needknees
02-06-2008, 01:20 PM
I've begun amassing holsters in the hunt for something more comfortable than my MTAC to use while I send it back to Comp-Tac for repairs... long story short, it hasn't happened yet but here are my findings.
Lets start things off with my favorite, and the cause of this journey through leather and kydex: The Minotaur MTAC. (http://www.comp-tac.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=95&osCsid=2f95f44715f6fe6df9c98de3038ca8ba)
This was my second concealment type holster (the first being a UBG pancake reviewed in the other thread) and first IWB holster. It certainly set the bar high. I purchased the MTAC in anticipation of receiving my AWOL G23 when they were running an introductory special and got it for $65 + shipping. It's the slide model, so it will fit all standard frame Glock pistols.
The holster is constructed with a nice leather backing and a kydex half body to hold the pistol. The kydex does not collapse when you draw like a leather IWB does, and it's significantly more comfortable than an all kydex IWB. The backing is substantially different from that of a Tucker "The Answer" or the Crossbreed SuperTuck. Instead of one thick piece of leather, there's a thinner piece that goes behind the firearm and another piece that covers the mounting hardware. You end up with a thinner, more comfortable holster this way.
On to the pics. I have a number pictures with my G34 (the only pistol I owned other than a .22 at the time) from when I first got the holster. I took some more with my G23 and G26 to show the differences in concealbility with those two pistols compared to the honkin' ass G34.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_019.sized.jpg
Nice and thin.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_021.sized.jpg
With the G34
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_022.sized.jpg
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_023.sized.jpg
Side profile... don't move, or you'll print! :v:
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_015.sized.jpg
Side profile exposed, notice how far the grip sticks out the back.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_016.sized.jpg
Looking down. Don't mind my disgusting grip, this gun gets shot just a little bit...
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_017.sized.jpg
Closeup
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_018.sized.jpg
And with the G23. It's much, much easier to conceal a gun that isn't retardedly huge! Imagine that! And I put a red shirt on so it matches the first set of pics! :v:
Side profile, arms down
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_027.sized.jpg
Side profile, arms raised
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_028.sized.jpg
Rear shot, arms down
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_025.sized.jpg
Arms up
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_026.sized.jpg
Side, exposed with G23
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_029.sized.jpg
Side, exposed with G26
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_030.sized.jpg
G23 in holster, note the extra leather at the bottom
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_031.sized.jpg
Top shot, G23
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_032.sized.jpg
G26 in holster, again, note extra material
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_033.sized.jpg
I've been very pleased with my MTAC save for a couple things. One, when I first got it I noticed a lot of tooling marks (and one slight rip) on the back of the leather around the attachment points. Two, and the reason I'm sending back, is I can't loosen the back adjustment screw. It just spins around on the nut inside the leather. I've contacted Comp-Tac about this and they're more than willing to take care of it for me, but I just can't make myself send this holster away. It's that good.
Oh yeah. I forgot the absolute best thing about this holster. Comp-Tac's FUCKING OUTSTANDING customer service. They promptly answer emails, are extremely nice on the phone, and are incredibly knowledgeable about their product. A++++++++++++ will buy again.
To recap:
Holster make and model
Minotaur (Comp-Tac) MTAC
Price
$65+ shipping. Current price $80 plus shipping.
Holster construction
7/10
This would be 100% if that screw worked correctly and there weren't any marks on the backside of the leather. Overall quality is extremely good, I probably just got a lemon.
Gun fit
9/10
Because this is the slide model and the way Minotaur makes their leather backings, it's a compromise. The bottom of the leather has to extend low enough to provide coverage for longer models like my G34 which is good and bad. It makes carrying the G34 more comfortable but carrying the G26 *slightly* less comfortable because the leather folds a bit when sitting. Nothing big, just being honest. I've heard of people who're going to carry exclusively with a smaller gun just cut the bottom of the leather off and restitch. I'm not going to go that far because it isn't a big deal to me.
Gun retention
10/10.
Retention is adjustable via an allen screw on the outside of the kydex half-body. You can run it tight enough to hold a loaded pistol in the holster upside down even without having the added tension of being in your pants under a belt.
Holster attachment (or holster retention)
10/10
I've never drew the holster out of my pants instead of the gun. Top marks. The clip design is also very good. They're a bit on the wide side (but this has been addressed with a new design that's apparently even stronger and had more adjustability. The clips are rounded and beveled so they don't catch on your shirt when you draw. They're also rated for something silly like 10k+ cycles of opening/closing.
Comfort
TEN OUT OF MOTHERFUCKING TEN.
This holster is *seriously* comfortable. It's more comfortable than all of my OWB holsters, kydex or leather. That's saying something.
Stability
10/10
The MTAC is EXTREMELY stable. The clips are spaced far apart and the leather back conforms to your body and where you're carrying. Of the holsters I have, it's second in stability only to my competition oriented Sidearmor.
Concealability
10/10
As you can see from the above pictures, with a reasonably sized gun you can carry under just a loose tee shirt. It holds the pistol high and close to your body, again, aiding in concealment. The holster is also tuckable if you so wish. It's the absolute easiest to conceal holster I have.
Overall
9.5/10.
