Top New Holsters
for the
Hellcat Pro

March 12th, 2022

10 minute read

With the launch of the new Hellcat Pro 9mm pistol, a lot of people are wondering what holsters might fit the new pistol. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few good rigs right out of the gate. Springfield Armory seems to have worked with a number of the top brands to ensure its customers would have the best gear available on day one.

Man drawing Hellcat Pro from holster — At launch, there were many CCW holster options available for the Hellcat Pro. This article details some of the best options out there, including this Rev-Con convertible holster from Black Arch Holsters. Image: Scott Conditt

So, here is a quick round-up of Hellcat Pro holsters for your consideration.

Black Arch Holsters

Black Arch Holsters is a newer generation holster maker that has been around long enough to establish itself as a solid company with designs that work. Right off the bat, the company is offering a number of its best-selling designs for the Hellcat Pro.

Black Arch Protos-M holster — The Black Arch Holsters Protos-M is a hybrid IWB rig with a breathable mesh to improve user comfort throughout the day.

Leading off is the company’s Protos-M rig. This is an evolution of the hybrid holster concept that uses a rigid shell mounted to a soft backer in an inside-the-waistband (IWB) configuration. Black Arch uses a thin leather backer that easily conforms to the wearer’s body. On the body side is a Dri-Matrix mesh with a foam-like filling to allow air to circulate to the skin. The backer has wide wings where the polymer belt clips are located.

Since the belt clips are spaced so far apart, the weight of the rig is distributed over a wide area to improve comfort. The clips are user-adjustable; you can make this a high-ride or low-ride rig, or simply adjust the cant. After wearing this rig, I can say the Protos-M is one of the most comfortable Hellcat Pro holsters I’ve tried.

Black Arch Entrada holster — Designed for appendix carry, The Black Arch Entrada is one of the few holsters with a magazine carrier the author really likes.

Another IWB rig offered by Black Arch is the Entrada. This bears little resemblance to the Protos-M, but it is definitely worth considering if you prefer appendix carry. Designed as a specialized appendix carry holster, the Entrada is more of a CCW kit than a holster. Between the two ends is a set of three flexible strips that allow the system to curve around your body. A belt clip is affixed to each end.

On the holster end, the belt clip is attached to a device called a ModWing. The ModWing is a spacer of sorts that pushes against the inside of your pants to create a slight twisting effect. The result is the butt of the Hellcat is pushed in close to the body. It works well in my testing.

Cover for The Armory Life Digital Magazine Volume 10: Hellcat

This article is featured in Volume 10: Hellcat Digital Magazine

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The spare magazine pouch also worked well. Most holsters I’ve tested with a spare magazine attachment seem more gimmick than tool. But this design worked well for me. I was able to draw the spare magazine with my support hand and accomplish reloads in a reasonably fast manner.

Black Arch Rev-Con holster — The Black Arch Rev-Con can be used as an IWB or OWB rig on either the right or left sides of the body. Image: Scott Conditt

And lastly, there is the Rev-Con Reversible/Convertible Holster from Black Arch Holsters. It is adaptable for left- or right-hand use, convertible for inside- or outside-the-waistband carry, and comes standard with an optics cut and suppressor-height sights channel.

BlackPoint Tactical

One of the first rigs available for the Hellcat Pro is the newly redesigned BlackPoint Tactical DualPoint 2.0 IWB. Building on the success of the original, this holster is specifically designed for appendix inside-the-waistband (AIWB) carry, though it also works as a normal IWB rig.

The rig has a number of desirable features including user-adjustable tension, dual belt loops and a tuckable design. Additionally, the holster is cut to accept pistols with mounted optics.

To me, one of the best design features is the “trigger bump.” The trigger bump is an elevated section on the exterior of the holster centered over the trigger guard. This bump pushes the butt of the Hellcat Pro toward your torso to reduce printing under a cover garment. This feature alone is worth considering the DualPoint 2.0 IWB holster.

CrossBreed

One of the pillars of the hybrid holster companies, CrossBreed Holsters established themselves as a leader in comfortable carry. For the Hellcat Pro, the company is already making a fit for it in the Reckoning holster.

