The Glock 21 is a .45-caliber pistol that offers all the good features of Glocks with the size and stopping power of a .45-caliber handgun. It features a polymer frame that stands up to heavy use, as well as a grip that secures it in the hand. These features ensure durability along with accuracy. They also have a softer recoil than other .45-caliber options. The Glock 21 is a very popular .45-caliber handgun because it is not only reasonably priced, but because of Glock’s reputation for producing quality firearms.
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As the Glock 21 is popular, there are plenty of holster options. The biggest challenge when considering which holster is right for your needs is how large this firearm is. If you need to carry concealed, the Glock 21 may not be the best choice, as its bulk makes it harder to conceal. Besides this, there are lots of holster options for the Glock 21, each suited for a different need and a different lifestyle. Here are some of the best Glock 21 holsters for those different needs — outside the waistband, inside the waistband and even alternative styles.
Best OWB Glock 21 Holster
With this size of gun, an Outside-The-Waistband (OWB) holster will probably be the most comfortable option to go for if you are carrying a Glock 21. Below I list the 4 holsters I would be considering if I were shopping for a holster.
Safariland
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Safariland holsters have a reputation for good quality and a focus on safety. The thumb retention and automatic locking system continue this tradition of safety. By all accounts, the thumb release is very easy to get used to, and makes for a fast draw. To add additional retention, there is an extra hook that grabs onto the bottom of your belt.
While the listing shows it is conceal carry compatible, it is really not very suitable for carrying concealed. If you try hard enough, any holster is able to be concealed, and this one could be worn concealed under a heavy coat or oversized sweatshirt. It is a good quality holster, but may rub some finish off the slide.
The Safariland is a good choice if you are looking for an outside the waistband holster with a higher level of retention. If that does not sound right for your lifestyle, this holster is not for you.
Safariland at a Glance:
- Style: Outside the waistband
- Level of Retention: ALS (Automatic Locking System), thumb button
- Pros: Comfortable, belt loop hooks, Made in the U.S.
- Cons: May wear on firearm’s finish, paddle does not work for everyone
- Conceal Compatible: Not really
Blackhawk Serpa
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The Blackhawk Serpa is one of the most popular holsters for Glock 21 handguns. It is comfortable both standing and sitting, and is made of good quality materials. The most contentious feature on this holster is the index finger retention button. There are a large number of people who claim that this retention style can lead to accidental discharge when drawing your handgun.
What your stance is on that is up to you and your lifestyle — if you are comfortable with the index finger retention, this holster is a solid choice. This style retention does make drawing from this holster very fast. Plastic clips also come included that hold your holster to your belt to keep the holster from being pulled up while drawing. The tradeoff there is that putting this holster on takes a long time and requires removing your belt.
As with most things, this gets faster and easier with practice. This holster might be right for you if you are not planning on concealing and if you are okay with the index finger retention. Everything else is excellent.
Blackhawk Serpa at a Glance:
- Style: Outside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Tension screw, index finger button
- Pros: Fast draw, stays attached to your belt, comfortable
- Cons: Accidental discharge, difficult to get on/off quickly
- Conceal Compatible: Not really
DeSantis
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This DeSantis holster is made in the U.S. of good-quality saddle leather. Some complain that the leather is too soft for them, but that is personal preference. Because this holster is designed only to cover what needs to be covered, it does not add any more bulk than absolutely required.
When carrying a Glock 21, that minimalism is something you may want to consider. The firearm is held in place by a tension screw, which means drawing is fast and retention is good. The leather is highly molded to help the firearm stay exactly where it should. Everyone’s fashion choices are different, so this holster may be suitable for concealed carry if you wear loose clothes. However, it is only available in tan.
That makes it more eye-catching than black. It does ride high enough to be comfortable sitting and standing for long periods of time. While this holster is a little pricier than other options, it offers comfort, quality and good retention.
DeSantis at a Glance:
- Style: Outside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Tension screw
- Pros: Comfortable, fast draw, slim profile, made in U.S.
- Cons: Too soft, only available in one color
- Conceal Compatible: With loose fitting clothes
Barsony
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This nylon holster is made in the U.S. exclusively from U.S. materials. The thumb retention is adjustable with the use of an included tool that looks like a tongue depressor. You can make it where it is just right for you. It clips to your belt using a leather-reinforced steel clip.
