We field-tested over 30 of the best concealed carry OWB holsters and found the eight best options. However, which one works for you will depend on your lifestyle and body type.
Many people associate outside-the-waistband holsters with “open carry” holsters. However, we have discovered that some holsters are suitable for concealed carry, which is a significant advantage for those who cannot or do not wish to carry an IWB holster.
Our team has over 25 years of experience with OWB holsters. We carry concealed every day and have used all types of OWB holsters in the military and in competitions.
Finding an OWB holster that works for concealed carry is a challenge. Most of them don’t conceal very well and aren’t designed for this purpose. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to find one.
Keep reading to find out which holsters we found that do work and our tips on how to pick the best one for you. Also check out our full concealed carry guide!
Table of Contents
- Comparison of our Favorite OWB Holsters
- Best OWB Holsters for Concealed Carry
- Stealth Gear Ventcore OWB – Best Overall
- Craft Holsters Panther Open Top OWB – Best Leather OWB Holster
- Alien Gear Photon – Best Convertible Holster
- 1791 Gunleather BH2.1 OWB – Best Universal Fit
- 1791 Gunleather Ultra Custom OWB
- Falco Pancake Style Leather OWB Holster
- 1791 Gunleather Optic Ready Paddle Holster
- Hidden Hybrid Holsters OWB
- Tips on Choosing the Best OWB Concealed Carry Holster
- Choose the Best OWB Holster for You
Comparison of our Favorite OWB Holsters
Stealth Gear Ventcore 1.0
Hybrid Design
Flexible
Fits over 75 Guns
MSRP: $129
Craft Holsters Panther Open Top OWB
Low Profile
Molded Leather
Over 100 Gun Models
MSRP: $69
Alien Gear Photon Holster
IWB or OWB
Full Kydex
Fits over 50 Guns
MSRP: $44.88
1791 Gunleather BH2.1 OWB
Universal Fit
Quality Leather
Not Adjustable
MSRP: $65
1791 Gunleather Ultra Custom
Molded by User
Quality Leather
Light Bearing Option
MSRP: $100
Falco Pancake Style Leather Holster
Molded Leather
Many Gun Models
Not Adjustable
MSRP: $120
1791 Gunleather Optic Ready Paddle Holster
Nice Leather
Universal Fit
Low Profile
MSRP: $65
Hidden Hybrid OWB Holster
Hybrid Design
Over 100 Gun Models
Not Adjustable
MSRP: $70
Best OWB Holsters for Concealed Carry
While OWB holsters are usually considered open-carry holsters, we have found some that conceal very well. We did not include open carry, competition, or OWB holsters that do not conceal well. These are strictly for concealed carry only.
Stealth Gear Ventcore OWB – Best Overall
- Material: Hybrid
- Handgun Models Available: Over 75
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $129.00
I have been using holsters from stealth gear for over 5 years now.
The Ventcore OWB holster is one of my favorite OWB holsters. It is a hybrid holster design with a unique breathable backing and a Kydex shell.
The clips of the holster are mounted to flexible wings that allow it to conform to my body. I have found this design has two benefits. It makes it comfortable to wear, and it makes it more concealable than any other holster.
I like the belt clips on this holster. I can put the holster on without taking my belt off; they snap over it. I have used this holster for thousands of draw repetitions in dry fire, competitions, and range drills. It has never pulled off of my belt once.
The clips are moveable so I can adjust the ride height and cant angle. This is important to be able to adjust the holster to different body types and shapes.
The retention is also adjustable on the Kydex shell by a screw near the trigger guard.
I found that the screws on the holster really need Loctite. I have had a few back out over time. It hasn’t been an issue since there are redundant screws and spares are included.
There are a ton of pistol and light-bearing options available for this holster. The price is slightly higher, and the lead time is slightly longer than some other holsters. But I have found it to be worth it.
*Update – As I have been training with this holster for some time now I noticed the edges of the wings are fairly sharp. I have hit my fingers on them when my draw is not exactly perfect (when trying to go faster.) I simply took a fine file and rounded them off.
Recommended for:
The Stealth Gear Ventcore OWB holster is for anyone seeking a concealable and comfortable OWB holster. The flexible design makes this holster one of the best.
PROS
Hybrid Design
Flexible and Comfortable
Many Gun Models
Adjustable
CONS
Price
Lead Time
Edges of Wings Sharp
Video of the Stealth Gear Ventcore OWB Holster
Craft Holsters Panther Open Top OWB – Best Leather OWB Holster
- Material: Leather
- Handgun Models Available: Over 100
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: 5 Year
- MSRP: $69
The Craft Holsters Panther Open Top OWB holster is one of the best OWB leather holsters we have found.
