When the owner of Spectre Holsters handed me the Phantom II Sidecar, an appendix rig with a spare mag pouch molded together for a Glock G17, I looked at him for a minute to see if he was serious or joking. Carry a full-sized Glock appendix-style? Really? I waited for a beat. He didn’t laugh. It turned out he was serious. In fact, he told me a coworker of his carries his Glock that way all the time. Again, I waited for him to smile and say, “Just kidding!” But he didn’t. So, I was intrigued. How could they pull this off without serious print issues?
Keep in mind, I’m a larger guy around the middle and not a big fan of appendix carrying any size gun because my gut gets in the way. My normal EDC—a Shield—stays firmly ensconced in the strong-side 4 o’clock position. But appendix carry is popular, so it makes sense that holster companies should make products for it.
Every appendix carrier will tell you the biggest challenge when concealing is keeping the grip tucked close enough to the body that it won’t print. This is tough with even the smallest guns. Often this is solved by adding a wing to the grip side of the holster, which is exactly how Spectre solved this challenge.
The Phantom II Sidecar starts with two 2-millimeter-thick Kydex shells held together by five Philips screws with Chicago backers. Four of the screws double as clip holders and two also serve to adjust retention and hold the wing. The clips are sturdy plastic that did not show any signs of wear as I took the holster on and off my belt repeatedly. They held firmly, with no slippage during the day.
Since most reloads are done with your support hand, the integrated mag pouch is canted at a 10-degree angle toward that side for quick access and easy pull.
The holster comes by default as a non-optic-ready model, but if you carry an optic, just let Spectre know when ordering and they will send you the optic cut.
Even though I’m not a big fan of appendix carry for my own style, I found this holster very comfortable when standing. Drawing and re-holstering were a breeze, with an audible click when the trigger guard locked into retention. Adjustments were super simple with just a screwdriver and held in place through multiple draws. Concealing a G17 is possible with this holster, but just in case that’s not what you carry, it comes in multiple gun options, so you’re likely to find what you need. If your gun isn’t listed on the website, call and they will try to accommodate your needs.
The Phantom II Sidecar comes in both left- and right-handed options and can also be ordered with OWB hardware if you prefer open carry. At $119, this holster may seem a bit pricey, but when you factor in that you’re getting a holster and a mag pouch all in one, the price makes more sense and is an overall good value.
