Review: Mission First Tactical XD-S Minimalist Holster

By Justin Opinion Posted in #Gear

In today’s article, Justin Opinion evaluates the Mission First Tactical (MFT) Minimalist holster for the Springfield Armory XD-S pistol. The holster was provided by MFT for the review.

Once upon a time, Springfield Armory changed the game regarding concealed carry with the introduction of the XD-S pistol. Suddenly, there was a handgun you could conceal comfortably with minimal clothing, without sacrificing quality or reliability.

So, why take that pistol — still a top choice for carry today — and put it into a holster that makes it nearly as big as larger guns? Enter the Minimalist Holster from Mission First Tactical.

The Goal

The keyword is “minimal” with this rig. There seems to be no extra material, yet none lacking where it counts. But when it comes to holsters, I can be extremely picky — just like almost everyone I know. I looked forward to real-life testing with the XD-S and the Minimalist to see how this combo feels and performs.

The first thing one is likely to notice is the holster’s open-top design. The polymer material does not cover the slide, but is molded to grip both sides. The mold is well done, and the fit is snug to the contours of the XD-S. However, the real grip and retention of the holster is below this area, where the trigger guard is fully covered by a snug fit. Despite the material’s visual brevity, the pistol locks in with a click and stays firmly in place.

I tested retention by shaking the holstered, unloaded gun while gripping only the holster material. In any orientation, it held firm. Very firm. The draw requires a firm and deliberate pull — just as it should. I would not be afraid to do all of life’s activities while wearing this holster, with full confidence that it will stay put.

Re-holstering took a bit of practice, due to the lack of a “cup” in which to drop the muzzle — and Mission First Tactical strongly recommends removing the holster from your belt before re-holstering the gun for safety purposes. Even then, remember that it’s a good idea to always look the gun into the holster (any holster) and be certain your finger is well outside the trigger guard. When the pistol seats into the Minimalist holster, there is a positive and satisfying “click” as the trigger guard is captured.

One interesting difference with the Minimalist holster versus traditionally designed “closed” holsters is that you can re-holster by either sliding the muzzle into the opening of the rig in the normal fashion, or you can “clip it in” by lowering the gun down into the open top in a “trigger guard first” type motion. Another obvious benefit of the open-top design is that no sight channel is necessary, and no front sight will be too large.

Detail-Oriented

After addressing the unique aspects of the Minimalist holster from Mission First Tactical, it’s worth noting that all the important and expected features of a modern polymer IWB holster are here.

It starts with the holster being ambidextrous-ready, so that right or left-handers can pick one up without a special order and long wait. It comes configured for the right-handed shooter but is easily changed over for southpaws. Simply remove the two screws and re-attach the clip on the opposite side.

And speaking of configurable options, the Minimalist comes with a claw that helps force the butt of the pistol tighter to the body and avoid printing. This component is not reversible, so it is only available for the right-hand configuration. It is also optional for right-handers. If you would rather not have the claw, a spacer is included that will replace it and give you a smaller-sized rig that is a bit easier to insert and remove from the waistband.

I wore it both ways and found it equally comfortable, but I preferred the even more minimalist version of the Minimalist without the attached claw. Options are always a good thing!

The clip of the Minimalist holster fits belts up to 1½” wide. It has a nice security hook that prevents accidental detachment, and the clip is fully tuckable. There is some adjustment for cant — up to 20° in either direction. That helps with both personal comfort and minimizing the print of the gun. There are also some options for where to place the holster on the body — or even off the body.

I almost always wear a holster around the 4–5 o’clock position, and this rig is a great fit there. It is also well-suited for appendix carry. Additionally, there is a tether hole in the holster that can be used to secure it in a purse, pouch, or other off-body carry.

Hands-On

Wearing the Mission First Tactical Minimalist holster was a great experience, particularly in terms of overall wearability and comfort. Paired with the Springfield Armory XD-S, which is the gun that redefined concealed carry some decades ago, it just melts into your wardrobe. For all-day wear, it gives you both the comfort you need and the confidence you need that it’s invisible and ready. No jabbing discomfort to make you uneasy all day.

And because the XD-S sits low on your waist in the Minimalist holster, you have a full range of motion. That also helps keep the butt of the gun tucked into the body’s natural detent area between the hip and lower rib, for those of us who carry at 4-5 o’clock. Because of this lower ride height, I recommend putting some time into dry training and getting good muscle memory on the draw stroke. From other holsters, your fingers might be conditioned to ‘sweep into’ the grip, but I find that with much less space between belt and gun butt, you need to learn to ‘poke into’ the grip to assure a competent draw.

I wore the holster both with and without the detachable claw. Both methods are effective, and each seems suited to specific conditions and clothing — not to mention all-around personal preferences. I found that I liked it best without the claw — it seemed to allow me a slightly better draw grip because the gun was not as tight to my body.

As I mentioned, Mission First Tactical strongly advises that the holster be fully removed from your belt prior to re-holstering. I’m often skeptical of the warning labels on ladders, and the disclaimer you have to acknowledge before the info screen in your car will come on, but after trying it both ways with an unloaded gun, I have to admit that they are right on this one. Because of the “clip-in” design of the Minimalist holster, it would be too easy to miss seating it properly, and that would result in an unsecured firearm and/or a dangerous situation where the trigger could be exposed.

Conclusion

The Minimalist Holster from Mission First Tactical retails for $39.99 on their website (see link below). Also, Mission First Tactical is offering a very generous deal on the holster right now: $10 with free shipping. Simply enter promo code “MINXDS” when you check out.

As someone who has bought several dozen holsters over the years, I can attest that this is a great price — even at full price. It’s offered to fit a wide variety of pistols — but I can’t help but believe that the Springfield Armory XD-S and the Minimalist Holster are a match made in heaven.

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