REVIEW: First Spear Soft Belt Holster

Leather? Kydex? Cordura? The agony of choice when it comes to a holster. While Kydex has largely established itself as the material for holsters, there are still meaningful alternatives made from other materials. First Spear has designed the Soft Belt Holster, a very flat holster made of Cordura that does without much frills. Martin has tested it for you.

The advantage of Kydex is obvious - a rigid holster that is precisely fitted is the best and fastest way to draw and holster the weapon. However, these naturally add more bulk than a more flexible holster made of, for example, Cordura - even the IWB holsters (Inside the waistbelt - worn on the inside of the pants) are somewhat bulkier due to the rigid form. Furthermore, with a Kydex holster, you are firmly bound to a specific gun model and can usually only carry it on one side of the belt.

The Soft Belt Holster from First Spear largely eliminates the weaknesses of the Kydex holster and thus offers a real alternative.

There are two belt loops on both the front and back of the holster to be able to carry it on both sides. The loops are doubled, meaning there are actually two pairs on each side - the inner loop is laminated to ensure a good grip on the belt. The loops on the outside are ideal for attaching, for example, the S&S Pocket Shiv.

The size of the holster is naturally not 100 percent universal, but it can accommodate all common mid-size pistols such as the P226 or the Glock 19. The pictures show the slightly shorter Sig Pro 2022, which is already considered a compact pistol.

The closure of the holster is a classic thumb break - you "break" the snap with your thumb to gain access to the weapon. The closure is attached to the holster with Velcro at the back and front and can be adjusted up and down depending on the pistol model. A change in the opening direction is also possible because the two parts can be completely repositioned.

Furthermore, there is a bungee attachment on the holster that allows you to secure the weapon against loss.

The shape of the holster itself is slightly curved to fit the human hip. Furthermore, the draw angle is slightly forward offset - this is the so-called "FBI Cant". The angle is ideal for concealed carry under a shirt, for example. The actual pistol retention is made of stiffened Cordura, so the gun sits very well and can be drawn perfectly. Unfortunately, due to the resistance when holstering the pistol, you may (depending on the gun) have the problem that the pistol slide slightly moves back. However, if you know this, you can counteract by placing your thumb on the end of the slide.

CONCLUSION: The Soft Belt Holster is the perfect holster for concealed carry of a handgun. Everything is well thought out and at a good price. If you're quick, you can still get remaining stock of the holster at Pol-Tec. It is still available in Black and Multicam. Additionally, there is the color Coyote, which is already sold out there. Price-wise, it is available in the USA directly from First Spear for about 53$, Pol-Tec offers it at a bargain price of 34€ (Black) and 37€ (Multicam). First Spear products will be available in Germany in the future at TACWRK.

First Spear holster with complete set-up.