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If you carry concealed, you’ve probably got a box of holsters. Maybe it’s because you have multiple carry guns but it’s more likely that over time you’ve purchased a handful of new-fangled holsters, tried them out, and found them to be too-fangled in some way. I’ve got that box of holsters, too, but today I want to show off a more traditional holster that’s not in it.
Just as an aside, the Colt Defender you see here is a great concealed carry gun. It’s tough as nails, lightweight, and reliable. I load up with seven rounds of HPR Black Ops .45 ACP and then eight more rounds in a Chip McCormick magazine as a backup.
Just like the Defender, the High Noon Public Secret holster is also tough as nails, lightweight, and reliable. So it’s not often found in that box of holsters.
We don’t usually get too deep into describing holsters in terms of their toughness or ruggedness. Some holster materials, though, are clearly tougher than others. Granted, some holsters go for thin and flexible for the sake of comfort. That’s fine, but with this High Noon holster, toughness and comfort is not either/or but both/and. While the Public Secret’s very thick leather does a great job of holding and protecting the Defender — and protecting me from the Defender’s rather sharp contours — it is still comfortable to wear. The point is that any three-inch barreled 1911 you carry in the Public Secret will be well protected for a long time from the dings and scrapes that go with on-again, off-again concealed carry.
Despite all that protective leather, an integrated sight channel, a reinforced mouth, and the most robust reverse J-clip on the planet, the Public Secret is surprisingly lightweight.
And like a well-worn baseball mitt, the Public Secret is also reliable. After years of use I know how it’ll carry, how it’ll conceal and feel, how it’ll hold and release a 1911, and what it takes to put it on and off. It’s the same, every time, including the dexterity and strength required to unhook that steel, reverse J-clip from my belt.
Tough, lightweight, and reliable, the High Noon Public Secret retails from $109.95 to $159.95 for the horsehide version. As a made-to-order holster, it’s traditional features make it an out-of-the-the box favorite.
— Mark Kakkuri
