After reading hundreds of reviews, talking to loads of experts on the Glock 43, and many hours spent reading through the extensive forums dedicated to this gun, we’ve managed to narrow down the best Glock 43 holsters available.
If you are looking for the best all-round holster for your Glock 43, get the Concealment Express IWB Kydex Holster. Proudly made in the USA, this holster simply offers the best compromise between weapon retention and lightning-quick draw speeds.
Concealment Express IWB KYDEX Holster
Combined with the huge adaptability of this holster, we are confident that even the most discerning Glock 43 owner will find everything they need in this holster.
Concealment Express have quickly built an enviable reputation for their holsters, and it is easy to see why when looking at this product. As their name suggests, they design holsters that offer superior concealment qualities. This design philosophy carries over into this holster, which in managing to conceal a bulky Glock 43 achieves quite a feat.
However, this holster offers far more than just a low-profile carrier that will hide your weapon. It also includes many safety features typically only found on huge holsters much larger and more expensive than this one.
Add this to the fact that the holster is composed entirely of Kydex, and therefore likely to last for a lifetime, and you have yourself one hell of a holster.
In terms of disadvantages, in truth we can find very few bad things to say about this holster. It is not, as you can see, the most minimal of devices. If you like to carry your pistol around in a tiny leather pouch, this is not the holster for you.
However, in our humble opinion, it is dangerous to carry a powerful handgun like the Glock 43 in such a holster, and without preaching at you, we strongly discouraged it.
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Our Holster Review Process
But why should you trust us? Well, here at Gun News Daily we have an expert on every possible accessory for your handgun, know plenty of people who are crazy about guns, and also know plenty of people in the industry. Many of us have worked with guns for many years, and when we are not writing about them we are out using them.
For my own part, I’ve been reviewing holsters, scopes, and other accessories for longer than I care to remember. I humbly consider myself an expert on what features should be included on these items, and what not.
I see reviews like this as a way of cutting through the marketing hype around a new product – what a holster manufacturer, for instance, regards as the next big thing is often just an extra annoyance for many users. I’ve come to believe that simplicity in design is the thing to aim for, and it’s his philosophy that guides this review.
Thorough Review
For this review in particular, I spent days reading through every review I could find online and in magazines, and contacted the people who had written them to get more information. I also talked to some experts on holster design, and especially on the materials used to make them – I possibly now know more about Kydex than any one else alive!
Then, we ordered a set of holsters and tested them. Obviously, we could not test every holster with every gun, because despite our best efforts we don’t yet own every single handgun produced in the US. We gave it a good shot, though.
Obviously, everybody has different preferences when it comes to their holster. Different people like different carrying angles, for instance, and some simply love the feel of leather and hate any kind of synthetic material. I’ve tried to take a range of views into account, but my recommendations and opinions remain mine.
Best Holsters For Glock 43
We have told you our favorite, but here are some other Glock 43 holsters we found worthy of your consideration.
| Product Name | Where to Buy | |
|---|---|---|
 | Elite Glock 43 IWB FOMI Holster by Multi Holsters | |
 | Alien Gear Cloak Mod Paddle OWB Holster | |
 | CYTAC OWB Holster | |
Elite Glock 43 IWB FOMI Holster by Multi Holsters
This holster offers different finishes: carbon fiber or polymer. The patented FOMI clip secures the holster to your waistband, yet is easy to remove. This holster is not ambidextrous, so make sure to order the correct side.
The Elite has a high rise on the skin side, protecting the slide from sweat or oils on your skin.
It also offers adjustable passive retention, so you can get the perfect fit and draw. You can also easily adjust the cant (carry angle) from 0 to 15 degrees (FBI cant) by adjusting the clip.
Alien Gear Cloak Mod Paddle OWB Holster
Alien Gear is mostly known for their IWB leather holsters, but they make great OWB holsters as well. Their Cloak Mod Paddle OWB Holster is designed to be concealable under a jacket or large shirt.
It features an adjustable cant and retention system, with an open mouth that makes holstering and drawing your weapon very easy. The flex plate, which is made out of steel, ensures that the pistol is retained properly.
The holster is not without its cons, however. It can be modified with a belt slide rather than a paddle, but this slide is made out of rubber and is rather flexible, which can cause the holster to slip around on your belt a little.
As with all Alien Gear products, you’ll get a 30 day test drive period with a lifetime warranty.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lifetime Warranty | Belt Slide is Too Flexible and Loose |
| Adjustable Cant | |
| Secure Retention System | |
| Easy To Draw and Re-Holster | |
| Concealable For An OWB Holster (fairly uncommon; most concealed carry holsters for Glock 43 are IWB) |
CYTAC OWB Holster
Cytac is one of the top manufacturers of holsters in Asia. Over 30 million holsters have been sold world wide. Made with military polymer. The Cytac holster has a variety of carry options. You can go with a use a belt loop or belt clip option.
The Cytac has Level II retention. The holster automatically locks on the trigger when weapon is inserted. A button on the index finger makes for quick release. Comes with adjustment screws for tightening the holster to prevent it from falling. Also has 360 degrees of rotation for precise adjustments.
If there is one drawback, the Cytac Glock 43 holster is not compatible with the polymer80 glock 43 or a glock fitted with a laser.
Is the Concealment Express Holster Right For Your Glock 43?
