Gear Review: The Armed Advantage In Waistband Holster

About a year ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with David Gindrup, one of the co-owners of The Armed Advantage. I had an unfortunate experience with a very popular maker of hybrid (leather backing with kydex shell) holsters, so I was apprehensive to try a new one. After going back and forth choosing color, make model of the gun, etc. my order was in, and in a few weeks I was holding what I consider now to be the best hybrid holster I’ve ever used or handled.

Holster Construction

The first thing I noticed is the hardware on the back was enclosed in a soft leather, so no metal touches the wearer’s skin at all. This increased the comfort level an exponential amount for me! When wearing an IWB holster for 12-16 hours a day, whether that is at work in plain clothes or just carrying as an EDC holster, not having metal rubbing the skin is an appreciated feature.

I ordered this holster for my M&P 9 full size with a TLR1HL. The holster is wide enough that it evenly displaces the weight, and with a quality belt, like a Bull Belt from Hank’s Belts, even a full size weapon is almost unnoticeable. Holstering the weapon produces a nice snap into the custom kydex shell, and the retention is tight enough to keep the weapon in the holster during a cartwheel but not so tight that it can’t be drawn.   

The front and back of the holster after one year of wear

Wearing the Holster

Shown in Bull Belt with M&P 9 

As a tuckable holster, the Armed Advantage IWB can be worn under a loose shirt and concealed easily, or it can be worn with a tucked in shirt whether that is a polo or even a dress shirt. I’ve worn this under an untucked polo going about my day, and I’ve worn it on several plain clothes personal protection assignments where we are required to conceal our weapon. In both instances, there was no discomfort. On one job, I was required to sit for 12 hours per day pretending to be a customer in the waiting room, blending in, while providing protection for a client. The holster held up great, and I had no discomfort with sitting for long periods of time, even with a shirt tucked in. The ride height of the holster is adjustable, and it lends to great access to the firearm. Getting a full grip isn’t an issue, and it can be either raised or lowered to your preference.

After a year of everyday use, the holster is simply more pliable. There has been no breakdown of the material, and it’s even more comfortable than ever.

Shown upside down to demonstrate retention

Final Thoughts

While The Armed Advantage doesn’t make cheapest holster on the market, it definitely makes one of the highest quality IWB holsters out there. With a price of $85, the quality is worth it. We’ve all heard the saying “Buy Once, Cry Once”, and that definitely applies here. My suggestion is, anyone looking for an IWB holster should stop searching and just purchase an American (Texan) made holster from a company that knows how to build a quality product. 

Visit our Facebook to see how to win an IWB holster of your own from The Armed Advantage!

Or go with The Armed Advantage's website and enter code "G2" for 20% off your order until 08/22/2016

AAR: SAFTD Defensive Handgun Instructor 1

Course: SAFTD Defensive Handgun Instructor
Instructor: SAFTD National Master Instructor Richard Smith
Where: Copperas Cove, Texas    When: April 15-18th

As a firearms instructor, I’m always looking to better myself. To me, that means attending as much quality training as I possibly can afford to go to, so I can pass on new skills to our students. As an instructor certified by a national organization that is more focused on non defensive shooting, I wanted to branch out and increase my skill level as a defensive handgun instructor. This is where the Second Amendment Foundation Training Division comes in. SAFTD is a national organization backed by SAF (Second Amendment Foundation) that has hit the ground running and is expanding rapidly all over the nation. With a team of founders that have a great depth of training on both the civilian and military sides and a curriculum written by Tom Givens, I was intrigued.

The SAFTD Defensive Handgun instructor course can be done in one of two ways. A new instructor can attend a full 40-hour course (5 days) which includes MOI (Methods of Instruction), Defensive Handgun 1 student, Defensive Handgun 1 Instructor, and SAFTD Range Officer. If you are already a certified/licensed instructor, SAFTD has a transfer program where you attend a 3-day course and you will receive MOI, Defensive Handgun 1 student, Defensive Handgun 1 instructor, and you receive credit as an existing instructor for the second half of MOI and RO. We hosted a compressed 4-day version of the course where we were in class for 10 hours per day.

