CrossBreed entered the holster scene in 2005 under the leadership of the late Mark Craighead, who had the vision of combining the suppleness of fine leather with the form fit functionality of Kydex. The name “CrossBreed” was a mix of that material combination and his strong faith in God. The cross logo reflects both. Out of the dozens of different holsters it produces, one of the company's most-popular outside-the-waistband holster options is its SnapSlide holster design.
Like most holster companies, CrossBreed offers an assortment of IWB and OWB rigs, mostly designed for maximum comfort and concealment. When I won a Glock G17 at a charity shooting match a couple months ago, I immediately started looking for a suitable way to conceal it. The full-size frame posed a printing challenge, plus the weather was warming and I would soon ditch my jackets for the summer. I wanted a holster that would not only let me conceal but also serve as a competition holster, should I choose to shoot the Glock at IDPA.
CrossBreed graciously provided me with a SnapSlide OWB holster to try out and review. The SnapSlide consists of a choice of black cowhide or tan horsehide backer snap-fastened to molded Kydex on the front. The outside treatment on the Kydex makes it almost feel metallic, a definite plus in the quality department. The Kydex is thin but sturdy, rigid enough for easy reholstering and stands up to the occasional bump against a wall or table.
One advantage of a leather backer is its moldability. The SnapSlide started to contour to my waist almost immediately with my belt buckled tight and the gun inserted. And it’s snug. The holster mounts by running the belt through the two 1.75” slots in the quarter-inch thick backer, pulling it tight against the hip. Even though most concealed carry belts are only 1.5”, it’s nice to have the wider option for those who prefer a bigger belt.
If you’re one prone to, shall we say, excessive sweating, the SnapSlide comes with two extra sweat-guard options -- combat cut or extra coverage – for a nominal upcharge.
At just under two inches thick, the SnapSlide also fits really well under even a thin cover garment. I strapped it on, added the Glock, threw on a patterned overshirt, checked it in the mirror – no print – and left the house. I wore it undetected (“If they know you’re concealing, you’re doing it wrong.” – author unknown) for several hours, almost forgetting I had it on. It was that comfortable and held it tight enough against my side that it didn’t clunk again armrests or get in the way of the seatbelt buckle.
One ingenious design aspect is that Glock G17s and G19s both fit the same mold since the midsection of both models is identical and the SnapSlide is open ended to allow for multiple barrel lengths. This is bound to be a cost saver for CrossBreed as mold setup is one of the biggest upfront costs of holster making and Glocks are so popular. Not sure it this will work for other guns, as they have less model crossover.
While this holster works really well, like any other holster it has its drawbacks. First off, it needs a label to say what gun it fits. If you’re like me, you probably own multiple handguns and have at least one holster for each. If you get more than one SnapSlide, you’ll have to hold the gun up to each to figure out which one fits. While this may be a rather minor inconvenience in the grand scheme, a label would be a nice touch, especially since CrossBreed hand makes every one of its holsters.
Also, the cant is not adjustable from its preset factory 15-degree angle. Most shooters will likely find this angle comfortable and perfectly fine, but it’s nice to have customization options.
Those complaints aside, at $48.50 you can’t beat the price for such a well-made holster. For another $36.25 you can add a single mag pouch or $56.25 for a double mag pouch. That’s about the same as many lesser or comparable quality OWBs without a mag pouch.
