Guns: From the discarded holster files...

My one bedrock requirement when it comes to holsters is safety. If a holster does not retain the gun, allows objects to get caught in the trigger guard, or cannot stay attached to my body, I will not carry with it - no exceptions. That being said, there are holsters that, while not unsafe, have design quirks that I personally do not care for.

Take this DeSantis Pro Stealth IWB holster, for instance. It's fairly inexpensive, it's ambidextrous (the steel spring clip can be moved to the left side), it holds its shape okay (for a nylon holster), and it includes an elastic mag pouch in the front that does a decent job of holding a GLOCK 26 10-rounder. Unfortunately, the spring clip is positioned so far up the holster that the grip of a G26 doesn't clear the beltline, leading to a very awkward draw. Since the whole point of an IWB holster like this is to bring your CCW gun to bear, the Pro Stealth got discarded.

Here's an old Galco Waistband IWB for a 2" J-frame snubby. Again, the holster in most respects is fine - it safely and securely holds the gun, the draw is fast, and the plastic spring clip allows you to take the holster on and off easily (great for short forays into places where you cannot carry a gun legally). The holster really only has one (major) flaw: once you draw your snub, the holster collapses and makes reholstering impossible without two hands, since the mouth is not reinforced like other holsters (including other rigs made by Galco). Not only does this make draw practice tedious, but it's also a disadvantage if you ever have to reholster your gun during or after a self-defense shooting:

 

 

Again, these holsters are not unsafe or dangerous in any way, and are certainly superior to carrying without a holster or carrying in an El Cheapo no-name flap that won't hold the gun. But their flaws meant that they went into the great gunshop holster bargain bin in the sky...