HOLSTER REVIEW w/PICS: Desantis Insider for the Subcompact - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

packingasubcompact · 04-19-2005, 12:28 PM

I have been needing a good IWB holster for my subcompact for a while now. I wanted something that did not require you to wear a belt with it, since I don't like having to put a belt whne I am just going out for a minute. I purchased this IWB called "The Insider" from DeSantis last week. They had the holster in stock and it only took about four days to have it at my door. I was surprised they had it in stock, I guess the XD has finally "become popular" LOL. The holster was not really expensive, which was a nice change. The total price with shipping was about $28.

Below are some pictures that I took of my subcompact in the new holster. It is my first time using a digital camera so please forgive the quality.

The picture below shows the holster's black coated metal clip. It holds very well to the pants and is not too hard to take on or off.

The holster is constructed of a good quality smooth black leather.

The holster does have the clip on the holsters side, as opposed to the ones that use two hooks and have them forward and behind the holster. It adds just a bit of thickness, but it is generally pretty thin.

The holster does have a little bit of leather that comes past the front portion of the gun, but I don't mind it because if it were ever dropped it would help cushion the landing. This holster, made for the subcompact xd, also fits the H&K USP compact, so I suppose that is why it has the extra leather.

Overall I am very happy with this holster. It seems to be of good quality and functions very well for its intended purpose. It sits deep in the waistbelt and I am able to conceal it with just a double layer of tee-shirts.

More info on this holster can be found on the web link below

http://www.desantisholster.com/031.html

I hope you have enjoyed my review. Any feedback is appreciated!

kc8ykd · 04-19-2005, 02:44 PM

Nice review. It's hard to come across pics of the actual gun in the reviewed holster for some reason.

I might have to pick one of these up, if they make them for the service. i have something similar for my Kahr PM9 and it's pretty comfortable.

-Chris

note, this was edited for grammar and some spelling. i musta been sleeping at work when i wrote this.

Shnozzer-xd-9 · 04-19-2005, 09:12 PM

I might have to get one of those. It looks like it could hold my service fairly well. I don't feel like paying 50-80 bucks for holster when I dont' carry that often anyways.

packingasubcompact · 04-19-2005, 10:22 PM

^ that is a great point. The lower price of these holsters is a great seller feature. I belive this model is available for all of the XD line of pistols.

Captain Ray · 04-20-2005, 08:11 AM

Nice review.. how is it on re-holstering? I have a Don Hume IWB for my 4" service, it wears nicely, and draws great! But re-holstering is a problem, unless I slick up the inside of the holster with a light misting of WD-40. The reason for this is the trigger gaurd has a ridge on it, which I like because I rest my left index finger there.. but that ridge hangs up on the mouth of the holster when I attempt to re-holster it. I have been considering grinding that ridge down to help on reholstering as another member around here has done.. but I hesitate to make such a permanent change... Does the DeSantis holster hang up the same way?

Oh, and my favorite holster ever is the Fobus fixed paddle. I love that thing! It does not conceal well though.

Raymond

dolanp · 04-20-2005, 08:16 AM

Thanks for posting this review. I have been looking into an IWB just like this one, and the price is attractive.

DeftwillP · 04-20-2005, 10:06 AM

what kind of grip is that? do you like it?

it looks like it says pachymar

sjp2452 · 04-20-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Ray

Nice review.. how is it on re-holstering?

Dissenting opinion! My wife has the same holster for her sig P232. At first I thought it was a nice little holster too...till I wore it for a few minutes. It sits far too deep in the waist belt--it wants to drag part of the grip below your belt and doesn't allow you to get a full grip on the gun before you draw, so you're forced to readjust your grip once drawn (good luck doing that right when the BG's bearing down on you with a knife). Reholstering is terrible--it does not have a reinforced opening, so as soon as the gun is drawn, it flattens against your body. Reholstering requires two hands and is tedious, increasing the chance of AD while trying to reholster (you're still juiced on adrenaline after successfully defending yourself against the BG with the knife). I have to respectfully disagree with the reviewer on this recommendation. I'd say keep the $28 and put it toward a higher quality reinforced (thin kydex?) holster. Dave Kenik is quite convincing on holster selection, and my wife had a lot of trouble with the Insider during Dave's class. I have a Don Hume 715 IWB...it's not as bad but still not good. I'll go one step further and say that Dave's recommendation for a low cost/high quality holster is a FIST...and I'll likely follow that recommendation after trying his out.