What makes this holster stand out is the molded design. Craft has a process where they mold each holster to a specific handgun, much like Kydex.
This is amazing since I can get a leather holster with most of the benefits of a Kydex holster. I have one of these for my Glock 19, which fits it perfectly.
As this holster has a pancake-style design, the wings that come with belt loops are flexible and conform to my waist. This allows me to conceal my handgun with ease.
The quality of the Italian leather is top-notch, as well as the double stitching in key areas.
I especially like how the opening of the holster is reinforced with a second piece of leather. This helps it retain shape and provides a nice opening when I holster my gun.
The sweat guard is what I would call a “half guard” or “combat cut.” It allows me to get a positive grip on my gun when I draw it. This is a key feature I look for in any holster. Accuracy starts with a good grip.
Since this is a leather holster, it is not adjustable. I found the angle to be a little more forward than I prefer, but not by a huge amount. I found after a few draw repetitions, it was manageable.
Recommended for:
The Craft Holsters Panther Open Top OWB holster is for anyone seeking a compact, concealable, leather OWB holster. I found the flexible design makes it comfortable to wear as well.
PROS
Italian Leather
Pancake Design
Conceals Well
Custom Molded
CONS
Belt Loops
Not Adjustable
Video of the Craft Panther OWB Holster
Alien Gear Photon – Best Convertible Holster
- Material: Kydex
- Handgun Models Available: Over 100
- Return Policy: 30 Day Test Drive
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $44.88
The Alien Gear Photon holster is the newest holster from Alien Gear.
It is a Kydex holster specifically molded for a ton of different handguns. They also have light-bearing models available.
What is so unique about this holster is it will convert from an OWB paddle-style holster to an IWB holster. The price is also very affordable, which makes it a great value.
I have tried this holster with the Sig P365, Glock 19, and Glock 17. It has plenty of built in adjustment, so I found I could get the ride height and angle where I wanted it. It even coverts between right-hand and left-hand shooters.
I expected to find that with the OWB paddle attachment, my handguns would sit a little farther away from my body than some of the other holsters. Alien Gear did a good job here and kept the paddle low profile. Even with my Glock 17, it still sits close to my body.
I especially like that the holster came with a bunch of spare hardware. I don’t know how many times I have dropped those tiny screws, and it seems like they disappear when they hit the floor.
The back has a low sweat guard, which some people like. I do not like it as much since the slide serrations and my aftermarket sight rub against my shirt when I move.
Recommended for:
The Alien Gear Photon holster is for anyone who wants a convertible holster. I can easily change it between OWB and IWB, and the price is great.
PROS
Can Use IWB or OWB
Adjustability
Affordable
Low Profile Paddle
CONS
No Sweat Guard
Video of the Alien Gear Photon Holster
1791 Gunleather BH2.1 OWB – Best Universal Fit
Save 15% with code “SS15” at checkout!
- Material: Leather
- Universal Fit
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $65
The 1791 Gunleather BH2.1 Optic-Ready Holster is a full leather holster that I found to conceal very well.
The pancake design allows it to hug my body and keeps the grip of my handgun tucked in. The belt loops are pre-formed to wrap around my hip.
The craftsmanship and the leather top notch. If you like fresh leather’s smell, you will like this holster. It is made from 100% American steerhide. There are also multiple colors available.
One issue I usually find with leather holsters is they get soft and don’t hold their shape over time. This can lead to a dangerous situation with retention and guarding the trigger.
That is not the case with this holster. It has a reinforced opening and is molded to retain its shape over time.
This is a universal fit holster, meaning it isn’t made for a specific handgun. There are multiple sizes available, however, and you can find the handguns that fit each one.
This may be an issue depending on what gun you have, especially if you have one that is not so common.
I found that my holster needed to be broken in since my Glock 19 was initially tight. I simply followed the included instructions, and after a couple of days, the retention was just right.
Since this is a full leather holster, it is not adjustable. That is really the only negative, however, this is common for all leather OWB holsters.
Recommended for:
The 1791 Gunleather BH2.1 OWB Holster is for anyone looking for a classic leather OWB holster for concealed carry.
PROS
Molded Leather
Looks Great
Contoured Shape
Universal Fit
CONS
Belt Loops
Not Adjustable
1791 Gunleather Ultra Custom OWB
Save 15% with code “SS15” at checkout!
- Material: Leather
- Universal Fit
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $99.99
The 1791 Gunleather Ultra Custom OWB holster is one of the most unique OWB holsters we have found.
