PHLster is one of those companies that started out small and niche-focused several years ago, and due to the excellence of its products and the focus and hard work of its principals is now one of the innovative leaders in concealed carry. Here's two new and very worthwhile products from them.
The Flatpack Windlass Tourniquet Carrier
Trends come and go in this industry. The mere fads don't last long, but some things that trend up are actually useful advances in our practice. Carrying a trauma kit is one of these; by now there have been countless lives saved by. and of, police officers because they carried one. We should all have one (or more) nearby. Yes, it's one more thing to have to carry...somehow. But still, it's a valuable addition to the armed person's kit.
The only issue with it is the one I obliquely referred to above: it's one more thing to carry. If you are carrying a bag or pack, then no problem. On your person however, you need to find room for a blood-soaking bandage, tourniquet, and haemostatic agent...at a minimum. The new Flatpack from PHLster goes a long way towards solving the problem. It allow you to carry a windlass tourniquet (the best, but most bulky type) such as the CAT or SOFTT-Wide models, packaged for easy one-hand deployment, on your belt, all nice and flat. Since this is a soft item, you can make use of any available area (including the small of the back) on your belt. To use: Simply flat-fold your tourniquet and secure it to the backboard with the included elastic cord. With adjustable tension, any tourniquet will fit. It comes with loops for carry on a belt or PALS webbing, or it can be carried in a pocket with the loops removed. If you carry the most bulky item -- the tourniquet -- on your belt with a PHLster Flatpack, you should then be able to find room in a pocket or even an ankle rig for the bandage and haemostatic agent. To see it in action, there are a number of YouTube videos; you can start here.
The Classic AIWB Holster
PHLster cut its teeth on Kydex AIWB holsters. It's focus on AIWB in the early days of this now-common mode of carry, and the quality of its products, gave it a bright name in this crowded field early on. I reviewed the PHLster Access AIWB holster for Officer.com a couple years ago here. It was the first AIWB holster that really worked for me. I liked my review copy for the S&W M&P so much that I bought another one for my Glock 19. The Access is now replaced by the new PHLster Classic. The Classic is an updated version of the Access, incorporating both what's been learned about AIWB since then and the minimalism that's a PHLster trademark. I had a chance to see the Access at the 2017 SHOT Show (as much happens in the aisles and hallways at SHOT as on the show floor!) and couldn't wait to actually try it.
First though, let the PHLster crew speak for themselves: The new PHLster Classic encapsulates the PHLster minimalist ethic as applied to feature-rich, premium AIWB holsters...[in contrast to] the established trend of premium AIWB holsters is to attempt to solve comfort and concealment problems through attaching an array of accessories to the holster... Like the ACCESS holster it replaces, the Classic relies on a single tuckable strut and soft loop belt attachment, to allow some anatomical sympathy and to move slightly as the body articulates...we’re using our brand new grip-tucking wing strut. [The Classic is] adjustable for ride height and angle and provides an inward tuck to the gun grip...with the wing of the TuckStrut adding stability, you won’t miss the second loop. It's available in right hand configuration only, due to the ergonomic teardrop...we’ve been able to replace external holster accessories, like foam wedges or bolt-on parts, with an in-molded teardrop-shaped feature which ensures that a smooth, round, organic-shaped form encounters the body at a troublesome AIWB hot-spot, instead of an angular muzzle shape. This teardrop also gently angles the gun inward to the body, aiding concealment. Like all PHLster holsters, the Classic has non-adjustable retention, tuned to be perfect out of the box. With a crisp, smooth draw and a positive lockup, the Classic secures the pistol against vigorous and violent activity while providing a consistent, deliberate presentation. No failure-prone hardware, no adjusters to come loose, and none of the disappointment of bottoming out of the adjuster only to still find mushy retention. New, too is the sweat guard.
So how's the Classic perform? Bottom line: extremely well. For context: I don't have the best shape for AIWB: I'm thin but with not a completely flat stomach, so concealment of a service-size pistol under a t-shirt or jersey is problematic. I really need the top end of the gun to be canted into my mid-section and the grip to be angled towards my body. If the Classic is comfortable and conceals well for me, it will for just about anyone. And it does...even better than the Access that it replaces. The Access worked for me; the Classic actually feels comfortable and works even better. Retention is, as advertised, optimal out of the box: secure but with an easy draw. It moves slightly as you do (such as when you sit), but is stable for both drawing and re-holstering.
Unless you have a chest that's many inches larger than your waist, and wear a somewhat loose shirt, AIWB will always be a challenge for you. However, the advantages of AIWB carry are now well known and verified so finding an AIWB holster that works for you is worth the effort. I can't recommend any place to start better than the PHLster Classic. And even better is its price: a mere $75.
