When deciding to carry a sidearm, the choice of what holster to use can be just as important as what sidearm to use. Every holster draws differently depending on the sidearm being used and the person using the holster. This becomes even more important when deciding on a concealed carry holster because if you are ever in a situation where you need to draw that sidearm you need to be able to do so efficiently and effectively.
By Tinderwolf, contributing author
Many of my friends have complained about different aspects of a variety of inside the waist band holsters. I myself have tried a few and for me they feel very uncomfortable. I came across a company called Alien Gear and thought they had a unique inside the waistband holster design, so I decided to give it a try. The also offer outside of the waist band as well as pocket holsters.
The Holster
The Cloak 3.0 Inside the Waistband holster by Alien Gear is a pre-molded kydex holsters that are specific to the model of sidearm you are choosing it for. They come with different options of clips for the holster that attaches to your belt. The holster has a neoprene backing which is very comfortable against your skin if you are not wearing an under shirt.
The system comes with a set of spacers that you can use to adjust how tight the mold holds your particular sidearm. Probably my favorite feature on this holster is how you can adjust the cant, that is to say the angle at which the holster sits when it is on your beltline. Alien Gear extended the neoprene backing upward so that no portion of the slide will be touching your skin. This makes carrying much more comfortable if you are moving around or bending a lot so that the slide doesn’t dig into your skin.
My Experience
When I received the holster I was surprised by how large it appeared. However, this particular mold is for a pistol chambered in .45 caliber. But after installing it onto my beltline it was amazing how much smaller and comfortable it felt. The large neoprene backing seemed to “spread” out the feel of the holster.
I have heard some complaints that the neoprene backing is hot and causes some people to sweat quite a bit from that area. I did not have any issues like this after wearing it all day and I tend to be a pretty warm-blooded individual. I go through periods of how I like my holster positioned. Sometimes I like the draw straight up and down and other times I like it angled a bit. Being able to adjust the angle of the holster is a very nice feature in my eyes. After trying out a few different angles over a few days I positioned my Cloak Tuck at about the four o’clock (that’s p.m. for you non gun folk) position and haven’t moved it since.
This is when I am wearing the holster on my right back side. I played with the spacers that were included and swapped all of them out just to see how much it changed the fit when the pistol is inserted. In the photo, the green sections are the spacers.
As you can see, there are couple of different sizes of spacers and they can be changed out in the pistol mold and the beltline clips. Again, being able to make some of these adjustments as you like at home, really helps to personalize the holster to the individual and the versatility of this system is incredible.
Personally, I like a tighter hold on my sidearm because I am constantly up and down and moving around so I ended up installing the original spacers that came with the holster. I would like to note that along with the holster and spacers, the company includes a small tool in order to make all of those important adjustments. In case you lose the tool, like I did, don’t fret. It is not a specialized tool but a simple hex key.
As comfortable as this holster is on my backside, it is just as comfortable wearing it on my side and the front of my beltline. With all of the products I have ever owned or reviewed there is almost always something that can be improved upon. But I have had this holster for a while now and as hard as I tried I really can’t find anything negative to say about it.
How can you go wrong?
The greatest part of this holster is the price and the company. The Tuck Cloak 3.0 base price comes in at just $43.88. The price goes up if you choose some of the different options that the company offers, such as mag holders, different clip shapes and material.
When I review a product I also like to throw in my two cents about the customer service of that company because I believe that to be just as important as the product. I have been in direct contact with an actual person from the company and have nothing but good experiences with them thus far. Alien Gear also offers an iron-clad triple guarantee.
First, you get a thirty day test drive towards your new holster. If for whatever reason you don’t like your holster, the company will buy it back from you no questions asked. For the gun belts they sell they offer a seven day test period. Secondly, Alien Gear offers free shell trades for life. If at any point you decided to carry a different sidearm, simply remove the holster shell (the hard plastic portion that is molded to the shape of your sidearm) mail it in and they will mail you a new shell that fits, free of charge. Lastly, Alien Gear holsters are backed with a forever guarantee.
So if any part of the holster ever breaks Alien Gear will repair it or replace free of charge. I would also like to add that Alien Products are made right here in America. I find it wonderful to be able to find a great product while supporting our country which is why I want to get the word out about Alien Gear Products. I give the Cloak 3.0 a five star rating and I highly recommend that you check them out for yourself at their website!
2 comments
I purchased this holster for a Ruger LCR .38. I find it near impossible to reholster this gun after drawing it. Nice holster and good concealment but i need to loosen my pants to get enough clearance to put the pistol back. YMMR.
Thanks for the feedback! The holster I used was for a 45 Ruger and I didn’t have any problems. I wonder if others have experienced that?