Blackhawk’s TecGrip FormLok – My first time COOKING a holster

Blackhawk is now offering a new, inside the waistband, carry holster that can be custom molded to a firearm in your kitchen. Holsters in the FormLok line were designed to fit a wide variety of handguns including those that standard holsters often don’t accommodate.

The molding process is pretty simple (if you can make spaghetti, you can handle this), and takes about ten minutes once you get the water up to temp. The included instructions were easy to follow although the correct water temperature was unclear. One place in the instructions said to bring the water to a boil, but another said 155F-175F. I guess it didn’t matter much because I split the difference and mine turned out fine.

With the holster softened by the hot water, you can squeeze it around your gun as it cools to create the custom fit. Something I noticed is that the fit is much tighter once you put the holster in your waistband so don’t form it around the gun too tightly. 

There is a FormLok holster to fit almost any handgun, but they are not made for use with larger weapon lights. I got a size six for my Glock 19 and it just barely fits with my TLR-7a attached. A weapon light is a valuable addition to a carry gun but a prime source of holster incompatibility, so it would have been nice if Blackhawk had made these holsters a little more light-friendly. 

The holster is covered with an outer layer of rubberized material that is designed to grip onto both skin and clothing. This is supposed to keep it from shifting position inside your waistband without the need for a belt clip, but this didn’t hold true for me. I carried my G19 in various positions and it never stayed where I put it for long. Every half hour or so I would have to readjust the holster to keep it from slipping below my belt line. 

Practicing your draw is important but with this holster it is essential. As I was dry firing, I found that about a third of the time the holster would stay on the gun during the draw. This was an obvious issue, so I got a little heavy-handed and worked the gun around in the holster to loosen it up. That helped, but it still happens on occasion especially if the holster gets sweaty. Also, Blackhawk warns multiple times on the instruction sheet against carrying with a chambered round while using this holster, unless the gun has a manual safety. You can make what you want of that.

Personally, I would not recommend this holster to someone wishing to carry it inside the waistband. For that purpose, I would suggest spending a little more and getting a Kydex holster if possible. I see the FormLok holster being best suited for people who carry their gun in a pocket, bag, or vehicle. For $45 it may be a little overpriced, but if you can’t find anything else that fits your gun properly, it is probably your best option. A sizing chart along with more information can be found on Blackhawk’s website.

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