Alessi PCH IWB Holster

Sometimes in life things come too little, too late. That is definitely the case with Lou Alessi's PCH holster. It was his final IWB design to be made and is considered the pinnacle of IWB holsters by many people.

What makes the PCH unique is it's design. Typically, quality leather IWB holsters fall into two categories. The first is a clamshell-style of which the Summer Special is an example. Such holsters are made by bending a single piece of leather around a handgun and stitching it together at the rear of the holster. Clamshell-style holsters usually have the belt attachment loop(s) on the side so that it sits between the pistol and belt.

The second style of leather IWB holster is the pancake-style, made of two pieces of leather. Pancake-style holsters are stitched together to the front and rear of the holster, holding the handgun between the stitches. These holsters usually have the belt loops mounted fore and aft, making the holster's footprint on the gunbelt larger.

As a rule, clamshell-style holsters take less space on the belt and place the handgun higher on the body. Likewise, pancake-style holsters are usually slimmer but take up more belt space, making them difficult to use for skinny people. Pancake-style holsters also let the weapon ride lower on the body and are usually more stable due to having more holster area in contact with the body.

The Alessi PCH blends the two styles by using a clamshell design with an extra flap of material at the front of the holster. That extra material is ingenious because it makes the holster more stable and comfortable without making the holster as bulky as a pancake-style one. The PCH uses Summer Special-style belt loops.

Unfortunately, PCH holsters are hard to come by now because they rarely are available on the aftermarket. If you have a chance to buy one, however, you will not be disappointed.

Take a look at my other Alessi Holster reviews.

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