Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Discuss the FN Five-seveN line of pistols and accessories.

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jgreenberg01
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Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 26 Feb 2015, 06:29

I've been wearing a Crossbreed Supertuck for the last several years and found it to be a really good solution. One thing that made me crazy was the logo that they stamp on the belt clip, and that cross actually got me "made" a couple of times. The people who "made" me were fellow CCWers so it wasn't too big an issue. Nevertheless I was made.

I suppose I could have replace the clips with 3rd party ones, but when I saw the Alien Gear IWB Cloak Tuck 2.0 for a MUCH more reasonable price, I figured I'd give it a try. Here is my (well-worn) Cross Breed side by side with the Alien Gear for reference:

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Another reason I chose to try it was that the manufacturer claimed it would work with the USG and the MkII FsN versions. I have both and here they are side by side:

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Both FsNs fit perfectly, and I think that is because of the way the belt clips are attached. Each holster comes with several size spacers that allow for different retention levels, and in this case, the slightly different frames.

As for belt clips, you can order with any type you like. You can also order a separate kit with all types, which is what I did because I'm really concerned about what is visible after being made more than once. In the above picture you can see the J hook and C hook clips. I first tried the J hook because it has the least amount of material to be seen.

The problem with that though is that it's designed to not allow the holster to ride up when drawing the gun. No matter how tight I made my belt it still slipped down a bit, showing way too much of the clip. It didn't feel loose, but I sure didn't like the idea of it moving.

On to the C clip. That one works great, and it shows less material than a regular belt clip (like you see on the Crossbreed. The down side is that it takes longer to get dressed because you have to feed the belt (mine is a 1.5" belt) through the C clip, then the belt loop. Time consuming, but worth it IMHO.

I also ordered an extra shell for my XDm45 in case I need to wear that, Here are the accessories:

Image

As for the use - it as at least as comfortable as the Crossbreed and the retention can be as good or better because it's completely adjustable. You can adjust the height and cant the same way as the Crossbreed by mounting the clip on the different holes.

I'm not sure why exactly, but the Alien Gear holster holds the FsN much closer to my body for some reason. I REALLY like that because it is much less likely to print when wearing a tucked business shirt - like I do every day.

I've only worn it for a week or so, which means that this quick review is a bit premature. I will check back with an update after wearing it for a few weeks.

First impressions though: I'm not going back to the Crossbreed. :D
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by panzermk2 » 26 Feb 2015, 11:04

WOW that is high praise coming form you.


I may have to actually look into IWB carry now.
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by PainKillaX » 26 Feb 2015, 13:24

:thumb:

The cloak tuck 2.0 is super comfortable. I've been carrying the PPQ 4" at a 4:30 or so and it's perfectly comfortable to wear all day, and drive with. My only complaint is that the soft neoprene body tends to collapse into the kydex mouth after you draw, so I've taken to removing the holster to reholster...I'm used to carrying at 3:00 and watching the pistol back in. I'm not sure about that from a training standpoint but what is it they say, no extra points or reholstering the fastest? :)

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Rapier1772 » 26 Feb 2015, 13:50

When I took the "advanced" carry course back in Iowa, they told us we needed to reholster without looking.
If there was enough of a threat to draw then even after the threat is gone, you still need to constantly scan. It's actually not that big of a deal (holstering w/out looking), just unload & practice until it's muscle memory.
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Middian » 26 Feb 2015, 17:39

They look damn good!

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by PainKillaX » 27 Feb 2015, 01:18

Rapier1772 wrote:When I took the "advanced" carry course back in Iowa, they told us we needed to reholster without looking.
If there was enough of a threat to draw then even after the threat is gone, you still need to constantly scan. It's actually not that big of a deal (holstering w/out looking), just unload & practice until it's muscle memory.
Fiiiiine, I will practice a skill and better myself...

For what it's worth I can reholster the XDS with my leather hybrid Foxx without looking. Time to get there with the Q if I'm gonna carry it.

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 27 Feb 2015, 05:45

PainKillaX wrote:
Rapier1772 wrote:When I took the "advanced" carry course back in Iowa, they told us we needed to reholster without looking.
If there was enough of a threat to draw then even after the threat is gone, you still need to constantly scan. It's actually not that big of a deal (holstering w/out looking), just unload & practice until it's muscle memory.
Fiiiiine, I will practice a skill and better myself...

For what it's worth I can reholster the XDS with my leather hybrid Foxx without looking. Time to get there with the Q if I'm gonna carry it.
I haven't practiced reholstering the FsN in the Alien Gear IWB yet. However while I have done it without looking, this is one area that the Crossbreed is more ergonomic. The XBreed is easier to reholster because the leather is stiffer, the AG material tends to compress making the opening smaller.

Not too big a deal IMHO because in a real-life scenario, one is not likely to put away your defensive weapon until you're sure the threat is no longer.

One more advantage that I just realized to the AG: notice in the pics that the CP shell stops before the muzzle. Why is that an issue you ask? Over time, the FsN's exposed rail has absolutely destroyed all the pants I've worn. No sharp edges to ruin my stylish clothing.

Only kidding... there's nothing stylish about what I wear :D
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Rapier1772 » 27 Feb 2015, 06:55

jgreenberg01 wrote:Only kidding... there's nothing stylish about what I wear :D
Bull, we know better
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Oldbindlestiff » 27 Feb 2015, 09:18

Aarrggh! stayin' alive...stayin' alive...da...da...da...da... Can't get it out of my head.

