So I've had enough time to get the feel for the new
Raven Phantom I got for the M&P9, a and a couple range trips to give it a good shake down. The giddy, childlike "new toy" excitement has worn off, but it has been replaced with plenty of contentment.
Originally I thought the extra controls and lumpy bits on the side of the M&P were what gave this holster a much more secure feeling, however upon further inspection, I found Raven has added a small dimple to the light area of the holster.
This little dimple creates a small catch right behind the light's bezel, and makes this holster feel about 3,000 times more secure than the old one for the SigPro. I guess I wasn't the only one who wished for more retention on the light models.
Also, there had been reports of older Raven products cracking, and to help Raven switched to a thicker Kydex for their holsters.
I have a feeling this additional stiffness is also a bit responsible for the more secure feeling. I hear that they can still make them with the thinner Kydex if you're worried about concealment issues with the thicker material, however I don't think the difference is enough to matter.
As I mentioned in the past, the old style "paddle clips" were not the most comfortable option, and I also had one break on me. The old style clips are a thing of the past now, and Raven has switched to an
OWB Soft Loop snap system.
I much prefer these to the old "paddle clips" and to any other actual paddles I've used in the past. The gun sticks out much less, and while concealment isn't a worry for me yet, it's nice to not have it sticking out and catching on things. They may take a couple seconds longer to put on or take off the belt, but they feel quite secure and keep the whole thing from flopping around nicely with the right belt. In this case, a 5.11 re-enforced model that came free with some pants. It's a little big (I wear it on the smallest hole...) but looks good and is holding up well, and the price was right.
The loops themselves are made of a tough rubberized material and Military-grade snaps, and is adjustable for belt width. I expect these to hold up for quite a while.
Raven has also changed the material of their standard belt loops from formed Kydex to an injection molded plastic.
Less prone to breakage, and also universal. The old ones had distinct left and right loops. The little Raven logos are a nice touch. (Also, the new mag pouch is the same thickness Kydex as the old. While it makes a great range pouch, it's not what I've been running for daily carry however. I have a much more comfortable option I'll mention in a couple days.)
As some of you may know, I live in Wisconsin, so concealment has never been high on the list of things I look for with a holster. The biggest reason I went with RCS was that they make a holster that holds
my gun
with my light attached. I've done
enough low light/no light training to greatly appreciate a white light on my gun if I have that option (and yes, I think one day of it was enough to
appreciate it. However more is needed to affectively
use it.)
I know that plenty of the people looking at these
are worried about concealing, so I tossed on a good cover garment and snapped a few pictures. In this case, a button up cotton shirt with a textured weave. ($15 at Khol's and the girlfriend says it looks good too!)
Not bad for a full size gun with an attached light. Granted, if I lift my hands above my head the bottom of the holster is exposed, but I could adjust the soft loops to make the holster ride higher.
So, are there any downsides to RCS's stuff? Well, I ordered this one the first week of November 2010, and it finally was in my hands mid-March 2011. It also wasn't cheap, holster, mag pouch, and soft loops plus shipping came out to around $130. Compare that to
Comp-Tac, who I ordered a new holster for a gun I should be getting next week on Tuesday, and the package was dropped off at the post office yesterday(and it's red!) Too bad they don't make light holsters...
Bottom line - if you're looking for a quality Kydex holster, with great modularity and carry options, especially if you carry with a light,
and are willing to wait a few months;
Raven Concealment Systems is worth taking a look at.
, which is the size of my finger and runs off a single AAA battery for several months of real life use, and seems just as bright as the Stinger I was issued for work (just not as good of range.) LEDs are amazing little things.
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