention in an OWB configuration lends nicely to competition and range time. Yes there is very expensive extremely minimalistic rigs people put on their 3K tricked out race gun bit for most of us that is just not an option. If you are new to competition or want to get started Fobus offers a full line of regulation holsters that can get you into competition cheaply.
Wear and Tear
Fobus sent us several different holsters to test out. We have been able to evaluate a Glock 27, 19 and Springfield XDM9 in the evolution series. The 1911 version we received did not have support for the rails on our Sig Tacops and was to large for the p938 so we have not tested this with either our full size gun or a pocket pistol. After 30 days of wear evaluated over 3 testers the results are in.
The holsters are easy to wear and comfortable. The added material on the back of the paddle makes it very easy to wear and ensure the holster stays in place. I had very little shift getting in and out of car or when running with it.
Retention is spot on and allowed for the guns to stay put in both office and field work. The adjustable retention screw allow you to find the sweet spot of a fat draw and the perfect amount of retention. The exact shape molding and trigger indent that allows for a clear click when holstering lets you know with confidence your gun is where it should be.
The holsters have been easy to clean and maintain receiving almost no wear in the 30 days of active use. They have gotten wet and been left in hot cars with no damage to the holster. We have rolled around in the dirt and wiped them off with no adverse affects. Overall for range use and open carry we all agree this is the best paddle holsters we have ever worn.
We attempted (with unloaded weapons0 to disarm each other. Even using the documented technique of the twist and pull that has given paddle holsters a bad name we have been unable to wrestle the gun free. The tighter paddle, enhanced retention tabs and rubberized paddle backing on the new evolution series looks to be what is making the difference here.
I have tired to conceal carry using this holster as has 1 of the other testers. Both of us are larger guys and the printing was very obvious. In the winter months when we have sweaters or hoodies it may be a possibility but at this time we can not recommend the Fobus paddle holster as a concealed carry holster. In Fobus’s defense I have not found any OWB holster that I can conceal easily with a baggy T-shirt or polo.
Summary
- If you are looking for an OWB holster that is weather resistant and or inexpensive buy a Fobus.
- If you plan to Open Carry then consider the Fobus thumb drive holster and make sure you practice the action of drawing safely.
- If you want a way to carry around your property when doing yard work or exploring your woods then this is by far the best option on the market.
- If you are new to shooting and are unsure of what holster to buy this is a great place to start and use to practice with
If you are interested in getting a Fobus holster here are some additional resources for you:
