Best Holster Adapters of 2024 - Safariland UBL, True North Concepts MHA, Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter, G-Code GCA30, Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger
Intro:
For over two decades now, the Safariland UBL has been the standard for holster adapters. About six years ago, a scrappy and innovative new startup called True North Concepts arrived on the scene with a brand-new product called the Modular Holster Adapter or MHA. We covered these two products in our previous holster adapter video published in March 2022.
Today, the market is much more crowded. Companies like Blue Force Gear, G-Code, and Guardian Warrior Solutions have all entered the space with unique offerings. With so many holster adapters available today, we want to answer the following questions:
- How do these options compare?
- What is the difference between these options?
- Have these challengers dethroned the incumbents?
Read on or watch below this entry of Qore Performance INSIGHTS to find out.
Format and Concept:
A holster adapter mounts your duty holster to your gun belt. Many holster adapters allow you to adjust for positioning, ride height, and cant. Some holster adapters have leg straps, and some do not.
This Insight Article:
In this article, we’ll be comparing the top contenders in the holster adapter market: the Safariland UBL, the True North Concepts Modular Holster Adapter, the G-Code GCA30, the Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger, and the Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter. We’ve mounted each holster adapter to an identical AWS SMU belt for consistency. The only exception is the Blue Force Gear holster adapter, which is only compatible with Blue Force Gear belts, but more on that later. We’ll compare each holster adapter for compatibility, modularity, mounting, cost, weight, ergonomics, and availability.
Our goal is to provide as much purely empirical information about each of these products as possible. This is to equip end-users with the tools to make the most intelligent purchasing decision possible. These goals are driven by the realization that these are life-saving tools, not fashion accessories. Purchasing decisions need to respect the gravity of life-and-death applications. If you’re just here to learn more about holster adapters, that’s great, too. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Disclaimers and Relationship Disclosures:
In the spirit of transparency, we want to disclose our business relationship with True North Concepts, Guardian Warrior Solutions, and Blue Force Gear. All three companies have sent their products to us at no charge. True North did this to include their products in our photography, digital merchandising, and social media. Guardian Warrior Solutions did this so we could test their products as part of our due diligence process for approving them as a Dealer of our ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad. Blue Force Gear did this as part of their support for the development of our ground-breaking ICEVENTS® Inner Belt. Both True North Concepts and Guardian Warrior Solutions sell our ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Adapters alongside their MHA and Bang Hanger, respectively. Blue Force Gear wholesales us their line of Ten-Speed Magazine Pouches for our ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 Ultralight Minimalist Plate Carrier. As such, since money does flow between our companies, it is inevitable that, as human beings and free-market capitalists, we would be biased in favor of these companies if we included any subjective or qualitative criteria in our INSIGHTS overviews. This precisely why you will not find any subjective or qualitative information in this article (or any of our INSIGHTS series, for that matter). This article will only include purely empirical data to remove the possibility of our bias influencing your decisions and set you up for success as much as possible.
Compatibility:
Let’s talk about compatibility. We rely on the manufacturer’s specifications for compatible systems listed on their product pages, and we will also verify compatibility with the widely adopted Safariland QLS (Quick Locking System).
- Safariland UBL: Designed to work with any holster featuring a three-hole pattern.
- True North Concepts MHA: Fits Safariland QLS, G-Code RTI wheel, G-Code SOC, OSL and XST Holsters, Blackhawk Omnivore, Blackhawk T-series, Blackhawk EPOCH, Alien Gear Rapid force, Dara Duty Holsters, and any holster that uses the standard Safariland 3-hole pattern.
- G-Code GCA30: Listed as only being compatible with G-Code RTI holsters. Compatible with Safariland QLS.
- Bang Hanger: Compatible with Safariland, Alien Gear, Dara Holsters, and Blackhawk mounting patterns.
- Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter: Designed to work with the 3-hole pattern common to Safariland ALS®/SLS™ and similar holsters.
Due to the high number of customer questions we receive, we also wanted to highlight the compatibility of our ICEVENTS® Holster Pads. Our ICEVENTS® Aero Holster Pad is designed specifically for the Safariland UBL. The True North Concepts MHA, Bang Hanger by Guardian Warrior Solutions, and Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter all work seamlessly with our ICEVENTS® Classic Holster Pad. While the G-Code GCA30 can also accept ICEVENTS® Holster Pads, it requires more effort. We used OneWrap to secure our holster pad between the GCA30 and the Universal RTI Hanger. Though less seamless than the other options, it is still possible and pretty easy.
