i have a glock 17 rtf and am going to class to get my ccw i want to go ahead and get a holster and everything i want and need.
what are some recomendations? polymer,leather, paddle, iwb, owb?  pics would be awesome
i dont have any clue what to go with.
i dont know if height or weight or anything have to do with choosing

See my response to your thread over in the Glock sub-forum.

Indeed.

Mine was:

What works best for me is a leather 2 or 3 slot pancake style holster (OWB).

Like the Galco Combatmaster or Bianchi Shadow (with thumbreak). I've got my G17 in the Bianchi right now.

ComTac CTac or MTac, Supertuck, Treat solutions UCR, etc. Might as well get the "slide" versions that fit all glock 9's, .40's and .357's, you're likely to end up w/ more than one(26, 19, 23, etc)

I use a Comp-Tac CTAC IWB holster. I've CCWed a G34 using it.

M-Tac!



/thread

I cant figure out ,how all the other holster makers stay in business.

general questions: what is your general build? what types of clothing do you tend to wear? have you had any sort of CCW/firearms training before? what kind of holster do you use now (if any)?


you will get a LOT of diff advice...in the end, its what is good for YOU and your purposes

first off, what is your planned method of carry?
IWB tends to best for concealment since it offers the most concealment, so if its for CCW, that will narrow the field; h/w, there are some OWBs that will work great, depending on your typical attire and how the holster wears (you want it as flat to your side as possible)

next, pertaining to holsters, its either going to be quality kydex or quality form fitted leather (or hybrids, like the crossbreed or MTAC)––everything else is either a specialty type holster (like belly bands, etc_) or useless/poor holster choices for defensive uses (IMO)

CCW carrying, rig/gear wise, will rely on 3 main "gear" factors, in relation to your firearm: your holster (and its quality and comfort/construction––all will factor in concealment and distrubiing the weight and bulk of your firearm as well as a role as a holster), your belt (get a good, dedicated gun belt, stiff leather or a good nylon one, like wilderness,etc), and attire (slightly oversized in the waist pants, loose shirts, jackets, etc)––all will be in relation to how you are physically built and how you want to carry

a good belt is criitcal in distrubiting the weight of your rig efficiently and more comfortably; holster selection is very critical in several areas

pretty much, i would recommend a holster that: properly and fully secures your trigger guard/trigger area; has some sort of retention feature, even if its just a "passive" (like tension) retention––natural, everyday body movements can easily dislodge a non retained firearm; form fitted and stiff enough to allow for one handed reholstering (for several reasons, including practicing of having a consistant draw/reholster that takes only one hand, malf drills, etc)

as to everyday comfort, this will be based a lot on what you do everyday (say for example, if you spend most of your day driving or sitting in a desk, i would consider a crossdraw for quicker access and more comfort), but in general, the main methods i would look to are (in this order): strong side hip (or just behind the hip, ~4oclock if you are a righty), appendix, and for certain occasions, crossdraw in front

generally, i recommend strong side, IWB for several reasons, including ease and natural presentation, increased concealment across the spectrum (from the side, front, angles), retention purposes, etc; the other one i do prefer is appendix carry, as its "quicker" imo to deploy, but i find it more difficult to CCW larger firearms in this area-

i usually dont recommend SOB for several reasons, including everyday comfort for most people, access, and printing problems.

bottom line: you are probably going to have to try out a bunch of diff brands in order to find what works for YOU

if it were me, and if i had to start anew to find holsters, i'd buy 2: the $10 glock factory OWB holster (wears very flat, is very tough, and simple) for range/competition, even some "duty" uses; and for an IWB, i'd either look to a CompTac MTAC or a Raven Concealment IWB

good luck w/ your descion, and i would recommend you seek professional instruction/schooling to help out

ETA: already posted

I went through all this as well and in the end I chose an M-tac to carry my Full size USP45.  I could not be happier.  It's a "Large" gun and I can hardly tell its there.  The M-tac is very wel regarded and I dont think you will be disappointed.