New holster for my M&P

[Podmonkey]

Another IWB from T-Rex Arms which is becoming my go-to holster maker.
I originally got the Ironside Hybrid holster from the same company and there is nothing wrong with it, very comfortable setup. However it does take up a lot of belt space which causes problems with my other belt mounted EDC item a multitool which I keep just in front of the holster. I also have never been fond of the way the belt loops attach to the backer and not the holster itself.



As you can see the Raptor holster takes up much less belt space than the Ironside
And the little claw thingy of the Raptor does indeed pull the butt of the gun tighter into the body and it is a fair bit more concealed now with less printing
Especially when bending the waist. Despite this tge new holster is still quite comfortable, that Alcantara backer is a genius idea and it's a wonder no one has done it before. It is a far better solution to other hybrid holsters such as tge Crossbreed which have issues with loose retention. The Raptor here, like the Ironside is a full kydex holster just with a backer attached.
As for the Ironside Being a Hybrid I will be converting it back to an OWB configuration for cold weather carry.
At some point I will be getting the T-Rex Ragnarok holster on a single strap drop leg for cool guy tacticool range/training use. I do already have a Ragnarok for my Glock 19 and it is an excellent holster from range and competition.

 

[Podmonkey]

I should also note that tge backer has additional utility beyond just comfort. On either holster it grips firmly aginst the body, there is no way the holster would pull out during the draw. Even of the clips weren't there I think tge holster would stat put, under the draw anyway. Walking around, sitting, standing, sitting again, climbing up and down tge truck I'm sure it would quickly shift sans clips

 

[Podmonkey]

Not that anyone seems to care but after 2 days of carry the new holster has accomplished what I needed it too:
It does take up significantly less belt space, is more secure on the belt and does not shift around. I also find that ot conceals the gun extremely well, even bending over there is minimal printing. The Raptor is slightly less comfortable than the Ironside but not to the point of being objectionable.