The Reckoning is an inside-the-waistband rig that uses a leather backer combined with a Kydex shell to hold the pistol securely. Two custom metal belt clips, one on either side of the gun, hold the rig in place. With the clips separated to the sides of the holster, the weight of the gun is spread out over a wide area. I find this makes the gun more comfortable to carry than with a single belt clip.

CrossBreed has a number of additional models that will have fits for the Hellcat Pro soon. These include the flagship model SuperTuck IWB, the SuperSlide OWB and the Freedom Carry IWB rig.

Crucial Concealment

A sister company of BlackPoint Tactical, Crucial Concealment takes proven designs and offers them at affordable prices. The Covert IWB is the company’s inside-the-waistband option. This rig uses rugged 0.080” Kydex for the body and a high-strength polymer for the belt clip. A retention screw allows you to adjust the amount of friction in the draw. Additionally, the holster has a cut to accommodate all of the optics I had on hand including the HEX Wasp.

One of the things I like about the Covert IWB is the clip can be adjusted so you can set the specific cant — or tilt — of the gun. I like a slight forward cant when carrying on my strong side hip. With the Covert IWB, I’m able to make that happen. Moving the belt clip from one side to the other allows you to make it work for both right- and left-handed shooters. For another view on this rig, check out Will Dabb’s Crucial Concealment Covert IWB holster review.

Crucial Concealment Covert OWB holster — Although the design is simple, the Covert OWB holster allows for multiple adjustments to better fit your needs.

Complementing the IWB holster is Crucial Concealment’s Covert OWB rig. As the OWB suggests, this is a belt holster designed to ride outside the waistband. It is open-topped with a neutral cant. While the body is made of rigid Kydex, the belt loops use a flexible polymer to help the holster hug the body.

The belt loops are made so that each end has identical attachment points. The loops are on an angle and are removable. With the matching ends, you can turn and flip them to create a forward or reverse cant. Additionally, you can have a neutral draw with either a high or low ride. I carried the Hellcat Pro in this rig with a neutral cant in the high-ride position and found it to be a very comfortable carry. Be sure to check Adam Scepaniak’s review of the Covert OWB holster.

DeSantis Gunhide

When I first started to carry a handgun concealed, the holsters from DeSantis were considered some of the best. More than four decades later, I still consider them some of the best rigs you can carry. I was pleased to see that DeSantis Gunhide was jumping in with many new fits for the Hellcat Pro.

DeSantis Mini Scabbard holster — The DeSantis Mini Scabbard is an extremely capable holster for carrying your Hellcat Pro for self-defense.

One of the classic DeSantis rigs now made for the Hellcat Pro is the Mini Scabbard. This is a leather rig designed for outside-the-waistband carry. DeSantis designed this as an open-top rig with a tension screw to provide a positive hold on the pistol. I’ve always thought this model works well under a sport coat in a professional setting. I’ve also found it to be perfect for more relaxing environments. Belt widths up to 1.75” will fit this rig.

DeSantis Mini Slide holster — One of the classic DesSantis designs, the Mini Slide is a traditional belt slide-style holster with user-adjustable friction retention.

Another OWB leather rig from DeSantis is the Mini Slide. This holster uses a belt slide arrangement with an open top and bottom. It also uses a tension screw to adjust the friction grip on the pistol. DeSantis uses durable double stitching around the pistol for a long service life.

A break from the more traditional leather rigs, DeSantis designed the Variable GRD holster as an ambidextrous design with a positive retention device. The general design is of an open-top, OWB holster. Reinforcing leather is built into the mouth section of the rig.

DeSantis GRD holster — The rigid belt clips on the GRD are user-adjustable to shift the cant. Additionally, this leather rig has a tactile click when the holster is properly seated.

The rigid belt loops of the Variable GRD are user-adjustable. Depending on how you set them, the holster could have a neutral or forward cant. Additionally, flipping the rigid loops to the opposite side of the holster changes it from a right-handed draw to a left-handed one.

In case you are wondering, GRD stands for “Gunhide Retaining Device.” When you seat the weapon in the holster, you hear and feel a “click”, letting you know the gun is properly holstered. The company also states that the GRD helps to prevent gun grabs from behind.