We made arrangements with Richard Smith at SAFTD and on April 14th he arrived for a pre course check of the range and classroom and to see some of the sights (the Luby’s memorial). I found Richard to be knowledgeable and he spent a few hours talking about firearms history, the history of shooting techniques, and other similar but related topics. It was definitely an educational experience.

The next day, day one, we began bright and early with a wide assortment of instructor candidates. We had an FBI firearms instructor, several instructors certified by other orgs, a Training Counselor, the Executive Director of Texas Carry, and myself. Richard was animated and we began to go through administrative SAFTD material such as levels of instructors, the history of SAF and SAFTD, ethics, instructor complaints, and a good deal more. One thing that really stands out is SAFTD’s higher standard for instructor certification. In addition to passing the instructors course, which is much more involved than many of the other national organizations, you are expected to maintain insurance, be CPR/First Aid/AED certified, teach a minimum number of courses, and do continuing education every year. Richard put a great deal of emphasis on the expectation of SAFTD’s instructors being perpetual students and always bettering themselves.

For the rest of day one we went over topics related to public speaking and topics such as psychological learning barriers, word association, voice inflection, and managing questions. There was also discussion on how to deal with volunteers and employees and even scientific studies on the optimal classroom temperature to enhance student learning.

On day two we had to skip ahead and go to the range, as there was 100% chance of thunderstorms on day three, the day we planned on going to the range. Richard didn’t miss a beat and he taught some portions of what we’d normally learn in the classroom on the range to keep us on track. While on the range we ran through the student shooting drills used in FAST (Fundamentals And Safety Training the four hour introductory course to the handgun for extremely new shooters) Handgun and the drills done by students in Defensive Handgun 1. Each course of fire was run by one of the instructor candidates in the course while Richard assessed our teaching ability and command of the range. Once we completed the student exercises and the student proficiency demonstration, we moved on to the instructor qualification. SAFTD uses the FBI handgun qualification as it’s instructor standard, requiring a score of 90% (54 hits out of 60) with FBI agents required to score 80% (48 out of 60) or higher using an IALEFI QP target. CLICK HERE to view the FBI qualification. The FBI qual was conducted one at a time with the rest of the class watching the instructor candidate to induce a small amount of stress. After a full day of shooting most of the instructors passed, with a few needing to attempt the qualification again the next day (everyone passed their attempt the next day).

Day three was the day we went through more instructor development and then the Defensive Handgun Instructor student course. Here we learned that the Defensive Handgun 1 course is made to be a foundation for Defensive Handgun 2. Students learn the fundamentals of grip, stance, pistol selection, stoppages, malfunctions, and a great deal more including what quality gear and holsters are. This way, the student comes back with a quality belt, holster, and weapon to begin to learn the draw and shooting defensively in Defensive Handgun 2. Here we also went in depth into Cooper’s color codes, the OODA loop, and a few other defensive topics.

One thing that stood out on day three was how Richard handled a repeated question about how to tell students how badly “Hipoints suck”. I laughed along with the class as much of the firearms industry does, and Richard patiently waited until the class was done. He then recapped a post written by Greg Ellifritz (READ HERE) about encountering a single mother alone at the range shooting a Hipoint because she was convinced she needed to defend her family and defend it now. Richard gave us an impassioned speech about how he’s not going to tell a young mother trying to defend her family that her gun is terrible, he’s going to teach her how to defend herself and better gear will come later. I’ll be honest, it changed my outlook on how I approach other shooters and their gear. Richard is very passionate about leading a shooter to a better solution instead of cutting them down, it was refreshing.

At the end of day three, each instructor candidate was assigned a topic and given a few minutes to study before getting in front of the class for a teach back. Each teach back was conducted as if the other candidates were a group of new shooters and the instructor was made to teach as well as answer questions, no matter how stupid they may have seemed. One Training Counselor (instructor trainer) in the group commented that this entry level instructor course for SAFTD was having us do things that were at the Training Counselor course level in other national organizations. The teach backs were conducted in a positive manner with constructive criticism given to each instructor candidate when they finished.

At this time, we said goodbye to the certified instructors taking the transfer course and had a small graduation ceremony. We went out and had dinner as a class before everyone headed their separate ways and it was a fun relaxed night.

