For the past few days, we have been talking about what makes a “good” holster. To catch up, click here for the series introduction, and then click here to read Part One.

As I said yesterday, the first thing that might make a good holster “better” is when it performs one of the three basic requirements in a more consistent, more reliable, or more durable form. Let’s take a look at the first non-negotiable:

“A good holster covers the trigger guard completely with something sturdy enough to keep it from moving.”

Where a good holster covers the trigger guard completely with something sturdy enough to keep the trigger from moving when something brushes against the outside of the holster, a better holster might be a little over-engineered in that area. This is one big advantage that almost any hard-sided, non-collapsing holster has over most soft products (such as belly bands).

Covering the trigger is one thing, but protecting it is something else. Protecting the trigger means the trigger cannot move even if something (or someone) brushes against the outside of the holster. This is non-negotiable because the user nearly always goes on to think about other things once they’ve holstered the gun. Since there’s no responsible adult paying close attention to protect the trigger from unintentional movement, we must trust the holster to do that job for us.

Of course, any soft product can be created from material stiff enough to protect the trigger by itself. But every soft product will eventually break down in a way that softens the material over time. Adding something stiff to the product, such as a piece of hard plastic that can be slipped into a pocket to protect the trigger area, can keep the trigger protected a little bit better.

An even more reliable choice for protecting the trigger would be building the gun-holder entirely from something stiff enough to keep the trigger from moving (such as Kydex). That change would also make the product  durable enough to last much longer, too. Improving the reliability and durability of the trigger protection makes the holster better.

Does this mean soft-sided products, like belly bands and corset holsters, are inherently “bad”? Nope. Not at all. As long as they protect the trigger well enough to prevent it from moving, they’re already doing the basic job of a good holster. Protecting the trigger more reliably, in a more durable form, just makes a good holster better.

Tomorrow: can features intended to improve holster security actually create safety problems?

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Can’t wait for tomorrow’s post? Want the bottom line right now? Sure, here it is:

• A good holster protects the trigger, holds the gun securely, and allows the user to access the gun when they need it. (These are the non-negotiable, bare minimum things a holster must do. A holster or carry product that does not do these things is not a good holster, no matter how much it costs or who recommends it.)

• A better holster does one or all of these things better than the bare minimum.

But the details matter, too. Tune in tomorrow!