Good criteria for holster selection:
1) You should be able to get a full and complete grip before drawing
2) You should be able to draw and easily reholster with one hand, without looking
3) The holster should be stable--fixed to your body such that it won't move around
4) Comfort

As Dave might put it, no good putting a $28 set of tires on a Maserati.

packingasubcompact · 04-20-2005, 02:16 PM

^^^^ "how is it on re-holstering?" It does flatten out if the gun is drawn and the holster is in the pants. It's not made of kydex on anything. To reholster it you will have to wiggle to gun a little bit. My thought though is if you pull a gun in defense of your life - you should not exactly be in a foot race to get it back in the holster. Yeah it is nice I guess for an easy re-holstering, but it isn't required by law that it goes back in in 5 seconds or something.

^^ yeah the grip is a pachmayer. It fits this gun as well as the glock 26/27 I believe. ajames has them for sale on his website.

^ I must say that I am impressed with your post. Many people are very harsh when they disagree with a post, but yours was a good read. I'm sorry you had problems with this one. I know for myself it is not my only holster I use for my subby. So while it is not the most perfect holster ever made, it does the job well for me. It does sit low in the waist but I like that b/c in the summer I only wear tee-shirts with mine.

mpholic · 04-20-2005, 02:48 PM

How is it for retention? Most holders in this price range are not molded or hand boned. It is the molding to the exact shape of the gun which retains the gun in the holster when sitting, getting out of a car, running for some sort of cover, etc. You mentioned wearing it without a belt. No belt and no molding means minimum retention (IMHO).

Can't beat it for the price though.

04-19-2005, 12:28 PM	#1
packingasubcompact XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 141	HOLSTER REVIEW w/PICS: Desantis Insider for the Subcompact I have been needing a good IWB holster for my subcompact for a while now. I wanted something that did not require you to wear a belt with it, since I don't like having to put a belt whne I am just going out for a minute. I purchased this IWB called "The Insider" from DeSantis last week. They had the holster in stock and it only took about four days to have it at my door. I was surprised they had it in stock, I guess the XD has finally "become popular" LOL. The holster was not really expensive, which was a nice change. The total price with shipping was about $28. Below are some pictures that I took of my subcompact in the new holster. It is my first time using a digital camera so please forgive the quality. The picture below shows the holster's black coated metal clip. It holds very well to the pants and is not too hard to take on or off. The holster is constructed of a good quality smooth black leather. The holster does have the clip on the holsters side, as opposed to the ones that use two hooks and have them forward and behind the holster. It adds just a bit of thickness, but it is generally pretty thin. The holster does have a little bit of leather that comes past the front portion of the gun, but I don't mind it because if it were ever dropped it would help cushion the landing. This holster, made for the subcompact xd, also fits the H&K USP compact, so I suppose that is why it has the extra leather. Overall I am very happy with this holster. It seems to be of good quality and functions very well for its intended purpose. It sits deep in the waistbelt and I am able to conceal it with just a double layer of tee-shirts. More info on this holster can be found on the web link below http://www.desantisholster.com/031.html I hope you have enjoyed my review. Any feedback is appreciated! __________________ .25 - Beretta 950 .22 - Browning Rifle 9mm - Springfield XD-9 Subcompact, S&W 6946 10mm - GLOCK 20 12 gauge - Mossberg 500 Persuader (heat shield/pistol grip)

