Review: The Dragon Leatherworks' Fugly holster

For those who carry a concealed weapon legally, and their numbers are staggering, I want to share my thoughts and experience with the Fugly, an inside the waistband holster, from Dragon Leatherworks. Click here for the website

Why is it called the Fugly? Well, because it is freakin’ ugly!

I don’t know about others, but I find I need a different method of carrying depending on what I am wearing and which firearm I am carrying. There is no one holster for every situation just as there is no one firearm suitable for every carry situation.

I stumbled onto the Fugly and Dragon Leatherworks from reading one of the many blogs I follow online. I first e-mailed Dennis, the owner, and asked if his products are sold in stores in my area. He was quick to reply and explained that in order to keep his costs down, as well as the price of his products, he sells only online. He is located in New York State in the Catskill region.

Compared to the price of other quality holsters on the market, I questioned whether a holster with a price tag of $39.00 could really be a good holster. But after reading several reviews and his own explanation of the holster on his website, I decided to give it a try.

What a pleasant surprise! The day it arrived, I put it on and wore it for several hours. I was hardly aware it was there. I was amazed at how comfortable it felt without the expected breaking in period.

I am grateful to Dennis for promptly answering all my questions. This dealer knows all about good customer service.

There are certain things I look for in a holster, probably the same things you look for. Above all else, it must be truly concealable. I don’t want any hint that I am carrying a firearm. I am not one of those idiots who think it is cool to display a firearm, “just because the law says I can.” I want it to last. It must be comfortable to wear. I want the trigger area to be enclosed within the holster. And I want quick access on drawing, along with holding the firearm securely. Oh, and don’t forget ease of placing the firearm back inside the holster. The Fugly does all this.

So how can he sell a quality holster at this price? The part of the holster that is inside the waistband is unfinished leather, hence, the “ugly” part! The thought of wearing a piece of unfinished leather against my skin was a bit unnerving to me. “Won’t that wear out the leather?” I asked in an e-mail. He explained that the combination of your body oils and perspiration serve to make this part of the holster softer. Yes, it did take me awhile to get past that one! Over time you need to clean this part of the holster and he explained how to do that. I know how to take care of leather, but “unfinished” leather was not something I was familiar with!

Is there anything I don’t like about the Fugly? Yes. I find, when not dressing in layers, I need to wear a shirt that is one size larger than my normal size to totally conceal the holster and firearm. I could get away with wearing my normal size and still be within the definition of “concealed”, but to the trained eye, that little “bump” on my right side is a giveaway. Another point, I asked if he could make a Fugly for a revolver. The answer was no. The way the Fugly is constructed does not lend itself to the increased width of a revolver. I can live with that, given all its other features!

One other important point. The Fugly is entirely made in the USA from only materials from the USA.