I’m on a deep-dive research project, looking to find the best possible holsters for the snub-nosed revolvers. Leather, Kydex, mixed… doesn’t matter. And in this installment, I’ll be looking at a fantastic DeSantis holster — the Flex-Tuk. The Flex-Tuk is a more modern twist on the classic leather in-waist-band (IWB) holster.
This DeSantis differs from some of the others in that it combines some familiar, classic leather concepts with the nylon clip design more common on mainstream Kydex designs. The result won’t take long to grow on you. Apart from one eccentricity, it works exceptionally well.
What makes the Flex-Tuk different?
You can tuck your shirt in, for one. Not that I ever would do that. In fact, I think I wrote my entire review of the DeSantis Slim-Tuk holster without ever mentioning that it can be tucked in. If I did, I likely glossed over it.
But maybe you don’t work from home. Maybe you wake up in the morning and put on pants. If tucking in a shirt is an important thing for you personally, or even for those around you in the old-school office, then this is a solid way to get there.
The clip is deep. This allows you to get a good bit of a shirttail down in the pants, behind the clip. While the clip will still show over the belt, it is far less obvious than some of the inch-wide steel clips that are still kicking around on some holsters. Match it with a black belt, and it would escape notice quite well.
That’s hardly the only difference.
The DeSantis holster build quality is superb.
I’ve yet to get a holster in for review that had any distracting flaws. From the stamp on the back to the edge finishing to the stitching, it is all well executed. The leather is wet-formed, too, for an exacting fit to the frame and cylinder. The whole package is effective, inside and out.
The holster itself has a wide opening. It won’t stay fully open after you draw, so it may require two hands for clean, safe reholstering. That is not uncommon, though, for an IWB holster. The compression of the belt over the empty leather will flatten many designs.
I do like how DeSantis has protected the hammer. There are two large flaps that ride up alongside the hammer, more like the shape of a revolver with a shielded hammer. As for the trigger guard, I’d give the Flex-Tuk a bit of an out, as it is leather.
The Slim-Tuk, and other Kydex designs, close off the trigger very well. This one, though, has some flex around the guard that could allow for intrusion. The tension of the holster under a belt will seal this up. But if, like me, you often take off the holstered revolver and place it in a range bag, console, or backpack, then you will want to take more precaution.
Safety first, and all that. I’m making a bigger deal out of this than might be necessary. This version of the Flex-Tuk, at least, is meant for double-action revolvers, and those often have beastly trigger pulls that are made even more difficult to pull by the wrap of leather around the cylinder.
The Clip on the Flex-Tuk
Nylon is a resilient material with ample flex and excellent memory. The Flex-Tuk clip is easy to get onto a belt, holds well — even on thicker concealed carry belts, and flexes well enough to take the holster off without having to undo your belt.
The eccentricity I mentioned earlier is that this holster — built for right-handed appendix carry — has the clip off the left side of the holster. As there is only one anchor point for the clip, this becomes a pivot point. I’m still not sure if I’m opposed to this. On the range, I found that a fast draw would tilt the holster toward my right side as I was pulling on the grip.
The movement was never extreme, but I would have to shift it back up into what I’d considered the natural orientation. And that’s when it hit me. Tilting it over a bit — effectively canting the gun, made its vertical length a bit easier to maneuver, and I found this to be an especially comfortable position when seated.
The Slim-Tuk, by comparison, feels very different. It holds more vertically. And that’s not bad, either.
Wrapping up on the Flex-Tuk DeSantis Holster
DeSantis seems to be intent on building every configuration of holster for these guns. If you carry a J-frame Smith, or any of the smaller snub-nosed guns, then this is a fantastic place to start your search.
The DeSantis Gunhide Flex-Tuk Holster for Smith & Wesson J-Frame Revolvers comes in either black or tan. Both sell for $45.99. While this is substantially more than the Slim-Tuk, it is reasonable considering the material considerations. Leather isn’t cheap.
Sadly, the Flex-Tuk is only made for revolvers. While the Slim-Tuk and many other designs are made for just about everything, the combo leather style seems to be relegated to the wheel-gun world.
That specificity, though, seems appropriate. This is a nice design, well executed, and it seems to bring some nuances that those of us who carry revolvers can appreciate.
