Friday 5 April 2013

Blastersmiths UK - Dropleg Holster Review


I've been banging on about Blastersmiths UK Ltd for a while now. To say I'm excited about them and what they do is a bit of an understatement.

So when they sent me one of their Dropleg Holsters for review I was shaking with excitement. My days of making holsters out of gaffer tape were long gone.

Dropleg Holster - Left Leg

The development of this accessory has taken a fair amount of time. From what I hear, it has also been a great deal of fun. The current production model, the Mk. II is fully adjustable and has been designed for use with various different types of blaster.

Made from a tough and durable fabric called 'Cordura' with straps made from Nylon webbing, the holster has a really high quality feel about it. It really gives you the impression that this thing is built to last. And it should. The prototyping phase involved some improvised Irish dancing to test blaster retention and Tae Kwon Do to ensure it wouldn't fall off in battle. I think you will agree, BSUK have a thorough if not novel R&D phase.

Production of BSUK products is handled in house in an effort to keep costs down. From what I have been told, "The overwhelming majority is done by Spud (Production Director). The others occasionally help."

Well done Spud. Your work is exceptional.

On to the review!



Out Foxed by an Accessory

I'll be honest, it took me a while to work out what all the straps and buckles do, but once I had the thing 'assembled' I felt like a bit of an idiot. It's actually really simple.

Blaster Retention Strap

There is an adjustable internal Velcro strap that supports the front end of the blaster. This allows you to set how far into the holster your blaster sits. Not only does this mean that the holster will accept various different blasters, but you can always guarantee no matter how much running, jumping crawling and rolling you do, your sidearm will not disappear into the holster and make it difficult to remove. There are more Velcro straps around the outside. Again, these are designed to adjust the holster to fit your desired blaster. In my opinion these are a little on the short side as there is only just enough Velcro to hold my Elite Strongarm. If I were packing something slightly girthier (giggity), like a Maverick, I might run into trouble. After a few minutes of tweaking and adjustment, I soon had the perfect fit for my Strongarm.

Belt Loop with Quick Release Buckle

The straps that secure the holster to your leg have ample length for even the most Rubenesque of nerfers (I'm allowed to say that, I'm one of them) and have quick release buckles that hold fast but are easy to remove. Ingeniously, there is another quick release buckle attached to a belt loop that supports the weight of the holster and prevents it from sliding down whilst running. This belt loop uses more Velcro so you can remove it without having to remove your belt. I am told that Mike at BSUK has a nasty habit of stealing these creating havoc for their shipping department.

One of my Modified Strongarms in its New Home

I have been walking around the house for a couple of days now and I am really surprised by how comfortable it is. Really. I often forget I'm wearing a blaster on my hip which is especially awkward when I pop out to the shops. I haven't been able to war with it yet but from the tests I have done so far, I think this should perform nicely. In fact, I'm so confident, I've ordered one for the other leg. Dual wielding Strongarms anyone?

So all in all. Blastersmiths UK's Dropleg Holster's are robust, lightweight, secure, comfortable and above all, affordable. At £12, these things are definitely worth your money.

Well done guys. I look forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeves.

2 comments:

  1. Looks all a bit too cheap and nasty if i'm honest - check out Limey or Blasterparts. My friends and I placed a $600 order across both sites for our HvZ and LARP stuff and have not had any issues at all.

    Riley, Jefferson US

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    Replies
    1. Cheap, Yes. Limey Tactical's holster works out over twice the price (£27.36) and that's even before you ship internationally. Blasterparts are a little better at £19.51 before shipping.

      Nasty? I'm afraid, not having sampled all of them I'm not in a position to comment but the quality of the BSUK holster is most excellent. I think in terms of value for money, Blastersmiths have it.

      If you'd like to submit a review of the other holsters you have purchased I'd love to have a read.

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