I was able to custom mold this holster to my specific handgun/light combination. The molding process can also be repeated over and over, which means that I can change handguns or lights if I want without buying a new holster.
This is great, especially when a new gun or light comes out, and I can’t find anyone that has made a holster for it yet.
For my holster, I molded it to my Walther PDP with a Streamlight TLR7.
First, I heated the holster up inside the included bag in hot water. At first, I wasn’t sure how to do it, but I found that using a large pot on the stove and monitoring the temperature with my BBQ thermometer worked great. I adjusted the temperature to keep the water between 155 and 175 degrees.
After about 10 minutes, I took the holster out and inserted my handgun. I noticed the holster was soft enough to hand mold it. Once the holster cooled, it was stiff and was custom molded to my PDP and light.
The single belt loop on the back of the holster keeps my gun close to my body, which is good for concealment. However, I found this holster to be on the bulky side.
The leather is very nice and still has the leather smell that I like so much. It includes an exchangeable rib and an adjustable retention screw which allows me to adjust it even more.
While the ride height and angle of the belt loop are not adjustable, I found that I could change how high my handgun sat in the holster by molding it in a different position.
Recommended for:
The 1791 Gunleather Ultra Custom OWB holster is for someone who either can’t find a holster for their gun/light combo or wants a flexible holster that can change over time.
PROS
User Molded
Quality Leather
Works for Any Gun
CONS
Belt Loop
Bulky
Video of How to Mold the Ultra Custom Holster
Falco Pancake Style Leather OWB Holster
- Material: Leather
- Handgun Models Available: Over 3000!
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $119.95
The Falco Pancake Style OWB holster is a great-looking leather holster that is custom-molded to your specific handgun.
I tried one with my Glock 17 with a TLR7 pistol-mounted light. The first time I tried it, my gun slid right in. No break-in was needed. It has good retention, almost as good as a Kydex holster. I did find that sometimes when I draw though, the light gets turned on.
This holster comes with a retention strap. At first, it was very hard to snap in place. I managed to get it snapped after working the strap around the back of my handgun. After leaving it snapped overnight, it was somewhat easier, but still a challenge sometimes. I used the helpful leather holster break-in guide from Craft holsters, and the strap was much easier to use over time.
While I typically don’t like a strap, it works well on this holster, especially for larger guns. It is easy to unsnap with just my thumb as I draw.
The Italian leather is super nice, as well as the double stitching. This is a great-looking holster.
What amazes me is the number of gun models they can make this holster for. It is massive and impossible to count how many combinations they have. There are over 50 different pistol-mounted lights to choose from! There are also many other options to choose from, like cant angle and sight type.
The pancake design keeps my handgun close to my body, which helps to conceal my big Glock 17.
My only big negative is this holster is not adjustable, but neither are other 100% leather holsters.
Recommended for:
The Falco Pancake Style OWB holster is for someone who wants a leather holster for a larger gun with a pistol-mounted light. It conceals well under a jacket.
PROS
High Quality
Molded Design
Low Profile
Many Options
CONS
Strap Needs Break-in
Not Adjustable
Video of the Falco Pancake OWB Holster
1791 Gunleather Optic Ready Paddle Holster
Save 15% with code “SS15” at checkout!
- Material: Leather
- Universal Fit
- Return Policy: 30 Days
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $65
The 1791 Gunleather Optic Ready Paddle Holster is a leather OWB holster with a paddle attachment.
I find that paddle holsters are nice because I can take them on and off. However, I usually find that they make my handgun sit farther away from my body, which makes concealment challenging.
I was surprised to find that this paddle holster sat nice and close to my body. They made the attachment point as low profile as possible.
The leather on this holster is amazing just like all of 1791 Gunleather’s holsters. It smells great, and I really like the burgundy color.
This holster is a universal fit holster, which can be concerning since retention may not be the best. With the C size, I found that a Sig P365 fit nice and snug, but a Glock 43 was very tight.
The holster comes with break-in instructions, which I have found helps greatly. I leave my gun in the holster for a few days, and it fits much better. There is also an adjustable retention screw around the trigger guard which helps also.
That being said, it may not work with every gun. If you find it doesn’t work with yours, they have an easy return policy.
Most leather holsters have loops that do not allow me to take the holster on and off without unhooking my belt. This leather holster solves that issue with the paddle attachment.
The cant angle is also adjustable on the back of the holster, which most other leather holsters can’t do either.
Recommended for:
The 1791 Gunleather Optic Ready Paddle Holster is for anyone who wants a leather OWB holster that can be taken on and off without unhooking your belt.