If you're looking for a comfortable holster made by nice people who know what the fuck they're doing and will treat you right, look no further than the Minotaur MTAC.
Lets start things off with my favorite, and the cause of this journey through leather and kydex: The Minotaur MTAC. (http://www.comp-tac.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=95&osCsid=2f95f44715f6fe6df9c98de3038ca8ba)
This was my second concealment type holster (the first being a UBG pancake reviewed in the other thread) and first IWB holster. It certainly set the bar high. I purchased the MTAC in anticipation of receiving my AWOL G23 when they were running an introductory special and got it for $65 + shipping. It's the slide model, so it will fit all standard frame Glock pistols.
The holster is constructed with a nice leather backing and a kydex half body to hold the pistol. The kydex does not collapse when you draw like a leather IWB does, and it's significantly more comfortable than an all kydex IWB. The backing is substantially different from that of a Tucker "The Answer" or the Crossbreed SuperTuck. Instead of one thick piece of leather, there's a thinner piece that goes behind the firearm and another piece that covers the mounting hardware. You end up with a thinner, more comfortable holster this way.
On to the pics. I have a number pictures with my G34 (the only pistol I owned other than a .22 at the time) from when I first got the holster. I took some more with my G23 and G26 to show the differences in concealbility with those two pistols compared to the honkin' ass G34.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_019.sized.jpg
Nice and thin.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_021.sized.jpg
With the G34
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_022.sized.jpg
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_023.sized.jpg
Side profile... don't move, or you'll print! :v:
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_015.sized.jpg
Side profile exposed, notice how far the grip sticks out the back.
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_016.sized.jpg
Looking down. Don't mind my disgusting grip, this gun gets shot just a little bit...
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_017.sized.jpg
Closeup
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/9_23_2007_018.sized.jpg
And with the G23. It's much, much easier to conceal a gun that isn't retardedly huge! Imagine that! And I put a red shirt on so it matches the first set of pics! :v:
Side profile, arms down
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_027.sized.jpg
Side profile, arms raised
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_028.sized.jpg
Rear shot, arms down
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_025.sized.jpg
Arms up
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_026.sized.jpg
Side, exposed with G23
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_029.sized.jpg
Side, exposed with G26
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_030.sized.jpg
G23 in holster, note the extra leather at the bottom
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_031.sized.jpg
Top shot, G23
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_032.sized.jpg
G26 in holster, again, note extra material
http://photos.sevarg.net/sam/albums/mtac/02_05_2008_033.sized.jpg
I've been very pleased with my MTAC save for a couple things. One, when I first got it I noticed a lot of tooling marks (and one slight rip) on the back of the leather around the attachment points. Two, and the reason I'm sending back, is I can't loosen the back adjustment screw. It just spins around on the nut inside the leather. I've contacted Comp-Tac about this and they're more than willing to take care of it for me, but I just can't make myself send this holster away. It's that good.
Oh yeah. I forgot the absolute best thing about this holster. Comp-Tac's FUCKING OUTSTANDING customer service. They promptly answer emails, are extremely nice on the phone, and are incredibly knowledgeable about their product. A++++++++++++ will buy again.
To recap:
Holster make and model
Minotaur (Comp-Tac) MTAC
Price
$65+ shipping. Current price $80 plus shipping.
Holster construction
7/10
This would be 100% if that screw worked correctly and there weren't any marks on the backside of the leather. Overall quality is extremely good, I probably just got a lemon.
Gun fit
9/10
Because this is the slide model and the way Minotaur makes their leather backings, it's a compromise. The bottom of the leather has to extend low enough to provide coverage for longer models like my G34 which is good and bad. It makes carrying the G34 more comfortable but carrying the G26 *slightly* less comfortable because the leather folds a bit when sitting. Nothing big, just being honest. I've heard of people who're going to carry exclusively with a smaller gun just cut the bottom of the leather off and restitch. I'm not going to go that far because it isn't a big deal to me.
Gun retention
10/10.
Retention is adjustable via an allen screw on the outside of the kydex half-body. You can run it tight enough to hold a loaded pistol in the holster upside down even without having the added tension of being in your pants under a belt.
Holster attachment (or holster retention)
10/10
I've never drew the holster out of my pants instead of the gun. Top marks. The clip design is also very good. They're a bit on the wide side (but this has been addressed with a new design that's apparently even stronger and had more adjustability. The clips are rounded and beveled so they don't catch on your shirt when you draw. They're also rated for something silly like 10k+ cycles of opening/closing.
Comfort
TEN OUT OF MOTHERFUCKING TEN.
This holster is *seriously* comfortable. It's more comfortable than all of my OWB holsters, kydex or leather. That's saying something.
Stability
10/10
The MTAC is EXTREMELY stable. The clips are spaced far apart and the leather back conforms to your body and where you're carrying. Of the holsters I have, it's second in stability only to my competition oriented Sidearmor.
Concealability
10/10
As you can see from the above pictures, with a reasonably sized gun you can carry under just a loose tee shirt. It holds the pistol high and close to your body, again, aiding in concealment. The holster is also tuckable if you so wish. It's the absolute easiest to conceal holster I have.
Overall
9.5/10.
If you're looking for a comfortable holster made by nice people who know what the fuck they're doing and will treat you right, look no further than the Minotaur MTAC.