by Galia Berry

When Matt Del Fatti sent me his latest custom holster innovation designed especially for women, I thought he should name it the "Eureka." That's because my initial reaction was, "Wow! At last I've found the perfect outside-the-pants holster!"

I first heard of Del Fatti Leather on an Internet gun newsgroup, known as rec.guns. Someone had posted a few lines raving about the fine service, good fit and reasonable pricing. Ever in search of that elusive perfect holster, I decided to give Matt Del Fatti a call and see what he had to offer. There are other holstermeisters who do make holsters designed for women, but either the wait time is too long, the price too high, or the comfort factor unacceptable.

Mr. Del Fatti has been in law enforcement for more than twenty years. Like so many people who get into holster-making, he was dissatisfied with what was out there, and felt he could do it better. Soon, other law enforcement officers were coming to him with their input and ordering his holsters. Meanwhile, Del Fatti was experimenting, improving and refining his several available models. As his customer roster grew, several women approached him with requests for a holster designed especially to fit women. The thing that makes Del Fatti so unusual is his total willingness to really listen to and implement what women are looking for in a holster, rather than simply design what he thinks women want.

Unfortunately, his rather inadequate brochure left me more confused than when I started. The photographs of various holster models are of poor quality. The holsters are not displayed at uniform angles, so it's difficult to compare the cant and design of one holster against another. Worse, not all the holsters he makes are shown, or even mentioned, including the ladies' version! When I mentioned my disappointment, Mr. Del Fatti said that he purposely left the brochure vague, so people would be sure to call to discuss their personal needs before ordering! All design, cutting, sewing, dyeing, and finishing is done by him personally. He works with each individual customer to achieve the perfect fit, based not only on their anatomy, but on their personal needs for concealed carry of a firearm. While I appreciate his desire to chat and advise, I felt the brochure was enough of a turn-off to inhibit all but the most determined holster-seekers from pursuing it further. Fortunately for both of us, I was desperate to find a decent holster, and was not so easily dissuaded. This is one case where perseverence paid off!

I found out that Del Fatti had just designed a women's prototype Glock 26/27 holster, which he had sent out to the creators of Hidden In Plain Sight, a book about concealed carry. Being the busybody that I am, I contacted the authors and requested a chance to take a look at the holster and do a review. They were gracious enough to send me the holster so I could give it a workout.

While the workmanship was excellent, the holster was a disappointment. The muzzle dug into my hip uncomfortably, and I had a very difficult time achieving a smooth draw. I originally thought it was because the holster fit was too tight. In a way, that was true. The fit was so snug, that the draw worked only at a specific angle, with no leeway. That would have been fine, but the cant of the holster was such, that my wrist felt discomfort when I drew the gun the way the holster was designed. Often it would "catch" and I would fumble. Not exactly acceptable in a situation where a quick draw can be a matter of life or death.

So I called Mr. Del Fatti, and told him that I thought the holster did not meet my needs, and why. Rather than getting huffy, however, his answer surprised me: "No problem," he replied, "let's see what we can do to make it right."

Now the real fun began. I guess you could say I'm "technically challenged," but the truth is, I can't tell you the features, whats and whys of good holster design, I just know if something works or it doesn't. Therefore, it was quite an exercise in patience on Matt Del Fatti's behalf, when I'd refer to something I didn't like as, "you know, the thingamajiggy that touches the front part of the whatchamacallit." Somehow he managed to understand what I was talking about, and promised me a holster for my S&W 3913, which arrived less than a month later.

The holster looked kind of unusual, in that it had a long, curved "wing" which extended from the main part of the holster to the second belt loop. But when I put it on, I was amazed. It was clearly the most comfortable holster I had ever worn. It fit my plump middle-aged body so snugly, you couldn't tell I was carrying a gun, even though I was wearing a tucked-in T-shirt with only a thin cotton vest over the gun. I couldn't wait to try it out on the range.

But first, I put it through a workout at home. I tried it standing, sitting for long periods at my desk, bending down (picking my kids' stuff off the floor!), and driving (including twisting my torso while backing the car out of the driveway). The holster was barely noticeable.

At the range, the draw was so smooth and quick, I felt ready to enter a fast-draw contest! Based on my original critique, Matt had designed the holster with a 10 degree muzzle-forward cant, which was ergonomically perfect for me. Virtually no break-in period was necessary, yet the holster fit snugly. This holster is a definite winner, and it's because Matt Del Fatti truly believes that "the customer is always right." He wants his customers to be happy and carry safely, and does his utmost to ensure that happens.

I would buy this holster with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever. It is priced at a very reasonable $75 plus shipping, with about a one-month wait time. Oh, and he makes belts and magazine carriers, too. My conclusion: Eureka! I have finally found the perfect holster!

Del Fatti Leather
Dept.
637 So. Main St.
Greenwood, WI 54437
tel. 715-267-6420
(6 - 10 p.m. central time, M-F)

Copyright © 1997- Galia Berry, All Rights Reserved, Reprinted with permission