Pop culture has left many of us with a fascination for the holster, thanks to iconic looks from the likes of Pulp Fiction, Tomb Raider, and just about every Western or detective movie. It’s only natural that some enterprising individuals would build classic-looking holsters for your smartphone.
Of course, your dad has probably been sporting a phone hip holster for a while, but the quality of LD West’s $110 ($120 CAD) leather under-arm holster is next level.
As you’d expect, the holster circles around your back and up over your shoulders with two elastic bands. You can choose to snap in a bi-fold wallet on the left and your phone on the right, or you can forego the wallet and just use the phone pouch.
Before you order, you’ll need to measure up your phone against LD West’s size chart before purchasing to make sure you get the right pouch.
The extra weight and pull of the holster took some getting used to, but the accessory turned out to be quite comfortable once I was settled with it.
However, after a few minutes of wearing it, the cool factor started to wear off and I started to wonder whether the product is actually functional. It’s slightly easier to grab my phone from under my arm than in my pocket, but that’s not really a problem that needs solving. I keep asking myself, “Who is this product for?”
LD West’s marketing photos generally show men in tight-fitting suits using the product, and that kind of makes sense. Wearing a suit jacket would cover up the ridiculousness of walking around with a holster, and suit pants are usually tailored so that the pockets don’t have much room. Motorcycle riders could also benefit from slinging their valuables under their arms.
I guess if you’re in the habit of wearing pants without pockets, or just not wearing pants at all, you might find a use for the holster too.
Maybe I’m paranoid, but I also keep having visions of getting shot by the police while wearing the holster because they think I’m reaching for a gun. Most of us aren’t accustomed to regular run-ins with the cops, but it would be quite a shame for your hipster smartphone holster to lead to an untimely death. It sounds absurd, but you’ll have to remember to exercise caution while wearing the holster around any law enforcement.
LD West has done an excellent job with the product, but its under-arm phone holster is still a novelty item. If you’ve ever dreamed of walking around with the feeling of cold steel under your arm, the holster will fulfill that wish. I’m happy to be proven wrong here, but the only use I could find for the product amounts to little more than playing dress-up.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.