On day four I sat in through the Range Officer course. It was as expected and the RO candidates were run through range SOP’s, range safety rules, different considerations for an RO at different events and ranges, how to take a gun from a student or stop them from turning towards you with a gun, and how to move with a shooter on a non-static range during training or events. Overall it was well taught and the RO candidates all passed.

When it was all said and done over four days, I learned more than I have in my previous 4 handgun instructor courses combined. I left with not only knowledge, but I left this class with a huge list of books and other instructors that were suggested to get training with. I’m definitely both a better instructor and a better shooter for having taken this class. I cannot suggest enough to invest in yourself and your students by going through an SAFTD instructor course.

Gear Review: Bull Belt by Hank's Belts

One of the most overlooked items in a professional’s or even an LTC/CCW holder’s “EDC” set up is often a quality belt. Thousands of dollars are spent on the best holsters, guns, and gear of all kinds, but for some reason, one of the most important pieces of gear is often forgotten. Someone who has tried to carry with a Walmart “leather” belt or a cheap belt of another type, knows that a full size gun will tend to pull your pants down. With this in mind, we have begun to test and review dedicated gun belts from quality manufacturers.

The first belt we are taking a look at is the “Bull Belt” from Hank’s Belts. This belt is Amish made and on initial inspection, it is a beast. It is wide, heavy, and feels virtually indestructible.

The first thing we look at with a dedicated gun belt is can it pass the “crush test”. By this we mean, take your thumb and forefinger, grasp the top and bottom edge of your belt at the end, and attempt to crush your belt. A normal belt will crush easily. The Bull Belt passed this test with ease. This rigidity helps to support the weight of your firearm, extra mags, etc around the belt instead of allowing the gun to pull down in one spot which pulls your pants down.

Pictured left to right "Hank's Bull Belt" and "Hank's Steel Core Belt (not released yet)"

The second thing we look at is comfortability. The first time I put this belt on I was carrying a full size M&P with a TLR1HL (weapon mounted light) in an In Waist Band (IWB) holster from The Armed Advantage (review on this holster coming soon). It felt like I wasn’t even carrying a gun. It held my weapon in place with no shifting and it held it there all day long. During the first day I had to drive 10+ hours with minimal stopping, and the belt held up great. I didn’t find myself shifting my gun or the belt to get more comfortable at all.

Pictured "Hank's Bull Belt", IWB hybrid holster by The Armed Advantage, and an M&P9 w/TLR1HL

After testing the belt out with an IWB holster, I tried it with my Safariland 6360 Outside Waistband (OWB) holster. It worked flawlessly with OWB carry as well! There is no shifting, no pulling the belt to one side, and the belt worked great even when adding more weight to it such as extra magazines, cuffs, and less lethal weapons.

The Bull Belt with a Safariland 6360

After wearing the belt in everyday life and working with it on plain clothes assignments, I was impressed with it. This past week I had the chance to run it through the Second Amendment Foundation Training Division’s Defensive Handgun Instructor Course. Again, during the 40 hour course it held up great. Through an entire day of shooting both standing and kneeling, I never felt the weight of the gun and the belt preformed as promised.

The last thing, although in my opinion it is minor, to look at is cost. While we all know the saying “buy once, cry once” and that spending money on quality gear is worth it, that really doesn’t apply in this case. The Bull Belt retails for $54.99. Considering many of the top manufacturers sell their belts for $100+ this is a steal for a belt of this quality.

The absolute only negative about this belt is that it is a little hard to fit through belt loops on dress pants. Hank’s does make thinner belts for formal use though, so this isn’t really a deal breaker.

So, what do we think about the Bull Belt? It’s a great addition to any concealed or open carriers wardrobe and it is excellent for professional use in plain clothes and you would be well served with this quality product. 

If you're interested in more details on the construction of the belt or what makes Hank's different we asked them a few questions. 

How is the Bull Belt constructed?

Hank's: The Bull Belt is made from a solid 1 piece Full Grain leather. This belt is rated at 16-17oz leather. The stitching is decorative and this is a single ply belt. Many manufactures avoid single ply belts because they are actually harder to produce than double layer. You have to really grade the hides well and keep ahead to make sure you have enough for production. They are made right here in the USA by Amish craftsman. 

What kind of leather is the Bull Belt made of? 