Last time I heard that, it was used in a CPR class. We were trying to resuscitate disco. Never thought it would work. :p
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 28 Feb 2015, 06:35

Rapier1772 wrote:
jgreenberg01 wrote:Only kidding... there's nothing stylish about what I wear :D
Bull, we know better
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Cbus » 03 Mar 2015, 13:18

Ordered my IWB 2.0 for my MKII and my SIG 938 today!
Thanks for your write up!:)

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by PainKillaX » 03 Mar 2015, 13:46

Greenberg, since you'll be carrying this thing a whole lot more than I'll be carrying mine, will you let us (me) know how swapping out the shells goes after a month or two of carrying? I notice that with a lot of leather hybrids the leather side seems to take the mold of the handgun and I'm wondering if the neoprene body will or not. Thanks!

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 03 Mar 2015, 15:36

Sure thing I will. FWIW, I wore the AG holster all week: home, work, play. I even played a (fairly sweaty) game of table tennis with a customer at work with the holster on. Was wearing a tucked, button down shirt and slacks. No, there was no standing there and just plinking the ball - I used to play competitively and there was plenty of running.

The holster performed like a champ.

So far, Alien Gear looks like a frakking winner!
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Maher » 09 Mar 2015, 13:08

I also have the cloak tuck 2.0 and love it. But does yours wear out where the breakdown lever is on you FsN? Mine has worn a hole there. It still draws flawlessly, but I'm worried that it may be a problem later on.

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 10 Mar 2015, 04:39

I can feel it rubbing where the takedown lever meets the material when the FsN is holstered. As of now there is no wear (or even scuff). It's only been 3ish weeks though, so I will be watching to see if anything changes.
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by FNGuy » 15 Mar 2015, 17:38

Maher wrote:I also have the cloak tuck 2.0 and love it. But does yours wear out where the breakdown lever is on you FsN? Mine has worn a hole there. It still draws flawlessly, but I'm worried that it may be a problem later on.
You might want to notify the company about that anomali.

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by jgreenberg01 » 03 Oct 2015, 09:36

So after 6 months of wearing the alien gear cloak tuck 2.0 every day... it broke.

I wear it at 4 o'clock and just about 1-1.5" inside where the belt clip screws down, whatever material they use inside the holster cracked. Basically the spot where the holster bends around my hip is where it failed.

No big deal because I bought 2 of them, so now I'm using the second one. I sent an email to their customer service, and they called me right away. They said that their warranty covers that, and that they will replace it for as long as I own the holsters.

Then they told me that the new 3.0 version is much tougher and that there is no way I could break it. They then offered me an upgrade for $11.95, which I accepted.

The new holster is on its way and I'll share my experience with that after I wear it for a bit. I do have to say that I was impressed with their customer service!


On another note... I've been using the new Ulticlips on the Alien Gear holster this week and... they are awesome!!!! I'll post pics and my thoughts in that thread in a few days :)
Last edited by jgreenberg01 on 03 Oct 2015, 10:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by panzermk2 » 03 Oct 2015, 10:22

Alien is toying with a dealer program. I would like to stock them but they require you to have retail space.

Our page is up for the Ulticlips and we are now listed on their website as a dealer.

I have been testing them with Lisa's 38.

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by Delmustator » 06 Dec 2015, 07:36

I've been using the Alien Gear IWB for the Five-seveN now for more than 2 years. I posted the following feedback on Alien Gear's Facebook page back in July 2015. Note: I also used the Old Faithful IWB before they merged with Alien Gear.

I carry daily and I recently switched from the 2.0 to the 3.0. Here are my observations. Both holsters are comfortable. The material used to stiffen the 2.0 appears to be plastic and can degrade over time. The material in my 2.0 began cracking and breaking into pieces after about 1 year. This caused the holster to deform (shown in pic). It really didn't affect the performance of the holster but did cause some issues with drawing and re-holstering the weapon. The 3.0 is noticeably stiffer and less flexible. However it appears to retain its shape better. The upper tongue of the holster backing can pinch your side when sitting down (e.g. at a restaurant or in you car). So far, no other issues to report.

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Follow-up on Nov. 25th.
Follow up - I've been wearing the AG3.0 now for several months. No issues to report. Love this holster. I plan to purchase more for my other pistols.

One comment to another user about pinching.
I wear an undershirt with the 3.0. It really depends on the pistol in the holster. Full frames will pinch from time to time. Not often anymore. The 3.0 is worth the extra money. Just give the metal time to break-in. Initially it is flat but it will contour to your body after a few days of use.

My only complaint about the AG IWB is that it can flip the 5.7 safety OFF when you draw the pistol if the shell is too tight against the backing. Not a real issue if it does not concern you. As a matter of practice, I always slide my finger trigger down from the hold position, actuating the safety to OFF, before moving to the trigger.

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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by panzermk2 » 06 Dec 2015, 18:36

Nice review!
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Re: Alien Gear Holster - MkII & USG!

Post by kensteele » 13 Dec 2015, 15:13

so i've been wearing alien gear holsters from the original to the now the 2.0 which i've had for just over a year and it appears to be doing ok with my mkii. it has a lifetime warranty so if it starts cracking or bending abnormally, i may look at the 3.0 unless you can tell me the difference is worth it? i wish they sold just the body because i have a bunch of shells and the owb solution....anyway, so you holster your fn57 with the safety engaged? just before i holster my weapon, i disengage the safety and only re-engage it at the end of the day when i remove my handgun and place it on the tabletop. i haven't had any issues, is this potentially problematic? btw, have only been fn ccw for about a year coming off a p227 and g23.

eta: looks like they do sell the alien gear base only. sweet!

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