Best OWB Holster In 2022: Tested & Reviewed

OWB holsters are the choice accessory for many Gun owners, and it is hard to wonder why. It is comfortable, offers excellent draw speed, and if you buy a compact model, it also gives you decent levels of concealment. Although it is not discreet as an IWB holster, it is still a practical choice for casual gun owners.

But if you are someone with a concealed carry license only, and the gun laws are strict in your region, you need to be careful when you are buying an OWB holster. Not all units are as adept at concealing your handgun. With some models, your weapon will stick out like a sore thumb.

However, not everyone requires concealment. If you work as personal security or in law enforcement, concealment would be your second priority; your draw speed and quick access to your weapon are more important. For those professions, an OWB holster is the best choice.

If you are looking to buy the best OWB holster, you came to the right place. In this article, we will take an in-depth look into everything you need to know about this handy tool along with a complete review of the top tier products that you can buy from the market.

Image	Product	Available On	Price
	Alien Gear Cloak OWB Paddle Holster	Amazon	Check Price
	Bravo Concealment OWB	Amazon	Check Price
	R&R OWB Kydex Holster	Amazon	Check Price
	Safariland 576 7TS Gls Pro-Fit	Amazon	Check Price
	Bravo Concealment glock 19 owb holster	Amazon	Check Price
	Blade-Tech Total Eclipse Holster	Amazon	Check Price
	People – kydex owb holster Concealed Carry	Amazon	Check Price

Top 7 Best OWB Holsters Reviews

Finding the best OWB holster in the market can be quite a hectic experience. You need to account for its durability, comfort, and overall experience. Messing up in any of the sectors will leave you with a very unsatisfied experience. Considering the huge volume of subpar models available these days, it is very easy to make the wrong choice.

To protect your interests, here are our review of some of the finest OWB holster that you can find on the market.

1. Alien Gear Cloak Mod OWB Paddle Holster

When it comes to high-quality weapon holsters, Alien Gear Holster is a name that you should never underestimate. This brand is extremely popular because of the beautiful design and excellent construction quality in each of its products. This particular model is no different.

It comes with a highly adjustable design allowing you to adjust the retention and cant angle exactly to your liking. The retention adjustment mechanism comes in the form of a screw that you can use to fix the gripping strength of the holster. This flexibility helps you get better control when drawing the gun.

The construction quality of the unit also enhances the user experience by a large margin. Despite having a polymer body, it comes with a neoprene backing that feels soft and smooth. As a result, the rigidity that is often the complaint with this type of holsters is not a problem with this unit.

The neoprene backing not only offers more comfort but also features excellent sweat-absorption capacity. This means sweating cannot wear out your weapon under the warm summer sun. In addition, the cant adjustment option in the unit also allows you to set the carry angle exactly as you want it.

Pros:

• Strong and compact construction quality
• Neoprene backing enhances comfort.
• Allows cant angle adjustments
• Easily adjustable retention mechanism.

Cons:

• No apparent cons

2. Bravo Concealment OWB Gun Holster

Bravo Concealment is another well-known brand in the world of gun holsters. Although widely revered for their IWB holsters, this particular OWB unit by the brand has garnered a lot of attention. For Sig Sauer P320 owners, this holster is a must buy.

The unit comes with a retention system with a locking mechanism that you activate manually. This feature, though, might be annoying to some, increases the security of your firearm when you holster it. You can also adjust the retention level to dictate how snug the gun feels when holstered.

The unit also allows for cant angle adjustment up to 10 degrees in both directions using the 1.5-inch belt loop. As a result, you can expect an excellent drawing experience after setting it up to your liking. What is even better is that you can quickly replace the belt loop with a J-clip and essentially turn it into a concealed carry holster.

It comes with a sturdy Kydex polymer construction, massively boosting its strength and durability. The contoured design of the unit ensures extreme carrying comfort. This is an excellent investment for people who want an OWB holster that allows you to change it into an IWB one within a moment’s notice.

Pros:

• Excellent design and durability
• Comfortable and suitable for daily use
• Features a locking retention system
• Can be transformed into an IWB holster

Cons:

• A bit expensive

3. R&R Holsters: OWB Kydex Holster

For our next product, we will be looking at an excellent little unit by the brand R&R Holsters. Out of the many good qualities of this unit, what stands out the most is its compact and lightweight design. Although it does not look much at first sight, it has the potential to be your favorite holster given a chance.

