5 Best Leg Holsters Reviews – Buyer Guide 2022

A man looking for a good holster for his gun sure isn’t going to be short on options.

Before you even get into the pros and cons of particular models you’re going to have to decide what style holster you want in the first place — how you want to wear it.

One of the more popular and stylish choices is a leg holster, also known as tactical or thigh holster.

These types of holsters are popular with military and police, giving you a nice edge to your appearance if they’re what you end up choosing.

Leg holsters offer a range of benefits so it’s hard to go too far wrong if this is your holster of choice: especially once you’ve read through our guide on the what’s-and-why’s of picking the best one for you.

Why Leg Holsters?

Let’s do a quick run-through of what you’re getting when you decide to pick up a leg-holster.

Military Tie-In

Leg holsters have a long history of associations with military and other martial forces. There are a few reasons for that. First off, a gun that rests on your thigh doesn’t interfere with body armor or any other uniform you might be wearing.

Second of all, your hand reaches the gun more naturally, since a well-slung leg holsters rests at about hand level. And third of all (this one’s a little outdated now) leg holsters made for a more natural draw while sitting on horseback.

Also, your standard modern leg holster will attach with a PALS grid, or Pouch Attachment Ladder System. In English, that’s a sort of web of straps that sit comfortably on your leg and securely hold the holster in place.

It’s an innovation originally invented by US Military research scientists! So, if you’re going for an intimidating military sort of look, look no further! You’ve found your perfect holster.

Convenient

What keeps a leg holsters popular today ties into all of the above with a few extra aspects. While it’s true that the “cool” aspect lent to leg holsters by military use certainly helps their sales, there’s more to it than that.

Consider that any weight worn below the hip uses less energy to lug around. Not a huge concern for your average citizen, but if you’re going to be carrying your handgun around for long stretches of time, it’s worth keeping in mind.

Another big plus is comfort. Leg holsters wear more naturally while you’re sitting down.

Concealment

One possible disadvantage is that they can sometimes be a little hard to conceal. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your particular holsters and what you’re using it for. Hunters, have no fear! But if you’re looking for something to wear downtown for an evening at the movies, make sure you pick your model carefully.

Not that that’s always the case! Just call to mind any bond girl who keeps her pistol strapped to her thigh! If you get the right model, a leg holster can hide your gun as well if not better than any other style. It’s all in how you wear it.

They’re great for vehicle use though, and if for some reason you have to go for your gun while you’re on the road, they’ll offer you a quick natural draw.

Unique Look

When it really comes down to it, the best reason to pick a leg holster is because you want to wear one! They have a unique appearance among holsters, and if they’re your thing, might add a little bit of swagger to your walk.

Now that you’ve made up your mind that a leg holster is the way to go, let’s look at our five favorites and what makes them stand out.

Concealment

One possible disadvantage is that they can sometimes be a little hard to conceal. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your particular holsters and what you’re using it for. Hunters, have no fear! But if you’re looking for something to wear downtown for an evening at the movies, make sure you pick your model carefully.

Not that that’s always the case! Just call to mind any bond girl who keeps her pistol strapped to her thigh! If you get the right model, a leg holster can hide your gun as well if not better than any other style. It’s all in how you wear it.

They’re great for vehicle use though, and if for some reason you have to go for your gun while you’re on the road, they’ll offer you a quick natural draw.

Unique Look

When it really comes down to it, the best reason to pick a leg holster is because you want to wear one! They have a unique appearance among holsters, and if they’re your thing, might add a little bit of swagger to your walk.

Now that you’ve made up your mind that a leg holster is the way to go, let’s look at our five favorites and what makes them stand out.

Top 5 Leg Holsters

UTG Special Ops Universal Leg Holster (Gen II)

This is a well-built, lightweight product that won’t break the bank.

Design-wise it’s a bit on the basic side but that doesn’t mean it’s a basic product.

This leg holster is universal and can be adjusted to hold just about any small- to medium pistol.

At an eye’s glance it’s a sturdy piece of work. Good news is that it comes in a variety of colors.

You’ve got black, green, army digital camo, and woodland digital camo models.

It uses two metal snaps to keep the pistol in place and they exactly what you could hope they’d do.

They hold your pistol in securely but if you’re trying to give it a quick draw, you’ll have no problem getting it out in one smooth motion.

Besides your pistol, the holster has a pair of loops on the front and back of the main holster section.

These are made of reinforced nylon elastic and have held their tension almost perfectly for me after a couple months of use.

I’ve heard from some of my vet buddies that they’ve taken this with them on Iraq tours over their standard military issue.

It’s lighter, more durable, and still just as fast on the draw. Hard to go wrong with this one when you have that kind of endorsement.

The UTG Special Ops Universal Leg Holster is a great product and that extends all the way through its price. You can pick up one of these bad boys for just $20! I’d pay twice as much for one and still consider it a good deal, so don’t hesitate to grab one if it’s what you’re looking for.

Condor Tornado Tactical Leg Holster

The Condor Tornado Tactical Leg Holster is a sleek and stylish piece of work.

It boasts a pair of straps that go around your thigh for extra security.

It’s constructed from nylon and after some trial wear-and-tear, seems to be very sturdy stuff.

Nice if you’re looking for a holster that will take a lot of stress without fraying.

