Mr. Softy for the Ruger SP101

When I hear the name Mr. Softy (actually spelled Softee), it brings me back to the days of my childhood. Hearing the ice cream truck’s crackling speaker playing that old familiar tune and waiting in anticipation for a toasted almond or strawberry shortcake ice cream bar.

As such, I found it quite entertaining when I saw this High Noon Holster’s product name. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of revolvers and I won’t bore you with a revolver vs. semi-auto debate. With that being said, my preferred method of carry for the revolver is appendix inside-the-waistband (AIWB). When carrying IWB, I’ve found that kydex holsters are uncomfortable as sin, unless you have a hybrid with the leather against your body. Excess material is also not a desired trait for AIWB, thus, a holster with a smaller footprint and made of a thinner material is better for comfort and concealment.

On the budget conscious side, you have the Galco Stow-n-Go coming in around $25 from Amazon. I have a few of these, and for the money, they are excellent. My only problem with the Stow-n-Go was its flimsy, yet unnecessarily thick plastic clip, printing against my shirts. The solution presented itself in the Mr. Softy. At $30 for the holster, the holster itself isn’t much more expensive, but shipping came in at $12 (from Florida to Georgia, really?).

Compared to the Stow-n-Go, the leather used to construct the Mr. Softy is definitely thinner, but that doesn’t take away from its high quality finish and feel. The Mr. Softy leather broke in quite easily and took the form of the pistol after a few weeks of carry. High Noon does offer molded holsters constructed of thicker leather or horsehide, but I find that the thinner holsters are more comfortable to carry. The Mr. Softy also has a metal belt clip, which accommodates 2 1/4 inch belts. This is 1/2 inch bigger than the Galco clip and the extra clearance gives you the ability to slightly cant the pistol for comfort.

The Mr. Softy also has a retention screw, allowing for the user to adjust pistol retention to their liking. The leather around the top of the holster and clip is double layered and reinforces the opening to aid in re-holstering. The Mr. Softy forgoes the typical metal strip sewn into the leather, so if you wear your belt tight, re-holstering may be a little difficult as the opening may collapse.

Overall, the Mr. Softy is an excellent value. It features high quality construction and excellent materials for under $30. The Galco Stow-n-Go is another excellent choice but you give up the metal clip and the supple leather. This is my first holster from High Noon Holster, but it will definitely not be my last.