Top 5 Holsters for Glock 19 Pistols: A Buyer’s Guide

What are the best holsters for a Glock 19? Every self-proclaimed expert out there will offer their two cents on the must-have holsters, but they’ll often focus on one or two specific brands. What I can do, though, is tell you which ones I like and use regularly without any bias or fanfare.

With a career in law enforcement, I carry a Glock most of the time. Back when I worked as a road officer, I carried a Glock 17 in a duty holster. Now, I work mostly in an office and carry a Glock 19 daily. Depending on how I’m dressed, the time of year, and what I have planned at work that day, I tend to use a variety of holsters with my G19.

When you purchase your first handgun, you think the hard part is over. But in reality, shopping for holsters is even more overwhelming than handguns because there are seemingly endless options including outside-the-waistband belt holsters, inside-the-waistband holsters, shoulder holsters, and more. It’s my goal, though, to break it down a bit and help find the right holster for you.

1. Blackhawk Serpa Paddle Holster

When I was first introduced to the Blackhawk Serpa holster, I was thrilled to try it out. This holster is a plastic molded paddle holster with locking retention. I love leather gear and always will, but sometimes it’s nice to not mess with a retention strap when holstering your weapon. The Blackhawk Serpa holster locks the firearm in place when you drop the gun in it. To get it back out, all you do is just press the button on the side of the holster as you lift. It’s one of the easiest and simplest holsters to use.

The other reason I like it is because of the paddle attachment. I used to always use a belt-mounted holster for work. But I find myself using the Blackhawk quite a bit. When putting the holster on, you simply push the paddle on the inside of your pants and let the holster slide over the outside. A little piece of the holster sticks up to catch on your belt and keep it from coming off. To remove it, press in on that piece to push it out of the way from your belt and lift.

2. Craft/Falco leather pancake holster with tac light

Craft is a good source for a customized Falco holster for your gun. I’ve ordered from them before and received a phone call the next day asking for specifics about my gun. If you carry an extended mag or want one compatible with a specific light, Craft can do it. This holster is a leather pancake belt holster that works with a Streamlight TLR-1 light. This was appealing to me because I carry a light on me at work, and I also like the look of leather holsters.

A pancake holster has somewhat of a circle of leather around the holster with notches cut out for the belt. You weave your belt on the outside of the first belt notch, then run it behind the holster and back through the last belt notch. This thumb-break holster keeps the gun up against your side, which is nice when you want a low-profile holster. It’s not easy to find a leather belt holster that accommodates a tactical light. But if you keep it oiled and in good condition, it will last a lifetime.

3. Bianchi Leather Pancake Open-Top Finger Lock

The Bianchi Leather Pancake holster is another leather holster, but instead of a retention strap that goes over the top of the gun, it features an open top. It still has retention through a finger lock built into the holster. Some people like the open-top design because they can get a better grip on their gun before they draw it. While gripping the handle, push in on the plastic lever with your middle finger and lift. Just like the Blackhawk, push the gun back into the holster, and it locks on its own. I still wear this holster from time to time, but not as much as I used to. It has been rained on, left in the sun, and used extensively, so it’s a little worn but still holding up great. Like the Falco, this holster holds the gun close against your side, making it nice for office settings.

4. Galco VHS 4.0 Leather Shoulder Holster

Shoulder holsters are awesome when you’re driving a lot or sitting in a chair all day. When I plan trips or know I’ll be in meetings for most of the day, I opt for my shoulder holster. Galco makes both horizontal and vertical shoulder holsters. I have both, but I tend to wear the vertical holster more because it points the gun down and not behind me. The VHS 4.0 works with a Glock 19 or 17 and accommodates a tactical light. It comes with a double mag pouch for extra ammo, and the loaded mags help balance the holster on your shoulders.

The holster and mag pouch have belt snaps to secure the bottom of the holster and pouch to your belt. This keeps them from swinging around and is surprisingly comfortable. You can use this holster with or without an optic, but it does need the tac light attached to the holster properly. The front of the holster is somewhat open with the leather strap holding the gun in place. When you break the thumb snap, the gun falls out of the side of the holster. This is much more comfortable than drawing the gun out of the top of the holster. Galco shoulder holsters can be on the expensive side, but they sure are well-made holsters.

5. Safariland 7360 RDS Duty Holster for Light and Optic

If you want a duty holster, you can’t go wrong with a Safariland holster. It’s hard to find anyone who does it better, and they make holsters for just about every duty weapon out there. I have used Safariland holsters since my first day on patrol, and they continue to make a great product. The 7360 RDS holster will fit the Glock 17, 19, and 34. I also carry my Glock 45 in it as well. This is a Level III holster, so it has triple retention, but it can still be drawn quickly when needed.

Duty holsters hold the gun away from your side to make it easy to grab and draw them. Because of this, it’s even easier for someone else to try and grab your gun. This is the main reason you want a multi-retention holster for combat/duty weapons. Unlike duty holsters before it, this one doesn’t have a cutout for the optic; it has a cover. When you holster the gun, the optic sits down inside the holster, and a hinged cover goes over the top. This protects the optic when the gun is holstered. When you draw the gun, the cover flips open and out of the way.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of good holsters out there to look at, but hopefully, this short list gives you some ideas. When choosing a holster, I first decide how I plan to carry it, the time of year I’ll carry, and what I plan to wear. For smaller guns, I use IWB holsters a lot, but the Glock 19 isn’t small compared to compact guns like the Glock 43, Hellcat, or Sig P365. I prefer belt holsters or shoulder holsters for the Glock 19. Look around, and maybe even test a few for yourself. Just remember, a quality gun needs a quality holster, so keep that in mind during your search.