Whilst the Concealment Express IWB Kydex holster is our top pick for a holster for the Glock 43, it is not for everyone.
First of all, note that it’s an Inside-Waist-Band holster. One of the perks of this job is hearing the OWB vs. IWB argument every time I review holsters, and hearing the passion that some people can put into their choice. I’ve chosen an IWB holster because I think that’s what the majority of people prefer, in truth, though I know that are others who swear by OWB items.
Secondly, whilst this holster is pretty good at concealment, it is not the kind of minimal pouch favored by those who want to conceal their weapon under the lightest shirt. That said, there are many ways you can conceal your firearm even with bulky IWB holsters.
Variable Cant
Those two things out of the way, I would say this holster is suitable for almost everyone else who wants a solid holster for their Glock 43. The variable cant means that whether you are using your Glock for competition, hunting, or simply personal protection, you can set it up in a way that suits you.
This holster also – strangely, perhaps – had the fatest draw speed of any that we tested. Whilst this may sound strange for a bulky Kydex item, bear in mind that draw speed is always more dependent on practice than anything else, and it might just be that we at GND are more used to this kind of rigid, IWB holster.
Glock 43 Holster – Frequently Asked Questions
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My Glock 43 has a sight fitted. Will it fit in these holsters?
The answer, sadly, is no. Whilst there are holsters available that will accommodate Glock 43s with sights, these tend to be bespoke items that are hard to find for most people. It is possible to get an open-topped holster that will allow you to keep the sight on your Glock 43, but in truth we don’t recommend this.
If you are carrying concealed, it is probably best to take your sight off and get a holster that will hold your gun well.
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How are these holsters in terms of concealment?
All of the holsters above, except the Cytac product, offer fairly good concealment. Keep in mind that it is not only the holster that is a factor in concealing your weapon – the clothes you where and even how you wear them can also play into this.
If you are really into concealed carry, or are lucky enough to live in a hot part of the country, there are of course more minimal holsters available, but these are typically less safe than those holsters above, and only recommended for expert weapon handlers.
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Will these holsters work without a belt?
Not very well, in truth. It might just about be possible to have the waistband of your pants holding up you Glock 43, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Ultimately, the point of a holster is to hold your weapon in precisely the same place all day, and if your pants are slipping down that is not going to happen no matter what holster you buy.
Glock 43 Holsters – Final Thoughts
Which holster you need for your Glock 43 depends, to a huge extent, on how you use it. No review can tell you the absolute best holster for your needs.
If you only carry your Glock 43 sometimes, it could be worth going for a slightly cheaper holster, though in my opinion this is something of a false economy – if you’ve already spent the money to get a serious weapon like the Glock 43, get something serious to carry it in.
If you already own a Glock 43, I’m assuming that you want to carry it concealed, at least sometimes. For this reason, I’ve largely chosen holsters that will allow you to do this. However, bear in mind that no matter what holster you get, you will give away the fact that you are packing unless you are clever about hiding your gun.
Glock 43 Holster Draw Speed
Beyond this, I know that many people care about their draw speed, and the holsters above generally allow a quick draw once you get used to the locking mechanisms in use. The first time you use a new locking mechanism, of course, you are likely to draw pretty slowly, but practice and you will soon improve. This is the case with all the holsters we tried above.
All this said, in my opinion, if you are looking for the best all-round holster for your Glock 43, get the Concealment Express IWB Kydex Holster. Proudly made in the USA, this holster simply offers the best compromise between weapon retention and lightning-quick draw speeds.
Combined with the huge adaptability of this holster, we are confident that even the most discerning Glock 43 owner will find everything they need in this holster.
4 Responses
The choices you fellas made here tells me you have never spent time with a professional instructor. Theres a ton of reasons why no trainer allows Serpa holsters in their courses. A Cytac holster with the little locking mechanism is just as bad. You gotta take a course and read some more articles on those things.
Hybrid holsters have serious flaws too.
Amazingly your Concealment Express holster is the only choice here thats acceptable at all.
Guess you overlooked the alien gear which doesn’t have the mechanical retention system as the Blackhawk. Ive used the CQC for years without failure or impediment. It’s the same argument of a carry weapon having a manual safety vs no safety.
Why is there not an Anke Holster for people that otherwise can not conceal their weapon “Inside the Waistband?
I purchased a Cytac Holster for my Sig Sauer P365 and agree completely with your review. The Cytac Holsters are not only one of the best OWB holster options but one of the only holsters on the market that has both a 360 degree adjustable cant and a level II retention feature in the same holster.
If you want to use a cross draw arrangement for driving, you need to find a holster that allows adjusting the holster cant (negative cant) so you can draw across your lap while having the handgun aimed toward the likely source of the threat which is the driver’s side window.
The Cytac holster allows 360 degree adjustment of the holster cant and once set, the holster stays in that position. Once in that position though you want to make sure the handgun does not slip out of the holster; to control this the Cytac holster has a level II retention feature. The holster has a lever that on holstering snaps the handgun into the holster. To draw the holster you simply lay your finger along the outside of the holster which releases the lever and allows you to draw the holster. I have found this works very well. Lastly Cytac described the polymer used in the holster as Military Grade Polymer. I agree there is no plastic feel here; the material is very strong and should last for years. Thanks for identifying the Cytac holster as a great option.