Jason Winnie’s J221 inside-the-waistband holster sits low relative to your belt line. This is good for concealment but adds a layer of complexity when it comes to accessing your gun. Here’s what I mean: When a gun rides this low, it makes it more difficult to get a grip on the gun. It takes just a tad longer to work your fingers around the stocks. As you know, this means draw time could be lengthened. And, in a serious situation, you may not have that kind of time.
But don’t dismiss this holster or others like it. I found that, with a bit of practice, I could get to my gun and draw it very quickly. And here’s where the J221’s alleged weakness actually proves to be a strength: With the gun sitting low relative to my belt line, I don’t have to pull my covering garment as high in order to clear it. In fact, if I only use my strong hand for my draw stroke — not using my weak hand to lift my sweater — I can get a thumb on one side of the stock and my middle finger on the opposing side of the stock and be virtually ready to draw … all without doing the typical garment clear. In other words, the low ride increases your ability to begin your draw discreetly. Worn at 4 or 5 o’clock, you’ll look like you’re going for a wallet in a rear pocket.
The Glock 26 Gen4 rides extremely well in the North American steer hide Jason Winnie J221.
Low ride aside, the J221 provides a stable, secure ride for whatever gun is on board. In fact, the Glock 26 Gen4 you see here — not a skinny or flat gun by any measure — rides very well in the J221. The steel spring clip holds on to my 1½-inch gun belt very well and the rig doesn’t move fore or aft when I’m getting in and out of a car or moving around all day. And for as thick as this rig looks, it remains comfortable and easy to put on and off a few times a day as needed.
A word about Jason Winnie. His grandfather is Don Hume. If you know who Don Hume is, then you can skip to the next paragraph. If you don’t know who Don Hume is, then head over to donhume.com and see what over 40 years of expert leather craftsmanship looks like in the category of “Holsters Police Officers and Private Citizens Use and Love.” Jason, through Jason Winnie Leathergoods, is following in his grandpa’s footsteps, continuing a family tradition and designing handcrafted, high-quality leather gear that’s 100 percent made in the USA.
But back to the J221. In addition to the steel spring clip which accommodates a 1¾-inch belt, this concealment holster also sports a body shield to keep your gun from contacting you directly, and vice versa. The J221 retails for $64.99 and, as far as a warranty is concerned, Jason Winnie stands by his products 100 percent. For the record, I’ve had another Jason Winnie J221 for a different gun for a couple years now. It’s as durable and functional as ever, if just a bit worn. And that’s the lowdown on a good-looking, comfortable and very accessible low-carry holster.
Learn more at http://www.jasonwinnie.com/iwb-with-steel-clip-and-body-shield-j221/.
