WYSIWYG (“Whissy Wig”) is a commonly used acronym for “What You See IS What You Get.” It is not true for this latest art form in functional leather from Mark Garrity. We initially see a single holster. What we get is essentially three holsters in one.
This holster is capable of being worn as an IWB, OWB, and as a “tuckable” IWB by simply rearranging the holster’s two kydex clips used to secure it. These clips are supplied by Comp-Tac. Garrity’s holster is supplied with the standard belt clip because it allows the holster to be used in any of the three modes.
Here is the Garrity Triskel. This prototype is for the Browning 9mm Hi Power. “Triskel” is from ancient Celtic and refers to the unity of earth, air, and water. This symbol can be seen on the lower left front of the holster. This holster holds the gun firmly, but does not impede the draw. It was a perfect fit on my Mk III.
From the rear you can see that the holster is fitted well to the Hi Power and heavily stitched for years of service.
I wore this holster in each of the three previously mentioned modes. All worked fine. My personal favorite of the three was IWB…and I normally don’t even like IWB holsters. It’s that comfortable! My initial concerns that this was too big for IWB carry proved completely groundless.
I was not surprised that the gun’s butt was turned inward toward the body in the IWB mode; this is necessary for best concealment under the outer garment and is routinely done by the better holster makers. I was pleasantly surprised to see that such was also the case when worn OWB. No doubt this is due to the distance between the kydex clips, which allows the holster to follow the wearer’s waist contour.
Worn IWB, the holster holds the gun butt low above the belt, but high enough not to impede the draw. The butt is turned inward to prevent printing under a shirt or jacket and aid in maximum concealment. To wear in the tuckable mode, one simply tucks in the shirt between the clips and the holster. The hooks will still be visible from the outside however. Is that enough concealment? I suspect that depends upon the user’s individual needs. Most would not readily associate the clips with “gun”, but some might. Regardless, it’s nice to have that option and the Triskel offers it.
With the clips reversed, the Triskel can be worn OWB. In this mode of carry, the rear of the handgun’s butt is also turned inward. I found the holster extremely comfortable in either carry mode.
Police officers will find this holster very well suited to 16 hour (and longer) days that inevitably come up when least expected. The difference between a good holster and a great one in my experience is not just that the holster be durable and securely carry the handgun, but be comfortable as well. The Triskel also offers “easy on/easy off” attachment. It can be worn or removed nearly as quickly as the popular paddle holsters seen today.
Mr. Garrity told me that another tester had found a fourth way to wear the Triskel. He left it set up for IWB carry, but wore the holster between the belt and the outside of the pants. I didn’t try that mode. IWB was more than comfortable for long-term carrying.
Speaking of belts, Triskel users would want to use a good double-thickness belt. Most of the dress belts sold to be used by handgun carriers are double-thick and aid in making long hours of carrying heavier handguns much easier. In my opinion, a good belt is right up there in importance with a good holster.
If using a thin nylon or leather belt, Mr. Garrity reports that the holster may not remain secured as the belt can slip through the clips. It never did that or even came close with my belt, which was ordered from Dillon Precision years ago.
On the left we see the Triskel rear clip in position for IWB carry. On the right is the clip removed. It is easy to alter the clip configurations for inside or outside the waistband carry. Notice also that there are three adjustment heights available for each clip. The user can set the holster’s cant to suit him as well as the drop. The clips are attached by 3/8″ stainless allen head screws. A 3/32″ allen key is used to tighten or loosen them.
The Triskel is one of the more unique holster designs I’ve seen in a long time, but how about the usual, more conventional concerns? Fit, durability, the ability to reholster the weapon one-handed all appear first rate in my observations. It does not have leather-covered steel reinforcement at the mouth of the holster, but the leather has so far been thick enough that reholstering with one hand has not been difficult. This is an important consideration for law enforcement officers attempting to secure or handcuff a suspect previously held at gunpoint. (Though this is best done with two officers, the hard facts are that it is sometimes just not possible in this critical and dangerous time.)
When the gun is holstered, it is held quite securely. It doesn’t “wobble” around in the holster. Fit is tight, but not too tight. Note the attention to detail. At the top of the holster, we can see that it’s molded for even the tip of the factory Hi Power ambidextrous thumb safety lever. I do not use ambidextrous safeties so that is missing on this gun, but most do and the Triskel is made to fit them to a “T”.
From the back, we see the same attention to detail. Notice also that there is leather between the top of the slide and the wearer’s body. Many makers do this today and I think it is an improvement resulting in greater long-term comfort.
From the bottom of this unlined, open bottomed holster, we see ample room for high-visibility front sights. The one on this Mk III 9mm Hi Power is from Novak. Also, the end of the holster is “beveled” or turned inward for more comfort when being worn IWB.
In my opinion, the Triskel is a first-rate holster that will be used primarily as an IWB holster by both law enforcement and private citizens who choose to lawfully carry service size handguns in today’s dangerous world.I think this new design is going to prove itself durable, comfortable, and practical. Most will probably not be routinely changing the carry mode, but the option to do so is there and that’s a good thing.
If you are interested in the Triskel, here is contact information for Garrity’s Gunleather. Check with Mark Garrity for information on pricing, guns for which the Triskel is available or other questions. I’m sure he’d be happy to hear from you.
Garrity’s Gunleather
PO Box 82664
Phoenix, AZ 85071
(602) 863 – 9575
E-mail: garritysgunleather@cox.net
I will continue using this holster and will report back on long-term observations, but right up front, I think I can safely say that I expect no unforeseen problems with this latest masterpiece from Garrity’s Gunleather.
Best.