Setting up an appendix IWB holster: clip width, claw and ride height

An appendix IWB holster has a few adjustments that make a big difference to comfort and concealment. Here is what each one does.

J-clip width: measure your belt

Measure your belt, not your trouser loops. A 1.5 inch clip suits most standard belts, including the majority of gun belts sold in South Africa. Choose 1.75 inch only if your belt genuinely measures 1.75 inches, which usually means a heavier duty or competition belt.

A clip that is too wide lets the holster shift around on the belt. One that is too narrow will not go on at all.

The claw

The claw presses against the inside of your belt and rotates the grip of the pistol in towards your body. That is what stops the grip printing through a shirt, and it is the single biggest factor in how well an appendix holster conceals.

Ride height

The clip can be set in three positions, which raises or lowers how deep the holster sits in your waistband. Higher is easier to draw from and slightly less concealed. Lower conceals better and is generally more comfortable seated. Try all three before settling.

Tucking a shirt in

The holster is shirt tuckable, so your shirt goes over the holster and under the clip.

What comes in the box

The appendix IWB holster is supplied with one J-clip as standard. The light-bearing IWB is supplied with two, because the added weight of the light benefits from the extra support.

Once it is set up, threadlock the screws. See holster screws and threadlocker, and our Holster Setup & Instructions page.