Comfort
To begin this review I'll start by covering the what
I consider the three most important features of any holster.
Once I started wearing the holster I was extremely pleased to find that
this holster, because of the single clip design was able to be worn in
many comfortable positions. I found that the crossdraw, 3:00-3:30 4:00-5:00
were all very comfortable. Sometimes when I was being really lazy I would
clip the holster onto the waistband of my jeans and not wear a belt at
all. I had no trouble doing this at all a couple times I grabbed my now
too big pair of slacks and had to wear the holster in the 12:00-12:30
position to keep it from pulling my pants down. Most of the time though
I wore a belt with it, but it still worked great without one as long as
your not wearing spandex, overly large pants or some type of clothing
that can't hold the weight.
The holster was not uncomfortable for me when riding in vehicles because
I could easily adjust the holster to be in a place on my belt that wasn't
uncomfortable. Of course many readers will find is that their body shape
will be a major factor on how comfortable any holster is on them.
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The leather outer holster while smooth is pretty tough, it resists scratching and gouging. Although it does wear a bit more from clothing and makes the leather even smoother, but I personally found that to be better. It helps break in the holster and make it much more comfortable once its broke in without affecting durability.
If you are looking for an affordable and well made holster to start out with, this is a great choice. The holsters concealability is above par and quality is top notch. When necessary it can be moved around the body easily and can be very comfortable. I have found that the holster holds well to the side and the snug fit against the body is further enforced by the wearing of a proper gunbelt.
Street Clothes
I had no trouble concealing the gun in this holster with casual wear. There is very little printing of the gun on the outside. As I normally wear just a casual sunday getup I don't get out much wearing like this.
This is my most common combination of clothing, slacks and a button-up shirt. While wearing this setup I found it to have the greatest level of concealability. Concealing while tucked in wasn't an option.
As of right now I cannot post a review of how well the Tuxedo concealed this holster because my Tuxedo is at the dry cleaners again as I am having an after wedding reception in 2 weeks so once I get done with that I'll have my tux back and I'll take a few pictures of how well it conceals.
Retention
The holsters retention is not an externally maintained. The retention mechanism is all molded into the holster. The holster is exceptionally well molded and retains the holster as well or better than some holsters with retention screws. The only complaint that I had was the sight channel, I think the sight channel needs to be a little bit deeper on this holster model it wasn't bad but it came close to the side of the sight channel.
Draw speed
The gun draw was pretty quick, while drawing, I could withdraw my firearm fairly quickly. When I first received the holster I did have to give it a week or two for it to get broke in. At first, I would sometimes draw the holster with the gun, after about 1-2 weeks that quit happening.
Tactical Reholstering
Tactical reholstering was pretty easy. The leather holds the form very well, and does not shift shape too much once the firearm has been drawn. It can be a little difficult.
Grip Presentation
The holster provides full access to the grip. I was able to grasp the grip fully and did not have to adjust my grip after drawing.
Ease of Removal
The holster comes with a single built in belt clip. The belt clip is very stiff is not removable and is permanently attachment. One nice thing about the belt clip is the "tongue" on the clip that helps facilitate quick removal. This holster would not easily get knocked or pulled off the belt because of the clip design.
The belt does not need to be unfastened and/or partially removed. If you frequent places that restrict the carrying of a firearm this holster would be great choice.
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Cant Adjustability
The H715-M is only available in a straight drop option and cannot be adjust to have any forward cant.
The outer holster body has a smooth finish which is lightly textured and provides a good gripping surface. The inner lining surfaces aren't perfectly smooth, it is a rougher unfinished leather.
Sharp Edges
The holster is very well manufactured. It has no sharp edges or places to snag the holster on the clothing.
Product Care.
There are many different products to maintain leather; all should work fine. I haven't needed to clean the holster yet so I cannot make any recommendations for a good cleaning product yet.
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This holster has a non-complex, gun specific design. This holster style does function as a slide type holster.
You can get this holster to fit the following models.
XD Series Pistol |
Compatible Standard Holster |
| XD 9mm Sub-Compact |  |
| XD 9mm Service 4" | |
| XD 9mm V-10 Ported 4" | |
| XD 9mm Tactical | |
| XD .357 SIG Service 4" | |
| XD .357 SIG V-10 Ported 4" | |
| XD .357 SIG Tactical | |
| XD .40S&W Sub-Compact | |
| XD .40S&W Service 4" | |
| XD .40S&W V-10 Ported 4" | |
| XD .40S&W Tactical | |
While the holster I ordered was setup for a 4" Service model, the holster worked great for a 3" sub-compact as well. The Tactical version works well in the 4" holster as well keep in mind if you plan on ordering the holster for a tactical model you'll want to probably order the 5" holster. The Tactical model pokes out of the bottom of the 4" holster, but stays put quite well nonetheless.
XD Series Pistol |
Slide Holster Available |
9mm |
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.357 SIG |
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.40 S&W |
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Customer Service
Turnaround Time
My order was placed on 4/7/04 and I received my package
on 4/21/04. A big reason for most of the delay was the second holster
in the order had to be made before it could be shipped out. If the products
already made expect packages within one week probably, if its not already
made expect delivery within 2 weeks.
Customer Service
When I corresponded with Shniece in Don Hume's customer service she was
very polite and always glad to help.
Warranty
Don Hume's warranty is the better than most its a 2 year warranty against
manufacturer defects, so this warranty is double the standard one year
warranty that many other manufacturers provide.
Repairs (If Necessary)
No repairs necessary to date.
Value vs. Cost
This is a very well made holster. And wonderful value for the price.
Don Hume - H715-M