When buying the holster, make sure you buy the one that is compatible with your firearm. This unit is available for a wide variety of popular guns by different manufacturers. As long as you pick out the right model, your holster will give you the perfect retention right out of the box.

The unit also comes with a sweat guard to prevent sweat from wearing out the cosmetic looks of your firearm. Thanks to the open barrel design of the unit, you can use larger guns with attachments like suppressors or compensators with it. In addition, it allows you to set the ride height and cant angle without any hassle.

The holster comes with a .80 Kydex polymer construction. As a result, durability is one thing that you do not have to worry about with this investment. Furthermore, the material is quite lightweight, ensuring that you will have a comfortable experience any time you put it on.

Pros:

• Compatible with almost any handguns
• Strong and lightweight construction
• Highly adjustable design
• Features a sweat guard

Cons:

• Fixed retention system

4. Safariland 576 7TS Gls Pro-Fit

Safariland is not a name that we usually talk about in the world of gun holsters. But the quality that comes with their 578 7TS Gls Pro-fit, any doubt you may have about the brand quickly fades away. If you want an affordable OWB holster with premium build quality, this unit deserves strong consideration.

The GLS in its name means Grip Locking System, which is essentially a beefed-up locking retention mechanism. This mechanism safely locks up your weapon as soon as you holster it, and you will not have to worry about anyone disarming you. To disable the lock, you can simply use your middle finger to flip the lock switch.

It comes with an injection-molded belt loop tether that grips your waistband, strongly giving you a stable carrying experience. To further enhance your experience, this unit allows you to adjust the ride height easily along with adjustment of the cant angle.

This versatile gun holster features a material called SafariSeven. This nylon-blend material is extremely durable, and because of its non-abrasive nature, it does not harm the cosmetics of your weapon at all. IT is also highly resistant to sudden changes in temperature, further enhancing its durability.

Pros:

• Excellent construction quality
• Features high-quality GLS design
• Excellent material choice
• Highly adjustable

Cons:

It feels a bit rough when holstering your weapon.

5. Bravo Concealment Glock 19 owb holster

If you liked the previous unit by Bravo Concealment, then you should already know about the quality that you can expect from the brand. This unit is another excellent option that you might want to consider for your next OWB holster. It shares many of the features with the previous unit by the brand while offering a much more affordable price.

It comes with a highly adjustable retention mechanism allowing you to dictate the smoothness of your draw. The cant and ride adjustment options further seal the deal giving you complete freedom to customize your experience of drawing your weapon while using this holster.

Because of its weapon-specific design, you can expect a perfect holster as soon as you take it out of the box. However, before committing to a purchase, make sure you go for the one that is compatible with your specific weapon. In addition, give your hand preference a thought since it features a lefty and a righty model.

The unit is also quite durable, thanks to its strong Kydex polymer construction. Its open-ended design allows you to holster guns that have suppressors or sight attachments. This unit is a highly practical option for any gun lovers who want a high-quality OWB holster in their collection.

Pros:

• Features a high-quality sweat guard
• Highly adjustable retention, ride height, and cant level.
• Affordable price tag
• Threaded barrel design

Cons:

• No apparent Cons

6. Blade-Tech Industries Total Eclipse Holster

Next up, we are looking at a stylish OWB holster by the brand Blade-tech. The Total Eclipse gun holster features excellent build quality and superior design features that make it worth a strong consideration when you are looking to add a new holster to your collection.

Its weapon-specific design means you need to consult its compatibility list before you can buy one for the weapon you own. However, this also means you will get a better experience with the holster for your specific gun. Regardless of the model of your handgun, you can expect it to work perfectly.

The highly adjustable retention in the unit allows you to customize how your weapon feels when you put it inside. Adjusting the retention is extremely hassle-free. Because of the ambidextrous design of the unit, you do not need to worry about your hand preference when buying it.

In addition to its excellent design, the construction of the unit is also one of the best we have seen. It comes with a precision molded nylon blend ensuring you get a long lifespan from your investment. In addition, the holster feels smooth and will not impact your gun’s cosmetic quality.

