Heading out in the big woods?
Well a chest holster can keep your protection close to your heart and quick hands.
I tested out the Alien Gear Cloak Chest Holster and this is how well it performed.
Our preferred areas to be are the deepest wilderness spots that we can find. When back in the wilds we are in charge of our own protection and possibly others that are with us. In bear country, where feral hogs or any danger is a-foot or a-hoof you better be quick on the draw. What compounds the trouble of quick draw from conventional holsters may be heavy clothing and gear. Usually our hands are also full of gear for fishing or other outdoor adventures. This is where a chest holster or commonly referred to as guide holster comes into play. It is not for concealment but for keeping your hard hitting sidearm as close as possible to your draw hand when split moments count. A quick message to the helpful folks at Alien Gear Holsters and a Cloak Chest Holster was in the mail for review.
I chose the Alien Gear Cloak Chest Holster for the Glock Model 20 SF pistol in 10mm. This cartridge has become a favorite of frequenters of the deep wilds due to the hard hitting power of 15 hot 10mm cartridges in a standard service pistol size carry piece. No it’s not a big hog leg in .500 S&W Magnum caliber but for it’s size it is quite the powerhouse. The Glock 20 SF pistol is also handy enough without being in the way for normal outdoor activities.
Out of the package the Alien Gear Cloak Chest Holster required no adjustments for retention or fit. It holds the Glock Model 20 SF solidly held but with a quick smooth draw the pistol is ready for action. Along with the holster is various sized rubber spacers and associated hardware for any specific retention and fit needs you may have. If you own a Glock 21 .45 acp. caliber pistol this model will also fit your pistol as both the Glock 20 and the Glock 21 are similar in size and I tested both for fit.
How comfortable is it to wear? Well a full sized handgun held in the middle of your chest is surprisingly out of the way. I performed many tasks testing just how out of the way the pistol contained in the holster really was. I then sported a backpack to see if the straps on the holster or the backpack would cause issue carrying this way. It worked very well with no complaints from this user. Now how well would it work with a shoulder bag? My favorite shoulder bag for hunting and general woods wandering is a rather large one made for waterfowl hunters. The shoulder strap is a padded neoprene deal and quite large. Carrying this bag I placed the holster first on and then put the bag’s shoulder strap cross chest. When I tucked the shoulder strap behind the holster itself it was very much out of the way. Interestingly enough it actually anchored the bag strap from moving around thereby keeping the bag in place. This was very good on climbing hills, ravines and other areas my shoulder bag likes to move around in my way during these adventures. Once again the pistol was still ready at a moment’s notice.
I found the Alien Gear Cloak Chest Holster had plenty of adjustment from wearing with a t-shirt to sporting it over heavily insulated coats. Draw was very smooth and the carry was ultra-comfortable. Best of all the pistol is now off your hip so you can comfortably use the support belt on your larger backpack. Also you can now carry other gear on your belt instead of having a traditional belt holster and handgun getting hung up in thick vegetation and dirt when sliding down ravines or other rigorous outdoor activities.
I recommend after my testing the rugged and highly adaptable Alien Gear Cloak Chest Holster. Go to their website and see if your model handgun is offered for this quite handy protection holster.
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NEXT: ALIEN GEAR GRIP TUCK UNIVERSAL HOLSTER IN REVIEW