Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns BIANCHI Foldaway Concealment Holster

I'm not much of a 'holster' guy - I tend to carry my handguns in soft pistol cases to protect the gun's finish. BUT . . .
North Dakota recently allowed residents over 18 years of age to legally carry a concealed handgun
providing they have a valid North Dakota Drivers License.

At Walmart I found the Bianchi Model 101 - Foldaway Concealment Holster set for $24.00.
It includes 2 holsters: Size 10 and Size 16 - that will fit just about all pistols on the market.

Its design (a single strip of leather) is simplicity extreme! I found it comfortable and secure, during any activity or just sitting.
What I also like is if you don't want to carry somewhere - you can remove the pistol and push the holster flat across your belt
and you'll hardly know it's there - and it doesn't then look like a holster either.

<> http://images.policemag.com/news/L-Bianchi-Foldaway-web-1.jpg <>

Anyone familiar or experienced with this holster? Good or bad?

I use them for a Glock and a 1911. They work well.

Some things to think about with that Yaqui Slide style of holster....

Positive:

Buy one holster say for a 1911 and it will fit any gun from a Defender with a 3" barrel to a Long Slide with a 6". Same with a Glock...anything from a 26 to 35...

Negative:

The longer the barrel/slide, the more is exposed to wear and damage. Sit down in the wrong chair/bench and you can hear a muffled bump as ones muzzle hits the wood if the barrel/slide is too long...

As to being "concealed", some people may miss a black holster against dark clothes but far less are going to miss the barrel/slide sticking out from under ones coat/shirt tail.

I have used them out in the field or at a range but generally not for Concealed Carry....

Bob

Those are not particularly good concealment holsters. Get the C-Force IWB by El Paso Saddlery. Similar concept in terms of one size fitting all, but actually conceals.

Those type holsters don't pull the gun close to the body. Can be rough on the front sight, rough on cover shirts, rough on upholstery. In addition to clunking on chairs, it could push the gun up if you bump the bottom of the gun on something, like the arm of a chair.

"One size fits most" holsters aren't really a good idea generally, moreso with minimalist holsters.

Agree with most of what's been said about Yaqui type holsters for concealed carry. As to the Bianchi, all the issues RJM pointed out apply. However, the fit of the 1911 model holds the pistol tightly and retains it well.

It is an OWB holster, not an IWB, so a coat or other garment of the right length and bulk is needed ti conceal the pistol well. Naturally a 3" or Commander length pistol works better for this type of carry. A good holster for the price if you understand its limitations IME.

It's pretty inconspicuous on the belt when the pistol is not in place. In some cases that's important.

Agreed...
This is a holster I have really fallen in love with. It's as comfortable to wear (for an IWB) as a Milt Sparks Nexus, and nearly as versatile as the Yaqui Slide style holsters (The Bianchi Foldaway is similar to a Yaqui Slide style). I'm not a big fan of Galco, but Galco's Yaqui slide is VERY well made, and it has a tension screw which is a nice feature. The Bianchi is a cheap holster, and will carry not so great IMO. Those types of holsters are nice to have around because in a pinch, you can carry just about anything...but they are a very poor choice for a daily carry holster.

You didn't state what pistol you're trying to conceal.

General notes on buying holsters.
Don't go cheap! For years I bought cheap holsters, until I carried with a world class holster....now, I would rather go cheap on the gun than going cheap on the holster. World class gunleather can make a HUGE difference and how you feel at the end of the day carrying all day. A cheap holster will make you feel like you are wearing some sort of torture device that also wants to pull your pants down all day. With my HBE Com III IWB holster, I can carry an all steel .38 Super Colt Government Model all day long and not be worn out. With my old Galco IWB I wore back in the '80's, that would have been a real chore. So I tended to compensate by carrying smaller-lighter pistols that I didn't shoot as well. Then I carried an all steel Commander in a Rosen ARG, and it was like lights, angels, chiors, and beautiful music...what a difference!! I sell guns from time to time...I DO NOT GET RID OF HOLSTERS!!!

Here's some advice on carrying concealed...

IWB
I'm a dedicated IWB man. It's not as comfortable as OWB, but it conceals much better, and the pistol tents to stay VERY secure in the holster. IWB also holds the pistol very close to your body, and tends to provide pretty good protection of your pistol. IWB will also conceal (on most people) a full sized pistol as easily as it conceals a compact pistol. As an example. My IWB holster concealed my LW Commander just as well as my Kahr P45...so I ended up just selling off the Kahr. And I have sworn off most "compact & sub-compact" pistols. For me, if it has to go into a holster, then I just go to a full size pistol in an IWB. Otherwise, I'm pocket carrying something very small (which is typically a S&W J, or a Colt D frame revolver).