Belt Compatibility:
When considering compatibility, it’s crucial to consider the belt you’re using or might use in the future.
- Versatile Options: Safariland UBL, True North Concepts MHA, and Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger are compatible with a wide range of gun belts.
- Limited Compatibility: G-Code GCA30 works only with two-inch belts.
- Specific Compatibility: The Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter is designed to attach three-hole pattern Safariland-style holsters exclusively to Blue Force Gear’s GRID and CHLK belts.
Adjustability:
Adjustability for ride height and cant can be a deciding factor when choosing holster adapters. These manufacturers have taken two different approaches to adjustability. Safariland and G-Code offer multiple models of holster adapters, each with specific adjustment types and ranges. True North Concepts, Guardian Warrior Solutions, and Blue Force Gear incorporate all the adjustability built into a single product platform. Traditionally, these two approaches come with trade-offs in cost, weight, and complexity. Let’s see how they stack up.
Above: From left to right, Safariland UBL, True North Concepts Modular Holster Adapter, Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter, G-Code GCA30, Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger, all mounted to Safariland 6360RDS - ALS®/SLS Mid-Ride, Level III Retention™ Holsters.
- Safariland UBL: Limited adjustability. However, the CUBL, VUBL, and QUBL versions offer more options on adjustment-specific platforms.
- G-Code: Limited adjustability, not adjustable for cant or drop. However, the GCA37 model does have the ability to adjust for cant.
- True North Concepts MHA: Accommodates 10° of forward cant and 10° of negative cant, with three height mounting points.
- Bang Hanger: Adjustable for both positive and negative cant.
- Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter: Offers seven different draw angles.
Mounting:
Mounting these holster adapters is generally straightforward.
- Safariland UBL, True North Concepts MHA, G-Code GCA30: Designed to slide onto your gun belt.
- Bang Hanger: Designed primarily for MOLLE mounting but can attach to a non-MOLLE belt.
- Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter: Attaches directly to Blue Force Gear GRID and CHLK Belts using low-profile bolts.
Cost:
Here’s a breakdown of the base prices for each holster adapter, we’ve arranged these from least expensive to most expensive:
| Holster | Price |
| Safariland UBL | $26.50 |
| Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter | $31.95 |
| G-Code GCA30 | $47.50 |
| Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger | $59.99 |
| True North Concepts Modular Holster Adapter | $85.50 |
Weight:
Weight is a crucial factor for different applications, these have also been arranged from lightest to heaviest weight.
| Holster | Weight |
| Guardian Warrior Solutions |
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Ergonomics:
Ergonomics play a crucial role in comfort, especially for holster adapters. The key factor is whether they conform to the body’s natural curves around the hip and thigh. Let’s simplify this into two categories: conformal and non-conformal designs.
- Safariland UBL: Conformal
- True North Concepts MHA: Non-conformal
- G-Code GCA30: Conformal
- Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger: Non-conformal
- Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter: Conformal
Availability:
Availability of these holster adapters can vary.
- Widely Available: Safariland UBL, Blue Force Gear Holster Adapter, and G-Code GCA30.
- Specialty Retailers: True North Concepts MHA and Guardian Warrior Solutions Bang Hanger.
Testing:
Our previous Insights videos have rigorously tested gear, analyzing dry and wet weights, thermal transmittance, adjustability, and more. What additional tests should we put holster adapters through? Are there specific comparisons you’re interested in for a follow-up video and article? Let us know what you want to see in the comments below.
Conclusion:
After evaluating compatibility, modularity, mounting, cost, weight, and ergonomics, the choice of holster adapter boils down to your specific needs. Whether you require a fixed setup for one gun belt, a versatile holster for both duty and competition or an option with maximum adjustability will vary based on your intended use.
Outro:
We hope this video helps you make the best purchase decision possible. Now that you’ve seen all the results, which holster adapter will you run on your gun belt? Let us know in the comments below. Be sure to check out our other technical reviews for more data on plate carriers, gun belts, and much more from our upcoming ‘Best of’ series. Until next time, Stay Frosty.
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