Gear Review: Ready to Roll with the DeSantis Kingston Car Seat Holster

Some manufacturers could clean up by adding a few gun friendly accoutrements to certain vehicles. Holsters built into seats, maybe. Or a flip down compartment in the roof designed to hold a full sized automatic. But until then, we are forced to improvise.

My favorite improvisational holster is the cup holder. But this is less than ideal. The gun is always a bit wobbly and I spill more coffee in my vehicle than I drink, so the cup holder is a bit sticky. And I’m not a big fan of being that conspicuous. While the cup holder allows for easy access, it is very visible.

But the cup holder works decently, especially since I have a carry permit which allows me to travel with the gun loaded. Still, there is a better way.

The DeSantis Kingston Car Seat Holster

DeSantis’s Kingston Car Seat Holster is little more than a nylon holster with an elastic sleeve for an extra magazine. But the “little more” is what makes it. The holster comes with a strap that wraps around a car seat, holding the gun and magazine upright. Between the nylon holster and strap is a rigid piece of polymer that helps the whole package stay rigid.

The strap wraps around the cushion, and threads between the seat and the seat-back. It’s adjustable and closes with a simple buckle.

The holster can be removed from the strap and worn inside or outside of the waistband thanks to a simple metal clip.

Kingston 1

Using the Kingston

Because the holster is nylon, and not rigidly molded Kydex or leather, one holster will hold multiple guns. We requested a Kingston for a full sizedBeretta PX4. But when it came time to shoot video for the review, we were running super low on 9mm. We had enough .45 ACP, so we tried theGlock 30S in the Kingston, and the gun fit perfectly.

kingston 2

We found that centering the holster on the seat was a bit problematic. I had assumed the buckle wouldn’t be comfortable to sit on, and so I wanted it as centered between my legs as I could get. But when the holster’s strap is centered, the grip of the Glock sticks into the driver’s right leg.

This isn’t comfortable. But with the strap moved just slightly to the left, the gun was much less obtrusive and didn’t impede the manipulation of the pedals at all. And the buckle isn’t noticeable.

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