Today we are going to start into a mini series of blog posts that take a deeper dive into each of our current holster models. This series is meant to provide all our customers with information and maybe a small education about what holster choice is best for them. We’ll look at what makes each style of holster unique, who may benefit from each specific style, advantages/disadvantages specific to each model, and how to adjust/care/reassemble your holster. We’ll also have videos for each model to give better visual representation to what we’re talking about.
To start us off we’re going to be talking about what has consistently been our most popular holster model, the Ninja: Lightbearing Appendix IWB holster. This is the holster that started it all for us years ago, and remains our most popular holster to date. It is packed with all kinds of features and modularity that make it a great choice for first time concealed carriers and seasoned pros alike. Lets get into it.
What is the Ninja: Lightbearing Appendix IWB?
The Ninja is, at its heart, a IWB appendix holster. It's meant to be carried inside the users waistband at or around the one o’clock position. The word “light bearing” in the name is to delineate this as our model meant to be used with weapon mounted lights. We offer a crazy-wide range of different firearm and weapon mounted light setups on our website.
What are the features specific to this holster?:
Belt Clips:
What sets the Ninja: Lightbearing Appendix IWB apart from our other IWB holster options is the amount of belt clip options and modularity this holster provides. It is sold standard with a Discreet Carry Concepts Monoblock belt clip, but can be also be upgraded to several styles of tuckable belt clips. The top section of mounting holes allow the belt clip to be mounted in a canted position as well. More on the benefits of this below.
Concealment Claw:
The Ninja also features a Kydex concealment claw that helps considerably with printing while concealed carrying. The claw presses into the back of your pants, drawing the grip of your firearm closer to your abdomen. This feature is almost essential when carrying in the appendix position. For those who would like to run without the claw, or switch to a different model such as the Mod Wing, the claw can easily be removed without affecting the holster’s retention. The bottom two retention holes are spaced to accept the Mod Wing and several other popular concealment claw options.
Modularity:
What makes the Ninja our most popular holster model is it’s modularity. For those just getting into concealed carry, one of the biggest questions is “Appendix or strong-side carry?” A lot of people like the idea of appendix carry, but may not be comfortable with it yet. They don’t want to pay the hard-earned money on a holster that they aren’t sure they’ll like carrying. Thankfully we’ve figured this out with the Ninja. By canting the belt clip and removing the claw, the holster is now setup perfectly for strong-side carry. This allows users to “try out” appendix carrying, but not be stuck with a useless holster if appendix just isn’t there yet.
Who Is this holster for?:
Body Types:
Most people hear “appendix carry” and they think “No way I can use that holster. My body type just won’t allow it.” Fortunately, the Ninja is designed to work with almost any body type. Traditionally, appendix carry is reserved for individuals with slimmer waistlines, leaving those of us with a little extra love in the midsection searching for a different way to carry. The Ninja makes appendix carry for people like us not only possible, but also incredibly comfortable. By installing those tuckable clips that I mentioned earlier, users can adjust the ride height of the holster to be far deeper in the pant line. This allows much more room to breathe, so to speak, and makes appendix carry much more comfortable.
Clothing:
A great advantage to carrying in the appendix position is the freedom of clothing choices. Many times with concealed carry, we are relegated to layering loose fitting attire in an attempt to prevent our firearm from printing. Appendix carry seems to afford much more freedom by placing the firearm in a more concealable area of the body. Clothing tends to drape more easily around the appendix carry area, making it far easier to conceal in comparison to strong-side carry.
What are the advantages of this holster?:
Draw Times:
Arguably the biggest benefit of carrying in the appendix position is the accessibility of your firearm. Appendix carry offers a much quicker and more intrinsic draw stroke. This means better consistency, and lower draw times.
Concealability:
As stated above, most people find appendix carry one of the easiest on-body concealed carry methods. The location of the holster just fits better with our bodies shape, and allows for much more freedom in clothing choices when carrying.
What are the disadvantages of this holster?:
Safety?:
This is certainly a topic that has been argued to infinity and back, but it still cannot go without being said. One of the biggest reasons people decide not to appendix carry is due to the firearm placement. Many people just aren’t comfortable with having a loaded firearm pointing at the most sensitive (and important for some) area of their body. I don’t believe these concerns are invalid, but I would argue it’s far less of a safety concern as it is a level of confidence and comfort. Carrying a loaded firearm is a huge responsibility. It is also dangerous. It is incredibly important that we do our part to practice, and ensure our firearms are in correct working order when carrying. Make dry fire are part of your weekly (if not daily) routine. Build a level of confidence in your weapon handling ability, and ensure that you can draw and re-holster effectively. Given efficient time and practice, I think most people would start to move towards appendix carry for it’s numerous advantages.
How to adjust/care for this holster:
Cleaning:
If you find your holster has lost its luster, or is just dirty from daily use, you can clean it back up rather easily with warm soap and water. To get it to shine, we like to use a thin firearm lubricant like Rem Oil or CLP. A small amount on a microfiber cloth or towel goes a long way, and can bring a lot of vibrancy back to those custom camos or prints.
Adjusting Retention:
Adjusting the Ninja’s retention is rather straightforward. The two lower holes can be adjusted with a Philips head screw driver from the front side of the holster. The top two screws that run through the Kydex concealment claw can be adjusted with a flat blade screw driver from the back side of the holster. Loosening the front of the claw screws will allow the claw to come loose from the holster. Be sure to watch the video for a better visual example.
Let’s Wrap It Up:
Hopefully this served as a good explanation of why the Ninja: Lightbearing Appendix IWB holster is our top seller. With so many different features and modularity it can really be hard to beat.
If you have any questions at all in regards to the Ninja or any of our other holsters, please feel free to reach out. We would love to get your questions answered, and help you in making an informed decision into what carry method is best fit for you.
If you would like to check out our lineup of available holster models click here.