tylerw02
Regular Member
Backstory
I purchased a DSG holster several years back, to fit a Glock with an X400. The holster was purchased primarily for training and gun games. When I received it, it was obvious that the holster was not on par with Raven or some of the other big names in holsters.
Out of the box, there were several rough edges and a few sharp edges that would contact the backside of your knuckles on the draw. Easy fix, take a dremel and a polish wheel or some emery cloth to it.
Upon belting it up, it was evident the loops weren't up to par and did not match the contours to one's body like an RCS or some of the other guys'. They were completely square and that made the curved holster sit out a bit. This wasn't a major concern as it ultimately went on a battle belt. The holster seemed to work well for static shooting and drew smoothly and quickly.
As my training intensified, it was evident that the holster retention was sub-par. Because it indexed off the light/laser combo, it seemed to just slowly wear the more I used it. The retention began to get so sloppy that I lost my magazine three or four times. I initially blamed it on myself not fully seating a 17-round Glock magazine. Evidently, that wasn't the case. Ultimately, the holster failed to do its job and I lost the gun during a course of fire. The holster needed some attention, but it was ultimately replaced. I was very dissatisfied in the holster, however for the money it cost, approximately $65, I wasn't too concerned and chalked it up as a lesson lost. I did not seek customer service from DSG. I replaced the holster with a level three from another company and never looked back.
After another member sought holster recommendations, I attempted to steer the poster away from DSG holsters due to my experience with them. An employee from DSG, who didn't work for the company when I purchased my original holster, reached out to me. She stated that the holsters were formerly outsourced and there was little QC oversight. She stated that she would like me to give their holsters another try due to improved design and quality control. She asked me what I needed a holster for, because I no longer ran the X400, I stated I could use the same holster for an X300U. Unfortunately, that holster was out of stock so I accepted a non-light bearing holster on condition that I would provide a review compared to the previous holster.
What has changed?
Getting a holster for review, I needed to run it for several months rather than a "box-opening" table-top review you might see on youtube or some of the other outlets.
Upon receiving the new holster, there were some obvious differences. The Kydex appeared to be softer, less shine was evident. There was more attention given to the edges, none were sharp. The new holster does lack the glossy polished edges of the older holsters or that of Raven or PHLSTER. Frankly, it is every bit as functional. This holster did not require any amount of cleanup.
The loops are not angled like Raven and very comparable to the original holster. The holster doesn't contour to the hip like Raven does, but it is indeed functional albeit less concealable.
Finally, a major difference is the retention. The new holster features a retention screw to allow the end-user to adjust retention to suit his or her needs. Unfortunately, I cannot compare the new light-bearing holsters to the poorly executed holster I own from before. I have run the new holster for several months and it has yet to fail. No lost magazines, no gun rattling out on a sprint or when I hit the deck.
Frankly, the new holster does what it is supposed to and does so at a fraction of the price of a Raven. Is it a Raven? No, but it is half the price. I will continue to use the holster in training and competition. While I've only been using the holster for around five months, I am confident that it will function and serve those on a budget well, unlike some of the other "budget" holsters out there. Additionally, the DSG Alpha is available in multiple configurations that one cannot purchase from Raven "in stock". It also appears custom Raven holsters aren't as available as they once were. I cannot say that the light-bearing holsters work as well or not. I didn't make many matches this season due to work/school, however this holster will be on my hip next season for USPSA.
I purchased a DSG holster several years back, to fit a Glock with an X400. The holster was purchased primarily for training and gun games. When I received it, it was obvious that the holster was not on par with Raven or some of the other big names in holsters.
Out of the box, there were several rough edges and a few sharp edges that would contact the backside of your knuckles on the draw. Easy fix, take a dremel and a polish wheel or some emery cloth to it.
Upon belting it up, it was evident the loops weren't up to par and did not match the contours to one's body like an RCS or some of the other guys'. They were completely square and that made the curved holster sit out a bit. This wasn't a major concern as it ultimately went on a battle belt. The holster seemed to work well for static shooting and drew smoothly and quickly.
As my training intensified, it was evident that the holster retention was sub-par. Because it indexed off the light/laser combo, it seemed to just slowly wear the more I used it. The retention began to get so sloppy that I lost my magazine three or four times. I initially blamed it on myself not fully seating a 17-round Glock magazine. Evidently, that wasn't the case. Ultimately, the holster failed to do its job and I lost the gun during a course of fire. The holster needed some attention, but it was ultimately replaced. I was very dissatisfied in the holster, however for the money it cost, approximately $65, I wasn't too concerned and chalked it up as a lesson lost. I did not seek customer service from DSG. I replaced the holster with a level three from another company and never looked back.
After another member sought holster recommendations, I attempted to steer the poster away from DSG holsters due to my experience with them. An employee from DSG, who didn't work for the company when I purchased my original holster, reached out to me. She stated that the holsters were formerly outsourced and there was little QC oversight. She stated that she would like me to give their holsters another try due to improved design and quality control. She asked me what I needed a holster for, because I no longer ran the X400, I stated I could use the same holster for an X300U. Unfortunately, that holster was out of stock so I accepted a non-light bearing holster on condition that I would provide a review compared to the previous holster.
What has changed?
Getting a holster for review, I needed to run it for several months rather than a "box-opening" table-top review you might see on youtube or some of the other outlets.
Upon receiving the new holster, there were some obvious differences. The Kydex appeared to be softer, less shine was evident. There was more attention given to the edges, none were sharp. The new holster does lack the glossy polished edges of the older holsters or that of Raven or PHLSTER. Frankly, it is every bit as functional. This holster did not require any amount of cleanup.
The loops are not angled like Raven and very comparable to the original holster. The holster doesn't contour to the hip like Raven does, but it is indeed functional albeit less concealable.
Finally, a major difference is the retention. The new holster features a retention screw to allow the end-user to adjust retention to suit his or her needs. Unfortunately, I cannot compare the new light-bearing holsters to the poorly executed holster I own from before. I have run the new holster for several months and it has yet to fail. No lost magazines, no gun rattling out on a sprint or when I hit the deck.
Frankly, the new holster does what it is supposed to and does so at a fraction of the price of a Raven. Is it a Raven? No, but it is half the price. I will continue to use the holster in training and competition. While I've only been using the holster for around five months, I am confident that it will function and serve those on a budget well, unlike some of the other "budget" holsters out there. Additionally, the DSG Alpha is available in multiple configurations that one cannot purchase from Raven "in stock". It also appears custom Raven holsters aren't as available as they once were. I cannot say that the light-bearing holsters work as well or not. I didn't make many matches this season due to work/school, however this holster will be on my hip next season for USPSA.