However, that is the only way it stays clipped to your belt — there are no belt loops. This makes it a lot faster to put the holster on, but some people experienced the holster jiggling around as they performed athletic activities. One of the best value-adding features on this Glock 21 holster is an extra magazine pouch. That extra magazine does add some bulk, and makes this holster unsuitable for concealed carry.
Some users were able to wear this holster inside the waistband and carry concealed that way. However, when worn outside the waistband as designed, it really cannot be concealed. If you are comfortable with the wiggly feeling when this holster is clipped to the belt — or you are comfortable modifying this holster, it is a great quality, affordable holster.
Barsony at a Glance:
- Style: Outside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Thumb break strap
- Pros: Comfortable, adjustable retention strap, slides onto belts quickly, made in U.S., magazine pouch
- Cons: Wiggles on belt
- Conceal Compatible: Not really
Best IWB Glock 21 Holster
Even though the Glock 21 is not a small gun, there are some Inside-The-Waist (IWB) holster options for you to look at in order to carry concealed.
Concealment Express
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Even the hefty Glock 21 is easily concealed with this Concealment Express inside the waistband holster. Concealment Express uses proprietary molds so each holster is exactly the same. Made from kydex that is only .08 inches thick, it is very slim for carrying inside the waistband.
Some users even shared that they forgot they were carrying. However, a few people did modify this holster so that it would be more comfortable to carry in the appendix position. With an adjustable cant, you can get your firearm’s angle right where you want it. This holster is easily clipped onto the belt without having to remove your belt. Firearms are quickly and easily drawn, as well.
However, this holster will leave some scratches near the barrel. If you do not mind a few scratches on your firearm and you want to carry concealed, this might be the right holster for your lifestyle.
Concealment Express at a Glance:
- Style: Inside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Tension screw with audible click
- Pros: Adjustable cant, easily slides on and off belt, made in the U.S., comfortable
- Cons: Scratches firearm
- Conceal Compatible: Yes
Concealed Carrier
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Made from surgical grade neoprene with foam padding, this is one of the most comfortable holsters. It also includes a separate similarly constructed holster for an extra magazine, knife or pepper spray. The listing shows this holster as universal, although it does require some modification of cutting stitches upon arrival. If you are comfortable cutting stitches, these holsters are good value. It does come with some problems, however.
The front sights on a Glock 21 can snag, stopping your draw. Some experienced the holster coming up with the firearm as well, due to the belt clip’s design. While the belt clip itself is very sturdy, it is not shaped for good retention to the belt. That does depend on each person’s build, their belt style and how they draw.
Returning to the holster can be difficult because the holster collapses after the firearm is drawn. It does come with a thumb break retention to keep the firearm in the holster. With some practice, this can be disengaged one-handed. Even if this does not become your everyday carry holster (although it is comfortable enough to be worn all day every day), this holster set would make a good backup for concealed carry.
Concealed Carrier at a Glance:
- Style: Inside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Thumb break retention strap
- Pros: Very comfortable, extra holster, veteran-owned company
- Cons: Sights snag, holster comes loose during draw, holster collapses after draw
- Conceal Compatible: Yes
Houston Gun Holsters
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If you are looking for a genuine leather inside the waistband Glock 21 holster, this is not the holster for you. It is made from a pleather “eco-leather” material that is somewhat flimsy. It is double-stitched, so the eco-leather will stay together. Despite other concerns, it is comfortable against the skin and allows for all day carry. The steel clip is good quality and durable.
Finding a holster that fits lights or lasers can be a little scary, but this one fits most lights and lasers. It does not have any form of retention to keep the firearm in the holster. For some people, that’s a good thing because it means a faster draw. For others, the complete lack of retention is a deal breaker. I’ll leave that up to you. For an affordable price that will fit a Glock 21 with lasers and sights, the Houston is a good option.
Concealed Carrier at a Glance:
- Style: Inside the waistband
- Level of Retention: None
- Pros: Double-stitched, comfortable, fits lights and lasers
- Cons: “Eco-leather” instead of leather
- Conceal Compatible: Yes
FoxX Holsters
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For a holster that distributes the Glock 21’s weight over a larger area, this FoxX holster may be the one for you. It rides inside the waistband, and does a very good job concealing even the massive Glock 21. To help tailor it to your unique draw, it can be adjusted for both cant and height. This also helps to conceal it on any body type. This holster will stay in place, even during heavy athletic activity.