Comfort quality here is also very good. The straps are padded and have an elastic section for tighter fit without cutting off your circulation.

All of this is a sturdy nylon that will take a lot of wear and tear before it begins to fray.

Some leg holsters will have straps that don’t quite hold the tension you want them to, but you’ve got nothing to worry about here.

After a test run with leg holster attached comfortably it stayed firmly in place.

As for the holster itself you’re looking at a holster that can be adjusted to hold a wide range of pistols.

We tried it on some minis all the way up to full-size pistols with a light attached and it held each of them fine.

The gun is held in place with a two-way velcro/thumb lock system, so you don’t have to worry about it slipping out.

What really makes the Condor stand out isn’t one particular quality, but rather how it manages to be great to excellent in every single department.

It’s a great all-around holster and works as a slightly more sturdy, slightly less comfortable alternative to the UTG leg holster we reviewed. This one will also run you $20.

Blackhawk Special Operations Leg Holster

This Blackhawk Spec-Ops Leg Holster takes everything you’d expect from a quality leg holster and ramps it up a few notches.

It’s notches to your belt with two loops, which gives the holster extra stability, and has a single elastic support band to go around the thigh.

This a bit more heavy duty than your basic leg holster. Besides a standard issue magazine pouch on the front, it has an additional belt flap that runs along the top.

This is great for holding a lighter a second magazine — personally, I’ve used it for my, knife, and it works fantastic.

You get used to the extra capacity fast to the point where’s it’s almost hard to go back to a simpler leg holster.

Another great feature of this holster is a velcro flap that you can pull over the top of the gun.

This gives it extra security and extra concealment, and is a feature you’d more look to use if you keep it on your person on a regular basis.

If you want to convert it to a more tactical piece of equipment, though, you can tuck away the velcro pouch.

At its most minimal the Blackhawk Spec-Ops will only hold your gun in with an adjustable button release.

Some button releases can feel stiff or slow to respond but this has one of the smoothest releases I’ve ever used.

Speaking of stiff, its worth mentioning that my holster was a bit stiff the first few times I used it — give it some time to break in.

You’ll have to cough up $65 for this leg holster, but it’s worth it — it’s a superior product.

NcStar Drop Leg Holster

We’ve looked at more or less basic leg holster models so far, so how about something with a little more to it?

This NcStar Drop Leg holster is a 3-piece model.

It comes with a fully adjustable belt, a standard leg holster that attaches to the right side, and a triple-magazine pouch that hangs from the right.

The advantages should be pretty clear.

If you’re looking for a way to cart around more ammo with nothing but your holster, the NcStar is an easy choice.

Rather than elastic or velcro, the NcStar stands out a bit by using straps and buckles. This makes it easy to adjust on the fly.

Another nice touch is that you can mix and match. If the belt isn’t your thing, take the holster and extra magazine pouch and attach them to your favorite belt.

Take the magazine pouches and use them for a back-up holster.

What the NcStar offers is a sturdy and solid product will delight anybody that wants to leave the backpack behind, load up on ammo, and hit the range. And when I say sturdy, I mean sturdy.

It’s made from thick, heavy nylon. You’d have a tough time sawing through this thing if you wanted to.

The trade-off for extra durability is that this is a bit heavier than our other favorites, so keep that in mind.

Blackhawk Serpa Level 3 Tactical Holster

Blackhawk makes the cut again by merit of their top-quality design and construction.

The Spec-Ops I talked about above is a reliable, basic leg holster.

If you’re looking for something more fancy, then you’re looking for the Blackhawk Serpa Level 3 Tactical Holster.

Right off the bat you can tell you’re looking at a different class of product. At first glance, this is thanks to this leg holster’s thigh platform.

That’s a sturdy plastic backing to your holster that conforms to your thighs. It’s flexible, comfortable, and strong.

Blackhawk have really knocked one out of the park with this feature. It’s gone ahead and made it impossible for your holster to slip or slide around your thigh, which will happen sooner or later with almost any other holster.

That’s not the only innovation this holster has in its bag of tricks, though. It uses dual belt mounts with triple-security velcro attachments.

They’re installed in a Y-shape which gives the holster extra stability.

The holster itself is very sturdy and releases like a dream. I’ve never had an easier time fast-drawing my guns then with the Serpa 3.

The Serpa Level 3 is a premium product. It’s extremely comfortable to wear and functions flawlessly. It’s about the best you can get if you’re looking for a top-quality leg holster.

The biggest drawback is, you guessed it, price. It’ll run you about $125 to pick one of these up, but take it from me: it’s worth every penny.

In Review

Leg holsters offer you a practical and stylish way to wear your gun.

If you’re looking to do any sort of physical activity while you’re carrying, it’s hard to go wrong with one. And if you’re in the military you’re going to want to pick up a leg holster that you know you can rely on.

The UTG and the Condor are both great basic products that have enough of their own strengths and weaknesses to make them distinct. Blackhawk Special Ops leg holster is a sleeker, stronger alternative to those two.

For somebody who needs a little extra utility and durability, go for the NcStar. And if you’re looking for a leg holster with premium performance and design, the Blackhawk is a no brainer.

Let us know your favorite leg holster in the comments below. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We are always happy to help!