ALIENGEAR ShapeShift AIWB Holster Review
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- Опубликовано: 5 дек 2022
- My review of the ALIENGEAR ShapeShift AIWB Holster. TLDR: probably not worth it. Links below are of products mentioned, for your convenience. They are not affiliate links so whether you like it or not, I make no money if you click. I hope this review helps you holster selection process! Avoid that box of holsters!
aliengearholsters.com/
www.koreessentials.com/collec... 
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Most detailed and beneficial holster review I've seen on RUclips. Thank you for making this!
Thanks so much Jason!
I had purchased the cloak tuck 3.5 for my 43x mos. I was new to carrying and THOUGHT it'd help ease me in to concealing. I agree, that outer rim was very abrasive. I found I wanted it off after 15 minutes of me barely moving around much. An undershirt does help. However, i get hot extremely easily and dont want to have to wear an undershirt in the summer. I adjusted it so many times, and I almost always printed. The handle constantly showed. I tried so many spots. The 1 o'clock position did ok, but how I had to have it adjusted, when I sat the bottom corner of the backing dug into my leg.
If it wasn't for the rough edging and being able to hide the handle, it was perfect on my 3 o'clock. A standard kydex holster and claw seem to bee what only works on me for now
I agree with you when come to the "belt clip ride height" and I agree on the "Weak Clip" too. I believe Alien can easily solve both issues but it seems they don't really want too or is too busy cranking out the new hostlers.
11:10 to 11:14. For me I once made the re-tension on my holster a little too tight and when I practice drawing from IWB 3'O my hostler and G19 came out together. G19 was still inside the hostler but I solved this problem by loosing up the re-tension and keep adjusting till it's right for me. One time I was practicing drawing while on the move and when I draw out my G19 the holster came flying out.
I like this hostler because I can shift it around inside my waist, easy to take it out, easy to insert it in and quick. I also have the 4.0 Shapeshift 4.0 IWB and this holster is very good but I don't like this one because it's a pain in the ass to take out from IWB.
I have AlienGear holsters from the 3.0, 3.5, and including the 4.0. Love the polymer not Kydex and the retention system. Not too pleased by not being able to run a lamp and/or laser. The AIWB holster that you demoted I call it a “Freedom Style” holster as I run the single clip at about 4 o’clock position. The Trigger guard and retention adjustment does act as a Claw for me that tucks the grip into my waist regardless of my activity, sitting, standing and even bending. However, it is bulky but tucks in well but again not for AIWB as you mention and most other reviewers have also “coned” about. I also run the Hybrid Style 4.0 two clip and really love that as the platform remains solid and I find much more stable. All that said as I have a closet of various holsters, I found the AlienGear polymer (hard-shell) was the fastest draw holster (strong side) than any other as there is no drag and the trigger guard lockup is highly adjustable and must be pulled straight up to release. Therefore, good security on the platform. Your Cons are all valid especially for that AIWB configuration and if worn up front. Good review.
I run a G42, G43, G19 and G23 with the 4.0 Shape Shift, except when I want or need an augment on my rail area.
Thanks man! And I appreciate you sharing your experience too. I’ve been running the Roswell for about 6 months now but sadly am maybe thinking about trying something different now that it’s summer time and the Roswell doesn’t quite conceal as well as I’d like it to.
Great review!
Thanks for the honest review, i am now rethinking my carry options. Have a great day 😊
Great review - sound like there a few small improvements that would make this a great option. Finding a good holster has proved to be a pilgrimage to say the least. Much harder finding a holster that checks all the boxes than the gun that goes in it.
Honestly, I love just about everything about the alien gear holster core carry pack. That said, today I just realized if you want to use the whole shell configuration a.k.a. both sides of the plastic mold, if you have any type of slide grip from Talon, for instance, that goes out the window. You can still use the half shell configuration, but the whole shell, which was my favorite, isn’t an option. 😢
I bought the same pack and stick to just the OWB 3 o'clock carry carry in the winter and IWB 9 o'clock carry in the summer (and I enjoy the alien gear for just that). The AIWB setup is just either too bulky/uncomfortable or prints too much for what I wear. I don't really enjoy AIWB carry much (if I do, I just use a velcro belly holster) but I've been wondering if it was just me, so this video let's me know I'm not alone 🤣.
So you switch from right hand draw to left hand draw?
I've been looking all over to make sure it wasn't just me. You're the first person I've seen point this out not being able to adjust ride height. I think it's an issue for micro compact guns. This was the biggest con for me not being able to get a confident grip on the gun. I carry a hellcat osp and the only place I could grab was my thumb squeezing over the top of the back sight and my pinky around the end of the mag (that's even if I had a bigger capacity magazine. forget it if I had a flush mag).
And it doesn't even have a true cant adjustment. You adjust where the gun is positioned against the neoprene backing and that's it. It does not adjust cant because the clip is moved when you move the holster to a new position.
I have the alien gear appendix holster and I love it but the only thing I hate is that I can’t adjust the ride height. When I draw I can’t fit my fingers between my belt and my pistol grip. But for me the holster is super comfortable. I wear the Alien gear holster when I’m doing a lot of walking and I wear my concealment express aiwb kydex holster when I’m doing alot of sitting and standing.
Yeah the lack of ride height adjustability on the Aliengear Shapeshift holster is one of the reasons I returned it and got an Aliengear Roswell holster.
I wish I saw this video before buying. I would have likely bought the Roswell.
