It's been a while since I've posted anything so it's about time and I actually have a product review I'd like to share with everyone.
Theis Holsters is a relatively new company started by Tommy Theis who started making his holsters a couple years ago. He started simply selling through forums and has now made a pretty good name for himself through word of mouth. He fills a niche offering a holster very similar to Crossbreed's SuperTuck at a lower price point. He even gives customers an opportunity to get them at an even lower price by offering them with slightly blemished leather. They are still 100% functional, but the leather may have a scuff here or there. I opted for a blemished one to try them out for my Glock 36 which has become my EDC (everyday carry) gun.
Now about the holster itself. The Theis holster is pretty much an exact copy of a Crossbreed SuperTuck in terms of materials & overall design, but with a couple key differences. It's still uses a large piece of leather as the backing which provides comfortable carry IWB and a piece of kydex formed specifically for your gun attached to the leather with rivets. The choice of metal or kydex clips (over the belt or J-clips) is yours and they are adjustable with removable fasteners. It can be worn IWB and visible or IWB hidden under a tucked shirt.
The differences which may seem slight are still significant when it comes to overall functionality. First the kydex completely covers the slide. This helps protect your pants from excessive muzzle rub which I outlined in my long term review of the SuperTuck. The next difference is that it comes from Tommy with the "combat" cut already done. This allows for an easier grip of the gun when drawing. The SuperTuck does not do this standard, but will do it on request for a fee. When I got my first SuperTuck I had to perform this leather surgery myself which isn't hard to do, but it's nice to see Tommy do this right off the bat for his customers. The kydex is also trimmed more to help with the draw. The kydex is also formed tighter than the SuperTuck which locks the gun in. I can put the gun in it and turn it upside down without it coming out. I never could have done that with the SuperTuck though the P239's a little heavier than my Glock 36. I hope this helps minimize the slide wear I had previously. Like I said before these differences don't seem like much, but they are an improvement to the original Crossbreed design.
Other differences that I noticed are the leather of the Theis is a tad stiffer than the SuperTuck, though part of that may be because my SuperTuck has seen a lot of use and the Theis should break-in and soften over time. The edging on the leather isn't finished quite as nicely on the Theis, but that's being nit-picky and doesn't affect the functionality of this concealment holster at all. The hardware is slightly different, but still seems equally as sturdy. I ordered mine with the kydex J-clips and other than they being formed a little too small for my double thickness Crossbreed belt (a little heat fixed that) they are strong enough to do the job. From a concealment viewpoint I think they are a little less noticeable than normal clips. From a support standpoint they don't have any issues with carrying my Glock. As with any holster that carries anything ~25oz or so there is a very slight sag, but it's hardly noticeable. I've got a set of velcro clips that I'll probably put on it in the future to use for complete concealment.
In conclusion, I've very happy with this holster and think that this hybrid design is the best for everyday comfortable concealment. It is such a simple if not pretty solution that I'm not surprised that others have copied Crossbreed. I've seen Kholster's copy before and a few others on ebay so it's definitely proven to work. With a Theis Holster for about $40 you get a comfortable & concealable holster with a lifetime guarantee & a two week trial period. If you're like me and have tried many other holster designs you know that you usually only need two hours or less to determine if you'll actually use a given holster. Inside the waistband isn't for everyone, but where all other IWB designs may not work the hybrid design is one that just might do it for you. Give it a try!
