# Mini Review - Craft Holster - P99 leather holster



## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I found a great holster for my Walther P99 lately ( at https://www.craftholsters.com/leather-open-top-pancake-holster-w-sweat-guard-p690 ) - a leather holster from Craft Holsters. Thought I would do a mini-review of the holster.

Back around 2006, the P99 platform was my favorite gun. I shot nothing else for about 3-4 years, and I had several P99s. I later caught the Beretta bug again, and I moved on... But, I found that I missed the gun quite a lot over the years. Eventually, I bought one again last Spring - when I found one at a great price.










Since the purchase of that P99; however, I had been looking for a good OWB holster to carry it concealed. I also did not want to spend a small fortune, or wait forever for some special ordered holster. I found that the gun did fit in my Fobus HK paddle holster, but that holster doesn't conceal at all. Then, I later bought a Bianchi Black Widow holster. I thought that would be the one, but it does not hold the butt of the gun against your body very well. It slightly tilts the grip OUTWARDS, so it is very obvious under a shirt. That holster did not work very well either.

I kept looking, and made a short list of what I was going to try next.

Well, I now have the Craft Holsters Leather Open Top Pancake Holster with Sweat Guard.

Their website is: https://www.craftholsters.com - And, their Walther P99 holsters are here: https://www.craftholsters.com/walther-p99-holsters

I've had the holster since mid November (the wait was about 1 month or so), and I found that it conceals very well. It DOES tilt the gun in towards the body (just like I wanted), so it is far less obvious than the Bianchi holster that I had tried and eventually just stuck way back into the rear of my gun safe.

Texas is hot, so I like the sweat guard on the Craft quite a bit. I have holsters for other guns, and I always hate having to oil the gun down at the end of the day to prevent rust. The sweat guard on this Craft holster helps with that immensely, as Texas is hot for probably 3/4 of the year.

The quality and stitching on the holster is very good, and the holster looks nice when wearing it. The seem to make them in various colors, according to their website. But, I just got the normal brown color (I think they call it mahogany).

I've owned several OWB Galco holsters over the past 20+ years, but I really like this holster. It is my first OWB leather holster that does not have a retention strap. But truth be told, I always got the retention strap simply to use it as a sweat guard. I didn't need to do that with the Craft holster. And, the sweat guard does not stick you in the side uncomfortably. I was a bit worried about that initially. The gun also remains retained very well, despite the open draw port.










I think that if you are looking for a good leather holster, at a good price, you should check out this company. They seem to have many various types of holsters besides the OWB one that I ordered, and the prices on all the models seem very reasonable. And, break in of the holster only took me a few days, using the internet-famous plastic bag trick.

I'd get the same holster for the P99 again, so I am very happy with it.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Speaking professionally, I agree that your choice was a good one.

The holster seems properly designed and well made.
The leather seems appropriate too, although I might've made the pouch of four layers of slightly thinner leather, rather than two layers of thicker stock. In my mind, I prefer that the pistol "see" grain-side leather, rather than rough-side.

In truth, I carry my own pistol in an almost-exact duplicate of your holster, so maybe I'm prejudiced.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Well, I like that the holster broke in much faster than past Galco holsters I have had. 

I wrote the review to help anyone who may be looking for a holster


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Shipwreck said:


> Well, I like that the holster broke in much faster than past Galco holsters I have had...


When a closely-fitted leather holster breaks-in fairly quickly, it tells me that the leather may be either too thin or too supple. Thus, it may stretch out with use, and become too loose.
A longer break-in period hints at thicker, firmer leather that'll be harder to break-in, but it won't loosen quickly as it's used.

Never fear: If the holster loosens, there are ways to re-tighten it.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Well, I used the plastic bag trick. But it only took about 5 days. I have had some holsters that take 2 weeks.

We'll see, but so far, I like it


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