Versacarry is an American manufacturer of holsters and carry gear. They make their gear from the toughest natural material available: premium water buffalo leather. Versacarry has a large number of holster models and styles available. There are currently 33 different models of outside-the-waistband (OWB) alone! That includes hybrid models, which utilize a synthetic sheath for the handgun but water buffalo hide for the backing. But one of the newest all-hide Versacarry models is the Trooper OWB with thumb-break retention.
About the Versacarry Trooper
The Versacarry Trooper is simply a great design with a lot to commend it when compared to standard leather, horsehide or synthetic designs. The most important aspect of the Trooper is obviously its construction from water buffalo hide.
A water buffalo is one of the toughest and most ill-tempered animals on the planet. It can put serious hurt on any hunter. Its tough and rugged characteristics make the water buffalo’s hide a great choice for gear that will be subjected to rough use. Yet, Versacarry’s Trooper is still a very good-looking holster.
Most of the holster is made from natural, rust-brown colored hide. And the stitching thread is black nylon, which contrasts nicely. There is an additional piece of black-dyed hide oversewn on top of the brown holster body. This black piece creates a pocket containing Velcro-type pile material on the inside, while the retention strap has a section of Velcro hook material. This setup allows adjustment for a perfect fit. These materials provide excellent weapon retention.
Because of the two-tone effect created by the additional black piece of hide, the Trooper looks equally good with a black or brown belt and keeps a professional appearance. However, I highly recommended the Versacarry Classic Carry Belt to go with this Trooper holster.
Fit & Positioning
The Trooper positions your handgun in a gentle grip-forward cant position. The belt slots accommodate a 1.5-inch belt and hold the Trooper in place securely. This holster is also designed to accommodate pistols with a red-dot optic mounted. That being the case, I ordered the model that would hold my 9mm Smith & Wesson M2.0 Compact with my Crimson Trace Red Dot attached. Of course, the Trooper fit my handgun exactly as advertised.
Speaking of fit, the Versacarry water buffalo rig is not molded to an exact fit for the M&P. Water buffalo hide is too thick for that. Instead, the fit is a bit more generalized. The sample holster size sent to me will also accommodate a Glock 17. However, I was advised not to switch back and forth between the G17 and the M&P as they are different dimensionally.
On the Street
I have been wearing my M2.0 Compact in the Versacarry Trooper holster for the last several weeks around town and took it along on our annual vacation. I wore the Trooper rig for the entire seven-hour drive to the lake and was extremely comfortable. Meanwhile, my M&P was easily accessible beneath an outdoors vest. As a bonus, the wide retention strap covers my M&P’s ambidextrous manual safeties, preventing an accidental movement to the “off” position.
Drawing from the Trooper is smooth and effortless, and the thumb break releases and pops clear without a hitch. The Trooper positions the pistol at an optimal point on the waistline, and I feel extremely confident packing my M&P in it. I also know that I will never be able to wear it out. MSRP is $59!
*USCCA Members get an exclusive discount on Versacarry products. Find other great perks in your Member dashboard.
Source:
Versacarry: Versacarry.com
