Gear Review: Yeti-Tac Glock 43 holster — customizable value

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Glock 42 in Yeti-tac OWB kydex, pancake style holster. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)

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Riding with a Yeti-tac OWB Kydex holster. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)

Onto the holster scene jumps a fairly new company from Oklahoma, Yeti-Tac. The product tested in this case is the Yeti Pro, a Kydex, outside-the-waistband, pancake style holster for the Glock 43.  This copy is black; the company also makes holsters in a spectrum of colors and with custom graphics.

The holster has rigid loops to accommodate your choice of a 1.5 to two-inch belt.  The loops are secured by grommets and screws, which can be moved to adjust the height of carry up or down by an inch.

The Yeti-Tac is slightly curved to fit the contour of the wearer’s waist, making it quite form-fitting. The fit facilitates concealment under a shirt or jacket by positioning the gun fairly high in relation to the belt. While this may not be a comfortable position from which to perform repeated draws, it’s practical for concealment purposes.  The holster shields and provides impenetrable protection for the trigger guard.  It is comfortable and safe for either concealment or range use, assuming any garment is out of the way upon re-holstering.

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Glock 42 with Yeti-tac with jacket. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)

The Yeti-Tac rode comfortably and stayed in place for hours on our testers, who for the most part were pleased with the product.  Insertion and drawing of the gun was easy, except when the wearer was strapped in a seatbelt—but that is true of most holster arrangements.

This holster is marketed for use with the popular 9mm Glock 43, but the Glock 42, chambered in .380, also fits quite well. There is a positive “click” into place when the 42 is inserted, while the 43 offered no such feedback.

Once holstered, the 42 has slight room to move side-to-side, while the 43 is completely trapped in place, so much that it can be taken out of battery by up to 1/8 inch as a result of holstering unless the tightening screws are loosened substantially. This can be corrected by either pressing the thumb down on the faceplate of the slide, SEE PHOTO or it simply self-corrects on the draw.  This does not, at least according to this test, impede safety or function of the G43.

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Glock 43, out of battery in Yeti-tac holster. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)

Both Glocks are entirely secure in the holster until the wearer decides to draw.  Work and play that turns the wearer upside down would be safe with the Yeti-Tac holstering either the Glock 42 or 43.  A company representative seemed surprised to hear that the .380 fit as well as the 9mm handgun for which the holster is made.

The sight channel is extra-high without being bulky. It should easily accommodate after-market sights for the smallest Glocks.

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Adjusting draw for Yeti-tac holster with thumb on slide. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)

As is the case with most other Kydex holsters, the screws of this one can loosen with just a day or two of use.  This may initially seem to be a pitfall. However, we found the degree of tightness to be adjustable to suit wearer preference, all within safe parameters.  There is the danger of screws coming entirely loose, which can result in the gun falling out.  Yeti-Tac’s product is on par with similar Kydex models in this regard. A company owner personally recommended treatment of the screws with Loctite® to prevent loosening.  Based on this test, Loctite® treatment is strongly recommended for those who want to use this holster for a G43 and want the screws sufficiently loose to keep the slide from being dislodged.

Yeti-Tac’s  price for the G43 holster is $60. Most of their other models are priced around that amount or lower. The company offers a wide array of colors and graphics, and even custom models featuring your own pattern or logo.  Considering the substantial labor associated with crafting Kydex holsters as well as competitors’ prices, this is quite competitive.

We reached out to Yeti-Tac with product questions twice during this trial.  Their response was fast and thorough. This new company seems eager to serve and small enough to be accountable.

For those wanting a Kydex belt holster, especially one with custom features, Yeti-Tac is worthy of consideration.

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