It is made from a combination of kydex and leather held together with steel rivets. Because the leather is against the skin, it is very comfortable for most. There is a clicking mechanism when the firearm is holstered to let you know that it is where it should be. The problem seems to come during the draw — the belt clips can snag shirts. Of course, this depends on which shirts are worn as well as the way each person draws. It is made from good quality materials in the U.S., and is affordable.
FoxX Holster at a Glance:
- Style: Inside the waistband
- Level of Retention: Click
- Pros: Comfortable, adjustable cant and height, stays in place, made in the U.S.
- Cons: May snag shirts
- Conceal Compatible: Yes
Best CCW Glock 21 Holster
Believe it or not, but there are some concealed carry holster options for the Glock 21. However, you won’t be finding ankle holsters or pocket holsters for the Glock 21. Your best bet for a CCW option, is to look at shoulder holsters. Below I list two great options for your to consider.
Aker Leather
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Getting a shoulder holster adjusted exactly right is a little bit harder than sliding a holster on a belt. The Aker shoulder holster has lots of areas for customization to get everything adjusted exactly right for you. On the surface, this seems like a really good thing. However, some find all the customizable options a time-consuming hassle.
The leather portion of this holster is good quality and well-stitched. Like all leather holsters, this will need to be conditioned to your exact firearm. This conditioning process takes a few weeks. For some, the leather on the inside of the holster was a little rough.
However, that will lessen with time. While the leather is good quality, the hardware is plastic which makes me question this holster’s durability. A magazine pouch is included with capacity for two magazines. If you are more fashionable, this holster is available in black or tan. Shoulder holsters are often a choice when traditional holsters are not concealable. For suits, this holster does a fantastic job of concealing your Glock 21.
Aker Leather at a Glance:
- Style: Shoulder
- Level of Retention: Thumb Break
- Pros: Good-quality leather, good-quality stitching, lots of customization, extra magazine holder, made in the U.S.
- Cons: Difficult to adjust, plastic hardware
- Conceal Compatible: Yes
Diamond D
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Made in Alaska for rough terrain, this chest holster is a reliable choice if you do not need to conceal. If you do need to conceal, you would need to wear a big coat and have a slow draw. Like almost all leather holsters, this holster will take some time to condition.
The leather is heavy and good quality, as well as offering several adjustment options. If you have a larger frame, this chest holster works really well. However, if you are smaller-framed, you might run into some challenges getting it adjusted where you need it.
Of course, that all depends on where you prefer to carry your firearm. Something else to be aware of when looking at this holster is that some sights can snag the leather. The thumb break retention means your firearm will stay in place during heavy activity. With practice, this chest holster has an easy, one-handed draw.
Diamond D at a Glance:
- Style: Chest
- Level of Retention: Thumb break
- Pros: Good quality leather and craftsmanship, made in the U.S., adjustable
- Cons: Difficult to adjust for smaller frames
- Conceal Compatible: Not really
Best Affordable Holster: Concealed Carrier
For the price, there is no beating the Concealed Carrier holster set. While it has some issues snagging while drawing and coming loose from the belt, it still offers incredible value.
Modification can fix the snagging issue while practice can help alleviate the holster coming loose from the belt. The benefits here are two very comfortable holsters that hold what they need to hold. They might not be perfect everyday holsters, but they are enough to get you started or use as a backup.
- ⭐️ RIGHT-HANDED ✔ MAXIMUM COMFORT GUARANTEE - Our IWB holster is made out of padded and breathable surgical grade elastic neoprene with air holes that allow ventilation for your legs – you'll forget you have it on! The soft foam innards of the holster will prevent rubbing and discomfort unlike most other IWB holsters you'll find on Amazon!
Best Value for Money: Safariland
Safariland’s reputation and solid craftsmanship make this the best value for money. One issue is that it might scratch the finish, which can be fixed by sanding down any rough edges.
The other is that the paddle does not work for everyone, but that means it does work for some people. The only way to find out which group you fall into is to try it out.
- 7378-383-411 Fits: Glock 20, 21
Best Overall Holster: DeSantis
The biggest problems on the DeSantis holster were that the leather was too soft, and that it is only available in one color.
Both of those get down to personal preference, and everyone has a different idea of what weight and texture leather should be. These problems are far outweighed by the benefits, making this the best overall holster in my opinion.
- Designed to fit the following firearms: GLOCK 20, 21, 21SF, 29, 30, 37, 39, S&W 99 45 CAL 4", S&W 990L 3 1/2", S&W 990L 9/40 4 1/8"
