SHOT Show Coverage

The Kholster holster, an inside the waistband holster, was reviewed by Tom last month. As Kholster was kind enough to send us several holsters to evaluate, I also have been testing one.

Full Moon Kholster

During the past several months, I have been using the Full Moon Kholster designed for the full sized Smith & Wesson M&P. Overall, the Kholster was very comfortable, secured the pistol well, and did a good job at concealing the duty-sized gun.

The Kholster is a relatively simple design consisting of a round cut of leather with a Kydex insert riveted to the leather. There are also two metal clips affixed to the leather. The clips are attached to the leather by screws. This allows the clips to be moved to other pre-drilled holes, offering a wide range of adjustments to match the individual user.

My S&W M&P fit perfectly into the Kydex portion of the holster. The pistol was securely held, and no amount of sitting, walking, running or jumping around dislodged the pistol when it was worn.

I found the Kholster was one of the most comfortable IWB holsters I have ever worn. The large, round leather piece did an excellent job at protecting my skin from rubbing against the edges of the pistol.

The metal clips are positioned at the far edges of the leather, so the pistol weight is widely distributed. I found this to be more comfortable than a single clip or straps located just at the pistol’s location.

I frequently take short trips, where the drive is 2-3 hours. On several of these trips, the M&P made the journey in the Kholster. I was happy to discover that the Kholster was more comfortable than other IWB holsters I have tried for these journeys.

Initially the leather was slightly stiff, and made an odd print under a shirt. However, after a few days of wearing the holster, the leather took on the contours of my body, and the odd printing disappeared.

The full-size S&W pistol concealed very nicely under an untucked shirt. I was concerned about concealing a gun the size of the M&P, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was no harder than a smaller pistol like the Glock 19.

I found that drawing from the Kholster was similar to other IWB holsters. However, obtaining a grip on the gun was slightly different due to the protective leather piece. I discovered the best way to draw the gun, was to lay my thumb over the back of the slide, with the proper portion of my palm contacting the M&P’s grip. As my fingers wrapped around the gun and began to pull upward, the grip of the gun moved away from my body just enough for my thumb to slide into the proper position. Practicing this draw, I became very proficient, and had no problems with completely controlling the gun.

The craftsmanship of the Kholster is good, with no discernable blimishes or other problems. However, it does not have the same “look and feel” of a high-end scabbard made by someone like Mitch Rosen. But, the Kholster is designed to be functional, not a decoration piece. And for the same price of a single high-end holster, you could own three Kholsters.

Kholster LLC offers a 90-day unconditional, no strings guarantee and a limited lifetime guarantee. Kholster states that if you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may, within 90 days, return the holster for a full refund or replacement – your choice. Additionally, Kholster stands behind the holsters for life, repairing or replacing any holsters with a defect in material or craftsmanship free of charge.

Kholster holsters sell for only $45 each, with free shipping to the lower 48 states.

Bottom Line

I found the Kholster to be a good quality product at a very reasonable price. The holster is comfortable and carries the pistol securely.

Christmas Special

From now until December 16, 2009, Kholster is selling all of their holsters for only $36 each, and that includes free priority shipping.

FTC Notice: Kholster LLC provided the holsters for this and the previous review at no charge. Kholster LLC did not pay GunsHolstersAndGear.com or any of its writers money to write this review.