DeSantis Slim-Tuk holster — Although the company is famous for its leather holsters, DeSantis also makes high-quality Kydex rigs like this Slim-Tuk.

While I closely associate DeSantis Gunhide with high-quality leather holsters, the Slim-Tuk is a perfect example of the Kydex rigs now being built by the company. A minimalist design, the Slim-Tuk is an IWB rig with a single belt clip. An affordable option, the Slim-Tuk secures the gun nicely to your belt and is reasonably comfortable for long periods of time. It will work for many people in both strong side and appendix carry positions. For a more detailed look at this holster, Will Dabbs wrote up a review of the Slim-Tuk.

Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather

Without any doubt, Mitch Rosen is one of the premier holster makers of the past 30 years. The company manufactures high-quality leather scabbards for all of the best pistols including the Hellcat Pro. At the launch of the new pistol, Mitch Rosen stood ready with three rigs suitable for concealed carry.

Mitch Rosen Upper Limit Express — Mitch Rosen is known for premier leather holsters. While the Express line is limited in terms of custom options, the quality remains impressive, as you can see in this Upper Limit Express holster.

The first of the initial Mitch Rosen offerings is the Upper Limit Express. This OWB leather rig is designed to ride as high as possible on the belt, which can help prevent the gun’s muzzle from extending below your cover garment. Great for strong side carry, the Upper Limit Express is also suitable for crossdraw carry when worn on the support side, forward of the hip.

The Upper Limit Express uses heavy-duty stitching and precise cut belt loops. As one would expect with a top-notch holster, the leather is tight during the initial fit. Plan on breaking the rig in. Once it is broken in, the rig holds the gun securely and you will be able to smoothly draw.

Mitch Rosen Upper 5JR Express — For outside-the-waistband carry, the Mitch Rosen 5JR Express is one of the author’s favorites. It keeps the Hellcat close to the body at his preferred angle.

My favorite Mitch Rosen rig for the Hellcat Pro is the company’s second offering: the 5JR Express. This is another OWB holster designed for strong side carry. It can be worn on the hip or slightly in front or to the rear of the hip. I prefer to wear mine ever-so-slightly behind my hip, which seems to give me the best combination of draw speed and all-day wear.

The 5JR Express has a forward cant that works well for me when obtaining a firing grip during the draw. Additionally, I find the cant helps to keep the gun’s butt from printing under a light shirt or jacket. (Editor’s note: Don’t miss Yamil Sued’s look at the Mitch Rosen 5JR Express holster.)

Mitch Rosen Independent holster — An insider-the-waistband holster, the Mitch Rosen Independent locks onto the belt using a high-tension metal clip.

For carrying inside the waistband, Mitch Rosen offers the Independent. Lined with black suede, this IWB leather holster uses a strong steel clip to firmly affix to your belt. My experience with steel clips on holsters has been mixed. However, Mitch Rosen uses an extremely strong variant that locks the holster onto your belt. Through my testing, this rig stayed in place and caused me no concern whatsoever.

One of the concerns that I have with leather IWB holsters is how strong the mouth of the holster is. If the opening is soft and floppy, you will be hard-pressed to holster the pistol in a safe manner. No fears of that with the Mitch Rosen holster as the mouth of the rig is rigid and seems permanently so.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, I’ve shown in this article that there are plenty of holster makers supporting the Hellcat Pro out of the gate. I’m confident that many shooters can find something that would work for them on this list. And even if there is not, with the enormous popularity of the Hellcat Pro there are many more rigs being developed for the gun as you read this. So, stay tuned!

Editor’s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the “Go To Forum Thread” link below to jump in!

This article is featured in Volume 10: Hellcat Digital Magazine

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Springfield Armory® recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owner’s manual. These articles and videos are considered to be suggestions and not recommendations from Springfield Armory. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Springfield Armory.

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Richard Johnson

Having made many odd choices in his youth, Richard was left with two career choices: aerospace engineer or cop. After failing his second year of chemistry, Richard pursued a law enforcement career where understanding covalent bonds was not a requirement for success. Along the way, Richard discovered a passion for writing. Consequently, he hung up his uniform and now publishes GunsHolstersAndGear.com where he reviews firearms and other shooting gear to feed his frequently annoyed family.