Fobus APN Holster Review

“Simply brilliant.” Those two words summed up the feelings among Guns & Ammo’s staff after testing the APN, Fobus’ new appendix inside-­the-­waistband (AIWB) holster. Currently offered for compact Glocks, the SIG Sauer P365 and Smith & Wesson’s M&P Shield models, the APN is a lightweight polymer rig that facilitates rapid unholstering and safe holstering.

Fobus is believed to be the first manufacturer to make holsters from injection-­molded polymer, and they’ve learned a lot since 1978. This holster starts with a molded, open-­muzzle bucket with a slit under the triggerguard. Between the gap is a red rubber O-­ring that allows the user to adjust the screw to custom fit the holster’s tension. This tension screw also secures the APN’s clever “concealment wing,” as Fobus describes it, though the wing is only used for right-­hand orientation.

In order to push the pistol’s grip closer to the body, the tension screw is tucked behind the shooter’s pant waistline to reduce the chance of printing. The APN’s wing is removable and the holster can be worn without it to accommodate a larger bellies.

The APN’s belt clip’s J-­hook is high enough to prevent this holster from being extracted during the draw, but the clip is only .2-­inch wide, so a thicker, reinforced gun belt may not work with this clip. And don’t let the screw in the middle of the belt clip fool you! It does not secure the clip to the holster, but is instead pivots to adjust cant in either direction. As an assembly, the clip is easily removed and can be quickly reversed for ambidextrous carry. It simply hooks and horizontally snaps into a pair of slots on either side.

The perforated polymer backer on the APN functions as a sweatguard and wears comfortably, flexing like soft rubber. Like the belt clip, the backer is removable, reversible, and hooks and snaps to the holster’s body. It seems to never take a shape.

Guns & Ammo evaluated the APN for 30 days using a Smith & Wesson PC Shield equipped with a manual safety. (G&A recommends a manual safety on appendix-­worn pistols.) The team couldn’t believe its quality, innovation, comfort and value — for all its features, it’s just $39.

At the range, draw and engagement speeds impressed both the law enforcement and civilian evaluators who unanimously shared our approval. It’s one of the better AIWB options for heavier shooters, too.

Fobus APN

• Materials: Polymer
• Carry Type: Appendix inside the waistband (AIWB)
• Retention Type: Level 1; friction fit, tension adjustable
• Adjustability: Yes; tension and cant
• MSRP: $39
• Handgun Fit: Glock (compacts), SIG Sauer P365, Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield
• Accessory Rail Accommodations: No
• Positions to Carry: AIWB; right or left hand
• Average Time to Attach: 35 seconds
• Comfort Rating: 5/5
• Concealment Clothing: Untucked shirt
• Average Draw-to-Fire Time: 1.41 seconds
• Manufacturer: Fobus Holsters, 267-803-1517, fobusholster.com

Draw-to-fire time is the average of five clean draws producing an A-zone hit on a stationary target positioned at 21 feet.