Until recently, I have always been a leather and steel guy...  I used to carry a CZ-75B in a Milt Sparks VM2.
After buying a Kahr to replace my CZ, I decided to go at it in a whole new way for daily CC and it opened my eyes to the following products.



Theis Holsters, Horsehide IWB:

First, let me begin by saying that Theis Holsters are by no means anything less than the other popular kydex/leather combinations available. If you are considering any of the similar holsters out there, give Tommy some serious consideration before you purchase from another company.

The common squeak of a new leather holster has entirely disappeared after wearing the holster for a few days. No need to use talcum powder this time.

Once the leather has formed to your body, the comfort level is unsurpassed. There are no uncomfortable metal edges or pressure points from the leather making contact with the skin - My old VM2 would dig into my sciatic nerve and cause soreness, which may have been partially related to the longer barrel length of the CZ. After a long day at work, I often fall asleep still dressed, with the pistol on my hip... It is that comfortable. When I wake up, the pistol is still securely holstered. Retention is fine - Just enough to keep the pistol in place without requiring two hands to draw.

Concealment is without flaw. The pistol is a Kahr CW9, carried at 4:30. I am 5'11, 182lbs, and I wear medium sized shirts... No need to go up a size in shirts. When looking in a mirror, even I cannot see the pistol or holster print.

I opted for the spring steel belt clips, and I couldn't be happier with them. The holster does not slide around on the belt, the clips have retained their form and strength, and no damage has been incurred by my belt. These clips allow the wearer to tuck in his/her shirt, which I rarely do, but find the option nice to have. For the sake of testing, I did tuck my t-shirt in and it stayed put, without printing the holster or pistol.

The price is competitive, shipping is often timely and Tommy is a nice guy who cares about his customers. When I had questions for him, he answered them promptly and politely. He earned a first class rating for his holster quality and customer service.


Ares Gear, Ranger Belt:
Finding the right belt (and holster) can be just as draining of your bank account as it is of your time and energy. I researched numerous options, including the Wilderness Instructor and Beltman belts. Tension adjustment was something that I took into consideration... Leather had notches which may be too tight or too loose, and most nylon belts had a wide range of adjustment but relied on a funky fastener like velcro. Sizing your belt is sometimes a questionable process... I, among others, have ordered a belt only to find that we unfortunately measured wrong and/or selected the wrong size.

None of those issues were found at Ares Gear. Ordering was simple, and the Cobra buckle keeps the nylon tension strap secured. Dropping trou is as easy as squeezing the buckle. Your tension adjustment remains untouched. The only "issue" that can be faulted with this belt is that some people may not take kindly to having to unthread the tension strap from the buckle when changing pants... I got used to doing it, and for a belt this nice it is worth looking past something so insignificant.

The belt is very stiff, but it will conform to your body to some extent after wearing it long enough. Mine has been around my waist for close to a year now, and it has taken form horizontally, with its vertical rigidity remaining nearly unchanged. In a couple of the pictures, you can see that it has even molded to the small of my back, where the two strips of muscle run alongside the spine. It is one of the most comfortable belts that I have worn.

The only wear that has shown on the belt is on the buckle itself, around the edges and at the brass contact points. This is a very durable and long lasting belt.



Now, for the obligatory cell phone pictures:

Thanks for the review  I also have the Thesis holster and have happy thoughts about it.  I use it with a Beltman horsehide belt.