Most of us who carry concealed handguns have a box of holsters somewhere in our house — usually to the chagrin of our spouse — collecting dust. You know, the holsters that we thought looked like a great idea. Unfortunately, after a few days or hours of use, they proved to be nothing revolutionary at best and uncomfortable at worst. So, on we go on that quest for The Perfect Holster. Recently, I was perusing the GunMagWarehouse site and came across the Alien Gear ShapeShift Appendix Holster. I wanted to try some different options for my Springfield Armory Hellcat and figured I’d give this one a try. As you can imagine, I’m going to tell you all about it!
Alien Gear ShapeShift
It arrived in a plastic blister pack, as many holsters do these days. At first, I was a little shocked because there seemed to be a lot of parts in the pack. My first thought was, “Oh no, this is one of those ‘Some Assembly Required’ contraptions!”
Well, not entirely accurate. Yes, there are additional parts in the event you want to turn this Inside The Waistband (IWB) holster into a retention holster requiring a lever to draw the pistol. I have absolutely zero interest in that level of retention for concealed carry. If I were a cop on the street carrying my duty weapon out in the open, then perhaps. Still, it’s a nice option that Alien Gear includes this with the holster for those who want to take advantage of that mode of carry.
The next thing that struck me is the huge sweat guard, what Alien Gear refers to as a base. I delayed judgement on that until I wore it and could figure out whether it was a good thing. Incidentally, the pistol that I bought this holster for is the excellent Springfield Armory Hellcat.
Construction
The Alien Gear ShapeShift is nicely put together using screws. The main material for the shell is polymer with the pistol clicking securely into the holster. It protects the pistol thoroughly with the trigger guard completely covered when holstered.
The rear of the holster, the sweat guard, is constructed of a soft, breathable, neoprene base. It’s slightly rigid, but also flexes comfortably when you bend over while wearing the holster. This is the best sweat guard of any holster I’ve ever worn. It really is soft and comfortable. Frankly, I hate pistols against my skin when wearing the rig underneath a t-shirt and this sweat guard completely eliminates the pistol against bare skin. The fact it’s flexible enough to bend with the wearer gets very high marks from me. Considering I’m not usually a fan of sweat guards, having used some downright uncomfortable ones in other holster brands, this is saying quite a bit. I really like this one!
Modularity
I perused Alien Gear’s website to find out more about the holster. Their holsters are modular systems. The one I have will also work with a bewildering array of other holsters. Outside the waistband holsters, belt slides, shoulder holsters, and all sorts of others. To put it mildly, my eyes bugged out of my head and my primitive brain went into overload because you can mix and match about 300,000 different combinations. Okay, maybe I exaggerated a trifle — I think it’s “only” about 100,000 combinations, but I digress.
Mixing and matching is easy. Components can be attached and detached via bolts with easily gripped grooved plastic heads. Don’t like the belt clip for the IWB attachment? No worries. Pop it off and you can instantly make it into an OWB holster in a few seconds, or vice versa. According to the Alien Gear site, this holster can even be fitted into a shoulder rig.
Honestly, you could go through their website for hours trying to decide what combinations you’d prefer. Being the simpleton that I am, that approach isn’t for me. However, if you go all googly-eyed at Ikea, then this holster company is for you!
Retention
The soft neoprene sweat guard is the rear of the holster that contacts your handgun. The neoprene acts as a sort of “sticky” substance to create enough friction to retain your gun along with the polymer body.
However, when you intend to draw the pistol, it comes out slicker than owl poop on a linoleum floor. Draws are very quick with this holster, and I was actually shocked the first time I drew my pistol from it. Yet, it holds the pistol securely. I’m not sure how they came up with this system, but it’s innovative, and frankly, it’s just kinda cool!
Comfort and Concealability
Alien Gear gets high marks in this area. As mentioned, the sweat guard is flexible enough that it bends with you, yet stiff enough to keep the holster from digging in when you bend over.
It also keeps the holster tucked into the body tightly. I debated whether to mention this in the “Comfort” or “Concealability” headings, because it really is pertinent in both areas. Ultimately, it helps in concealability as well as comfort. The holster keeps the pistol tucked into the body tightly, as mentioned, which is great for concealment. All in all, this holster conceals as well as the best I’ve ever used, so more high marks are in order.
Ease Of Use
More high marks here. The Alien Gear holster slips on and off very easily, yet stays anchored when you want it to. The clip slides over the top of the belt with a hook that catches the belt. It’s easy to pull the clip away when you want to take it off and simply slide the holster out of the waistband.
Again, the sweat guard makes this procedure even easier than with most other holsters. Funny how we see the sweat guard playing a prominent role in how well this holster functions. Who’d have thought? The angle of cant is also easily adjustable, so you can get just the right angle you’re after.
Size and Weight
The overall size is a bit larger than I’m used to. Initially, that was a little off-putting and the sweat guard added some size to the whole thing. In the end though, it’s not been an issue given the comfort factor. The holster weighs 5.4 ounces; so it’s very light. That’s important for carrying around all day long.
Guarantee/Warranty
Alien Gear allows users to take the holster for a 30-day “test drive”. If they’re not happy, they can return the holster. It also has a Forever Warranty. It’s nice to see they stand behind their gear.
Overall Impressions
I came away from this holster impressed. The comfort factor is very high as it allows a wide range of motion. The sweat guard goes a long way in contributing to that comfort, keeping the firearm away from the skin and offering padding for the times you have to bend over while wearing the rig.
The materials are first rate, being light and durable while protecting your firearm and keeping it ready. Access to the firearm and speed of drawing are both excellent. The holster’s modularity guarantees you can set this holster up any way you desire. Speaking of guarantees, Alien Gear offers some of the best in the industry.
As far as the value for the money, I consider the Alien Gear ShapeShift appendix holster a good buy at $62.99 from GunMagWarehouse. It’s not the cheapest holster you can buy, but it’s one of the highest quality, and for the money, it’s a great value. Check these guys out, I think you won’t be disappointed! Yeah, I’d say Alien Gear’s holsters are out of this world.
