Looking for the best Ruger LCP holsters?
The LCP is a great gun that deserves a great holster, but because the little .380 gun is so popular, there are about a million different holsters out there for it. This sounds like a good thing…until it comes time to buy one, and you realize it makes it very hard to separate the good holsters from the crap.
Well don’t worry, we’re here to help.
We’ve reviewed all the highest-rated Ruger LCP holsters out there to find the ones that are actually worth your time. We’re going to give you everything you need to know to pick the perfect holster to meet your specific needs and then we’re going to show you the best holsters on the market right now.
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Good Holster?
A good holster is a key part of your carry setup, and can be the difference between having your gun on you when you need it, and leaving your gun in the glovebox or center console because it’s too uncomfortable or inconvenient to carry.
For that reason, it’s important to have a solid holster that you can depend on, and that you’ll actually carry regularly.
Here are some things to look out for.
Holster Safety & Retention
First and foremost, you need a holster that offers good retention, and completely covers the trigger guard. Retention is just a measure of how much force is required to actually remove the gun from the holster.
Basically, you want something that makes it possible to draw the gun quickly, but is still strong enough to keep the gun safely holstered at all other times. You also want something that completely covers the trigger guard.
This is the most important thing for a holster to do, so make sure your holster won’t allow fabric, your keys, or anything else to get inside the trigger guard as this could (obviously) cause the gun to fire.
Holster Fit & Comfort
Next, you’ll want to make sure you holster fits your body well, and is comfortable. With pocket carry or wallet-style holsters, this isn’t really much of an issue, but with a more traditional inside the waistband (IWB) holster, this is vital to making sure you aren’t miserable carrying your gun.
Or worse, leaving it at home or in the car because it’s uncomfortable and you “probably won’t need it”.
Look for something with nicely rounded edges, a slim profile, and a comfortable material. Kydex is great for an IWB holster, but can be uncomfortable in the pocket. If you’re going the pocket route, we recommend going with leather or a synthetic fabric.
Holster Material
Speaking of leather vs fabric, material is an important consideration anytime you’re looking at holsters.
Leather is a classic option, and looks very nice and classy. It’s also comfortable, customizable, and very durable if treated properly. It will wear and develop its own natural patina over time, which gives it a lot of character as well.
We like leather for waistband and pocket holsters for the LCP, but it’s also very nice for IWB and even OWB holsters as well. You really can’t go wrong with a leather holster, just make sure you take care of it properly, and dry it thoroughly if it becomes wet.
On the synthetic side of things, Kydex is king. Kydex is a synthetic polymer that has rapidly become the world standard for holsters. It’s impact-resistant, incredibly durable, non-reactive, and is very easy to form to a very high tolerance, so retention is awesome.
We love Kydex because it’s fairly indestructible, and you don’t have to worry about it getting sweaty or wet.
One major downside is that it is a hard-edge material, so it’s not quite as comfortable as some options, especially in the pocket. Still, it’s an all-around great material and you can’t really go wrong here.
The other thing to consider is that drawing a gun from a Kydex holster is a very recognizable sound, and it will wear your finish just a little bit over time. Neither of these are as much of an issue with leather.
The other materials on the market, such as nylon, aren’t necessarily bad options if executed correctly, but they aren’t going to give you the best fit, finish, feel, or durability.
That said, there are some great nylon-based holsters out there, just make sure you go with a reputable manufacturer because a lot of the low-end holsters on the market are made with nylon.
Choosing the Best Holster For The Ruger LCP
Now let’s talk about some considerations specifically for the Ruger LCP. These are some things that apply to a lot of the pocket carry guns out there too.
Pocket Carry vs IWB Carry
The LCP and LCP II are both very small guns, and they actually helped to drive the whole “pocket carry gun” craze to the popularity it enjoys today.
You can of course carry the gun in a traditional inside the waistband or even outside the waistband holster, but most people are going to be rocking this one in the pocket. That said, we included some IWB holsters too so you can have a variety of options to choose from.
IWB is a much easier configuration to draw from, and certainly faster, but pocket carry is much more convenient and concealable, so it all comes down to what your priorities are.
We recommend owning at least one IWB and one pocket carry concealed holster for the LCP, just so you have options based on your outfit, the weather, and your itinerary for the day.
Some Other Holster Styles
There are some other options out there for holsters that you should be aware of.
These are:
- Belly bands
- Ankle holsters
- Fixed Mounted Holsters
- Concealed Carry Bags
All of these alternative options can have their place, but come with some big downsides as well, and none of the options out there for the LCP are great.
The exception is some of the car carry holsters that allow you to mount the gun under your dash, but these aren’t really traditional holsters so we’ve left them off the list.
