Product Tests : Northwest Security Products Fanny Pack Holster

Northwest Security Products is a company located in Oregon, USA. They market a lot of security products, and they also produce a Fanny Pack style of holster, which they send me for evaluation.

This holster is made of 1000 denier Cordura nylon, with all seems double stitched for durability. The holsters are waterrepellent and machine washable. It is produced in three different sizes, in order to accomodate different gun sizes. The one I received was in a nice Navy Blue color (they come in a variety of colors, or even duo-tone models).

The holster looks very nice, and it is of high quality, as far as materials and workmanship are concerned. The holster comprises of the fanny pack body and the belt which is used to wear it around your waist. The belt is adjustable, so that it can be used by even those of us, which are not that lean in that area. The main holster body has three different compartments, one small in the front to accomodate your keys, business cards etc, another larger one for your wallet, mobile telephone and other such things. Both of these compartments are accessible via heavy duty zippers and are spacious enough to handle the equipment one is usually carrying around.

The third compartment is the one in which you are to carry your gun. This compartment is the one closer to the bearer's body, and is held closed by two strips of Velcro, one on the top and one on the right side of the holster (as you look at it, when you have it on your body). There is also a heavy duty snap, that helps keeping the compartment closed. There is no separate pouch, within this compartment to accomodate the gun. You just put your gun in there, fasten the snap and press the Velcro straps together. My M-1911 was a very tight fit in there, so much that initially I thought that it would not fit. The bag is a bit on the small side for such a gun, but I presume that this is intentional, since there is nothing else to keep the gun in place. The gun compartment is opened by grabbing a piece of cloth that is attached to the front part of the holster, and pulling that away from your body. The carried gun is then revealed allowing for a very quick grip. However, one has to be careful not to pull the front of the holster to much downwards, as this can cause the gun to lean forward and even fall from the holster. Not something likely to happen, but you've better be advised.

As usually, I did some drawing and presenting tests. The holster proved to be quite fast to open, and the drawing can be quite smooth, after some practice.

Some remarks :

Personally, I would prefer the holster to have an internal pouch, in which to keep your gun. This pouch could be attached at the rear side of the holster, with Velcro. In that way, the risk of having your gun dropped, while opening the holster would be alleviated, and in the same time, one could use the same holster, with different gun sizes.

Second, I would suggest that the tag, with the company's name be stitched on the inside of the holster instead of the outside. In that way, people sitting next to you on a table would not wonder what sort of "Security Product" you fanny pack is.

Apart from those remarks, the holster seems capable of providing years of trouble free service, due to the quality of materials used and excellent construction.

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