OWB
If you just can't/won't get yourself accustomed to carrying IWB, then the best way to carry OWB is with a compact pistol in a high ride hip holster...and you want that pistol to ride as high as you can get it. Typically something smaller than a Glock 19, the thinner you can get it the better. And I have found for OWB concealment, that a 3 o'clock carry position tends to conceal best (vs 4-5 o'clock for IWB).

Some of my favorite holsters
OWB - Mitch Rosen "Upper Limit" for carrying something like a S&W 3913, Shield, G19, Kahr P9 or .45...basically guns in that size class. The Rosen "Express Line" Upper Limit gets you a world class holster on the cheap: http://mitchrosen.com/order-online/#!/Upper-Limit/p/43418139/category=10984035
El Paso Saddlry "Street Combat". G19 and smaller pistols. http://epsaddlery.com/product/88-street-combat-holster/

IWB - My absolute favorite is the Com III from HBE Leatherworks, I have a few of these and they're just tops.
El Paso Saddlry. "C-Force" This holster is basically a copy of the Rosen ARG, but it's not super-form fitted like the Rosen. The great thing about it is because it's not form fit, it tends to fit a LOT of holsters. If you get one sized for something like a Sig 226, CZ75, or Beretta 92, it will fit most traditional DA full sized pistols very well. If you get one sized for a G17, it will fit 1911's, Glocks and most of the striker fired full to compact sized (G17-G19, M&P Compact, etc.). Since it's IWB the retention is from your belt, not the form fitting of the holster. It's made rough side out too, which is very smart because it tends to sit in place once inside the pant. I just won't ever be without an EPS C-Force for the rest of my life...Comfortable, damn good design, fairly cheap price wise, and just too darned versatile!
Rosen ARG - Basically the EPS C-Force that's form fit. This is one of the most comfortable IWB holsters out there. I absolutely LOVE the Express Line version because it's rough side out (and a great bargain): http://mitchrosen.com/products/express-line/
Milt Sparks "Nexus". The Versa-Max II is one of the greatest IWB holsters ever created...And they improved on it. What I love about my HBE Com III is it is everything the Sparks VM II is, but more specifically tailored for daily concealed carry...And the Sparks Nexus is very much a copy of the HBE Com III. The belt loops are spread far apart which (for me) makes the holster more comfortable. But what LOVE about this design is the fact they use much thinner leather, and no steel reinforcement at the mouth for easy re-holstering. The thin leather makes the holster lighter and slimmer on the waist. Dumping the mouth reinforcement is great because you shouldn't be re-holstering often, so it's just not needed and adds unnecessary bulk. When I decided I was going to buy a CZ P07, I first ordered up a Com III from HBE Leatherworks. If I couldn't get the HBE, I would have bought the Sparks Nexus...they're freaking awesome! http://www.miltsparks.com/products-nexus.php

Pocket
If I don't have my LW Commander, LW BHP, or CZ-P07 in my HBE Com-III, then I'm carrying one of my small frame revolvers in a pocket holster, or sometimes in an ankle holster.
Milt Sparks PCH - This has been my pocket holster for the past 20 years and mine still looks nearly new. My only complaint is that Sparks should have used thinner leather. Other than that, it's typical Sparks...first rate! http://www.miltsparks.com/products-pchr.php
Rosen Pocket Softy - If I were buying a new pocket holster today, I would probably choose this over my Sparks. It's thinner, I love the rough side out because it holds in the pocket better, and it's just a first rate pocket holster. http://mitchrosen.com/products/holsters/pocket-holsters/

Ankle
Honestly, I only carry ankle a few times a year. But the absolute best ankle holster I have ever encountered is made by Renegade. They are simple, light, extremely secure, and just a very well designed, well thought out ankle holster. http://www.gmstactical.com/reanho.html
(I have heard rumors that Renegade has close up shop...I would research their holsters and find the closest copy.


Lastly there are the hybrid holsters like the Crossbereed, and Alien Gear.

Advantages - Generally VERY good holsters that are comfortable, long lasting, and won't break the bank. The Alien Gear is a cheaper version of the Crossbreed Super Tuck...it's not as nice, and to my eye the build quality just isn't the same as Crossbreed...but they're still good holsters.

Disadvantages - It's a LARGE piece of leather against your body, and that can get a little hot. Take a little getting used to when it comes to putting it on...just watch their video and all is good (It's generally how I put on all IWB holsters).

For now ... a SIG 290RS, 9MM, sub-compact pistol.

I appreciate all of the information offered here, as I had little comprehension of the different types & functions of CC holsters out there.
Now, before investing in a quality holster, I'm considering a new handgun just for 'carry' that I'll be more comfortable with.

My Sig 290RS doesn't seem to fit my hand right and I have had some difficulty getting the trigger to break -
unless I have just the very tip of my index finger on the DAO trigger.