Preface
One of my guilty pleasures is I collect holsters like women do shoes. I love having different holsters for different purposes. Today I am bringing you a new holster from a new to me brand; T.Rex Arms. T Rex Arms makes a variety of different holsters, perhaps I will try others based on this experience. I don’t suppose I’ll dabble in drama, just simply present the holster and my opinion of it. The holster we are looking at is the T.Rex Titan Holster, a level 2 retention holster built with duty in mind. Incorporating a Kydex fit with the locking retention of a mechanical lock. As an avid holster user, I would incorporate the Titan into my carry to see how it compares to my typical holsters.
The T.Rex Arms Titan
The T.Rex Titan uses a typical folded Kydex design bolted together on one side. Essentially a polymer based taco with a built-in retention system that engages the ejection port of your pistol to lock it into the holster. The locking bar rocks within the holster and is actuated by a thumb-lever tucked neatly beside the grip area. The Titan is made for a wide variety of different pistols, and can incorporate different sized optics hoods to protect red dot sights.
Using a common mounting pattern allows the Titan to use popular mounts like the Safariland QLS fork system. Included hardware also allows you to adjust the angle and ride of the holster on your belt.
Aside from ordering it customized to your pistol and weapon light combination, the Titan can also be had in various colors and patterns.
T.Rex Arm Titan Features
- Level 2 active retention
- Large release button
- Bind-resistant locking mechanism
- Removable optic hood
- Optic compatible
- Modular mounting hole pattern
- Heavy-duty .125″ Kydex construction
- Lifetime Warranty
- 60-day free returns
Carrying with the T.Rex Arms Titan
After installing the Safariland QLS fork to the Titan, it easily snapped onto my belt. This is very handy as the belt is already setup for my preferred ride and height. I had ordered the Titan to fit my Shadow Systems DR920, which is similar to a Glock 17. My experience with other holsters has allowed me to use different similar pistols in the same holster. I would soon find out if the Titan shared this compatibility.
My DR 920 has a Surefire X300 weapon light, which was also incorporated to the custom Titan holster. The first time I dropped the pistol into the Titan, it slid nicely in and snapped shut. The Titan appears to be entirely made from polymers but for its fasteners. Even the retention lock spring is a polymer one. The ample space in the Titan’s optics hood gave plenty of room for the big window of the Gideon Optics Storm red dot.
Drawing from the Titan
After drawing the pistol from the Titan many times, it was quickly noted how comfortable the release button is. With a broader and flatter surface than many other holster release buttons it was easy to find and comfortable to press. This without giving up its cover directly behind the slide of the pistol when holstered.
The slippery surface of the Kydex makes the pistol very easy to pull once the release has been pressed. Friction against the pistol can be adjusted slightly with tightening of the screws that close the holster.
I also found the Titan to be very easy to re-holster the pistol. Again, adjusting the friction for a perfect draw and re-holster is nice. The DR 920 would drop right in, and the lock would snap shut. All this with little to no rattling.
Reliability
There is little to go wrong with a device this simple, at least you would think so. That said there are things to keep your eyes on. T.Rex Arms offers blue loctite with their holsters, and I quickly found out why. Its important to ensure your screws are all thread-locked because they can easily come loose and come out. Which can be quite inconvenient.
I also found that the detent for the Titan’s optics hood wasn’t quite as grippy as I’d like, as it was frequently opened by simply brushing my strong arm by the holster. I suppose this would be an easy fix with a little heat.
Other than those things I found the Titan to be a great option to carry my pistols. Its open end allows debris and fuzz to fall free from the holster, without being too short and allowing access to your light or muzzle. My pistols were protected nicely, keeping both me and their finish safe.
Like many other holsters, the Titan is designed to retain the pistol as ordered. So if you ordered the Titan to work with a Surefire X300 as I did, don’t expect it to work without the X300 attached. The retention may not work if the pistol doesn’t have its light installed. Using both the DR920 it was ordered for as well as the Ruger RXM it held both pistols secure with the X300 installed.
Quality
As far as Kydex holster are concerned, the Titan is of fine quality construction. As compared to other popular brands I think it would stand toe to toe with most other options. One thing I really like about some others is a Cordura wrapping, it makes holsters just a little less noisy and friendlier when rubbing against seats, vehicles, and other things you will rub against. To be fair, the slick polymer exterior is also better for some things by not grabbing clothing and other things.
Value
Compared to many of the other level 2 retention, duty minded holsters, the Titan does offer a good value. Other brands can cost 20-30 dollars more, or cost twice as much depending on where you look. I think for the $135 asking price of the Titan, it offers great customization and compatibility.
My Verdict on the Titan
After carrying the Titan daily for a couple months now, I feel like it is a good option for those looking for a good retention OWB holster. With all kinds of choices you can surely find a Titan setup that matches what you are looking for. It gives a comfortable ride, while keeping my pistol secure and easily accessible at the very same time.