American Handgunner Jul/Aug 2011 - Jeffersonian

CARRYOPTIONS
Sammy Reese
CrossBreed Holsters
Ugly-But-Works
Getting T-boned in my personally-freshly-waxed police car changed my
life in many ways. The damage it caused eventually forced me to be
retired from a job I truly loved. Today I’m in better shape than most;
I work really hard at keeping my “machine” running as best I can. One of the
many things I had to give up as a result of the crash, though, was carrying concealed
inside-the-waistband (IWB). Post-crash, I used to be able to tough it out
for an hour or so, but eventually it produced so much pain, I had to stop. No
big deal you say, just switch to a belt holster. But living in Southern California,
I was having to get more creative for outside carry. The old IWB would make
it easier for a skinny guy like me to hide big guns under my T-shirts.
Franken-Holster
Iwas surfing the web to see what I
could find as far as holsters go when
I came across a video in which the
CrossBreed Supertuck Deluxe holster
was being demonstrated. One of the
comments listed said, “It sure is ugly when
you look at it, but it’s the most comfortable
holster I’ve ever used.” I lost count of people
telling how it worked just fine even with a
back problem.
Could this part leather, part kydex Franken-holster
really do the trick? I checked
out the holster on their website and called
the owner/founder Mark Craighead. Mark
agreed the holster is really ugly but believed I had
to try it for myself to see how great it really was.
Mark told me the Supertuck Deluxe was born
from his own frustrations of holsters not living
up to expectations. Over the years he acquired
boxes of holsters which didn’t quite make the cut.
Sound familiar?
What started as just an experiment in his
garage, has grown into a 2,400 square foot facility
with full-time staff to keep the orders circulating
on time. Mark is so confident in his products he
offers a lifetime warranty with a 2-week trial. If
you don’t like it, send it back and your money is
refunded, period.
Supertuck Deluxe
black cowhide
Glock 23.
Supertuck Deluxe
Combat cut in
horsehide 1911.
Sammy found
the Supertuck
rigs were comfy
and disappeared
under even a
lightweight shirt.
FROM CLASSICS TO
CUTTING EDGE IN
CARRY METHODS
Happy Camper
After getting the sample, my first thought was, “Damn,
this is one ugly holster.” The first holster I tried was
the cowhide Supertuck Deluxe for my Glock 23. After
finding the perfect location behind my right hip and adjusting
the cant, I added the gun, but had only a T-shirt for a cover. Still,
the gun disappeared. Two hours later, I remember thinking: “So far,
so good.” But I knew it had only been a couple hours, and in time
my back would start hurting — I was just waiting for it to happen.
Six hours later (including a trip in my truck to pickup the
kids from school and a few stops on the way home), I was still
pain-free. When my wife got home, I had her perform a quick
inspection. She’s the queen of spotting “the gun.” I did a funky
pirouette so she questioned, “Are you trying out for a ballet?
What’s with the twirly thingy?” I asked if she saw the gun print.
“No, you’re not wearing one.” When I lifted up my shirt she called out,
“Now that’s concealed!” — enough said.
Next, I tucked in the T-shirt and asked her to keep a lookout for the
gun; nothing, nada. Other then not being able to really tuck the shirt
in too deep, it worked as advertised. I had some trouble adjusting the
horsehide/combat cut 1911 version Mark sent. I made a quick call to
the shop, and he was able to talk me through it. With the proper adjustments,
I was back in IWB business.
After two weeks of switching back and forth between the two holsters,
I must say, I’m a happy IWB camper again. I’ve worn the holster
on a few multi-hour road trips, and I was not the least bit sore. When I
showed the holsters to a few friends, they were all impressed with how
easily a large gun was concealed.
My next Supertucks (yes, I said plural) will
be the combat cut. With the way I attain my
grip from the holster, I found it much
easier with that version. If I sound
excited, it’s because I really am. Being
able to carry concealed, the way I prefer,
and not end up at the chiropractor’s
office means the world to me. It’s also
really nice to see a product do its job as
marketed. I relearned an age-old lesson
about not judging a book by
its cover, too.
*
For more info: www.americanhandgunner.
com/crossbreed-holsters
26 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • JULY/AUGUST 2011