The old adage goes “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is exactly what LAG Tactical has done with the Defender IWB/OWB that it introduced as its very first holster when the company started a few years back. After several years on the market, this holster has stood the test of time, unchanged from its original configuration. LAG has sold tens of thousands of this classic holster, designed to switch from outside to inside the waistband with minimal adjustment.
The Defender starts with two pieces of molded Kydex held together with four repositionable Phillips screws that can easily be moved up or down to adjust the ride height and cant. The holster comes with a natural five-degree forward cant but can be adjusted up to 15 degrees if desired. The bottom of the holster is open to receive a threaded barrel but not wide enough for a suppressor.
One of the best features of this holster I found handy when I used it in both a training class and an IDPA match is the slightly flared opening at the top. It’s like the holster version of a flared mag well. While it won’t matter for your draw, the flare helps tremendously when reholstering, making the motion smooth and easy. Yet the flare is subtle enough that it won’t affect concealability in either the IWB or OWB configuration.
Another nice feature of the LAG Tactical Defender is the sweat guard that covers the entire slide. It does its job while maintaining maximum comfort in both IWB and OWB configurations.
Finally, the Defender is optic ready with no modifications. I run a Vortex Venom and nothing on the holster got in the way of clean carrying either IWB or OWB.
The craftsmanship on the holster LAG gave me was excellent. Edges were smooth, panels were perfectly aligned, and the screws were all tightened correctly. The retention was also set correctly for my taste right out of the box, but it can be changed with a single retention screw by the trigger guard.
The Defender IWB/OWB comes with hardware for both configurations and can be easily switched between them in a matter of minutes. At $79.95, this is a great option for a sturdy and reliable holster with maximum versatility.
