I understand that clips allow you to tuck your shirt but which one is better for IWB? The loops seem to be more secure but how easy is it to unsnap?

There are a lot of variations in nylon clips and leather snap on loops. If your holster is made by a quality holster maker, then the leather loops will most likely have Pull-the-Dot snaps which are very secure. They can only be snapped on or off in a single direction. They won't come undone by accident. Some cheaper holsters may have regular snaps. As long as the ride height and cant are right for me, I like leather loops better for IWB holsters but a lot of times a holster with clips will have more options for adjusting the ride height and cant of a holster which makes a big difference in comfort and concealability. I find the dual leather loop holsters made by R Grizzle and TT Gunleather ride about perfect for me every time but I really only use these for heavier guns. For lighter guns, an easy on/easy off single clip IWB holster works fine for my needs. I've never had a good quality nylon clip break but I've had some kydex clips fail, so I won't use those anymore.

Thanks for that detailed response. I’ve been seriously considering a holster by Ryan and I think I just made a decision. I have a cheaper one that does sometimes unsnap and I just bought one with clips that I’ve only carried once but did notice that the clips could slip off of my thick holster belt. The “pull the dots” snap seems to be exactly what I need

Part of it depends on the type of belt you're using.

Traditional plastic/nylon/metal clips are less likely to inadvertantly come off a double-thickness leather gun belt. But I tend to carry with thinner instructor-style nylon belts, and I've had a number of instances where clips came off my belt in the past, either during the draw or just from moving around the changing positions. And these aren't cheap clips from no-name makers, but name brand clips from places like Comp-Tac and Raven.

Going to draw your weapon and having the holster come off still attached to the gun is a bad feeling. As is going to stand up and realizing that your unclipped holster almost just fell out of your waistband.

As a result, I have a strong preference for snap loops. They're just as easy to put on/off as clips, and are significantly more secure. But as mentioned, make sure they're using real one-way "pull the dot" snaps, not cheaper regular snaps.

Rogue is right, all about the belt. A thicker leather belt is diff with snaps, a thinner double nylon might allow a clip to slip off. I prefer good clips across the board though.

I'll share my one experience with regular snaps. I had a leather IWB holster, VMII-style, but with regular snaps, not the one-way type. Most of the time the snaps would pop open whenever I re-holstered the gun. That turned me off regular snap loops. If I use loops, I get the pull-the-dot snaps only.

FWIW, I've got a JM Kydex IWB-3 holster coming in for my Beretta PX4 Compact. I ordered loops with one-way snaps and the clip so I could try them both out.

You might want to look at this. May be the best of both worlds.

https://www.ulticlip.com/

My preference is a good quality nylon clip.
They protrude less than the loops do and stay put on a good gun belt. I've had pull the dot loops unsnap on me quite often.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
I've had pull the dot loops unsnap on me quite often.

If that's true, something is very wrong. Plain old regular snaps often come unsnapped, but I've done strenuous workouts and been in foot pursuits and wrestling matches while wearing pull-the-dot snaps without them coming undone.

Either:

A) They're not real pull-the-dot snaps, or
B) You've turned them 180 degrees from the orientation they're supposed to be in (the "dot" is supposed to be at the top), or
C) You haven't mastered the technique of getting them correctly snapped (you have to "rock" them onto the post to get them to properly seat, starting at the bottom away from the dot; you can't just push them directly down onto the post like a normal snap)

I have had them all and prefer spring steel clip

You can use a strut and a loop(s) and still have a tuck-able holster.

That's what I did with my G-Code INCOG Eclipse. I don't trust clips, as I've seen them fail during fights. Alao, I don't use snap loops anymore. I use screws. Yes, snaps, like clips, are very convenient for donning/doffing the holster/gun, but are much less secure than a closed loop. I use screws and Loctite, and thread the belt through the closed loop.

quote:

Originally posted by henryarnaud:
FWIW, I've got a JM Kydex IWB-3 holster coming in for my Beretta PX4 Compact. I ordered loops with one-way snaps and the clip so I could try them both out.

Well, since this thread has popped up, I thought I'd give a little update. I've been using this holster for a few weeks, using both attachment methods. While I like the security of the loops, it seems to me like the clip is actually more stable on my belt (using both a Wilderness Frequent Flyer belt and a Beltman double-layer belt, both 1.5").

So far the clip hasn't slipped off during practice sessions, but I think I'd still prefer the security of a loop, either snap or screwed in. Trying to decide my next holster "experiment," either a TT Gunleather's Reinforced Mike's Special (one-way snap loops) or a Kramer IWB#3 (screwed-in loops).

Decisions, decisions...

I don't find very many IWB kydex holsters with steel clip. FIST is one of the few that uses the steel clip.

Just about all the others use some sort of plastic clip, which is bulkier and less strong. And, many of the plastic clips are also for tuckable, which adds even more thickness to the whole thing.

I'll have to look at holsters with the snap loops. But, I'd rather deal with one clip and not 2 loops. So may get a FIST anyway.

How well do the snap loops stand up to daily off-and-on?

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
How well do the snap loops stand up to daily off-and-on?

I have a few holsters with snap loops that have seen near-daily use for years. No issues.

Always been a "loops" guy with the pull dot but have had some really difficult pull dots.... recently bought in to the "neodymium magnetic belt loop system" on the Milt Sparks Nexus. Great holster, thin, preferred cant and offset design. EDC for my Glock 26/27 and 220 SAS carry.

Here's a High Noon kydex IWB with half of a plastic clip and a snap loop attached to the half clip. Jeeesh, the clip and loop are almost as thick as the gun.

I am very active during the day. I used a Kramer - what they now call a #2 - for a P239 for a couple years. I often wished the loops were farther apart for a bit more stability. The screwed loops work great but there were times it felt like a chore threading them.

I'm have never had any issues with one way snaps.

Has anyone here had bad luck with J-clips such as these? https://www.desantisholster.co...arge-j-clips-3-hole/

I tried a set of J-clips on a Crossbreed Supertuck back when they came out about 15 years ago. I'm not a fan. J-clips hang on your pants' waistband, not your belt, so it's not as stable as more traditional attachments, unless you really cinch your belt down and sandwich your pants/clip between the belt and your body.

But I guess it's potentially slightly lower profile, if you run around with your shirt tucked in all day.

Thanks for the feedback, it would actually be used with some slack in the belt, and the pistol/mag not above the belt line. My original idea was to cut off the tip of the "J" and rivet a faux leather belt keeper to it.