This is my first experience with a proper outside the waistband (OWB) holster, so I can't compare it to anything except my Alien Gear inside the waistband (IWB) holster.

I bought this holster for my Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, and the first thing I noticed was that the Shield 9mm is not actually listed on the packaging. Other M&P firearms such as the 9mm compact are listed, but not *specifically* the shield. That being said, the Shield is only a few millimeters thinner than the Compact, so I figured it should still work.

I had to remove my Crimson Trace laser grip before the holster would even fit the gun, so for those of you who swear by a laser, don't bother with this particular holster. After removing the laser, the firearm fit in the holster, but there was absolutely no retention at all. I had to screw in the retention screw just about as far as it would go, but then that's when the magic started happening. My pistol fits snugly in the holster, locking in with a solid *click!* every time I slide it in. With the firearm unloaded, I performed a vigorous shake test, holding the holster totally upside down and shaking it to try and get my gun to fall out onto my couch. It didn't budge at all. Up next, I put the holster on (more on that in a second) and rolled around on the floor a bit. Again, the firearm didn't move an inch. Finally, I practiced drawing the weapon. Much to my delight, it was super easy to draw: my pants stayed in one place with the holster while the pistol slid easily from the holster. Because of the way the holster is designed, it's easy to get a solid grip on the gun and draw it quickly, even though the holster is holding on so well to the pistol.

So the holster passes the "how well does it holster?" test, but what about comfort? Well I'm glad you asked! There are two ways to wear this particular holster: You can either shove the paddle down your pants, or you can slip your belt through the belt holding notch on the paddle. If you wear the holster with the paddle in your pants, it sits a little higher up on your waist, making it easier to conceal (assuming you want to use this for concealed carrying.) If you go with the belt option, your gun will sit a little lower on your hip. I personally find the in-the-pants option to be more comfortable: the gun tends to move around less during everyday activities like walking or cartwheels. My main complaint about the comfort is the difference between an IWB and OWB holster: Inside the waistband, your pants/belt hold the pistol tight, whereas an OWB holster tends to weigh your pants down. What I really need to do is cinch my belt tighter by a notch, but my belt is out of holes and I'm too lazy to punch a new one.

Finally, there's the issue of concealment. Obviously, an OWB holster such as this one isn't nearly as concealable as an IWB. There's about an inch gap between my body and the pistol, whereas my Alien Gear holster causes the grip of my gun to be pushed up into my side, which obviously leads to a smaller profile and less printing. I tried a couple of different button down shirts, and I found that if my shirt is even slightly a slimmer fit, this holster prints like crazy. A looser fitting shirt, however, or a small jacket conceals it just fine. Also, because an OWB holster sits... well... outside of your pants, if your shirt isn't long enough you're going to see the bottom of the holster. Not that Joe Public pays enough attention to notice a holster popping out from under your shirt, but if 100% concealment is a huge deal for you (or you don't live in a state that allows open carry like we have here in PA), you might want to pay close attention to what you wear with this holster. That being said, this holster is fantastic for wearing if you're not super worried about concealment, or if it's winter and you can wear a jacket over top of it.

So, let's review:

Retention: 10/10
Drawing the weapon: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10
Concealment: 7/10

If you're in the market for an OWB holster, buy this one. It's awesome, stylish, fun to play with, and it does a great job of holding your gun.

First off fast shipping !!!! 2nd i must say this is a damn good holster for Sw sd9ve owner !!! The paddle fits perfect againts hip , as comfort its as if its not even there. this is owb carry for me!! The draw is great plus sercured firearm !! Back woods shooting to range or daily carry thumbs up still plus 5 stars .You can waste your money on those high dollar holsters that fit bulky and obviously show or conceal that are uncomfortable go for it , but this is well worth it ! Jeans for open carry for sure! ! Gym shorts sweat pants can still be worn but i prefer belt. no it does not thread thru a belt loop,its all up to how ur draw ur pants using ur orginal belt you have on .holster has teeth that catches your material you're wearing on the inside for being sercured or if tried to be pulled off by somebody . I looked around before i bought this but honestly go with this if you own sd9ve or any gun listed in description that says it will fit ,atlease for a bad ass open carry or range holster that is Not bulky!, for conceal yes its close to the body so can still be used .but way faster draw than a conceal if worn owb how its design. Ima normal amazon customer just very satified with this item . Other Sd9ve owners this might be great option for you plus other guns that r listed bc there is a screw adjustment for other breeds out there ,but sd9ve for sure =) , my only negitive the red ban around fobus decal is not as description at lease on my holster .mine is just black and says fobus no red ring . Still very satified

The numerous good ratings and price led me to buy this holster. I've worn it twice now and really like it for my SD9 VE. As to comments about it not being tight or secure enough, with the gun removed I was able to tighten it enough that inserting and removing the gun was difficult. Maybe that's the trick; when I tightened the screw with the gun inserted it felt like I was hitting a limit and shouldn't push it any further. The indentation for the trigger guard provides a definite "snap" when I insert the gun.

The M&P Shield 9 is small enough to go into the oversized holster but the holster is not formed to fit that pistol. The adjustment screw doesn't magically make the holster fit the gun but merely pinches down the point below the trigger guard so the dimple will be close enough to catch inside the guard to help keep the gun from falling out. The holster adds unnecessary width. It doesn't matter how tight the screw there is a very noticeable gap around the gun in the oversized holster. I have a paddle Fobus made to form for 1911 .45 that is everything one would want for a holster. The claimed "one size fits all" holster is unacceptable. I sent it back.

I like this style of holster. Spreads the weight nicely if I'm just hanging around the house in sweatpants. Doesn't pull them down the way others do. The paddle is comfortable and positive retention. This doesn't have the best fit for an SD9VE. It doesn't snap around the trigger housing the way it should. Just slightly off on the molding process. I have these for other pistols and they all fit perfectly, so I'm a little disappointed in this one. The other drawback is the channel for the front sight. It doesn't need to be that tight. It won't fit if you have taller sights than factory.