Evolution of the Dark Star Gear Apollo. 

A decade ago my passion for wheelguns was reignited like a wildfire.  Blazing along I came across a special edition of the Ruger SP101. Had to have it. How to carry it though?  I had already learned that snubbies and AIWB went together like peas and carrots but I just couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. Well that’s not entirely true. Dark Star Gear made a “casual carry” AIWB rig for the S&W J Frame that looked exactly like what I wanted.  A few emails exchanged with Tom, the owner of Dark Star Gear, and an SP101 variant was in the works.  That rig performed very well and is still in service today.  As DSG grew Tom improved his holster making process and the “casual carry” gave birth to the Apollo series for the J frame and LCR in 2017.  The Apollo retained the ambidextrous nature of the holster shell and the wide, toothed, metal belt clip. Gone were the cylinder flutes molded into the Kydex. This allowed fitment regardless of caliber or special edition guns with non fluted cylinders.  The new Apollo holster also lent itself to the addition of adhesive Velcro and pads/wedges for better comfort and concealment. Absent was a model for the SP101.  In the last six years we’ve seen a resurgence of good snubby models. Kimber introduced the K6, Colt reintroduced the Cobra and more recently Taurus has drastically improved their quality.  

Fast forward to October of 2022. Tom announced the return of the Apollo for the SP101. This marked another layer of design and production improvements.  The latest version of the Apollo leaves the original wide metal clip behind and is optimized for the Discreet Carry Concepts Clip. The more narrow DCC now allows the ability to add a wing if that’s your thing. The profile of the holster was changed slightly to minimize bulk but still allow enough material to prevent pressure points, hot spots and balance positioning of pads or wedges. The Kydex over the barrel is now shaped to allow better adhesion with Velcro tape too.  In addition to the design improvements the Apollo remains Phlster Enigma compatible with the addition of the “Fixed Retention Kit” from DSG. 

The Kimber K6 version dropped in November.  Models for the Taurus 856 should be out in 2023.  The J Frame and LCR versions may see the design update at some point as well. 

I am quite the fan of the Apollo and the latest version doesn’t disappoint. While I never had any complaints about the old wide clip the DCC does bite and hold lightweight clothing even better.  Perfect for clipping to workout clothes or pajama pants for Rule One carry.  I just wouldn’t suggest trying to carry an all steel snub without a belt. Gravity is not your friend. The multitude of aluminum/scandium/titanium snubs from various manufacturers or the LCR fit much better in that role. The DCC Clip also offers more versatility in clip placement due to its more slender profile. You won’t have as much interference with belt loops. The DCC Clip will fit nicely between the double belt loops of Duluth Trading work pants. 

The Apollo is a great holster option that can easily be swapped from RH to LH or attached to the Enigma. It is certainly worth your consideration as an EDC item.