Hank's: This is made from US Steer Hide. The Bull Belt uses a hide that undergoes a special process that results in a firmer denser hide that is thicker and really holds up. They are vegetable tanned which is much more environmentally friendly than chromium tanned leather. Difference is Vegetable tanned takes about 6 weeks to produce where Chromium tanned uses chemicals to speed it up and takes about 1 day.

Is the Bull belt constructed with a double layer?

Hank's: This is a single ply belt. We do make double layer belts also and both have their benefits. As I stated above most manufactures prefer to work in double layer because it is easier to produce them and the leather is more readily available in the lighter weights. Much easier to find 8oz leather, level it (leveling is running it through a machine much like a planer that makes it a consistent weight) and sew the pieces together and you get a 16oz belt. Nothing wrong with these but the solid full grain leather in our Bull Belt is harder to find!

What do you do differently from other manufacturers?

Hank's:
Probably a few things:

Always USA Made.

No compromises on quaility for price.

Always looking for unique leathers and hardware

Most important though is our customer service. You can just Google it or read down through our Facebook page. No worries of ever having a belt that doesn't fit you correctly or you do not like!

Visit our Facebook for information on how you can win a Bull Belt of your own!

Texas Security Patrol Vehicle Light Colors

A topic that causes a significant amount of confusion for Texas Security Officers, because of the massive amount of misinformation, is the legality of certain light colors on patrol vehicles. A very popular combination to use is blue and white. Some companies or officers will use red and blue. This is problematic, and it is also generally illegal.

There are a few things to consider here. The first is private vs public property. Technically, a private citizen can run any color lights on their vehicle while on private property, where transportation code doesn't apply, but how did they get to private property? The Security Officer didn't teleport there, so, at some point, they had to travel over public roads.

Now that we are talking about public roads, we can look at Texas Transportation Code's direction on the legality of light colors.

Texas Transportation Code 547.305 states:
c. a person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating lights unless the equipment is:
used as specifically authorized by this chapter; or
a running lamp, tail lamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.

The key here is the word "equipped". The law does not state that the lights must be activated, only that they are equipped. The only exception to 547.305(c) is for authorized vehicles. That list is found under Subsection (d)

d. a vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if the vehicle is:

1.  a school bus.
2.  an authorized emergency vehicle;
3. a church bus that has the words “church bus” printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly discernible to other vehicle operators;
4. a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
5. a tow truck with a mounted light bar, which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections 547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code.

To break this down further, "authorized emergency vehicle" is defined in 541.201(1). This in no way includes Security Patrol vehicles, and none of the other listed exceptions include Security Officers or their patrol vehicles, whether that vehicle is personally owned or owned by the licensed security company either. If a Security Officer travels over public roads with red, white, or blue flashing, alternating, or beacon lights equipped to their vehicle to get to their post, they are breaking the law. An argument could be made for lights that do not remain equipped, such as dash lights that can be removed in between sites. This would technically be in compliance by not being "equipped".

A further issue could arise. Even if you don't travel on public roads somehow, and you attempt to use your red, white, or blue lights to stop someone whether in or out of a vehicle it could still be considered "Impersonation of Public Servant" (Texas Penal Code 37.11). It could be as simple as the person the Security Officer stopped saying they saw blue lights in their rear view mirror, and they stopped for the patrol car thinking that it was the police. This can be a slippery slope.

While we understand that lights are important for visibility and in our work as professionals in our field, there are lights that are legal. Green and amber lights are both in compliance with traffic code and may be equipped permanently, regardless of whether the Security Officer travels over public roads or on private property. We suggest using lights in a legal manner to prevent the possibilities of tickets or even jail time.

Texas Church Security and LTC Holders

At least 4 or more times a month we get a call, email, or text regarding whether an LTC holder can legally provide security as part of a church security team. As both a LTC training school as well as a state licensed security academy, we are uniquely poised to answer this type of question. Before I get into the technical aspect, the answer is a definite NO. An LTC holder may not provide armed security using their LTC for a church security team or any other business/nonprofit.

