Clip-less, Comfortable, and Super-Concealed: A Review of The Clinger Comfort Cling Holster

The Clinger Comfort Cling gets 5 out of 5 in comfort, concealment, versatility, drawing and retention.

Clinger Comfort Cling HolsterFor this review of the Clinger Comfort Cling Holster, I carried two rather “holster-challenging” handguns: A heavy, slippery Interarms Walther PPK in .380 ACP and a rather large 5” Springfield 1911, good ole’ .45 ACP.

The PPK is small and very heavy, and we all know just how long and big a 1911 can feel. These are attributes any holster will struggle with when we’re looking for comfort, concealment, a tight fit, and a quick draw. I’m happy to report the Comfort Cling satisfied all four of those needs in stellar fashion. Intrigued? You should be, keep reading.

First Impressions

The Clinger Comfort Cling Holster immediately surprised me with its look and feel. It certainly isn’t like most other CCW holsters: It has no clip, it’s a soft holster, it’s barely molded, it isn’t cloth, and it’s not tailored-made for any one handgun. The no-clip idea had me a little concerned until I did a quick “inside the waistband” test. To my surprise, it held more snugly against my hip than most clip-ons I’ve used.

Most Importantly, The Comfort Cling Conceals

This holster is very comfortable, and we’ll get into that shortly – but most of all, it conceals extremely well. Because it has no clip and features plenty of side fabric coverage, I could easily decide how low I wanted the holster to sit in my belt. For such a simple holster at appearance, I quickly figured out just how a lot of subtle but creative design thought went into this. Without further ado, we’ll let the pictures do the talking:

Comfort Cling with 1911

The Comfort Cling easily conceals a full size 1911…

Comfort Cling Perfect Conceal

And has no problems concealing it perfectly.

No side print or evidence of my 1911’s tang or grip.

Comfort Cling Wtih Walther PPK

The Comfort Cling pocketed my Walther PPK well.

I found the Comfort Cling concealed so well because there’s just not much to it: No rigid plastic fighting my body’s hip or belt, no “pre-determined” point of aim or angled clip causing my weapons’ tangs and grips to point outward. The holster allowed my guns to find their most naturally seated position against my body. It really made my handguns feel like they were just “in the right place”, not fighting my belt and holster.

Comfort Cling Reholstering

I could re-holster both guns easily, too.

Comfort Cling Stable Mouth

Many fabric holsters collapse, not this one.

The Comfort Cling Stays Put

I’m happy to report the Comfort Cling’s name is no play on words: A drive in my car, a stroll down town, dining at a restaurant, lacing up my boots, and climbing a few rocks on a hiking trail were no match for this little no-clip holster’s grip. My Walther stayed exactly where I seated it in the Comfort Cling, and the holster itself did not budge. I did not find myself cinching down my belt or adjusting my pant line constantly like I’ve had to do with other universal-fit holsters.

Most importantly for any CCW holster, the inner layer that pads the handgun manages to keep things in place and tidy without compromising the draw. I could pull my Walther and 1911 with little effort and nothing snagged or pinched – just a fluid motion from waistband to the high-ready.

The Comfort Cling Lives up to Its Name

This holster’s comfort is a first for me and that’s really what got me excited. See, I’m what you might call “bony”. I’m a 5’9”, 150-pound runner so I’m lacking some of that natural cushion we’d all enjoy when carrying a heavy, jagged metal weapon against our body. But the Comfort Cling, again, lives up to its name. For the first time, carrying my handgun felt like a part of my attire – not some foreign object protruding awkwardly from my frame, fighting my natural tendencies and movements.

I kept this holster seated in my waistband with a 1” leather belt as my method of retention for over 2 hours. Driving, sitting and long walks included, I had no thought of removing it or taking a break. I consider this my event horizon – if I can go 2 hours comfortably, I can go a full day and the Comfort Cling delivers. How does it manage all this? The pudding’s in the material and shape Clinger uses to build this thing, which we’ll get into next:

How it’s Made (So Well)

The Comfort Cling apparently breaks the mold of what soft holsters are made of, and I love it. Its three-layer construction and reinforced stitching is what makes this thing so great by all measures. For starters, the exterior layer is a non-slip synthetic leather that just feels ¬nice against the skin. It’s supple and feels very organic. Whatever Clinger’s designers cooked up in their lab to keep this holster in place, it works, and it’ll make you forget it’s not your own skin.

In no way does this thing feel abrasive or sticky, but press it against your waist and it just doesn’t move. It’s either using microscopic hairs from Spiderman’s hands, or it’s just a really well-designed leatherette fabric with very cool “stay put” properties. My only concern is whether this holster will lose that magic clinginess in the future.

With that concern, Clinger seems pretty confident: They offer a no-questions-asked replacement policy right on their website. If you ever find your Comfort Cling Holster isn’t standing the test of time (in their own words), they’ll exchange it. A rare nod to quality these days.

The middle layer of the Comfort Cling is what let me carry all day for the first time in a long time, without any complaints. It’s very light, gel-like stuff that cushions all the points and edges on the handgun. In my experience, it made carrying my Walther and my 1911 very comfortable. A big bonus here is printing, or a total lack thereof. The gel cushion made my handguns’ profiles disappear – obviously a critical factor in that whole “hidden” part of concealed carry.

That brings me to another point: Clinger hit the nail on the head with shaping and sizing this holster. At first glance, it looks like it’s supposed to hold a cell phone and that makes concealment awesome. Even with tighter pants this holster gives no hint that “that thing” tucked under your shirt is the barrel or slide of a handgun. It’s a real Goldilocks here – not too big, not too small, not too wide, not too thin. Just enough inside molding to keep a trigger guard, grip and slide snug. Just right.

Back to materials. The inner layer of this holster seals the deal. It’s got just enough bite to keep your handgun situated where you want it. Again, my heavy, slippery stainless Walther didn’t budge. When it’s time to draw in a hurry, the Comfort Cling did not force any effort. Pulling from this holster is smooth, fast, and intuitive. I even cinched my belt tight to see if I could pinch my gun in there, but it still drew quite easily. In this aspect, the shape of this holster is great as well. It provides just enough coverage while retaining plenty of grip and tang access for a simple draw.

The Comfort Cling Fits a Lot of Guns

Yes, I know, most (but not all) “universal” holsters just aren’t that good. Not this one. I’ve carried for over 5 years and I’ve ran with everything from my full-size 1911 all the way down to a micro-compact. I know that if you want a great fitting holster, you usually must go with one that’s tailor-made to your weapon of choice. That is not the case here.

When it comes to the Comfort Cling, I can’t speak to the results you may see with every model Clinger mentions on their rather long list of compatible handguns. What I can say is that I went to both extremes (a big and long 1911, and a heavy and compact .380) and the Comfort Cling just made concealed carrying enjoyable and easy for me. Will a model-specific, clip-on Kydex holster that costs a helluva lot more be a truly “perfect” fit for your handgun? Perhaps. Will it provide as much comfort, convenience, concealment, and a draw as quick as the Comfort Cling? You’d be surprised. I was.

The Comfort Cling gets 5 out of 5 in comfort, concealment, versatility, drawing and retention.