Pros:

• Allows easy conversion to an IWB holster
• Ambidextrous design
• Features a high-quality trigger guard.
• Efficient retention system

Cons:

• No apparent cons

7. We The People Holsters – Kydex owb holster – Outside Waistband Concealed Carry

To wrap up our list of reviews, we are looking at a brand called We The People. Aptly named for its devotion to customer satisfaction, this is one unit that you should never overlook. It features an excellent construction quality and gives you impressive draw speed as long as you have the right technique.

This unit comes with weapon-specific holsters, and you need to pick out the right model depending on the gun you own. However, thanks to its massive compatibility list, it is highly unlikely that you will not find the right unit for your weapon regardless of which one you use.

You also get a lot of adjustment options with this holster. Its retention, although it feels perfect, can be further adjusted to your liking. In addition, you can use the screws located on the holster to fix the ride height and cant angle to get an even better experience with your weapon drawing.

The strong polymer construction of the holster boasts a level of durability that is unparalleled at this price range. Even if you handle your holster roughly, you can expect it to last a lifetime. Despite its sturdy nature, the unit is surprisingly lightweight and compact, ensuring you get the ultimate comfort when using it.

Pros:

• Highly adjustable design
• Lightweight and compact
• Waterproof design
• Compatible with a wide range of guns.

Cons:

• No apparent cons

Things to Know Before Buying the Best OWB Holster

With the list of products out of the way, we can start looking at some of the features that we considered when doing this review. These features, although they might seem a lot to go through, can help you drastically when you are trying to find the perfect unit for yourself.

Most beginners who have never used a gun holster before can find it difficult to understand the quality of a holster. This, in turn, results in them investing in a mediocre product and leaving with an unsatisfied experience. The most important questions that you need to ask yourself when choosing an OWB holster are:

• Is discretion a priority?
• How fast do you want to draw your gun?
• Is the holster comfortable?

Without having a clear concept about these elements of the holster, you should never commit to it. To make things easier for you, here are a few key features that you need to consider when you are buying the best OWB holster.

Construction Quality and Material Selection

The construction quality of the holster is the very first thing you need to look at to get an idea about its performance. Typically, you have to choose between a leather-made holster or one that features a Kydex polymer construction. In terms of performance, the two materials vary wildly.

Leather Holsters

Leather holsters, as you might imagine, are the comfier of the two variants. It is lightweight and looks extremely stylish. In terms of durability, they offer decent performance. If you are investing in a high-quality leather holster, you can expect it to last for quite a few years.

However, since leather is a soft material, it starts stretching as you continuously keep using it. This means the retention of the holster will start to feel ineffective over time. As long as the leather quality is good, however, you will need to wait a long time to see the retention start failing.

Kydex Holsters

Kydex holster, on the other hand, is stiff and hard. Typically, a Kydex holster is cheaper than a high-quality leather holster but offers a better lifespan. Since Kydex is a rigid polymer, it does not suffer from the stretchy issues that a leather holster does after a few years.

That is why it is a popular choice among a lot of users. However, its sturdiness also causes it to be less comfortable than a leather unit. If durability is your prime concern and you do not worry about how the holster feels in your hand, then Kydex holsters are an excellent choice.

Hybrid Holsters

If you are not happy with either of the two variants, then you might prefer a Hybrid holster. This type of holster features a strong Kydex construction along with a soft leather backing giving you both a comfortable feeling on the skin while retaining its strength and durability over long years.

As you might expect, hybrid holsters tend to be quite expensive. However, thankfully the price is on par with a decent high-quality leather holster. So if you want the best of both worlds, a hybrid holster is the way to go, even if it might cost a few bucks extra.

Design of the Holster

OWB holsters have seen many changes over the years. Each manufacturer has a distinct way to design their OWB holster, which is unique to the brand. But if you look closely, you will see two main design variants, pancake style or paddle style. And before you choose a product, you need to understand which design is right for you.

Pancake Holsters

Pancake designs are widely considered the best OWB holster for concealment. It comes with a much slimmer, low-profile design that hugs your body tightly, hiding away the appearance of your gun. Typically, most pancake holsters come with a leather construction.