Best Ruger LCP Holsters on the Market
1 Concealment Express Ruger LCP IWB KYDEX Holster
The Concealment Express IWB Kydex Holster is one of our favorite IWB holsters in general.
For one, the shape of the shell is very accommodating.
It has an undercut trigger guard for an easier draw and an open face to allow for threaded barrels. It also has a channel that allows for suppressor height sights, as well as a sweat guard to protect both your gun and your skin from moisture build-up. It’s made from .08-inch thick Kydex for a trim, low profile fit.
The Concealment Express IWB Kydex Holster has plenty of other great features too though. For example, it has a widely adjustable cant, from -5 degrees to +20 degrees. You can also adjust the ride height and retention. In addition, the retention system actually has an audible click to give you feedback that the retention system has been activated.
The holster comes with a fiber-reinforced stealth belt clip, but the clip can be removed and swapped out for other systems, like a Utiliclip or a larger 1.75-inch belt clip. You may also want to look into the Concealment Express Holster Claw Kit to further prevent printing. The holster itself is available in plain Black and Carbon Fiber Black.
It’s made in the US and comes with a lifetime warranty.
2 Fobus Evolution Holster
If an OWB holster is what you prefer, the Fobus Evolution Holster is a great option.
Its small, slim size compliments the subcompact size of the Ruger LCP giving you a very low profile for an OWB holster. The paddle helps by sitting the holster closer to the body than a belt slide would. The paddle is also rubberized, ensuring that the holster stays in place once attached to your waistband.
Between the small size of the holster and the small size of the Ruger LCP, you may even be able to get away with using the Fobus Evolution as a concealed holster with the right clothing.
The single-piece holster body features adjustable passive retention, a protective sight channel, and a low cut that will accommodate many laser sights while also covering the trigger.
3 ComfortTac Ultimate Belly Band Holster
A belly band is a great alternative to IWB or OWB holsters that still allows you to carry around your waist and the ComfortTac Ultimate Belly Band Holster is among the best belly bands out there.
It has a perforated neoprene band, making it soft, flexible, and breathable, so it’s one of the most comfortable carry options available. It secures closed around your torso with velcro.
The Ultimate Belly Band Holster offers versatile carry options. You can wear your gun anywhere along your waist and at different heights along your torso. You can even wear it below your chest, similar to a shoulder holster.
The holster itself is an elastic pouch with a snap closure retention strap. The snap provides a twofold advantage. First, it’s much quieter than velcro, giving you a virtually silent draw, which is ideal for tactical situations. Second, the snap, along with the leather strips that reinforce the areas around the two halves of the snap, provide trigger protection.
This belly band comes in two band sizes to work with different frames, as well as black and nude color options to help with concealment. In addition to the holster, both band sizes also feature a removable magazine pouch for a spare mag and an elastic pocket that can fit a flashlight, knife, and other small items.
4 DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster
In contrast to the more elaborate ComfortTac Ultimate Belly Band Holster, the DeSantis Nemesis Pocket Holster has a very simple, yet effective design.
This little pocket holster has an ambidextrous design: just flip it to switch from right-hand to left-hand draw. It’s padded on both sides to make it more comfortable for the user and to minimize printing.
What’s really interesting about this holster, however, are the materials. The grippy exterior holds the holster in place within your pocket, so it won’t migrate as you move about during your day-to-day life, nor will it come out with the gun when you try to draw.
In contrast, the soft, slick interior material allows for a smooth, quick, and easy draw.
And that’s about all there is to the Nemesis.
5 ComfortTac Ultimate Ankle Holster
This next holster is similar to the ComfortTac Ultimate Belly Band Holster, but in the form of an ankle holster.
Like the Ultimate Belly Band Holster, the ComfortTac Ultimate Ankle Holster has a neoprene band, an elastic holster, and a snap closure retention strap with leather strips to provide trigger coverage. It also uses velcro to secure in place around the ankle.
It can be worn at different heights on the ankle and calf, and is even slim enough to fit under many boots. It also comes in two different band sizes so you can choose the one that best fits your body.
Unlike the Ultimate Belly Band, the Ultimate Ankle Holster is actually ambidextrous. It can be worn on the inside or outside of either the right or left ankle.
The Ultimate Ankle Holster just has the elastic holster, not the extra pockets that the Ultimate Belly Band does, but the holster is padded. Unlike many other ankle holsters, this one is comfortable and secure enough that it doesn’t have to be worn with thick socks.
All in all, it’s a good option for sports and athletic activities, for a backup gun, or for waist carry is not an option.
Final Thoughts
The Ruger LCP is a great gun that deserves a great holster. We reviewed a variety of the most popular options to come up with this list, so all you have to do is decide which one of these is the best Ruger LCP holster for your specific needs.
