Product Review - High Rise Pancake Holster

A while ago, I contacted Michael over at The Holster Site about getting a custom holster built for my CZ-82. There just aren't a lot of choices in pre-made holsters for this little automatic, and what I did find I just didn't like.  Since this was my first hand-made holster, I leaned quite a bit on Michael's advice for what he had that fit my needs.  I eventually decided to get his High Rise Pancake Holster.

Guess what was waiting for me when I got back from Pittsburgh?

I've been wearing this as a CCW holster for a almost two weeks, and I'm impressed.  The holster is made of very stiff cowhide, and retains the gun very well.  I chose the natural leather color because it will blend in with brown or khaki pants and shorts, which make up a lot of my wardrobe. I expect that over time, the leather will darken a bit, but that's the color of leather that I like.  The Holster Site offers quite a few different colors other than this natural look.

The high-rise design holds the gun up high enough that it's easily covered by a regular length tee-shirt, and the tab of leather on the top of the holster keeps the gun from digging into my back or side while I'm sitting in the car.  A good note is that I can wear this while driving and don't need to adjust it for comfort.  In addition, the rough finish of the leather''s back helps to keep it from moving around.

The stitching is excellent, and the best way to describe the construction of this holster is SOLID.  Even the tab,  where I expected some flex in the leather, is stiff and holds its shape extremely well.

The belt loops are very snug on my gun belt, so this holster goes on your belt and stays put.  Between the grip on my belt and the tight fit for the gun, I have no worries about retention and control.

One final note on the excellent customer service I got from Michael.  The CZ-82, while it is becoming more common on the market, still hasn't reached saturation to the point that he was able to easily find an example gun.  But Michael went the extra mile to find one, and got this holster to me months ahead of when I expected to get it.  Add to that his patience in walking a complete newb through the process of picking out a model, material, and finish, and I'm extremely pleased with my purchase.

Please note that I received no consideration from The Holster Site for this review.  I'm just a satisfied customer.