An important consideration when choosing a holster for carrying inside the waistband is the type of clip it uses to secure to the waist of your garment. Most are designed to attach to a belt, but I’ve found two options, Fabriclip and Ulticlip, that are made to attach to fabric instead. Not only can you carry a kydex holster inside your waistband without a belt, they also make it easier to secure your gun to purses, backpacks, an inside coat pocket, etc. If the holster maker doesn’t provide a choice of clip with their holster, you always have the option of swapping it out with one of these versatile options.

If you’re interested in trying one of these fabric-friendly holster clips you’ll have to decide for yourself which you prefer, but today, I’ll share my experience to help inform your choice.

To test the Fabriclip and Ultaclip I used two high quality kydex holsters made by Eclipse Holsters. I’m only discussing the clips, not the holsters themselves. While each holster is meant for a different gun, the guns are similar in size and weight (Sig P365 and M&P Shield) and should provide a fair comparison.

Commonalities

Both clips took some time to break in. I actually hurt my fingers trying to operate the stiff Ulticlip and had to use a knife to pry it open. The Fabriclip was also very rigid at first and took a lot of effort to manipulate, but the more I used it the more flexible it became. Eventually, I was able to attach and detach both clips quickly and easily.

As far as support, my experience changed drastically based on the type of pants I was wearing.

When attached to my most tight fitting and supportive pair of high wasted jeans (pictured above), I struggled to select a favorite.

Both clips held onto the material very well with no threat of coming loose. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I attached them to a pair of leggings with minimal support. In this case, the weight of the gun was too heavy regardless of the clip.

The happy medium between these extremes was a pair of jeans with a relaxed fit and a pair of leggings with more support. With these options, the differences between the two clips became more apparent. That’s what tipped the scale for me. 

UltiClip Pros and Cons:

The Ulticlip is made from metal, making it strong and able to withstand wear and tear. It grasps onto fabric very well, with no chance of the material slipping out, even when I give it a good tug. The most unique feature of the Ulticlip is how concealable it is. When wearing the clip on your pants, you can layer a belt overtop to completely conceal it. This is especially helpful if you want to tuck in your shirt and don’t want a clip showing on your belt.

Make note that this clip is not really designed to attach to a belt. My concealed carry belt made by Mastermind Tactics was too thick for this clip and when I attached it to a thin belt, the clip left a permanent indentation and unsightly mark in the leather.

Even though the size of the Ulticlip offers great conceal-ability, it’s not the best for lateral stability. I found that the gun pivoted excessively, changing its angle depending on how I moved. It also doesn’t provide sufficient weight distribution, so my pants were more likely to sag in this spot with the weight of the gun.

I found that too much holster movement and change of the orientation of my gun affected the consistency of my draw. Also when drawing, I would scrape my finger on the sharp edges of the metal clip.

Fabriclip Pros and Cons:

At first, I expected the Fabriclip, being made from flexible plastic, would be more likely to break, but it has so much give that I now think that unlikely. The company claims there’s no need to worry about the clip damaging fabric and that when tugging upward on the holster, the clip would pop open to release the fabric before ever damaging it. I tried this for myself and found their claim to be accurate with a pair of jeans, but it did not release legging material. At the same time though, it didn’t appear to harm the leggings.  

As far as effectiveness in securing the holster, I never had the clip pop open under tension but rather, it stayed secure the entire time I wore it and during dry fire practice.

The Fabriclip is wider than the Ulticlip, making it less discreet, however, what it lacks in concealability it makes up for in weight distribution and lateral stability. Of course, it depends on the type of material the clip is attached to, but in general I found the Fabriclip to provide better weight distribution and lateral stability. This makes the material less likely to sag and I’m more confident that my gun will stay at the same angle, thus making my draw more consistent.

It’s important to point out that the stretchiness of the pants can also affected your draw. When wearing a pair of leggings, I had to pull the gun much farther to release it from the holster than if it were attached to a belt. At first, I assumed this would be the same for each clip, but because if it’s size and the fact that it grasps onto more material, I didn’t have to pull the Fabriclip quite as far as the Ulticlip.

Unlike the Ulticlip, the Fabriclip can be clipped onto a for added stability on those occasions when a belt works with your outfit.

The Fabriclip and Ulticlip approach the same goal of connecting to fabric with two different approaches and each comes with its own trade-offs. It really comes down to your preferences and how you plan to use your holster. Personally, the Fabriclip meets more of my needs.

For someone who wants to conceal at the office and needs to tuck in a shirt, the Ulticlip may be the way to go because you can conceal it under a dress belt. However, if you want a holster you can wear without a belt that has more stability, the Fabriclip may be your best choice.

“Chime-In!”

What do you think? Would you choose the Fabriclip or Ulticlip?

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