My current kydex has no height adjustment and very little cant adjustment. I will keep this one from AG because it's more comfy to wear. But, I absolutely agree, the clip needs a great deal of improvement. The one piece molded clip has got to go.
Thank you for the information! I needed to know this, was between this or a WTP holster. Roswell huh?
Yeah so far I’ve tried ShapeShift, Roswell, and Tier1 Concealed Xiphos Elite and the Roswell is my favorite!
Unless you want or need something particular id say go with teir 1 or trex. Theyre just simply the best
Thanks for the input!
I have been using the ShapeShift IWB four o'clock carry for 2 years now. I have it on for about 14 hours a day and it is super comfortablem, the retention is easy to adjust and I have never had to readjust it. I love it. I just want a appendix carry option as well. The "toolless" adjustment can also be done with a standard 1/4" drive, without a socket attached.
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the ShapeShift!
I hope i didn't make a mistake with this purchase. Ive used the 3.5 for 5 years. Thought i would upgrade for the glock 43x. I hope it doesnt print too bad.
Depends on your body type. This is probably the most comfortable AIWB holster out there and I have multiple friends that run it with no concealment issues. For my body type and tighter clothes it just wasn’t for me
@@wtdconcepts I've been using it for about a week. I like it for appendix carry. I do have a gut so that helps abit
I just ordered one but unfortunately I didn’t see this video till after,but do you think this holster is good enough for a first time gun owner?
The ShapeShift is a very comfortable holster but it is hard to conceal. It’s definitely an “easy” first holster because there are no claws or wedges to work with but those things do help you out in the long run. Like with any holster, I’d say just try it out for the 30day period and if you don’t like it, return it in that 30day window.
I have a compensator on my carry handgun,is there an open ended appendix carry holster
?
I can tell you that off the shelf the Aliengear ShapeShift AIWB and the Alengear Roswell AIWB holsters are NOT open ended. However it would be easy to cut off the the ends for your comp to stick through. If you want something off the shelf, I think a standard Concealment Express or WeThePeople AIWB holster is open ended.
@@wtdconcepts Alright ill look at those options and make a decision. Thank you.
Saw your comment, and no. But I’m good with my Dremel and have modified my shell accordingly for an extended barrel for my G19. So there is room for some self modifications.😅
Can you carry anywhere on your person or just the appendix, I personally like carry either on my back or the side of my body
Technically yes you can carry anywhere around your waistline. However, because this holster does not have any “cant adjustment” (the belt clip cannot tilt) I don’t think it would be ideal for anything other than appendix or maybe 3 o’clock carry.
@@wtdconcepts that's fine I usually carry around my back area anyway, it's better for me being a heavy set fella
Could your share the link where we can buy the other holster?
I don’t think YT lets you out links to gun websites. If you type “Aliengear ShapeShift Holster” into Google or any search engine, it’ll be the first link that’s not an ad.
Amazon
So can you adjust the ride height on the rosewell?
Yes you can. There are 3 different ride height adjustments that move the clip up and down.
I love the Roswell actually better than the shapeshift.
I agree. Roswell is overall better than the ShapeShift.
What brand holsters do you recommend ?
The best holsters brands are Tier1 Concealed, Trex Arms, and maybe Tenicor or LAS Concealement. For a budget holster I like Aliengear. Just don’t get a soft nylon holster or something like that.
I agree the Roswell is way better for concealment and I can grab the gun better out of the holster than the Shape Shifter. Agreed the gun is too close to the belt..hard to get it out of the holster, you better not have long finger nails or you will scratch your skin.
The problem is it's hard polymer or plastic against the skin.
Why wouldn't you be wearing an undershirt, especially knowing you would be carrying that day? That's not the holsters' fault cause any type of pad would cause irritation to skin like that.
I'll wear an undershirt in the winter but it gets hot in the summer where I live and personally I wouldn't ever wear an undershirt under my T-shirt or tank top in the hot summer. Different strokes for different folks I guess!
I agree with MIC JACK. Wearing an undershirt is peak performance when conceal carrying. You can wear your undershirt in between your skin and your holster for ultimate comfort, or you can wear your undershirt over your holster for better concealability. I live in the Deep South where it gets extremely hot and humid but I still wear an undershirt. A wife beater as an undershirt works best for when it’s really hot out
@@tjjanicke8558I live in central Texas, nobody wears undershirts because it's way too hot specially if you're outside most of the day. Only people I have known who wore undershirts even when I lived in Florida were office or inside workers not people who spend most of the day outside.
In my opinion, buying a holster with a pad should mitigate the need for an undershirt...
Had this for a few months. Today on my way to work my gun fell into my pant leg. I realized the belt clip fell off because apparently the twist lock came off sometime. I was happy with it until today, I also realized that the same lock on my trigger guard was gone. So be aware of this, I believe its a safety issue and a design flaw. Called the co hoping they will replace it for free. They charged me $5, not a big amount but still annoying other than that I have no comple
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s always nice to hear other people’s history with the product.
Wow, you wear your pants high to get red marks all the way up to your belly button, or am i seeing that wrong?
The sweat guard pad on the back of the ShapeShift goes high up past the beaver tail of the gun.
Aliengear products, are almost ALWAYS trash!!! Until you have a proper holster you’ll just never understand Lol
Haha with my clip breaking you might be right. Now my problem is the Ulticlip I use allows the holster to sag, making it slower to grab the grip of the pistol. What holster brand would you recommend?
Alien gear is over rated. Don’t buy them. Tried them and the printing and bulk is unreal. Hardly conceals anything
I agree this ShapeShift has no mechanisms that reduce printing.