The new Raven Concealment Eidolon holster system is now the protean king of inside-the-waistband holsters.
The pre-release kit Raven sent out yesterday demonstrates the massive adaptability of the system. At its core, the Eidolon is an injection molded (not Kydex) holster body backed up by a ton of screw-on accessories that make the system perhaps the most adaptable IWB carry system on the market. You can try different carry options and customize your holster for the perfect blend of concealment and comfort for any situation.
Contracting officers will be pleased to know that the Eidolon will give them a "single SKU" solution for equipping large groups of personnel with concealment holsters. With one holster kit they have an ideal concealment holster that fits the entire Glock 9/40/357 family, both left and right handed, regardless if the pistols have extended/threaded barrels, compensators, red dot optics, or suppressor sights.
Hands on:
With just a Philips head screwdriver and the included parts, I adapted the Eidolon Glock shell for right- and left-handed strong-side, cross-draw and appendix carry. And, in each of those configurations, I could add stability and comfort using the included offset wings, struts, spacers, two parts Raven calls the wedge and the claw.
Most of the included parts are familiar, but the wedge and claw are a couple of pieces that might need some further explaining. They can be used separately or together to minimized printing when carrying AIWB. The wedge is an add-on, bumper looking thing that's made out of a firm rubber-feeling material. It attaches low on the holster's inside face toward the top of the slide and levers the guns grip into the body. The claw is a short, curved wing that extends the holster along the belt line and adds additional leverage, pushing the pistol grip inward. The two create a push-pull effect that tucks that grip in tightly.
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Using the overhook clip struts and the line of screw holes on both of the holster body's slide sides, ride height and cant are easily set to micro tune the holster for a wide range of carry styles and body shapes. The clips themselves can be rotated a few degrees for further refinement. Raven will be releasing tuckable overhook struts for 1.5" and 1.75" belts, but they were not included in our test kit.
The two bodies offered initially are the short and long body shields for Glock gen3 or gen4 9/40/357 pistols. The ambidextrous short, universal, body shield option can be configured for right or left hand shooters. The body shield is cut to clear the hand completely but yet still help prevent clothing from entering the mouth of the holster and provide a visual and tactile guide for re-holstering the weapon. It has an open bottom that will accommodate any length slide from the Glock 26 to the long slide 34/35 models but is cut to cover the Glock 19 perfectly.
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The ambidextrous long body shield option can be configured for right or left hand shooters. The body shield extends to the rear of the slide to help protect the user from the weapon and the metal of the slide from the user. The long shield is cut and profiled to minimize interfearance with a full firing grip. The long body shield option has a partially enclosed muzzle end that is sized for a Glock 17, but also encloses a Glock 19 with a threaded barrel.
As far as sight compatibility, both holster bodies have deep sight channels that should clear the widest and tallest front sights on the market. MRDS are no problem, as the top of the holster is cut flat and is wide open from the ejection port rearward.
Retention is accomplished using a cuttout that captures just the trigger guard, not clamping the entire clamshell to the pistol. This equates to a smoother, faster draw since there's no extra friction from the rest of the holster body interior dragging on the pistol slide.
Raven Concealment says development of the Eidolon began three years ago when they set out to create their "next generation" flagship product. After a year of designing concepts, they began working with Kyle Defoor of Defoor Proformance. His input, they explain, driven by feedback he was getting from .gov and .mil clients he trains, helped them select which concepts to push forward. The team Raven/Defoor team worked closely, testing prototypes and working to tailor the holster system to meet the needs of various groups conducting low-vis and no-vis missions.
Look for the Eidolon to hit Raven dealers, such as F3 Tactical in Chantilly, Va., in mid-spring as kits ranging in price from $65 to $120.
A very limited run of pre-production Eidolons are now available for purchase. These are in-stock and will ship while SHOT Show is underway. The cost of these pre-production Eidolons is $99.99, and shipping is INCLUDED. They are available from now until supplies run out.