Another major benefit of this type of holster is its comfort. The design largely counteracts the weight of the weapon by distributing it evenly across the holster. As a result, it feels quite lightweight and comfortable to wear. This type of holster is a great choice if you will be wearing it the entire day.

Paddle Holsters

Where pancake holsters prioritize comfort and discretion, paddle holsters are the king when it comes to ease of access and draw speed. If you want to be weapons-ready all the time, a paddle holster is the best choice. It is a very popular choice among law enforcement officials.

This type of holster stays outside the body and attaches to the holster with an extra piece of material. By design, it is the exact opposite of a traditional IWB Xds holster. The main setback of this design is discretion, but people who use this type of holsters are not typically concerned with concealment too much, to begin with.

Draw Speed

The importance of draw speed when you are going with an OWB holster should really go without saying. You want to buy a unit that does not obstruct your hand motion to your gun. With a better draw speed, you will be able to react to escalating situations quickly.

However, your draw speed with the holster does not solely depend on the unit you are buying. You need to practice proper drawing techniques and understand the holster mounting positions to get the best draw speed possible. Also, give some thought to your clothing as it can affect your access to your weapon.

Concealment

Whether you require concealment from your OWB holster is something you want to consider before you buy a specific unit. As we said, not all OWB holsters offer good concealment as it is not the most obvious priority. However, if you have only a concealed carry permit, this is a factor that you must consider.

There are many compact OWB holsters available on the market that might be a good choice if you want concealment. Your attire also plays a large part in visibility. For discretion, you want to wear oversized shirts that can hide your weapon without leaving any printing.

Comfort

When it comes to your gun holster, you should never compromise on your comfort. Remember, one of the main advantages of an OWB holster is the comfort that it provides to the user sacrificing concealment. If the holster itself is not comfortable to wear, it is not worth buying.

Make sure the construction quality of the unit is flawless. If you are going with a polymer holster, check for any rough edges or irritating surface. Leather holsters are generally more comfortable, but low-quality models can cause issues with sensitive skin.

Retention

Retention in any gun holster is a critical factor to consider. A gun holster with poor retention will not be able to grip your weapon tightly when you put it inside. This can impact both the security of your firearm and your draw speed. Ideally, you want your holster to give you some adjustment options to set the retention levels.

With leather holsters, however, retention is fixed in most cases and cannot be adjusted. So if you want to go with a leather holster, make sure the retention feels good right out of the box. If it is too tight or loose, you will not get a good experience with the holster.

Cant Adjustment

Being able to adjust the cant angle is an important feature that you must not overlook when selecting an OWB holster. This essential element allows you to modify the resting position of your handgun to give you a better grip and access to your weapon when you want to draw it.

It also allows you to try out different carry positions and help you figure out your best drawing angle. Almost all high-end OWB holsters come with this feature, and without proper adjustment options, you will not be able to get the most out of your investment.

Gun Compatibility

The gun holster that you are buying also needs to be compatible with your firearm. This seems like a feature that needs no explanation, but it is surprising how many people tend to overlook it. If you do not check the compatibility list of the holster, there is always a risk of you ending up with a unit that does not go well with your firearm.

Typically, any holster can hold a wide range of models. If you are a collector and have quite a few weapons at your disposal, think about the firearms that you might want to use with the holster. Ideally, you want to go with the unit that can hold most of your handguns.

Price

The final element that requires your attention when buying an OWB holster is its price. Now, this factor might not affect everyone the same way. Some might not have a problem spending hundreds of dollars on a holster, while others may prefer to stay on a reasonable budget.

If you are a budget spender, you need to be smart about your investment. Prioritize your requirements and set a realistic budget for yourself before you start browsing the market. That way, you will be able to keep your expense at a minimum while focusing on the attributes that benefit you the most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions that people often ask when they are looking to buy an OWB holster.

Final Thoughts

Buying an OWB holster, especially if you are a beginner, can be quite hectic. Since this is typically a long-term investment, you really cannot afford to mess up your choice. After all, your holster impacts a lot of things, such as your draw speed, reflex, and even your comfort.

We hope our article on the best OWB holsters could help you figure out which units are worth considering as your next investment. Hopefully, our comprehensive buying guide made it easy for you to understand which elements you should focus on when making your investment.