To start, what would you need to legally provide security services to a church or business? You would generally need:

• A state license as a security contractor (TOC 1702.102)
• An individual Security Officer license (TOC 1702.222)
• Depending on the license you may need a distinct DPS approved security uniform

There are two types of licenses a church could get to legally have security officers providing security services. The first is a license as a guard company. This would allow them to both provide security for themselves as well as contract to other businesses to provide security services. This wouldn’t make much sense for a church. The second, is a private letter of authority (PLOA). This allows the church to create an in house security department with armed security officers. Both licenses have the same general requirements to start. To get licensed as a guard company/PLOA you must have insurance and what is called a Qualified Manager. A Qualified Manager is someone who has at least three years of licensed security experience with one of those years being verifiable experience in a supervisory role. The Qualified Manager candidate then must pass an exam with DPS in Austin. Upon passing, they can be licensed as a Qualified Manager for the guard company/PLOA.

Once the company license is taken into account, you must also consider the personal licenses required to provide security. A security officer has an individual license that is registered under the company license or PLOA. There are three types of security officer licenses in Texas:

• Level II Non Commissioned Officer: This license requires a 6 hour all classroom based course, and an FBI background check. A Non Commissioned Security Officer is unarmed and must wear a distinctive DPS approved uniform. The main purpose of this type of officer is the phrase most associated with security, Observe and Report. You are generally there to be a good witness.
• Level III Commissioned Security Officer: This license requires the previous Level II course, a 40 hour Level III course, and the prior FBI background check. The training for this license consists of classroom, defense tactics, handcuffing, and firearms training. A Commissioned Security Officer openly carries a handgun and may also carry a baton, chemical dispensing device (OC), Taser, etc. Commissioned Officers also must wear a distinct DPS approved uniform and can at no time conceal their weapon while on duty and/or in uniform. The main purpose of this type of officer is to actively prevent and deter crime. Observe and report is now a secondary function and the officer is to actively protect the clients and property in accordance with clients procedures as well as state/federal law.
• Level IV Personal Protection Officer: This license requires all previous training and the FBI background check. The training for this license consists of 15 hours of additional law, defense tactics, and OC training. In addition to the training and background check a PPO must also submit an MMPI (psych test) administered by a Texas Psychologist. A PPO is the ONLY security officer that may carry a concealed weapon. When on duty a PPO generally wears plain clothes, because they are the only license type that may do so and they want to blend in. If in plain clothes, they must carry their weapon concealed. If providing service in uniform the same rules apply as a commissioned officer and the weapon must be carried openly. The main purpose of this type of license is direct protection of a client or clients IE: Priest, preacher, etc.
  (The Private Security Board has taken the stance that PLOA's may not utilize PPO's. To use plain clothes officers a church would need to hire a company to provide them, or use off duty police officers)

Without going through the proper licensing procedures to provide security an LTC holder opens themselves up to large amounts of legal liability. Firstly, you can be charged with “Impersonating Security Officer” (TOC 1702.3875), providing security services without a company license (TOC 1702.388), and if you use your firearm you may have lost your justification for deadly force because you are breaking the law (Texas Penal Code 9.31(a)(3)). Both the impersonation and providing a regulated service without a license charges are Class A misdemeanors and would, if convicted, result in the loss of your LTC for 5 years.

Click here to view DPS's opinion statement

DPS states the one exception to the licensing requirement for non-peace officers in this instance would be “However, there is one exception to licensing under Chapter 1702 provided by the legislature that could arguably apply, which can be found in section 1702.323 (“Security department of Private Business”).  This exception would allow volunteers to provide security services exclusively for one church, as long as they do not carry firearms and as long as they do not wear “a uniform with any type of badge commonly associated with security personnel or law enforcement or a patch or apparel with ‘security’ on the patch or apparel.”  See Tex. Occ. Code §1702.323(a) & (d)(2).  Thus, the wearing of a uniform or any apparel containing the word “security” would subject them to the licensing requirements of the act.”

The ONLY other exception to the licensing requirements we have discussed is the use of an off duty full time peace officer. Full time peace officers are exempted from the need for a security contractor or security officer license, and they may provide security off duty and armed in or out of uniform.

Now outside of this, an individual not providing security may be an usher, pastor, member of the congregation, etc. carrying into a church under their LTC. Do not mistake this as us telling you that you may not carry into a church that isn’t properly post with a 30.06/07 sign under your LTC. This simply means that you cannot use your LTC to provide security while there.

We want to keep you, the LTC holder, safe and out of trouble. If you have any questions regarding church security, please contact us and we will help you.