04-19-2005, 09:12 PM	#3
Shnozzer-xd-9 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 241	I might have to get one of those. It looks like it could hold my service fairly well. I don't feel like paying 50-80 bucks for holster when I dont' carry that often anyways. __________________ \"No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.\" - Thomas Jefferson

04-19-2005, 10:22 PM	#4
packingasubcompact XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 141	^ that is a great point. The lower price of these holsters is a great seller feature. I belive this model is available for all of the XD line of pistols. __________________ .25 - Beretta 950 .22 - Browning Rifle 9mm - Springfield XD-9 Subcompact, S&W 6946 10mm - GLOCK 20 12 gauge - Mossberg 500 Persuader (heat shield/pistol grip)

04-20-2005, 08:11 AM	#5
Captain Ray XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,693	Nice review.. how is it on re-holstering? I have a Don Hume IWB for my 4" service, it wears nicely, and draws great! But re-holstering is a problem, unless I slick up the inside of the holster with a light misting of WD-40. The reason for this is the trigger gaurd has a ridge on it, which I like because I rest my left index finger there.. but that ridge hangs up on the mouth of the holster when I attempt to re-holster it. I have been considering grinding that ridge down to help on reholstering as another member around here has done.. but I hesitate to make such a permanent change... Does the DeSantis holster hang up the same way? Oh, and my favorite holster ever is the Fobus fixed paddle. I love that thing! It does not conceal well though. Raymond __________________ \"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.\" ~Abraham Lincoln~

04-20-2005, 10:06 AM	#7
DeftwillP XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 149	what kind of grip is that? do you like it? it looks like it says pachymar __________________ XD-9sc XD-40tac Rem 870 ruger 10/22 for target practice 6" SS King Cobra-teh wife's m38-for scaring people at the rage There's something comforting about looking over in the middle of the night, after your eyes have adjusted. There on the night stand, you see three green dots in a triangle pattern. Either the mouse sized Sam Fisher or my 40 tac with TFO's is there when I need it.

04-19-2005, 02:44 PM	#2
kc8ykd XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 188	Nice review. It's hard to come across pics of the actual gun in the reviewed holster for some reason. I might have to pick one of these up, if they make them for the service. i have something similar for my Kahr PM9 and it's pretty comfortable. -Chris note, this was edited for grammar and some spelling. i musta been sleeping at work when i wrote this.

04-20-2005, 08:16 AM	#6
dolanp XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: N TX Posts: 784	Thanks for posting this review. I have been looking into an IWB just like this one, and the price is attractive.

04-20-2005, 02:16 PM	#9
packingasubcompact XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 141	^^^^ "how is it on re-holstering?" It does flatten out if the gun is drawn and the holster is in the pants. It's not made of kydex on anything. To reholster it you will have to wiggle to gun a little bit. My thought though is if you pull a gun in defense of your life - you should not exactly be in a foot race to get it back in the holster. Yeah it is nice I guess for an easy re-holstering, but it isn't required by law that it goes back in in 5 seconds or something. ^^ yeah the grip is a pachmayer. It fits this gun as well as the glock 26/27 I believe. ajames has them for sale on his website. ^ I must say that I am impressed with your post. Many people are very harsh when they disagree with a post, but yours was a good read. I'm sorry you had problems with this one. I know for myself it is not my only holster I use for my subby. So while it is not the most perfect holster ever made, it does the job well for me. It does sit low in the waist but I like that b/c in the summer I only wear tee-shirts with mine. __________________ .25 - Beretta 950 .22 - Browning Rifle 9mm - Springfield XD-9 Subcompact, S&W 6946 10mm - GLOCK 20 12 gauge - Mossberg 500 Persuader (heat shield/pistol grip)

04-20-2005, 02:48 PM	#10
mpholic XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 181	How is it for retention? Most holders in this price range are not molded or hand boned. It is the molding to the exact shape of the gun which retains the gun in the holster when sitting, getting out of a car, running for some sort of cover, etc. You mentioned wearing it without a belt. No belt and no molding means minimum retention (IMHO). Can't beat it for the price though.

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