PROS
Nice Leather
Adjustable Angle
Low Profile Paddle
CONS
Universal Fit
Hidden Hybrid Holsters OWB
- Material: Hybrid
- Handgun Models Available: Over 100
- Return Policy: 30 Day
- Warranty Policy: Lifetime
- MSRP: $69.95
The Hidden Hybrid Holsters OWB holster is a hybrid design OWB holster with a leather backing and Kydex shell.
This design keeps my gun close to my body, which is a must for concealment.
There are a bunch of gun models available, including pistol-mounted lights. There are also different leather and Kydex colors available. They even have the “RMR Guard” option if you have an optic mounted on your handgun.
Overall, I like the cant angle, which is slightly forward. However, it is not adjustable on this holster.
The belt loops in the leather are pass-through type loops. I find this is good for concealment, but I can’t take the holster off without unhooking my belt.
There are two retention adjustment screws, so I can adjust it just how I like. Many other OWB hybrid design holsters don’t have this feature.
I do like how the loops are high on the leather backing. This keeps the ride height lower to make my drawstroke more comfortable. I find some concealable OWB holsters make my gun sit too high, causing an awkward drawstroke.
Overall, the quality is great, and it is one of the more affordable holsters I have found.
Recommended for:
The Hidden Hybrid OWB holster is for anyone looking for a comfortable, affordable, and concealable OWB holster.
PROS
Hybrid Design
Many Gun Models
Affordable
CONS
Not Adjustable
Tips on Choosing the Best OWB Concealed Carry Holster
To better understand if OWB or one of the other concealed carry positions may be better for you, make sure you check out our best concealed carry positions guide. Once you have an idea of what may be best for you, check out our How to Choose a Concealed Carry Holster guide.
Contrary to what I usually hear, I have found it possible to carry my handgun in an OWB holster and conceal it. It can be a challenge, though.
Carrying a handgun, especially a larger one, concealed in an OWB holster is more comfortable than an IWB holster. I have found it to be much easier to conceal in cooler weather when I can wear an unbuttoned shirt, jacket, or vest. In fact, when the weather allows, it is my first choice.
There are certain features to look for, as not all OWB holsters can be concealed. Here are some features I look for when choosing an OWB holster for concealed carry.
- The holster should fully guard the trigger.
- The holster should retain the gun securely.
- The holster should allow a full grip on the handgun when drawing it.
- The holster should be adjustable.
- The holster should not collapse after drawing the handgun.
- The holster should hold the handgun close to the body.
- The holster should be Kydex, Leather, or a Hybrid design.
- The holster should be comfortable so that I will use it regularly.
- The holster must not be a Serpa holster! See this bulletin on why not to use them.
Safety should be at the top of the list, of course. That is why guarding the trigger and retention are a priority.
I prefer a holster that is flexible. I have tried full rigid Kydex OWB holsters with belt loops. The loops on these holsters tend to dig into my hip when I tighten my belt. They also make the grip of my handgun point away from my body, depending on how I position them.
To conceal a handgun with an OWB holster, I have found that it needs to hold the gun close to my body. To do this, the attachment method should be low profile and add minimal distance between my belt and handgun.
The best OWB holsters to conceal, in my experience, are hybrid-style or leather holsters. They add very little space here, if any.
There are three basic belt attachment methods to consider:
- Loop: These are the lowest profile and can be concealed very well. The only disadvantage is I have to take my belt loose to take the holster on and off.
- Clips: These can be low profile, depending on the holster design. I have found they work well on hybrid holster designs. The big advantage is I can take my holster on and off without unhooking my belt.
- Paddle: These are basically one large clip that hooks over my belt. Some are not as low profile as others. Similarly to clips, I can take these on and off without unhooking my belt.
Finally, I make sure to use a proper concealed carry gun belt when I carry an OWB holster. It helps keep the holster in position and close to my body. It will also keep the holster in place when I draw my handgun.
Choose the Best OWB Holster for You
All of the holsters I listed above have worked well for us. They also have excellent return policies, so it is easy to return if one doesn’t work well for you.
Go with the Stealth Gear Ventcore OWB for the best we have found.
If you prefer a leather holster, 1791 Gunleather has plenty of options, as well as Craft Holsters and Falco Holsters.
For the best value, go with the Alien Gear Photon holster.
Be sure to check out our Best IWB Holster guide and Best Appendix Holster guide for inside the waistband holsters to compliment your OWB holster. In warm weather, these are much easier to conceal.
You will also need a spare magazine carrier and a belt. See our guide on the best pistol magazine pouches and best concealed carry belts for our top picks!
If you have not already, start our full concealed carry guide from the beginning. It is full of info you won’t find anywhere else. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter since we are adding new content every week!
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