Galco Summer Comfort IWB Holster

The Galco Summer Comfort is an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster designed for both pistols and revolvers.  The Summer Comfort is a leather holster in the style of the classic Milt Sparks Summer Special.

I purchased my Summer Comfort more than 10 years ago, and have used it extensively with my Glock 19.  The Summer Comfort has held up very well, and I have certainly gotten my money’s worth from it.

My Summer Comfort holster is tan, but the Galco rep I spoke with at the 2009 SHOT Show said they will only be made in black from now on.  When asked why, the rep replied that customer demand for black holsters was the majority of the business on this style holster.  While I prefer tan, the black samples I held at the SHOT Show were very nice.

Made from saddle leather my Summer Comfort has a smooth, slightly shiny exterior, with an unfinished, unlined interior.  I carried my Glock for several years in this holster and the unfinished interior did not damage the finish on the Glock at all.

The mouth of the Summer Comfort features a rigid, reinforced area that prevents the holster from collapsing.  This allows the user to insert a firearm when the holster is being worn.  In my opinion, this is a very important feature, as it allows you to put your gun away, should you ever draw it in a self defense situation.

The belt loops will fit belts up to 1 3/4″.  I found that the 5.11 belt, which is 1 1/2″ wide, works very well with this holster.  I also discovered that a 1 1/4″ belt can work with this holster, but it is not ideal.  With the 1 1/4″ belt, the holster can move up and down too much for my taste.  When sitting and standing using the more narrow belt, I found I would have to adjust the holster virtually every time I moved to prevent it from printing.  With the 1 1/2″ belt I never had this problem.

The holster tilts the gun slightly butt forward.  I found that the Summer Comfort was best carried slightly behind the strong side hip.  With a pair of Levi jeans, the perfect position was just behind my right hip, where a belt loop on the pants was placed between the two loops on the holster.  This prevented the holster from ever moving forward or backward on the belt.  With the 1 1/2″ 5.11 belt preventing movement up and down, the gun and holster were anchored into position allowing me to practice with the gun being in the “right” spot every time.

The one drawback I found with the Summer Comfort is that there is not a leather piece that extends up, preventing direct contact of the skin onto the gun.  For me this was rarely a problem, but if you are living in a warm climate in which you may not wear an undershirt, the gun may be uncomfortable directly next to your skin.  I did not find this to be a problem, but your experiences may vary.

As I previously mentioned, the Summer Comfort has proven to be very durable.  I have worn this holster for years in all types of weather, from Florida to Maine.  I’ve worn it with shorts, jeans, and suits.  Though it is obviously not new, it is in such good condition that I don’t think anyone would ever guess how many miles this thing has got on it.  The snaps look virtually new, the stitching is nearly perfect and it still performs as it should.

The Galco Summer Comfort retails for $69.95, but can be had for only $55.96 through Amazon.  If you are looking for a reasonably priced concealed carry holster, consider the Galco Summer Comfort IWB holster.